RTHK: North Korea fires ballistic missile: South's military North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Sunday, Seoul's military said, just days after a US aircraft carrier arrived for joint drills with the South in a show of force against Pyongyang. South Korea had earlier detected signs the North was preparing to fire a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), the president's office said on Saturday, a weapon Pyongyang last tested in May. The Sunday launch is the latest in a record-breaking blitz of weapons tests by nuclear-armed Pyongyang this year, including firing an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile at full range. In May, the North test-fired a short range ballistic missile from Sinpo, a major naval shipyard in North Korea. "North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile into the East Sea," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said early on Sunday, without giving any further details. Japan's coast guard also confirmed a likely ballistic missile launch, citing information from Tokyo's defence ministry. "Vessels please be vigilant for new information and if you spot any foreign objects please don't get closer to them but inform the coast guard," the coast guard said. Japan's public broadcaster NHK said the object appeared to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. South Korea's hawkish President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, has vowed to beef up joint military exercises with the United States after years of failed diplomacy with North Korea under his predecessor. On Friday, the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan and vessels from its strike group docked in the southern port city of Busan, part of a push by Seoul and Washington to have more US strategic assets operating in the region. Yoon is also due to meet US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday when she visits Seoul this week, following a visit by President Joe Biden in May, and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month. The USS Reagan will take part in joint drills off South Korea's east coast this month. Washington is Seoul's key security ally and stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect it from the North. The two countries have long carried out joint exercises, which they insist are purely defensive but North Korea sees them as rehearsals for an invasion. "Pyongyang could be making a show of strength while a US aircraft carrier is visiting South Korea for defense exercises," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. "But North Korea's major tests are, most of all, part of a long-term campaign for advancing offensive military capabilities." South Korean and US officials have been warning for months that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is preparing to conduct another nuclear test. The isolated regime has tested nuclear weapons six times since 2006. Its last and most powerful one in 2017 which Pyongyang claimed was a hydrogen bomb had an estimated yield of 250 kilotons. "North Korea might be delaying its seventh nuclear test out of respect for China's upcoming political conference that Xi Jinping is tightly scripting to extend his leadership," Easley said. "But there are limits to Pyongyang's self-restraint." (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-09-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. President Phuc arrives in Japan for Abe's State funeral Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and a high-ranking delegation of the Vietnamese Party and State arrived on Sunday afternoon at Haneda International Airport, Tokyo, for the State funeral of former Prime Minister of Japan Shinzo Abe. Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and a high-ranking delegation arrived in Tokyo, Japan on Sunday afternoon. VNA/VNS Photo Thong Nhat The funeral activities will last from September 25-28. The visit was conducted on a commercial flight, along with many other people who also went to Japan from Hanoi. Accompanying President Phuc were members of the Party Central Committee: Le Khanh Hai, Chairman of the President's Office; Nguyen Chi Dung, Minister of Planning and Investment; Vu Hai Ha, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the National Assembly; along with Permanent Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Nguyen Minh Vu, Deputy Head of the Party Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Committee Ngo Le Van, Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Tran Quoc Khanh, Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Nguyen Van Hoi, and Assistant to the President Bui Huy Hung. Former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was born on September 21, 1954. He is a Japanese leader with special affection for Vietnam; always attaching great importance to and interest to promoting bilateral relations. He is also the signatory of the Joint Statement "Towards a Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia" in 2006, setting the first milestone for the framework of the Strategic Partnership between Vietnam and Japan. He signed a Joint Statement on upgrading relations to an Extensive Strategic Partnership for Peace and Prosperity in Asia in March 2014. Japan will hold national mourning for Shinzo Abe on September 27. This is the second time since World War II that the Japanese government has decided to hold a State funeral for a former Prime Minister (the first was the late Prime Minister Yoshida Shigeru in 1967). About 6,000 foreign guests are expected to attend the event, including heads of state, heads of government, and representatives of countries. According to the programme, President Phuc will represent the leaders of the Party and State to attend the State funeral of the Japanese PM, attend the reception for heads of delegations from other countries hosted by the Emperor of Japan, and have a meeting with the incumbent Japanese PM Kishida Fumio. The President will also have meetings with leaders of Japan's National Assembly, receive leaders of a number of Japanese localities, and meet bilaterally with a number of heads of delegations from other countries also attending the State funeral. During his time in office, Abe visited Vietnam a total of four times and contributed a great deal to bilateral ties. Abe was assassinated by a 41-year-old man on the morning of July 8, 2022, while delivering a campaign speech for a Liberal Democratic Party candidate in Nara City. JAKARTA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- An explosion took place in the compound of a police dormitory in Indonesia's Central Java province on Sunday, injuring one policeman, spokesperson of the Central Java Police Iqbal Alqudusy said. A package blew off when it was being received by the policeman at a house in the police dormitory compound located in the province's Sukoharjo district at about 18:00 local time, the spokesperson said. The policeman suffered injuries and was rushed to a nearby hospital, the spokesperson told the Metro TV. The explosion was heard up to about 100 meters away, and damaged windows of houses and buildings nearby, according to the spokesperson. Few people in America, with the exception of longtime readers of the Geller Report and other censored freedom-loving websites, may recognize the plaintive wails for freedom that are currently being sounded in Iran. Yet we have seen this before. And each time, the West, led by a Democrat president, has aided and abetted the brutal crackdown on brave young people (led by women) dying, quite literally, to be free. Joe Biden is doing the same thing now that Barack Obama did years ago: ignoring the Iranians putting their lives on the line for freedom. It's nothing short of shameful. Firstpost reported Wednesday: "Over the past few days, protests have erupted across Iran after a 22-year-old woman died while being held by the morality police for violating the country's strictly enforced Islamic dress code. Anger has seen women remove their mandatory headscarves, or hijabs, from covering their hair after the death of Mahsa Amini, who was picked up by morality police over her allegedly loose headscarf." Yet as Iran's leaders continue to crack down on their citizens who yearn for freedom and liberty, the Biden administration shows no support for Iran's protesters. The Biden administration relentlessly appeases this brutal and murderous regime. The people of Iran are courageously protesting for freedom, all while the Biden administration emboldens Iran's murderous leaders with billions of dollars in sanctions relief. Biden has released billions to the world's largest state sponsor of terrorism, while working furiously to nuclearize the Islamic state. Biden's handlers continue to beg the haughty mullahs to re-enter the JCPOA, the disastrous nuclear deal that Barack Obama concluded with the Islamic Republic, and the President Trump wisely discontinued. Biden's handlers' version is even worse. Biden's appeasement of Iran is just like the appeasement policy of Barack Obama. And just like the appeasement pursued by Jimmy Carter. The United States Secret Service even stooped so low as to protect the genocidal president of Iran, Ebrahim Raisi, when he spoke before the United Nations. Instead of issuing sanctions against the regime's brutal violence against women, Biden opened America's doors to Iran's top terrorist to speak at the U.N. to deny the Holocaust. Where is the backlash from the American media? They provide very little coverage about Iran's atrocious human rights violations. Watch some of Lesley Stahl's interview with the mass-murdering Raisi. Stahl treats Raisi with much greater respect than she did President Trump. She asks Raisi to outline the differences between Biden and Trump, implying that Biden's appeasement of Iran is a positive thing. Awful. It isn't just Lesley Stahl, either. Western news outlets censor and scrub coverage of the freedom protests and the horrors that give rise to them. This has been going on for years. How many people know who Neda Soltan was? She is an icon in Iran. A decade ago, she was shot dead while protesting the Iranian regime's brutal enforcement of Islamic law. Then, as now, thousands marched against the Islamic regime despite beatings, torture, and prison. Neda became a rallying cry. Iranians were beaten, jailed, raped, and killed. It was a killing field. Iranians begged for our help. Finally, Barack Obama could no longer ignore it. Obama said he "respects this regime." Obama said: "We will seek common ground. We will be respectful even when we do not agree." He requested no funds for the promotion of democracy initiatives in Iran. Knowing this, the people of Iran still took the streets, despite knowing full well what awaited them. As Robert Spencer pointed out, the regime's only hope of remaining in power is to terrorize the Iranian people into submission, as per Quran 3:151, 8:12, and 8:60. Sadly for the Iranian people, President Trump isn't in office. He vowed to help them. Where is America's feminist community on this outrage? Firstpost also reported Wednesday that "amid ongoing protests in Iran, Mahsa Amini's father has refused to allow Islamic prayers over his daughter's body. 'Your Islam denounced her, now you've come to pray over her? Aren't you ashamed of yourself? You killed her for two strands of hair! ... Take your Islam and go,' said Mahsa Amini's father in a viral video." Pray for this grieving father who dared to tell the truth despite the immense risk, and for the people of Iran who yearn for freedom. Pamela Geller is the president of the American Freedom Defense Initiative (AFDI), publisher of The Geller Report, and author of the bestselling book, FATWA: Hunted in America, as well as The Post-American Presidency: The Obama Administration's War on America and Stop the Islamization of America: A Practical Guide to the Resistance. Follow her on Twitter and Facebook. The next congressional election is just weeks away. Barring any last-minute kamikaze mission by RINOs or junk-mail balloting, it looks like Republicans will take control of the House and the Senate. This raises an interesting question: Congress, whats it good for? On one level, not much. Whatever laws the Democrats cant kill in committee will be vetoed by Biden. Likewise, impeaching Attorney General Merrick Garland and others is a dead end since we dont have the votes in the Senate to convict. As a practical matter, we may not have a working majority. Senior Republicans, more interested in attending the next wine and cheese party than tending to the needs of their constituents and nation, are going to be tempted to be the next John McCain. Add to this a Democratic leadership willing to fight dirty, and well be forced to fight just to get a budget done on time. Its not all bad news. Republican control of both houses means no more "Build Back Broke" spending bills. It also means we can begin preparing for the next presidential election by forcing Biden and company to publicly defend their agenda. We do this by forcing Biden to veto bill after bill. Imagine Biden vetoing a bill supporting energy production as oil hits $100 per barrel, or leftist tears if forced to support a presidential veto of Marjorie Taylor Greens bill protecting children from the Orwellian "gender-affirming care." Often overlooked are administrative acts. If there is the will to do so, Republicans can ban earmarks (again). They can file ethics complaints and force investigations against the likes of Rep. Jerry Nadler, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Rep. Adam Schiff for their dirty deeds over the last few years. And then there are congressional hearings and investigations. Why not use Nancey Pelosis beloved January 6 committee to determine if the FBI instigated the riot in the same way the agency instigated the Gretchen Witmer kidnapping plot? At the very least, we can force the FBI to say how many informants and agents were on the ground that morning. If the Republicans have the necessary courage and discipline, well-run hearings and investigations can lead to special prosecutors and criminal charges. Hunter Biden's laptop is the obvious example, but the essential work of reforming the politicalized Department of Justice and the gender-affirming Department of Education begins with congressional hearings documenting the problems. Just because we cant convict Mr. Garland before the 2024 presidential election doesnt mean we cant do so afterward, especially if all the paperwork is already in order. And there are things less ordinary. Congress has the power to issue public proclamations either jointly or individually. Proclamations are usually reserved for pointless announcements. Today is national green ink day, but with a little imagination, it can be so much more. Lets suppose Congress submits criminal referrals to the Department of Justice, which refuses to act on them. Why not have both the Senate and House issue public statements denouncing the DOJ? Senate moderates blocking efforts to defund Bidens IRS expansion? Have the House issue its own proclamation. Do you want to call attention to the lives mutilated and destroyed by the transgender movement? Why not proclaim a national detransition day? Why not a proclamation in support of election integrity or securing the border? Like the presidential veto, these actions put Democrats on the wrong side of an issue and put Republicans on the hook for decisive action after they retake the White House in 2024. Congress, whats it good for? In the hands of a driven, disciplined party, quite a lot. Image: Pixabay / Pixabay License As President Reagans Principal Director of Mobilization and Planning in the Office of the Secretary of Defense in the 1980s, I was responsible for the Department of Defenses responsibilities for Civil Defense for all Americans. Those days become vivid to me as President Putin of Russia this week has vowed to use nuclear weapons on the West should he not achieve his objectives in taking Ukraine: It now appears that the bluff and bluster of the old Soviet Union, as stated by Soviet First Secretary Nikita Khrushchev, in 1956 -- We will bury you -- is back with a vengeance. LONDON, Sept 21 (Reuters) - President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered Russia's first mobilization since World War Two and backed a plan to annex swathes of Ukraine, warning the West he was not bluffing when he said he'd be ready to use nuclear weapons to defend Russia. When President George W. Bush (43) became president, I had the opportunity to sit next to a brilliant deterrence theorist, the late Andy Marshall. He was the legionary director of the Office of Net Assessment. I asked him if he thought the DOD Office of Mobilization and Planning should be reconstituted because it had been eliminated in the famous or infamous Cold War "peace dividend" during the Clinton administration. Mr. Marshall was greatly in favor of all aspects of Civil Defense, but it was not to be. Currently the administration is getting appropriate credit for not escalating Putins nuclear threat with a U.S. nuclear threat; because the U.S. doesnt need to do that since Russian military leaders well know our capability. Biden has taken various steps to avoid escalating tensions with Russia. Hes postponed an intercontinental ballistic missile test, nixed a plan to provide Ukraine with fighter jets, and has refused to match Putins heated rhetoric with threats of his own. However, it is also time and prudence dictates a national discussion on Civil Defense preparedness. If such a discussion is initiated with thoughtful mainstream media messaging on how the U.S. population can be better prepared and resourceful in facing the horror of an incoming strike, then as said during the height of the Cold War our deterrence posture would go up and that is a good thing in these times of crisis. Some perspective on what we have had in this regard seems useful. During my time in office under President Reagan, we, DOD and Services, had a very close working relationship with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). The late Gen. Les Bray, USAF, is considered the creator of FEMA originating from his stewardship of President Fords Office of Preparedness. After his retirement from the U.S. Air Force in 1973, he went on to serve as the Director of the U.S. General Services Administration's Office of Preparedness. This office was elevated in rank and renamed the Federal Preparedness Agency, and was one of three agencies that together became the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Gen. Bray, one of the smartest individuals I ever served with, said something that should never be forgotten or ignored: The one thing that can destroy America as a unified entity is a nuclear strike. Our history has proven our national resilience against a vicious civil war, the major economic shock of a nationwide and global depression, and a victorious military campaign against two fanatical formidable enemies, Nazi Germany and Imperial Japan. Thankfully, the World War II generation understood the horror of evil leaders wishing to destroy us on the battlefield and high seas, so they were very serious in understanding and applying the logic of nuclear deterrence. Our offensive nuclear weapon strategic firepower to this day is a tribute to the professionalism of the Navy submarine community and USAF strategic missile force and their aircraft always ready to retaliate with enough firepower to destroy any enemy threatening the use of nuclear weapons against us. Hand in hand with the deterrence factor of our survivable strategic retaliation forces were in those days, an emphasis on two additional key components of emergency preparedness. First and essential is our continuity of government (COG) planning and execution. COG planning addresses how our national command authority survives from the president, as commander-in-chief, and then following the constitutional line of succession of U.S. senior civilian leadership, from vice president, to Speaker of the House, President Pro Tem of Senate, and cabinet secretaries to manage our strategic response forces. FEMA beyond national COG has published a very solid and insightful document, the "Guide to Continuity of Government, For State, Local, Tribal and Territorial Governments. Such a document attempts to transcend partisan party political machinations and sends a powerful deterrence signal to our enemies that with such a document the U.S. has given thought to our national unified survival. The other critical signal of resolute deterrence is insuring the safety and survivability of all American civilians. It was often said at the height of the Cold War, national leaders must think about the unthinkable in being prepared for a possible strategic nuclear strike against U.S. territory. Now that Putin has returned to the old Cold War 'we will kill you' rhetoric, it seems the right time is now to begin to think about civil defense. Image: Logo, via Wikipedia // public domain The European Union transformed from an economic alliance into a bureaucratic overlord micromanaging all facets of every Europeans life. Europeans meekly accepted its dictates about the size of vegetables and the minutiae of household remodeling. In 2015, when Angela Merkel forced the EU to accept millions of anti-Western Muslim migrants, Europeans virtuously sucked it up. Now, though, with the economy collapsing and a long, cold winter on the way, Europeans are pushing back. Italy may even elect a conservativeand that has caused the EU to drop the benevolent mask and reveal the tyranny behind it. As a predicate to this discussion, you need to keep in mind that European conservativism is not the same as American conservativism. The latter reflects the liberal tradition that once controlled the Anglosphere: It centers on individual liberty, small government, and the free market. That notion of liberty has never really caught on in Europe. In Europe, its always a matter of who will rule: the Marxists or the anti-Marxists; the transnationalists or the nationalists. In the case of Italy, Giorgia Meloni, who seems poised to become Italys first female prime minister, is a classic example of the European right wing. She opposes Marxism and all that comes with it: unlimited abortion, euthanasia, gay marriage, and multiculturalism. Her values represent traditional Italian values and, indeed, track with traditional values across the West, including in America. American conservatives could readily support her candidacy. (Funnily enough, although a traditionalist, shes not married to her childs father.) However, typically for the totalitarian nationalist streak that runs through all European conservatives, she also embraces ideas that should have stayed buried in the rubble after WWII ended. She admires Mussolini, who was not a hardcore antisemite, and Giorgio Almirante, who is. Many in her train support fascism (a subset of socialism) and she hasnt made much effort to distance herself from them. Image: Ursula von der Leyen (edited). YouTube screen grab. In other words, shes a classic example of European conservativism, which isnt very nice but is certainly nicer than European leftism. Both always have the stench of antisemitism in their wake, and both want big government, but the conservatives have more faith in the free market and are less likely to yield the continent to Islam. The solons at the EU are terrifiedso much so that the EU, which is supposed to be a sort of unifying oversight body has issued an open threat to punish Italy if the Italians freely exercise their choice in the upcoming election: European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen is being accused of election interference after threatening to use tools if the wrong election result is achieved in Italys national elections, set to take place this Sunday, Sept. 25. She added that those same tools are already being used against Hungary and Poland. We will see the result of the vote in Italy, said von der Leyen. If things go in a difficult direction and Ive spoken about Hungary and Poland we have the tools. Von der Leyen made the comment while responding to a journalist after a talk she gave at Princeton University in the United States. [snip] Von Der Leyen was making a clear reference to the European Commissions ability to cut funding to member states it views as violating rule of law, a powerful tool Brussels can use to punish any democratically-elected government in Europe. Just last week, the commission proposed cutting 7.5 billion in funding to Hungary, with the countrys conservative government having long been a thorn in the side of the EU over its opposition to mass migration and support for traditional values. Naturally, Putin was the scapegoat to justify this threat, but the reference to Hungary and Poland shows the real issue: Challenge the EUs leftist approach to politically Marxist, culturally left, open border, trans-European governance, and you will be destroyed. Just call it Big Mother is watching you. Whats really funny is the way von der Leyen touts democracy as the be-it-and-end-all, at the same time saying that any country that exercises democracy in a way the EU dislikes will be punished. Europe is gorgeous. Its natural beauty, which humans have cultivated and sculpted for thousands of years; its millennia of glorious architecture; its dazzling art collections art; and its delicious cuisine all make the entire continent one of the great treasures of humankind. One wishes that modern Europeans could ally that beauty with a simultaneous commitment to individual liberty and the traditional values that made the West a juggernaut that, at one time, raised most of the world out of poverty. Fourteen years ago, the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation District (the Bridge District) looked into making the Golden Gate Bridge more resistant to suicide. Back then, the price tag was guesstimated at $40-50 million. As the project moved to fruition, the price tag rose steadily. The current guestimate is that the final cost for the hideously ugly project will be $222 million, with completion in 2023. And thats how government projects get done nowadays. In the 1930s, in lieu of welfare, the government provided money for works projects. On the downside, every penny sucked into government is money thats not working more efficiently in the private sector. On the upside, though, in the 1930s the government really did build amazing things. The massive Hoover Dam, which was authorized and the funds budgeted before the Depression, took five years to build from start to finish and was an extraordinary effort. If youve ever been there, you know that its also gorgeous. Image: The complex architecture of the Golden Gage Bridge by SalieL. CC BY-SA 4.0. The Depression-era government also built the San Francisco Mint, the San Francisco Post Office, the John Adams Building of the Library of Congress, the Triborough Bridge, the Lincoln Tunnel, the Bay Bridge, and the Tennessee Valley Authority. The American people actually got bang for the buck. Part of what made these projects work was that there was so much less regulatory drain on projects. There were no decades-long environmental impact reports, and the public had less say in which public or private lands would be involved. Given the Depression, most people were grateful for anything that would create work and improve Americas infrastructure. And then you have something like the Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier. To begin with, one can debate whether it improves anything. A best guesstimate is that, on average, there have been 23 suicides per year over the last 85 years. Every one of these is a tragedy for the person lost and the ones left behind. Having said that, perhaps one could do better than spend hundreds of millions to add an eyesore to one of Americas most beautiful sights. We could certainly do with more mental health support in America, and it might cost a lot less than the barrier. And then theres the inefficiency of modern government projects. Examples abound. You can read a bit here about the 1.7 miles of subway track in San Francisco, as well as the Central Valleys high-speed train to nowhere, both of which have been slow projects with enormous cost overruns. The Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier has now officially added itself to the category of grotesque government cost overruns. You can see in this post from March 2022 how the project exploded from a $49 million estimate to a $76 million price to a $211 million price to a $213 million price. You can also see how the project has been plagued with endless delays. Work that was supposed to begin in 2014 finally began in 2017, and a project that was to have ended in 2021 is still in progress. It turns out that even those cost overruns and delays arent the end of the story: The price tag for the Golden Gate Bridge suicide barrier, once estimated to be $76 million, might climb as high as $222 million because of continuing construction delays, officials said. The Golden Gate Bridge, Highway and Transportation Districts governing board voted unanimously on Friday to approve an $8 million increase toward the project, raising the expenditures from $206.6 million to $214.9 million. [stop] Originally set to be finished in January 2021, the net is now expected to be completed in December 2023 along the span, according to district staff. Net placements near the north and south towers are expected to be completed in 2025 because of the traveler reconfiguration. The entire project, including the traveler upgrades, is not expected to be completed until January 2026 a nearly two-year delay from the last estimate and four years behind the original schedule. Think about it: $221 million and six years to build a very ugly net protruding out from both sides of the once exquisitely beautiful bridge. Back in the 1930s, it took just four years to build the entire Golden Gate Bridge (which was another Depression-era project)! The entire project cost $530 million in todays dollars and was completed ahead of schedule and under budget. Modern government is a lumbering, inefficient behemoth that burns through time and money, both of value to taxpayers, but neither of concern to the government itself. Jack Cashill, in his Thursday AT piece, "Can the GOP Accommodate Two Rock Stars?" seemed to be taken with DeSantis's use of "we," whereas Trump uses "I," as did Obama. But DeSantis's choice of "we" works fine without weighing in a political calculation. Trump's virtuosity is his command of a bigger-than-life "I" personality that can accomplish big things. Sure, Obama used "I." He used it as would an imaginary sculptor recounting his agony and ecstasy as he carved the marble statue of himself for the Louvre. At some point, Gov. DeSantis will commit or not. I love Ron DeSantis. I'll vote for him. As of now, I would prefer the "we" to be a Trump/DeSantis duo because it would lengthen the MAGA approach to governance to probably twelve years or more. [Update: The Constitution requires the presidnt and vice president be residents of different states, so this is highly impractical. - Thomas Lifson, editor] This past week, Sean Hannity talked about meeting Trump at Mar-a-Lago for his upcoming interview. Hannity observed that all the forces arrayed against Trump never seem to distract him. I've heard Trump explain the difference between what he does as a very high-level entrepreneur compared to what high-level CEOs do. High-level entrepreneurs have a supra-capacity to handle enormous pressure. The obviously talented DeSantis would benefit from Trump's Oval Office experience to navigate the historic treachery from the radical left that will only get more diabolically irrational. I don't think we've seen a fraction of the leftist derangement that will come whether the GOP regains control of the Legislative Branch or not. The North Dakota driver running down an imagined extremist Republican could become both a template and a precursor. Gov. Ron DeSantis shattered the elites' virtue with the Martha's Vineyard ploy. It was delectable, but busing illegal aliens to blue states was originally Texas governor Greg Abbott's idea. DeSantis took it to another level. Is DeSantis as creative and clever as he seems to be? I hope so, but DeSantis's life has not been bombed the way Trump's has. The way I believe voters are beginning to frame their choice for the "who can save America" presidential candidate boils down to whether candidate Trump or candidate DeSantis is the indispensable choice to overcome the Deep State and the absolutely massive cheating to come. I do not think Trump is in any way a loose cannon problem that a "tempering" DeSantis would solve. To allow the media to be arbiters of what is cringe-worthy is old-school fretting that will not be helpful next time around. Donald Trump understands the battlefield as no one else. He would help mature DeSantis to be an even greater force for his own eight years. I think having both in the White House at the same time is the indispensable choice. Image: Gage Skidmore via Flickr, CC BY-SA 2.0. Something weird is taking place in China but, as of this writing, nobody is quite sure whats happening. Social media has lit up with information, some of which is verifiable and some of which is pure speculation. The most widely spread rumor is that there is a coup being carried out against Xi Jinping, but thats also the least likely thing to be taking place according to experienced China watchers. We know that, on Saturday, there were fewer commercial flights over Beijing than usual. Thereve also been rumors that trains and buses into and out of Beijing have been canceled, and claims that military vehicles have been seen heading for Beijing, although theres no reliable provenance for that particular short video. Image: Xi Jinping. YouTube video. According to Newsweek, the most prominent source for the story is an Indian politician: The rumor was also fueled by Indian politician Subramanian Swamy, who tweeted to his 10 million followers on Saturday: New rumour to be checked out: Is Xi Jingping [sic] under house arrest in Beijing? When Xi was in Samarkand recently, the leaders of the Chinese Communist Party were supposed to have removed Xi from the Party's in-charge of Army. Then House arrest followed. So goes the rumour. However, on Friday, Drew Thompson, a former State Department official located in Singapore, wrote an extended and credible Twitter thread challenging the rumors: The claimed source of the information is an investigative journalist named Zhao Lanjian who tweeted that 60% of Chinas flights have been cancelled, which is an indication of a coup.@ELuttwak might agree that flight cancellations are not the opening phase of a coup. Drew Thompson (@TangAnZhu) September 23, 2022 The rumor that Xi Jinping has been arrested has legs because it is such a sensitive political moment in China, and the recent trials (and convictions) of long-serving senior officials creates a hothouse atmosphere. Drew Thompson (@TangAnZhu) September 23, 2022 Former Party School professor Cai Xias recent flawed article in Foreign Affairs enhances plausibility that Xi could fall victim to a coup. She argues that Xi faces significant internal opposition due to political oppression and bad policies. She is now a dissident in exile. Drew Thompson (@TangAnZhu) September 23, 2022 Assessments that Xi Jinping is concerned about coups are not new either. It was a persistent theme in 2015. Some rumors spread that Xi slept in a different bed each night like Arafat.https://t.co/IVKfhziSrQ Drew Thompson (@TangAnZhu) September 23, 2022 A coup against Xi Jinping is always possible, but the rumors spreading today don't sound like today is the day. It might be wishful thinking on some people's part. It might be the horrors of Twitter's algorithm. But it does not sound true to me, not at this point. Drew Thompson (@TangAnZhu) September 23, 2022 Theres more, and you can read the whole thread here. By Saturday, Thompsom thought he had tracked down the original source of the rumor: Rumours of coups are not novel. This one was a Falungong disinformation campaign over the last two days that took off overnight. A bit jarring to be woken by DMs shaking my phone on a Saturday morning asking if Id heard. Drew Thompson (@TangAnZhu) September 24, 2022 Meanwhile, Gordon Chang also thinks its unlikely that Xi is falling prey to a coup. However, given the oddities being reported about transportation around, into, and out of Beijing, Chang thinks that something is going wrong in China: Theres been a lot of smoke that says there is a fire somewhere, Chang told Saturday Agenda. We dont think that there has actually been a coup; but at this point there have been some extremely troubling developments at the top of the Communist Party, as well as the top of the Peoples Liberation Army, which reports to the party. So something is terribly wrong. [snip] Xi Jinping has jailed three figures, some of them for life sentences; so that by itself roils the situation. But the mere fact that someone is trying to destabilize the regime and thats really, I think, the source of these rumors says that at this point, the regime itself is going through turmoil, Chang said. Theyre going to have their 20th national congress, which starts on the 16th of next month; and thats where Xi Jinping either gets or doesnt get his unprecedented third term as general secretary of the party: in other words, Chinas ruler. And that means, I think, that we see some senior figures figure that they can try to give Xi Jinping a punch in the gut before then. Chang makes sense. Chinas Zero COVID policy has been destabilizing, and there have been drastic problems in Chinas real estate market, which makes up 30% of Chinas economy. Xi may have as tight a grip as ever on power, but the entire Chinese infrastructure seems unstable. On the one hand, China looks like an overwhelming behemoth, with a foot on every continent, money in every industry, and spies in every government. On the other hand, theres always been a paper tiger quality to Chinas managed economy. Its been built on shoddy products, stolen technology and patents, and a lot of slave labor. Its had the look of capitalism but, as long as its been managed from the top down, it has the instability of any socialist economy. Things may be getting very interesting very soon. As Ive said before, Id love to see Chinas wings clipped but, just as an American collapse would be bad for the world, were China suddenly to implode that would choke off the worlds supply chain and thats not very good for any of us. I consider Jill Biden an easy target. I dislike her politics. I dislike her Edith Wilson approach to the presidency, which sees her trying to handle things her husband is manifestly incapable of doing himself. And I dislike her ridiculous doctorate (and I know its ridiculous because I struggled through parts of her thesis, which demonstrated a 9th-10th grade level of knowledge and work). Ive tried not to comment on her looks, though, because that always seems like a low blow. However, when the First Lady of the United States shows up in Pakistan wearing a shiny black dress that shows every bulge and...well, other stuff, that demands comment. Over the years, weve come to expect a certain level of style from women at the highest echelon of politics. It can be boring (Pat Nixon, Betty Ford, Barbara Bush), chic (Jackie Kennedy, Nancy Reagan), or tone deaf (Michelle Obama). But sleazy is something new, and that one is all on Jill Biden. Jills made a lot of fashion mistakes. There was the time she showed up wearing fishnet stockings and a flirty, 80s-style skirt. It was pure mutton dressed as lamb and looked low rent: Jill Biden's fishnet stockings are receiving mixed reactions https://t.co/rNxZkhVNNq pic.twitter.com/hFL9zEngsx New York Post (@nypost) April 5, 2021 Then theres her unfortunate predilection for mismatched or busy florals: Jill Biden is showing us what equity and tolerance is all about by hiring a blind man to make her a dress pic.twitter.com/jCozC4Mnjr Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) June 27, 2021 Sorry, (dr) Jill Biden does NOT wow in this pink floral dress. pic.twitter.com/QTRmJ5gZ9v Tosca Austen (@ToscaAusten) August 12, 2022 Then there was this effort, for which there simply are no words: Does Jill Biden dress like this to take the focus off Bidens horrific presidency? pic.twitter.com/En90C6fPP4 Carolyn Gray (@CarolynShortAZ) August 16, 2022 All those are bad, unflattering, and tasteless. But it was with her dress when traveling in Pakistan that Jill hit rock bottom: JUST IN US president Biden meets Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif at a reception hosted by POTUS pic.twitter.com/ghoXeIztT9 Insider Paper (@TheInsiderPaper) September 23, 2022 O.M.G. That is so unbelievably unflattering. And sleazy. Its very sleazy. Some wondered whether she was copying Trinity from The Matrix. Nope. Trinity looked tough, sleek, and sinister: cal would definitely do some version of blade or trinity from the matrix. pic.twitter.com/GEIy880H2q | (@blasphemusdeus) September 17, 2022 Others thought that, maybe, Jill was going for the Hefty trash bag look: Jill Biden rocks the new Tom "Hefty Bag" Ford Black dress... @luvSB1 pic.twitter.com/xGcDUSt1lN Doc... (@JHHolliday3) September 24, 2022 Whatever Jill was thinking, she was not thinking of dignity or beauty. Then, at the funeral (to which the Bidens arrived late), Jill wore a fussy little black party hat: Jill Biden criticized for wearing fascinator instead of hat to Queen Elizabeth's funeral https://t.co/zGtdnqVex4 Surprised she didn't wear her fancy table cloth dress. Must have been dirty. Joseph (@CougJoseph) September 20, 2022 It's bad enough that we have a senile president. Must we also have a first lady who shows up at everything dressed badly, like a woman desperately seeking her lost youth? Image: Jill Bidens little black dress. Twitter screen grab. (ANSA) - ROME, SEP 23 - League leader Matteo Salvini said Friday his rightwing party will file a censure motion against European Commission President Ursual von der Leyen for vowing to treat Italy like Hungary and Poland if the League and ally Brothers of Italy (FdI) as expected win Sunday's Italian elections and introduce nationalist policies and threaten civil rights - though an EC spokesman said his boss had not meddled in Italian elections and only referred to procedures against the other two countries. The EC on several occasions has censured Hungarian Premier Viktor Orban and Poland's ruling Law and Justice party for rule-of-law and rights issues, levying sanctions against them unless they came fully back into line with the EU's democratic values. The League and Fdi last week abstained in a European Parliament vote saying that Hungary under Orban was no longer a fully functioning democracy, but an autocracy. Orban is a key ally of the two Italian parties while Law and Justice sits in the EP conservative caucus chaired by FdI leader Giorgia Meloni, along with Spain's far right Vox party. Meloni, who is poised to become Italy's first woman premier and the most rightwing since the Second World War, has often praised the policies of Orban and her Polish allies. Von der Leyen said Thursday that if the general election ushers in an autocratic, nationalist and Euroskeptic shift then "we have the instruments, as in the cases of Poland and Hungary." However, she added that "we are ready to work with any democratic government that is disposed to work with us". Salvini branded her statement as squalid and arrogant meddling in Italian domestic politics. Announcing the censure motion against von der Leyen Friday, Salvini said "it is a squalid threat, an invasion of the field that was not requested." He said "the lady represents all Europeans, her salary is paid by all of us, and it was a disgusting and arrogant threat. "The League's EP group will file a motion of censure". Salvini added: "On Sunday Italians are voting, not Brussels bureaucrats, and if I were the president of the EU Commission I would be (more) worried about energy bills". EC spokesman Eric Mamer on Friday denied Salvini's charge of interfering in the Italian elections saying "I think it is absolutely clear that President von der Leyen did not intervene in the Italian elections and referred to ongoing procedures in other countries". Meloni has assured Italy's international partners that under hew lead Italy will cleave to EU and NATO positions and will continue to back Ukraine in its defence against the Russian invasion. But she has also voiced Euroskeptic views as well as railing against immigrants and alleged gay and woke lobbies, and promising to give women an alternative to abortion. The 45-year-old plain-speaking working class Roman unmarried mother has stressed her identity as a Christian mother and is campaigning under the slogan God, family and fatherland. She has also endorsed the 'great replacement' theory positing the substitution of white nationals by Muslim immigrants. Though her party has post-Fascist roots she has stressed that it shares values and policies with Britain's Tories and US Republicans. (ANSA). FAIZABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- One person was killed and three others injured as a blast rocked Faizabad city, the capital of Afghanistan's northern Badakhshan province, on Sunday, provincial head of information and culture department Qari Maazudin Ahmadi said. The blast took place in front of Faizabad Municipality at 04:00 p.m. local time, killing one civilian and injuring three others, said the official. Ahmadi said an investigation was underway. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the blast. On Friday, a deadly blast outside a mosque in the Afghanistan capital Kabul claimed seven lives and injured more than 40 others. (ANSA) - ROME, SEP 26 - The centre-right coalition is set to win Sunday's general election in Italy, with Brothers of Italy (FdI) leader Giorgia Meloni looking poised to become Italy's first woman premier thanks to the strong showing of her rightwing group, according to projections. The centre right is set to win 42-44% of the vote, with FdI getting around 25-26% (24.6% according to Opinio for Rai; 26% according to Swg for La 7). Matteo Salvini's League, however, is projected to go under the 10% threshold with around 8.5%, about half the 17% it got in the 2018 election and not much more than the other main centre-right party, Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (FI) on around 8%. Meloni's FdI was the only major party not to back outgoing Premier Mario Draghi's government of national unity. The centre-left is projected to get 25-26%, with the Democratic Party dropping below the 20% mark at a 18.1-19.4%. Political pundits said PD leader Enrico Letta was one of the big losers of the night, along with Salvini, as his stance of refusing to make a deal with the 5-Star Movement (M5S) after it triggered the collapse of Draghi's coalition now looking a mistake. Ex-premier and M5S leader Giuseppe Conte's decision to run alone, on the other hand, seems to have paid off, with the M5S projected to get 16-17% of the vote. The centrist 'Third Pole' of former industry minister Carlo Calenda's Azione and ex-premier Matteo Renzi's Italia Viva (IV) is projected to get between 7.3% and 7.9%. The centre right is set to control the Lower House with 233 seats, according to a Quorum/SkyTg24 project. The centre left is set to get 90 seats, the 5-Star Movement 47 and the Third Pole of Azione-Italia Viva 19, the projection said. The centre-right coalition is set to control the Senate with 105-125, with the centre-left getting 35-50 Senators, the M5S 21-35 and the Third Pole 9-11 seats, according to Swg for La 7. The turnout for Italy's general election on Sunday was around 63.81% down by around nine points on the 72.9% of the 2018 election, Interior Minister Luciana Lamorgese said. (ANSA). The SNP has urged Prime Minister Liz Truss to match Scotlands Just Transition Fund in order to secure thousands of jobs in the North East. The party says it is time for the UK Government to step up to the mark amid the ongoing cost-of-living crisis, suggesting that a failure to do so is extremely reckless. The fund a 500 million 10-year commitment from the Scottish Government seeks to ensure oil and gas workers in the North East and Moray can transition into jobs in the renewables sector. The SNP previously called for Westminster to match the ambition upon the funds launch. SNP MSP Gillian Martin says it is now time to make serious plans to ensure bills are kept low and to protect the energy sectors workforce as Scotland moves towards net zero. Ms Martin, MSP for Aberdeenshire East, said: During this Tory-made cost-of-living crisis, we must have serious plans to ensure we are not plunged into another energy crisis in the future. At the same time, we must make a commitment to our vital oil and gas workers that they will not be left behind in making the transition to renewables. Whilst families need meaningful support now to reduce bills, the UK Government must make a commitment to renewables to keep bills low in the future. The Scottish Government has made that commitment with the 500 million Just Transition Fund. It is time for the UK Government to step up to the mark and ensure that we can build on the fantastic renewables technology that is already being developed and that we do not waste the talented workforce already in our energy sector. She added: Liz Truss has failed to make a commitment to renewables, which is extremely reckless. Not only will renewables forge a path for our energy future, but they will also play a key part in achieving our world-leading net zero targets. A police investigation into an online threat to JK Rowling over her support for stabbing victim Sir Salman Rushdie has been dropped. The Harry Potter author, 57, shared screenshots of a message from a user who wrote dont worry you are next in response to her tweet about Sir Salman last month. Indian-born British author Sir Salman, whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was to deliver a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, 65 miles from Buffalo in New York state, when he was stabbed on August 12. Sir Salman Rushdie was stabbed in the US (Matt Crossick/PA) He has faced years of threats over his book The Satanic Verses, which has been banned in Iran since 1988 as many Muslims view it as blasphemous. Ms Rowling had said she felt very sick after hearing the news and hoped the novelist would be OK. The same Twitter account to have messaged Ms Rowling also posted messages praising the man who carried out the attack. The tweet, which came from an account in Pakistan, was later removed. A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: Following a report made to police on Saturday August 13 2022 regarding an online threat, enquiries have been carried out into this matter and it has been established that it was made outwith the UK. Enquiries are now complete and there is no further police action at this time. Sir Keir Starmer will use the Labour conference to appeal to voters who are sick and tired of soaring energy costs and angry at 12 years of failure under the Conservatives. The Labour leader announced plans to end dependence on fossil fuels, with all the countrys electricity generated by renewable and nuclear power by 2030. Labour claims the plan would save UK households a total of 93 billion over the rest of the decade or an average saving of 475 for each household every year. Sir Keir said the plan would also allow the UK to be free from being exposed to dictators after Vladimir Putins invasion of Ukraine led to the current spike in global gas prices. The green energy revolution is being presented as an alternative path to growth after Fridays mini-budget saw Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng set out a massive package of tax cuts in the hope of reviving a sluggish economy. Sir Keir used speeches to activists on the eve of the Labour conference opening in Liverpool to denounce the shower in Downing Street, who he accused of taking the piss by offering tax cuts to the rich while giving less support to poorer households. Labour party leader Sir Keir Starmer (Peter Byrne/PA) The Labour leader pledged to double the amount of onshore wind, triple solar and more than quadruple offshore wind power by 2030, according to details announced in The Observer ahead of the partys annual conference. The creation of a net zero carbon, self-sufficient electricity network would lead to permanently lower energy bills and independence from nations such as Russia, according to Labour. The move could also create half a million jobs and make the UK the first country to have a zero-emission power system. Sir Keir said: The British people are sick and tired of rocketing energy bills and our energy system being exposed to dictators. They want long-term solutions to cut bills for good. In a speech to activists, Sir Keir said the Chancellors admission of Tory economic failure would be hung around their necks in the next election campaign. He said: Theres a change in the air. Theres an atmosphere, theres a sense that Labour is ready to deliver. And dont we need change after 12 years of this shower, 12 years of failure under this government, wages stagnant for 10 years, public services on their knees. The Tories have failed to grow our economy and are now out of road. This conference is our chance to set out our alternative. A growing economy that works for working people again a fairer, greener future. #Lab22 pic.twitter.com/pKvM81D1Ld Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) September 24, 2022 It is already clear that the Chancellors mini-budget on Friday will set the dividing lines for the next general election, with Sir Keir telling Labour supporters: I didnt agree with almost anything he said in that financial statement yesterday apart from his opening sentence, when he said theres a vicious cycle of stagnation. Hes right about that and its their vicious cycle of stagnation. That is the verdict on 12 years of Tory government, a vicious cycle of stagnation and we need to hang that around their necks. The former director of public prosecutions said it was good when somebody who is caught red handed actually pleads guilty. He said the Governments driving ideology is now to make the rich richer and do nothing for working people. If you earn a million pounds, yesterday, you got a 55,000 pounds tax cut, enough to pay for a nurse, he said. Its not trickle down, its taking the piss. The Labour leaders relationship with union chiefs has been strained by his refusal to offer full-throated support for the wave of strikes triggered by the cost-of-living crisis. But he insisted he would lead the most pro-trade union Labour government you have ever seen, promising a Green Paper on workplace rights within 100 days of an election victory. The conference is vital for Sir Keir to present himself as an alternative prime minister to Ms Truss, with the next election expected in 2024. Sharon Graham, general secretary of the Unite union, told the BBC the Labour leader should be bolder in his economic policy and not stand still in order to win power. The conference will formally begin on Sunday, with tributes to the Queen and a rendition of the national anthem. Sir Keirs energy plan was welcomed by environmental group Greenpeace UK, whose head of politics Rebecca Newsom said: The only way out of this mess is a moonshot mission to roll out a renewables-based energy system that can lower bills, cut emissions, create jobs and break our dependence on gas markets and fossil fuel autocrats. Labour seems to have understood that, the Conservatives dont. Luke Murphy, associate director for energy and climate at the centre-left IPPR think tank said: This is a welcome and bold commitment to expand clean power and renewables, and reduce our dependence on expensive and climate destroying fossil fuels. Liz Truss has insisted the UKs relationship with the US is still special as she seeks to forge closer ties with allies amid heightened threats around the world. The Prime Minister also urged allied nations to ignore Vladimir Putins sabre-rattling and continue to back Ukraine. In a wide-ranging interview with CNN on Sunday, she vowed to foster even stronger relations with the US. Ms Truss was asked about concerns in Joe Bidens administration that she did not share the same belief in the special relationship as some of her predecessors in No 10, after she previously described it as special but not exclusive. The Prime Minister said her first meeting with the US president on the margins of the UN General Assembly in New York this week had been great. She told CNNs State Of The Union programme: I do think our relationship is special and its increasingly important at a time when were facing threats from Russia, increased assertiveness from China. Im determined that we make the special relationship even more special over the coming years. Ms Truss said the UK and US were stepping up as an alliance against Russias invasion of Ukraine. "We should not be listening to his saber-rattling and his bogus threats." UK Prime Minister @liztruss speaks with CNN's @jaketapper about the war in Ukraine and how countries should react if Russian President Vladimir Putin escalates things further. @CNNSotu #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/c1A39dtFT7 CNN (@CNN) September 25, 2022 She told allies not to fall for Mr Putins threats, after he last week warned his country would use all the means at our disposal to protect itself. The Russian president also announced a partial military mobilisation as the Kremlin attempts to regain ground in the face of a counterattack by Ukraines forces. Ms Truss said: We should not be listening to his sabre-rattling and his bogus threats. Instead, what we need to do is continue to put sanctions on Russia and continue to support the Ukrainians because if Putin is allowed to succeed, this wouldnt just send a terrible message in Europe and of course, huge threats to the Ukrainian population themselves, but it also would send a message to other authoritarian regimes around the world that its somehow acceptable to invade a sovereign nation. So this is why its so important that we continue to be resolute, we dont listen to the sabre-rattling that were hearing from Putin, and we continue to back the Ukrainians to the hilt. Prime Minister Liz Truss holds a bilateral meeting with US president Joe Biden at the United Nations in New York (Stefan Rousseau/PA) The Prime Minister said the world needed to learn the lessons from Ukraine as she vowed to work with allies to ensure Taiwan can defend itself against China. But she refused to go as far as saying the UK would defend it militarily if Beijing invaded, as Mr Biden has promised. The Prime Ministers goal of strengthening relations with allies comes amid tensions over threats by the UK to override parts of the post-Brexit Northern Ireland Protocol. Ms Truss sought to reassure Mr Biden, the US president with proud Irish heritage, that she was committed to upholding the peace process during their meeting. Asked about their conversation, Ms Truss said: President Biden and I both agree that what is vital is to protect the Belfast Good Friday Agreement Whats important is that we protect and respect the positions of both the nationalist community in Northern Ireland, as well as the unionist community in Northern Ireland. So what I want to do is find a way forward and my preference is a negotiated solution with the EU that protects that north-south relationship, but also protects the east-west relationship, and that is absolutely core to the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. The UK Governments approach to post-Brexit talks has also caused tensions with France. Ms Truss sparked a diplomatic row during the Tory leadership contest when she declined to give a clear answer when asked if French President Emmanuel Macron was a friend or foe. While she declined to call Mr Macron a friend, Ms Truss told CNN she had a very good meeting with him in which they discussed shared values and areas of cooperation. Im looking forward to working with him in the future, she said. The Ukrainian ambassador to the UK has issued a plea for continued generosity and patience from those offering a home to refugees in Britain. Vadym Prystaiko said Ukraine needs much more help from the UK as the country fights back against Moscows invasion, with the partial mobilisation of Russian reservists amounting to something formidable. Addressing a fringe event hosted by Labour Friends of Ukraine in Liverpool, the ambassador said people who found refuge in the UK through the Governments sponsorship scheme continue to need support. We hoped to reach a six-month period by the sponsorship agreement between most of the UK citizens and Ukrainians who came here, he said. I just hope that the generosity, tolerance, kindness, patience of these people will allow us to engage with Ukrainians who still need some support here. He added: Still we need support here, helping these people to go through the most difficult times of the war. In March, the Government launched the Homes for Ukraine scheme so people could sponsor refugees fleeing the war-torn country by offering a spare room or home for at least six months. Ministers have since faced calls to consider increasing the monthly thank-you payments to hosts who extend their offer beyond the initial period they committed to. Mr Prystaiko said it should be Russia that pays to rebuild Ukraine. I know there are so many generous people in nations around the globe, who told us, dont worry guys, we will help you to rebuild. I believe the Russians have to pay for this, not you, not your taxpayers money, he said. But he said Ukraine needs much more help from the UK. This assistance is needed again and again and again, he added. The ambassador said the partial mobilisation of Russian reservists looks to be something formidable. We are adults here and I have to be frank with you, he said. We obviously understand that three, four, five (hundred) thousand people Russia has promised to mobilise this make a difference in the battlefield. Yes, Russians will struggle to re-arm them, feed them, equip them, and most of these people are not fit for service. But (the) sheer mass of these people is something formidable. Also speaking at the event, shadow foreign secretary David Lammy said the ambassador must never, ever forget that Labour will always stand with the Ukrainian people. This sentiment was reiterated by fellow panellist John Healey, the shadow defence secretary, who said: There will be a change in government in this country, but let Putin be clear: there will be a change to Labour, but there will be no change in British support and solidarity in Ukraine and in our national determination to confront Russian aggression. Mr Prystaiko said Mr Putins nuclear threats are just trying to raise the bargaining hand. Mr Healey also described them as an escalation of rhetoric. Its the sort of move from the Putin playbook weve seen before, he said. And it is designed to undermine our Western will to stand with Ukraine. What we need to make most clear is that this will make no difference to the determination of the West. We stand together and we stand with Ukraine. On a lighter note, Mr Prystaiko said Ukraine is happy to share its culture with the UK, and learn something in return. But he made clear there is nothing to be learned from British cooking, which drew a big laugh from the packed audience. Fallen police officers from across the UK have been honoured at a service in Belfast. Home Secretary Suella Braverman and Northern Ireland Secretary Chris Heaton-Harris along with chief constables were among the dignitaries who attended the event at the Waterfront Hall for National Police Memorial Day. No members of the Royal family were in attendance as they continue a period of mourning following the death of the Queen. Almost 2,000 people, including family members of fallen officers, attended and stood to remember officers who gave their lives in service. Home Secretary Suella Braverman speaks on National Police Memorial Day (Handout/PA) Ms Braverman, who gave a reading during the service, paid tribute. To all the officers who lost their lives while working to keep us safe, we thank you and we honour you, she said. Their bravery and commitment to their duty was unfaltering society owes them and their loved ones a debt we cannot repay, but it is one we will not forget. As Home Secretary I make a promise to give police the powers and tools they need to do their jobs safely. Today our National Chaplain will lead the @npmdUK service. We remember and give thanks for all our colleagues who have paid the ultimate price for our safety. This years service takes place in Belfast which makes it even more poignant. #NPMD22 pic.twitter.com/F9hRyvHf7c Police Chaplaincy UK (@polchaplainsuk) September 25, 2022 Mr Heaton-Harris said the Government owes a tremendous debt of gratitude to the brave men and women of the Royal Ulster Constabulary and the Police Service of Northern Ireland for their tireless work to keep the people of Northern Ireland safe. It was an honour and a privilege to attend todays annual National Police Memorial Day service, hosted in Belfast, and to join relatives and colleagues of fallen officers, along with UK Government colleagues, he said. It is right and proper that we remember those who paid the ultimate sacrifice in their duty of protecting the wider community. We thank them and service personnel from across the UK for their service and dedication. The Police Service of Northern Ireland (PSNI) lit up their headquarters in blue on Saturday evening in memory of fallen colleagues. Almost 2,000 people, including family members of fallen officers, attended the event (Handout/PA) PSNI Chief Constable Simon Byrne said it was a huge privilege for Belfast to host this years event. Todays event was a humbling and moving experience in what has been an extraordinary few weeks following the death of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, he said. It was an honour to have the opportunity to meet with many families from Northern Ireland and across the United Kingdom and to remember their loved ones who have paid the ultimate price in service of their communities. Tonight on the eve of National Police Memorial Day, our Headquarters is illuminated in blue, in memory of our fallen police officers. We will never forget their sacrifice. Thank you to all of our police officers, for everything you do to keep us safe.#NPMD22 pic.twitter.com/PbE4haAz2X Police Service NI (@PoliceServiceNI) September 24, 2022 During the service, prayers were said by family members, including Stephen Bromilow, father of PC John Edward Bromilow, 23, of the Lancashire Constabulary, who died on August 18 1979 in a road traffic collision while escorting a prisoner. Candles were also lit by relatives in remembrance of officers throughout the UK who have lost their lives, one from each of the four nations of the United Kingdom. Liam Kelly, chairman of the Police Federation for Northern Ireland read the names of officers who have lost their lives during the past year PC Daniel Golding, Metropolitan Police; PC Craig Higgins, Greater Manchester Police; PC Alex Prentice, Northamptonshire Police; and PC Darryl Street, Civil Nuclear Constabulary. There was silence as petals of remembrance, representing all who have lost their lives, descended from the gallery as the orchestra played Abide With Me and the Last Post was sounded. HMS Queen Elizabeth has arrived in New York for its deployment to the United States to host an Anglo-American military conference. The Royal Navys flagship dropped anchor within sight of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour on Sunday. The ship set sail for the US from Portsmouth on September 7 in place of its sister ship HMS Prince of Wales which broke down off the Isle of Wight days before the trip. The 65,000-tonne warship will be the floating venue for the Atlantic Future Forum (AFF) a defence conference focusing on Anglo-American military, political and strategic relations. Big ship in the Big Apple. Royal Navy flagship @HMSQNLZ is anchored off Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty ready for a high-profile few days in #NYC. The ship is hosting the @FutureAtlantic forum a meeting of the brightest and minds https://t.co/xhFyYg7ACx pic.twitter.com/HUdGcou6P3 Royal Navy (@RoyalNavy) September 25, 2022 The arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth in New York comes hours after Liz Truss spoke about her intentions to make the UKs special relationship with the US even more special in the next few years. In an interview on CNNs State Of The Union programme, the Prime Minister was asked about concerns in US president Joe Bidens administration that she does not share the same belief in the special relationship as some of her predecessors in No 10. Ms Truss said: I do think our relationship is special and its increasingly important at a time when were facing threats from Russia, increased assertiveness from China. Im determined that we make the special relationship even more special over the coming years. HMS Queen Elizabeth was welcomed into New York by the UKs Ambassador to the United States, Dame Karen Pierce. HMS Queen Elizabeth crew line the deck as she sails into New York (LPhot Belinda Alker/Ministry of Defence/PA) Dame Karen said: HMS Queen Elizabeth is not only the United Kingdoms flagship, but is a fantastic demonstration of the soft power and the close working relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the transatlantic relationship. Its an enormous honour to sail into New York on her. We share an endeavour in remaining the United States closest ally and I am very proud of what the ship has achieved for Britain in her deployment to the Indo-Pacific last year. Captain Ian Feasey, HMS Queen Elizabeths commanding officer, said: It is an amazing privilege to bring HMS Queen Elizabeth back to New York and to be formally welcomed to the United States by His Majestys Ambassador. We are very much looking forward to hosting the fifth Atlantic Future Forum and welcoming onboard senior leaders that embody our deep and special relationship with the United States. HMS Queen Elizabeth passes the Statue of Liberty (LPhot Kevin Walton/Ministry of Defence/PA) Meanwhile, AFF director Stephen Watson said the fifth iteration of the forum would see political, military and business leaders to address some of the challenging questions of our time. The welcome which has been offered to the UKs flagship by our American hosts is testament to the strength and currency of the relationship between our two nations, he said. I hope that our Forum will continue to build on the understanding and bonds between us. HMS Queen Elizabeth has been joined in New York by her frigate escort, HMS Richmond, which sailed up the Hudson River for a berth on Manhattan Island. ISLAMABAD, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Two security forces personnel have been killed in an explosion in North Waziristan district of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Sunday. According to a statement released by the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the incident took place Saturday after an improvised explosive device exploded in Esham area of the district resulting in the death of two soldiers. Both the deceased soldiers were from the country's eastern Punjab province, the ISPR said. "Clearance of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists' presence in the area," according to the ISPR. When looking to sell your home quickly in lieu of the traditional, lengthy home selling process, Archway Homes is the one to call. Owned by husband and wife team Jon and Stacy Bichelmeyer, Archway Homes buys houses As Is in any condition: pretty houses needing little to no repair, or houses needing everything repaired including leaking roofs, bad foundations, or cosmetic updating. They do so by providing a no-obligation offer within 24 hours, can pay cash, and close within three days or on a future date of the sellers choice. And there are no fees or commissions to pay. Whether selling due to downsizing, a job transfer, death of a loved one, illness, facing foreclosure, or some other situation, Archway Homes has been the perfect solution for numerous homeowners all over the Kansas City area. When Janice Biggs and her family came to the realization that their father, age 95, who had been in an assisted living facility since earlier in the year, was not going to be able to return to his home, they knew it was time to start looking at options to sell his house. They first asked a realtor friend they trusted to come over and give her opinion of what needed to be done in order to sell the house, which had unfortunately been badly neglected for many years. After her assessment, they decided to look into cash home buying companies. We had read several articles about Archway Homes in the paper, seen ads about them in the local publication for our Catholic Dioses, and when researching cash home buying companies on the internet, saw their name again and decided to give them a call, said Biggs. In order to obtain a thorough comparison, the Biggs family asked four different companies to come over and provide an offer. Jons offer, they said, was by far the best, not just in the price offered but in the way they were treated. We just felt the most comfortable with him, Biggs recalled. All of the companies that we talked to were basically going to do the same thing allow us to sell As Is. We were aware of the shortcomings of the house because it was in such bad shape, but some of the people who came over walked around and pointed out all of the negatives, and Jon didnt do that. He seemed sincere and trustworthy. According to Jon, a third-generation real estate investor with roots in the Kansas City community for over 40 years, Ive been buying houses, fixing them up, and selling to homeowners in the metro area for over 20 years, he said. We see a lot of homes and are fully aware of some of the situations the sellers are faced with at times. Therefore, we do our best to treat them with compassion and respect, just as we would expect someone to treat us. Jon also feels that his extensive experience really makes a difference. We started doing this long before HGTV inspired the new investors in town, he said, and we work hard to make sure its a win, win for both parties. We even wrote the book on it. Literally! Home to Home Local Edition Kansas City Metro outlines the steps homeowners can take to sell their home and our experiences helping people do just that, Jon said. The fact that Archway Homes was a local company and explained in written detail everything the company thought they would do to fix the house up to resell it, were other plusses for the Biggs family. And, although they could have closed on the home within only a few days, Jon gave them all the time they needed. Since it wasnt entirely up to us and we had to get permission from our father, Jon understood that we needed 60 days, said Biggs. He worked with us, did everything he said he was going to do, and again, we felt so comfortable with him. We really care about our clients and the situations they are facing and do everything we can to make the process as easy as possible, Stacy said. Thats why we tell people, with us, selling your house As Is never felt this good! For more information about selling your home quickly for cash, call Jon Bichelmeyer at 913-599-5000 or visit Archway Homes website at archwaypropertieskc.com to fill out an online form or to get a free copy of our book Home to Home Local Edition Kansas City Metro, Kansas and Missouri, call our office. Archway Homes Location: 15301 W. 87th St. Parkway, Suite B35 in the UMB Bank building. Contact: Jon Bichelmeyer at 913-599-5000 or jon@archwayhomesinc.com. Website: archwaypropertieskc.com Kamilah Moore, chair of the California Reparations Task Force, speaks Friday at a Los Angeles meeting seeking public input on the work of compensating Black residents whose families suffered from slavery. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) If California is to make reparations to Black residents whose families have been harmed by slavery and its ongoing economic repercussions, how should the program be structured? Should reparations be given as cash payments to individuals? Or should they come in other forms of government assistance in Black communities? What legal challenges exist? These and many other questions were the subject of a two-day hearing by California's Reparations Task Force, a first-in-the-nation panel established in 2020 to develop proposals for potential reparations for Black families who have been harmed for generations by enslavement, segregation, redlining and other racist state policies and laws. Many questions over the logistics of a state reparations program remain unanswered. Christian Flagg, 33, of Los Angeles, shares his thoughts during Friday's meeting of the California Reparations Task Force at the California Science Center. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) But the panel discussions Friday and Saturday at the California Science Center in South Los Angeles drew into clearer focus the heavy task of the nine-member panel: to create a program that could greatly impact the lives and socioeconomic fortunes of hundreds of thousands of people, if not more. Amos Brown, the panel's vice chair and a longtime civil rights leader, said the process came down to three "A's" admitting the problems of the past; atoning for them by identifying appropriate reparations; and acting on that information in a unified way to make sure state legislators, who would finalize a program, follow through and get the work done. "That means getting all the sectors of the African American community and our allies to start respectfully, peaceably, sensibly, factually asking them to support reparations in this state," Brown said. By the end of Saturday's meeting, the panel decided upon specific factors in the lives of Black residents that could warrant monetary compensation. Such factors include the government's unjust taking of property through eminent domain; the devaluation of Black businesses; disproportionate incarceration and over-policing in Black communities; and discrimination in housing, healthcare and education. In each of those areas, the panel found that it needs to make additional decisions about the timeframe within which such harms should be considered, and whom should be compensated including whether recipients should be limited to California residents. Walter Foster, 80, of Los Angeles, raises a sign calling for a focus on financial compensation as the California Reparations Task Force takes public comment Friday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) The panel also identified factors for which monetary compensation may not be possible to calculate, but that still need to be addressed, including political disenfranchisement; the pathologizing of Black families by authorities; the wresting of control over creative, cultural and intellectual Black life by others in society; and the wealth gap between Black people and others. The panel said it would also have to decide how the state should apologize. The discussions follow a report in June in which the panel defined what it found to be harms against African Americans from the time of slavery through the present day, and outlined preliminary recommendations for providing reparations. The panel is working on a second report, due in June, in which it is expected to provide a detailed plan to the state Legislature. The task force heard from experts on other reparations movements throughout history, including those for Holocaust victims in Germany, apartheid victims in South Africa, and Japanese American victims in the U.S. whose families were stripped of their assets and incarcerated in prison camps during World War II. The panel also heard from members of the public including some who criticized the task force's decision in March to limit its focus to reparations for descendants of enslaved African Americans and free Black people who were living in the country before the end of the 19th century. Jovan Lewis, foreground, and other members of the California Reparations Task Force listen to public input at Friday's meeting. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Those critics argued that all Black Californians, including more recent immigrants, have been impacted by the legacy of slavery and other racist policies, and deserve reparations, too. Others defended the limits, saying descendants of the enslaved have suffered in specific ways that other Black Americans, including recent immigrants and their children, have not. Several panelists said they hoped that, in future meetings, the panel would be able to hear more from the public including personal stories from individuals and families. The panel's next meetings are scheduled for Dec. 14 and15. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. (Jim Cooke / Los Angeles Times) Concerned about the future of the country and determined to wrest political power from the far right, a group of friends in the San Francisco Bay Area have been gathering once a month to talk politics over brunches, happy hours and Zoom meetings. Their focus is some 2,300 miles away, in Lansing, Mich., where these Californians are attempting to flip a red state legislature blue. At one time it might have been unseemly or just strange for activists to try to influence local elections far from home. But that's changed. The loss of abortion rights nationally and former President Trump's attempts to undermine election results in key states have made it clear that control of state legislatures really matters. On this particular day several weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to abortion, the friends were getting a pep talk designed to help Democrats understand something that Republicans clued into long ago. If you care about Congress, you should care about state legislatures, because state legislatures draw the district lines that decide who goes to Congress, Melissa Walker, who works to elect Democrats to state legislatures as a director of the States Project, said on a Zoom call with the Bay Area group. If you care about the Supreme Court, you should care about state legislatures. Because the Supreme Court doesnt write laws, they rule on laws, many of which are coming out of state legislatures. It was a Mississippi law that took down Roe . It was written by state legislators. And that is true all over the country. Heads nodded across the Zoom windows as Walkers message sank in. The tug of war over the balance of power in Washington soaks up lots of media attention and donor dollars. But issues that touch peoples lives most closely are largely decided in state capitols. Is your minimum wage more than $7.25 an hour? Can you get Medicaid health insurance through the Affordable Care Act? Can you get an abortion? The answers depend on which state you live in and who holds power in the statehouse. But in state capitols across the nation, Democrats have a lot of catching up to do. The GOP controls 62% of the legislative chambers in statehouses even though only 47% of voters nationwide consider themselves Republicans. Republicans have been clobbering Democrats for the last decade when it comes to fundraising for state legislative campaigns. In 2010, the Republican State Leadership Committee, which works to elect GOP state lawmakers, raised nearly $30 million, while its Democratic counterpart, the Democratic Legislative Campaign Committee, raised less than $10 million, according to an analysis by the Center for Political Accountability . In 2020, the gap was smaller but the Democratic group still lagged behind, raising almost $45 million to the Republican groups $60 million. Now, a small but growing movement on the left is attempting to get Democrats to pay attention to some of the most under-the-radar political contests in America races that determine which party controls power in statehouses. Democratic strategists and party officials are talking to major donors about the need to direct more money to state-level races. A Democratic super PAC is focused on flipping state legislatures in Arizona, Michigan and Minnesota. Groups like the States Project and Sister District are organizing grass-roots campaigns to recruit volunteers and raise small-dollar donations. That means convincing people like the group of friends in the Bay Area that they should care about whos making state laws in Phoenix, Lansing and St. Paul. Previously, I didnt realize that, being in California, I should be active in other states politics, said Ellen Blinderman, a Bay Area community college instructor who helped organize her friends to try to put Democrats in control of the Michigan Legislature. But we are one country, and what happens in those states affects our whole country. By forming a "giving circle" with the States Project, Blinderman and her friends are now part of a strategic effort to flip two seats in the Michigan House and three seats in its state Senate. First, they set a goal to raise $8,000. Over monthly potlucks, they invited friends and neighbors to learn about why they're helping Michigan Democrats and asked them to donate to the effort. Once the goal was met, they upped it to $10,000 and are now 91% of the way there, mostly, Blinderman said, from donations of less than $200. The money helps fund advertising and professional campaign workers who help candidates connect with voters that might otherwise not show up for a low-turnout legislative race. It's targeted to help Democrats in races the States Project identified as critical to winning a majority. Legislative races are generally not very expensive in some cases, Walker said, it costs less to flip an entire legislative chamber than it does to flip one congressional seat. For evidence of how much decisions by a state legislature can ripple across state lines, just look at what's happened since the Supreme Court overturned Roe vs. Wade. More than a dozen Republican-controlled states quickly passed laws banning abortion. Democratic-controlled California, meanwhile, set about preparing for an influx of visitors seeking reproductive care. California lawmakers passed 15 bills to expand abortion access and devoted $200 million to abortion services, some of which will provide funds to patients traveling here from other states. Need an abortion? say billboards Gov. Gavin Newsom paid for in South Dakota, Indiana, Michigan, Ohio, South Carolina, Oklahoma and Texas. California is ready to help. Walker, of the States Project, told me her group received a surge of inquiries after the Supreme Court's draft opinion leaked. In 2020, the group had 100 giving circles of friends working to raise money for Democrats to win targeted statehouses. It now has 200, including one named In response to Roe and another called Down with Dobbs. Fallout from Trumps attempt to overturn the 2020 election is another reason Democrats are tuning in to the power of statehouses. After he lost reelection, Trump pressured Republican-held legislatures in states that Joe Biden won to overturn election results. They didnt do it but now some of those GOP legislators are getting thrown out of office by Trump-supporting voters. The lie that the election was stolen has taken hold as a fact in some Republican-controlled legislatures. And the Supreme Court has agreed to hear a case that could give legislatures immense new power in deciding presidential elections. Even though state-focused activism on the left is increasing, its still not nearly as robust as it needs to be, says David Pepper, a former leader of the Ohio Democratic Party who wrote a book about GOP dominance of state capitols called Laboratories of Autocracy. Engaging blue-state residents in trying to flip red-state legislatures is a really smart strategy, he told me. My main quibble is, it needs to be not just a side effort by a really smart group, but this has to be a core mission approach by everyone who cares about democracy quickly. Because it's that important to really fighting back where the fight really is. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. (Reuters) - Russia's two most senior lawmakers on Sunday addressed a string of complaints about Russia's mobilisation drive, ordering regional officials to get a handle on the situation and swiftly solve the "excesses" that have stoked public anger. President Vladimir Putin's move to order Russia's first military mobilisation since World War Two triggered protests across the country and seen flocks of military-age men flee, causing tailbacks at borders and flights to sell out. Multiple reports have also documented how people with no military service have been issued draft papers - contrary to Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu's guarantee that only those with special military skills or combat experience would be called up - prompting even ultra-loyal pro-Kremlin figures to publicly express concern. Russia's top two parliamentarians, both close Putin allies, explicitly addressed public anger at the way the mobilisation drive was unfolding. Valentina Matviyenko, the chairwoman of Russia's upper house, the Federation Council, said she was aware of reports of men who should be ineligible for the draft being called up. "Such excesses are absolutely unacceptable. And, I consider it absolutely right that they are triggering a sharp reaction in society," she said in a post on the Telegram messaging app. In a direct message to Russia's regional governors - who she said had "full responsibility" for implementing the call-up - she wrote: "Ensure the implementation of partial mobilisation is carried out in full and absolute compliance with the outlined criteria. Without a single mistake." Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, Russia's lower chamber, also expressed concern in a separate post. "Complaints are being received," he said. "If a mistake is made, it is necessary to correct it ... Authorities at every level should understand their responsibilities." Officials say 300,000 more Russians will called up to serve in the mobilisation campaign. The Kremlin has twice denied it actually plans to draft more than one million, following two separate reports in independent Russian media outlets. Rights groups saying more than 2,000 have been detained at rallies against mobilisation in dozens of cities so far this week, with more protests already having been recorded on Sunday in Russia's Far East and Siberia. (Reporting by Reuters; editing by Guy Faulconbridge) Russian President Vladimir Putin is aware hes "losing this war" against Ukraine and is forcing an annexation referendum vote to score a "political victory" with the Russian people, according to retired four-star Army Gen. Jack Keane. "He's got to conclude that at least right now he's losing this war. And this is an attempt to obtain a political victory largely for his own domestic audience, that they have gobbled up this increased terrain in four different regions in Ukraine," Keane, Fox News senior strategic analyst, told "Fox News Sunday" anchor Shannon Bream of the forced annexation votes taking place. Occupying forces in the Ukrainian regions of Luhansk, Dontesk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson began voting last week on whether Ukrainians in the areas will decide to secede from Ukraine and join Russia. The referendums have been described as a "sham" by Western nations, and Ukrainian officials on the ground described armed Russian forces are coercing residents to vote. The voting began Friday at residents homes and will continue until Tuesday, when polling stations will open, according to Russian media. RUSSIAN PROXIES INTIMIDATE UKRAINIANS AND FORCE REFERENDUM VOTE ON ANNEXATION: LOCAL OFFICIAL Keane said that "anybody looking at this knows it's a sham." "It's not going to mean anything, and it certainly is not going to stop Ukrainians from continuing their military operations inside these territories," he continued. TOP MILITARY BRASS IN UKRAINE'S SOUTH CALLS FOR VOLUNTEERS AS FORCES LOOK TO TAKE BACK KHERSON Residents cast their votes in controversial referendums in the city of Dokuchaievsk, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine on September 23, 2022. Voting will run from Friday to Tuesday in Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia, with people asked to decide if they want these regions to become part of Russia. Photo by Leon Klein/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Putin threatened the use of nuclear weapons last week as the countrys invasion and war against Ukraine continues raging. "To those who allow themselves such statements regarding Russia, I want to remind you that our country also has various means of destruction, and for separate components and more modern than those of NATO countries, and when the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal," Putin said in a Wednesday address. Russian President Vladimir Putin delivers an address to the participants of the Bolshaya Peremena All-Russian contest for school students via a video link at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence, outside Moscow, on June 1, 2022. MIKHAIL METZEL/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images "It's not a bluff," he added. RUSSIAN TROOPS BOXED IN BY UKRAINIAN FORCES AND DNIEPER RIVER, BARGE CARRYING SUPPLIES TO RUSSIAN TROOPS SINKS Keane said that such a threat should be taken seriously, but that the "probability of it is pretty low." He argued that Russias military isnt equipped to battle in a radioactive environment and that Ukraine forces are braced for a nuclear attack and remain "steadfast" to fight. "Let's assume he's serious and the use of a nuclear weapon is actually on the table, which I think is probably very low. Here's the factors that [Putin's] got to consider. He would use a nuclear weapon to want to end the war and that's not going to happen. The Ukrainians, the people, as well as their military, are steadfast. They openly talk about the possibility of a nuclear weapon being targeted against them, and they are going to fight and continue to fight," Keane said. "The second thing is his army on the battlefield. They're not trained to deal with a radioactive nuclear battlefield. The Soviet Union was, they were equipped and properly trained. These guys aren't trained to fight a conventional fight much less deal with an environment like that." "I believe that Biden administration has reported that they're talking to Putin and his surrogates about the consequences here, and I hope we're very direct with him about what those consequences would mean," he added. Fox News' Caitlin McFall contributed to this report. More than 2,300 Russians have been arrested in dozens of cities this week while protesting the conscription of 300,000 men for Russia's invasion of Ukraine, which was announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday, according to the human rights group OVD-Info. Some of those who were arrested were handed conscription papers. Fyodor Orlov, a journalist, was arrested on Wednesday then was handed a summons from the military enlistment office while in court, the human rights group said. Another protester in Moscow was told that he could receive a 10-year prison sentence for refusing a summons to the military, according to OVD-Info. Thousands of other Russians have fled the country in the wake of the mobilization order, prompting Finland to close its border. Some eastern European countries, including Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania, shut down their borders on Monday shortly before the mobilization order. PUTIN'S CALL FOR RUSSIAN CONSCRIPTS WILL REQUIRE ARMS MOSCOW DOESN'T HAVE, NATO CHIEF SAYS Russian men between the ages of 18 and 27 are required to serve one year in the military. The defense ministry said that tech workers, bankers, and state journalists will be exempted from the latest mobilization order. The mobilization order comes as Putin seeks to replenish his forces in Ukraine more than seven months into the war. Ukraine's defense ministry claims that Russia has lost at least 55,000 soldiers since the outset of the invasion. Occupied territories in Ukraine, such as Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson, held referendums on joining the Russian Federation this week, though many Western leaders have criticized the votes as sham elections. President Bidens statement this week that it remains to be seen if hell run for reelection has prompted more Democratic chatter about whether theyll have a different candidate for the White House in 2024. If Biden doesnt run again, a number of Democrats are expected to wade into the presidential waters. But even Vice President Harris isnt seen as a definitive leading contender in such a situation, Democrats acknowledge privately. Theres not one clear candidate and theres not a rising star, said one top Democratic donor. Heres who is generating the most talk and the most confidence. Kamala Harris VP Kamala Harris waits outside the Vice Presidents house in Washington before leading a U.S. delegation to Tokyo for the funeral of former Japanese prime minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated in July. While Harris, 57, has seen her own approval ratings fall at times during an up-and-down tenure as vice president, she remains the top non-Biden possibility for 2024. Strategists say it would be difficult to convince Black women who helped catapult Biden to the White House to vote for anyone else as the partys standard-bearer. And as one strategist pointed out, No one is going to win the nomination without winning in the South. While Harris had a rocky start during the first year of the administration, generating headlines for both gaffes and a string of staff departures, she has settled into the role. She has also made womens rights one of her issues out on the trail, an issue that can only help her political prospects with the Democratic base as the Supreme Court decision overturning the Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights continues to reverberate. Pete Buttigieg Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg speaks at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The Transportation secretary has been a popular figure in the Democratic Party since his 2020 presidential run, when he surprised the base with his come-out-of-nowhere ascent. Buttigiegs current role has sent him around the country to boast about popular infrastructure projects something that can only help him down the road. Just last month, Buttigieg, 40, appeared in the swing states of Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada and Ohio. Buttigiegs stature with voters could have taken a beating with the railway strike earlier this month but after Bidens late-hour intervention, it never amounted, solidifying his standing with Democratic voters. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer speaks at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit. The two Biden administration fixtures are the top two non-Biden Democrats on our list. The most likely alternatives after them are two governors. The first is Michigans governor, who came closer than many realize to being Bidens pick for vice president. Now Whitmer, 51, is catching the eyes of Democrats as she runs for reelection. This week, she opened up a 16-point lead over her Republican opponent Tudor Dixon in a Detroit Free Press poll. Whitmer has made it a point to lean in on abortion rights, in particular. At a recent event she highlighted her role in the fight. The only reason Michigan continues to be pro-choice state is because of my veto and my lawsuit, she said, according to CNN. The remarks refer to a lawsuit Whitmer filed to prevent a Michigan abortion ban from happening. She often points out she filed the lawsuit even before Roe v. Wade was overturned by the Supreme Court in June, a move that will surely appeal to the base in the coming years. Gov. Gavin Newsom California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks at the Clinton Global Initiative in New York. At a time when Democrats have been craving a leader who would get in the faces of Republicans, Newsom, the California governor, appeared to do battle. Newsom, 54, made headlines in July when he took the fight directly to Ron DeSantis (R), running an ad in the Sunshine State blasting the Florida governor and the conservative culture there. Freedom, its under attack in your state. Republican leaders, theyre banning books, making it harder to vote, restricting speech in classrooms, even criminalizing women and doctors, he said in the spot, which ran on Fox News programming throughout the state. Earlier this month, he continued his aggressive stance by paying for billboards in some conservative states including Mississippi, Texas, Indiana and Oklahoma. His message? That abortion is still legal in California. He has still got a lot to prove but he has certainly made Democrats pay attention, one strategist said. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) questions the witnesses about Zelle, at a Senate Banking Committee annual Wall Street oversight hearing. The one-time presidential hopeful has made it clear she has one race on her mind in 2024: her own reelection to the Senate. But Democrats say there would be a place for her if Biden decides not to run again. Warren, 73, has continued to be a top advocate on Capitol Hill for issues important to Democrats including climate change, abortion rights and gun safety. But when shes asked about the next presidential election, she consistently punts. Weve got to stop the catnip about 2024, she told Axios this summer. If we start getting tangled up on 2024, and fail to pay attention to business in 2022, that is not only going to hurt us in 2022. It is going to bite us on the rear end in 2024. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) Sen. Bernie Sanders, (I-Vt.) weals away after talking to reporters outside the West Wing of the White House in Washington following his meeting with President Joe Biden. Its tough for some Democrats to see the senator from Vermont launching another presidential campaign. After all, he is 81 years old and if elected would be nearing 90 by the end of his term. But Sanders has become such a staple of the Democratic Party since his first White House bid in 2016 that its hard to rule out a run. And if he did compete, hed definitely have support. Whenever theres a debate that matters to the base on student loans or climate change hes at the heart of it, one strategist pointed out. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) arrives to speak at a campaign stop for Democratic presidential candidate former Sen. Bernie Sanders. Almost no one in the Democratic Party has had the meteoric rise of AOC, as shes known. And while most strategists doubt that the congresswoman from New York will run for president just yet, her name is constantly bandied about when Democrats complain that their bench is weak. The number one question strategists ask when they talk about her is whether shell even be of age to run for the highest office in the land. The answer is just barely: she turns 35 a month before the 2024 election. Besides her age, another question that would undoubtedly come up is whether Ocasio-Cortezs politics are too liberal to win a Democratic primary or general election. Warren and Sanders, after all, lost to Biden in 2020. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh speaks during the General Debate of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Laura Jarriel/UN Photo/Handout via Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on Saturday called for international solidarity and partnerships to tackle global challenges. "We are at a watershed moment in history. Confrontation, conflicts and violations of international law continue to intensify," he told the General Debate of the UN General Assembly. The deputy PM voiced the importance of reshaping a global approach since the climate crisis and other non-traditional security risks threatened the very existence of humanity, calling for international solidarity and partnerships at all levels. Imposition, intervention and unilateral acts have no place in the good conduct of international affairs. Vietnam calls for strengthened multilateralism and international cooperation in the spirit of openness, inclusiveness, equality and mutual benefit. Major UN and international agendas, especially the 2030 Agenda and climate action, should always be concerned among countries, he said. Vietnam firmly believes that respect for international law is the most effective and viable measure to prevent conflicts and promote sustainable peace and security, he said. Citing the example of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), he said regional organizations can pioneer and play a prominent role in bolstering multilateral cooperation. The organization is working to build a strong and united ASEAN community and advance the central role of ASEAN in the regional security architecture. Building a broad and extensive network of partnerships, ASEAN has created a premier forum for strategic dialogue, engaging important partners of the region, especially with major countries, he said. Country that claims to seek peace with neighbours will never shelter 26/11 attack plotters: Official Pakistan's PM had said that while Pakistan looks for peace with India, "sustainable peace and stability" in the region was contingent upon the resolution of the Kashmir issue (Photo: Twitter) NEW DELHI: India has hit back sharply at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his critical remarks about the status of human rights and minority rights in India and Jammu and Kashmir at the UN General Assembly. India termed Mr Sharifs remarks as "false accusations" and "done to obfuscate misdeeds in his own country." India countered Mr Sharif by underlining Pakistans role in sheltering terrorists and carrying out terror attacks in India. "It is regrettable that the Prime Minister of Pakistan has chosen the platform of this august assembly to make false accusations against India. He has done so to obfuscate misdeeds in his own country and to justify actions against India that the world considers unacceptable," first secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN Mijito Vinito said in the Right of Reply at the United Nations in New York. He further said, "A polity that claims it seeks peace with its neighbours would never sponsor cross-border terrorism. Nor would it shelter the planners of the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, disclosing their existence only under pressure from the international community. Such a country would not make unjustified and untenable territorial claims against its neighbours. It would not covet their lands and seek to illegally integrate them with its own. But it is not just about the neighbourhood that we have heard false claims about today. It is about human rights, about minority rights and basic decencies. When young women in the thousands from the minority community are abducted as an SOP, what can we conclude about the underlying mindset?." The official said the desire for peace, security and progress in the Indian subcontinent is real. "It is also widely shared. And it can be realised. That will surely happen when cross-border terrorism ceases, when governments come clean with the international community and their own people, when minorities are not persecuted and not least, when we recognise these realities before this Assembly," said Mr Vinito. In his address to the UNGA, Pakistan's PM had said that while Pakistan looks for peace with India, "sustainable peace and stability" in the region was contingent upon the resolution of the Kashmir issue. He also mentioned Indias abrogation of Article 370, which scrapped special status for Jammu and Kashmir. Mr Sharif also said, "The officially sponsored campaign of oppression against Indias over 200 million Muslims is the worst manifestation of Islamophobia." The victim was Athuan Abonmai, a popular figure from Zeliangrong community and the former president of apex Zeliangrong Baudi Kolkata: Manipur, one of the key North Eastern states of the country, witnessed a unique assembly commemoration of the first anniversary of a prominent peace activist's murder by the insurgents recently for justice amid resumption of peace talks between the Centre and NSCN(IM). The victim was Athuan Abonmai, a popular figure from Zeliangrong community and the former president of apex Zeliangrong Baudi (Assam, Manipur and Nagaland). He hailed from Tamenglong, one of the insurgency-affected districts in Manipur and appeared to have traits of Manipuri icons including Rani Gaidinliu. Abonmai was a brave voice against the NSCN(IM), which always resisted regional development and socio economic progress with a history of dictatorial rule including extortion and nefarious activities. He also advocated for peace and unity, becoming a mentor for many including the children. On September 22 in 2021 Abonmai was found lying shot dead hours after his abduction allegedly by the NSCN(IM) militants in broad daylight from near the entrance of the venue of a state government programme he was going to attend in his hometown. The killing portrayed the heinous design and thirst of NSCN(IM) for blood and power without any thought for the peoples cause and scant regard for not just other regional communities like the Kukis but also other tribes within the Naga community. A year after Abonmai's murder, a solemn ceremony in his memory was organized by his family and a joint action committee, seeking justice into his gruesome killing. The remembrance drew a turnout of nearly 2000 people, much to the event organizers' surprise, at Tarung in Imphal on September 22 this year. It garnered support from many Manipur-based civil society bodies and a large number of villagers who travelled from Lamlaba, the native place of Abonmai in Tamenglong, to pay homage to their hero and demand justice into his murder which showed that his memory is still fresh in his community. Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh, who also attended the event, paid his tribute to the slain peace activist and recalled their past association. Appealing for a communal harmony among all in the state, he also assured justice into Abonmai's murder. In reality, though a NIA probe has been underway in the case, eight accused who were directly involved in the crime are suspected to be under the protection of NSCN(IM). As the younger generations of Zeliangrong find motivation in Abonmai's legacy to fight NSCN(IM), which might have had a temporary victory in hampering peace in Zeliad region over the murder, the hometurf of the community also waits to see their unity to thwart the underground outfits. From the city of Matera, where he closed the Italian National Eucharistic Congress, Francis gave voice to the pain of the children killed in airstrikes by government forces in the Sagaing, Myanmar. May the Eucharist be a prophecy of a new world, so that the prayer of adoration can free us from all slavery. Matera (AsiaNews) Pope Francis today recited the Angelus prayer from the city of Matera (southern Italy) at the end of the Mass he presided over at the conclusion of the National Eucharistic Congress of the Italian Church. In his address, he placed in Marys trust the sufferings of peoples wounded by wars, especially the people of Myanmar, scene of growing horror, urging the world to hear the cries of children, like those killed in a Buddhist school in Sagaing region hit by government planes. "For more than two years that noble country has endured heavy fighting and violence, which have caused so many victims and displaced many people. This week I heard a cry of pain for the death of children in a school hit by bombs. Presently, it might be fashionable to attack schools, said the pope speaking in a bitter tone. May the cry of the little ones not go unheard; such tragedies ought not to happen." The pope also prayed so that Mary Queen of Peace can comfort the grief-stricken people of Ukraine and give the leaders of nations the willpower to immediately find effective means to end the war. Francis also joined the appeal launched by the bishops of Cameroon for the release of people abducted in the Diocese of Mamfe, including five priests and a nun. May the Lord give peace to the hearts and life of that dear country. Speaking about the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which the Church celebrated today, the pontiff called for a future "in which migrants, refugees, displaced persons and victims of trafficking can live in peace and dignity. So that the Kingdom of God can be realised with them, with no one excluded. It is thanks to these brothers and sisters that communities can grow socially, economically, culturally, and spiritually, he said. Sharing different traditions enriches the People of God. Let us all commit ourselves to building a more inclusive and fraternal future. Migrants must be welcomed, accompanied, promoted, and integrated. Speaking about the Eucharistic Congress held in Matera, the pontiff entrusted to Mary "the journey of the Church in Italy, so that in every community the scent of Christ the living Bread descended from Heaven may be recognised. He also added: For Italy, I dare ask more births, more children. Shortly before, in his homily about the parable of the banquet of the rich man and the poor Lazarus who is not even allowed to eat crumbs (Lk 16:19-31), Francis explained the deepest meaning of being Church around the Eucharist, noting that the Gospel does not mention the rich man by name. Wealth leads to this; you are stripped of your name. Satisfied with himself, intoxicated by money, stunned by vanity, there is no place for God in his life because he worships only himself. The Eucharist instead asserts the primacy of God, invites us to worship him and not ourselves, for if we worship ourselves, we die stifled by our little self; if we worship the riches of this world, they take possession of us and enslave us. Conversely, when we worship the Lord Jesus present in the Eucharist, we also receive a new look at our lives. I am not the things I possess or the successes I achieve. I am a beloved son; I am blessed by God. He wanted to dress me with beauty and wants me free from all slavery. For this reason, the pope urges the faithful to rediscover adoration, a prayer that is frequently forgotten. Let us rediscover it: it frees us and restores us to our dignity as children, not as slaves. The parable also refers to the abyss that divides the rich man from the poor Lazarus, a trench that he himself dug. "It is painful to see that this parable is still the history of our days. Injustices, disparities, the resources of the earth distributed in an unequal way, the abuses of the powerful against the weak, the indifference towards the cry of the poor, the abyss that we dig every day generating marginalisation: none of that can leave us indifferent. Hence today, together, we recognise that the Eucharist is a prophecy of a new world. We dream of a Eucharistic Church, made up of women and men who break like bread for all those who chew loneliness and poverty, for those who are hungry for tenderness and compassion, for those whose lives are crumbling because the good leaven of hope has been missing. "A Church that kneels before the Eucharist and adoration with amazement the Lord present in the bread, but who also knows how to bow with compassion and tenderness before the wounds of those who suffer, lifting up the poor, wiping away the tears of those who suffer, making themselves bread of hope and joy for all. For there is no true Eucharistic adoration without compassion for the many Lazarus who even today walk next to us. The chip crisis continues to wreak havoc in the operations of most carmakers, and more often than not, they are forced to turn to the same measures as before. And these measures involve reducing production, shutting down lines temporarily, or shipping cars without certain non-critical systems. Honda is the latest company to remind the world that the chip shortage was, is, and will probably continue to be a major nightmare.The firm is reducing the car output at two of its plants in the domestic market by as much as 40 percent. The production change will take place in early October, Honda says , with two lines at the Suzuka facility to cut back production by 40 percent. The assembly plant in Saitama will also lower production by 30 percent.The production lines at the two facilities are already running at a slower speed this month after similar adjustments took place in the summer.And if the reasons arent already obvious, Honda says its still struggling with major delays caused by the chip shortage and the health crisis thats currently hitting some suppliers. In other words, Honda still doesnt have enough chips to install on the vehicles it builds, so the company has no other option than to actually build fewer units altogether.In plain English, this means that customers who are waiting for the ordered cars to arrive might be forced to wait even longer. The impacted models are the Vezel, the Stepwgn, and the Civic.Toyota also announced earlier this week that its temporarily stopping production at half of its Japanese plants, once again blaming the constrained semiconductor inventory as the main reason. Another way Martian ice forms is through the freezing of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, which then gets deposited on top of the existing water ice layers. Then you have water trapped as permafrost around the polar regions thats the ice that is lurking right beneath the surface and is the hardest to get to and analyze one way or another.Such subsurface ice can also be found at mid-latitudes, and if it werent for cliff cuts in the surface layers, we wouldnt know its there.Such a large cut, a scar over the reddish soil, is seen in this image here, snapped by the HiRISE camera from an altitude of 251 km (156 miles) back in July 2022. It shows an unnamed region of the planet, a place where the ground is uniform and dusty and does not reveal many clues about what lies beneath the surface.The said cut does however reveal a glimpse of this buried icy material, and its even more important because of the fact the cliff is one example out of a few dozen that are known.Scientists from the University of Arizona, which run the HiRISE camera, explain what we see here is ice (the bright material on the cliff face), present only on the side of the cliff that points away from the equator, from where the Sun shines.The bands we see running the length of the visible portion of the cliff are of unknown origin, but they might indicate layers in the ice that record different climate conditions, and if thats true, its extremely important for the people looking at Mars in an attempt of making sense of the place before we really start colonizing the place, as it may shed more light on the planets past.Scientists say its unknown how much time this ice took to accumulate here, but what we see could be tens of millions of years old. SUV This summer, Diddy spent a lot of time in Southern Europe on several luxury yachts, be it with friends or family. And one of the holidays included his girlfriend, City Girls star Yung Miami, whose real name is Caresha Romeka Brownlee. Back in July, she shared a glimpse of their lavish vacation on Aalto yacht in Capri, Italy.But now, the music mogul continues to treat his girlfriend to the finest things. In a new post shared on her Instagram account, Yung Miami introduced everyone to her brand-new ride, a white Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600. She wrote in the caption: Thank you Papi, which hints the luxurycomes from none other than Diddy, for whom she uses that nickname.We already know that Diddy has a taste for luxury things . With a net worth estimated at $900 million as of 2022, the rapper, record producer, record executive, actor, and entrepreneur also owns a Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 in black. So now, they can mix and match.Mercedes-Maybach, the luxury subbrand of Mercedes-Benz, introduced the SUV in late 2019. It comes with a 4.0-liter V8 engine under the hood, which, paired with a 48-volt mild-hybrid drive system, delivers 550 horsepower (558 ps) and 538 lb-ft (730 Nm) of torque. The electric motor adds another 22 horsepower and 250 Nm of torque, putting out a total of 571 horsepower (579 ps) and 723 lb-ft (980 Nm), available temporarily, based on the driving situation.Based on these figures, the Mercedes-Maybach GLS 600 can hit 62 mph (100 kph) in 4.9 seconds and has a capped top speed of 155 mph (250 kph).In the set of pictures shared, Yung Miami seemed absolutely thrilled with her new gift and even sipped some champagne in the back seat of the luxury SUV. DHAKA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 24 people were killed and a dozen still missing after a boat capsized in the Karatoya river in Bangladesh's northern Panchagarh district, 468 km away from the capital Dhaka, on Sunday afternoon, a senior police officer said. "The bodies of 12 women, eight children and four men have so far been retrieved," SM Sirajul Huda, superintendent of Panchagarh District Police, told Xinhua. According to the officer, the boat carrying some 100 people capsized at about 1:30 p.m. local time. He said most of the passengers managed to swim ashore after the incident. "Ten to 12 passengers of the vessel are still missing," he added. A rescue operation was underway and the boat capsized allegedly due to overloading, said the police officer. ICE The Detroit Bureau reports that the decision to abandon the hybrid program came not long after Ford announced the project when it decided to reconfigure its effort to develop an all-electric SUV. Initially, the plan was to come up with a basic EV that would just be enough to meet the requirements of Californias strict zero-emissions vehicle mandate. Big kahuna Jim Farley wasnt satisfied with that, hence Ford's switch to the Mustang Mach-E.There are, however, a few more reasons for the hybrid Mustangs cancelation. Similar to General Motors and Stellantis, the Blue Ovals pony car isnt selling particularly well. But more importantly, the seventh-generation Mustang thats due to arrive next year for the 2024 model year doesnt need hybrid assistance because the Camaro is on the chopping block, the Challenger is going away, and the Charger is going fully electric.There are unverified reports of next-generation Challenger and Charger muscle cars, with the V8 expected to be reserved only for the Hellcats.Lower down the spectrum, the Challenger and Charger are rumored to feature a turbo straight-six engine, purelyor with hybrid assistance. As for the Camaro, rumor has it that General Motors will repurpose this nameplate for an electric sedan. Whatever the future holds for the rivaling automakers, it looks like the S650 will face little to no competition.In related news, Ford has discontinued the Shelby GT500 for the 2023 model year, most likely to redirect Predator V8 production to the F-150 Raptor R. As for the seventh-generation Mustang, customers will be offered a selection of three powertrain choices in the first instance: a redesigned 2.3-liter EcoBoost, the Gen IV Coyote that features dual throttle bodies and a revised exhaust manifold, and a more powerful variant of the Coyote that should crank out in the ballpark of 500 horsepower in the Dark Horse. The British-made two-wheeler was perhaps just as important to The Great Escape as McQueen himself, and it still causes quite a stir every time its mentioned.The original TR6R used in the movie was only shown for the first time in action back in 2018, during the Chubb Insurance Concours dElegance event at Blenheim Palace. In 2021, it was somewhat revived as a special edition Scrambler 1200, with the one wearing serial number 0278 (a number that matches the number plate McQueen used on his bike in the 1964 International Six Days Trial) selling at auction for $55,000.On a less official level, the bike has been honored countless times by independent garages from all over the world, most of the time with reworked Triumphs. Thats not the case with this build here, originally a 2007 Harley-Davidson Sportster.The custom, called The Great Escape, is a throwback to McQueens movie and bike, and was put together over in Spain by a crew called A.C Calella Custom.And were pretty confident the King of Cool would not be displeased with the result. Propped on special Avon tires over multi-spoked wheels and backed by an adjustable suspension, the Sportster offers handmade aluminum bodywork and a wealth of extras that make it look just suitable for an escape from a Nazi prisoners of war camp over in Poland.The list of extras includes a Vance & Hines exhaust system and an AC air filter, Kuryakyn mirrors, Kellerman indicators, and Avon grips, among others. The paint job, although not exactly made to match the colors and livery of the original Triumph, comes pretty close.As far as we can tell, the Harley-Davidson The Great Escape (its alternative name is Predator) was put together a few years back, but for some reason, its still listed as for sale on the shops website. No mention is made when it comes to asking price. FSD In its latest video, the company presented a Mercedes S 500 model equipped with the NVIDIA DRIVE system. Much like Tesla's, it's a combination of an onboard computer named NVIDIA DRIVE Thor and its proprietary software. One of its elements is the DRIVE Concierge, an AI assistant capable of driving from address-to-address, as they called it, on narrow suburban streets.From the driver's seat, you will be able to communicate with your DRIVE Concierge through next-generation user interfaces (their words) and voice commands. Nvidia says the car will be able to drive in urban scenarios as well, through user-generated maps called NVIDIA DRIVE Map. What this basically means is that the cars will be able to generate and keep updating the maps in real-time while driving by using the hardware fitted on the car.However, Nvidia didnt just stop there, but through its DRIVE Constellation system, it will take it to the next level by digitally recreating the environment. The company intends to achieve this through Drive Sim, a simulation software for maps.This one is a bit of a doozy because its basically a real-time virtual 3D simulation that looks like an advanced GTA game. It automatically generates the real-world environment, then graphically enhances it. Honestly, the footage looked better than most modern-day video games, which could be an indicator that this was all graphically embellished for the presentation. The final product might not look as good as in the video, but only time will tell.The technology also showed a pedestrian detection system which made the car slow down. Something called Confidence View was also shown, thats basically a 3D graphical representation of what the car sees with its array of sensors.Speaking of its sensors, we didnt get a headcount, but from the video, it looks like eight cameras were surrounding the car. The other interesting feature is the PredictionNet software that anticipates the behavior of other vehicles based on data like speed or direction of movement.Of course, the all-might parallel parking feature was also present at the climax of the video, with heavenly music playing loudly as if that parking spot was blessed by God. All in all, the technology does look promising, but theres a long way to go from theory to practice. ECU This is subject to change, so dont kill me in the comments. From what I understand, apparently there are preferred partners that will be able to have aftermarket supercharger options on this setup [V8] when it's available.StangMode adds that you won't be able to go to any normal tuner and tune your vehicle like this. It will be basically locked from Ford unless Ford approves it because they're gonna have over-the-air updates on this beautiful vehicle, pointing to the muscled-up Dark Horse that cranks out 500 hp.The rating is but an estimate at press time, with the Dearborn-based automaker expected to confirm the final numbers closer to the Mustangs on-sale date. Turning out attention back to the limited tuning potential of the S650, does it really come as a surprise? Of the Big Three in Detroit, the peeps at General Motors did it first with half-ton pickup trucks and SUVs.It's also worth noting that GM refuses to unlock the control unit of the C8, which is a bit of a shame given the Corvettes incredible straight-line capability. Two years ago, John Hennessey called out GM over the heavily encrypted control unit. The short version is that youre better off buying something else unless youre happy with an upgraded intake and exhaust.There is, however, a glimmer of hope on the horizon. Indiana-based Fathouse Fabrications recently previewed the 1000R twin-turbo package for the S650, which promises four-digit power without sacrificing drivability.The go-faster shop from Martinsville collaborates with Shelby American, but its not known if theyre a preferred partner for the new Mustang. That said, only time will tell wholl be admitted to the unlockedclub. Available from 1958 through 1965, the W-series engine was produced in three displacements, including the 427 cubes that many of us associate with big blocks. Codenamed Z11, the 7.0-liter version launched in the 1963 Chevrolet Impala Sport Coupe as a special package intended for racing. Around 50 copies were built, which makes this Impala truly collectible.The Mark II is an ultra-rare engine developed specifically for go-faster shenanigans, and the Mark III never left the drawing board even though it was a promising design thanks to bigger bore centers than the Mark II. This brings us to the Mark IV, a massive improvement over the W-series engine. Nicknamed the Rat Motor, this fellow can be considered the genesis of the big-block V8 we know today. Developed to perform better at high engine speeds, the Mark IV is rocking more conventional wedge-shaped combustion chambers, different valve angles, and relocated spark plugs.Launched in 1965 to great critical acclaim with a displacement of 396 cubes (6.5 liters) as the L78 in the Corvette and L37 in the Chevelle , the quintessential big-block design grew to 402, then 427 and up to 454 cubic inches. The fourth-generation big block was retired in 1995 in favor of the Gen V, which received four-bolt mains and a one-piece rear main seal. The automakers move to aluminum valve covers also needs to be mentioned, along with the removal of the mechanical fuel pump boss in favor of TBI.Produced for half a decade, Gen VI engines came in two flavors. The Vortec 7400, named this way after its metric displacement, was offered in L29 specification for HD trucks and L21 specification for commercial vehicles. Boasting sequential fuel injection and OBD II, these powerplants were succeeded by the Vortec 8100 codenamed L18. The sole member of the Gen VII features 18-bolt heads, longer conrods, a different firing order (1-8-7-2-6-5-4-3 instead of 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2), and symmetrical intake ports.History lesson over, now lets get down to business! The Golden Bowtie currently sells no fewer than 10 crate engines featuring the big-block architecture that continues to fascinate with its low-end twist. Sorted after horsepower instead of torque, Chevrolets big-block list kicks off with the HT502. Good for 406 horsepower at 4,200 revolutions per minute and 541 pound-foot (733 Nm) at 3,200 revolutions per minute, the 8.2L is uniquely suited to pre-1978 trucks and adaptable to a variety of applications.A bonafide workhorse, the High Torque 502 flaunts a cast-iron block with four-bolt main caps, a forged-steel crankshaft, forged-steel and shot-peened conrods, forged-aluminum pistons, oval-port heads, 118-cc chambers, stamped-steel rocker arms, and a 14-inch flexplate. Capable of 5,500 revolutions per minute, this lump is designed for good ol regular gas.Next up, the 454 HO delivers 438 hp at 5,300 rpm and 500 lb-ft (678 Nm) at 3,500 rpm. Equipped with a hydraulic roller camshaft just like the HT502, this member of the big-block family uses rectangular-port heads and runs the same 8.75:1 compression ratio as the aforementioned 502-ci engine.The 502 HO fits vehicles like an old-school Chevelle to a newer Suburban, blessing them with 461 hp at 5,100 rpm and 558 lb-ft (757 Nm) at 3,400 rpm. A value-oriented choice thats much obliged to pull a trailer with the proper transmission, this mill is all things to all big-block enthusiasts. The ZZ454/440 can be summed up as the 454 HO from before, matched with oval-port heads that unlock 31 additional ponies thanks to better airflow.The cylinder heads of the 7.4-liter engine are aluminum rather than iron, and their design increases the compression ratio to 9.6:1. The pistons are interchangeable, bearing the same part number for both applications. If 469 hp at 5,500 rpm and 519 lb-ft (704 Nm) at 3,700 rpm isnt enough, fret not because Chevy has got you covered with the ZZ427/480 that belts out 480 hp at 6,000 rpm and 490 lb-ft (664 Nm) at 3,800 rpm on premium fuel.A modern take on the racy L88 of the 1967 model year Chevrolet Corvette, this engine differs in one important way from the original. Rather than a flat-tappet camshaft, were dealing with a hydraulic roller camshaft for a broader performance range and slightly better drivability. Aluminum roller-style rocker arms, an HEI-style distributor, a 770-cfm carburetor, and 6,400-rpm redline are highlighted, along with a compression ratio of 10.1:1.The ZZ502/502 Base and ZZ502/502 Deluxe, which feature strong bottom ends, develop the same 508 hp at 5,200 rpm and 580 lb-ft (786 Nm) at 3,600 rpm. Obviously enough, the Deluxe comes with more stuff than the Base, including an 870-cfm carburetor. Whats better than 8.2 liters? Make that 9.4 in the ZZ572/620 Deluxe and its more aggressive brother, the 720R.Last, but certainly not least, big daddy ZZ632/1000 is the largest and most potent crate engine in Chevrolets long and illustrious history. The 10.35-liter colossus needs 93-octane gas to develop 1,004 hp at 6,600 rpm and 876 lb-ft (1,187 Nm) at 5,600 rpm. Launched in November 2021, the SuperMatic 4L75E-R is a four-speed box developed specifically for this application. Ideally speaking, all means of transportation should have minimal, if not zero impact, on the environment they help us explore. Its only recently that larger watercraft have started using fully electric means of propulsion, and Neocean is aiming to make waves, in a more or less literal sense, in the personal watercraft sector. While there are courses loved worldwide, some of them are detested by drivers, spectators, and even the people who built and managed them. As a result, let's look at what I believe are some of the worst NASCAR tracks that ever appeared on the Cup Series schedule.Langhorne Speedway - Most of us were not even born when NASCAR drivers were racing on the Langhorne Speedway. However, we can't ignore this one right here. The track was widely considered by many to be the most dangerous circuit in the United States. Situated in Pennsylvania, the Speedway was a one-mile, almost perfectly circular dirt oval. Since the whole track was one gigantic left-hand turn, the drivers were constantly with the pedal to the metal, and any mechanical failure or crash would result in a crash into the outside wall. Actually, the word wall is an exaggeration here because it was just a thin strip of guardrail. Unfortunately, 18 drivers died here, while many more were seriously injured over the years.The drivers were terrified to race there, but that didn't stop it from being a hit with the fans. NASCAR stopped coming here in the late 50s, but IndyCar pressed on until the 1970s. In the end, one of the founding tracks in the competition was sold and demolished due to its lack of safety features.Texas Motor Speedway - As a fun fact, the upcoming race in the 2022 NASCAR Cup Series Playoffs will take place at the Texas Motor Speedway. It was initially built as a futuristic track that would hold both NASCAR and IndyCar races. In 1997, a month before its first race, it was discovered that the pit lane was too narrow, among other problems.The track officials made a bunch of improvised last-minute fixes, resulting in a massive crash between multiple cars in the first lap of the race. They spent millions of dollars to reconfigure the track, but all of that created mediocre racing. While Texas Motor Speedway has a top-notch infrastructure and amenities, attendance is lower and lower by the year.Columbia Speedway - Hosting one of the last dirt races ever in the Cup Series in 1970, Columbia Speedway was a massive draw for all types of motorsport competitions for decades. Its dirt surfaces produced fast racing and intense close battles between the drivers. The racing was so good around here that Columbia Speedway was even hosting up to three races a year.However, the track was outdated and had some significant design flaws. The walls were just thick wooden planking held in place with telephone poles. Besides, the front stretch wall was made up of three rows of railroad rails, so safety wasn't the biggest advantage of this track. The Speedway couldn't keep up with the modernization process of NASCAR, so it was quickly abandoned. In 2010 the land was reclaimed, and the track is used today as a venue for car shows, concerts, and other events.Islip Speedway - Built on Long Island, New York, Islip Speedway is credited with hosting the first demolition derby. As a result, many fans came to the track and ended up sticking around for more events.The Cup Series also came by from 1964 until 1971 and was a hit with the fans from the beginning. However, the track was too small. Actually, it's the smallest track ever to host a cup race at just one-fifth of a mile long. With almost 30 cars in an event, it was hard even to start the race, let alone overtake. Across six races, there were a combined 12 lead changes.Texas World Speedway - We are going back to Texas for this one. The World Speedway was supposed to represent the future tracks of NASCAR . It was built as a copy of Michigan International with steeper banks. The Texas World Speedway held its first races in 1969 and would hold NASCAR events just a year later.The track was fast, and drivers seemed to like racing here, but the infrastructure and amenities were not the best. The original builders put all their money into the track itself, so they had to save money where they could. Even at that time, everything except the product on the circuit was pretty bad. As a result, fewer people kept coming to the races, and by the mid-70s, the track was taken off the Cup Series schedule. However, it came back from 1979 through 1981 but was nothing more than a failure. After 1981 the Texas World Speedway was gone for good.I believe these are the worst tracks NASCAR has ever raced on, but if you know others that are even worse, let us know. Update: Crews continue to work to clear vehicles and debris along I-75 at this hour. pic.twitter.com/oEuReTxASX FHP Tampa (@FHPTampa) September 21, 2022 It all happened only a few minutes past 6 a.m. at about 30 miles (48 km) north of Tampa, with the aftermath leading to a beer bath that transformed the highway into the best open bar in the entire world.While no information has been provided on how many beer cans were inside the semi-trailer, photos shared by the Florida Highway Patrol show the southbound lanes of I-75 covered in what we typically see after a heck of a concert.According to the police, one semi-truck rear-ended another in Hernando County early in the morning. The two vehicles stopped on Interstate 75, but two other semi-trucks, as well as a pickup truck, ended up rear-ending them as well.The last vehicle in the pile-up , also a semi-truck, was carrying Coors Light beer, with the entire load spilling onto the highway.Fortunately, only minor injuries were reported (it looks like only the passengers of the pickup truck were hurt), and nobody needed to be transported to the hospital, but in addition to the six vehicles involved in the accident, the beer became the collateral damage that everybody hated to see being wasted.None of the other trucks were carrying a load of pretzels, so the police decided to close all lanes of the highway to clear the vehicles and the debris. The Florida Highway Patrol, however, managed to reopen all lanes at noon after the traffic was limited to the southbound inside lane for several hours.Based on the images shared by the police, the semis involved in the crash didnt record major damage as well, but most likely, quite a lot of people went home thirsty this week. Rapper Slim Thug , or Big Slim, as hed like to be called now, is currently in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates, where hes enjoying everything the city has to offer. Since he arrived, he tried out different activities, like eating at Dinner in the Sky, taking a dip in an infinity pool, and getting behind the wheel of the Jetcar speedboat.Since Dubai is known for its luxury and all the unique activities you can try there, the WaterLink Jetcar is among them. It all started with Karim Amin, an engineer from Egypt who was set to provide a new watersport experience. So, he took the design over to Dubai, where he brought his concept based on several supercars to life using speedboats. So far, the models are based on Chevrolet Corvettes or Ferraris, but he has big plans to add some resembling other expensive brands like Aston Martin, Bentley, and even Bugatti.Since Slim Thug is a big car fan, he couldnt miss the chance to try it out. The one he drove comes with a blue exterior and two white vertical stripes on the hood. The rapper shared a lengthy video of himself at the helm of the speedboat, proudly enjoying the scenery filled with skyscrapers.The Jetcar is not a real car, as it doesnt have functional doors or wheels. Its not an amphibious car, either, but it does have a steering wheel, a gas pedal, and a gear selector. There are also several buttons on the center console to control the lighting system. It also comes with a windshield to protect you from all the water splashing in your face while driving. It comes with a 1.8-liter engine, placed behind the passengers, which is powerful enough to help the speedboat reach top speeds of up to 62 mph (100 kph). If youre wondering about the price of the ride, its available for 3000 AED (approximately $815) per hour.There is also Bluetooth connectivity to blast your music while splashing around, and Slim Thug seems to have had a great time on it, as you can see below. With its current configuration dating back to 2010, the base houses a large number of military units and branches, including the Alaskan Command (ALCOM) and the Alaskan NORAD Region (ANR). Its also home to the Eleventh Air Force, and its proximity to perceived adversary nations makes it a highly sensitive military installation.This isnt stopping the airmen and soldiers there from opening up parts of the base from time to time to civilians. Last time they did this was back in late July, when the Arctic Thunder Open House air show was held at the base.This year, some 110,000 people witnessed the display of pilot flying skills, most of them drawn to the site in large part thanks to the presence of the USAF Thunderbirds demonstration team.It is this squadron portrayed in an image the USAF recently released from the event, showing five planes of the team flying a stacked formation while releasing smoke, in an incredible display of man-and-machine collaboration worthy of a Photo of the Day feature this Sunday.The Thunderbirds, which use the mighty and widespread F-16s for their exploits, visited JBER as part of their very extensive schedule this year, which should comprise, in all, some 70 shows of aerial mastery Left on the calendar this month are the outings in Wichita, Kansas, during the Frontiers in Flight: Air Show & Open House 2022. In October, four shows are planned, starting in Huntington Beach, California, on the very first days of the month, and ending in the last days in Sanford, Florida. ATHENS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Residents of Greece's largest port, Piraeus, got a taste of Chinese cuisine and culture at the Piraeus Taste Festival hosted on Saturday evening. In the context of the first "Piraeus Taste Festival: Sea Food and More" organized by the municipality of Piraeus, local residents were welcomed to the Chinese corner to share Chinese delicacies and a glass of Baijiu (white alcohol). "Share unique moments with us, regardless of big (geographical) distances," read banners raised next to the stage where groups performed dragon and lion dances and Chinese martial arts. A few steps further, visitors also enjoyed a photo exhibition of Chinese culture and tourist destinations. Piraeus Mayor Yiannis Moralis and Chinese Ambassador to Greece Xiao Junzheng attended the event, which was held as the two countries celebrate this year's 50th anniversary of Greece-China diplomatic relations, as well as the China-Greece Year of Culture and Tourism. Elli Maurokefalou and her friend Maritina, both high-school students, were among the people who queued for a bite of Chinese dishes and applauded the performances. "I love Chinese culture so much...I enjoy listening to Chinese songs," Maritina told Xinhua. "I would love to visit (China) someday and stay for a long time. We often gather together and enjoy Chinese cuisine," Elli added. Thank you for reading! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Locals, and relatives of passengers missing in the ferry accident wait on the banks of the Karatoa River in Panchagarh district, northern Bangladesh, Sept. 24, 2022. At least 24 people were killed and others were reported missing after an overcrowded boat capsized in northern Bangladesh on Sunday afternoon, officials said about the worst ferry accident in the country since December. Locals and survivors said the boat was filled to more than twice its capacity, a familiar story in the South Asian country where 286 people were killed in waterway accidents between 2017 and 2021. The ferry carrying more than 100 passengers, most of them Hindu devotees, overturned around 2:30 p.m. on the Karatoa River in Panchagarh district as the devotees were returning from attending a religious event at a temple across the waterway, in Boda, officials said. Of those who died, 12 were women, eight were children, and four were men all but one victim were devotees, said S.M. Sirajul Huda, the Panchagarh superintendent of police. A total of 24 were killed and 20 are still missing in the accident, until Sunday night, Huda told BenarNews, adding that the death toll may increase. Rescuers are still searching for the bodies of the missing people and the search will continue until tomorrow [Monday]. The bodies of 16 people were recovered from the river while eight died in the hospital, the police officer said. He said that 44 people were rescued from the river alive, and many of the passengers managed to swim ashore to safety. A Panchagarh fire official said the ferry was overloaded. The engine-boat had been carrying more than 100 people while it had a capacity of carrying 50 passengers, Sheikh Md. Mahbub Islam, station assistant director for Panchagarh Fire Service and Civil Defense, told BenarNews: A local resident, Mohammad Azam Ali, told reporters that the boat capsized minutes after it left on its trip. It was an overloaded boat; many women passengers were standing in the boat with their children, Ali said. The Panchagarh district civil administration head Md. Zahurul Islam told reporters he had formed a five-member investigation committee and asked it to submit its probe report in three days. Primarily, we got information that the boat was overloaded, and when it started to ply it immediately capsized in the river. But the issue needs to be investigated, he said. Islam said that the government would give 20,000 taka (U.S. $192.77) to victims families, while the injured will get financial support for treatment. According to him, the people of Panchagarh district said they had never seen such an accident on the Karatoa River. The incident has again put a spotlight on the abysmal safety record of ferries and other forms of public transportation along Bangladeshs many waterways. Over the past decade, about 700 people have been killed in more than 200 accidents involving ferries and other vessels used for public transportation, according to a BenarNews review of government records in the wake of a ferry fire in December that claimed 50 lives. About 2,500 ferries carry passengers along hundreds of miles of rivers throughout Bangladesh. If you'd like to leave a comment (or a tip or a question) about this story with the editors, please email us We also welcome letters to the editor for publication; you can do that by filling out our letters form and submitting it to the newsroom. President Joe Biden addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday at the U.N. headquarters. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming Biden announced that he is adding the U.S. as a signatory to the United Nations Small Arms Treaty, which would establish an international gun control registry in which other countries can track the end user of every rifle, shotgun, and handgun sold in the world. A nursing student administers the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine in April 2021 at a vaccination center at UNLV in Las Vegas. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming humans and other mammals injected with an mRNA vaccine die within five years. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a press conference Thursday in Miami. On Friday, The Associated Press reported on stories circulating online incorrectly claiming that Florida ranks 9th in the U.S. for teacher pay. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. FILE - Roger Waters performs at the United Center on Tuesday, July 26, 2022, in Chicago. Polish media are reporting that Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has canceled concerts planned in Poland amid outrage over his stance on Russias war against Ukraine. An official with the concert arena in Krakow where Waters had been scheduled to perform in April said the musician's manager had withdrawn the April performances without giving a reason. You have permission to edit this article. Edit Close News Reporter Matt Martinez is a news reporter at The Berkshire Eagle. He worked at Milwaukee Neighborhood News Service, graduated Marquette University. He is a former Report for America corps member. Search match: All Words Any Words Exact Phrase Custom Date posted: All Last day Last 3 days Last 7 days Last 14 days Last 30 days Last 60 days Highest qualification: All Not Applicable Matric Diploma Degree Honours Masters Doctorate Experience level: All Student Junior Junior/Mid Mid Mid/Senior Senior Management (Jnr - Mid, 1-4 yrs) Management (Snr - Executive, 5+ yrs) Remuneration: All salaries GreaterThan5000 GreaterThan10000 GreaterThan15000 GreaterThan20000 GreaterThan30000 GreaterThan40000 GreaterThan50000 Position type: All Permanent Contract Temp BEE policy: N/A BEE Salary specified jobs only: When the chief executive of Dilmah Tea comes Down Under to visit, he is not merely conducting another routine business trip. Theres probably no territory that has greater emotional or practical relevance and importance to the Dilmah story than Australia, says Dilhan Fernando, the son of Dilmah Tea founder Merrill J. Fernando. Dilhan Fernando, CEO of Dilmah Tea. Credit:Ben Searcy Australia is considered the birthplace of the global tea business that Merrill felt compelled to create after seeing how Britain continued to dominate Sri Lankas tea industry in the 1950s. Determined to share the profits with his countrymen, Merrill had every possible door shut in his face by those interested in protecting the status quo. Eventually, in September 1985, Merrill convinced Coles to start stocking Dilmah Tea (named after his two sons, Dilhan and Malik) across NSW stores. It became popular across Australia, then in New Zealand. Now, Dilmah Tea is enjoyed by people from over 100 countries around the world. News of the Optus cybersecurity attack is shocking. The millions of customers potentially impacted by the breach is mind-boggling. But the really startling question is how a breach of this magnitude is still occurring in 2022. While cyber breaches are a reality for any organisation large or small-running systems connected to the internet with perfect cybersecurity is an impossibility what we do know is that cyberattacks, hacks, breaches or whatever you want to call them, are entirely foreseeable. Each time a cyber incident happens, all organisations big and small should sit up and assess whether this could happen to them. Credit:AP The magnitude of such breaches can be minimised by making conscious choices about what to use, hold and store and, if it must be stored, storing it securely so that it cannot be easily accessed. These choices are not new and encryption is not a novel, unreachable solution. There have been far too many cyberattacks where staggering amounts of personal information have been stolen. Think the Target hack in 2013, the Office of Personnel Management in the US in 2014, UK telecommunications provider TalkTalk in 2015, Equifax in 2017 and the ANU in 2018. All of these breaches had variants of the same thing: data theft, varying degrees of highly personal information and, in many cases, the impact of these breaches could have been minimised. Consumers shocked by the $10 price of lettuce earlier this year might need to brace themselves for sharper price hikes for other food and grocery items. Australias former competition tsar and now public policy professor Rod Sims was warned that food supply chains were particularly vulnerable to dramatic price spikes because of a lack of competition between a small number of big supermarkets and chicken processing companies. It increases our vulnerability to price hikes, he said. When you have powerful players they can squeeze their suppliers because the suppliers have nowhere else to go. That approach can reduce supply in the market. Crops of lettuce and cabbage were lost to floods earlier this year fuelling a spike in prices. Credit:Dean Sewell. Assistant Minister for Competition, Charities and Treasury Andrew Leigh told the Herald that the federal government was working with small business and farming groups to explore solutions including banning unfair contract terms and raising the penalties for anti-competitive conduct. THE LIFESPAN OF A FACT Roslyn Packer Theatre, September 24. Until October 22 If I merely told you facts that the play has three actors and lasts for 75 minutes, for instance you wouldnt be much wiser. The Lifespan of a Fact is about exactly that: how facts, by themselves, are insufficient to cut to the heart of a story. Arbiter in a war: Sigrid Thornton as Emily in The Lifespan of a Fact. Credit:Prudence Upton In this case, that heart is the 2002 suicide of a teenage boy in Las Vegas by jumping off the extremely tall Stratosphere Hotel. Acclaimed writer John DAgata couldnt get inside the dead boys head but he could create a magazine essay that was less concerned with strict adherence to truth than with painting an impression of the world in which it happened. The death of Levi Presley was real, as was dAgatas essay, What Happens There, which was originally commissioned by Harpers Magazine, but rejected because of the liberties he took, and subsequently published by The Believer. The sunlight shines especially bright in Mildura. This should be the perfect place to build the huge solar farms we need if were going to green our electricity grid but solar farms here have made huge losses, some forced to operate at half-capacity and others unable to run at all, as the ageing and weak grid struggled to handle the new influx of solar power. Among industry figures, Milduras electricity grid has been nicknamed the rhombus of regret, but a little-known Australian company hopes to change that with a world-first solar hydropower plant. An aerial view of the RayGen Power Plant Carwarp Project in Mildura. Credit:Eddie Jim Across a sprawling green paddock outside Mildura RayGen has built 1092 heliostats mirrors that move to catch the sun. They focus the sunlight on four towers. When the suns shining, the collectors are too bright to safely look at; the combined heat could melt steel. A Perth diving instructor was allegedly caught with heroin and methamphetamine in Bali and faces decades in jail. Jeff Walton was caught in Bali after travelling from Vietnam when authorities reportedly said they found eight grams of heroin and meth hidden in a condom. Australian Jeff Walton has been arrested in Bali for allegedly attempting to smuggle heroin and methamphetamine to the island. Credit:Nine Its been reported authorities became suspicious when they spotted the man at Denpasar airport two weeks ago. The 51-year-old Perth diving instructors lawyer Edward Pangkahila said his client tested positive for having heroin in his system. Having had his previous calls for cul-de-sacs in South Brisbane rejected, a Brisbane councillor now wants to foster debate about how to enliven a dead zone in the suburb before the Olympics in 2032. Jonathan Sriranganathan believes wider footpaths and pop-up markets and stalls could transform South Brisbanes Melbourne Street into an exciting public realm. There are calls to extend the public realm being created outside the Queensland Cultural Centre at South Brisbane down Melbourne Street towards West End. Credit:Brisbane City Council There are a few problems with Melbourne Street itself, the Greens councillor said. On both sides of Melbourne Street [towards Merivale Street] you have the Convention Centre on one side and a large office block on the other side, neither of which do much to activate the ground level. His wife was driving that evening and when returned to the car after his purchase, he wondered if he had been charged the correct amount. She suggested taking the receipt and bottle back in to the store to check. The price was correct and he left the shop. And this, as he would later learn, was the beginning of his troubles. CCTV footage recorded him leaving the shop without appearing to pay and authorities were contacted. Prasannan Ponganamparambile with his wife Nisha and daughter Mejhna. Credit:Paul Jeffers Crucially, the doctor had kept the receipt, which was still in his car a month later. He quickly called Crime Stoppers and asked to have his photo removed, explaining he was innocent of the alleged theft. The operator told him that officers at the Pakenham police station controlled the Facebook page, and he would have to attend the station in person. It was a difficult nights sleep but Ponganamparambile hoped things would be sorted out the next morning. The police were wanting to identity him, so he took documentation to show he was the head of the department of rehabilitation medicine at Latrobe Regional Hospital. But when he arrived, he was told the photo would remain online as the officer handling his case was not on duty. Prasannan Ponganamparambile is the head of the department of rehabilitation medicine at Latrobe Regional Hospital. Credit:Paul Jeffers The doctor, well-known in the local Indian community, was worried more people would recognise him. It can lead to a drama, maybe, in the streets, he said. After more lobbying, the post was taken down on Facebook. But there was still the criminal investigation to deal with. Eventually, a police arranged an interview time. The doctor was a bit apprehensive and called a lawyer to join him. The atmosphere when he arrived was like a criminal had come to surrender, he recalled. I thought that some international robbery has been committed, and they are looking for a very serious criminal, he said. The doctor was told he was going into custody. Police didnt use handcuffs but escorted him to a police van to be driven around the back of the station. Nisha was terrified to see what was happening to her husband. His daughter, Mejhna, was also there. It was definitely what I would call the worst day of my life, she said. He has always done what is right and hes always been a huge moral compass for me. Just to see someone like that be treated with so much disrespect. After 45 minutes of questioning, Ponganamparambile had his fingerprints taken and was released pending any charges. A few weeks later his lawyer received an email to say that he had been exonerated. Receipt for a bottle of rum provided by Prasannan Ponganamparambile. But the doctor felt insulted and did not let the matter drop. He took defamation action in the County Court against Victoria Police. Last month he was awarded a confidential settlement, and won an apology from the force. We acknowledge that you were not involved in any theft and apologise for any insinuation that you may have been, wrote superintendent Craig Thornton. Victoria Police regrets the distress suffered by you as a result of the Facebook post and your interactions with Victoria Police members. A Victoria Police spokesman said in a statement that training was regularly provided to those responsible for posting on its social media pages. Loading But the doctors lawyer, Stewart OConnell, has questioned whether the incident would have happened if his client wasnt a man of obvious Indian descent. This is a man who is an absolute pillar of the community, and yet he was treated with appalling disrespect, OConnell said. Ponganamparambile said he couldnt understand why police didnt investigate further before posting his photo online. Political parties would face a cap on how much they can spend during an election campaign under a suite of measures being considered by the Albanese government to overhaul the nations electoral funding laws. A federal parliamentary inquiry set up by the government has been deluged with hundreds of submissions calling for caps on political donations as well as more transparency on disclosures. Labor is considering a range of measures to boost integrity in the nations federal elections. Credit:Rob Homer The government is considering a package of integrity measures including measures to force politicians to declare political donations over $1000 in real time and truth in political advertising laws. At the request of Special Minister of State Don Farrell, the Joint Standing Committee on Electoral Matters is looking into the proposals as well as the conduct of the 2022 election. It has been asked to report back by September next year. London: One of the British prisoners of war released by Russia has described his brutal ordeal at the hands of their forces where soldiers jumped on his body and broke most of his ribs, leaving him so injured that there was blood in his urine. After returning to Britain on Thursday following a prisoner swap, John Harding said he wished he had been killed rather than tortured by Russian-backed militants. John Harding seen behind bars in a courtroom in Donetsk in August. Credit:AP If Id known how wed be treated before we surrendered, I wouldve stayed and set up a snipers nest and just tried to take a few of them out before I got killed, he told UK tabloid The Sun. Harding was captured in May when his unit was forced to surrender after defending the besieged city of Mariupol. The timing of the notice, which was sent just two days after Queen Elizabeths death on September 8, has been questioned although as Dickie Arbiter, her former spokesman, pointed out: There is never a good time to tell staff they might lose their jobs. In his letter, Sir Clive pointed out that, the portfolio of work previously undertaken in this household supporting the former Prince of Waless personal interests, former activities and household operations will no longer be carried out, although added that certain staff providing direct, close, personal support and advice to Charles and Camilla would remain in post. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex, and Camilla, Queen Consort, during the funeral. Credit:Getty Images The trouble for the King, however, is that the one employee who provided the most direct, close personal support and advice is no longer with him at the time when he arguably needs him the most. As Prince of Wales, Charles once lamented: I can manage without just about anyone except for Michael, referring to his former valet Michael Fawcett, who had worked with him since the late 1980s. Yet last September he was forced to resign from his post as chief executive of the Princes Foundation amid an alleged cash-for-honours scandal. The father -of-two, 59, was accused of offering to help secure a knighthood and British citizenship for a Saudi billionaire donor. The forthcoming autobiography by Prince Harry will bring fresh challenges for the new king. Credit:Getty Images At the time Douglas Connell, chair of the Princes Foundation, said: Michael fully supports the ongoing investigation and has confirmed that he will assist the investigation in every way. While Fawcetts departure may have helped to protect the King, who was said to have had no knowledge of the alleged offer of honours or British citizenship on the basis of donation to his charities, it has apparently left him bereft. According to one source: His loss is enormous. Michael was the Kings absolute closest confidant. He provided the boss with camaraderie and reassurance, which is exactly what he needs right now. Fawcetts absence has also caused a rebalance of power behind palace walls. It has been suggested that both Sir Clive and the Queen Consort rather resented the influence the indispensable aide had over the King. As the source added: Now he has gone, Clive and Camilla are in full control although the reality is its the Queen Consort who is now calling the shots. The King used to think that Fawcett and Camilla were the only people who understood him and now Fawcetts gone, shes got the monopoly. Loading To be fair to her, she is the Kings rock. She is a stabilising and reassuring presence. She makes him laugh and they have been through the mill together so they have got so much shared experience. He, in turn, completely adores her. Those viewing the Queen Consort as a sort of jovial plus one misunderstand her influence not only on the monarch but also his court. It was Camilla, for instance, who insisted on the appointment of former newspaper executive Tobyn Andreae as the Kings new spokesman, a move that apparently even blindsided Sir Clive, who is not thought to have sat in on the interview. The Queen Consort is thought to have closely consulted with her friend Geordie Greig, a former newspaper editor, who is believed to have personally recommended Andreae for the position. He will replace Simon Enright, 52, who joined Clarence House in May last year after serving as communications director for NHS England during the pandemic. Although widely respected as a journalist and described by those who know him as straight-talking, terribly nice and incredibly well-connected some fear old Etonian Andreae lacks the public relations experience required at such a pivotal time. The appointment also raised eyebrows because Andreae used to work for the Mail on Sunday, which has been the subject of two recent legal actions brought by the Duke and Duchess of Sussex over its coverage of the couple. However, he will no doubt be able to bring his wealth of news experience to the fore to manage the fallout from the publication of Prince Harrys memoirs in the coming months. Although the autobiography has been delayed until after Christmas, neither the palace powers-that-be nor the royals have been given prior approval - posing another potential headache for the King after being the subject of several negative claims in the couples Oprah Winfrey interview. Speaking to the US chat show host in March last year, Harry said his father stopped taking my calls and cut him and Meghan off financially. Sources close to the King have denied the claims, pointing out that he funded them throughout their time in the royal family, including helping to pay for the renovation of Frogmore Cottage, their Windsor home. Loading The last thing the King needs right now is to be the subject of yet more salvos from his son (and by proxy, his daughter-in-law, who suggested in a recent interview that Harry felt he has lost his father through the Megxit process. It goes without saying that such stories, however historic, are deeply unhelpful to the Kings reign at a time when he is trying to emulate some of his late mothers magnanimous magic. With the country facing a cost of living crisis, and now the instability caused by the loss of a beloved monarch, it has never been more crucial for the King to channel Queen Elizabeths unparalleled ability to keep calm and carry on. Kyiv: Officials in Russian-occupied territories in eastern and southern Ukraine are forcing people to vote under a gun barrel, residents said amid staged referendums intended to validate Moscows annexation of territory it occupies. Voting is taking place in portions of Ukraines Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia and Kherson regions and will last five days, ending on Tuesday. The outcome is not in doubt. A woman casts her ballot during a referendum in Luhansk, Luhansk Peoples Republic controlled by Russia-backed separatists, eastern Ukraine, on Saturday. Credit:AP The purported referendums are illegal under Ukrainian and international law and would not remotely meet basic democratic standards for free and fair elections. Western leaders, including US President Joe Biden, have denounced the process as a sham to prepare the ground for Russias theft of Ukrainian land. Moscow officials and their separatist proxies have said that they expect the vote to be in favour of absorbing the areas, a process that will be completed promptly once the results are official, according to the Kremlin. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will fly to Japan today for the state funeral of Shinzo Abe Were sorry, this feature is currently unavailable. Were working to restore it. Please try again later. Dismiss U.S. should learn lessons from severely impacted China-U.S. relations: Chinese FM Xinhua) 09:51, September 24, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) shakes hands with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken during their meeting at the site of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations in New York, on Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Friday told U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken that China-U.S. relations have been severely impacted currently, and the lessons from which should be learned by the U.S. side. Wang made the remarks during their talks at the site of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations. The two diplomats were attending the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Wang said China-U.S. relations are at a critical juncture, and it is imperative for the two sides, with an attitude of being responsible for the world, history and the two peoples, to adopt the right approach to getting along between the two major countries, and to work to stop bilateral ties from further deterioration and to re-stabilize them. Wang specifically focused on the recent wrongful moves by the U.S. side regarding the Taiwan question, comprehensively elaborating the solemn position of the Chinese side. "The Taiwan question is at the core of China's core interests, and it carries significant weight in the minds of the Chinese people," Wang stressed. "It is our mission to safeguard national sovereignty and territorial integrity, and there is absolutely no ambiguity whatsoever about that," Wang told Blinken. Wang reminded Blinken that the United States has made clear political commitments to China regarding the Taiwan question, including the three Sino-U.S. joint communiques reached decades ago and the more recent statements made repeatedly by the current U.S. administration that it does not support "Taiwan independence." What the United States has done, however, is contrary to its commitments, in attempts to damage China's national sovereignty and territorial integrity, obstruct the great cause of peaceful reunification of China, and engage in a so-called strategy of "using Taiwan to contain China," Wang said, adding that the U.S. side even publicly claimed to help defend Taiwan, which has sent a very wrong and dangerous signal. The United States should return to abiding by the three Sino-U.S. communiques and the one-China principle exactly as they are, reiterate its one-China policy without added elements, and unequivocally state its clear opposition to "Taiwan independence" separatist activities of all forms, Wang said. The Taiwan question is China's internal affair, Wang said, and the United States has no right whatsoever to interfere in the way the Taiwan question is resolved. China's stance on the resolution of the Taiwan question has been consistent and unambiguous, that is that China will continue to stick to the basic principles of "peaceful reunification and one country, two systems." The state councilor stressed that it's utterly impossible for a peaceful resolution to coexist with "Taiwan independence." The more rampant the "Taiwan independence" activities are, the less likely the peaceful resolution of the Taiwan question will be, Wang said, adding that only by unequivocally opposing and deterring "Taiwan independence" activities can cross-Strait peace be truly maintained. There exist common interests and profound differences simultaneously between China and the United States, a reality that will not change, Wang said. The two countries were aware at the very beginning of their engagement that they were dealing with one another with a different system, which has not become an impediment to forging bilateral cooperation based on common interests, nor should be a reason for confrontation or conflict between the two countries. Wang expressed the hope that the U.S. side will correct its perception about China, and rethink and change its China policy guided by containment and suppression. Washington should abandon its intention to deal with the Chinese out of a position of strength, neither should it always contemplate about containing China's development or frequently resort to unilateral bullying. The United States should create an environment conducive to the resumption of normal exchanges between the two sides, and promote the return of China-U.S. relations to a healthy and stable track of development, Wang said. Blinken said U.S.-China relations are in a difficult situation, and bringing bilateral relations back to a stable track is in accord with the interests of both sides. Noting the United States and China have successfully managed their differences in the past, Blinken said that the U.S. side is willing to engage in candid communication and dialogue with China, avoid misunderstanding and miscalculation, and find a path forward. Blinken also reiterated that the U.S. side does not seek a "new Cold War," has not changed its one-China policy, and does not support "Taiwan independence." Wang and Blinken also exchanged views on the Ukraine situation. Both sides considered the meeting as being frank, constructive and important, and they agreed to maintain communication. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (2nd R) meets with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken (1st L) at the site of the Permanent Mission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations in New York, on Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) (Web editor: Zhange Wenjie, Bianji) Newly appointed director of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences here M Srinivas has issued an order that files should be submitted in electronic mode, except for the confidential ones. Srinivas, who earlier served as the Dean of ESIC Hospital and Medical College in Hyderabad, is now entrusted with the job of steering the country's most sought-after medical institute. "All concerned are hereby informed that henceforth all the files be submitted to the undersigned in e-file mode only unless the matter is confidential and cannot be submitted in e-filing mode," the office memorandum issued on Saturday said. The director is also learnt to have visited the paediatric surgical ward and AB5 ICU at AIIMS, and spoke with doctors and staff posted there. Srinivas, who had not applied for the top post at AIIMS, was selected ahead of several illustrious names that were doing the rounds. (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 and Insurance have decided to jointly bid for Reliance General Insurance, a subsidiary of Reliance Capital. The groups had earlier submitted separate bids for the general insurance business of bankrupt Reliance Capital. Both Piramal and will hold 50 per cent each in the proposed special purpose vehicle (SPV). The SPV would make the bid for the company, with Rs 75 crore earmarked as deposit. Bankers said the success of the proposed SPV in buying RGIC will mark Insurances entry in India's general insurance business. According to the indicative bids submitted at the end of August, Piramal had valued Reliance Capital's general insurance business at Rs 3,600 crore, while Zurich Insurance had quoted an indicative bid of Rs 3,700 crore. The third bidder, Advent, had submitted the highest offer of Rs 7,000 crore for RGIC. With the proposed joint venture, Zurich and Piramal will not compete with each other, and lead a two-horse race between Advent and Zurich-Piramal consortium. The administrator and Committee of Creditors (COC) of Reliance Capital had appointed a global valuation expert, Willis Tower Watson, for the valuation process. This valuation is available to all the bidders and with the actuarial valuation for 100 per cent of RGIC coming at Rs 9,450 crore -- higher than the indicative bids received from the bidders. The last date for the submission of binding bids for Reliance Capital was extended to October end after all bidders sought additional time to complete due diligence. The CoC granted a four-week extension despite few bidders seeking time till January end. Reliance Capital had received 14 non-binding bids for the company as a whole and its multiple businesses. Six had submitted bids for the entire company, while the other bidders had submitted bids for its multiple subsidiaries. Zurich confirms it has submitted a non-binding offer to acquire a stake in Reliance General Insurance. The terms of any transaction are subject to negotiations and there can be no assurance that a transaction will take place," said a spokesperson of Zurich Insurance group on Sunday. Ahmedabad-based Torrent group -- which made an indicative offer for Reliance Capital as a whole -- is planning to make a separate offer for Reliance Nippon Company (RNLIC), a 51:49 joint venture between Reliance Capital and Nippon Life of Japan. The administrator has sought offers for 51 per cent stake in Reliance Nippon LIC. Reliance Capital is undergoing a bankruptcy process and the administrator had sought offers for the entire company and for its various business clusters. During the process, no offers were received for the business even as the lenders received indicative offers for the entire company and for various other owned by Reliance Capital. Bankers said a valuer appointed by the administrator for the business pegged the embedded value of the company at Rs 5,800 crore. Based on this valuation, Torrent is planning to make an investment of Rs 2,900 crore to acquire 51 per cent in the RNLIC, a source said. Bankers said the profit making insurance arms are receiving good response from the bidders but the rest of Reliance Capital arms are getting lukewarm response. Hospitality firm Tamara Leisure Experiences expects its business to grow three-fold in the current fiscal, compared to pre-pandemic levels, amid easing of travel restrictions, according to the company CEO Shruti Shibhulal. The company is looking at inorganic expansion through acquisitions across its affordable, mid-segment and leisure businesses across India as well as overseas through internal accruals, Shibulal told PTI. "Due to COVID there was instability... This year we are expecting to hit about three times the number that we hit in 2019-20. Take the cut-off as March," she said on the sidelines of Entrepreneur Annual Conclave. Tamara Leisure operates in three segments -- luxury resorts, business hotels and mid-segment. Daughter of Infosys co-founder and former CEO SD Shibulal said that the last couple of years were very unstable. The company's business hotels were running in losses but with the easing of travel restrictions, the revenue has boomed again. "... We are seeing a very different behavior from the last few years. I would say between 2019 and 2023 we have grown about 10 times," Shibulal said. Besides organic expansion, the company is looking to expand business both within the country and overseas through acquisitions. "We are looking at Lilac Hotels, which is our mid-segment hotel, there we look at a minimum of 50 keys. For O By Tamara, we look at a minimum of 100 keys. "For a resort we look at it by area. We look to try to find places which have a story, destinations where we can build experiences, It should be at least 10 acres for us to be able to build something really meaningful and delightful," Shibulal said. She said that the key motivation for her being in the hospitality business is to create meaningful jobs for the local community and drive social welfare around the company's assets. Tamara Leisure will launch a new unit of its business hotel, O By Tamara, at Coimbatore and the first Lilac Hotel in a pilgrimage centre, Guruvayur, early next year. "We have also acquired four properties in Germany. We're looking at acquisitions of both property as well as land acquisitions on which we can develop our three brands. "We are also at a tipping point where we're starting to consider what an asset light model would look for us. This is something we haven't done before but we want it to be something that we know would really help us scale," Shibulal said. She said that all acquisitions and expansion is being done by internal accruals of the company. "We have properties right now coming up across Kerala, Karnataka, and Tamil Nadu. Those are the places where I have projects which are in the pipeline. We have four projects which are under construction for renovation. I have two projects, which are in the approval stages," Shibulal 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.) Noted brand Walkaroo International Ltd is setting up a new greenfield manufacturing facility in at an investment of Rs 70 crore as it plans to strengthen presence in the northern market, according to a company official. With two-thirds of the revenue contributed from the southern region, the company expects to garner a topline of Rs 2,100 crore during the current financial year, Walkaroo International Ltd Director Rajesh Kurian said on Sunday. According to him, the Coimbatore-based company reaches out to 1.5 lakh retail outlets through its 750 distributors. "We have close to 5 per cent market share in the market and we are at the bottom of the pyramid market. What we manufacture is polyurethane synthetic. In our new factory in Rajasthan, we will be producing rubber hawai (slippers) which will cater to markets like Bihar and Uttar Pradesh," he told PTI. Elaborating, he said, "The new factory is under process. We will be manufacturing the rubber hawai products there. Already, we have a facility in Haryana where we make polyurethane synthetic products." The new facility will see investments worth Rs 70 crore and the company is expected to create about 600-700 new jobs in through the unit, he said responding to a query. On group financials, he said the firm registered revenues of Rs 1,850 crore last year and this year has set a target of garnering Rs 2,100 crore. "We are also exporting our products to the Middle East and we have a facility in Dhaka to serve the Bangladesh market. We are also planning to enter the African market...," he said. On the impact of COVID-19 pandemic, he said the company witnessed a drop in sales in April 2021 as only 50 per cent of business was done while in May last year it further dropped by 25 per cent. "However, in June 2021 we could see demand. Again in January, there was introduction of GST which was increased from 5 per cent to 12 per cent for products sold below Rs 1,000. Then, we had the Ukraine-Russia conflict. So, we were forced to increase the price of our products back then," he said. In the last three months, the increase in prices began to drop and the company along with other organised players in the market were 'well-stocked' to cater to the forthcoming festival demand, Kurian said. The domestic organised footwear market was valued at Rs 55,000-Rs 60,000 crore, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) People's anger over the of Ankita Bhandari, who worked as a receptionist at a resort in Uttarakhand's Pauri district and was reportedly being forced to provide "special services" to guests, continued with the Highway (NH) 58 being blocked in protest, even as her last rites were finally conducted on Sunday evening. Her body was brought to the NIT Ghat here and consigned to flames amid the presence of a large number of people. A large crowd, comprising students, political activists and common people, had earlier gathered in large numbers at the mortuary of the base hospital where her body was kept. Then, they held a sit-in on the Badrinath Highway in front of the mortuary, demanding the hanging of Ankita's killers, stranding vehicles on both sides of the highway. Earlier in the day, the family of Ankita, in whose killing Pulkit Arya, the son of now expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya is allegedly involved, refused to perform the last rites, saying they will wait till the final post-mortem report comes. The provisional post-mortem report had confirmed assault before death and the cause of death as drowning. Ankita's father Virendra Bhandari has refused to perform the last rites of his daughter. "The government has tampered with the evidence by running a bulldozer on resort at midnight. Ankita's last rites will be performed only when the final post-mortem report is received. I am not satisfied with the post-mortem report that has come at the moment. The culprits should be given capital punishment using fast track court in this case," he said. The family finally relented after appeals from Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and the local administration. Dhami, who saluted Ankita's father, assured that the trial would be held in a fast-track court and all possible help to the family. "In such times it is natural for people to be angry. The government will provide whatever assistance required for the victim's family," he added. Meanwhile, Congress MLA from Badrinath, Rajendra Bhandari, on Sunday reached Srinagar to meet the family members. Questioning the functioning of the government, he said that there were six BJP MLAs from Pauri Garhwal district, including two ministers and the Speaker, but none had come to Srinagar yet to meet the relatives. He said that the resort was razed because the government had to destroy the evidence. "Ankita should get justice. There should be a high level inquiry into the matter," he said. On Friday, the police had arrested Pulkit and his two employees in connection with Ankita's death, and her body was recovered on Saturday. DGP Ashok Kumar said on Saturday that the police have got some important evidence from the screenshots found from the deceased's mobile phone. "On the basis of the evidence received, it can be said that Ankita was being pressurised for providing 'special service' to the guests. There must have been a scuffle between them over the same after which this heinous crime was carried out," he had said. --IANS smita/skp/uk/vd (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Even as the administration is trying to persuade the family members of Ankita Bhandari, in whose killing Pulkit Arya, the son of now expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya is allegedly involved, to perform the last rites, they have refused to do so saying they will wait till the final post-mortem report comes. At present, the provisional post-mortem report has come, in which the assault has been confirmed before death and the cause of death has been said as drowning. Ankita's family members have raised questions on the functioning of the government. Ankita's father Virendra Bhandari has refused to perform the last rites of his daughter. He said, "The government has tampered with the evidence by running a bulldozer on resort at midnight. Ankita's last rites will be performed only when the final post-mortem report is received. I am not satisfied with the post-mortem report that has come at the moment. The culprits should be given capital punishment using fast track court in this case." Family members alleged that the resort was vandalized to destroy the evidence. At the same time, the family has also raised questions on Ankita's post-mortem. They have again demanded a post-mortem. Morover, the administration is trying to persuade the relatives of Ankita Bhandari to perform the last rites, because the family has refused to do so. The people of the entire state are outraged by the Ankita Bhandari murder case. People from far and wide are reaching ITI Ghat of Srinagar-Garhwal. The Srinagar trade association has kept the market closed in protest against the murder. Heavy police force has been deployed at ITI Ghat. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) It is that time of the year again, when this palace city gets decked up for the annual ten day-long celebrations, playing host to a plethora of religious and cultural events to keep up the traditions of celebrating the Dasara or Navaratri festival that began in 1610. Celebrated as "Nada Habba" (state festival), the festivities will be a grand affair this year depicting Karnataka's rich culture and traditions, coupled with reminiscence of royal pomp and glory, after muted celebrations for the last two years in view of the covid-19 pandemic. Dasara, considered to be one of the biggest and most important festivals of the region, grew as a festival of masses and the Mysuru dynasty under the royal patronage; continuing with the traditions, is now being celebrated under the auspices of the Government of Karnataka, after India became independent and republic. President Droupadi Murmu will be inaugurating the festivities during the auspicious "Vrushchika Lagna" between 9.45 AM and 10.05 AM on September 26, by showering flowers on the idol of goddess Chamundeshwari, the presiding deity of Mysuru royals, amid chanting of vedic hymns, at the premises of Chamundeshwari temple atop the Chamundi Hills here. Murmu, who will be the first President to take part in Mysuru Dasara, will be accompanied by Governor Thaawarchand Gehlot, Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai, and several of his cabinet colleagues among others at the inaugural. The President is also likely to visit the Chamundeshwari temple and offer prayers to the goddess, who is referred to as "Naada Devate" (state deity), ahead of the inaugural. The 10-days event, like every year, is likely to showcase Karnataka's cultural heritage resplendent with folk art forms and attracts large crowds and tourists. It was scaled down for the last two years due to the pandemic. CM Bommai earlier announcing that the Dasara this time will be "grand" had said, the festival will be used to promote tourism. It will be a combination of tradition, new things and will be meaningful. Various programmes will be held during these auspicious days of Navrathri, during which the palace, major streets turnarounds or circles and buildings of Mysuru will be beautified by illuminating them with lights, fondly known a "Deepalankaara". In all, nearly 290 cultural programmes will be held during Dasara this year at eight venues -- Amba Vilas Palace, Jaganmohan Palace, Kalamandira, Ganabharathi, Nadabrahma Sangeetha Sabha, Kirurangamandira, Chikkagadiyara and Town Hall. Also, dozens of events that attract people like- food mela, flower show, cultural programmes, farmers' Dasara, women's Dasara, Yuva Dasara, children's Dasara, poetry recital are also conducted. However, cultural events in front of the illuminated Ambavilasa palace will be the main attraction, as it will be the main venue for performance by acclaimed artists from both state and level. This is the very venue where the Chief Minister will confer the prestigious State Sangeetha Vidwan Award. Other than these events, the famous Dasara procession (Jumbo Sawari), Torch Light Parade, and Mysuru Dasara Exhibition are the ones that attract a large number of people, turning the city into a carnival of sorts, during the ten day. The Navaratri include various decorations and celebrations in households across Mysuru and surrounding areas, namely Gombe habba (arrangement of traditional dolls), Saraswati Pooja, Ayudha Pooja and Durga Pooja, among others. While at the palace too, the royal family will celebrate the festivities as per their traditions. The Navaratri celebrations at the palace include several rituals, most remarkably Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of Mysuru royal family, dressed in grand attire, conducting Khasagi durbar (private durbar) by ascending the golden throne, amid chanting of vedic hymns. Vajramushti Kalaga', a special duel between Jetties (wrestlers) armed with a Vajramushti' or a knuckle-duster, is also part of the celebrations at the palace. World famous 'Jambusavaari', a procession of caparisoned elephants carrying the idol of Goddess Chamundeshwai in a golden Howdah on Vijayadashmi on the 10th day of the festival, marks the culmination of celebrations on October 5. The procession will start from the Amba Vilas Palace premises, after the Nandi Flag Puja at the auspicious Makara Lagna from 2.36 pm to 2.50 pm and offering floral showers on Chamundeshwari placed in a golden Howdah by the Chief Minister and other dignitaries on October 5. It will end at Banni mantapa, after covering a distance of roughly 6-km. Tableaus of different districts and cultural teams from across the state will add splendour to the procession. Elephants, which were brought from their camps, are prepared for the procession by making them walk along the streets of the city, so that they get used to the crowd, and are also put to firecrackers and cannon tests to ensure that they don't get disturbed by the sound. Elephant named 'Abhimanyu', who has been carrying the golden howdah since 2020, is likely to perform the duty this year too. For the last two years, the procession was restricted to the Amba Vilas Palace premises, due to covid-19. Dasara was celebrated by the rulers of the Vijayanagar empire and the tradition was inherited by the Wadiyars of Mysuru. Festivities were first started in Mysuru by the Wadiyar King, Raja Wadiyar I in the year 1610. It became a private affair of the royal family following the abolition of the privy purse in 1971 and the discontinuation of the privileges of the erstwhile rulers. However, a low-key Dasara used to be held on the initiative of the local people until the state government stepped in and the then Chief Minister D Devaraja Urs revived the Dasara celebrations in 1975, which is being followed till date. Tourism and hotel industry of Mysuru is hoping for a revival in business this year, after two years of lull due to covid-19. "All the preparations are on for the Dasara to be a grand success this year... Preparations are on for the President's visit too and elaborate security arrangements have been put in place," Mysuru District in-charge Minister S T Somashekar 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.) As a tribute to the great freedom fighter Bhagat Singh, the Chandigarh airport will now be named after the iconic martyr, Prime Minister said on Sunday during his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat'. "It has been decided that the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed . It had been waiting for a long time. I congratulate the people of Chandigarh, Punjab, and Haryana and the entire country for this decision," he said in his half-hour address. Touching upon various subjects, Modi also spoke about the translocation of Cheetahs from Namibia to Madhya Pradesh's Kuno Park earlier this month. "People from many corners of the country expressed happiness over the return of Cheetahs. 130 crore Indians are elated and filled with pride. A task force will monitor Cheetahs, on the basis of which we will decide when you can visit the Cheetahs," Modi said. The Prime Minister invited suggestions for naming the wild cats. "I request people to share their views on the naming of the campaign and Cheetahs. It will be great if the naming of Cheetahs is in tune with our traditions. Also, suggest how humans should treat animals. Participate in this contest and maybe you could be the first one to witness the Cheetahs," he added. Modi asked the people of India to break all previous records of buying khadi, handloom or handicraft products. Plastic bags are extensively used during festivals, he said. However, the harmful waste of polythene during the festivals of cleanliness is against the spirit of the festivals, he said. --IANS ans/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.) Chief Minister on Saturday urged his cabinet colleagues, legislators and bureaucrats to change their mindset and work towards a vision to ensure the state goes up the development ladder by at least two levels by 2026. It is time for to re-emerge as a developed state, Sarma asserted while inaugurating a 'Chintan Shivir' here. cannot live anymore with the scar that its place in the country's development journey can be counted only from the bottom, and not the top... We have to live with dignity and not always approach the Centre for assistance, he said. There are many development indicators that can be changed in the next two to three years if we work collectively and resolutely, and we have to decide on how Assam can go up by at least two levels by 2026, the chief minister said. Sarma said there was no need to frame visions for the next 50 years as no one knows who will live till then to see its implementation or review it. We are in a hurry and we need to see what we can contribute by 2026... During the last few decades, it has been observed... that a mentality has crept into the minds of ministers and bureaucrats, and they have almost accepted that Assam can no longer be a developed state. This mentality needs to change and the decision makers must dream of a developed Assam. I strongly believe that the central government never neglected our state. If we see the budgetary allocation and the investments made by the Centre, we will realise that it is we who have failed collectively and blame them to save our face, he said. The 'Chintan Shivir' has been organised to discuss and debate on various issues with a positive and creative streak so that new ideas emerge, the CM added. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar on Sunday paid tributes to BJP ideologue Deendayal Upadhyay on his birth anniversary, describing him as a humanist and an exceptional visionary. "Humble tributes to great nationalist, humanist & exceptional visionary, Pt Deendayal Ji on his Jayanti," the Vice President Secretariat tweeted, quoting Dhankhar. Born in 1916 in Mathura, Upadhyaya was an RSS functionary and one of the founding members of the Jana Sangh, the BJP forerunner. Dhankhar also quoted Upadhyay on how one can really understand the soul of India. "If one has to understand the soul of Bharat, one must not look at this country from the political or economic angle but from the cultural point of view," the vice president 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.) The trend of demolishing properties of alleged criminals and rioters has put the spotlight on hardships suffered by their immediate family members, while social activists and a section of politicians have raised questions over legality of such punitive actions. In the last few months, Madhya Pradesh has seen a number of instances where people accused of involvement in heinous crimes and violence have seen their unauthorized houses and shops being swiftly bulldozed by government agencies. Earlier this month, the Bhopal district administration demolished the illegal house of a bus driver who allegedly raped a minor girl, a nursery student of a renowned private school. After the driver was arrested by the police, officials from the local administration reached his two-room temporary home in Ajay Nagar in the state capital and flattened it without giving any opportunity to his family members to shift to some other place. The family alleged no prior notice was given before pulling down their home. An official involved in the demolition job justified the action, saying the structure was illegal so we demolished it. But a social worker, who wished to remain anonymous, asked, How did this illegality come to notice of the administration only when he committed a crime? Where were they when the house was being constructed? Authorities should have given a thought about the driver's family members, including his wife and two minor girls, besides parents who are now without a roof on their head, he said. We are now forced to live with our daughter and son-in-law in the Kolar area. Nobody is listening to us. We have been rendered. No notice was given to us (before demolition). They just came around 5 pm and asked us to leave the place immediately and demolished the house, the accused driver's 52-year-old father told PTI. The driver was staying in the house with his wife (28) and two daughters aged six and four years. What was their fault? his distraught father asked? Similar incidents of demolishing illegal structures of those allegedly involved in various crimes, including riots and stone pelting, were reported from various parts of the state in the last few months. In April, the Khargone district administration bulldozed at least 50 illegal structures of people accused of pelting stones at a Ram Navami procession in Khargone city. These structures included homes and shops. A senior official had then said the government has a zero tolerance policy towards rioting. Our house was demolished in the rainy season. Where will we go now with two small girls? the driver's wife asked. A senior functionary of a non-government organization (NGO) termed such punitive actions as "totally unjustified". Archana Sahay, NGO Aarambh's director, told PTI, "The authorities should not punish family members of accused persons. "They should think about their family members, especially minor children and elderly parents, who have to suffer for the deeds of their close relatives. Sahay said the administration's argument of illegality being the ground for carrying out demolition drives does not sound convincing. "They wake up only after someone has committed a crime. If such actions are carried out, then the government should make alternate arrangements to house displaced family members who suffer for no fault of theirs, the NGO director maintained. Communist Party of (Marxist)'s Madhya Pradesh state secretariat member Badal Saroj criticised the Bhopal district administration for its heartless approach in tearing down the house of the bus driver. It is totally unjustified to demolish the house of a person who has allegedly committed a crime. Filing of an FIR (first information report) in a case doesn't mean a person is guilty of a crime. It is the job of courts to conduct a free and fair trial and then punish a personthe administration cannot act like this, Saroj said. The CPI(M) leader said an entire family cannot be punished for a wrong committed by one person. The house in question (in Bhopal) not just belonged to the accused, but to his entire family. His family members cannot be punished for the fault of their close relative. It is highly objectionable, he said. This trend of demolishing properties of people accused of involvement in crimes and rioting began in and now it is being followed in other parts of the country. However, the Supreme Court has not approved of such actions, the veteran Communist leader said. Post-riots in Khargone after the Ram Navami festival, a property belonging to a man who had lost both his arms was demolished by the administration. How can such a person throw stones, he asked? These actions were taken in a selective manner by the administration, targeting only the poor and minorities, while influential people were not touched, Saroj said. Even if someone's house is illegal, there is a process to be followed before demolishing it. Things cannot be done in an arbitrary manner, he said. However, the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) justified the demolition of the Bhopal bus driver's home. Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesman Rajnish Agrawal said, It was a joint action by the Bhopal Municipal Corporation and the police. The accused person's house was illegal and hence it was demolished. The case against him will be tried in a fast-track court which will decide the quantum of punishment for him. The action (demolition) was undertaken to convey a message that such persons will not be accepted in the society under any circumstances, Agrawal said. When pointed out that the bus driver's family members have been rendered homeless for no fault of theirs, Agrawal avoided a direct reply and maintained the house in question was built illegally. State Congress spokesman Narendra Saluja said besides the driver, action should also be taken against the private school's management over the sexual assault incident. Strict action should be taken against the school management in the matter, he insisted. Asked about the administration pulling down the accused person's house, the Congress spokesman said he has committed a crime so he has to pay a price for it. Such people are enemies of humanity, Saluja 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.) External Affairs Minister on Saturday (local time) met UN Security Council Secretary-General on the margins of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York and discussed global challenges including Ukraine conflict. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "An extensive discussion on pressing global challenges with UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres. Agenda included the Ukraine conflict, UN reform, G20, climate action, food security and data for development." External Affairs Minister, who is on a 10-day visit to the US, has met his Belarusian counterpart Vladimir Makei, Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, Saudi Arabian counterpart Faisal bin Farhan and Administrator of the Development Programme (UNDP) Achim Steiner. "Pleasure to meet FM @AraratMirzoyan of Armenia. Appreciate his briefing on recent developments," Jaishankar said in a tweet. Earlier in the day, Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Russia, Cyprus, Jordan and Venezuela in New York. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Jaishankar held wide-ranging discussions. Jaishankar earlier met Lavrov at the BRICS Foreign Ministers' annual meeting on the margins of UNGA, where members exchanged their support for the continued cooperation of BRICS members in areas of mutual interest, including through regular exchanges amongst their Permanent Missions to the UN. Apart from Lavrov, Jaishankar also held discussions with Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides on Europe. In a tweet, Jaishankar wrote, "Continued the tradition of the India-Cyprus meeting on the sidelines of UNGA. Thank FM Ioannis Kasoulides for his warm sentiments towards India and his many insights on Europe." India had earlier thanked Cyprus for its unstinted backing of India's candidature for expanded Security Council (UNSC). Among the other bilaterals was the meeting of Jaishankar with the Jordanian Foreign Minister. Ayman Safadi. Both the leaders exchanged views on West Asia and the global economy. "Great to see my good friend FM Ayman Safadi of Jordan. His perspectives on West Asia and the global economy were extremely useful," wrote Jaishankar following the meeting with the Jordanian counterpart. Jaishankar also exchanged views on the global political and economic scenarios in his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Venezuela Carlos Faria. The EAM will be in New York from September 18 to 24, while he will visit Washington DC from September 25 to 28, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). After concluding his visit to New York on Saturday, he is scheduled to visit Washington for three days starting Sunday for what the External Affairs Ministry said for "a high-level review of the multifaceted bilateral agenda and strengthen cooperation on regional and global issues to further consolidate the India-US strategic partnership". (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 the first time, evidence from the (MoD) reveals that the latest and most advanced variant of one of Indias most closely-guarded weapon systems the indigenous, dual-role, extended-range BrahMos cruise missile works out to about Rs 34 crore ($4.85 million) each. On Thursday, the MoD announced that the Navy had ordered the ship-borne version of the supersonic BrahMos at an overall approximate cost of Rs 1,700 crore under the Buy-Indian category. The announcement revealed that the BrahMos missile systems being acquired were dual role capable, meaning that they could destroy targets on land, while also having the ability to strike enemy warships. The MoD did not reveal the number of missiles procured through the latest contract. However, this information was inadvertently revealed through an official MoD photograph that accompanied the announcement. The photograph of the contract document stated that it was an agreement between (Brahmos Aerospace and the MoD) for supply of 35 combat and 3 practice Brahmos missiles for two Project-15B ships. The two Project-15B warships that will receive these BrahMos systems are being built in Mazagon Dock, Mumbai (MDL). They are the destroyers, INS Visakhapatnam, and INS Mormugao. Approximately Rs 200 crore would be spent on each destroyers missile launchers, command centre, and radar, reveal sources in BrahMos Aerospace (BAPL) the Indio-Russian joint venture (JV) that builds the BrahMos missile. That leaves about Rs 1,300 crore for 38 BrahMos missiles, putting the cost of each missile at about Rs 34 crore ($4.85 million). This is significantly higher than earlier estimations that the Army and Navy paid about $3.23.5 million for each of their BrahMos missiles. However, those earlier missile variants had ranges of just 295 kms, while INS Visakhapatnam and INS Mormugao will be armed with longer-range missiles that can strike targets out to 400 kms. The range of earlier versions of the BrahMos was kept below 300 kms, since the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) places this range restriction on sales involving a non-MTCR country. India was admitted into the MTCR only in 2016, after which Brahmos could legitimately build missiles with ranges above 300 kms. A costlier BrahMos variant is the air-launched cruise missile (ALCM), which is carried in an under-belly pod by the Sukhoi-30MKI fighter. Developed by the IAF, Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and the Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO), this is half a tonne lighter than the regular BrahMos and shorter by about 50 centimetres. While the BrahMos ALCM is the lightest and the shortest, it is not the cheapest. In October 2012, the Union Cabinet allocated $1.1 billion to IAF for acquiring 200 BrahMos ALCMs. That puts the unit cost of the BrahMos ALCM at $5.5 million. One reason for the higher cost is that each BrahMos ALCM functions autonomously in its launch and command and control functions, since it would be launched several hundred kilometres from base, out of range of the regular BrahMos command and control centre. Each ALCM launcher has its own command centre, a peripheral control device, which checks the health of the missile before it leaves the launcher. Paradoxically, the BrahMos ALCM effectively has the longest range of all the variants: over 1,000 kms. It is carried for several hundred kilometres by the Sukhoi-30MKI. After it is released from the fighter, it can travel another 300-400 kms, under the missiles own propulsion system. India has been promoting the sale of the BrahMos missile system to partner countries in the Indo-Pacific, such as Vietnam. However only the Philippines has actually inked a contract for the BrahMos: A $375 million deal for the anti-ship variant of the BrahMos. With the Pentagons expenditure figures placing the cost of the latest variant of the US Tomahawk missile at below $2 million, the cost of the BrahMos might just be too much. The (FTA) talks between India and the UK are now in their final phase and despite some outstanding issues to be resolved, there is optimism on both sides that the deadline for a draft will be met, according to the Lord Mayor of . Vincent Keaveny, the 693rd Lord Mayor who represents the financial hub of the City of globally, has just returned from a four-day visit to India following meetings with leading Indian businesses and investors and finance chiefs at the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) and Securities Exchange Board of India (SEBI). As London's ambassador for financial and professional services, the Lord Mayor's visit was aimed at strengthening India-UK financial services links, building strong and sustainable two-way capital flows. It was a really good time to be in India with the FTA negotiations entering into their final phase, Keaveny told PTI. Prime Minister Modi has made it clear that he wants to sign the FTA by . There are some outstanding issues to be resolved but I think there's a lot of optimism on both sides that we will get that done. Whatever the content of the agreement, it will be a real positive for the relationship between India and the UK across the board in the coming years, he said. His visit comes amid reports that Modi may be planning a visit to the UK to sign the FTA around Diwali, which falls on October 24. The timeline had been set during former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson's visit to India in April and there had been some speculation whether the change of leadership in the UK might impact that deadline. Asked about the prospect, the Lord Mayor expressed optimism: It is a tight deadline but there is optimism. "Prime Minister Liz Truss is deeply engaged in international trade, she's served as trade secretary and had a trade focus to her time as foreign secretary... we have a Prime Minister very conscious of trade issues and will be well placed to take this to the final leg." Keaveny, who also addressed the Global Fintech Festival in Mumbai earlier this week, highlighted the huge demand for digital services in India as a sign of the growing India-UK exchanges in the field. is Europe's top fintech hub. And we can all see that India is on the way to becoming Asia's top fintech hub with the highest fintech adoption rates in the entire world and the emergence of many unicorns, he said. As well as talent, we have the opportunity to enhance the connectivity between the UK and India fintech ecosystems both business-to-business connections, but also connections through hubs and accelerators. Underscored by the UK-India relationship being at an all-time high. The negotiations will pave the way for significantly stronger trade flows between our nations significantly, he said. With reference to his discussions with RBI and SEBI, the Lord Mayor described very positive engagements on sustainable finance as an area of tremendous opportunity. India has a very large infrastructure investment requirement, running into trillions of dollars. There is an opportunity here, which we in the City of London would be keen to support to bring the capital that is there in the international markets into projects in India that need that capital for investment in infrastructure. That is a tremendous opportunity, he said. However, he also pointed to some areas where there is less of a "meeting of minds", such as Indian companies being able to list their shares directly on the international stock exchanges. Proposals to allow that to happen are currently on hold. We continue to advocate for that to happen. I think it will be beneficial to Indian corporates and the Indian corporate community to tell its story much more directly in the international markets, he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) With the months-long Ukraine conflict raging on, India on Saturday told the UN General Assembly that it is on the side of peace and on the side that calls for dialogue and as the only way out. "As the Ukraine conflict continues to rage, we are often asked whose side we are on. And our answer, each time, is straight and honest, External Affairs Minister said in his address to the high-level UN General Assembly session here. He underlined that it is in the collective interest of the international community to work constructively, both within the United Nations and outside, in finding an early resolution to this conflict. Delivering the statement, he said in this conflict India is on the side of peace and will remain firmly there. "We are on the side that respects the UN Charter and its founding principles. We are on the side that calls for dialogue and as the only way out, he said. We are on the side of those struggling to make ends meet, even as they stare at escalating costs of food, fuel and fertilizers, the minister said. At various UN platforms like the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, India has mostly abstained on resolutions on the Ukraine conflict. Jaishankar voiced concern over the sharp deterioration in the international landscape. "The world is already struggling with challenges of post-pandemic economic recovery. The debt situation of the developing (countries) is precarious. "To this, is now added the rising costs and shrinking availability of fuel, food and fertilizers. These, along with trade disruptions and diversions, are among the many consequences of the Ukraine conflict. He added that the repercussions of the ongoing Ukraine conflict have further heightened economic stresses, especially on food and energy. India has been strongly reiterating the need for an immediate cessation of all hostilities and a return to dialogue and . India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. Putin on Wednesday announced a partial mobilisation of some 300,000 reservists with immediate effect in the wake of setbacks suffered by Russia in its raging conflict with Ukraine, saying it was necessary as Moscow is fighting the entire military machine of the collective West. Since early September, Ukraine forces have swiftly recaptured large swaths of land in Ukraine's Kharkiv region that Russian troops took over in early weeks of the war which began on February 24. (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.) Punjab Chief Minister on Sunday welcomed the announcement made by Prime Minister to name Chandigarh airport after Shaheed Bhagat Singh, saying a long pending demand of Punjabis has been fulfilled. In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, PM Modi said the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed as a tribute to the great freedom fighter. "Finally our efforts paid off. On behalf of entire Punjab, we welcome the decision of naming the Chandigarh airport after Shaheed ji," Mann said in a tweet in Punjabi. Thanking the prime minister, he said, "a long pending demand of Punjabis has got fulfilled". Haryana's Deputy Chief Minister Dushyant Chautala also welcomed the announcement. Chautala said Punjab and Haryana governments had earlier agreed to name the after . The decision had come after and Dushyant Chautala held a meeting over this issue last month. Referring to his meeting with Chautala, Mann said the Punjab government had also sent a letter to the Union Civil Aviation Ministry, saying that Bhagat Singh's birth anniversary falls on September 28 and it will be good if the airport could be named after the legendary freedom fighter before that. "I am happy that our efforts bore fruit and the prime minister made the announcement in the Mann Ki Baat programme," said Mann. Thanking Modi, Chautala said "it is also a matter of happiness that the announcement came on the birth anniversary of Chaudhary Devi Lal (on Sep 25)". Chautala said Shaheed Bhagat Singh is one such martyr of the country's freedom struggle, who inspired the youth of every generation. Notably, naming of the was earlier drawn into a controversy. The Punjab government in 2017 had demanded that the airport should be named as "Shaheed-e-Azam Sardar Shaheed Bhagat Singh International Airport, Mohali". The Haryana government had no objection over the use of Bhagat Singh's name but it had raised its concerns about the use of 'Mohali' in the airport's name. Limited is a joint venture company incorporated under the Companies Act, 2013 by Airports Authority of India (AAI) in association with Governments of Punjab and Haryana. The airport runway is located in Chandigarh while the international terminal is located on the south side of the runway in the village of Jhiurheri, Mohali. Notably, the airport lies in defence airfield that is being used by civilian operators as well. The Air Traffic Control and runway operations lie with the IAF. (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.) Amid a spurt in cases in the capital, Chief Minister on Saturday said a plan has been devised to combat the vector-borne disease. In coming days, several steps will be taken and school students will be involved in a big way in the efforts made to check the spread of dengue, he said. The chief minister said this after holding a meeting with senior officials of the health department, the Municipal Corporation of and the New Municipal Council (NDMC) and other departments. has registered a huge spurt in cases in the last couple of weeks, raising the tally of the vector-borne disease to nearly 400 till September 17 this year. Over 100 people were diagnosed with the infection in the period from September 9-17. According to a civic body report released on Monday, 152 cases have been reported in this month alone till September 17. After the meeting, Kejriwal tweeted in Hindi, "The rainy season spell has lasted longer this time. Dengue threat can increase. Today, sitting with officials of the health department, MCD, NDMC and other departments, a plan has been devised. In coming days, several steps will be taken. School students will be involved in a big way." The city had recorded 295 dengue cases till September 9. Out of the 396 total cases recorded till September 17 this year, 75 were reported in August. No death due to the disease has been reported so far this year. Cases of vector-borne diseases are usually reported between July and November, sometimes stretching till mid-December. Civic officials said dengue cases were recorded earlier than usual this year due to weather conditions that are congenial for mosquito breeding. Rains continued to lash Delhi for the third consecutive day on Saturday, causing traffic snarls at some places in the morning as the minimum temperature settled at 22.6 degrees Celsius. The city received 15 mm of rainfall from 8.30 am Friday to 8.30 am Saturday, as per data shared by the India Meteorological Department (IMD). Dengue is caused by the bite of aedes agypti mosquito and its larvae breed in clear water in left over cups, pots, tyres, flower pots, open utensils carrying water, water coolers, among other items. As per the action plan against dengue, 35 hospitals have been identified for early diagnosis and supportive treatment, and notification of each case is being done. As in past years, the Delhi government would seek the assistance of RWAs to implement preventive and curative measures against dengue, the city government said in a statement later. The government has invited all RWAs to participate in the awareness campaign. All RWAs have been asked to go door-to-door in their respective areas to raise awareness and encourage people to follow the recommendations in order to protect their families from dengue. The DMs, SDMs, Tehsildars, and other officers would visit their respective districts to carefully enforce the dengue prevention programmes, it said. During the meeting, Kejriwal also directed the employees to rigorously adhere to the dengue prevention measures. "Every Saturday, officials will inspect construction sites and hospitals where there is a high likelihood of waterlogging and will take appropriate measures if the recommendations are not followed by those responsible. In this context, orders have been issued to not allow any form of negligence in hospitals," the statement said. Other stakeholders are nominating a nodal person for dengue prevention initiatives in their organisations, it added. The Delhi Jal Board has been directed to ensure regular water supply and prompt cleaning of water bodies, while the irrigation & flood control department has been directed to promptly fix faulty water lines, if any, officials said. Case-based monitoring and quick response is being done by the departments. And, reporting by government and private health facilities is being done, the statement 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.) As India assumes the Presidency of the G20, External Affairs Minister on Saturday said New Delhi will work with the group's other members to address serious issues of debt, food and energy security, even as he noted the concerns about stability and security in the Indo-Pacific region. As we begin the G-20 presidency this December, we are sensitive to the challenges faced by developing countries, Jaishankar said in his address to the high-level UN General Assembly session here. He told the 193-member UN General Assembly that India will work with other G-20 members to address serious issues of debt, economic growth, food and energy security and particularly, environment. "The reform of governance of multilateral financial institutions will continue to be one of our core priorities," he said. He also noted that the Indo-Pacific region too witnesses fresh concerns about its stability and security. His remarks came amidst China's aggressive actions in the strategically important region. Noting that while the global attention has been on Ukraine, India has also had to contend with other challenges, especially in its own neighbourhood, in an apparent reference to the unresolved standoff with China in eastern Ladakh and strained relations with Pakistan. Some of them may be aggravated by the Covid pandemic and ongoing conflicts; but they speak too of a deeper malaise. The accumulation of debt in fragile economies is of particular concern, he said. He asserted that India believes that in such times, the international community must rise above narrow agendas. India, for its part, is taking exceptional measures in exceptional times When we fill the gap in humanitarian needs left unaddressed by political complexity. He highlighted that India had sent 50,000 metric tonnes of wheat and multiple tranches of medicines and vaccines to Afghanistan, extended credits of 3.8 billion dollars to Sri Lanka for fuel, essential commodities and trade settlement, supplied 10,000 metric tons of food aid and vaccine shipments to Myanmar. "Whether it is disaster response or humanitarian assistance, India has stood strong, contributing particularly to those nearest to it," he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Union Health Minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Saturday stated that the country has achieved another milestone in its digital health journey. The Health Minister informed that Digital Mission (ABDM) has crossed the landmark of 1 crore digitally linked health records with over 27 lakh records linked in a day. " achieves another milestone in its digital health journey. Digital Mission crosses the landmark of 1 crore digitally linked health records with over 27 lakh records linked in a day," tweeted Mandaviya. Meanwhile, Mansukh Mandaviya will inaugurate "Arogya Manthan 2022" to celebrate four years of the implementation of Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana (AB PM-JAY) and one year of the Digital Mission (ABDM) on September 25. The Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) aims to develop the backbone necessary to support the integrated digital health infrastructure of the country. It will bridge the existing gap amongst different stakeholders of the Healthcare ecosystem through digital highways. On February 26, 2022, the Union Cabinet, chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi approved the national rollout of the Central Sector Scheme, the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare with a budget of Rs 1,600 crores for five years. The National Health Authority (NHA) will be the implementing agency of the Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM). Digital health solutions across the healthcare ecosystem have proven to be of immense benefit over the years, with CoWIN, Arogya Setu and e-Sanjeevani further demonstrating the role technology can play in enabling access to healthcare. However, there is a need to integrate such solutions for the continuum of care, and effective utilization of resources. Based on the foundations laid down in the form of Jan Dhan, Aadhaar and Mobile (JAM) trinity and other digital initiatives of the government, Ayushman Bharat Digital Mission (ABDM) is creating a seamless online platform through the provision of a wide range of data, information and infrastructure services, duly leveraging open, interoperable, standards-based digital systems while ensuring the security, confidentiality and privacy of health-related personal information. Under the ABDM, citizens will be able to create their ABHA (Ayushman Bharat Health Account) numbers, to which their digital health records can be linked. This will enable the creation of longitudinal health records for individuals across various healthcare providers, and improve clinical decision-making by healthcare providers. The mission will improve equitable access to quality healthcare by encouraging use of technologies such as telemedicine and enabling national portability of health services, the ministry said. The pilot of ABDM was completed in the six Union Territories of Ladakh, Chandigarh, Dadra and Nagar Haveli and Daman and Diu, Puducherry, Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Lakshadweep with a successful demonstration of the technology platform developed by the NHA. During the pilot test, digital sandbox was created in which more than 774 partner solutions are undergoing integration. As on February 24, 2022, 17,33,69,087 Ayushman Bharat Health Accounts have been created and 10,114 doctors and 17,319 health facilities have been registered in ABDM. Not only will ABDM facilitate evidence-based decision-making for effective public health interventions, but it will also catalyze innovation and generate employment across the healthcare ecosystem. (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 engineering sector's body of MSMEs has demanded from the government to announce a production linked incentive scheme (PLI) for the industry to boost domestic manufacturing, exports and job creation. In a communication to the commerce ministry, Ludhiana-based Hand Tools Association said that the sector provides employment to 7.25 workers for every Rs 1-crore sale per year on an average as compared to the job creation ratio of 4.75 in bicycle industry and 5-6 in textiles. Exports of hand tools industry is about Rs 3,200 crore annually. The association's President S C Ralhan said that the Indian hand tools industry has a long way to go in order to realise its full potential and it holds huge possibilities. But the main challenge is rapid modernisation, he added. "The total hand tools industry globally is Rs 30,000 crore and there is aggregate potential for modernisation and growth. Thus we request that the government should prioritise the industry and also bring it under the PLI scheme," Ralhan added. Citing an example of the socket industry, which is one of the components of the hand tools industry, he said the global socket industry is worth Rs 20,000 crore and India has less than 1 per cent share in this segment. One can see the potential in just one item here, he said, adding that goods like spanners, wrenches and pliers hold immense potential to boost manufacturing and exports. is there for 14 sectors such as solar PV modules, white goods, electronic items, pharma and auto components. It aims to create national manufacturing champions and generate employment opportunities for the country's youth. The objective is to make domestic manufacturing globally competitive and to create global champions in manufacturing. The strategy behind the scheme is to offer companies incentives on incremental sales from products manufactured in India, over the base year. The incentives have been specifically designed to boost domestic manufacturing in sunrise and strategic sectors, curb cheaper imports and reduce import bills, improve cost competitiveness of domestically manufactured goods, and enhance domestic capacity and exports. (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.) External Affairs Minister has said that he had a wide-ranging conversation with his Russian counterpart during which they discussed a number of issues, including bilateral cooperation, the Ukraine conflict, and UN reforms as he described a "major partner in many domains." Jaishankar made the remarks during his interaction with a group of Indian reporters after his meeting with Lavrov on the margins of the UN General Assembly session, just hours before his address to the UN General Debate on Saturday. "We discussed a number of issues. Some part of my meeting was focused on our bilateral cooperation because is a major partner in many domains," Jaishankar said while responding to a question by PTI on his meeting with Lavrov. "A wide-ranging conversation with FM at #UNGA 77. Discussed our bilateral cooperation. Exchanged views on Ukraine, G-20 and UN reforms," Jaishankar had tweeted after his meeting with Lavrov. To another question, he said while "obviously" there are big issues, which focus both the Russians and the rest of the world, the relationship has to address its own requirements, processes and objectives. "We spend some time on the bilateral side, where things are, taking stock," he said, adding that they also spoke in "some detail" about issues related to Ukraine. "A lot of it was he briefed me about various developments from the Russian perspective. I also shared with him what I picked up from some of the others. So that was a back and forth conversation," Jaishankar said as he wrapped up the New York leg of his visit to the US. He said there was also a discussion on the G-20, with beginning the G-20 presidency this December. " is very much at the centre of debate where G-20 is concerned. And finally, we spoke about the UN reform." The meeting in New York is the fourth between Jaishankar and Lavrov this year, including on the sidelines of the G-20 foreign ministers' conclave in the Indonesian city of Bali and when Lavrov was in New Delhi earlier this year. In his address to the UN General Assembly just an hour before Jaishankar's speech, the Russian foreign minister voiced Moscow's support for and Brazil as worthy candidates for permanent membership in the UN Security Council, calling them key international actors. Later, addressing a press conference, Lavrov said that we view and Brazil as strong candidates given, they are leading international players India has been at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for urgent long-pending reform of the Security Council, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member. Jaishankar said that there has been a "shift" on the issue of UN reforms among the international community. "In respect of UN reform, every General Assembly (session) you revisit that issue, but this time something has shifted. You can see that, you can sense that, he told reporters, referring to remarks of US President Joe Biden earlier this week that the US supports increasing the number of both permanent and non-permanent representatives of the Security Council. Jaishankar said that his Russian counterpart "explicitly" mentioned India from the General Assembly podium, a number of countries also referred to India in their statements. Jaishankar added that it is not usual in a General Assembly for presidents, prime ministers or foreign ministers of a country to refer to another country. "We've got some tailwind behind us. Now we have to see what we can make of it. I think it's a welcome development. As someone who's been coming here for many years, I do believe that it's more than a subtle shift and I welcome it," he said. In response to a question on his meeting with Ukraine's Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal this week on the UNGA margins and what were the concerns articulated by the leader, Jaishankar said "a big concern was the conflict itself. He gave me his perception, his assessment of what was happening in Ukraine". "In terms of India, we had a discussion on what was our position and my sense is that he clearly appreciated the fact that we were against the continuation of the conflict and for the return for dialogue and diplomacy, he said, adding that Shmyhal had his own views on why this was not happening. The humanitarian assistance issue was also discussed and Shmyhal brought up some specific aspects of the ground situation, which he believed were concerns for the international community as a whole, including discussion on the progress on the grain issue, the concern about fertilizers, and the nuclear power plant issue. With the months-long Ukraine conflict raging on, Jaishankar on Saturday told the UN General Assembly that India is on the side of peace and on the side that calls for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way out. He underlined that it is in the collective interest of the international community to work constructively, both within the United Nations and outside, in finding an early resolution to this conflict. "We are on the side that respects the UN Charter and its founding principles. We are on the side that calls for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way out, he said. "We are on the side of those struggling to make ends meet, even as they stare at escalating costs of food, fuel and fertilizers." India has not yet condemned the Russian invasion of Ukraine and it has been maintaining that the crisis must be resolved through diplomacy and dialogue. At various UN platforms like the UN Security Council and the General Assembly, India has mostly abstained on resolutions on the Ukraine conflict. In his address, Jaishankar voiced concern over the sharp deterioration in the international landscape. "The world is already struggling with challenges of post-pandemic economic recovery. The debt situation of developing (countries) is precarious. "To this, is now added the rising costs and shrinking availability of fuel, food and fertilizers. These, along with trade disruptions and diversions, are among the many consequences of the Ukraine conflict. He added that the repercussions of the ongoing Ukraine conflict have further heightened economic stresses, especially on food and energy. (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.) AIMIM president on Saturday evening declared his party's candidates for three seats for the coming Assembly in . in the BJP-ruled state, yet to be announced, are expected to be held by December. Sabir Kabliwala, president of the state unit of the All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen, would contest from Jamalpur-Khadia in Ahmedabad, Owaisi announced while addressing a gathering in Juhapura area here. The party's Dalit face Kaushika Parmar will contest from Danilimda (SC) seat of Ahmedabad, while Wasim Qureshi will contest from Surat-East. Jamalpur-Khadia and Danilimda seats are currently held by Congress while Surat-East is with the ruling BJP. In 2012, Kabliwala, a former Congressman, had contested from Jamalpur-Khadia, which has nearly 60 per cent Muslim population, as an Independent after he was denied ticket by the Congress. Due to a possible division of votes between Kabliwala and Congress's Samirkhan Pathan, BJP's Bhushan Bhatt won. In 2017 he withdrew his candidature in support of Congress candidate Imran Khedawala who won the election. Owaisi in his speech termed RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat's recent visit to a mosque and madrasa in Delhi as "new drama by BJP and RSS." "Can he meet ( riot victim) Bilkis Bano and tell her that he will ensure justice to her? People who raped her and killed many others were freed by the BJP government in . Will Bhagwat go and meet her? No, he will not," Owaisi said. While Bhagwat visited a madrasa in Delhi, the BJP government in Assam is demolishing madrasas and Uttar Pradesh government has started a survey of madrassa and Waqf properties to "snatch such properties", he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Days after leader denied the possibility of contesting the 2024 general from Phulpur, the party's unit remains hopeful that he will reconsider the decision to send a larger message of Opposition unity against the BJP. Some Samajwadi Party (SP) leaders also welcomed the idea. Dismissing speculation over his candidature in the from the Phulpur constituency of Uttar Pradesh, Kumar said on September 20 that he is only interested in uniting opposition parties ahead of the parliamentary polls. The Bihar chief minister also asserted that his efforts should reap benefits for the younger generation, "for people like (his deputy) Tejashwi Yadav". president Anoop Singh Patel said the party state unit hopes that Kumar will reconsider his decision. "We had given a proposal to him (Nitish Kumar) at the party's recent national convention in Patna to contest the 2024 from Phulpur, Mirzapur or Ambedkar Nagar. We haven't got a concrete answer, so we are hopeful," he said. He added that the proposal was put forth after holding discussions with state party workers. Elaborating on the choice of seats, Patel said, "Our voters (Kurmi) constitute nearly 40 per cent of the electors in these seats." On the choice of Phulpur, Patel said, "The first prime minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, was elected from Phulpur. Former prime minister V P Singh was also elected from the seat. When our leader will contest from Phulpur, it will certainly send a strong message." "Ambedkar Nagar is the birthplace of socialist ideologue Ram Manohar Lohia, and since we are disciples of Lohia ji, we have shortlisted this constituency as well," he said. Mirzapur is very close to Bihar and "from there, we will send a message to Varanasi -- the constituency of Prime Minister Narendra Modi -- that party workers of UP and Bihar are together", he added. leader Asheesh Saxena said if Kumar contests from any of the seats in Uttar Pradesh, then it will definitely send a strong message of Opposition unity across the country. With 80 Lok Sabha constituencies, sends the maximum number of MPs to the Lower House. Bihar has 40 Lok Sabha seats. SP MLC Ashutosh Sinha told PTI that if Kumar chooses to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha polls from Uttar Pradesh, it will be a welcome move. "If the SP president extends support to him (Nitish Kumar), then the entire party will work hard to ensure that he wins the seat by a record margin," he said. SP leader Rakesh Verma said Kumar contesting general elections from the state will be "good" and will strengthen Opposition unity. When contacted, SP's chief spokesperson Rajendra Chaudhary told PTI that his party has not held any discussions with the JD(U) on the matter so far. "No talks have been held in this regard. The Lok Sabha elections are still one-and-half years away. As of now, this is not a matter of discussion," he said. BJP MLA from Phulpur Praveen Patel, however, dismissed any challenge to the ruling party from the JD(U). The JD(U) does not have any organisation here. Hence, it will have no effect here, he said. The BJP's Keshari Devi Patel represents the Phulpur constituency, while Union Minister of State and Apna Dal (Sonelal) leader Anupriya Patel has held the Mirzapur seat for two consecutive terms. Ritesh Pandey of the BSP is the Ambedkar Nagar MP. (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.) Delhi Chief Minister and his Punjab counterpart will meet sanitation workers as well as contractual and outsourced employees of the government in Ahmedabad on Sunday. The two Aam Aadmi Party leaders will also hold a two hall meeting with youth from the state, where the Assembly polls are due in December this year, the AAP said. The AAP been making a concerted effort to emerge as the main force against the ruling BJP in the state, with leaders like Kejriwal and others promising various "guarantees" to the electorate if voted to power. On Sunday, AAP national convener Kejriwal and Punjab CM Mann will interact with youth at a town hall meet in Ahmedabad. They will also address contractual and outsourced employees of the state government and meet sanitation workers, the AAP said. During his multiple visits to in the recent past, Kejriwal offered a number of "guarantees", including free electricity up to 300 units, allowances to unemployed people and women as well as sops to the business community. On Saturday, AAP's co-incharge and Rajya Sabha member Raghav Chadha visited Rajkot in the state and asked people to vote for his party. Chadha said voting for the Congress was futile as the party had been unable to beat the BJP in the last 27 years. The people of Gujarat want a change and are looking at AAP to deliver the "Kejriwal model of governance", he 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.) Public sector lender plans to raise up to Rs 3,000 crore in capital through additional tier I (AT1) and tier II bonds in second half (October 2022-March 2023) to support elevated growth in credit. The bank, which is looking to keep capital adequacy at 16 per cent and above level, has already raised Rs 6,000 crore via these instruments in the first half. Early this month it raised Rs 2,000 crore in capital via at a coupon rate of 7.99 per cent. This was 25 basis points lower than the rate of 8.24 per cent for issued in July 2022. Going forward, the endeavour will be to issue bonds at lower rates (less than 7.99 per cent) since the lender's credit and financial profile are quite sound, bank offcials said. Another public sector lender, State Bank of India, had sold worth Rs 6,872 crore on September 7 at a cut-off rate of 7.75 per cent. Referring to its capital adequacy profile, the officials said many peer including private lenders hold high capital adequacy ratios (16 per cent and above) and market feedback is they would like to maintain CAR at similar levels. The money raised via AT1 bonds this month will push Canara Banks CAR in the region of 16 per cent. Its Capital Adequacy stood at 14.91 per cent with tier-I of 12.13 per cent and tier-II of 2.78 per cent as of June 30, 2022. The Bengaluru-based public sector lender has approvals in place to raise up to Rs 9,000 crore through AT1 bonds (Rs 5,500 crore) and tier-II bonds (Rs 3,500 crore) in FY23. The banks loan book grew 14.47 per cent year on year in June 2022. Its outstanding advances stood at Rs 7.83 trillion as of June 2022. The demand for funds (loans) ahead of the festive season has been strong and the bank expects to be higher than the rate seen till June 2022, the officials said. Reserve Bank of India data showed in the banking system was at a multi-year high of 16.2 per cent YoY for the fortnight ended September 9. The last time touched 16 per cent was in November 2013. In the current financial year, have extended so far lent over Rs 6.5 trillion, up 5.5 per cent YoY. Liz Truss is set to launch a major review of the countrys visa system in a move to tackle acute labour shortages in key industries, the Financial Times reported on Sunday. Truss also plans to introduce more tax cuts in the new year, adding to reductions announced this week, The Telegraph reported without saying where it obtained the information. The prime minister is set to defy some of her anti-immigration cabinet colleagues by making changes to the short age occupation list, allowing certain industries to bring in more staff such as broadband engineers from overseas, the newspaper said. The review could also endorse a loosening of the requirement to speak English in some sectors to enable more foreign workers into the country, the report said, citing a Downing Street official. The new tax cuts will include further reductions in income tax and discounts for savers and child benefit claimants and are likely to be announced as part of a full Budget next year, the newspaper said. Chancellor of the Exchequer Kwasi Kwarteng announced on Friday a tax review, alongside the biggest reduction in taxes by a budget since 1972. Treasury officials are drawing up a list of pinch points that discourage Britons from earning more, as part of the review of the tax system, according to the report. Further tax cuts could add to pressure on the pound. The 220 billion policy blitz announced on Friday sent the pound crashing below $1.11 for the first time since 1985 and drove five-year gilts to their biggest ever daily decline. A review of the lifetime and annual allowances on pensions, which currently encourage employees to retire early to avoid a tax trap, could benefit as many as 1.6 million savers, The Telegraph said. Workers who earn more than 100,000 would also be given a full income tax personal allowance, amounting to a tax break worth up to 5,000 a year for the highest earners, according to the report. Ministers are also considering doing away with a charge for those who make more than 50,000 and claim child benefit, the newspaper said. Asked about the idea that immigration rules might be relaxed, UK finance minister Kwasi Kwarteng told the BBC on Sunday, Its not about relaxing rules. The whole point about the Brexit debate if we want to go down there was we need to control immigration in a way that works for the UK. Asked if more occupations would be added to the list of people who could come in, Kwarteng said that the interior minister would give an update in the coming weeks, as he had flagged on Friday. (This story has not been edited by Business Standard staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) The CIA revealed on Saturday the model of a safe house used to brief President Joe Biden about the whereabouts of al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri before it killed him in a drone strike in . Shortly after al-Zawahri's death, White House officials released a photo showing Biden talking to CIA Director William Burns with a closed wooden box on the table in front of them. Now, the contents of the box a model depicting a white-walled home with at least five stories and three partially obscured balconies are on display at the CIA Museum inside the agency's Virginia headquarters. The museum is closed to the public and access is generally limited to the agency's employees and guests. The CIA allowed journalists to tour the museum, newly refurbished in time for the agency's 75th anniversary, as part of a broader effort to showcase its history and achievements. Most of the exhibits took years or decades to declassify. The al-Zawahri model home is the rare artifact that had been used by intelligence officers just weeks beforehand. Al-Zawahri was killed in late July, nearly a year after the US withdrawal from ending a two-decade war in which the CIA had a central role. The agency sent the first American forces two weeks after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Two decades later, it pulled out intelligence assets and assisted in the chaotic evacuation of thousands of Americans and Afghan allies. The Biden administration has said the strike shows it retains what it calls an "over-the-horizon" counterterrorism capacity in . Opponents of the administration and some analysts question whether al-Zawahri's presence in a Kabul neighbourhood suggests extremist groups like al-Qaida or the Islamic State are growing stronger under the Taliban, who now rule the country. The strike was particularly meaningful for the CIA, which lost seven employees in trying to find al-Zawahri, a key plotter of the September 11 attacks who was then al-Qaida's second-in-command. They were killed when a Jordanian doctor who pretended to have information about al-Zawahri carried out a 2009 suicide bombing at a base in Khost, Afghanistan. The doctor was working for al-Qaida. On display near the model of al-Zawahri's home are seven stars honouring the CIA employees slain at Khost. The stars were previously part of a memorial in Afghanistan that was taken down as the US withdrew. Other newly revealed artifacts include concept drawings for the fake film created as part of a 1980 operation to rescue American diplomats from Iran, the subject of the 2012 movie "Argo" starring Ben Affleck. There are also crew uniforms and other items from the Glomar Explorer, the Howard Hughes-built ship that served as cover for a 1970s mission to surface a sunken Soviet submarine carrying nuclear-armed ballistic missiles. (The story on the front page of the Los Angeles Times exposing the operation is reproduced on a nearby museum wall.) The museum also includes some information on the agency's darker moments, including its role in the ultimately false assertions that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction prior to the 2003 US invasion, as well as the exposure and execution of several key spies the US had in the Soviet Union. Janelle Neises, the museum's deputy director, says a running agency joke about the collection is that for most people, it's "the greatest museum you'll never see." The CIA wants to use its history to engage more with the public, albeit on the narrow terms one might expect of an intelligence service. The number of annual visitors to the museum, for example, is classified. Among the known guests are US lawmakers, officers from other law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and foreign officials. But CIA employees post about some of the museum's roughly 600 exhibits on social media. The agency also recently started a podcast with Burns, the CIA director, as its first guest. A primary goal of the museum is to reinforce lessons from the agency's successes and failures for the current workforce, Neises said. Some CIA veterans who served in the missions depicted in the museum donated artifacts to the collection. But the agency is now hiring officers in their twenties who are too young to remember the September 11, 2001, attacks. "The idea here is as you're going to lunch or as you're going to a meeting, leave 10 minutes early, leave 20 minutes early, and just take the time to look at one section and really learn about your history," Neises 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.) Serbia has signed an agreement with for mutual consultations on foreign policy matters, the Balkan country's media reported on Saturday. Serbian Foreign Affairs Minister Nikola Selakovic signed the agreement on Friday along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly meeting in New York, where most Western delegations shunned Russia's top diplomat over the country's invasion of Ukraine. The consultation plan covered by the agreement is expected to last for two years, Serbia's foreign ministry said in a Friday statement. Serbia officially is a candidate for membership, but the government maintains relations with . Although Serbia said it supports Ukraine's territorial integrity, the government has repeatedly refused to join Western sanctions against its Slavic allies in Moscow. Aligning foreign policies with the EU is one of the main pre-conditions for joining the 27-nation bloc, but Serbia has increasingly defied calls to do so. Media in Serbia and said Serbia's populist president, Aleksandar Vucic, met Lavrov in New York and the two emphasized the joint focus on further dynamic development of Russian-Serbian relations. Officials from Serbia's pro-Western opposition said the signing of the latest deal with Russia is a sign that Vucic, a former ultranationalist, has given up on the Balkan country joining the EU and is bringing it closer into Moscow's fold. The centrist SSP opposition party said it is incredible that at a time when most of the world is apprehensively watching Moscow's actions, Serbia signed an agreement to consult with a country that directly violates the UN Charter and intends to annex the (Ukrainian) territory. Interior Minister Aleksandar Vulin, Vucic's informal spokesperson, said in a statement that expanding cooperation with Russia is not a matter of respecting the past but a responsible decision facing the future. Serbia is important for Russia as a way to destabilize the Balkans and potentially shift part of the world's attention from the war in Ukraine. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani has expressed regret for the decision of the Ukrainian government to downgrade diplomatic relations with the Islamic republic. On Friday, announced to downgrade ties with and remove the Iranian ambassador's accreditation over what it called Tehran's "unfriendly" decision to supply Russia with drones "used against its forces and citizens," the Iranian Foreign Ministry website reported. The decision of the Ukrainian government is based on "unconfirmed reports and caused by the creation of media hype by foreign parties," Kanani said on Saturday. He advised not to be influenced by third parties who seek to destroy the relations between the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported. Over the Russia and conflict, has adopted the "clear policy of neutrality" and has declared its opposition to war and the need for a political settlement of disputes away from violence, he was quoted as saying. Kanani emphasised that will take proportionate action in response to the Ukrainian government's decision. --IANS int/khz/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) South Korea's military says has fired at least one unidentified ballistic missile toward its eastern sea. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff on Sunday did not immediately say what type of missile it was or how far it flew. The launch came a day after South Korean officials said they detected signs that was preparing to test a missile designed to be fired from submarines. has dialled up its testing activities to a record pace in 2022, testing more than 30 ballistic weapons, including its first intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017, as it continues to expand its military capabilities amid a prolonged stalemate in nuclear diplomacy. The launch came as the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group arrived in for the two countries' joint military exercise to meant to show their strength against growing North Korean threats. The North Korean threat is also expected to be a key agenda when US Vice President Kamala Harris visits next week after attending the state funeral in Tokyo of slain former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. (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.) made its case to the world Saturday for its war in Ukraine, repeating a series of grievances about its neighbor and the West to tell the U.N. General Assembly meeting of leaders that Moscow had no choice but to take military action. After days of denunciations of at the prominent diplomatic gathering, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sought to shift the focus to Washington. His speech centered on a claim that the United States and its allies not Russia, as the West maintains are aggressively undermining the system that the U.N. represents. Invoking history ranging from the U.S. war in Iraq in the early 2000s to the 20th-century Cold War to a 19th-century U.S. policy that essentially proclaimed American influence over the Western Hemisphere, Lavrov portrayed the U.S. as a bully that tries to afford itself the sacred right to act with impunity wherever and wherever they want and can't accept a world where also advance their national interests. The United States and allies want to stop the march of history, he maintained. The US and Ukraine didn't retort at the assembly on Saturday but can still offer formal responses later in the meeting. Both countries' presidents have already given their own speeches describing as a dangerous aggressor that must be stopped. Lavrov, for his part, accused the West of aiming to destroy and fracture Russia" in order to remove from the global map a geopolitical entity that has become all too independent. The Ukraine war has largely dominated the discussion at the assembly's big annual meeting, and many countries have laid into Russia for its Feb. 24 invasion denouncing its nuclear threats, alleging it has committed atrocities and war crimes, and lambasting its decision to mobilize call up some of its reserves even as the assembly met. Neither partial mobilization, nuclear saber-rattling, nor any other escalation will deter us from supporting Ukraine, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde declared Saturday. Russia does have some friends in the sprawling chamber, and one Belarus offered a full-throated defense Saturday of its big neighbor. Echoing Russia's talking points, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said it was precisely the West that made this conflict inevitable in Ukraine. The speeches came amid voting in Russian-occupied parts of eastern and southern Ukraine on whether to join Russia. Moscow characterizes the referendums as self-determination, but Kyiv and its Western allies view them as Kremlin-orchestrated shams with a foregone conclusion. Some observers think the expected outcome could serve as a pretext for Russian President Vladimir Putin eventually to escalate the war further. We can expect President Putin will claim any Ukrainian effort to liberate this land as an attack on so-called Russian territory,'" U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned the U.N. Security Council on Thursday. Lavrov dismissed the complaints as the West throwing a fit about people making a choice on where they feel they belong. Russia has offered a number of explanations for what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine. Lavrov recapped a couple: risks to Russia from what it considers a hostile government in Kyiv and a NATO alliance that has expanded eastward over the years and relieving Russians living in Ukraine especially its eastern region of the Donbas of what Moscow views as the Ukrainian government's oppression. The incapacity of Western countries to negotiate and the continued war by the Kyiv regime against their own people left us with no choice but to recognize the two regions that make up the Donbas as independent and then to send troops in, Lavrov said. The aim was to remove the threats against our security, which NATO has been consistently creating in Ukraine, he explained. While Ukraine has recently driven Russian troops from some areas in the northeast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week warned the assembly that he believes Moscow wants to spend the winter getting ready for a new offensive, or at least preparing fortifications while mobilizing more troops. Regardless, he declared that his forces will ultimately oust Russian troops from all of Ukraine. We can do it with the force of arms. But we need time, said Zelenskyy, the only leader who was allowed to address the assembly by video this year. The war has disrupted the trade of Ukrainian and Russian grain and Russian fertilizer, touching off a global food crisis. A deal recently brokered by the U.N. and Turkey has helped get Ukrainian grain moving, but fertilizer shipments have proved more difficult. At a news conference after his speech, Lavrov said he discussed problems with the deal at a meeting this week with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Although sanctions against Russia did not target food and fertilizer exports, shipping and insurance companies and banks have been loath to deal with Moscow and the Kremlin has frequently pointed to that in alleging that Western sanctions have exacerbated the crisis. Lavrov told reporters Saturday that Russia wants fertilizer stuck in European ports to be given to needy countries quickly. At the Security Council on Thursday, Ukraine and Russia faced off, in a rare moment when Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, were in the same room though they kept their distance. The General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in March to deplore Russia's aggression against Ukraine, call for immediate withdrawal of all Russian forces, and urge protection for millions of civilians. The next month, members agreed by a smaller margin to suspend Russia from the U.N. Human Rights Council. (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.) traveled to southern on Sunday to close out an Italian church congress that coincided with Italy's national election, and delivered a message that hit on key domestic campaign issues including immigration. Neither Francis nor his hosts referred to the vote during the open-air Mass, though Italy's bishops conference had earlier urged Italians to cast ballots in the eagerly watched election that could bring its first far-right government since World War II. At the end of the outdoor Mass in Matera, Francis spoke off the cuff asking Italians to have more children. I'd like to ask Italy: More births, more children, Francis said. has one of the lowest birth rates in the world and Francis has frequently lamented its demographic winter. Far-right leader Giorgia Meloni, who campaigned on a God, family and homeland mantra, has also called for Italy to reverse its demographic trends by proposing bigger financial incentives for couples to have children. Francis also weighed in on a perennial issue in Italy, recalling that Sunday coincided with the Catholic Church's World Day of and Refugees. Francis called for a future in which God's plan is implemented, with and victims of human trafficking living in peace and dignity, and for a more inclusive and fraternal future. He added: Immigrants are to be welcomed, accompanied, promoted and integrated. Meloni and her center-right alliance have vowed to resume a strict crackdown on coming to Italy via Libyan-based smugglers. The center-left Democratic Party has among other things called for an easier path to citizenship for children of newcomers. The Mass was celebrated by a protege of Francis, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who is head of the Italian bishops' conference and has a long affiliation with the Sant'Egidio Community, a Rome-based charity known for its outreach to migrants and the poor. The 85-year-old Francis appeared tired during the visit, which was scheduled before Italy's snap elections were called and came a day after he made a separate day trip to the Umbrian hilltop town of Assisi. Francis has been using a cane and wheelchair this year, due to strained knee ligaments that make walking and standing difficult. His trip to Matera, the southern Basilicata city known for its cave dwellings, underwent a slight, last-minute change due to storms that belted much of the Italian peninsula overnight: Originally scheduled to fly by helicopter Sunday morning from the Vatican's helipad, Francis instead flew to Matera by jet from Rome's Ciampino airport. (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.) Fiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian provinces as it made landfall before dawn Saturday as a big, powerful post-tropical . Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, but it still had hurricane-strength winds and brought drenching rains and huge waves. There was no confirmation of fatalities or injures. Ocean waves pounded the town of Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Mayor Brian Button said Saturday over social media that people were being evacuated to high ground as winds knocked down power lines. "I'm seeing homes in the ocean. I'm seeing rubble floating all over the place. It's complete and utter destruction. There's an apartment that is gone," said Ren J. Roy, a resident of Channel-Port Aux Basques and chief editor at Wreckhouse Press, said in a phone interview. Roy estimated between eight to 12 houses and buildings have washed into the sea. "It's quite terrifying," he said. Jolene Garland, a spokeswoman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Newfoundland and Labrador, said a woman was safe and in "good health" after being "tossed into the water as her home collapsed" in the Channel-Port Aux Basques area. Garland said that an individual who might have been swept away was still reported as missing and that high winds were preventing an aerial search. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said the town of 4,000 people was in a state of emergency as authorities dealt with multiple electrical fires and residential flooding. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau cancelled his trip to Japan for the funeral for assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Trudeau said the federal government would deploy the Canadian Armed Forces to assist. "We are seeing devastating images coming out of Port aux Basques. PEI (Prince Edward Island) has experienced storm damage like they've never seen. Cape Breton is being hit hard, too," Trudeau said. "Canadians are thinking of all those affected by Hurricane Fiona, which is having devastating effects in the Atlantic provinces and eastern Quebec, particularly in the Magdalen Islands. There are people who see their houses destroyed, people who are very worried we will be there for you." Halifax Mayor Mike Savage said the roof of an apartment building collapsed and they moved 100 people to a evacuation centre. He said no one was seriously hurt or killed. Provincial officials said there are other apartment buildings that are also significantly damaged. Halifax has about 160 people displaced from two apartments, officials said. More than 415,000 Nova Scotia Power customers about 80 per cent of the province of almost 1 million were affected by outages Saturday morning. Over 82,000 customers in the province of Prince Edward Island, about 95 per cent, were also without power, while NB Power in New Brunswick reported 44,329 were without electricity. The Canadian Hurricane Centre tweeted early Saturday that Fiona had the lowest pressure ever recorded for a storm making landfall in . Forecasters had warned it could be the one of the most powerful storms to hit the country. "We're getting more severe storms more frequently," Trudeau said Saturday. He said more resilient infrastructure is needed to be able withstand extreme weather events, saying a one in a 100 year storm might start to hit every few years because of climate change. "Things are only getting worse," Trudeau said. A state of local emergency was also declared by the mayor and council of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. "There are homes that have been significantly damaged due to downed trees, big old trees falling down and causing significant damage. We're also seeing houses that their roofs have completely torn off, windows breaking in. There is a huge amount of debris in the roadways," Amanda McDougall, mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality, told The Associated Press "There is a lot of damage to belongings and structures but no injuries to people as of this point. Again we're still in the midst of this," she said. "It's still terrifying. I'm just sitting here in my living room and it feels like the patio doors are going to break in with those big gusts." Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said roads were washed out, including his own, and said an "incredible amount of trees were down "It is pretty devastating. The sad reality is the people who need information are unable to hear it. Their phones are not working, they don't have power or access to the internet," Houston said. Peter Gregg, President and CEO of Nova Scotia Power, said unprecedented peak winds caused severe damage. "In many areas, weather conditions are still too dangerous for our crews to get up in our bucket trucks," Gregg said. He said about 380,000 customers remain without power as of Saturday afternoon. Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King said they had no reports of any significant injures or deaths. But he said few communities were spared damage, with the devastation looking to be beyond anything they had seen previously in the province. He said over 95 per cent of islanders remained without power. (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 said it will provide about $2 billion in aid to Pakistan, ravaged by floods, the largest pledge of assistance so far. Unprecedented monsoon rains and flooding this year which many experts attribute to climate change have killed more than 1,600 people and have injured some 13,000 across the country since mid-June. The have displaced millions and destroyed crops, half a million homes and thousands of kilometres of roads. The World Banks vice president for South Asia, Martin Raiser, announced the pledge in an overnight statement after concluding his first official visit to the country Saturday. We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and livelihoods due to the devastating and we are working with the federal and provincial governments to provide immediate relief to those who are most affected, he said. Raiser met federal ministers and the chief minister of southern Sindh province, the most affected region, where he toured the badly hit Dadu district. Over the past two months, has sent nearly 10,000 doctors, nurses and other medical staff to tend to survivors in Sindh province. Thousands of makeshift medical camps for flood survivors have been set up in the province, where the National Disaster Management Authority said outbreaks of typhoid, malaria and dengue fever have killed at least 300 people. As an immediate response, we are repurposing funds from existing World Bank-financed projects to support urgent needs in health, food, shelter, rehabilitation and cash transfers, Raiser said. The agreed in a meeting with Prime Minister on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly to provide $850 million in flood relief. The $2 billion figure includes that amount. Raiser said the bank is working with provincial authorities to begin as quickly as possible repairing infrastructure and housing. The has said that it will provide USD 2 billion in aid to for reconstruction and rehabilitation that includes food, shelter and other urgent needs of the victims of the recent devastating floods. The announcement was made by the World Bank's new vice president for the South Asia region, Martin Raiser, on Saturday in a statement issued at the end of his tour. As an immediate response, we are repurposing funds from existing World Bank-financed projects to support urgent needs in health, food, shelter, rehabilitation, and cash transfers, the statement said. The had earlier agreed to provide USD 850 million for relief in a meeting with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York. The amount has now been increased to USD 2 billion. As per the resident mission in Islamabad, the current portfolio has 54 projects and a total commitment of USD 13.1 billion, the Dawn newspaper reported. The World Bank group's portfolio supports reforms and investments to strengthen institutions, particularly in fiscal management and human development. We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and livelihoods due to the devastating floods and we are working with the federal and provincial governments to provide immediate relief to those who are most affected, Raiser said. In the wake of cataclysmic floods in Pakistan, the UN had also launched a USD 160 million flash appeal for immediate relief of the victims but soon it became apparent that it was not enough after National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) officials said that the floods have caused about USD 40 billion losses. has seen unprecedented suffering because of the country's worst floods triggered by record rain in three decades. As per the official data, more than 1,600 people have been killed and over 33 million affected due to the massive floods since mid-June, leaving the government at the mercy of support. The World Bank's commitment is so far the biggest help to Pakistan in dealing with the huge devastation. (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.) Non-fungible token (NFT) trading startups do not want to sell their offerings through because 30 per cent commission on in-app purchases, and other tough rules, will bleed them out. According to a report in The Information, Apple is insisting that its regular 30 per cent commission from in-app purchases should also be paid on all trades. This stopped NFT startup Magic Eden from offering trading on its app, even after Apple reduced its commission to 15 per cent for firms earning under $1 million annually. "So far, though, most see some obstacles, including the up to 30 per cent commission Apple charges on in-app purchases, as well as pricing conventions that are difficult to apply to volatile digital assets,a the report mentioned. A typical NFT marketplace charges just 2-3 per cent of the transaction. However, under Apple's App Store policies, NFT startups will lose heavily on every deal. Also, since App Store in-app purchasing must be done in dollars o r other currencies, it does not accept . Arthur Sabintsev from Blockchain firm Pocket Network was quoted as saying that this "makes it really hard to price it because you have to program all these values in dynamically." "It feels like the position is that Apple doesn't really want (App Store) users to be able to purchase or sell NFTs," said Alexei Falin, CEO of NFT startup marketplace Rarible. Apple said that its 500 reviewers check 90 per cent of apps within 24 hours. The company, however, did not comment on NFT startups' criticisms of the App Store. According to Juniper Research, the global number of NFTs transactions is likely to rise from 24 million in 2022 to 40 million by 2027. The report said that metaverse-linked NFTs will be the fastest-growing NFT segment over the next five years, increasing from 600,000 transactions in 2022 to 9.8 million by 2027. --IANS na/svn/ (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) US President Joe Bidens upbeat declaration that the Covid-19 pandemic is over and World Health Organization Director General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus relatively cautious assessment that the end is in sight should not lull Indian health administrations at the Centre and the states into complacency. As things stand, the medical fraternity is prepared to concede that the worst may be over. This is certainly borne out by the numbers: The recorded number of new cases has fallen sharply from a peak average of 300,000 in January this year to a little under 5,000 on September 23, and the death rate had dropped sharply to a seven-day average of 26 from over 4,000 in May 2021. These encouraging statistics are primarily on account of the accelerated vaccine programme and the milder Omicron variants some 32 of them that are doing the rounds. But if the threat of Covid is muted now, it cannot be deemed to have disappeared. In fact, visibility on the end of Covid can only be described as blurred. With an aim to unite the entire Opposition to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Bihar Chief Minister and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad will meet Congress President in the capital on Sunday. It is pertinent to mention that it will be the first meeting between the three parties in more than five years. Both the leaders are arriving in Delhi to attend a rally to be held in Fatehabad district on the birth anniversary of Indian Lok Dal (INLD) founder late Chaudhary Devi Lal by INLD leader OP Chautala. Earlier on Tuesday, Lalu had said he, along with Nitish Kumar, will meet Sonia in Delhi. "Everyone needs to be alert, BJP needs to be uprooted in 2024. I will go to Delhi and meet soon. I will also meet Rahul Gandhi after the completion of his padyatra," said the RJD supremo. However, Poll strategist Prashant Kishor said there is a need for a "credible face" and mass movement to seek people's vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and opined that meeting leaders of various political parties "would not make much of a difference". He said such meetings cannot be seen as Opposition unity or political development. He further said, "Those who don't believe this need to wait and watch. It will certainly happen. I won't comment on whatever someone says". During his last visit to Delhi, met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kumar met with the Opposition leaders after he broke his alliance with the BJP and joined hands with Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress and other parties to form a 'Mahagathbandhan' government in Bihar. Earlier Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had also visited Bihar and met Nitish Kumar, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as part of efforts toward forging opposition unity. Meanwhile, various posters of projecting him as a prime ministerial candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha election were seen in Patna last month. The posters put up by JD(U) promised good governance, and gave the slogan 'Pradesh mein dikha, desh mein dikhega'. Taking a swipe at BJP, another poster carried the caption, "Jumla Nahi Haqiqat Hai" (No lies only reality). Additionally, Tejashwi Yadav had earlier stated that Kumar could be a "strong candidate" for the Prime Minister's post in the 2024 elections. In 2020, the BJP-JD(U) fought election in an alliance and went on to form the government with Nitish Kumar being given the Chief Minister's post. In less than two years' time, Nitish Kumar flipped his choices and in a surprise move went on to stitch an alliance with RJD and Congress to form a 'Grand Alliance' government in Bihar. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) President J.P. Nadda will in on a two-day visit starting Sunday. The Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra, led by Rahul Gandhi, is currently passing through . spokesperson Anil Baluni said that Nadda will hold several important party meetings besides inaugurating district offices of the in the southern state. "During his stay, Nadda will take part in several public programmes and organisational meetings of the party in Tiruchirappalli, Kottayam and Thiruvananthapuram," the BJP said in a statement. Nadda is expected to inaugurate the Kottayam BJP district office in Nagampadam and address party workers there. He will inaugurate another district BJP office in Thycaud on Monday. The BJP President will also interact with the beneficiaries of the Centre's welfare schemes and visit the Sree Narayana Guru Pilgrimage Centre, Baluni said. --IANS avr/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.) General Secretary said on Saturday that the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra will provide much-needed oxygen to the party. Attacking the BJP, Ramesh said that those who did not participate in the Quit India movement are now criticising the Bharat Jodo Yatra. Clarifying on not including Gujarat in the route of the yatra, Ramesh said that many routes were discussed, but in some routes the yatra would have had to cross rivers using boats or trains. So the party opted for a straight route from Kanyakumari to Kashmir, he said. Also, given that the Assembly elections are round the corner, the party functionaries would be busy by the time the yatra arrives in this part of the country, Ramesh clarified. --IANS har/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.) Congress leader on Sunday resumed the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Thiroor in the district accompanied by hundreds of party workers holding banners and placards against the high cooking gas prices in the country. The morning session of the 150-day-long Yatra will cover a distance of around 11 km before concluding at Wadakkanchery at around 11 AM. Senior Congress leaders including, K Muraleedharan, K C Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan and MPs from the district among others joined Gandhi in his walk. The Congress workers were carrying placards in the shape of gas cylinders highlighting steep cooking gas prices in the country. Gandhi had on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the rise in fuel and cooking gas prices in the country, and charged that the BJP and the RSS were spreading hate and violence to distract the people from such main issues. "A gas cylinder used to cost Rs 400 when the UPA government was in power. The prime minister went on complaining about the Rs 400 for gas cylinders. But today he doesn't say a word about Rs 1,000 for gas cylinders," the Congress leader had said while addressing a massive crowd at Thrissur. The Congress on Sunday asked the people to join it in its "historic movement as we march on to rebuild an India"- strong, self-reliant, among the leaders of the world. Women and children could be seen breaking the security cordon to meet Gandhi. The Congress leader was seen talking to them, clicking pictures and waving at the people who were waiting for him on both sides of the road. Gandhi is expected to meet people from all walks of life during the break at Wadakkanchery. The Yatra will resume at 5 PM and conclude at Cheruthuruthy in the district. The Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra will cover 3,570 km in 150 days. It started from Kanyakumari in Tamil Nadu on September 7 and will conclude in Jammu and Kashmir. The yatra, which entered on the evening of September 10, will go through the state covering 450 km, touching seven districts in 19 days before entering Karnataka on October 1. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J.P. Nadda who is a two-day visit to on Sunday said " has made its way even to the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan". Nadda was referring to the gold smuggling scam that had rocked the state. Speaking at the Kottayam district committee office of the BJP in Nagambadam, he said that the government in was creating a debt trap, claiming the debt has almost doubled in . Nadda during the speech also said that he "salutes the BJP workers of Kerala who have been murdered", adding lawlessness has been rampant in the state. "There is no place for violence in politics," the senior BJP leader said. He also said the drug menace is on a high in Kerala, and called upon the people of the state to support the programmes and policies of the BJP for the all-round development. The BJP leader said that several programmes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has benefited the people of the country. "The people of Kerala must support the BJP for a total change," he said. Earlier on Sunday, Nadda arrived in Kochi to a rousing welcome. BJP's Kerala unit president K. Surendran, and state in-charge and former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar received him at the airport. Nadda is scheduled to travel to Thiruvananthapuram on Monday to attend various party programmes. Rumours are making the rounds regarding a change in the state leadership and according to sources, Nadda's arrival has increased the possibilities of such a move. --IANS aal/pgh (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Delhi Chief Minister on Sunday said if people of bring the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) to power, then every child in the state will prosper. Kejriwal and Punjab CM Bhagwant Mann addressed a gathering of youth in Ahmedabad where Kejriwal targeted both the ruling BJP and opposition Congress in Gujarat, where the Assembly elections are due in December this year. "I was seeing a wonderful message being shared in a WhatsApp group that I follow. It says if you vote for Congress, then Sonia Gandhi's son will prosper. If you vote for BJP, (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah's son will prosper, and if you vote for AAP, then every single child of will prosper," the Delhi CM and national convener said. Like the governments provided 12 lakh jobs in Delhi and 20,000 in Punjab in less than six months, the party is committed to provide 10 lakh jobs in Gujarat when it comes to power in the state, he said. Kejriwal again listed the "job calendar" for Gujarat and said the will provide 10 lakh government jobs by filling teachers' posts in schools, opening new colleges and mohalla clinics, and providing more doctors and health care staff in hospitals, among others. "I believe if 10 lakh jobs are less, we will be able to provide 20 lakh government jobs in five years," he said. The AAP will also provide an unemployment allowance of Rs 3,000 per month to youth till they get a job, he said. Kejriwal claimed people have been voting for BJP because the "Congress is even worse," but this time they have an alternative in AAP -- "an honest party with fresh faces and new ." He said "leaders of both the BJP and Congress have stolen so much of public money that if their properties are sold, then I believe the entire debt of Gujarat can be paid". "If the AAP forms a government, we will spend every single penny on you (citizens), and will not let it be stolen," he said. Kejriwal said if the AAP comes to power in Gujarat, it will raise money by stopping theft and corruption. The AAP will stop the "loot" carried out by leaders of the two parties, he said. "We will stop the loot and recover the money. Every single penny of Gujarat government will be spent on you," Kejriwal told the gathering. He said the guarantee is applicable to all youth from the state, irrespective of the leaders they support. Recalling a group of youth shouting "Modi, Modi" when he came out of the airport in Vadodara recently, Kejriwal said he would not ask them to change their slogan. "I would like to tell you from this stage that I will never ask you to change your slogan, you are free to raise a slogan for him. But if we form a government, we will give you a job and unemployment allowance as well. Those people shouting slogans are also ours. The entire country is ours, the entire Gujarat is ours," he said. Kejriwal also targeted the Gujarat BJP government over cases of exam question paper leak and said if voted to power, the AAP government will open such cases. "Leaders who have played with the future of the youth will be sent to jail. We will ensure there is no paper leak in Gujarat. And if anyone dares, we will bring a law with a provision of 10 years imprisonment," he said. "While the paper leak happens in Gujarat, the Central Bureau of Investigation conducts raids on (Delhi Deputy CM and Education Minister) Manish Sisodia and AAP in Delhi," he claimed. Punjab CM Mann urged the youth to use their energy positively to change the government in Gujarat. "For the first time it has happened in 27 years that (senior BJP leader) Amit Shah went to inaugurate a government school (in Gujarat). He is forced to pay attention to the education sector, but didn't do so in the past," the AAP leader claimed. Mann said the AAP has set the narrative that based on religion, caste, and allurement money will not work. "Votes will be given only on the of work," he said. Mann claimed the BJP and said its leaders only know how to speak and not to listen to the public. "If you have done 'Mann Ki Baat,' then why do it again on radio (referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's programme)? Listen to the public's 'mann ki baat'. But they have no habit of listening," he said. (Only the headline and picture of this report may have been reworked by the Business Standard staff; the rest of the content is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.) Chief Minister on Sunday said he has held constitutional posts for 40 years and the new generation should get a chance now, virtually admitting an imminent change of guard in the state. Gehlot, who has announced contesting for the post of president, made the remarks during to a visit to Jaisalmer to offer prayer at the Tanot Mata Temple, in an indication that the may choose Sachin Pilot as his successor in the state. Later in the day, a meeting of the Legislature Party is scheduled to be held at his residence in Jaipur. "I have said it earlier as well. No post is important to me. I am doing for last 50 years. I have remained on some constitutional post or other for 40 years. What more I can get and want. So, it is in my mind that the new generation should get a chance and we all will together give a leadership in the country," Gehlot told reporters in Jaisalmer. Gehlot said the media reported that he did not want to leave the post of chief minister even though not the case. "I have said this to (the party) high command in August itself that the next election should be fought under a leadership so that the possibility of winning increases. Whether it is me or someone other than me, select him and form the government," he said. He said that he had informed the Congress high command that winning the next election is very important as is the only big state ruled by the Congress now. If the Congress wins in then the party will revive and the party will win in other states also, he said. The assembly election in Rajasthan is scheduled for next year. Replying to a question about focus of the next budget, Gehlot said, "I will tell whosoever becomes the next CM that present the budget having focus on the youth and students." Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday met Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C P Joshi amid speculations of a change of guard in the state. According to party sources, Pilot is the main contender for the chief minister's post but Joshi's name is also doing the rounds. Joshi is a former state Congress president and was a contender for the post in 2008 but lost the Assembly elections by one vote at that time. Gehlot became the first person to announce his candidature for the presidential poll on Friday and said former president Rahul Gandhi has told him that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next party chief. The chief minister also said that the call on his successor will be taken by and the party's in-charge of the state. Gehlot's remarks came a day after Rahul Gandhi batted for the "one man, one post" concept in the party, in line with the 'Chintan Shivir' reforms. (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.) High drama unfolded in Sunday evening as a group of MLAs loyal to Chief Minister reached the assembly speaker's residence to submit their resignation ahead of a legislature party meeting which was called to decide on his successor. The development suggested a worsening power struggle between the chief minister and who was tipped to be Gehlot's replacement after he declared his candidature for the president's post. One of the Gehlot-loyalist MLAs claimed more than 80 legislators, including Independents, have reached Speaker C P Joshi's residence in buses and will submit their resignation. However, the number could not be independently verified. The has 108 members in the 200-member house. It also enjoys the support of 13 Independents. The group of MLAs earlier held a meeting at Minister Shanti Dhariwal's residence, which was seen as an attempt to thwart the possibility of being made the next chief minister. "We are going to the speaker's residence and will submit our resignation," state minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told reporters. Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken, along with Gehlot, reached the chief minister's residence where the Congress Legislature Party meeting was to be held this evening. Pilot reached there separately. Some of the MLAs loyal to Gehlot said his successor should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the political crisis in 2020 and not someone who was involved in the bid to topple it, a veiled reference to Pilot. Another leader, Govind Ram Meghwal, said Gehlot can shoulder both roles, that of the chief minister as well as the party's national president. He said if Gehlot does not remain the chief minister, the party will face a major trouble in winning the next Assembly elections. "If the decision is not taken keeping the MLAs' sentiments in mind, the government will be in danger," independent legislator and advisor to the chief minister Sanyam Lodha said after the meeting at Shanti Dhariwal's residence. Gehlot and Pilot were at loggerheads for the chief minister's post soon after the Congress won the Assembly elections in December 2018. The high command then chose Gehlot as the chief minister for the third time while Pilot was made his deputy. In July 2020, Pilot along with 18 party MLAs rebelled against Gehlot's leadership. Earlier in the day, Gehlot said a one-line resolution stating all Congress legislators have full faith in the party president's decision on his successor is likely to be passed during the Legislature Party meeting this evening. "This has been a tradition in the Congress from the beginning that whenever the Legislature Party meeting is held at the time of election or for the selection of a chief minister, a one-line resolution is definitely passed to give all rights to the Congress president. And, I understand this will happen today too," Gehlot told reporters in Jaisalmer. "All Congressmen unanimously keep faith on the Congress president, and today also, you will get a glimpse of it. You need not have to think much about ifs and buts," he told reporters during to a visit to Jaisalmer to offer prayer at the Tanot Mata Temple. (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 (ED) has said that former state Finance Minister T M was not cooperating with the probe into the financial transactions of the Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). In an affidavit submitted by the ED before the High Court on Saturday, the agency said Isaac was making baseless allegations against the agency. It said Isaac was trying to stay away from the probe and stall the investigation. The ED is probing the issuance of by KIIFB which had later informed the court that permission for the issuance of the financial instruments were obtained from the Reserve Bank of India. The probe agency had earlier issued multiple notices summoning Isaac to appear before it. Isaac had also moved the High Court against the ED. It said Isaac was trying to stay away from the investigation, making baseless allegations against the ED and was trying to flee from the jurisdiction of the central agency and stall the probe. The ED has the authority to investigate the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violation during the distribution of Masala Bonds, the agency said in the affidavit. It said the investigation is in the primary stage and hence cannot say anything about the role of Isaac. "The summons to produce the documents were part of the investigation," ED said. During hearing of Isaac's plea, the high court had asked why ED cannot question someone if it has any doubts and at the same time it told the probe agency that privacy of an individual cannot be violated. Left leaders and MLAs had also moved the joint plea in the high court against the ED probe alleging that the same was a "fishing and roving" exercise aimed at discrediting the KIIFB. (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.) Google-owned wearable brand is planning to make Accounts mandatory on new devices from next year. According to Fitbit, will not use health and wellness data for Ads. "After we launch Google accounts on Fitbit in 2023, some uses of Fitbit will require a Google account, including to sign up for Fitbit or activate newly released Fitbit devices and features, "the wearable brand said on a support page. "If you have a Fitbit account, after the launch of Google accounts on Fitbit, you'll have the option to move Fitbit to your Google account or to continue to use your existing Fitbit devices and services with your Fitbit account for as long as it's supported," it added. The company said Google accounts on Fitbit will support several benefits for Fitbit users, including a single login for Fitbit and other Google services, account security, centralised privacy controls for Fitbit user data, and more features from Google on Fitbit. After the launch of Google accounts on Fitbit, if you want to move from your Fitbit account to your Google account, you will need to consent to transfer your Fitbit user data from Fitbit to Google. Once you complete the move, you will log into Fitbit with your Google account and no longer with your Fitbit account. Google will then provide you with Fitbit under Google's Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and binding commitments for Fitbit. --IANS vc/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.) Electronics major India on Sunday said it has sold over 12 lakh Galaxy worth more than Rs 1,000 crore on the first day of online festive sales at Amazon and Flipkart. has slashed prices of Galaxy series in the range of 17 to 60 per cent for the festive season sales. "On Day 1 of online festive sales, sold more than 1.2 million Galaxy devices, creating a new record in India. Samsung Galaxy were among the most sought-after devices, thanks to never-seen-before offers on Amazon and Flipkart. In value terms, Samsung sold Galaxy devices worth over Rs 1000 crore in 24 hours," Samsung said in a statement. Samsung has slashed prices of smartphones like Galaxy S20 FE 5G, Galaxy S22 Ultra, Galaxy S22, Galaxy M53, Galaxy M33, M32 Prime Edition and Galaxy M13. For the premium Galaxy S22 series, the company has announced discounts in the range of 17 to 38 per cent. "On Day 1 of Amazon's Great Indian Festival, Samsung was the number 1 smartphone brand, with every third smartphone being a Galaxy. Galaxy M13 was the number 1 bestseller," Samsung said. On Day 1 of Flipkart's 'Big Billion Days' sale, Samsung said it doubled its market share on the platform. "With a strong start to the festive season sales, Samsung is set to consolidate its 5G and overall smartphone leadership in the country," the company added. According to the market research firm IDC, Samsung had 16.3 per cent market share in the second quarter of 2022 with shipments of 5.7 million units. (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.) Goa Police have arrested more than 20 Bangladeshi immigrants for running illegal businesses in different parts of the state. Giving information about the same, the state Chief Minister, Pramod Sawant, said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has been informed about the arrests and they will be deported back soon. CM Sawant further informed that the search operation is on in the coastal state to arrest such immigrants who are running illegal businesses here. Over 20 Bangladeshi nationals, who were running illegal businesses in diff parts of Goa, arrested. These people didn't have Indian addresses,voter ID cards. Search on for more such people; they'll be deported to Bangladesh. Home Ministry apprised of the same, said CM Sawant. The Goa Chief Minister further talked about the 'Swachh Sagar, Surakshit Sagar' campaign which took place on September 17. He hailed the people of the state for participating in the campaign, which aims to clean beaches. He underlined that Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mentioned the campaign in his monthly radio show, "Mann Ki Baat'. Unfortunately, our website is currently unavailable in your country. We are engaged on the issue and committed to looking at options that support our full range of digital offerings to your market. We continue to identify technical compliance solutions that will provide all readers with our award-winning journalism. Officers responded to a disorder at the Greyhound bus station and found a man sitting on a curb across the street. An employee from the bus station told police the man was yelling at passengers as they got off the bus and at one point came onto the property. The employee said he wanted the man off the property and criminally trespassed. The man was informed that he was not allowed back on the premises and he complied without incident. * * * Police observed a Toyota Avalon (TN tag) parked in a city park at 500 N. Access Road, which closes at dark. Police made contact with a man and woman in the vehicle. The woman showed two possible warrants out of Collegedale. Police ran the warrants through info and they did not verify. * * * A woman on Hosea Lane told police the neighbor's dog was being loud and scaring her. Police observed that the dog was on a leash and could not cause any harm. While speaking with the woman, officers observed that she was heavily intoxicated. Police informed her that she could call McKamey Animal Center and provided her their number. * * * Officers observed a vehicle stopped on Douglas Street and asked a man why he was obstructing the roadway. The man said he saw a man lying on the ground and was checking to see if he was okay. He told police another person had walked by and touched the man, but he did not move, so he was worried about his well-being. Officers then made contact with the man on the ground and determined he was okay. Police instructed him to find somewhere else to stay, rather than the front door of the apartment complex, and he complied. * * * While on routine patrol, police saw a white van parked behind Han-Mi at 3103 Broad St. Recently, there have been used cooking oil thefts from restaurants involving vans and/or trucks. The vehicle displayed a Florida registration and belonged to a rental company. The vehicle was unoccupied. Police searched around the business and could not see any forced entry or anyone inside the business. The vehicle did not have anything illegal in plain view. Police will contact the business the next day to see if the vehicle belongs to them or if anything has been taken from the property. Police contacted Enterprise to see who rented the vehicle. Enterprise gave police that name of the man who rented the vehicle. * * * A man told police he had his car parked overnight at the rear of the Staybridge Suites, 7015 Shallowford Road, and when he came outside that morning, it was gone. Police entered his vehicle into NCIC as stolen. * * * A woman on Cain Avenue told police that morning she found her vehicle's tires slashed. She said that she slept over at her friend's house and parked her vehicle in front of the residence at approximately 9:15 p.m. the day before. According to the woman, her friend said that maybe a woman she knows is the suspect. She said that her friend and the woman apparently are having some issues, but she did not give any details about it. * * * Management of a business on E. 3rd Street told police that a former employee who was terminated in August has returned to the business on two occasions and started a verbal disorder with store management. Police located the woman and informed her that if she returned to the store or on the property, such as the parking lot, she would be arrested for criminal trespassing. * * * A woman on 4th Avenue told police that when her husband woke up for work that morning, he found the doors to their vehicle opened and money taken from the center console. She said they last saw their van parked behind their house around 8 p.m. the day before, and when they woke up to leave around 9 a.m. that morning, the driver and passenger doors were open. She believes that the vehicle was unlocked. She said that $30 in cash was taken and a paper check for around $700 was also taken. She said that her husband has already contacted the bank to cancel the check. There is no suspect information. * * * A woman on Long Drive told police she mailed check #1177 payable to EPB. She said she deposited the check in a mailbox outside of the East Brainerd Post Office. She said the check later cleared her Regions Bank account in the amount of $6,200.54, which is more than what she had in the account. She said as a result, her account is overdrawn by $3,000. She said Regions Bank has frozen the account. She said Regions Bank told her it will take up to 30 days to conduct their investigation and will take that long before they will return the money to her account. A copy of the check was given to police. * * * A man in an apartment on 4th Avenue told police someone took $179 out of his bank account using his debt card number. He said he does not know who would do this. No suspect information is known. * * * A man told police that sometime while parked at CSAS, 865 E. 3rd St., the day before, his wallet was stolen from his unlocked truck. In his wallet were miscellaneous ID's, credit/debit cards and $250 cash. TL;DR: George Harrisons sister moved to Illinois and promoted The Beatles there. George Harrison and his sister healed their rift before his death. After seeing her brothers life, George Harrisons sister said she would never want to be rich. George Harrison | Michael Putland/Getty Images George Harrison and his sister Louise were close in his adolescence. He visited her in Illinois, and she worked to promote The Beatles when they were first starting out as a band. Later in life, though, Harrison and Louise had a falling out. Luckily, they were able to reconcile before the end of Harrisons life. George Harrisons sister helped promote The Beatles in America Louises husband was a coal mine engineer, so she moved to Benton, Illinois, from England. There, The Beatles were practically unheard of, even though they were exploding in popularity across the Atlantic. Louise wanted to help them find fans in the United States. I was running around radio stations trying to get their records played, she told the Daily Mail in 2013. I was writing to their manager Brian Epstein every week with my research on the American music scene. Hed write back thanking me and asking if I could do the same for some of his other bands. I was really quite helpful in getting the band into the U.S. She had a front row seat to #TheBritishInvasion. George Harrison's sister Louise shares memories. Coming up on #AC360 pic.twitter.com/1IzDNh8v0T Anderson Cooper 360 (@AC360) January 31, 2014 She said she did this because she wanted to see her brother succeed. I didnt need any reward, she explained. My kid brother had a band and I wanted to see them succeed. The siblings became close again before his death Harrison and Louise reportedly had a falling out in the 1990s over a bed and breakfast she promoted called A Hard Days Night. He believed she was exploiting his celebrity from The Beatles, and the two stopped talking for years. Before his death, though, Louise drove to Staten Island, where he was receiving medical treatment. We were able to look into each others eyes again with love, she told the Liverpool Echo in 2001. It was a very, very positive and loving meeting. I felt very much at peace as I drove home after seeing him. I hated seeing him in that shape when he had been such a vital, wonderful man. But he still had his humor. It was distressing, but also I knew that he was on his way, back to where he belonged. Louises friend Dorothy revealed that even through their falling out, Louise never stopped loving her brother. Even though they didnt speak for so long, Louise never stopped loving George, Dorothy told the Sunday People. She was so proud of everything hed achieved with The Beatles. George Harrisons sister said she would never want to live a life like his Louises immense pride in her brother did not mean that she would want a life like his. She explained that after seeing his experience with money and fame, she wanted no part of it. George never enjoyed being rich he said that the Beatles were just targets when they became rich and there was always some predator coming after them, she said. Every gold digger in the world was after the Beatles. #OnThisDay 1964: New York was coming down with a severe case of Beatlemania. pic.twitter.com/Jkvawu5TOg BBC Archive (@BBCArchive) February 10, 2021 She wouldnt even buy a lottery ticket on the off chance that she won big. I didnt want to become a millionaire after what happened to him, she said. I wont even buy a lottery ticket for fear of winning. RELATED: George Harrisons Son Dhani Freaked Out When He Learned His Dad Was in The Beatles Shania Twain became a household name in the 1990s as a country music superstar who crossed over into the world of pop. It wasnt an easy feat, and didnt come without its fair share of struggles on Twains end. But in her transition to becoming a bigger artist, she experienced a breakthrough with her career on a personal level. Shania Twain | Andreas Rentz/Getty Images for ZFF Shania Twain debuted in 1993 Shania Twain opened up about the early days of her career and her road to stardom now in her 2022 Netflix documentary Not Just a Girl. She recounted how her self-titled debut album, released in 1993, had little creative input on her part, instead singing what her record label deemed best for her. Her debut single, What Made You Say that, was released in 1993. And although Twain didnt have much control over the sound of her music, she was able to execute her visions for the videos to her music. The music video for What Made You Say That, that was the moment that I grabbed onto creatively, and it was liberating. And I liberated myself in so many ways, and right from that very first video, she said in the documentary. It was like, Freedom!' It was probably the biggest turning point for me as an artist that it was going to be hands-on from then on than anything else Ive ever done, really, because it really set a tone, she continued. Shania Twain rose to fame throughout the 90s When she debuted with What Made You Say That, Twain upended all previously-held conventions about women in country music. She bared her midriff in the music video for the song, which was unheard of in the genre at the time. I was a disruption to the image of country music. Absolutely, Twain said frankly. As the 1990s progressed, Twain showed that she was ready to take a sledgehammer to all the norms in country music that kept women in a neat, contained box. Her 1995 sophomore album The Woman In Me proved that she could take country music to new places, with the project winning Best Country Album at the Grammy Awards the following year. Twain flew all the way to the Great Pyramids in Egypt to film the music video for the albums title track The Woman In Me (Needs the Man In You). When looking back on the experience, she realized just how pivotal it was in her career. Im telling you, this was an experience I will never forget, she said. I sensed that that was the beginning of the chance to be truly competitive on a global scale. RELATED: Shania Twain Enjoyed Her High School Job at McDonalds: I Got So Good at Those Fries Her 1997 album Come On Over made her a global superstar In 1997, Twain solidified her spot as country music royalty with her double-diamond-certified album Come On Over. The album contained several hit singles including Youre Still the One, That Dont Impress Me Much, and Man! I Feel Like a Woman! Her following two albums, 2002s Up! and 2017s Now, also received diamond certification with over 10 million copies sold. In 2000, Twain added two more Grammy Awards to her collection. She won Best Female Country Vocal Performance for Man! I Feel Like a Woman! and Best Country Song for Come On Over. RELATED: The Sexist Criticism Shania Twain Received Early in Her Career: Americas Best Paid Lap Dancer in Nashville Galadriel is an iconic character within the lore of Middle Earth. Amazons Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power focuses on a young Galadriel (Morfydd Clark) and her quest to defeat Sauron before he returns. Clark knows that there are high expectations when it comes to portraying Galadriel, and she had a short amount of time to prepare to play her because she didnt know she was playing Galadriel when she arrived in New Zealand to begin filming. Galadriel is an essential character in the Lord of the Rings story Morfydd Clark as Galadriel | Ben Rothstein/Prime Video In Lord of the Rings, Galadriel is an all-powerful elf known for her great beauty and wisdom. Played by Cate Blanchett, she assists Frodo (Elijah Wood) and the other hobbits on their quest to destroy the One Ring by bestowing gifts upon them. She also appeared in The Hobbit films, despite not appearing in J. R. R. Tolkiens novel. In Middle Earth lore, Galadriel was present at the forging of the Rings of Power and was given one of the rings to protect. The Rings of Power will feature the forging of the rings and Galadriels quest to defeat the Dark Lord Sauron before he rises to power. Morfydd Clark did not know she was playing Galadriel when she was cast in The Rings of Power CIA operations have been executed with less secrecy than the casting and filming of The Rings of Power**a fact thats not lost on star Morfydd Clark. https://t.co/KCw3lr6RC3 pic.twitter.com/uJDcqnxYYU Vogue Runway (@VogueRunway) September 15, 2022 Morfydd Clark was tasked with portraying Galadriel in The Rings of Power and has delivered an excellent performance. However, Clark did not know she would play the elf when she was cast for the series. In an interview with Variety, the Welsh actor says she did not know who she was playing until she landed in New Zealand. Nobody else in the cast knew who they were playing either. I didnt know that I was playing Galadriel when I arrived in New Zealand, even. I knew that I was playing some sort of elf, Clark shares. I knew it was in the Second Age. Me and my sister were reading through it all, and I was thinking I was Celebrian, her daughter, because I dont think I could fathom that it would be Galadriel. So I went to New Zealand not knowing who I was playing, which now looking back, its quite, quite mad. Everybody in the cast did the same. We all kind of dived in to this madness all together and met each other all down there. It wasnt until I arrived that I found out who I was playing, and I obviously had to recalibrate. I still cant quite believe who Im playing. Clark learned the Elvish language to prepare for her role #TheRingsOfPower star Morfydd Clark opens up about how Cate Blanchett's Galadriel performance in #TheLordOfTheRings films influenced her for the show. "I think that it was the serenity that she has in the Third Age."https://t.co/lMUmxD8R9A pic.twitter.com/8RcAuYchJF Screen Rant (@screenrant) September 11, 2022 Clark did a lot of preparation for Galadriel, which included stuntwork, sword training, and climbing. One essential part of the character is the Elvish language, and Clark says she used her experience with Welsh to incorporate Elvish into her performance. She is bilingual, so she knew how to play a character who speaks multiple languages. I went to Welsh-language school, and everything is taught in the medium of Welsh, Clark explains. Welsh is phonetic, so its much better for a dyslexic. I started learning English in year three, and was just like, What is this? Something that my Tolkien-obsessed mum was really proud of and passed down to us was that Tolkien was inspired by Welsh. So weirdly, his works have been a badge of honor for me, because the Welsh are obsessed with the Welsh and anything Welsh. It was really great to play a bilingual character. And yeah, I think it served me really well. The Rings of Power is streaming on Amazon Prime Video. RELATED: The Rings of Power Galadriel Actor Morfydd Clark Speaks Out Against Diversity Backlash Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site. 0108263 License for publishing multimedia online Registration Number: 130349 Registration Number: 130349 Discovering a remnant of feudal Europe in Liechtenstein Sandwiched in the Alps between Switzerland and Austria is the often-forgotten Principality of Liechtenstein. The capital city of Vaduz, like the rest of the country, is located on the east bank of the Rhine a river steeped in European history since antiquity. Flash forward to today, and Liechtenstein holds the distinction of being the last remnant of medieval Europe. Back then, the continents map consisted of feudal states ruled by kings, princes, dukes and other assorted ranks of nobles. The principality has remained as-is despite all of the other realms disappearing and the ruling family, known as the House of Liechtenstein, losing their once-extensive land holdings that stretched across central Europe and into the present-day Czech Republic. Even the storied Holy Roman Empire the empire the philosopher Voltaire once called neither holy nor Roman nor an empire that ultimately gave Liechtenstein its sovereignty was dissolved in 1806. It is remarkable that this small country exists, not least under the rule of a prince and with Roman Catholicism established by the Constitution. While freedom of religion exists, the church of Rome, by and through the Archdiocese of Vaduz, is the state church. This means the prelate and priests have the same government employee status as the policeman and librarian. And yes, its size of 62 square miles and its population of just 38,700 souls makes it a small country by any measure. As I learned over a three-night visit, Europes fourth-smallest country punches well above its weight. Everything Americans want to see and do in the Old World can be found here. Think centuries of quaint history, castles, royalty, churches, museums, vastly underrated wine and year-round outdoor recreation and activities among mountains that reach 8,526 feet in elevation. I stayed in the heart of Vaduz at Hotel Vaduzerhof, which has modern rooms with balconies facing Vaduz Castle, the capitals namesake. Perched on a hill about 400 feet above town is the home of the royals in the princely family. Unlike the palaces of other European crowned heads that allow some form of public access, the castle is entirely a private residence. Liechtensteiners repeatedly told me that Prince Hans-Adam II and his heir, Prince Alois, who reigns as the regent of His Serene Highness, tightly guard their privacy. With no army since 1868 and crime relatively rare, no guard is mounted at the gates. There also isnt a sentry outside the sleek modern building containing the Landtag, as the parliament is called. Presumably, the Instagram set is disappointed at the lack of a changing of the guard photo opportunity. While unable to enjoy views from the castles ramparts, the marked walking paths connecting Vaduz and the castle offer equally spectacular views of the Rhine Valley. Looking past the Alps, I saw a stately church spire and the vineyards of Liechtensteins little-known wine industry, which produces superb pinot noir, riesling, pinot blanc and chardonnay. The spire is that of St. Florins Cathedral, a late 19th-century Gothic revival edifice that serves as the seat of the Roman Catholic archbishop. Vaduzs cathedral has an impressive interior that includes some wonderful examples of modern stained glass and a royal box perched above the quire and altar used by the princely family, who I am told are regular churchgoers. At street level beneath the west front are two sculptures by Hans von Matt that depict Mary at the birth and death of Jesus. Given its small size and limited number of hotel rooms, Liechtenstein will surely remain a best-kept secret for the foreseeable future. So much so that you may be the only tourist walking the streets of Vaduz after 5 oclock on any given Saturday. And for me, that is exactly the experience I want. If you go Not only is Liechtenstein landlocked, but there is no airport. The closest major international airport is 83 miles away in Zurich, Switzerland. Switzerlands flag carrier, Swiss, flies nonstop between Zurich and several U.S. airports, including Boston, Chicago, New York and Washington. From Zurich, a rental car is the easiest way to get to and from Liechtenstein. Just be sure to book something with built-in navigation to avoid the expensive roaming charges that result from using your phone for driving directions. While indisputably a sovereign state, Liechtenstein enjoys a special relationship with Switzerland that goes beyond using the Swiss franc. Next year, the two countries will celebrate the centenary of a full customs union. The hotel where I stayed, Hotel Vaduzerhof, has automated most of its guest-facing services. This includes replacing the front desk with a kiosk for check-in and check-out. Breakfast and self-parking are free for all guests. Recommended restaurants include New Castle Restaurant, Brasserie Burg and the Cafe in the Art Museum (Cafe im Kunstmuseum). Just be aware that Liechtenstein still allows smoking inside establishments. The tourist information center on Vaduzs main street is the best place to go for maps and other basic information. It also has a gift shop with assorted souvenirs as well as locally produced food and wine. Besides buying the three-day Adventure Pass for about $35 per adult, you can get the highly coveted Liechtenstein passport stamp for a nominal charge. Dennis Lennox writes a travel column for The Christian Post. Christian faith and the theology of place For several weeks in spring 2022, and then again in the summer, the world witnessed a recurrence of tensions between Israelis and Palestinians over the Temple Mount/Aqsa Mosque area in Jerusalem. It is not only religious Jews and religious Muslims who feel passionately about control of that specific spot. Even less religiously observant members of the two communities and beyond across both the Jewish and Muslim realms tend almost instinctively to become emotional on this issue with many tying it to political agendas and national priorities. By contrast, Christians who understand their theological tenets well and are clear about the primacies of salvation taught by their faith cannot allow themselves to be swept up in any such frenzy, for religious reasons. Nationalist Christian Palestinians specifically who take their faith seriously ought to guard against the temptation of embracing an unqualified theology of place. Of course, there were times when sincere professing Christians took up arms and launched military Crusades to recover the Holy Land from the infidels. Since the entanglement in the early fourth century of the battered but triumphant Church with a converted imperial order under the emperor Constantine, the advice in the Gospels to leave to each of God and Caesar what was respectively theirs appeared to have been relegated to the backburner while giving way to the rise of theocratic Christendom. Many centuries later following much bloodshed, confusion, and ruin Christians of all stripes reawakened to the default position laid out by Jesus regarding the separation of the sacred from the profane. It is very natural for Christians to venerate space they view as sacred. The term Holy Land does carry profound meaning for the believing Christian. Indeed, of the three Abrahamic religious creeds it should be the believers in Jesus before the other two who view with unique awe the places where, according to their faith, God Himself was incarnated as a human person, lived, taught, performed miracles, forgave sins, suffered, died, and rose again on the third day. The Church of the Nativity in Bethlehem, the River Jordan, Lake Tiberias in the Galilee, the Mount of Olives and the Temple in Jerusalem, the Via Dolorosa, Gethsemane, Golgotha, the Church of the Holy Sepulcher in the Old City, and other places visited by Jesus as the Gospels relate all these plus countless venues around the world where miracles were allegedly performed by saints through the power of the Holy Spirit have a very special significance for the believing Christian. Two crucial distinctions, however, need to be highlighted here. First, the reason why all these places are holy to begin with is infinitely more important than the places themselves. Second, the Good News is that anyone can have a direct, personal, and salvific relationship with this reason (Jesus Christ) anywhere in the cosmos, and especially, for Orthodox and Catholic Christians, in the Holy Eucharist at Mass. It is the Person who redeems, who saves, not the place. To be a fulfilled Christian, I dont need to undertake a pilgrimage anywhere including to Rome or Jerusalem, let alone to exercise political control over these sacred places, as prerequisites for my personal salvation. Christ has liberated His followers from many things, and a theology of place is thankfully one of them. Again, it is very natural to love and preserve your homeland, and if necessary to fight for and protect it and those loved ones living there. The Maronites of Lebanon, for instance, have clung tenaciously over the centuries to their homeland in Lebanons mountains and defended it against external attacks. This is a legitimate position to take as a native Christian community facing many life-and-death challenges throughout history; however, the crucial nuance to be kept in mind is that such a stance has never entailed soteriological dimensions for the individual Maronite believers. The same is true for all beleaguered Christian populations rooted in the Middle East and elsewhere. For, in the end, this remains your earthly-worldly homeland and not the Kingdom of God where you should aspire to be this Kingdom, as we are told by the Redeemer Himself, is within you, and is where the Father resides, both of which are wholly other conceptions of place. As a Christian believer, therefore, one need not partake in the ongoing struggle over places considered as sacred by adherents to the two other Abrahamic faiths. And this opens the way for the committed Christian to be the peacemaker, the healer, the brother who extends a loving hand to both sides pleading that, whenever possible, they let go a bit of this focus on place and concentrate instead on the Transcendent. After all, isnt this precisely what ought to be expected of the native Christian, of Abrahams missing child? Mark Driscoll temporarily suspended from TikTok for saying men cant have babies Mark Driscoll, the outspoken Senior Pastor of Trinity Church in Scottsdale, Arizona, says he was briefly suspended from the popular short-form video hosting service TikTok for declaring on the platform that men cant have babies. What happens on TikTok when you say that men cant have babies, Driscoll tweeted Saturday with an image of a notice on his suspended TikTok account stating that he was prevented from posting due to multiple violations of the hosting services community guidelines. The suspension of the account ended on Thursday. In his reaction to the restriction by TikTok, Driscoll cited Romans 1:18 which says: For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Driscoll, who recently kicked off a new nine-week teaching series at his church called Real Men: Act Like a Man, said Wednesday that the problem in our day is not toxic masculinity; its the complete LACK of masculinity. In a world void of strong men and fathers, we want to build you up to bless women and children, and transform legacies for generations to come, he said about the nine-week teaching series. What happens on TikTok when you say that men cant have babies. For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. Romans 1:18 pic.twitter.com/QIHswG79g8 Pastor Mark Driscoll (@PastorMark) September 17, 2022 The former leader of the wildly successful but now defunct Seattle-based Mars Hill Church has also been an outspoken critic of the transgender movement and recently interviewed Dr. Michael Miller, former chairman of plastic and reconstructive surgery at The Ohio State University, about the epidemic of transgenderism and what that means for the future of our civilization. This has existed since antiquity. You can find statuary from ancient Rome, you look at one side of the statue it looks female, you look at the other side of the statue it looks male. They have male organs with breasts that are beautifully carved, Miller told Driscoll. There has been gender confusion for as long as there has been human beings, I believe. Whats new now is the emphasis on it and part of the emphasis thats being placed on it, in Western culture anyway, is the shift thats occurred between some fundamental ways that we think about the world. Among these fundamental ways that people think about the world, Miller said, is the idea now among some people that reality is malleable. Driscoll founded Trinity Church in 2016 after he was forced to dissolve Mars Hill Church in 2015 over leadership failures. Last summer, he was accused by a former employee of immoral, unethical and unbiblical actions. Chad Freese, who said he attended the church for nearly three years and served on Driscolls security team for eight months, said in an open letter at the time that he resigned after witnessing alleged abuses that went on behind the scenes under Driscolls watch. Freese was director of security at the church for seven weeks. I served on the security team for eight months. I served as the director of security for only seven weeks (Feb. 27 April 18, 2021,) until I resigned due to the pastors immoral, unethical, and unbiblical actions, Freese wrote at the time. I did not see these issues until I became part of the inner circle where I attended meetings and participated in top-secret conversations. I acknowledge I was complicit in executing the duties of my position. I did not get fired, nor was I kicked out of the church as others have been. I could not continue down the same path as the leadership of the church, as that is not who I am, nor who God called us to be. Family suspected of killing Christian father for refusing to perform Hindu ritual NEW DELHI Christians in eastern India suspect a church members Hindu family killed him last month for refusing to renounce his faith, sources said. In West Bengal states Gobindapur village, Jhargram District, Hindu relatives of Madhab Gorai had threatened to burn him to death and feared his faith jeopardized his daughters impending marriage, the sources said. Church members last saw the 46-year-old Gorai on Aug. 7, when his wife and adult son disrupted the start of a church service and threatened him, said Ashish Hansda, lay leader in charge of the Church of North India (CNI) congregation in the village. Gorais wife was carrying a bottle of gasoline, and his son was carrying a wooden baton, he said. In a scuffle outside the church building, Gorais wife and son threatened to burn him alive, Hansda said. Gorais wife and son pressured him to perform Hindu marriage rituals at his daughters impending wedding, where according to custom, the father of the bride would be required to worship sacred fire, said the pastor in charge of the church, the Rev. Subendu Soren. Gorai refused to involve himself in Hindu worship practices that contradicted his Christian faith, Pastor Soren told Morning Star News. Gorais family had argued that his refusal to perform the Hindu rituals would raise doubts about the family that could lead to the breaking off of his daughters engagement, said a close friend of Gorai who requested anonymity. When his wife and son disrupted the start of the Aug. 7 church service, Hansda intervened, and Gorais wife and son took him home, Hansda said. Unpleasantness was created due to the scuffle, and so we did not have a church service that Sunday, he said. When he learned of the incident, Pastor Soren advised Hansda to file a police complaint about Gorais family carrying gasoline and scuffling with him outside the church building. He filed a complaint at the Ramgarh outpost, which falls under the Lalgarh police station. An officer at the Ramgarh outpost said he informed the Saranga Thana police station about the incident and sent a volunteer to check on the church the next Sunday, Aug. 14. Madhab Gorais house does not fall under my jurisdiction, so I did not take any action once they had gone home, the officer told Morning Star News. The in-charge at the Saranga Thana police station told Morning Star News that he was on leave during that period and had no knowledge of a death in the area. Pastor Soren said no formal complaint was registered at the Saranga Thana police station. No formal complaint was registered in the police station by any of Madhabs relatives, though people in the village knew the tension in their family about Madhabs faith and had mixed feelings about the sudden death, Pastor Soren told Morning Star News. Suspicions As Gorais wife and son repeatedly threatened to burn him alive and took him home on Aug. 7, Hansda was concerned about his safety and visited their home late that afternoon, he said. Madhabs wife told me that he was not at home and had gone to the market, Hansda said. I left my phone number with his wife and requested her to ask him to give me a call. Hansda said he received a call from Pastor Soren at 11 that night informing him that a church member had said Gorai was dead. The next day, when church members asked family members about Gorais death, the relatives said he had eaten dinner and died peacefully in his sleep. The family had cremated Gorais body that morning (Aug. 8) according to Hindu ritual, but none of the church members had been informed about it, Hansda said. Hansda said he questioned several of Gorais neighbors about his death. All of them told me that there was tension in Madhabs family related to his Christian faith, and they heard the arguments the family had, he told Morning Star News. One person also told me that Madhab was sitting and chatting with him until 6:30 in the evening, and he was absolutely fine. Christian leaders, eyewitnesses to the threats and several acquaintances in the area suspect Gorais family members killed him to avoid jeopardizing his daughters marriage. It is easy to say that the father of the bride is dead, and that the brother of the bride will perform those rituals in his absence, said Gorais close friend. Sumanta Naru, pastor of the CNI congregation in Bankuda town, said he is suspicious of the death and secret cremation of Gorais body. Nobody knows how Madhab died, Pastor Naru told Morning Star News. Even the neighbors had last seen him healthy. The Christians were not even called for the cremation. They got rid of his body as soon as they could. Pastor Soren said he fears Gorai must have suffered much. We do not know what caused his death, but this is for certain, that the family was persecuting him and pressuring him to participate in the Hindu rituals, Pastor Soren told Morning Star News. Gorais family members were unavailable for comment. Pastor Naru said Gorai put his faith in Christ several years ago after learning the Gospel from a relative. Keeping the keys of the church building, he would be the first to reach it and open it for Sunday worship, the pastor said. Madhab was a sincere Christian. He helped in whatever way possible to contribute and serve the church, Pastor Naru said. The hostile tone of the National Democratic Alliance government, led by the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, against non-Hindus has emboldened Hindu extremists in several parts of the country to attack Christians since Prime Minister Narendra Modi took power in May 2014, religious rights advocates say. India ranked 10th on Christian support organization Open Doors 2022 World Watch List of the countries where it is most difficult to be a Christian, as it was in 2021. The country was 31st in 2013, but its position worsened after Modi came to power. This article was originally published by Morning Star News. This week in Christian history: Catholic Church declares first woman 'doctor;' Peace of Augsburg signed Throughout the extensive history of the Church, there have been numerous events of lasting significance. Each week brings anniversaries of impressive milestones, unforgettable tragedies, amazing triumphs, memorable births and notable deaths. Some of the events drawn from over 2,000 years of history might be familiar, while other happenings might be previously unknown by most people. The following pages highlight anniversaries of memorable events that occurred this week Sept. 25 through Oct. 1 in Christian history. They include the pope accusing a French royal of heresy, the Catholic Church declaring a woman to be a "doctor of the Church" and the Peace of Augsburg. 1 2 3 4 Next Sexual abuse class-action lawsuit filed against Christian school accused of unwanted exorcisms Three women have filed a class-action lawsuit against a Christian school and affiliated church in Canada, alleging that a former Sunday school teacher abused them in the 1990s and that administrator covered it up. The women claim that administrators at Christian Centre Academy and Saskatoon Christian Centre church, now known as Legacy Christian Academy and Mile Two Church, knew about alleged abuse that they claim was done to them by a former school employee, Nathan Schultz. Schultz is one of the over 20 defendants named in the proposed $25-million class-action lawsuit claiming that multiple officials at Christian Centre Academy and Saskatoon Christian Centre were sexually abusive. The complaint alleges that Schultz, who no longer works at the school, abused the students when they were 4 to 7 years old, and that school and church officials allegedly hid what transpired. The allegations, which were reported to police, have not yet been proven in court, nor has a statement of defense been filed, according to a CBC News report. Schultz and his parents are all named in the suit, with the abuse allegedly occurring when his father was director of the school and both of his parents were elders at the church. Caitlin Erickson, one of the plaintiffs, told CBC that she had attended the school and church for 13 years until 2005. Erickson said she was sexually abused by Schultz when she was as young as 6. Schultz, a graduate of the school and a Sunday school teacher, would have been 16 or 17 years old at the time. Erickson recalled that when children's church took place on Sundays, Schultz was "always the guy that would volunteer to take the girls to the bathroom." Erickson alleged that, on three occasions, Schultz took her to a nearby equipment room first and urged her to reach into his pants pocket. On one of the occasions, he pressured her to do so after she said no multiple times. Erickson claimed that Schultz had cut out the pocket so that she touched his penis instead. "After that, I would not go to the bathroom when I was at church," Erickson told CBC. Earlier this year, 18 former students of Legacy Christian Academy filed criminal abuse complaints against the school and Mile Two Church, alleging that they were coerced into exorcisms and suffered corporal punishment at the hands of school officials. One of the students, Christina Hutchinson, told Global News about an experience when she was 8 and attended Christian Centre Academy. She allegedly endured spankings and treatment, which she said mirrored an "exorcism." Hutchinson recounted that she and other students were asked to recite a morning prayer in front of a school instructor. She refused to join because she was too nervous. "The teacher at the time seemed to think that that meant I had a demon, so she would keep me in at break times and rock me in her lap while she spoke in tongues," Hutchinson said. "It was an exorcism in the sense that she was trying to drive a demon out of me. I didn't know what she was doing, and I didn't have any control over it." The church and the school sent a statement to Global News expressing remorse over the reported incidents, noting that "the people that are accused of these actions are no longer here or affiliated with us in any way." "We are all heartbroken to learn the stories of some former students about their experiences from over 15 years ago. The current staff and leadership are hearing some of these stories for the first time, and we condemn any acts of abuse that previous leaders committed," they stated. The summers final Live on the Waterfront concert was held Wednesday evening at Prince Arthurs Landing. The popular series in Thunder Bay has completed nine weekly shows that began on July 13. Wednesdays concert was unique as it was held one hour later in the evening to mesh with the 10 p. Iran regrets Ukraine's decision to downgrade diplomatic ties, vows reaction Xinhua) 11:31, September 25, 2022 Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani on Saturday expressed regret for the decision of the Ukrainian government to downgrade diplomatic relations with the Islamic republic. On Friday, Ukraine announced to downgrade ties with Iran and remove the Iranian ambassador's accreditation over what it called Tehran's "unfriendly" decision to supply Russia with drones "used against its forces and citizens," the Iranian Foreign Ministry website reported. The decision of the Ukrainian government is based on "unconfirmed reports and caused by the creation of media hype by foreign parties," Kanani said. He advised Ukraine not to be influenced by third parties who seek to destroy the relations between the two countries. Over the Russia and Ukraine conflict, Iran has adopted the "clear policy of neutrality" and has declared its opposition to war and the need for a political settlement of disputes away from violence, he was quoted as saying. Kanani emphasized that Iran will take proportionate action in response to the Ukrainian government's decision. (Web editor: Bianji, Liang Jun) 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. Thank you for reading! Please purchase a subscription to read our premium content. If you have a subscription, please log in or sign up for an account on our website to continue. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reacted with visible relief when there were no jeers or boos as the Party faithful sang the national anthem at the opening of their annual conference in Liverpool yesterday. For this outbreak of decorum he may well have to thank the leadership of Labour For A Republic, the official party grouping that campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy. Mindful of heightened sensitivities following the death of the Queen, it has warned supporters not to make any incendiary comments about the Royal Family. Labour leader Sir Keir Starmer reacted with visible relief when there were no jeers or boos as the Party faithful sang the national anthem at the opening of their annual conference in Liverpool yesterday For this outbreak of decorum he may well have to thank the leadership of Labour For A Republic, the official party grouping that campaigns for the abolition of the monarchy 'Never refer, even jokingly, to Charles I's beheading as a solution, or to how Russia dealt with the Tsars,' it said in a document issued to members and intended to be used as a guide to conduct during local Labour Party meetings. It adds: 'Never make or encourage derogatory references to the Royal Family's German ancestry. Use their full common names (Elizabeth Windsor etc) or their simple titles (The Queen, Prince Charles etc), not any German names or titles.' However, not everyone took this softly-softly approach to heart at a fringe event hosted by the group at The Quaker Meeting House on Saturday night. The speakers included Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee, who in an acid reference to Her Majesty said: 'I would like her to have been Elizabeth the Last.' A delayed train meant that hard-Left Labour MP Zarah Sultana was unable to fulfil her speaking engagement at last Tuesday's rally for cost-of-living campaign group Enough Is Enough. 'Just another reminder that we need to bring rail into public ownership and make it fit for the future!' tweeted the cheerleader for former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn. Sultana should be careful what she wishes for. The LNER train she was delayed on was taken into public ownership by the Department for Transport back in 2018. It has been beset by difficulties ever since. Overheard in the Commons, one MP saying to another: 'I suppose it's appropriate Prince Andrew is taking the Queen's Corgis. He's been in the dog house for years.' Suella's book of common chants Home Secretary Suella Braverman is set to become the first Buddhist to have their name published in the Church of England's Book Of Common Prayer. When the crown changes hands, the new monarch commands the Home Secretary to sign a royal warrant relating to annual commemorations of the accession. This is printed in new editions of the prayer book. Previous warrants, stretching back centuries, have all been signed by Christian ministers. Labour may preach diversity but it's the Tories, with their third woman PM, and the Chancellor, Foreign Secretary and the Home Secretary all from ethnic minority backgrounds who deliver it. Labour was quick to capitalise on the admission by Liz Truss that a post-Brexit trade deal with the U.S. is still a long way off, with former shadow minister Marsha de Cordova (pictured) concluding: 'The Prime Minister has already failed at her job,' and Rotherham MP Sarah Champion arguing: 'This failure lies squarely with Truss.' Former shadow minister Marsha de Cordova (pictured) concluded: 'The Prime Minister has already failed at her job' Yet, last year, de Cordova said a trade deal with Washington would be a 'disaster for working people'. Champion citing concerns over cheap U.S. food imports simply said: 'No thanks.' There was moist grief in the Commons from the Scot Nat MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, Gavin Newlands, as he announced the death of his 'diligent' Labour predecessor Jim Sheridan. Newlands was not always so kind, however he once tried to get Sheridan sacked from a lowly local council seat. What's The Story? Having shed its image for out-of-date, musty-smelling clothes long ago, Oxfam is now a must-stop for those in search of sustainable steals. It has been raising money through its shops to fight global poverty since 1943. Why Should I Buy? Each year, more than 47 million items of clothing go to Oxfam instead of landfill. Its online shop, which last year saw sales increase by 46 per cent, is full of vintage finds and designer buys take this coat, for example. New designs at Michael Kors are around 400. So, at 49.99 and with no damage its a bargain. Why Shouldn't I Buy? Theres no reason not to! Pieces are affordable and you wont bump into someone wearing the same thing as you. Whats not to love? Second-hand coat, 49.99, Michael Kors, onlineshop. oxfam.org.uk What's The Aim? As well as being a charity, Oxfam works hard to highlight the importance of sustainable fashion. Its current Second Hand September campaign encourages people to buy only second hand for 30 days. According to environmental charity Wrap, extending the life of clothes by just nine months would save 5 billion in resources used for supplying, delivering and disposing of clothes. The Extra Mile After covering its store running costs, 84p from every 1 spent in Oxfam goes directly to charitable projects, with the rest put towards support costs and marketing. Verdict Rating: Find the right store or check out its brilliantly curated website to save yourself rifling through rails and Oxfam is a treasure trove. You can pick up vintage pieces, classic basics or even brand-new designer looks, often with tags intact. Were all looking to make savings this autumn, but that doesnt mean we have to compromise on flavour when picking affordable wines. Finding great value is a skill that requires thinking outside the box (or bottle) and experimenting with the unfamiliar. Here are my key insider tips to maximise bang for your buck Check out supermarket own labels. More than ever, theyre bringing wines from across the globe at unbeatable prices. Im particularly impressed with M&S Found and Waitrose Loved & Found ranges. Look out for underrated grapes. If youre partial to Sauvignon Blanc, give Austrian Furmint a go traditionally used in the famous sweet wine Tokaj, its gaining popularity for dry wines. Chenin Blanc is widely regarded as the worlds most underrated white grape, so head to South Africa for decent deals. For elegant and perfumed reds try a Xinomavro, Greeces answer to Barolo, and bold red fans will love an Italian Primitivo or a Chilean Carmenere. Keep an eye out for up-and-coming wine regions. Rueda in Spain produces characterful and zesty whites at a steal. For Chardonnays with finesse head to the Uco Valley in Argentina, or to Chile and put the region of Limari Valley on your radar. In France the Languedoc has some superb roses alongside its bargain fizzes and rouges. Keep your eyes peeled for rich reds from Jumilla in Spain and Alentejo in Portugal. Central and Eastern Europe are attracting a lot of attention. Charlotte Kristensen (pictured) has picked her favourite wines and all of them are under a tenner Left: Finest 1531 Blanquette De Limoux NV (12.5%), 9.50, Tesco: Move over, Champagne! Archaeologists believe Limoux to be the birthplace of sparkling wine. This punches far above its price with a bright floral bouquet and peachy palate. Right: Cramele Recas Sorcova Pinot Noir 2020 (12.5%), 7.99, Waitrose. For poised Pinot Noir without the hefty price tag, look to Romania. The worlds fifth largest producer, it has been making wine for more than 6,000 years Left: Specially Selected Greco Di Tufo 2020 (13%), 7.99, Aldi: The Greco grape believed to have been brought to southern Italy by the Ancient Greeks thrives in the volcanic soils around Mount Vesuvius and delivers this textured white. Right: Classics Workhorse Chenin Blanc Stellenbosch 2021 (13%), 8, Marks & Spencer: This is made by South African winemaker Ken Forrester in collaboration with M&S. With a melange of orchard fruit, a mineral backbone and a hint of vanilla, it makes a mouthwatering aperitif My nearest and dearest would confirm that I am many things punctual, spiteful, fun but none of them would ever say I was sensible. Especially when it comes to money. I have racketed around in the red for much of my adult life, practising the easy-come, easy-go theory of fiscal attraction; this has made my financial journey to the age of 63 something of a rollercoaster. But as the fast ride slows to a serene ending, I can look back and marvel at how lucky I've been. Why did I never go bankrupt? Why aren't I living on the streets? It could so easily have happened. I wasn't born into money: my parents were factory workers, but they were very generous. A study at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem discovered that there is a 'generosity gene' after an experiment in which more than 200 'players' could choose to keep the money they were allocated, or to give all or part of it to another, anonymous, player. After DNA testing, it was found that those who had variants of a gene called AVPR1a gave on average nearly 50 per cent more money. The sensation that we feel after giving time and/or money for the benefit of others is known by scientists as 'givers' glow', triggered when part of the brain becomes flooded with dopamine, oxytocin and endorphins. JULIE BURCHILL (pictured): 'I have racketed around in the red for much of my adult life, practising the easy-come, easy-go theory of fiscal attraction' Whoever said it was better to give than to receive was right; many studies have found that people are happier when spending money on others rather than on themselves, enhancing a sense of purpose and improving physical health to the point of increasing lifespan. An only child, I am proof that the jibes about us Not Sharing are false; there was so much to go around relatively that I never felt the need to grasp at anything. Thus the paradox began of me being the most selfish yet most generous person I've ever known. A note to my haters: you'll be smirking, 'Trying to buy friends now!', but it may be something far worse than that. 'You pay people to go away,' an ex sex-worker friend once told me after I failed to show up for lunch with her (I was having more fun elsewhere), but thoughtfully rang the restaurant to ask them to give her anything she wanted plus a bottle of their second-best champagne. 'You're like the men who used to pay me to have sex with them they were paying me to leave, too.' I liked to spend on a good time: drugs, five-star sunshine and hotel parties It does sound a bit bad when you put it that way but then, I never wanted to be a Nice Person, I wanted to be a famous writer. I took for granted that that would make me rich too; my teenage heroes were, predictably, Dorothy Parker and Oscar Wilde, and obviously those dry martinis and catamites had to be paid for. But I would pay for everything, I daydreamed, stuck in double maths big drinks all round, not just a handful of fags and a few Candy Kisses for my comprehensive crew. I decided young that stinginess is halitosis of the soul. At 17 I got my start as a writer at the New Musical Express; small fame, but no fortune. As so many bright-eyed kids wanted to write for the pop press they could afford to pay us peanuts; a thing called Music-Paper Malnutrition existed luckily, we were all so keen on being skinny and pale that we didn't mind. My boyfriend and I collected returnable bottles from bins to get the tube fare into work, and because we were young and in love, being poor somehow added to the glamour. But like Marxism and love bites, poverty is rubbish past the first flush of youth. During my first marriage, we often found ourselves dependent on handouts from our parents, but I hadn't left one humble home to waste my youth and beauty in another. So I bolted from my Essex abode leaving behind my young son and my first husband. It was callous behaviour but I had to get back to London and have another bash at finding my fortune. The man I ran off with had a trust fund, but I was determined to make my own money. I'd come to the right place. The technicolour London I returned to in 1984 couldn't have been more different from the grim black-and-white one I'd left as a teenage bride to return to my husband's home town. This was the Sexy-Greedy 80s the last lush (in both ways) years before the internet made print and publishing a more streamlined beast. Three-hour lunches in Soho were the norm when being courted by editors, and many a time I reflected that the road to L L'Epicure, L'Escargot and L'Equipe was paved with good intentions. Here's an example of how much money I was earning when I went to work at The Mail on Sunday in the 80s: with just my salary I effortlessly got a mortgage for a three-bedroomed flat in Bloomsbury while still in my 20s. Try that now! During my first marriage, we often found ourselves dependent on handouts from our parents, but I hadn't left one humble home to waste my youth and beauty in another Despite this, I regularly found myself in the red until my handler at the newspaper told me that there was a thing called 'an advance on expenses'. It sounds like I'm making it up, but there was a vault beneath the Mail building; you'd get a note from the boss and on presentation of it, a cashier would hand over a huge wad of notes. But I was still broke. What was I spending it on? Predictably, cocaine mountains of the stuff, averaging around 500 a week, which I trailed in my wake like Johnny Appleseed. Loads of this was shovelled up the noses of the bright youngsters who worked at the other great source of money-chucking, my magazine The Modern Review. One month we ran an ironic home-shopping catalogue supplement which featured a Julie Burchill doll, basically a Barbie dressed in black with dark hair: 'Pull the string and she tells you how much she earns.' But I was never interested in status symbols or designer labels even when I was a size 10. Though I loved making and spending money, I never wanted things and I find people who talk about 'retail therapy' tragic. I liked to spend on a good time for myself and whoever was around, whether it was on drugs, five-star sunshine or hotel lobby parties which could easily come to a couple of thousand pounds for one evening. But halfway through the 90s, I had a bit of burnout and moved to Brighton seeking a new start. Sound of hollow laughter! First I bought a pink party house with an outdoor pool of all the money pits in the world, a swimming pool is by far the most efficient way to burn cash. I was relieved when in 2004 I sold the house to a developer. But the bad news was that I sold it for 1.5 million. It was like giving a family-size tin of Quality Street to a stoner now Le Grand Desinvestissement could begin in earnest. I parted with a quarter of a million in the first year alone, shelling out for friends, strangers and stray dogs with promiscuous glee. My spending had taken on a reckless air by now; The Red Shoes starring Viv 'spend, spend, spend' Nicholson. In Barcelona, drunk at an alfresco restaurant, I started giving money to passing beggars and was vaguely aware of a queue forming; the next morning my husband informed me that the queue had included the owner of the restaurant. When my bank manager came down from London to cut up my credit cards, I cried and he gave them back to me. Pictured: Burchill in Brighton in 2007 In Brighton, I gave away three Rolexes to people I barely knew. One Christmas I was buying one Diptyque candle in every fragrance at Space NK; suddenly seeing the reality of setting fire to thousands of pounds pop up on the credit card machine, I said to the shop assistant, 'What's your favourite charity?' He looked surprised: 'It's called Whizz-Kidz my little brother can't walk and they've helped him so much.' Writing an equivalent cheque for the astonished young salesperson completely cancelled out any subsequent self-loathing which might have marred the festive season. Of course I crashed but somehow, I didn't burn. When my bank manager came down from London to cut up my credit cards, I cried and he gave them back to me. This isn't a redemptive riches-to-rags story in which I end up broke and humble But this couldn't go on forever; discovering that a neighbour was a hypnotist (we'd met before, she reminded me, when I was buying drinks for everyone in a Brighton bar) I asked her if she could cure me of my apparent addiction to going broke. What followed was perhaps the drollest episode yet in my tempestuous love affair with money. My husband reminds me: 'For the three weeks it worked. You'd walk past beggars saying, 'They should get jobs!' but your hand would still be reaching for your wallet, with a mind of its own!' This isn't a redemptive riches-to-rags story in which I end up broke and humble. I stopped looking at price tags when I was 25, and at 63 And then I was back to my old sailor-on-shore-leave-and-just-won-the-lottery self. Luckily, I had a Banksy under the bed (yes, I know my life's unusual) so I sold it and bought a flat an Art Deco jewel-box with a sea view. During lockdown, I grew to love being alone there in a way I'd never felt about any other place I lived; I didn't want to lose this one. When the world opened up again, I was going to do it differently. This isn't a redemptive riches-to-rags story in which I end up broke and humble. I stopped looking at price tags when I was 25, and at 63, nothing's changed if I want something, I'll have it. But there's not much I want now. After my morning shift at a charity shop where I now get my clothes, books and scented candles I walk across the road to the bank. Once I had millions, then hundreds of thousands but huge swathes of it would leave my account each week. Now, I make more money than I spend, for the first time in my life. Staring at my bank statement with something like disbelief, I walk out into the sunshine and then I give my favourite beggar a tenner, because it's still true what Andrew Carnegie said: 'The man who dies rich dies disgraced.' The brand started in 1941 and is now sold in more than 100 countries But in fact the 'm' comes from the names of the founders - Mars and Murrie Some thought it was inspired by the 'mmm' sound made when you eat it And now customers are discovering what the 'm' initials stand for M&Ms are one of the most popular chocolate snacks in the world M&Ms are one of the most popular sweets in the world, and fans are just discovering what the 'm' on the chocolate stands for. The delicious chocolate was invented in the US in 1941 and the snack has become known for its hard-shell exterior with velvety smooth interior. While many speculate the name and initials was inspired by the 'mmm' sound made when you eat the chocolate - this isn't the case. Apparently 'M&Ms' and the initial stamped on the chocolate stem from the names of the two founders - Forrest E. Mars Sr., who started Mars Inc., and Bruce Murrie. M&Ms were invented in the US in 1941 and the snack has become known for its hard-shell exterior with velvety smooth interior. And now fans are discovering what the name and initial stamped on the chocolate stands for Apparently the use of the letter 'm' stems from the names of the two founders - Forrest E. Mars Sr., who started Mars Inc., and Bruce Murrie In the 1930s Forrest Mars thought of the idea for the iconic treat after noticing customers eating chocolate buttons with a hard shell to prevent melting. He joined forces with Bruce Murrie, who's the son of Hershey's Chocolate's president William F.R. Murrie. Murrie to develop the idea. Not long after, M&Ms were launched in stores and remain to be a popular snack option on shelves today. Fans on Reddit were shocked to discover what the initial and brand name really means. 'Damn, learn something new everyday,' one person wrote, another added: 'This is actually some info I haven't seen before. bravo.' M&Ms have been sold in more than 100 countries since 2003 and a variety of new colours and flavours have been introduced over recent years. The 'melts in your mouth, not in your hands' slogan also remains relevant and describes the chocolate perfectly. In the UK, United States and locations across Europe, customers can also indulge by visiting the M&Ms store. But the company is yet to open a store of the same kind Down Under. In 2017 Mars launched an M&Ms chocolate block offering six different flavours - milk, hazelnut, crispy, crispy mint and strawberry. The Duchess of Rutland has revealed how she felt she had been 'punched' when she learned of her husband's affair in 2009 - but kept it to herself at first. Emma Manners, 59, also said Kate, Princess of Wales, is her 'hero', and would be an excellent role model for her younger self as a new Duchess. Ahead of the release of her new autobiography, The Accidental Duchess, Emma, recalled the moment she discovered her husband, David, with whom she shares five children, was having an affair, after he declined to dance with her at his 50th birthday before she then saw him laughing with another woman. The Duchess of Rutland Emma Manners, 59, revealed the moment she realised her husband was being unfaithful ahead of the release of her new book, The Accidental Duchess The Duke and Duchess of Rutland (pictured) married in June 1992 after meeting at a dinner party, but their marriage broke down in 2012 following David Manners' affair. Nonetheless, the pair remain living on their Leicestershire Estate and are the best of friends The Duchess, who is still good friends with her estranged husband, spoke about feeling as if she was 'fighting for breath' as it dawned on her that everything was about to change. In an interview with the Telegraph, Ms Manners said she hardly told anyone about her discovery, claiming she is a 'private' person who rarely shares things with other people. Instead of confiding in friends, she said she coped with her husband's infidelity by smoking, drinking wine and dancing on her own to Gloria Gaynor's I Will Survive. Despite this, she has revealed several intimate details about her life in her new book - including that she had a breakdown in 2017 and has suffered from panic attacks for several years. She has also had five miscarriages. Emma married the Duke of Rutland David Manners in June 1992, after they had met at a dinner party two years earlier. She has previously said her 'biggest regret' was the dissolution of her relationship. The Duchess of Rutland described Kate, Princess of Wales as her 'hero' - and added that, while she thought the Duke and Duchess of Sussex were 'misguided' at times, Meghan was 'a good mum who makes Prince Harry happy' The marriage broke down in 2012 after the Duke embarked on an affair with a woman who lived on his estate. However Emma, chief executive of the Leicestershire estate, and David, who are still officially married, both continued to live at the 200-year-old stately home in separate towers and she has previously insisted the pair are still the 'very best of friends'. The Duke and Duchess share five children: Lady Alice Manners, 25, Emma Manners, Lady Eliza Manners, 23, and Lady Violet Manners, 27 and Lord Hugo Manners, 19. During the interview, the Duchess of Rutland was also asked what she thought of senior members of the Royal Family. Asked about the Princess of Wales in particular, she said: 'She is my absolute hero. I just think shes amazing.' She added that, when she first married the Duke, she wrote Deborah Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire, for advice. If she was in the same position today, she would write to Kate. When asked about the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, Emma said she believes some of their behaviour has been 'very misguided' - but added she thinks Meghan is 'a good mum and makes Prince Harry happy'. She added the Sussexes' decision to step down as senior royals and move to the US was a 'clean slate' for both the couple and other members of the Royal Family. Emma, who has become known as the 'frugal duchess', also revealed how, in her household, nothing is ever thrown away and she shops in budget supermarkets like Aldi and Lidl to make sure they live within their means. Earlier this week, the Duchess appeared on ITV's Lorraine to talk about her book - and claimed she believes there are spooky goings-on in her 356-room castle. She told Lorraine Kelly there are 'things you can't explain' in the enormous stately home. When asked if she believed there were ghosts in the property, Emma said: 'Well we may have, I got rid of most of them, you have to be strong with ghosts because they get away at times.' The duchess also told Lorraine how her daughters used to play spooky pranks on guests who were staying on the estate, including Hollywood actor Hugh Grant. She said: 'He went to bed early one night, they knew he was terrified of ghosts, and the girls ran their nails down the door he came running out thinking it was a ghost. 'The last laugh was on the girls as they then heard the sound of bagpipes coming up from the lift shaft in the middle of the night, they came running to find me and said "mummy there really is a ghost now" and I went to listen and no joke, that sound was coming up our lift shaft and I thought, "gosh, theres things you cant explain".' Royal fans have paid tribute to Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II after official pictures of her ledger stone were released by the Royal Family. Her Majesty has now been reunited with her beloved husband, loving parents, and dearest sister in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel after her interment. The ledger stone, made from Belgian black marble, shows the Queen's name simply inscribed in gold lettering, alongside the Queen mother, the former King and the Duke of Edinburgh, who died age 99 in April 2021. The new slab replaces the old stone that bore the names and dates of birth and death of George VI and his wife, Elizabeth. It now contains, in list form, 'George VI 1895-1952' and 'Elizabeth 1900-2002', and then 'Elizabeth II 1926-2022' and 'Philip 1921-2021'. Her Majesty (pictured here at Windsor Castle in April this year) died peacefully at Balmoral on September 8. She has finally been laid to rest in Windsor A picture released from Buckingham Palace reveals the Queen's ledger stone, which fresh stone now contains, in list form, 'George VI 1895-1952' and 'Elizabeth 1900-2002' followed by a metal Garter Star, and then 'Elizabeth II 1926-2022' and 'Philip 1921-2021' Between the two couples is a single metal Garter Star, the insignia of the Order of the Garter, the countrys oldest and most noble order of chivalry. All four were members of the order and St Georges Chapel, where the memorial chapel is situated, is its spiritual home. Also in the chapel is the Queen's sister Princess Margaret, who died one month before the Queen mother at the age of 71 back in 2002 - as the Windsor Royal Family is now reunited together forever. After an image of the ledger stone was shared by the Royal Family's Instagram account, people took to the comments section to share their thoughts. For one, seeing the poignant memorial provoked mixed emotions, as they revealed they found it 'bittersweet to look at'. Another royal watcher said: 'This made me quite sad as it makes it more real we will never see her again.' Royal watchers took to Instagram to share their thought on the ledger stone, with some noting that the Queen has been reunited with her late husband and family in death Meanwhile others noted that the Queen had been reunited with her beloved family and husband. One wrote: 'At least they are together and happy.' Another agreed, adding: 'Rest in Peace your majesty, reunited with Philip. Thank you for sharing this.' And a third simply said: 'Finally together again!' The Queen was laid to rest together with the Duke of Edinburgh on Monday evening in a private service attended by the King and the royal family, which followed her state funeral at Westminster Abbey and committal service in Windsor. When Philip died 17 months ago, his coffin was interred in the Royal Vault of St George's, ready to be moved to the memorial chapel - a pale stone annexe added on to the north side of the building behind the North Quire Aisle in 1969 - when the Queen died. The Queen's (on left with Philip Mountbatten, marking their engagement in a July 1947 portrait when she was Princess Elizabeth) name has been inscribed alongside her mother's, father's (The Queen mother middle with husband King George VI) and husband's on the stone in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, where the monarch was buried alongside the ashes of her sister, Margaret (far right) Her name was inscribed alongside that of her father George VI, Elizabeth the Queen Mother and that of her beloved late husband Philip who died last year Their remains were then interred in the tiny family memorial annex on Monday, built on the north side of St Georges Chapel. Their coffins were gently lowered 18ft to lie one on top of the other, supported by a metal frame, inside the 10ft by 14ft chamber. Her mother passed away aged 101 in March 2002. The Queen lost her sister, Princess Margaret, the previous month at the age of 71. She was cremated and her ashes were initially placed in the Royal Vault, before being moved to the George VI memorial chapel with her parents' coffins when the Queen Mother died weeks later. George VI died in February 1952 at the age of just 56 a moment the Queen always marked privately at her Sandringham estate. King Georges coffin had been originally placed in the Royal Vault. But as it was his wish to rest in his own chapel with his beloved wife, a memorial chapel that bears his name was built by his eldest daughter in 1969. Her Majesty was interred alongside her husband, Prince Philip, and her parents King George VI and Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother. Pictured: A stone in the George VI Memorial Chapel at St George's Chapel in Windsor, where the Queen Mother was laid to rest in 2002 The King George VI Memorial Chapel, which sits within the walls of St George's Chapel, was then commissioned by the Queen in 1962 as his burial place - designed by George Pace and finished in 1969. His and his wife's resting place was marked by a black ledger with the inscriptions King George VI 1895-1952 and Elizabeth 1900-2002 in gold lettering. The chapel will reopen to visitors next week on all days the castle is open to the public, excluding Sundays when it is only open for worshippers. The public can pay their respects at St George's Chapel from Thursday, September 29, by buying a castle tour ticket, which costs 28.50 on Saturdays and 26.50 on other days, just over a week after the late monarch's funeral was watched by over 30million Brits. After first royal appearances, Kate and William had a 'wake up', Nicholl claims Kate Middleton and Prince William felt they had to 'up their game' when Meghan Markle became engaged to Prince Harry and charmed members of the public, a new book has claimed. In The New Royals: Queen Elizabeth's Legacy and the Future of the Crown by Katie Nicholl, the author writes about the Duchess of Sussex's first public engagements after she and Prince Harry went public with their relationship. After joining the Royal Family, Meghan was invited to join the Royal Foundation alongside her fiance Prince Harry and the then Duke and Duchess of Cambridge. Pictured L-R: Prince Harry, Meghan Markle, Kate Middleton, Prince William speaking at a forum for the Royal Foundation in 2018 The 'Fab Four' were reunited in their grief two days after the Queen passed away as they appeared outside Windsor Castle, dressed all in black, to thank members of the public for their well-wishes and tributes to the late monarch But in her new book, Nicholl claims Meghan's first public appearance as a board member of the Foundation was a 'wake-up call' for Kate and William, The Mirror reports. In February 2018, the 'Fab Four' took part in a forum for the Royal Foundation, during which they talked about their charitable projects. However, Nicholl wrote in her book that Meghan was the 'breakout star' of the foursome, showcasing her wit and charm as she spoke on the panel and answered questions. She quoted a source who said: 'That was a wake-up moment for William and Kate when they realised that Meghan was very impressive, very confident and very capable.' Other claims made in Nicholl's book include that the Queen was left 'hurt and exhausted' by Harry and Meghan's decision to leave The Firm and move to the US. King Charles permitted Prince Harry (pictured), who served in Afghanistan, to wear his military uniform as he took part in a vigil on Saturday night in which he guarded the Queen's coffin in Westminster Hall A source close to the Queen has claimed the couple's decision left Her late Majesty 'very hurt' and unable to think about the situation. Pictured: Her Majesty stood next to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex on the balcony of Buckingham Palace in 2018 An extract of the book, which was published in Vanity Fair, revealed the Queen was also disappointed when Harry and Meghan didn't return to the UK in August with Archie and Lilibet, where she was hosting an annual 'sleepover' in Sandringham with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. The source added it was of more regret to Her late Majesty that the Sussexes' move meant she did not have the opportunity to see as much of Archie and Lilibet as she'd have liked. Her late Majesty passed away at Balmoral Castle on 8 September at the age of 96, at which point her eldest son Charles automatically became King. As the monarch, the book claims Charles is keen to heal the rift between the family and his youngest son Harry, 38. In his first televised address to the nation on 9 September, King Charles said: 'I want also to express my love for Harry and Meghan as they continue to build their lives overseas.' Some royal fans have claimed the mention of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex was an 'olive branch' towards the couple, who happened to be visiting Europe when the Queen passed away. Harry and Meghan, who now live in a $14million mansion in Santa Barbara, California, extended their trip and remained in Frogmore Cottage on the Windsor Estate during the period of mourning following the Queen's death and before her state funeral, committal service and private burial on Monday. Despite the rift between the Sussexes and the rest of the family, there have been glimpses of a potential reconciliation following the Queen's death. On the Saturday after the monarch passed away, the Prince and Princess of Wales made their first public appearance outside the Windsor Estate to read tributes that had been left to Her late Majesty and greet mourners. In an unexpected appearance, the Duke and Duchess of Sussex joined the couple as the 'Fab Four' were reunited in their grief. King Charles also allowed Prince Harry, who served in Afghanistan, to wear his military uniform during a vigil last Saturday night along with the Queen's other grandchildren, in which they guarded her coffin as it lay in state in Westminster Hall. Despite the fact he is no longer a working royal, King Charles granted his youngest son permission to don the military uniform so he could pay his respects to his grandmother. After Harry and Meghan left The Firm in February 2020, relations became strained between the Duke of Sussex and his father and brother. The rift in the family deepened a year later when the Sussexes took part in an explosive interview with US presenter and journalist Oprah Winfrey, in which they made controversial claims about the Royal Family. The King, 73, seen for the first time since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral on Monday They attended service at Crathie Kirk, where they worship when at Balmoral The King and Queen Consort were spotted out and about for the first time since Queen Elizabeth II's funeral as they drove near the Balmoral Estate this afternoon. King Charles, 73, returned to the Aberdeenshire estate five days ago for the first time since his mother passed away peacefully at Balmoral Castle on 8 September at the age of 96. Driving into the estate with Queen Consort Camilla this morning, the King, who is still dressed in black while the Royal Family observes a period of mourning, looked serious. The King and Queen Consort have been spotted in public for the first time since the Queen's funeral as they attend church at Crathie Kirk, near Balmoral The Queen Consort, 75, maintained a largely black outfit while the Royal Family observes a period of mourning, but she appeared to be wearing a tartan skirt The royal couple are attending a service at Crathie Kirk, a small parish church in the Scottish village of Crathie, near the Estate. It is where the Royal Family always goes to church when they are staying at Balmoral, suggesting the King and Queen Consort are in residence there at the moment. King Charles's first public appearance since the state funeral of his late mother Queen Elizabeth II on Monday follows an official portrait of the monarch hard at work which was released by the Royal Family on Friday evening. The portrait, which was taken last week, shows the King sitting in the 18th Century Room of Buckingham Palace while he reviews documents from the red box. In the photo there were a few subtle nods to his late mother and father, the late Duke of Edinburgh, which showed how the monarch will remember their influence when carrying out his royal duties. The King was pictured wearing a black three-piece suit and a black and white checked pocket square, with a black tie, as he left church Queen Consort Camilla looked poised as she left the service at Crathie Kirk, where the Royal Family worships when they are in residence at Balmoral The King and Queen Consort managed to smile politely as they left the church, while their period of mourning for Queen Elizabeth II continues The King and Queen Consort appeared serious as they headed to Sunday Service at church in Aberdeenshire, on their first visit to the Balmoral Estate since the Queen's death The King appeared in public for the first time since his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, was interred at the King George VI Memorial Chapel in Windsor The King has been hard at work since the passing of his mother, but has remained relatively quiet over the last week as the Royal Family mourns privately The King's Range Rover drove into Crathie Kirk church, where they attend Sunday Service when at residence on the Balmoral Estate Most striking was the black-and-white photo of the Queen and Prince Philip which sat on the side table behind the King's desk while he worked on reviewing documents from his red box. According to the Royal Family's Instagram account, which published the photo of the King hard at work, the photo of the monarch's late parents, was a gift from them to King George VI in 1951 at Christmas. The photo of the Queen and Prince Philip is not the first tribute of its kind from the King, 73, after he addressed the nation for the first time on Friday 9 September from the Blue Drawing Room of Buckingham Palace, where some of Her late Majesty's Christmas speeches had been filmed, with a photo of Her late Majesty on the desk next to him. During the address, he also told the nation how he will draw upon his mother's example during his own reign. The King said: 'Throughout her life, Her Majesty The Queen my beloved Mother was an inspiration and example to me and to all my family, and we owe her the most heartfelt debt any family can owe to their mother; for her love, affection, guidance, understanding and example. 'Queen Elizabeth was a life well lived; a promise with destiny kept and she is mourned most deeply in her passing. That promise of lifelong service I renew to you all today.' King Charles III was hard at work as he reviewed official documents from his red box during his first days as the monarch following the death of his mother (Pictured in the Eighteenth Century Room at Buckingham Palace) Her late Majesty Queen Elizabeth II (pictured with the red box at Sandringham in February 2022) began every single day reviewing documents from the red box, apart from Christmas Day Royal fans may also have noticed a tribute to King Charles's mother in the bouquet of flowers sitting behind the red box in the new photo. The display of blue and lilac petals appears to include sprigs of delphinium, a flower that holds several meanings. Primarily, delphinium is recognised as a sign of encouragement, joy and hope. However, it also holds a more poignant symbolism for people who are grieving - in that it is often used to commemorate the lives of loved ones who have recently passed away. Many royal fans may argue the photo itself is a tribute to the King's late mother, who was often pictured reviewing documents from the red box. The Royal Family's official Instagram account wrote: 'The Red Box contains papers from government ministers in the UK and the Realms and from representatives from the Commonwealth and beyond. 'The documents are sent from the Private Secretarys Office to The King, wherever he may be in residence, in a locked red despatch box. 'Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth received Red Boxes, which were made upon her Coronation in 1952, almost every day of her reign, including weekends and holidays, but excluding Christmas Day.' In almost every photo of Her late Majesty reviewing the documents, she is pictured candidly as she carefully reads through the briefing. However 2022, which marked Queen Elizabeth's Platinum Jubilee year, saw a change in the late monarch's red box photo. Taken at the Sandringham Estate in February, the Queen is pictured smiling into the camera next to the Red Box, and wearing a light green outfit. She has since gone into full skin care and recently launched a hair care line She wanted to come up with a foundation to help people with skin concerns The mum-of-two spent money saved for a home to build her beauty brand Evette Hess spent her twenties cutting her hair to hide her bad skin - using a big block-out fringe to hide the acne which would scatter across her forehead Evette Hess spent her twenties cutting her hair to hide her bad skin - using a big block-out fringe to hide the acne scattered across her forehead. Now, at 36, she owns Esmi, a multi-million dollar skin and hair care company that focuses on getting to the root of problem skin. Speaking to FEMAIL, the Gold Coast mother-of-two explained how she launched her first brand Poni, which she later incorporated into Esmi, to help fix women's complexions. It all started in 2015 with a foundation which included skincare and provided great coverage without blocking pores and causing more problems. Now the entrepreneurial mum has developed a hair range - which works using the same principals the skincare is now renowned for - fixing the problem at the cause instead of simply masking the symptoms. 'I really believe in being kind to our skin, when you have an angry, inflamed person you don't fix the problem by throwing acid on them, the same should be true for our skin,' she said. 'I wanted to make something that didn't dry out the skin in the process of clearing it up.' The busy mum gambled everything she had to build her business - but it worked out and she is now kept busy filling hundreds of orders per day Evette spent years as a beautician specialising in skin health and knew she had to come up with a product that could help women with skin concerns The Esmi products include vitamins, minerals and probiotics to help restore balance to the skin. Evette was on maternity leave when she started the business - her daughter was six months old and has grown up alongside the beauty brand. 'I had worked in the beauty industry for years, at a specialist skin clinic, and my customers would always come in and complain about makeup clogging up their skin,' she said. 'They would come in and we would be getting on top of their skin concerns, but then they would be caught in the cycle once they went home. 'And I couldn't blame them for that, anyone would do the same thing, bad skin can have a huge impact on our confidence so it is natural to want to cover it up.' Evette and her husband had put money down on a block of land and were going to build their dream home when 'the deal just didn't settle'. So instead of pouring the money into another home, Evette decided to back her dreams and use it to start her business. 'I was working on formulas and the business in general for 18 months before we had any sales,' she said. 'There were definitely times when I wondered if I had done the right thing.' 'I was working on formulas and the business in general for 18 months before we had any sales,' she said Evette's daughter was six-months old when she decided to start her first company Poni, which has evolved into Esmi - the youngster has grown up 'at work' Evette was working as a contractor at a clinic by day and building her empire at night. Seven years on and she has the number one selling serum at Sephora and a loyal fan base eager to snap up the newest products on every launch. She says her stretch into haircare seemed like a natural progression from skincare. 'Hair and skin are made of the same stuff. So we decided to make a range that focused on scalp health which leads to healthy hair.' But the 36-year-old is far from done; her team is working on a range of hair treatments and oils which will compliment the shampoo and conditioners and mirror the items available in the skin range. Her team now consists of 40 full-time staff and about 40 contractors and is 'solid', meaning she better able to establish work-life boundaries. The business has gone from strength to strength and now boasts the number one selling serum at Sophora They have recently launched a haircare line - which uses the same principals as the skin care products - tackling the cause not the symptoms 'I haven't quite figured out the balance yet,' she said. 'But I know when I need to take more family time that my team have got it.' Evette's daughter loves coming to work with her, which she says is a blessing because she's with her in the warehouse and office often. Her husband worked in the business for the first four years 'for free' and then continued in a paid capacity for a few more. But as the business has grown, he has been able to leave Evette's team to pick up some of 'his jobs' and now works in a private equity firm. 'I couldn't have built Esmi without him, we are opposite in many ways which helps us balance out, Evette said. 'I am creative and he is analytical and logical; so I come up with the crazy ideas and then we go through them together to see what works,' she said. All of the Esmi products are made and packaged on the Gold Coast - minutes from where Evette and her family lives. Brooke Gold's life was turned upside down when a shock cervical cancer in February, 2021, left her with a hole in her bladder, infertile and thrown into early menopause. The mum-of-one, 36, had always been diligent with pap smears but admitted she had delayed check-ups over the past five years due to a busy lifestyle and a fear of the result due to a family history of cancer. If she had delayed her check-up one more month, doctors believe she'd most likely be dead. In November 2020, after experiencing spotting between her periods, a pap smear check-up led to the detection of a four centimetre growth on her cervix. Since, the young HR manager has been on an 'emotional and physical rollercoaster' during treatment and was left with awful side effects including a 'hole' in her bladder from radiotherapy. Fit and healthy mum-of-one Brooke Gold (pictured) was diagnosed with cervical cancer on February 18, 2021 after experiencing spotting between her periods. A pap smear check-up led to the detection of a 4cm growth on her cervix Since then the young Sydney HR manager has been on an 'emotional and physical rollercoaster' enduring treatment and was left with awful side effects - including a 'hole' in her bladder from radiotherapy (pictured left to right: Brooke, her son Micah Brooklyn, 13, and partner Jones Akuesson) Brooke was told by doctors if she delayed getting tested for another month she likely would've died (pictured during treatment) In May 2021, Brooke was told the cancer had advanced to stage four and doctors attempted surgery to save her fertility but couldn't proceed because it had already spread to her lymph nodes. 'My family and I were told they were not sure if they could save my life at this point as it was advanced. They removed some lymph nodes and stitched me back up,' Brooke told FEMAIL. She remained in hospital for a few weeks then started chemotherapy and radiation. Unfortunately she then had three weeks of internal radiation, and as a result has lost her fertility and been left with 'severe radiation damage', including constant pelvic pain, discomfort and menopause. 'If I had of gone sooner for my pap smear, or if doctors told me when I was having symptoms that I needed a pap smear, I could have avoided cancer and losing my fertility,' Brooke said. 'I have a lot of radiation damage aside from just my ovaries 'dying' - I have severe burns inside my pelvis and a hole in my bladder from radiation.' In May last year, Brooke opted to have surgery to save her fertility (pictured: before the surgery strapped to a heart monitor) Unfortunately doctors couldn't proceed as the cancer had spread to her lymph nodes and advanced to stage 4 (pictured: Brooke and her son after being told the cancer had advanced) 'Everywhere I turn, my friends are having babies and Jones and I now need a surrogate to have ours,' she said. There is one surgical option to attempt to reverse the damage caused by the radiotherapy, but it's incredibly risky. 'This option isn't very reliable - there's only a 20 per cent chance it'll work as it's such a complex surgery due to the radiation damage and the likelihood of all the body tissue just collapsing,' Brooke said. 'I've needed to have six weeks of hyperbaric oxygen everyday to see if that helps the dead tissue heal and whilst this helped some of the inflammation, it did not close the hole or fix the damage - so a very risky surgery is my only option.' Brooke has told doctors she does not want to go ahead with the surgery for now as the risks are too high. Brooke and her partner are now considering surrogacy, which she said will cost them $200K USD / $300K AUD. The huge bill includes the surrogacy agency fee to pay the surrogate and for all associated costs with IVF process (pictured: Brooke and Jones) The young mum is also dealing with early menopause - another result of the damaging radiation she previously had As for the surrogacy process itself, the couple only have two embryos from the IVF which were removed before Brooke's initial surgery. 'I feel sad about it (surrogacy) but happy we have this kind of technology and option available,' she said. 'It costs over $200,000 USD (close to $300,000 AUD) so it's not cheap and the process is very very complex.' The huge bill includes the surrogacy agency fee to pay the surrogate and for all associated costs with IVF process. The young mum is also dealing with early menopause - another result of the damaging radiation. 'Doctors said I "had the most amount of radiation humanly possible without it killing someone",' Brooke claims. Now doctors have told Brooke she is 'cured of cancer' but requires full body scans every three months for the next five years to make sure there is no recurrence Now doctors have told Brooke she is 'cured of cancer' but requires full body scans every three months for the next five years to make sure there is no recurrence. But just because treatment has finished doesn't mean the battle is over. 'I struggle every day. They don't tell you that when cancer treatments finish, it isn't the end of the fight and in some ways,' she said. 'The last 12 months since treatment finished has been just as hard, if not harder than the treatment itself. 'I feel like I am only just now processing the fact I had cancer and almost died. One more month and maybe they wouldn't have been able to save my life.' But just because treatment has finished doesn't mean the battle is over. 'I struggle every day. They don't tell you that when cancer treatments finish, it isn't the end of the fight and in some ways,' she said Brooke is making it her mission to combat against the cancer and raise awareness on social media. She has always maintained a fit and healthy lifestyle, eats well and goes to the gym often Now Brooke is making it her mission to combat the cancer and raise awareness on social media. She has always maintained a fit and healthy lifestyle, eats well and goes to the gym often. 'Being diagnosed was a complete shock and the days that followed were a blur; I was terrified and overwhelmed over what will come next, I just kept thinking 'why me?',' Brooke previously told FEMAIL. The cancer itself is 'terrifying' as it's usually asymptomatic - meaning someone could be living with the disease but have no symptoms. She is forever grateful for her family and Jones for supporting her during the entire ordeal. A woman has recounted the moment she felt 'uncomfortable' after a man 'barged' into a female-only sauna. Milly Bannister, from Sydney, posted a video explaining how in her building there's both male and female saunas for 'safety and privacy'. But on this occasion when Milly and her friend were in the women-only sauna wearing 'brief clothing', she claims a man 'barged' in to use the facility. When the 25-year-old asked him to leave she claims the man got angry and refused. Scroll down for video Sydney influencer Milly Bannister (left) claims a man (right) 'barged' into a female-only sauna because it's 'hotter' than the male sauna. The 25-year-old and her friend asked the man to leave but he refused, so they did after feeling uncomfortable 'Okay, so I'm at the pool in my building complex that I have a pass to, and there are a couple of saunas that are in here - one of them is male and one of them is a female,' Milly said in the video. 'And of course, I would prefer to use the female because I'm in brief clothing, I'm sweating, I'm sitting with my girlfriend having a conversation, you know, you're in a very enclosed space. And you're sweating, it's very personal and intimate. 'So my friend and I were sitting in the female sauna right here when this man barges in without asking and sits right smack in the middle.' She claims the man said he preferred to use the female sauna because 'it gets hotter' than the male sauna. Milly posted a video explaining how in her building there's both male and female saunas for 'safety and privacy' In the video the man can seen wearing only speedos and is heard speaking in an angry tone. Milly added text over the clip claiming the man said she 'shouldn't assume he's not gay' and should be allowed to use the sauna - she also titled the video 'male privilege check'. 'The question is, am I the a**hole for asking the man to leave because I don't feel comfortable in a female-only sauna to have a man there, whom I don't know,' Milly asked. In the comments Milly said they left the sauna because the man 'refused to leave' and that she'll mention the incident to the building manager. The video has since exceeded more than 121,000 views and other TikTok uses were also shocked. 'The fact that he didn't leave and fought you on this is a scary red flag,' one person wrote in the comments. 'Female-only sauna = female only. If it had been unisex or unspecified it would be different, but the sign literally says female only,' another wrote. A third added: 'You did the right thing! Good on you for being brave in that situation.' Travellers have been shocked after a flight attendant revealed five things you should never do on a plane. Tommy Cimato, from Arizona, USA, shared a TikTok video that has since received more than 653,000 likes and a number of comments. He said passengers should never wear shorts, lean their heads against the window and should drink at least 470ml of water on every flight. Scroll down for video American flight attendant, Tommy Cimato revealed what you should never do on an airplane. Some of the tips included never touching the flush button in the toilets, staying hydrated and never leaning your head against the window to sleep First up, Tommy also advised passengers to not touch the toilet flush button or lever because it's incredible unsanitary. 'It's pretty gross, so when you flush, use a napkin or a tissue that's in the lavatory,' he said. He then reminded viewers to drink water when travelling, particularly on long-haul flights. 'Stay hydrated. You want to have about 16 ounces (470ml) for every flight that you go on,' Tommy advised. While the window seat is a popular spot chosen my most passengers, Tommy said to never 'sleep or lean on the window'. 'You don't know how many people or children have wiped their hands or other things all over the window,' he said. Surprisingly he also advised others to never wear shorts on a plane because, similarly to the window, you 'don't know how clean' it is. Tommy said: 'If you have pants, you're going to have less germs'. Passengers should also never feel afraid to let a flight attendant know if you're feeling sick, because Tommy said they are 'there to help'. While the video caught the attention of thousands, many travellers were less than impressed with the airline secrets and several followers were outraged that an airline would allow surfaces to be so filthy. 'In conclusion, the whole plane dusty,' one person wrote, another added: 'This proves that you guys don't clean inside the plane.' 'So you're basically saying you don't clean/sanitise the plane after every flight. Got it,' a third added. But in the comments Tommy clarified the situation and wrote: 'The ground crew does all the plane cleaning, they try their best to keep it clean but this is just in case if it gets missed!' Other fans voiced their appreciation for Tommy's information after receiving the backlash. 'As a future flight attendant, thank you very much,' one person wrote. What you should never do on a plane 1. Do not go barefoot 2. Don't get up during turbulence 3. Don't ignore the safety demos 4. Don't snap your fingers at the crew 5. Don't get up as soon as you land 6. Don't touch the flush button in the toilets 7. Never wear shorts 8. Don't lean your head against the window Advertisement An Australian flight attendant previously shared the three in-flight essentials she always packs with her on a trip, including a passport case, clear pouches and a selection of outfits in her carry-on luggage. Rosalie Shaw, who is based in Sydney, runs a YouTube channel that reveals some of the best tips and tricks she has picked up since joining the aviation industry in November 2013. Describing the work she does with Jetstar as her 'dream job' the blonde hostess covers everything from her biggest pet peeve to what a day in her jet-setting life looks like. In a video Rosalie outlined the importance of placing your passport in its own separate case to avoid it getting waterlogged or damaged. Rosalie Shaw, 30, who is based in Sydney, runs a YouTube channel that revealed some of the best tips and tricks she has picked up since joining the aviation industry in November 2013 'Always keep your passport in a case and then put that case in a ziplock bag, or a clear bag,' she explained. 'I know it seems like a lot but a damaged passport will literally ruin your holiday. 'The cases protect the pages from being bent, the bag will protect it from any accidental spills from a water bottle, rain or in my case, a really bumpy boat ride.' When it comes to packing her toiletries, these are always in a clear pouch to get through airport security. But she uses those clear pouches to pack other essentials too so she can quickly see what's in each without rifling through. 'It just makes it so much easier to find what you need because you can literally see what's inside them,' she said. When it comes to packing her toiletries, these are always in a clear pouch to get through airport security Finally, even if she's taking a hold bag Rosalie places her most 'expensive' outfits in her carry-on so she won't be stuck if her bag goes missing Finally, even if she's taking a hold bag Rosalie places her most 'expensive' outfits in her carry-on so she won't be stuck if her bag goes missing. 'If you're like me, sometimes you need to take more stuff and if you have to check your bag in, make sure you have two or three of your favourite, or most expensive items of clothing with you in your carry-on bag,' she said. 'If your bag goes missing, you won't be struggling for outfits. I always have my favourite linen dress and then another outfit, a cardigan, a spare pair of underwear and then maybe a bikini, depending where I'm going, and a pair of shoes. 'One time my bag did go missing, but at least I had some back up outfits with me so I wasn't as stressed.' Describing the work she does with Jetstar as her 'dream job' the blonde hostess covers everything from her biggest pet peeve to what a day in her jet-setting life looks like BEST SKINCARE FOR FLIGHTS The blonde flight attendant said she has really dry skin and used to suffer as a result of the moisture-sucking cabin air. To combat this Rosalie found the 100% Jojoba Oil from The Jojoba Company ($19.95) was best at locking in her natural skin moisture and she applies it before doing her makeup of a morning. She also cannot fly without her Lucas PawPaw Ointment ($12.79) because it is good for soothing dry lips, elbows and nail cuticles. At the moment she's 'loving' the MooGoo lip balm ($4.50) because it's slightly smaller and fits easily in her pocket. The blonde flight attendant said she has really dry skin and often suffered as a result of the moisture-sucking cabin air MOST ANNOYING PET PEEVE ON FLIGHTS In a YouTube video titled 'Flight Attendant Tag' Rosalie spoke about one of the most annoying things customers do while they're flying. 'Please don't leave your half peeled, half eaten, hard boiled eggs in the seat pockets,' she said. On short haul flight it is the attendants who are cleaning up after passengers and it's a nasty surprise to find a squished egg somewhere on board. Instead Rosalie said it's easy to throw your food away during one of the many stops the hostess' make down the aisles. In a YouTube video titled 'Flight Attendant Tag' Rosalie spoke about one of the most annoying things customers do while they're flying HOW TO BE COMFORTABLE ON A FLIGHT Rosalie sees a lot of passengers sitting down in their exercise gear or gym tights on a flight but she describes this as the 'worst thing' you can do for your body. She recommends loose fitting clothing be worn at all times and comfortable footwear - like those produced by Easy Steps - be used as 'cabin shoes'. Avoiding high heels on a flight is key, because they can lead to a misalignment of your spine over time. Further to this, book the aisle seat on a plane so you can drink as much water as you'd like and still get up without disrupting anyone. Rosalie finds she drinks less water to avoid being a nuisance to other customers in the window seat, which ultimately leaves you dehydrated. The government can take a call on reimbursement of fees. The colleges are ready for the newly proposed courses, Niranjan Reddy said. DC File Photo Hyderabad: The Telangana High Court sought to know the stand of the state government on a batch of petitions filed by several engineering colleges, complaining that they have been forbidden from taking BTech admissions in courses on emerging technologies like artificial intelligence (AI), cyber security, data science, among others. The colleges said they had secured affiliation from the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) and recognition from universities. The colleges alleged that the government is concerned about financial implications by way of fee reimbursement and other scholarships. To buttress their contentions, they submitted a notice by the commissioner of technical education which said that the additional course intake would cause financial burdens. CVR Engineering College, JBIT, Royal College and 14 colleges urged the court to direct the government, technical education department and the convener of TS Eamcet-2022, to validate the new courses so that students could join them in the second phase of Eamcet counselling that will commence on September 28. A division bench, comprising Chief Justice Ujjal Bhuyan and C.V. Bhaskar Reddy heard the petitions. Senior counsel S. Niranjan Reddy, representing the colleges, pointed out that as the intake was getting reduced for conventional courses like civil, chemical and mechanical engineering and many colleges closed them up in order to start emerging courses that had a better future. The government can take a call on reimbursement of fees. The colleges are ready for the newly proposed courses, Niranjan Reddy said. The court was not inclined to issue orders to the government to permit the new courses, without hearing the contentions of the government. It asked the government to file its contention before the next hearing on October 11. The CIA has unveiled a model of Ayman al-Zawahiri's safe house, used to brief Joe Biden about the al-Qaeda leader's whereabouts before the agency killed him. Al-Zawahiri, a deputy of Osama Bin Lande, was killed in late July via Hellfire Ninja drone strike in Afghanistan from his safe house's third-floor balcony, 21 years after the CIA began its hunt for one of the key plotters of the September 11 terrorist attacks. Shortly after al-Zawahiri's death, White House officials released a photo showing Biden talking to CIA Director William Burns with a closed wooden box on the table in front of them. Now, the contents of the box - a model depicting a white-walled home with at least five stories and three partially obscured balconies - are on display at the CIA Museum inside the agency's Virginia headquarters. A model of the house where a precision counterterrorism operation killed al-Qaeda's leader Ayman al-Zawahiri was unveiled at the CIA Museum in Langley, Virginia The model was used in a brief for President Joe Biden , who approved a drone strike to shoot and kill the al-Qaeda leader in July, while he stepped out onto the third-floor balcony Al-Zawahiri was killed after 21 years on the run after serving as one of the key masterminds behind the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks Al-Zawahiri's display is right below a rifle used by Michael Spann, the first American killed in Afghanistan. Al-Zawahiri was killed about a year after the US withdrawal from the country Pictured: President Joe Biden in the Situation Room at the White House meeting with his national security team on July 1, where they outlined the operation to take out al Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri using a model of his home The museum is closed to the public and access is generally limited to the agency's employees and guests. The CIA allowed journalists to tour the museum, newly refurbished in time for the agency's 75th anniversary, as part of a broader effort to showcase its history and achievements. Most of the exhibits took years or decades to declassify. The al-Zawahiri model home is the rare artifact that had been used by intelligence officers just weeks beforehand. Al-Zawahiri was killed nearly a year after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan ending a two-decade war in which the CIA had a central role. The agency sent the first American forces two weeks after the September 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Two decades later, it pulled out intelligence assets and assisted in the chaotic evacuation of thousands of Americans and Afghan allies. The Biden administration has said the strike shows it retains what it calls an 'over-the-horizon' counterterrorism capacity in Afghanistan. Zawahiri's death means that all of the plotters of 9/11 have now been captured or killed. The model of Zawahiri's safe house is not the only one of its kind on display in the museum, as the archives also include a model of Osama bin Laden's Pakistani compound, where he was in hiding before being killed by American forces. The display was set up in time for the CIA's 75th anniversary at the museum, which is closed to the public with only agency and guests allowed in Pictured: Al-Zawahiri's display is among many at the CIA museum in Virginia A display for the Central Intelligence Agency's work in Afghanistan shows the seven stars that were part of a larger memorial to the seven CIA officers killed in the line of duty on Dec. 30, 2009, at Forward Operation Base Chapman in a hunt for Al-Zawahiri Deputy Director for the Museum in the Central Intelligence Agency Janelle Neises describes a model of the compound where U.S. forces located and killed Osama bin Laden in Abbottabad, Pakistan, that is on display in the refurbished museum Like with Al-Zawahiri, the US used a model of bin Laden's home to plan its strike An AKM rifle that was found near the body of Usama Bin Laden during the raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan Opponents of the administration and some analysts question whether al-Zawahri's presence in a Kabul neighborhood suggests extremist groups like al-Qaeda or the Islamic State are growing stronger under the Taliban, who now rule the country. The strike was particularly meaningful for the CIA, which lost seven employees in trying to find al-Zawahiri, a key plotter of the September 11 attacks who was then al-Qaedas second-in-command. They were killed when a Jordanian doctor who pretended to have information about al-Zawahiri carried out a 2009 suicide bombing at a base in Khost, Afghanistan. The doctor was working for al-Qaeda. On display near the model of al-Zawahiri's home are seven stars honoring the CIA employees slain at Khost. The stars were previously part of a memorial in Afghanistan that was taken down as the U.S. withdrew. A gold AK-47 that belonged to Saddam Hussein along with an Iraqi sniper rifle A Ruger M77 bolt action rifle brandished by Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein Director for the Central Intelligence Agency Museum Rob Byer Other newly revealed artifacts include concept drawings for the fake film created as part of a 1980 operation to rescue American diplomats from Iran, the subject of the 2012 movie 'Argo' starring Ben Affleck. There are also crew uniforms and other items from the Glomar Explorer, the Howard Hughes-built ship that served as cover for a 1970s mission to surface a sunken Soviet submarine carrying nuclear-armed ballistic missiles. The story on the front page of the Los Angeles Times exposing the operation is reproduced on a nearby museum wall. The museum also includes some information on the agency's darker moments, including its role in the ultimately false assertions that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction prior to the 2003 U.S. invasion, as well as the exposure and execution of several key spies the U.S. had in the Soviet Union. Deputy Director for the Museum in the Central Intelligence Agency Janelle Neises talks about the CIA's Soviet spies exhibit Neises gives a group of journalists a tour of the refurbished museum A junior officer disguise kit is on display at the Central Intelligence Agency's museum A display showing a photo of Valerie Plame Neises talks about the 'Argo' exhibit on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 Janelle Neises, the museum's deputy director, says a running agency joke about the collection is that for most people, its 'the greatest museum you'll never see.' The CIA wants to use its history to engage more with the public, albeit on the narrow terms one might expect of an intelligence service. The number of annual visitors to the museum, for example, is classified. Among the known guests are U.S. lawmakers, officers from other law enforcement and intelligence agencies, and foreign officials. But CIA employees post about some of the museums roughly 600 exhibits on social media. The agency also recently started a podcast with Burns, the CIA director, as its first guest. A primary goal of the museum is to reinforce lessons from the agency's successes and failures for the current workforce, Neises said. Some CIA veterans who served in the missions depicted in the museum donated artifacts to the collection. But the agency is now hiring officers in their twenties who are too young to remember the September 11, 2001, attacks. 'The idea here is as youre going to lunch or as youre going to a meeting, leave 10 minutes early, leave 20 minutes early, and just take the time to look at one section and really learn about your history,' Neises said. A mockup of a pigeon with a camera attached Copies of the President's Intelligence Checklist (PICL) from the day of President John F. Kennedy's assassination A mockup of the Berlin Tunnel the Central Intelligence Agency used for Operation Gold A display showing the covers of the President's Daily Briefing Viewers were divided over the 'accent hate' with some agreeing it was 'annoying' She said it wasn't the first time an Australian had made fun of the way she sounds US woman Gigi said man interrupted her and said her accent was 'f***ing stupid' An American girl living in Australia has claimed her accent was ruthlessly mocked as 'really f**king stupid' at a party. Gigi, who is living in Melbourne, said she had been in the middle of introducing herself when a man interrupted her mid-sentence. She said the Australian man at the party told her she sounded 'really f**king stupid' in a TikTok video she titled '#JusticeForCaliGirls'. 'I went to a party last night, and I was just introducing myself, trying to be nice to people,' she started the video. US woman Gigi (pictured) said she had been in the middle of introducing herself at a party when she was interrupted by an Australian man who said her accent was f***ing stupid' 'And I was a little bit tipsy, but anyways. This f**king dude just randomly interrupts me, and he says 'you sound so f**king stupid'. 'And starts talking like this, mimicking what I was saying.' Gigi told her viewers it wasn't the first time her accent had bee mocked. 'That's not even the first time that's happened to me here. It's happened so many times,' she said. 'I'm sure if you're from Southern California and you're a girl, and you're cute, people probably say that s**t to you all the goddamn time. 'And honestly, hashtag justice for Cali girls. It's a deep insecurity of mine.' Viewers were divided over whether Gigi's accent was 'annoying' with some saying the man who called her out was doing 'what Aussies do'. TikTok users were divided over whether they thought Gigi's accent was 'annoying' with some saying her 'hater' at the party was just doing 'what Aussies do'. 'That guy was thinking what every Australian is thinking, go away' one commented. 'We had to deal with enough American accents on TV, it sounds so weird hearing it in real life,' another wrote. 'People here hate American accents, I'm telling you'. Another viewer told Gigi that though she was 'lovely' most Australians think the 'Valley girl' accent sounds stupid. 'Aussies really value humility and hate arrogance, and sometimes the Valley girl vibe comes off as arrogance,' they said. Other viewers told Gigi (pictured) Australians were just 'jealous' of her American accent Other viewers told Gigi Australians were just 'jealous' of her American accent. 'You sound so hot. I am Australian, and they are just jealous we sound like bogans, you are beautiful,' they wrote. 'Literally happens to me all the time too! Like what am I supposed to do change my accent,' another commented. 'This is Australia guys! It's happened to me for years,' a third commented. 'I'm originally from the UK so have a strong British accent and they do this to me.' An Australian man faces the death penalty after being arrested for trying to smuggle heroin in his anus into Bali. Graham Huynh, who also goes by Jeff Welton, 52, was arrested at Bali's international airport on September 6 after arriving on a flight from Vietnam. He is accused of hiding 8.09g of heroin in his anus, which under Indonesia's drug importation laws means he could face the death penalty. Australian Jeff Welton has been arrested for trying to smuggle 8g of heroin into Bali from Vietnam Mr Welton's lawyer will argue that he is a heroin addict, which would allow for him to undergo rehabilitation rather jail time Mr Welton, who holds both Australian and British passports, also faces charges of drug possession which carry a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Police say they will hold a press conference about the arrest during the week. Mr Huynh's lawyer Edward Pangkahila told news.com.au that Mr Huynh had been addicted to heroin for over 15 years. Under Indonesian law those who prove drug addiction are given rehabilitation rather than jail or other punishments. 'As the lawyer, we are working on it and hopefully he can get rehabilitation,' Mr Pangkahila said. 'He is a drug user who has been severely addicted to heroin. He really needs rehabilitation. Convicted Bali Nine ringleaders Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed in Indonesia in 2015 Renae Lawrence is the only member of the Bali Nine to have been released from prison in Indonesia 'We have requested the narcotic agency to conduct an assessment for his drug addiction.' Jeff Welton is a diving instructor and keen surfer who lives in Bali and resides in Perth when in Australia. In 2015 Australians Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran were executed in Indonesia as the convicted ringleaders of the so-called Bali Nine drug smugglers. The nine Australians were arrested trying to smuggle 8.3kg of heroin to Australia on a flight out of Bali's airport in 2005. Of the remaining seven only one, Renae Lawrence, has been released from jail while another Tan Duc Thanh Nguyen has died of cancer. She has not been named because of threats against her and will likely be moved to a different school in the district Granite School District said it did, however, reprimand the teacher for her behavior Administrators said employees were free to express themselves on their personal social media spaces A woke fourth-grade teacher who professed on social media that her classroom was 'built for non-white students' can keep her job after a school district investigation found no 'policy or legal violations.' The teacher, who has not been named, has been suspended since she posted a video of herself talking about her new role at William Penn Elementary School in Mill Creek, Utah in August. 'For the first time in my life I am teaching at a majority white school and I'm kind of interested to see how students and parents react to my classroom or if they even notice anything about it because it's built for non-white students,' she said on the social network. 'If you look around and you interact with some of the materials I have, you'll notice there's no white kids represented.' After the posting went viral, Dr. Nichole Higgins, the school's principal, called the teacher's statement 'very disconcerting' and said 'it is inappropriate for any employee to make students feel unwelcome in any way, shape, or form.' But the teacher has now been cleared of rule-breaking or law-breaking, and will be allowed to keep her job. She will likely be moved to another school in the district, and issued a groveling apology over her virtue-signaling behavior. The teacher's identity has not been confirmed, although DailyMail.com has contacted a woman believed to be the teacher for further comment. This 4th grade teacher @WilliamPennEl explains that her classroom is built for non-white students. pic.twitter.com/jttAA1VWqy Inside The Classroom (@EITC_Official) August 20, 2022 The former William Penn Elementary School teacher, pictured, will not be fired for saying her classroom was 'built for non-white students', but she will likely be transferred to another school in the Granite School District Parents also became enraged at the social media post. 'When woke white people become the racist. She shouldn't be allowed within 500 [yards] of any school let alone teach at one. Wow. Sick of these idiots,' Brock Fetter wrote on the Granite School District Parents Facebook group. Administrators promised to investigate, but on September 23, according to ABC 4 News in Salt Lake City, they found there was no evidence of 'any policy or legal violations' or 'instances of discrimination of any kind within the employee's classroom or students.' District representatives told the TV news station that 'employees on their own time and personal lives have free speech rights.' William Penn Elementary School investigated one of its new fourth-grade teachers after she made allegedly discriminatory statements, but ultimately found no 'policy or legal violations' The teacher, who has not been named because of threats against her over the Twitter posting, will likely be transferred to another school in the district. Despite finding no wrongdoing, Granite School District officials said they had 'disciplined the employee as appropriate and consistent with the findings of the investigation.' They shared also shared an apology the teacher wrote: 'I sincerely regret the disruption brought to the school, faculty, community, families and above all, my students. The expectations in my class are to be safe, responsible and respectful. I built my classroom for all learners and to be welcoming of all families,' the teacher wrote. 'I have and will continue to ensure that every student feels welcome and represented in my classroom, and I strive to provide an inclusive environment and to ensure the safety and comfort of all my students. 'I also want to reiterate the importance of parental engagement and welcome their involvement in the education of their children. I am committed to adhering to state and district approved standards, curriculum, and materials to ensure the success of my students.' The Granite School District non-discrimination policy, which is posted on its website, prohibits discrimination, harassment or retaliation based on race, color, sex, pregnancy, religion, national origin, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other legally protected classification. Scores of woke teachers have hit the headlines in recent months, after their social media antics were shared by conservative Twitter accounts including Libs of TikTok. Many have sparked fury with vows to teach children divisive and controversial topics such as critical race theory, and gender theory. The children of former Labour leader Lord Neil Kinnock have shared the heart-breaking toll of 'losing a little bit of the person you love every day' in a searingly honest account of how Alzheimer's has affected their mother Glenys. Rachel, 51, and Stephen Kinnock, 52, have described the 'slow grief' of watching their mother's decline since she was given the news five years ago, in a column for The Sunday Times. The 78-year-old was an MEP for Wales, from 1994 to 2009, and under Gordon Brown briefly served as Minister for State for Europe, before becoming Minister of State for Africa and the United Nations. The children of former Labour leader Lord Neil Kinnock have shared the heart-breaking toll of how Alzheimer's has affected their mother Glenys. Pictured: The couple seen in 2019 But from a high-powered career in politics and as the supportive wife of Neil, who was leader of the Labour Party from 1983 to 1992, Baroness Kinnock was left 'mortified' as her memory gradually began to slip away. Her children describe how the keen baker was left unable to make a birthday cake for her grandchildren, something she had taken a 'particular pride' in being able to do for them. They also observe how Neil, 80, her loving husband of 55 years, might not be the one with the disease but is still the one who 'suffers' in watching Glenys' decline. Much of her personality remains, they say - the cheeky, mischievous and fun side of their adored mother. But so too do they acknowledge how Alzheimer's has robbed them of the woman they once knew. They write: 'Our family are witness to the day-to-day cruelty of this disease, but the most painful thing is how much we miss her. 'She's in the same room but we can't talk or get through to her. 'She's gone, but she's standing right there.' Neil and Glenys, pictured with their children Rachel and Stephen, who have opened up about the 'day-to-day cruelty' of Alzheimer's, which has affected their mother since 2017 In an interview with Talk TV in May, Lord Kinnock said the hardest part of being married to someone with dementia is 'the knowledge that the change is going to continue and they are ceasing, very gradually, to be the person that they have been', The Independent reports. He added: 'She has supported me for 50 years and I've been helping her out for five so I've got a way to go to catch her up. 'But it doesn't work like that as people who deal with the reality of dementia will tell you.' He revealed that the situation is challenging, but he deals with it 'out of love' and acknowledged that he and his wife were fortunate to have family support and the ability to afford carers for up to five hours each day. For others without these resources, the disease 'can be quite devastating'. WHAT IS DEMENTIA? THE KILLER DISEASE THAT ROBS SUFFERERS OF THEIR MEMORIES A GLOBAL CONCERN Dementia is an umbrella term used to describe a range of progressive neurological disorders (those affecting the brain) which impact memory, thinking and behaviour. There are many different types of dementia, of which Alzheimer's disease is the most common. Some people may have a combination of types of dementia. Regardless of which type is diagnosed, each person will experience their dementia in their own unique way. Dementia is a global concern but it is most often seen in wealthier countries, where people are likely to live into very old age. HOW MANY PEOPLE ARE AFFECTED? The Alzheimer's Society reports there are more than 850,000 people living with dementia in the UK today, of which more than 500,000 have Alzheimer's. It is estimated that the number of people living with dementia in the UK by 2025 will rise to over 1 million. In the US, it's estimated there are 5.5 million Alzheimer's sufferers. A similar percentage rise is expected in the coming years. As a person's age increases, so does the risk of them developing dementia. Rates of diagnosis are improving but many people with dementia are thought to still be undiagnosed. IS THERE A CURE? Currently there is no cure for dementia. But new drugs can slow down its progression and the earlier it is spotted the more effective treatments are. Source: Alzheimer's Society Advertisement The politician said his wife was first diagnosed following a family holiday to Kefalonia in 2016. 'I noticed to an extent that I hadn't before, that she was slipping words, showing a degree of confusion, which could be put down to the fact that we're in a strange environment and so on.' But after her son-in-law Stuart remarked on her confusion, they decided to seek medical advice. In February 2017 she was formally diagnosed with Alzheimer's. According to NHS England, more than 850,000 people in the UK have dementia, with this number expected to rise to well over a million by 2025. He suggested Russia is prepared to use nukes in annexed Ukrainian territories Putin's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has repeated threats that Russia would be prepared to use nuclear weapons to defend annexed Ukrainian territories. Russia's top diplomat was addressing the UN General Assembly and the world's media in New York yesterday, amid condemnation of referendums being held in four eastern Ukrainian regions aimed at annexing territory it has taken by force. Kyiv said residents were being coerced into voting and were not allowed to leave the Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions during the four-day vote, which Western nations dismissed as a sham designed to justify an escalation of the seven-month old war. 'Following those referendums, Russia of course will respect the expression of the will of those people who for many long years have been suffering from the abuses of the neo-Nazi regime,' Mr Lavrov said at a news conference after he addressed the assembly. Asked if Russia would have grounds for using nuclear weapons to defend annexed regions of Ukraine, Mr Lavrov said Russian territory, including territory 'further enshrined' in Russia's constitution in the future, 'is under the full protection of the state.' 'All of the laws, doctrines, concepts and strategies of the Russian Federation apply to all of its territory,' he said, also referring specifically to Russia's doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons. Putin's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov (pictured at the UN General Assembly in New York yesterday) has repeated threats that Russia would be prepared to use nuclear weapons in annexed Ukrainian territories The comments come after Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of Vladimir Putin, threatened that any weapons in Moscow's arsenal could be used to defend territories incorporated into Russia. That includes 'strategic nuclear weapons' such as Putin's giant new Sarmat missile (pictured), Medvedev said The comments came after an explicit warning on Thursday by former President Dmitry Medvedev, an ally of Vladimir Putin, that any weapons in Moscow's arsenal could be used to defend territories incorporated into Russia. That includes 'strategic nuclear weapons' such as Putin's giant new Sarmat missile, Mr Medvedev said, and 'weapons based on new principles' - likely a reference to hypersonic technology that the Kremlin claims is invulnerable to air defences. 'The Western establishment [and] all citizens of the NATO countries need to understand that Russia has chosen its own path. There is no way back,' he added. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Lavrov's comments, and Putin's earlier statement when he said he was not bluffing about using nuclear weapons, were 'irresponsible' and 'absolutely unacceptable.' 'Ukraine won't give in. We call on all nuclear powers to speak out now and make it clear to Russia that such rhetorics put the world at risk and will not be tolerated,' Mr Kuleba wrote on Twitter. Mikhailo Podolyak, a key advisor to Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelensky, said nuclear-armed states needed to stop Russia acting on threats to nuke the second-largest European country. Ukraine's Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said Lavrov's comments, and Putin's (pictured) earlier statement when he said he was not bluffing about using nuclear weapons, were 'irresponsible' and 'absolutely unacceptable' Dmitry Medvedev (left), head of the Russian security council, threatened that Russia's hypersonic weapons could strike the West Mr Podolyak told The Telegraph: 'Vladimir Putin has gone to war against a non-nuclear state. He can't win a conventional war so he threatens to use nuclear weapons. 'If he gets away with it, every non-nuclear state will say: "I'm going to get the bomb".' He continued: 'Nuclear weapons will be the only guarantee for national defence. Or, on the contrary: it will be shown you can use the bomb aggressively. 'At that point it is not our problem. It is a global problem. It is a problem for the world's nuclear powers. It is the end of nuclear deterrence.' At yesterday's General Assembly Mr Lavrov also attempted to justify Russia's February invasion of its neighbour, repeating Moscow's false claims that the elected government in Kyiv was illegitimately installed, filled with neo-Nazis and oppressed Russian speakers in the country's east. Mr Lavrov also sought to portray opposition to Russia's war in Ukraine as limited to Washington and countries under its influence. Russia has been trying to overcome its international isolation since nearly three-quarters of the General Assembly voted to reprimand Moscow in March. A Russian mercenary wearing the symbol of the notorious Wagner military group stands guard outside a polling station in occupied Ukraine Russia's strategic partner China has been firmly on the fence, criticising Western sanctions against Russia but stopping short of endorsing or assisting in the military campaign. In a surprise acknowledgement, Putin last week said China's leader Xi Jinping had concerns about Ukraine. When asked if Russia was coming under any pressure from China to end the war, Lavrov said: 'You may tell your readers, listeners, viewers that I avoided to answer your question.' Asked whether he could foresee future talks with the United States to make Russia feel more secure about what it calls NATO encroachment, Lavrov said it was the West that had broken off previous discussions. His U.S. counterpart Secretary of State Antony Blinken cut off talks on the eve of the invasion, saying Russia's movement of forces on Ukraine's border was a 'wholesale rejection of diplomacy'. 'We're not saying no to contacts. And when proposals to that effect come in, we agree. If our partners want to meet quietly so nobody finds out about it that's fine because it's always better to talk than not to talk,' Lavrov said. 'But in the present situation, Russia is quite simply not going to make the first step.' Meanwhile Ukraine has requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting over the sham referendums, calling for Russia to be 'held accountable for its further attempts to change Ukraine's internationally recognised borders in a violation of the UN Charter,' foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on Twitter. Kremlin officials, military police and hired guns have been keeping a careful eye over the voting, which started on Friday- with Ukrainian politicians reporting that they were kicking front doors in to force people to cast their ballots. Serhiy Haidai, governor of occupied Luhansk, said some towns under Russian occupation have been entirely sealed off to ensure people vote - with any crosses in the 'no' column recorded in a 'notebook'. Meanwhile state media reported an unfeasibly high 97 per cent of people in two of those regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - are in favour of joining Russia. Ballot boxes have also been opened across Russia itself, ostensibly to allow displaced Ukrainians to vote, but in reality offer more opportunities for vote rigging. Western leaders have declared the referenda to be a sham, saying they have no legitimacy while urging other governments not to recognise the results. A migrant who came to the UK by boat and claimed to be a child so he could stay is actually in his mid-20s, and even joined an over-30s dating group, before he was caught out by his grey hairs and stubble. Aria Ibrahimi, who is now believed to be 25, posed as a 16-year-old and got taken into care by Kent County Council as a minor before social workers' suspicions began to grow. Ibrahimi, who is from Iran, arrived unaccompanied in the UK in May 2020 and claimed to be 16, which was not disputed by the Home Office. Aria Ibrahimi, who is now believed to be 25, posed as a 16-year-old and got taken into care by Kent County Council as a minor before social workers' suspicions began to grow He is now facing deportation following testimony by social workers in a Home Office hearing, The Sun reports. One said they believed he was aged late 20s or early 30s and noted Ibrahim 'had a few grey hairs'. It was also said that his 'facial features were set and without the soft features of a youth'. He even joined dating groups for people aged 30 to 55 and a list of 19 to 25-year-old singles. Aria Ibrahimi, holding a piece of paper with the logo of The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), a Kurdish nationalist group which resists the Iranian government A social worker told the hearing that Ibrahimi visited groups for universities on social media and in an online chat, he told a person his year of birth was 1997, adding: 'but here I'm 2003'. After the social workers' suspicions came to light, Ibrahim was moved to Home Office adult accommodation in January 2021, with the risk of being deported. He then applied for a judicial review, which was rejected by Upper Tribunal Judge Susan Kebede, who agreed that his date of birth was September 20, 1997. Assessors also highlighted a series of flaws in Ibrahim's story about how he reached British shores. Ibrahimi holding a sign protesting against execution in Iran near the Iranian embassy in London Ibrahim has been outspoken against the hardline Islamic Iranian government. In one photo, he can be seen holding a piece of paper with the logo of The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI), a Kurdish nationalist group which resists the Iranian regime. The group's mission statement is to attain Kurdish national rights within a federal and democratic Iran. In another picture, he can be seen protesting against execution in Iran near to the Iranian embassy in London. A surgeon has been accused of mutilating a patient's penis and blowing his nose on a curtain mid-surgery. Daryl Stephens has been suspended by the Mackay Hospital and Health Service following an investigation into hygiene concerns. Complaints were made against the controversial urologist, including that he sneezed and then blew his nose on a curtain during an operation and left a Queensland father-of-two with a disfigured penis. A tribunal in 2018 ruled Dr Stephens, who started work in Western Australia, had displayed 'incompetence' at the most serious level when caring for a cancer patient. Daryl Stephens (pictured) has been suspended by the Mackay Hospital and Health Service following an investigation into hygiene concerns The Medical Board of Australia concluded the doctor engaged in professional misconduct after he failed to check the patient's pathology results for three months. Medical authorities concluded 'the protection of the public' was not required in his case and noted the urologist had completed 12 months of supervision. He was fined $30,000 for professional misconduct and $2,000 for failing to reveal he had lost his accreditation to practice at Peel Health Campus in 2014. However, Dr Stephens was allowed to continue operating on patients in Queensland due to a shortage of doctors in Mackay, a city about 970km north of Brisbane. One of his former patients at Mackay Base Hospital has since revealed he suffered serious complications just days after he was operated on by the medico. 'It's been a nightmare,' the father of two told The Sunday Mail. 'It has left me with sexual dysfunction and my penis had to be shortened. The procedure was supposed to fix a bend in the penis that is caused by calcification. 'I ended up with the foreskin attached to the end of the penis. I had a second surgery to try to fix the problem but complications continued and I chose to pay for corrective surgery privately.' The bungled surgery took place a year after the Medical Board Tribunal hearing in November 2017. The findings, which were handed down the following February, ruled Dr Stephens could continue work in Queensland. Dr Stephens was suspended from Mackay Base Hospital (pictured) following an investigation into hygiene concerns In 2016, Dr Stephens began treating two elderly patients in Western Australia, who would both become subjects of a coronial inquest. The coroner ultimately found his patients, Anna Maria Winter and John Houghton died of natural causes. Professor Dickon Hayne, head of urology at Fiona Stanley Hospital, was asked for his opinion on Dr Stephen's treatment of Mr Houghton, who had bladder cancer. He told the inquest that by performing major hip surgery on Mr Houghton and failing to investigate metastatic bladder cancer, he may have reduced his survival time. Ms Winter, who had vulva cancer, collapsed after being transferred to hospital by a taxi rather than an ambulance, and had to be revived. Another expert ruled she suffered a spontaneous rupture with the inquest finding no surgical error had been made. Dr Stephens, who is now aged in his 70s, is described as being an experienced urologist with an interest in prostate cancer. His name first became the subject of headlines in 2001, when he became the first surgeon in Australia to be charged with willful murder in a euthanasia case. He was accused of giving terminally ill cancer patient Freeda Hayes a fatal dose of drugs that were not included in her treatment plan. Ms Hayes died in a hospice in Perth in February 2000. The Director of Public Prosecutions took the case to the Supreme Court where the jury deliberated for just 10 minutes before ruling Dr Stephen was not guilty. The brother and sister of Ms Hayes were also acquitted, after they were accused of assisting the urologist with the alleged murder of their sister. Thomas Markle is hoping to heal the rift with his daughter after Harry and William put aside their differences at the Queen's funeral. The Duke of Sussex and Prince of Wales put aside their feud for a united front to remember the monarch, and again showed that they could at least be on speaking terms as they interacted with each other in the chapel at Windsor Castle. The 78-year-old watched the service with his son Thomas Jr and was bolstered by the show of royal unity between the brothers. Thomas Jr Meghans half-brother told the Sunday Mirror: 'We both watched clips of the Queens funeral together. 'I was overcome with emotion at how every person spectating was honoured to be there and respectful.' Addressing Meghan directly, he added: 'Dad treated you like a princess your entire life and deserves the respect. 'You didnt call him for his heart attacks or stroke, but its never too late.' Thomas Markle is hoping to heal the rift with his daughter after Harry and William put aside their differences at the Queen's funeral Thomas paid tribute to the Queen after she passed away at Balmoral aged 96 - calling it 'the end of an era'. Meghan's father said the devastating update was 'truly a loss to the world'. Thomas, who never met Her Majesty due to the fallout with his daughter before her wedding, added it 'feels like we've all lost a member of our family'. Markle told DailyMail.com: 'My heart goes out to the Royal Family and to the British people for their loss of the most-loved and admired Queen Elizabeth. 'Her service, grace and devotion signals the end of an era and she will always be cherished in our memories. 'Truly a loss to the world.' He added: 'In a way it feels like we've all lost a member of our family.' Thomas hit out at Meghan's claims she had 'lost' him and accused her of throwing people 'under the bus'. It came after she appeared to say Prince Harry had spoken of a breakdown in relations with Prince Charles following his decision to move to the US. The brothers put aside their feud for a united front to remember the monarch, and again showed that they could at least be on speaking terms as they interacted with each other in the chapel at Windsor Castle Hours after her remarks were published in The Cut magazine, however, Meghan's unofficial spokesman Omid Scobie wrote on social media: 'I understand that Prince Harry is actually referring to Meghan's loss of her own father, and Meghan is saying she doesn't want Harry to lose his.' Mr Markle, who suffered a blood clot on his brain earlier this year, said: 'I am still very ill and trying to recover from the stroke in May. Yet every time she opens her mouth she brings me into [the story]. It never ends.' Speaking falteringly to The Mail on Sunday from his home in Rosarito, Mexico, he said: 'She didn't 'lose' me, she dumped me. 'I am not lost. She knows where to find me. My number hasn't changed. I would love to hear from my daughter and meet my son-in-law and my grandkids for the first time.' Dozens of 'woke' republicans including a Labour MP have begun agitating for the abolition of the monarchy as they warned against a future with a 'white, privilege male' as head of state for the next century - just weeks after the Queen's death. At a fringe event at the Labour Conference in Liverpool last night, guests including Richard Burgon heard activists claim that power by 'accident of birth' is 'incompatible' with the Labour Party's democratic values as they made the case for a British republic. Panelists leading the debate included author Paul Richards, Guardian columnist Polly Toynbee and Dr Adam Tucker, a specialist in constitutional law at the University of Liverpool. The discussion mainly focused on the future of the monarchy, a topic which has split the party in recent days as Corbynites slammed Keir Starmer's decision for the national anthem to be sung at the conference. Labour MP Richard Burgon, member of Labour's left-wing Socialist Campaign Group, was one of the member's who attended the fringe event A leaflet provided at the event warned that Britain faces a future with a 'white, privileged male' as head of state at least until the end of the century Mr Richards drew a laugh from the audience as he opened his own address by welcoming them to 'naughtiest fringe meeting' of the conference. The MP, a member of Labour's Left-wing Socialist Campaign Group, hit back at criticisms earlier this week that it was 'terribly inappropriate' to discuss at the conference whether the monarchy should be abolished in the wake of the Queen's passing. He said: 'In 1993 the law was changed so that the monarch wouldn't pay inheritance tax on private assets... as opposed to state assets - so private assets. 'I think these are still legitimate matters of inquiry. And people who respect the Queen's service... can still hold these views. It's not an insult to anybody. It's a legitimate discussion in a democratic society.' It comes a day after former Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned current Labour leader Keir Starmer's plans for the for the party to sing the national anthem at its annual conference. Mr Corbyn said the plan for party members to sing God Save The King at the conference in Liverpool was 'very, very odd'. It comes a day after former Labour Leader Jeremy Corbyn condemned current Labour leader Keir Starmer's plans for the for the party to sing the national anthem at its annual conference The former Labour Party leader suggested singing the anthem was 'excessively nationalist'. Keir Starmer and party bosses took the decision for the national anthem to be sung at the Labour conference for the first time in its history following the death of the Queen earlier this month and the accession of King Charles III to the throne. Ms Toynbee told the event that she would have liked the Queen to be 'Elizabeth the last' but suggested it would not be a good idea for Labour to call for the abolition of the monarchy at the next general election. She said: 'Our job is to persuade people gradually, which is working as the tide is moving slowly and in a republican direction, until such a time there's a majority of people also want to open up the whole issue, have a proper discussion about it. 'There is of course never a right time, because either Queen Elizabeth is alive and that's not a very good idea or she's died and then that's not a very good idea, either. So there never is a perfect time to talk about this. Labour leader Keir Starmer arrives at the Labour Party conference yesterday afternoon 'I would like her to have been 'Elizabeth the last' but there was no moment, there is no fraction, no nanosecond between her drawing her last breath... and the crown falling upon her son the next instant. There was no moment when we were allowed to discuss it, even.' Dr Tucker said the King may be 'less well equipped' to walk the 'tightrope of our politics and constitution and ceremony' than his mother. He insisted 'no political power should ever be held on a hereditary basis'. Mr Richards said it was the 'right time for scrutiny' following the Queen's death. He added that, in his view, there is nothing 'revolutionary' about wanting to live in a republic, claiming 'we're the unusual ones' with a constitutional monarchy in Britain. Jenny Rathbone, the Welsh Labour Assembly Member for Cardiff Central, was also in attendance. A leaflet provided at the event warned that Britain faces a future with a 'white, privileged male' as head of state at least until the end of the century. It read: 'There's little doubt that this will only accelerate calls for an end to the monarchy. 'Labour for a Republic believes that accident of birth is no qualification for our country's top job and is completely incompatible with Labour's values of democracy and equality. Former Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn argued: 'We don't as a country routinely go around singing the national anthem at every single event we go to' 'Under a republican constitution, citizens ,collectively, would be sovereign, with a head of state elected on merit and with responsibility for protecting our constitution. We say Labour must lead on this issue.' Labour stressed last night it 'is not responsible for the content of fringe meetings' at party conference. The party conference opens with some Labour MPs daring to predict the party is on course to win the next Election in the wake of the Tories' controversial programme of tax cuts. Asked about the meeting earlier this week, shadow minister James Murray insisted that fringe events are not organised, nor endorsed by, the party. Put to him by Sky News presenter Kay Burley that it seemed 'terribly inappropriate' to discuss at the conference whether the monarchy should be abolished, given the current circumstances, he said: 'The fringe events are not organised by the Labour Party or endorsed by the Labour Party. 'That's not the view of the Labour Party frontbench, that's not the view of myself or Keir Starmer.' The police said there's nothing they can do as there's no physical threats The man, who was married to Murphy's mother 48 years ago, was seen getting out of his car and then peeing on the gravesite He and his sister got permission to get up a trail camera to video visitors Michael Murphy, 43, first noticed something was amiss after spotting a bag of feces had been left at the gravesite on several visits A man has been caught on camera urinating on his ex-wife's grave A man has been caught urinating on the grave of his ex-wife whom he divorced 48 years ago by the woman's horrified children. In shocking footage captured by a hidden camera set up by family members, the man can be seen pulling up in his SUV only to get out while leaving the engine running to walk over to her gravesite. The man can then be seen unzipping his pants in order to relieve himself, completely unaware that his every move is being caught on film. Shockingly, he brought his current spouse with him to defile the memorial. The footage was posted to Facebook by Michael Murphy, 43, whose mother, Linda Louise Torello, lies six feet under the gravesite being urinated upon. She died of cancer in 2017 aged 66. They decided to stake out the cemetery after bags of poop were repeatedly left on Torello's grave, and were stunned to see their mom's former spouse roll up five mornings in a row. Murphy told DailyMail.com the name of the man he says is behind the desecration, although he is not facing criminal charges, and did not respond to DailyMail.com's request for comment Saturday night. It is unclear what prompted the man to indulge in the vile behavior, although he previously told his daughter - Murphy's half-sister - that he regretted ever having her. A man has been caught on camera urinating on his ex-wife's grave Michael Murphy, pictured at his mother's gravesite, at first thought the feces that had been left was from a dog walker but then realized it was deliberate The man, who was married to Linda Louise Torello 48 years ago, was seen getting out of his car and then peeing on the gravesite 'THIS IS BREAKING MY HEART,' he wrote. 'A man from Bergen county New Jersey has been leaving bags of poo and pissing on my mothers tombstone almost every morning like a normal routine' assisted by his wife also. 'We have weeks and months of evidence. It has been reported to the police and the news outlets. No one in my family has had contact with him since 1976 or so how he found my mothers grave site we are not sure. But this stems back to a problem almost 50 years ago. Pray for us thank you and please share this!!!' Murphy wrote online. Torello died in 2017 at the age of 66 from cancer. Her ex-husband may well have been peeing on the gravesite for five years. She is buried at a cemetery at Tappan Reformed Church in Orangetown, New York. At first, Murphy noticed a bag containing feces but thought that it had been left there by mistake, perhaps by a dog walker. But then he noticed the same thing the next time he visited the site. The police were called and Torello's children got permission from the manager at the cemetery to place a camera next to the grave in order to catch the perpetrator. Upon checking the footage, they were shocked to find it was a man who had briefly been married to Torello during the 1970s. Furthermore, it appears the man would drive to the cemetery every morning at dawn to urinate on Torello's grave while his current wife looked on. Murphy said the video and pictures he and his sister recorded indicated that the man drove to the cemetery almost every morning at about 6:15 a.m. specifically to pee on the grave. 'I can't get my wife to go out to dinner but this guy gets his wife to go along with him to desecrate my mom's remains every morning!' Murphy said angrily. 'I was shaking while I was hiding. My sister was crying. I was sick I was so angry,' he said to the Daily Voice. Speaking to DailyMail.com, Murphy explained how since the footage was shot, the man has ceased with the daily ritual. Linda Louise Torello died in 2017 at the age of 66 from cancer Torello's children shared a prayer from her funeral, held in August 2017 Murphy told of the enormous hurt he felt having been the victim of such an act makes his mother's death all the more harder to bear 'I believe he stopped but I'm so protective at this point, l've been going every morning just in case. At least if he sees a car there he will be deterred to keep driving by because the police were a complete letdown', he explained. 'I promised my wife and kids I wouldn't hurt him but I'm afraid to confront him because I wouldn't be able to control myself if I got that close to him. He did this to my mothers grave for months maybe years. Every cop I speak to has said "you're a better man than me cause I would have killed him." ' Murphy told of the enormous hurt he felt having been the victim of such an act makes his mother's death all the more harder to bear. 'Having this done is actually worse then the loss of my mother please pray for me to not jeopardize my wife, my kids and my house, business etc,' he said. The man has not reached out to the perpetrator personally but did post a message on social media that he apparently saw which stated: 'A storm is coming'. The Orangetown, New York police said there was nothing they could do because there were no specific threats of physical violence. When asked why he might want to hurt him, Murphy told police about the grave urinating but have so far not acted simply believing the man to be 'a few crackers short of a box.' Criminals who plead guilty in Victoria are being given lighter sentences as part of an effort by the state's justice system to clear out an overwhelming backlog of offenders awaiting trial. The backlog is due to courts being forced to suspend trials because of restrictions during the Covid pandemic. It was revealed by the Herald Sun in May that a series of judicial reforms had been introduced to discourage matters being brought to trial. Criminals who plead guilty are being given sentencing discounts in Victorian courts in an effort by the state's justice system to clear out a backlog of cases (pictured, County Court of Victoria) Under the measures, judges were required to award standard sentencing discounts for early guilty pleas. The Magistrates' Court of Victoria also permitted judicial registrars to hear more serious criminal matters. But the move raised concerns over whether convicted offenders would be appropriately sentenced as judicial registrars can only issue fines or community work. However, they can refer a case to the magistrate if they deem it to be 'too serious' or if they believe the person on trial should be considered for sentencing. It comes as rapist Gokmen Goktogan, 29, who sexually assaulted a teenager at a bus stop in 2020, became the latest offender to be awarded a lighter sentence. Goktogan pleaded guilty in the County Court and was sentenced to eight years jail, with a minimum five year term, for raping a 19-year-old woman in West Footscray. Judge Gerard Mullaly spoke at length about the heinous nature of Goktogan's crime, but noted that the Court of Appeal was clear that judges had to give weight to early guilty pleas because of the backlog. 'The discount must be more pronounced and palpable, or obvious, to an accused and to others, so that those who are guilty are encouraged to plead guilty,' he said. 'Accordingly, there is in this case, very significant mitigation that flows from your plea of guilty made when it was and in circumstances where the criminal trial lists are still adversely effected by the delays caused by the pandemic.' Gokmen Goktogan, 29, is the latest convicted criminal to be awarded a lighter sentence after he pled guilty to raping a 19-year-old woman in West Footscray (stock image) The state's efforts to reduce the number of cases awaiting trial appears to have worked, with the latest data revealing cases for the Magistrates Court of Victoria had fallen to 101,000. This is down from the 111,000 pending cases in May. Peak case numbers reached 145,212 back in December 2020. Court sources told the Herald Sun that Victoria's caseload may not return to pre-pandemic levels for another two years. Dr Teo feels 'helpless' having to turn away those who plead 'my son is dying' Patients are still begging to be operated on by banned brain surgeon Charlie Teo Banned brain surgeon Charlie Teo has expressed frustration at not being able to help desperate patients who are begging for the last chance 'miracle' operations he has become famous for. Some patients are even willing to fly around the globe to be treated by Dr Teo, who has gained fame and notoriety from taking on operations other surgeons won't. For the past 15 months Dr Teo, 64, has not been allowed to operate in Australia due to restrictions placed on him by the Medical Council of NSW after three complaints. Famous 'last chance' brain surgeon Dr Charlie Teo is performing operations on Australians in overseas hospitals after being restricted in this country Dr Teo revealed that despite the effective ban he was fielding 'daily' phone calls begging for his help. 'It's very difficult not to get an overwhelming feeling of frustration and sadness when they're crying on the phone, saying "We just want your opinion, my son's dying",' Dr Teo told the Daily Telegraph. 'And, you know, quite conservatively, at least five patients a week could be cured, or their lives could be extended, with further surgery.' One woman told the newspaper she had wanted Dr Teo's opinion whether her dying son could be saved and was devastated he couldn't deliver it. Dr Teo said he referred the cases coming to him to other neurosurgeons he believes could help but they are often stopped from operating by their hospitals. The surgery restrictions were placed on Dr Teo following three complaints about his conduct and approach, two of which are still under investigation. Dr Teo said he feels 'frustrated' and 'helpless' with patients still begging for his help despite the restrictions Under the restrictions, which Dr Teo said he was willing work under, he cannot perform surgeries without the written permission of another brain surgeon. However, he has not been able to find a surgeon to give him such permissions in Australia. Dr Teo's willingness to contradict the advice of other surgeons, his high media profile and flamboyant lifestyle have made him a subject of much controversy. He has long maintained that he is a target of 'persecution' by 'jealous' colleagues and subjected to media 'vilification'. Dr Teo argued that this pattern was revealed in the three complaints made about him, where he performed surgeries other doctors called 'inoperable' and did not lead to good outcomes. 'I think it's a very sad day for Australian medicine if doctor who are pushing the envelope in accordance with patient wishes are ostracised, vilified and crucified,' Dr Teo said. 'In all of these three cases the medical literature supported my recommendations to operate.' So in demand are Dr Teo's services that patients have been willing to fly overseas to be operated on by him, or for him to oversee their surgeries. Under those circumstances, where the cost is enormous, Dr Teo said he waived his fee. One surgery Dr Teo supervised was on Natalie O'Brien, whose family had been told the tumour was inoperable because it was the centre of her brain. Celebrated but now-restricted brain surgeon Dr Charlie Teo operated on a young Sydney woman, Monica Lopresti in Madrid, Spain (Pictured Christina Lopresti with her daughter, Monica Lopresti) Only Dr Teo said the surgery was possible, which left Natalie's dad Scott to raise the hefty sum for the operation to take place, which it did on July 26. Despite other surgeons telling the O'Brien's that Natalie would die on the operating table, the operation was completed in Europe and she is back in Australia. Dr Teo is believed to have taken part in operations in South Africa, Spain and Switzerland. It is understood the Medical Council of NSW has enquired into Dr Teo's overseas surgeries and is poised to alert Spanish authorities to its concerns. Dr Teo operated on a tumour in the back of a young Melbourne man, Billy Baldwin, from whom he removed a brain tumour when the man was a boy, in July in Madrid (Pictured, Dr Teo, left, with Billy Baldwin) In July this year, Dr Teo also attempted to 'save the life' of young Monica Lopresti in Madrid, after an MRI scan returned a shock diagnosis of a benign cystic tumour in her brain. 'No-one else was good enough to touch my child but Charlie,' wrote her mother Christina Lopresti in an emotional social media post praising Dr Teo. 'After meeting him I was in total awe of his kind caring nature. Charlie agreed to operate and save my child's life.' The celebrated but controversial surgeon operated on a young Sydney woman and a young Melbourne man in Madrid, Spain (Pictured, Dr Teo, left, during a brain operation in Spain this year) Sydney mum Christina Lopresti's emotional post over Dr Teo's help for her stricken daughter Ms Lopresti said the family had previously lost 'a young husband' to GBM, which is Glioblastoma, a fast-growing and aggressive brain tumour. 'The only problem was he couldn't operate [on Monica] in Australia. He wasn't allowed to,' Ms Lopresti said. 'Thanks to so many of you, many strangers who helped us raise money to get Monica to Madrid. Yes you heard right. Madrid. 'Spain love him and adore him. They see the brilliance in him.' Christina Lopresti, who described herself as a 'widowed mum', raised $120,760 to fund brain surgery for her daughter, whom she described as 'my best friend'. The condition of Monica Lopresti is not known. In another case Dr Teo operated on a tumour in the back of a young Melbourne man in July. His father, Alistair Baldwin, paid Dr Teo and other neurosurgeons at Hospital Universitario Fundacion Jimenez Diaz $70,000 to operate on his son, BIlly, The Age reported. 'It's the last thing you worry about,' Mr Baldwin said of the cost. It is understood Dr Teo removed an aggressive brain tumour from Billy Baldwin when he was a child. Christina Lopresti, who described herself as a 'widowed mum', raised $120,760 to fund brain surgery for her daughter, Monica (Pictured above, Ms Lopresti's fundraising page) At the time the family was advised to seek palliative care options for Billy due to his anaplastic ependymoma. He was left deaf in one ear but is now 20. The Medical Council of NSW contacted Dr Teo's medical indemnity insurer after it was alerted Dr Teo was working overseas. It is also understood to be considering alerting Spanish health authorities to the restrictions on Dr Teo's medical registration. The NSW Medical Council ruled last August that Dr Teo must now obtain written support from an approved neurosurgeon before performing certain types of brain tumour surgery. Hospital Quiron de Torrevieja (pictured above), near Alicante in Spain, is one of the hospitals at which Dr Teo has been performing surgery 'If the written statement does not support the practitioner performing the procedure(s) the practitioner cannot recommend or perform the surgery,' the statement on his registration states. The career setback came after he separated from his wife of 30 year, Genevieve. The couple have four children. In an exclusive statement to Daily Mail Australia in 2020, Professor Teo said the couple 'separated over two years ago but remain great friends.' Spanish neurosurgeon Marcelo Galarza, who said he had performed two surgeries with Dr Teo, said the Australian doctor was 'the first surgeon' in the operations Spanish neurosurgeon Marcelo Galarza said he had performed two surgeries with Dr Teo at Hospital Quiron de Torrevieja near Alicante last month. He confirmed the Australian doctor had gained a temporary permit in Spain. 'Generally, he is the first surgeon, and I am usually the assistant,' Galarza said. 'The patients are Charlie's [Teo].' Dr Teo is also understood to have operated on Italian and American patients in Spain. In another case, Dr Teo operated on a man in South Africa in 2022. A woman from Pretoria said he removed a dangerous brain tumour from her husband. 'Dr Charlie came to South Africa to remove my husband's brainstem glioblastoma together with Dr Chris Profyris,' she wrote. 'They did what no other surgeon was willing to do and we'll be forever grateful to these two surgeons. The best with such good hearts.' Among the complaints made about Dr Teo were that from a woman who received surgery from him in 2003 but claimed later he had failed to remove the tumour and had operated on the wrong side of her brain. Dr Teo has previously said an enemy he labelled 'The Mole' was determined to paint him as a 'money-hungry sexual predator' and sabotage his career. Dr Charlie Teo could be set to marry his model partner and former patient, Traci Griffiths, who has been leaving subtle hints on her Instagram page the pair are engaged The pair have been frequently spotted attending public events together, working out and wearing outrageously funny costumes for fancy-dress parties An allegation surfaced in September 2019 that Dr Teo had told a nurse 'while you're down there...' as she bent down to pick something up. The neurosurgeon admitted he made the 'bad joke' but said it had been taken out of context and the nurse in question had been with him for 12 years, was like a 'sister' and the pair always joked around together. Following the split from his wife in 2018, Dr Teo found love again with a former patient, Traci Griffiths, 47, a model and vegan advocate. The world renowned surgeon was rumoured to be engaged to Ms Griffiths, whom he treated in 2011, after she was spotted with a ring on her finger last year. Dr Teo denied the speculation insisting the pair had made no plans on marrying. Ms Griffiths has indicated otherwise by uploading photos of herself alongside her brain surgeon boyfriend with the tags '#ilovemyfiance' and '#myfiance'. A top vaccine expert and pediatric doctor is cautioning parents of healthy young people to hold off getting the new COVID booster shot, saying it can carry risks and its efficacy hasn't yet been proven. Dr. Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia and a member of the Food and Drug Administration's Vaccine Advisory Committee, said he's not fully sold on the benefits of a third shot outweighing the harm. 'Who really benefits from another dose?' Offit said on CNN. He did acknowledge that studies have shown people who are over 65, immuno-compromised or have a chronic ailments are less likely to be hospitalized with the virus if they've had a third or even fourth shot. The newly developed dose, called a bivalent vaccine, is a cocktail of the original coronavirus strain combined with parts of the omicron BA.4 and BA.5 subvariants. The hope being that people would be able to fight a broader range of more highly contagious virus mutations. But writing in the Wall Street Journal earlier this week, Offitt said preliminary data suggested the new bivalent vaccines were actually worse at warding off COVID infections than the first generation of shots. He highlighted data comparing Moderna's original COVID vaccine and its new bivalent update. Of a test group given both shots, 11 people who'd received bivalent vaccines contracted the virus, while just five people who received the original 'monovalent' shot caught COVID. Offit warned that the Biden administration that 'overselling' the new bivalent vaccines without more data could 'erode the public's trust' in them. FDA advisor and vaccine maker Paul Offit: A healthy young person is unlikely to benefit from a booster dose If theres not clear evidence of benefit, then its not fair to ask people to take a risk. pic.twitter.com/SgBp5WZbMS Max Blumenthal (@MaxBlumenthal) September 24, 2022 Dr. Paul Offit, right, cautions that there are still risks for healthy young people that should be considered before getting the COVID booster shot Sean Bagley, 14, seen here, recently got the bivalent vaccine in Skippack Pharmacy in Schwenksville, Penn. He explained that the FDA's recent approval of a the new vaccine cooked up by Moderna and Pfizer-BioNTech comes with little assurances and some risks. 'A healthy young person is unlikely to benefit from the extra dose,' he said. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have reported that vaccine side-effects, like myocarditis, an inflammation of the heart muscle, and pericarditis, an inflammation of the heart's outer lining, are rare, but they most often occur in adolescents and young men. Myocarditis can even be fatal, with young people far less likely to suffer a severe COVID infection than older people. President Joe Biden declared the covid-19 pandemic is 'over' in an interview with CBS News 'When you are asking people to get a vaccine, I think there has to be clear evidence of benefit,' he said, adding that it's unrealistic to have clinical trials of the latest dose. 'You'd like to have, at least, human data,' he said. So far, the only tests on the new shots have been done on lab mice. 'Right now they're saying we should trust mouse data,' he said, 'and I don't think that should ever be true.' Offit voted against approval of the new vaccine. 'If there's not clear evidence of benefit, then it's not fair, I think, to ask people to take a risk no matter how small,' Offit said. The doctor recently cautioned that pushing the new shot without the supporting evidence risks 'eroding the public's trust.' He said the studies regarding the bivalent vaccine so far were 'underwhelming.' The increased emphasis on boosters is at odds with President Joe Biden's recent announcement that 'the pandemic is over.' 'The pandemic is over,' Biden told 60 Minutes. 'We still have a problem with COVID. We're still doing a lot of work on it. But the pandemic is over. If you notice, no one's wearing masks. Everybody seems to be in pretty good shape, and so I think it's changing.' The president's declaration runs counter with what his administration's health officials have been saying. 'We have a virus out there that's still circulating, still killing hundreds of Americans every day,' White House COVID-19 response coordinator, Ashish Jha, said at a September 9 press briefing. 'I think we all as Americans have to pull together to try to protect Americans and do what we can to get our health-care system through what might be a difficult fall and winter ahead.' He also may have submarined his own $22.4 billion request to Congress to continue the fight against the virus. There have been about 54,000 new cases of the virus on average over the last two weeks, according to Johns Hopkins University, with about 400 Americans succumbing to the virus every day. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was seen out in New York City on Saturday night with drunk-driver husband Paul as she mingled with pop stars and celebrities at the Global Citizen Festival. Pelosi, 82, appeared together with her husband, Paul, also 82, who last month was sentenced to three days in a California jail for crashing his Porsche while over-the- limit. Paul was was arrested in Napa Valley on May 28 after he ran a stop sign in his 2021 Porsche and slammed into a Jeep shortly after 10 p.m. following a boozy dinner. He then failed a field sobriety test and had a blood alcohol count of 0.08 percent. Paul was also found to have traces of drugs in his system, was slurring his words and reeked of alcohol when he was picked up by cops. Despite his crimes, he hasn't been banned from driving, and will instead be forced to fit a special device to his car that'll make him take a breath test before its ignition starts. Nancy Pelosi is pictured attending the Global Citizen Festival 2022 in New York in Central Park Pelosi appeared with her husband, Paul, seen left, as she walked the red carpet Danish musician Lars Ulrich, left, best known as the drummer and co-founder of heavy metal band Metallica, and Nancy and Paul Pelosi pose backstage during Global Citizen Festival 2022 Paul Pelosi was slurring his words and reeked of alcohol when he was picked up by cops after crashing his Porsche on May 28. He is pictured in his booking photo Officers said he was sitting in the front seat of the car, failed a field sobriety test and his eyes appeared 'red and watery.' 'He was unsteady on his feet, his speech was slurred and he had a strong odor of an alcoholic beverage emanating from his breath,' the arrest report noted. It is doubtful either of the Pelosi's drove to Saturday's event as traffic is heavily restricted in New York's Central Park. At the event, the couple were seen speaking to celebs, including Indian actress, Priyanka Chopra Jonas, who introduced the politician before she took to the stage. Nancy Pelosi was introduced by Indian actress Priyanka Chopra Jonas Priyanka Chopra Jonas and Nancy Pelosi posed for a picture backstage. Nancy Pelosi and Priyanka Chopra Jonas speak onstage during the Global Citizen Festival Priyanka Chopra, left, and Nancy Pelosi were both speakers at the event Nancy Pelosi, 82, wore a white pantsuit together with a scarf as she addressed the crowd Photos from the scene showed the huge amount of damage caused in the crash Pelosi could be seen to be unsteady on his feet as he got out of his Porsche A bleary-eyed and wobbly Pelosi could be seen, above, in the immediate aftermath of his drunken car crash from May of this year Paul could also be seen lurking in the background of some of the pictures, looking far more sober than in his May mugshot, where he appeared glassy-eyed. At the time of the crash, Nancy Pelosi was on official business in Rhode Island and swiftly distanced herself from the incident. Paul had been at a dinner with friends prior to the crash and was driving back to his palatial vineyard home. At the time of the crash, he was attempting to cross State Road 29 a busy highway that connects Napa and Calistoga when he slammed into a 2014 Jeep driven by Jesus Lopez, 48. At the time of the crash on May 28, Pelosi was attempting to cross State Road 29 - a busy highway connecting Napa and Calistoga - when he slammed into a 2014 Jeep driven by Jesus Lopez at 10:22pm. He had pulled out of Walnut Lane, five miles south of his home with Nancy The development comes after DailyMail.com revealed Pelosi was involved in a smash that killed his brother David when he was 16. Pelosi's accident made news at the time. The San Francisco Examiner reported it on Page 6 in its February 23, 1957 edition saying David had warned Paul to slow down Earlier this year, DailyMail.com revealed Pelosi has a history of driving incidents and was involved in a crash that killed his brother, David, when he was 16. According to a 1957 report in the San Francisco Examiner, Pelosi, who was then a high school sophomore, had collected David, 19, from the home of a girlfriend at 12:30 a.m. and the brothers had decided to take a 'joy ride.' The fatal crash happened shortly after 2:40 a.m. close to the Crystal Springs Dam just outside of San Mateo and left David trapped under the car where he was throttled by his neck brace. Although a coroner's jury later dismissed manslaughter charges against Pelosi, a patrolman quoted in contemporary news reports said David had told his brother to slow down seconds before the crash. He said: 'This is a bad stretch better slow down,' as they approached a tight curve near the Crystal Springs Dam on the Skyline Highway now California State Route 35. Paul told Patrolman Thomas Ganley he tried to slow by shifting gears in the stick shift car, but lost control. 'The car veered across the road, bounced back from a small embankment, climbed 20 feet up another, spun around and somersaulted simultaneously and ended upside down on the shoulder with both youths underneath,' reported the Examiner. David, a freshman at the College of San Mateo, was dead on arrival at the hospital. Paul Pelosi married Nancy D'Alesandro in the Cathedral of Mary Our Queen in Baltimore on September 7, 1963 The newspaper said David was probably strangled by a brace he wore to support a neck fracture he had sustained when he dived into shallow water in Lake Tahoe. The San Mateo Times reported that Ganley and another patrolman Jack Rakestraw noted that David's brace was 'lodged tightly against his neck'. 'They jacked up the car to relieve the pressure but the youth apparently was already dead,' the Times reported. Paul Pelosi broke his collarbone in the crash and was trapped under the car for a while. He managed to free himself and call for aid. More recently, Pelosi has been cited twice- both times in 2011 - once for running a red light and once for veering over the center line while driving. The fatal accident happened six years before Paul married Nancy D'Alesandro, the daughter of a former Baltimore mayor. She took his last name and went on to be elected to Congress in 1987 and then became the first female speaker of the House of Representatives. One of the nations largest non-profit hospital chains was responsible for an aggressive scheme to hassle and harass financially destitute patients for money, even when they were legally not required to pay. According to a shocking new report from the New York Times, Providence Health & Services began their plan in 2018 and continued it throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. Employees of Providence were required to employ tactics from a 'detailed playbook' named Rev-Up in order to fleece money from patients. If patients still didn't pay, their accounts were referred on to even more aggressive debt-collecting services, ruining some victims' credit ratings. Providence is a non-profit hospital originally set up by nuns to provide care for those too poor to pay for it. It sits on a $10 billion cash pile, and even has its own private equity firm for investments, sparking allegations that the medical giant has moved far beyond the noble aims of its founders. The strategies employed to finesse patients were devised in part by consulting giant McKinsey & Company. Prior to instigating the plan, Providence would forgive the outstanding debts owed by people whose bills were partially paid by Medicaid. One of the nations largest non-profit hospital chains, Providence, was responsible for an aggressive scheme to hassle and harass financially destitute patients for money According to his LinkedIn page, Dr. Rod Hochman, pictured here, has been the CEO and president of Providence since 2013. His salary is around $10 million per year The practice violates laws in California, Washington and Oregon. Since February, Providence has been fighting a lawsuit in Washington regarding their practices. According to his LinkedIn page, Dr. Rod Hochman has been the CEO and president of Providence since 2013 and has overseen the money-grabbing changes. Among those who were hounded by Providence employees was recently bereaved mother, Vanessa Weller. Already a single mother, Weller, of Anchorage, Alaska, was 24 weeks pregnant when she went to a Providence facility in her hometown. She was forced to give birth via caesarean. Her son, Isaiah, weighed just one pound. After five days in the hospital, Isaiah died. A member of staff first approached her about payment while Isaiah lay dying in intensive care. Weller told hospital staff that she intended to pay via Medicaid. Despite being eligible for benefits, Weller said she began getting phone calls from Providence around a month after her baby's death. The price she was quoted was $125,000. At the time, Weller worked as a manager at a Wendy's franchise, with the bill four times her annual salary. Weller was later quoted half the original price, then a payment plan, according to the Times report, she has not paid any of the bill. 66-year-old Alexandra Nyfors was rushed to the hospital in 2021 due to kidney issues, despite qualifying for Medicaid and being on disability, she was slapped with a $2,000 fee by Providence Bev Kolpin, an employee of Providence, said she was sent a bill for $8,000 even though she qualified for Medicaid Providence Health & Services began their plan in 2018 and continued it throughout the Covid-19 pandemic, according to the Times report She did say her credit score was destroyed as a result of the arrears. Weller described the phone calls she received saying: 'It was like they were following some script. Like robots.' Another harrowing story in the Times feature came from an actual Providence employee, Bev Kolpin. She said that while working as a sonogram technician for a Providence hospital in Oregon, she needed to take time off to have a cyst removed. The time off was unpaid. Kolpin said she was sent a bill for $8,000 even though she qualified for Medicaid. She said: 'I felt a little betrayed. I had worked for them and given them so much, and they didn't give me anything.' Eventually, Kolpin was forced to pay $4,000 after she had a lawyer negotiate with Providence. While a 66-year-old woman named Alexandra Nyfors was rushed by an ambulance to the Providence hospital in Everett, Wash., in October 2021. Nyfors, 66, is diabetic and was suffering from dehydration, which was causing her kidneys to fail. Nyfors only source of income was $1,700 in federal disability payments. Following her treatment in the hospital, Nyfors was handed a bill of nearly $2,000. After agreeing to pay the hospital a monthly payment of $162.50, she began to cut back significantly on medication and groceries as well as going without heat throughout the winter. After Nyfors did an interview with the Everett Daily Herald, the hospital finally agreed to forgive her debt and repaid the money the had already paid. She told the newspaper it was not until she heard that Washington State had filed a lawsuit against Providence that she realized it was illegal they were asking her to pay. Providence CEO Dr. Rod Hochman and CFO Venkat Bhamidipati pictured in January 2019 Providence, based in Renton, Washington, runs 51 hospitals and nearly 1,000 clinics Despite the treatment by the hospital's management, Nyfors had nothing but good things to say about the staff. Nyfors explained to the Daily Herald: 'I feel like it's really important to separate the people who are the caregivers from the that Providence does, where they're demanding payment.' She added: 'The caregivers are good people, who really care. They really took good care of me.' She told the Times that in June 2022, she received a letter from the Providence hospital asking her for a charitable donation. The letter read: 'No gift is too small to make a meaningful impact.' Meanwhile, Harriet Haffner-Ratliffe, 20, was billed $2,300 after giving birth to twins at a Providence hospital in Olympia, Washington, in 2017. She was eligible to have her bills covered - but Providence didn't tell her that, and instead lumbered her with a bill she couldn't pay. The unemployed teenager also couldn't afford the $100-a-month payment plan Providence forced her onto. She ended up being chased by debt collectors. That saw Haffner-Ratliffe's credit score plunge by 200 points, making it even more difficult for her to manager her finances. In 2021, Dr. Hochman was quoted as saying that 'nonprofit health care is a misnomer. It is tax-exempt health care. It still makes profits.' The Times report says that under Hochman, Providence has become a 'financial powerhouse.' The article goes on to say that in 2020, Hochman was paid $10 million while Providence has bought 18 new hospital facilities. In a separate 2018 article, the Times reported Hochman was also paid $10 million. The name Rev-Up was a reference to revenue growth, according to the Times. The 'playbook' given to administrative staff told them, among other things, that regardless of a patient's economic status, 'payment is expected.' Staff were encouraged to ask questions such as: 'How would like to pay today?' Training materials told staff: 'Don't accept the first "No." ' The Times describes letting patients know of financial aid as a 'last resort.' The Times report goes on to say that staff would mock the hospital's aggressive tactics; on one Halloween, a staff member dressed up in a professional wrestler-themed costume, his character's name was Rev-Up Ricky. Another staff member had a costume that 'featured a giant cardboard dollar sign with How printed on top of it,' a reference to the hospital's policy of asking patients how they would be paying. Providence, based in Renton, Wash., runs 51 hospitals and nearly 1,000 clinics. It reported an operating loss of $214 million for the first nine months of 2020, amid the COVID-19 pandemic, as expenses rose 4 percent and patient volume dropped by 10 percent. But the health system's reserve of cash and investments ballooned to $14.5 billion by Sept. 30 an increase of $2.2 billion from nine months earlier. A spokesman said that was due in large part to $1.6 billion in coronavirus loans from Medicare that must be repaid. Providence also got $682 million in CARES Act grants and $9 million initially from FEMA. The hospital chain said it plans to file more requests with FEMA for an undetermined amount. Providence said it will follow all federal rules in seeking the disaster aid. FEMA officials have reminded applicants not to seek funding for work or expenses covered by the CARES Act or other sources. 'We are being diligent in our effort to avoid double dipping,' Providence said in a statement. Providence said it needs the money to offset COVID-related costs as the pandemic 'enters what appears to be its most dangerous phase,' Reuters reported in December 2020. Woke MSNBC commentator and comedian Judy Gold piled on Sen. Lindsey Graham for his anti-abortion stance, questioning how he can tell a woman what to do with her body when 'he's never seen a vagina -- he's never seen a naked woman.' The wisecrack on the cable channel's news recap show 'The 11th Hour with Stephanie Ruhle,' sent the host and other panelists into fits of laughter at the conservative Republican's expense. Gold jumped in during Friday's episode to point out that an attempt in Kansas to create a state constitutional ban on the procedure failed. 'And the fact that he is telling women what to do with their bodies. He's never seen a vagina,' she said. 'He's never seen a naked woman and he is telling me.' She spoke days after Whoopi Goldberg had to apologize for implying Graham was gay during an episode of The View. During the same episode, Ruhle also stoked outrage over the South Carolina senator calling for a nationwide ban on abortions after 15 weeks. 'You got what you wanted,' the host said, referring to the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. 'Republicans don't even support it across the board. He's dividing Republicans' Comedian Judy Gold questioned whether South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham had ever seen a naked woman because she disagrees with his abortion stance South Carolina Sen. Lindsey Graham has called for a nationwide ban on abortions past three and a half months of pregnancy MSNBC's' The 11th Hour' panelist crack up over Judy Gold's wisecrack that Sen. Lindsey Graham has 'never seen a vagina' Ruhle tried to hide her laughter by putting her face in her hands over the vagina remark. Feminist author Liz Plank, who was also on the panel, couldn't hide her glee. 'Someone factcheck that,' she said. 'It's probably true.' Fellow panelist Nancy Giles questioned whether or not pro-life men 'want to have babies.' Gold piped up again. 'No! They're men who need Viagra. They don't even operate correctly.' It's the second time in a week that Graham's sexual orientation has been questioned on the air. Whoopi Goldberg, 66, was forced to issue an awkward on-air apology for a 'joke' she made about Sen. Lindsey Graham getting married Liberals have suggested for years that Graham, a lifelong bachelor, might be secretly gay. The senator is pictured here discussing the introduction of the Protecting Pain-Capable Unborn Children from Late-Term Abortions Act last week Whoopi Goldberg was forced on Thursday to walk back a marriage 'joke' she made on The View on Thursday about Graham. In an awkward apology on 'The View' Thursday, Goldberg suggested she might have to quit the show she has co-hosted since 2007 after receiving apparent backlash from ABC bigwigs for 'joking' that Graham was getting married. Her comment came during a conversation with White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre in which Jean-Pierre slammed Graham for pushing a nationwide ban on abortions after three and a half months. 'We have Lindsey Graham, Senator Graham and other and other leaders of the Republican Party who are saying, and theyre being very clear about this, folks, we got to listen to them that they want a national ban on abortions,' the White House press secretary told The View cohosts. She added: 'Senator Graham had said maybe about a month ago, early August, that he believes when it comes to marriage, when it comes to abortion, its for states to decide. 'So, Senator Graham, what changed?' Jean-Pierre asked, to which Goldberg deadpanned: 'Well, maybe hes getting married.' Her woke cohost Joy Behar then said she doubts that is the case, as the audience laughed and cheered. Goldberg, 66, then continued: 'Do it quick, because I know people are fooling around with our marriage rights, whoever, wherever you stand, you know.' The comment comes after liberals have suggested for years that the lifelong bachelor might be secretly gay, with comedians such as Bill Maher, Jon Stewart and Patti Lupone making crude remarks or implicit references to his sexual orientation over the years. Such conversations are also prevalent on Twitter and other social media sites. Graham denied being gay after chat show host Chelsea Handler remarked on the lawmaker's sexuality in 2018. But when the show came back from a commercial break, Goldberg seemed flustered, her face wrinkled as she told the audience she needs 'to make clear that I was doing what I do as a comic. 'Sometimes I make jokes, and it was a joke,' she said. 'Nothing more than that.' She then seemed to suggest that producers spoke with her during the break, saying: 'I just got a whole conversation about people misunderstanding the joke. 'I mean OK,' Goldberg continued, as her cohosts laughed. 'I should probably never do this show again if this is what it's coming to. 'It was a joke, guys, you know,' she concluded. Goldberg doubled down on the fact that it was a joke following a commercial break Her comments came after White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre asked what had changed to make the South Carolina senator change his tune about abortion bans This is just the most recent apology cohosts on the show have had to make over the past few years. In fact, earlier this year, Goldberg was suspended for two weeks after she claimed the Holocaust 'isn't about race.' 'This is white people doing it to white people so y'all go fight amongst yourselves but...' she said in February. Later, she carried on: 'Let's be truthful about it. The Holocaust isn't about race. It's not about race. It's not about race. It's not about race. It's about man's inhumanity to man. That's what it's about.' Just hours later though, following swift backlash, Goldberg tweeted out an apology. 'On today's show, I said the Holocaust 'is not about race, but about man's inhumanity to man'. I should have said it is about both,' she said. 'As Jonathan Greenblatt from the Anti-Defamation League shared, "The Holocaust was about the Nazi's systematic annihilation of the Jewish people - who they deemed to be an inferior race." 'I stand corrected. 'The Jewish people around the world have always had my support and that will never waiver. I'm sorry for the hurt I have caused.' Goldberg previously had to apologize for saying the Holocaust wasn't about race More recently, Sunny Hostin came under fire for attacking former United Nations Ambassador Nikki Haley, branding her a 'chameleon' as she insinuated the former ambassador does not use her given name, Nimrata, in an effort to appeal to Republican voters. She was soon branded a 'racist' on Twitter, with many noting that Nikki is Haley's middle name and Hostin does not use her given first name, either. By the afternoon, Haley herself decided to speak up on the matter. 'Thanks for your concern @Sunny,' the former South Carolina governor tweeted, claiming: 'It's racist of you to judge my name. 'Nikki is an Indian name and is on my birth certificate and I'm proud of that,' she wrote. 'What's sad is the left's hypocrisy towards conservative minorities.' 'By the way, last I checked Sunny isn't your birth name,' Haley added in her tweet to Hostin, whose birth name is Asuncion Cummings Hostin. The mysterious hacker who claims to have stolen the personal details of millions of Optus customers has demanded $1.5 million in ransom money as outraged Australians fume at the telco giant for failing to protect their data. The hacker has warned personal addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, drivers' licences, and passport details of millions will be leaked if Optus doesn't pay $US1million (AU$1.53million) in cryptocurrency Monero. They claim to have access to the details of 11.2 million Optus customers in a major breach that tech experts at this stage believe is legitimate. The mysterious hacker who claims to have stolen the personal details of millions of Optus customers has demanded $1.5million in ransom money (pictured, an Optus store in Sydney) The hacker has warned personal addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, drivers' licences and passport details of millions will be leaked if Optus doesn't pay AUD$1.53million The ransom demand appeared on an online forum on Saturday morning with the hackers warning the telco it had one week to respond. 'Optus if you are reading! price for us to not sale data is 1.000.000$US We give you 1 week to decide,' part of the message read. The warning comes as Optus customers take to social media to vent their frustration, with chief executive and parenting educator Dannielle Miller just one of the millions of people who say the company's response has been 'inadequate'. Ms Miller told Daily Mail Australia she has been an Optus customer for 30 years and expected more from the telco after decades of loyalty. She said the apology from Optus boss Kelly Bayer Rosmarin 'missed the mark'. 'The CEO referred to Optus as a victim of cyber-hacking. They're not the ones who have had their personal details hacked - the customers are the victims,' she said. 'It's hard to hear them crying victim when it's clear they've been very slack.' The ransom demand appeared on an online forum on Saturday morning with the hackers warning the telco company they had one week to respond (pictured, an Optus store in Sydney) Ms Miller said she intended to close the Optus accounts belonging to herself, her daughter and her employees and plans to advise them to change carriers. She said customers who may be forced to change details like their licence number should be compensated by Optus for any out-of-pocket expenses. 'I'm personally not after compensation, what matters to me is peace of mind and security for my data,' she said, adding customers needed to be prioritised. On Friday morning, Ms Bayer Rosmarin made an emotional apology to the millions of Optus customers whose details had been compromised. Pictured: Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin She confirmed payment details and account passwords were protected but admitted she felt 'terrible' the breach had happened under her watch. 'I think it's a mix of a lot of different emotions,' she said looking downcast. 'Obviously I am angry that there are people out there that want to do this to our customers, I'm disappointed we couldn't have prevented it. 'I'm very sorry and apologetic. It should not have happened.' The telco has copped criticism for its handling of the major breach, with customers frustrated it took three days for Optus to start personally contacting them. The company said 'proactive personal notifications' will be sent to those they believe have a 'heightened risk' of being involved and earlier this week said getting information to customers through the media was the most 'effective' way. The company came under fire this week after it revealed it had a huge data breach, where personal details of 9.8 million customers, as far back as 2017, were stolen (pictured, an Optus store in Sydney) Customers from as far back as 2017 could be affected by the hack, since Optus keeps customer verification details for six years. Data exposed to the cyber attack included names, addresses, dates of birth, phone numbers, drivers' licences and passport details. In an alarming twist, the Australian Federal Police is looking into reports that stolen customer data and identification numbers could be for sale through forums, including the dark web. 'The AFP is using specialist capability to monitor the dark web and other technologies, and will not hesitate to take action against those who are breaking the law,' it said. Anyone who buys stolen credentials faces up to 10 years in prison. Optus said it would not be able to comment on some aspects of the case, since the AFP was investigating. But the company said it would reach out to those who had their details compromised, in a statement released on Saturday. Optus customers whose passport or driver's licence numbers were stolen in the massive data breach are being contacted first (pictured, a stock photo) 'Optus will be contacting customers to notify them of the cyber attack's impact, if any, on their personal details,' it said. 'We will begin with the customers whose ID document number may have been compromised - all of whom will be notified on [Saturday].' Optus customers whose passport or driver's licence numbers were stolen in the massive data breach are being contacted first. 'We will notify customers who have had no impact, last,' the statement read. The security hack brought about questions over how long telcos should keep data and the compensation customers ought to get when these breaches happen. It was revealed that Optus objected to potential law changes in 2020 which would have given customers the right to destroy their own data. The company said there were 'significant hurdles and costs' to getting a system up and running. The Morrison Government launched a review into the country's Privacy Act, where the attorney-general's department did a survey on whether Australians should be given the choice to erase their personal data. Another change put on the table was giving users rights to take direct legal action when breaches of their information occurred. 'As the cyber attack is now under investigation by the Australian Federal Police, Optus cannot comment on certain aspects of the incident,' a company statement said Optus rejected both changes. On Thursday, Optus warned the cyber attack could trigger a rush of scams by criminals, including phishing calls, emails and text messages. It said its text messages or emails to customers won't carry internet links, so if anyone was sent a link it could be a scam. 'Please do not click on any links,' Optus said in a statement on Saturday. 'As the cyber attack is now under investigation by the Australian Federal Police, Optus cannot comment on certain aspects of the incident,' it said. 'Given the investigation, Optus will not comment on the legitimacy of customer data claimed to be held by third parties and urges all customers to exercise caution in their online transactions and dealings.' Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin (pictured) admitted she felt 'terrible' the breach had happened under her watch (pictured, an Optus store in Sydney) Optus' CEO has revealed that the IP addresses linked to the hackers had moved around various European countries, and that it was a 'sophisticated' breach. Ms Bayer Rosmarin added it was too soon to tell if it was a criminal organisation or another state was responsible for the attack. The data that was potentially stolen has been dated back to 2017. She said the reported figure of 9.8million people having their data breached was the 'worst case scenario' and Optus expected the number to be much fewer. Optus vice president Andrew Sheridan has said human error was not to blame for the breach. Optus has been contacted for comment by Daily Mail Australia. Police have said they will take no action against a Twitter user who sent JK Rowling a chilling death threat after she expressed support for fellow author Salman Rushdie when he was attacked on stage. The Harry Potter author was told 'you are next' after Sir Salman was left fighting for his life in hospital after being brutally stabbed before he was due to give a talk in New York state last month. The brutal assault caused outrage in the western world, with the public, authors and free speech activists condemning the attack, but it was celebrated in Iran, where the novelist has been subject to a fatwa since the publication of The Satanic Verses in 1988. In the aftermath Ms Rowling, who also pens novels under the name Robert Galbraith, tweeted: 'Horrifying news. Feeling very sick right now. Let him be ok'. While many people joined her in sending well-wishes to Sir Salman, on Twitter user going by the name Meer Asif Aziz, told her: 'Don't worry you are next.' The post was reported to Twitter, which later said it did not violate its rules, and also Police Scotland. Now the force has said it will take 'no further police action' after determining the person who wrote the threat was not in the UK, The Sun reports. Police have dropped a probe into a vile death threat sent to JK Rowling (pictured) warning her she was 'next' after expressing support for fellow author Salman Rushdie after he was stabbed Sir Salman (pictured) was left with life-threatening injuries after being attacked and stabbed on stage in upstate New York last month After expressing her support, a Twitter user going by the name Meer Asif Aziz appeared to threaten Ms Rowling Aziz describes himself as a 'student, social activist, political activist and research activist' based in Karachi Hadi Matar, 24, has been charged with the attempted murder and assault of author Salman Rushdie. Pictured arriving at Chautauqua County Courthouse in Mayville, New York A Police Scotland spokeswoman told the paper: 'Following a report made to police on Saturday, 13 August, 2022 regarding an online threat, enquiries have been carried out into this matter and it has been established that it was made outwith the UK. 'Enquiries are now complete and there is no further police action at this time.' Sir Salman had been due to speak at the Chautauqua Institution, in upstate New York, on August 12 this year, where he was about to give about the United States as a safe haven for exiled writers. While he was on the stage 24-year-old Matar allegedly ran towards him and stabbed him multiple times, wounding him in the liver, neck and eye. The novelist was flown by helicopter to hospital in Pennsylvania, where he was put on a ventilator, with his son later saying he had suffered 'life-changing injuries'. Matar was subdued by members of the audience and has since been charged by US authorities with attempted murder in the second degree. However, after posting her support Ms Rowling, who has been harassed on social media for her views on gender and trans rights in recent years, was sent the vile death threat by Aziz. Aziz, who describes himself on Twitter as a 'student, social activist, political activist and research activist', appears to be based in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan. On his social media the vile troll made tasteless 'jokes' about how to destroy Israel and branded it a Putin-savaged Ukraine - as well as Pakistan's chief geopolitical rival India - 'terrorist states'. He described Sir Salman's attacker, Hadi Matar, 24, as a 'revolutionary Shia fighter' and expressed support for Iran and its authoritarian leader Ayatollah Sayyid Ali Hosseini Khamenei. In one of Khamenei's posts about the 'oppressive Yazidis', for instance, Aziz responded with a heart emoji. And responding to another tweet from the Iranian dictator, Aziz gushed : 'Dear leader your struggle for Islamic world will not be wasted until we young generation are with you'. Aziz has made tasteless 'jokes' about how to destroy Israel and branded it and Putin-savaged Ukraine - as well as Pakistan's chief geopolitical rival India - 'terrorist states'. He also appears to support the Supreme Leader of Iran, who frequently rants about Israel in genocidal tweets. In one of Khamenei's posts about the 'oppressive Yazidis', Aziz responded with a heart emoji Iran state media hails Salman Rushdie's attacker as 'courageous and duty-conscious man' whose hands should be kissed for 'tearing the neck of the enemy of God with a knife' The front pages of the August 13 edition of Iranian newspapers Vatan-e Emrooz, front, with title reading in Farsi: 'Knife in the neck of Salman Rushdie,' and Hamshahri, rear, with title: 'Attack on writer of Satanic Verses' Iran's deranged state media gleefully celebrated the sickening attack on Salman Rushdie, hailing the British author's suspected knifeman and branding the novellist an 'apostate' and 'heretic' whose book The Satanic Verses 'blasphemed' the Prophet Muhammad. Rushdie, 75, was stabbed up to 15 times - including once in the neck - on stage in upstate New York - more than 30 years after the theocratic dictatorship in Tehran issued a fatwa calling for the murder of the writer and anyone involved with the publication of the 1988 novel. The edict forced Sir Salman to go into hiding for a decade under an alias and round-the-clock police protection - and fuelled worldwide riots and book-burnings. Iranian state media celebrated the shocking attack on Rushdie, calling him a 'depraved heretic-writer' and 'apostate author'. An apostate is the term for someone who renounces a religious belief, which in Islamic theology is punishable by death. FARS News, a regime-owned outlet, also called Sir Salman an 'apostate' and accused him of having 'insulted the Prophet of Islam (PBUH)' with the book's 'anti-religious content.' Iranian ultra-conservative newspaper Kayhan, whose chief Hossein Shariatmadari is a close confidant of current Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, praised Rushdie's suspected attacker, Hadi Matar, 24, from New Jersey - who US law enforcement last night said enquiries suggested was sympathetic to the Iranian regime and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. In an editorial in Saturday's edition, Shariatmadari thundered: 'Bravo to this courageous and duty-conscious man who attacked the apostate and depraved Salman Rushdie in New York. Let us kiss the hands of the one who tore the neck of the enemy of God with a knife.' The Iranian regime has long stood by the fatwa, with Khamenei tweeting in 2019 that the fatwa 'is based on divine verses, and just like divine verses, it is solid and irrevocable.' Advertisement In a bid to get Aziz booted off Twitter after his remark towards her, Rowling posted: '@TwitterSupport any chance of some support?'. She also told her followers: 'To all sending supportive messages: thank you. Police are involved (were already involved on other threats).' However, she later revealed Twitter had decided the extremist did no violate its rules with the post. She posted an email from the social media site which said: 'After reviewing the available information, we determined that there were no violations of the Twitter rules in the content you reported. We appreciate your help and encourage you to reach out again in the future if you see any potential violations.' The 57-year-old posted a screenshot of the response, commenting: 'These are your guidelines, right? "Violence: You may not threaten violence against an individual or a group of people. We also prohibit the glorification of violence... "Terrorism/violent extremism: You may not threaten or promote terrorism"...' The attack on Sir Salman drew outrage from across the western world, with fellow authors Stephen King and Ms Rowling, as well as world leaders expressing their shock. Prime Minister Boris Johnson said he was 'appalled that Sir Salman Rushdie has been stabbed while exercising a right we should never cease to defend'. He added: 'Right now my thoughts are with his loved ones. We are all hoping he is okay.' Labour Party leader Sir Keir Starmer said: 'Salman Rushdie has long embodied the struggle for liberty and freedom against those who seek to destroy them. 'This cowardly attack on him yesterday is an attack on those values. The whole Labour Party is praying for his full recovery.' Sir Salman's book The Satanic Verses has been banned in Iran since 1988, as many Muslims view it as blasphemous, and its publication prompted Iran's then-leader Ayatollah Khomeini to issue a fatwa calling for his execution. Muslim societies on both sides of the Atlantic were quick to condemn the attack. The Muslim Council of Britain tweeted: 'Such violence is wrong and the perpetrator must be brought to justice,' while Ibrahim Hooper, spokesman for the Council on American-Islamic Relations, added: 'American Muslims, like all Americans, condemn any violence targeting anyone in our society.' Sir Salman began his writing career in the early 1970s with two unsuccessful books before Midnight's Children, about the birth of India, which won the Booker Prize in 1981. It went on to bring him worldwide fame and was named 'best of the Bookers' on the literary award's 25th anniversary. The author lived in hiding for many years in London under a British government protection programme after Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa calling for his death over The Satanic Verses. Finally, in 1998, the Iranian government withdrew its support for the death sentence and Sir Salman gradually returned to public life, even appearing as himself in the 2001 hit film Bridget Jones's Diary. The Index on Censorship, an organisation promoting free expression, said money was raised to boost the reward for Sir Salman's killing as recently as 2016, underscoring that the fatwa for his death still stands. His other works include The Moor's Last Sigh and Shalimar The Clown, which was long-listed for the Booker. He was knighted in 2008 and earlier this year was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour as part of the Queen's Birthday Honours. Keir Starmer was challenged to reverse all Kwasi Kwarteng's tax cuts today - including one that helps the worst-off. The Labour leader this morning pledged to reinstate the 45p top rate of income tax paid by 600,000 of Britain's richest people after it was axed by the Chancellor last Friday. But speaking ahead of the start of the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool he said he would keep an additional cut to the basic rate of income tax by a penny in the pound to 19p. 'I've long made the argument that we should reduce the tax burden on working people,' the party leader told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg. The policy put him at odds with former Labour cabinet minister Andy Burnham. The mayor of Greater Manchester used a TV interview to suggest that the party should campaign ahead of the next election to reverse all the Tory tax cuts. 'I don't think it is the most targeted way of using the resources that weve got at this moment in time,' he told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday. 'I would use it though to support people in different ways, so Im not saying we wouldnt put money in peoples pockets but if you keep that money, you are then able to target it to those who most need it because obviously if you cut the 20p rate, it benefits its not as targeted a measure as doing other things such as supporting people who are at real risk and those are people on Universal Credit Thats my position, I don't think it was a time for tax cuts. I think this is a time to support people through a crisis.' Sir Keir's pledges came after he had accusing the Tories of 'taking the p***' out of voters with their massive tax-cutting mini-Budget. Speaking ahead of the Labour Party Conference opening today the Opposition Leader insisted that the top rate paid by those earning more than 150,000 a year would return under his government. The normally mild-mannered party leader lashed out after Friday's 'fiscal event' saw income tax, corporation tax and stamp duty slashed along to stimulate economic growth. The cap on bankers' bonuses was also removed by Chancellor Kwarteng as he made the biggest change to the tax system in 50 years. This morning Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham called on Labour to campaign to reverse the cuts to income tax ahead of the next election, telling Sky the Budget was a ''flagrant act of vandalism'. The normally mild-mannered party leader had earlier lashed out after Friday's 'fiscal event' saw income tax, corporation tax and stamp duty slashed to stimulate economic growth. The cap on bankers' bonuses was also removed by Chancellor Kwarteng as he made the biggest change to the tax system in 50 years. But after he removed the 45p top rate of income tax paid by those earning 150,000 and over he was accused of helping only the super-wealthy at the expense of the rest. He and Prime minister Liz Truss have defended their 'trickle down' approach, insisting the whole economy will benefit. Sir Keir will open the Labour Party Conference in Liverpool today, and addressed activists last night. He said the Government's 'driving ideology' is now to 'make the rich richer and do nothing for working people'. 'If you earn a million pounds, yesterday, you got a 55,000 pounds tax cut, enough to pay for a nurse,' he said. 'It's not trickle down, it's taking the piss.' Sir Keir Starmer branded the economic plans set out by Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng as 'wrongheaded' and 'risky'. On the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg, Sir Keir said people were facing a 'very difficult winter' with supermarket customers 'looking at the price of food and having to put it back down again' because of soaring costs. 'It's on the back of 12 years of Tory failure. We've had an economy that hasn't really grown very much for 12 years, we've had wages which haven't really moved for 12 years, because they've taken the wrong decisions, they haven't planned for the future. 'And now we've got this decision on Friday to take a very risky approach to the future, driven by this ideology, this argument - wrongheaded argument in my view - that if you simply allow the rich to get richer, somehow that money will trickle down into the pockets of all the rest of us.' Asked if Labour would reintroduce the 45 per cent rate, he told the BBC's Sunday With Laura Kuenssberg programme 'Yes.' 'I do not think that the choice to have tax cuts for those that are earning hundreds of thousands of pounds is the right choice when our economy is struggling the way it is, working people are struggling in the way they are... that is the wrong choice,' he said. 'I would reverse the decision that they made on Friday.' Sir Keir will use the Labour conference to appeal to voters who are angry at '12 years of failure' under the Conservatives. The Labour leader announced plans to end dependence on fossil fuels, with all the country's electricity generated by renewable and nuclear power by 2030. Labour claims the plan would save UK households a total of 93 billion over the rest of the decade - or an average saving of 475 for each household every year. Sir Keir said the plan would also allow the UK to be free from being 'exposed to dictators' after Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine led to the current spike in global gas prices. The green energy revolution is being presented as an alternative path to growth after Friday's mini-budget saw Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng set out a massive package of tax cuts in the hope of reviving a sluggish economy. Sir Keir used speeches to activists on the eve of the Labour conference opening in Liverpool to denounce the 'shower' in Downing Street, who he accused of 'taking the piss' by offering tax cuts to the rich while giving less support to poorer households. The Labour leader pledged to double the amount of onshore wind, triple solar and more than quadruple offshore wind power by 2030, according to details announced in The Observer ahead of the party's annual conference. The creation of a net zero carbon, self-sufficient electricity network would lead to permanently lower energy bills and independence from nations such as Russia, according to Labour. The move could also create half a million jobs and make the UK the first country to have a zero-emission power system. Sir Keir said: 'The British people are sick and tired of rocketing energy bills and our energy system being exposed to dictators. 'They want long-term solutions to cut bills for good.' In a speech to activists, Sir Keir said the Chancellor's admission of Tory economic failure would be hung 'around their necks' in the next election campaign. He said: 'There's a change in the air. There's an atmosphere, there's a sense that Labour is ready to deliver. 'And don't we need change after 12 years of this shower, 12 years of failure under this government, wages stagnant for 10 years, public services on their knees.' It is already clear that the Chancellor's mini-budget on Friday will set the dividing lines for the next general election, with Sir Keir telling Labour supporters: 'I didn't agree with almost anything he said in that financial statement yesterday apart from his opening sentence, when he said there's a 'vicious cycle of stagnation'. 'He's right about that and it's their vicious cycle of stagnation. That is the verdict on 12 years of Tory government, a vicious cycle of stagnation and we need to hang that around their necks.' The former director of public prosecutions said it was good when 'somebody who is caught red handed actually pleads guilty'. The Labour leader's relationship with union chiefs has been strained by his refusal to offer full-throated support for the wave of strikes triggered by the cost-of-living crisis. But he insisted he would lead the 'most pro-trade union Labour government you have ever seen', promising a Green Paper on workplace rights within 100 days of an election victory. The conference is vital for Sir Keir to present himself as an alternative prime minister to Ms Truss, with the next election expected in 2024. Sharon Graham, general secretary of the Unite union, told the BBC the Labour leader should 'be bolder' in his economic policy and not 'stand still' in order to win power. The conference will formally begin on Sunday, with tributes to the Queen and a rendition of the national anthem. Mr Burnham said it is now 'odds on' that the UK will have a Labour government within the next two years as he spoke ahead of the Labour Party conference in Liverpool this week. The Greater Manchester mayor told Sophy Ridge on Sky News: 'I would see Labour this week come together. 'Keir Starmer's put us in a position where we can win the next election. 'It's the first conference, Sophy, since we last left government, where I think it's odds on that there could be a Labour government within one or two years. 'So we're in that position and the time is now to draw battle lines with ourselves. 'The Government's drawn battle lines with us and with ordinary working people. Let's unite and take the fight to them in Liverpool this week.' A British ex-prisoner of war captured in eastern Ukraine revealed he was stabbed and beaten before being told by a Russian officer: 'I am your death.' Nottinghamshire-born volunteer Aiden Aslin, 28, was punched in the face when he told his captors that he is British. Aiden finally arrived home on Thursday after five months of torture and exploitation, which included being handed a death sentence after a sham trial in Russian-held Donetsk. Home safe: Aiden (right) posted a picture to Instagram on the plane home alongside fellow ex-hostages Shaun Pinner (second from right), John Harding (left) and Dylan Healy (sat behind) Aiden promised Ukrainian girlfriend Diane Okovyta that he would see her again. But during the five months in solitary confinement, he admitted: 'I never thought I'd get out alive' He told The Sun: 'I never thought I'd get out alive.' The former care worker, from Newark-on-Trent, described the moment a Russian officer stabbed him and smiled. Aiden said: 'The officer was smoking a cigarette and knelt down in front of me to ask, "Do you know who I am?" I said "No" and he replied in Russian, "I am your death." 'He said, "Did you see what I did to you?". He pointed to my back. He showed me his knife and I realised he'd stabbed me. The Foreign Office released this undated image of Shaun smiling with his family, which is thought to have been taken after his return home in the early hours on Thursday morning Aiden and the other ex-captives are led to their jet to be brought home in the prisoner swap 'He then asked me, "Do you want a quick death or a beautiful death?" 'I replied in Russian, "A quick death." He smiled and said "No, you're going to have a beautiful death... and I'm going to make sure it's a beautiful death.''' Aiden's battalion surrendered to Russian forces in besieged Mariupol after weeks of intense fighting ended in April. After running out of food, the dogged Ukrainian unit was finally forced to give in. Aiden phoned his mother and girlfriend, telling them: 'No matter what, I will see you again.' The group of British hostages were forced to listen to Soviet anthems and ABBA songs at extreme volumes. Mum Angela Wood, 51, was even contacted by Aiden's captors numerous times - but claimed she 'refused to be cowed'. The British captives were given a last-minute reprieve months after being sentenced to death Aiden (right) and Shaun Pinner (left) agreed they were saved 'by the skin of their teeth' 'I told them to f**k off every time', Angela revealed yesterday. Aiden added: 'During the entire five months in captivity, I couldn't cry. 'When I heard I'd been given the death sentence I wanted to cry but I just couldn't. It was literally a matter of surviving. 'Your life is in the hands of these people and you do what they tell you to do or you suffer the consequences. Ex-Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich is thought to have orchestrated the bold trade 'Despite everything we went through, I knew sooner or later we would see light at the end of the tunnel and that I would get back to see Diane and my family.' Aslin was set free on Wednesday alongside Shaun Pinner, John Harding, Dylan Healy and Andrew Hill. Ex-Chelsea FC owner Roman Abramovich reportedly negotiated the Russia-Ukraine prisoner swap, which saw the Brits travel home via Saudi Arabia. Aiden explained: 'We sat down and Shaun sat next to me. Abramovich was watching everyone. 'Im looking at a group of Saudis and one of the lads says, "Is that Roman Abramovich?" 'He was a bit shy and didnt want to hassle us.' Abramovich then shook his hand and told him: 'Its good to have you here.' Aiden said: 'It was amazing. Less than 48 hours earlier I was in solitary confinement, treated worse than a dog and now I was on a plane with people who didnt want to hurt me.' The exhausted group landed in Britain in the early hours of Thursday morning. A photo issued by the Foreign Office appeared to show a beaming Mr Pinner with his loved ones. Mr Harding, Mr Pinner and Mr Aslin were hailed as defenders of 'democracy and freedom' by their former commander in Ukraine. They are believed to have served in the Georgian Legion, a pro-Ukrainian volunteer unit, under Mamuka Mamulashvili. 'All those guys did their best to defend democracy and freedom,' Mr Mamulashvili told the PA news agency. It comes as the family of British aid worker Paul Urey, who was reported to have died while being detained by Russian-backed separatists in Ukraine, said the repatriation of his body will give them closure. Downing Street has defended Liz Truss's new chief of staff after it emerged he is being paid through his lobbying firm instead of directly as a Government employee. No10 said that Mark Fullbrook was 'on secondment' from Fullbrook Strategies and it had cleared the arrangement which sees his salary paid to the company set up in April. Usually special advisers are paid directly as employees and their salary is liable for income tax. Mr Fullbrook's predecessor as chief of staff under Boris Johnson was paid 140,000. But being paid via his firm could allow him to be classed as a contractor, a move which could potentially lower his tax bill. He would also be a potential beneficiary of changes to tax accounting for contract workers unveiled by Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday in his mini-Budget. Controversial reforms to IR35 accounting rules will be scrapped as part of a package of measures to simplify the tax system. A spokesman for Mr Fullbrook last night denied the arrangement was being done to reduce his tax bill, telling the Sunday Times: 'This is not an unusual arrangement. It was not put in place for tax purposes and Mr Fullbrook derives no tax benefit from it.' This morning a No10 spokeswoman said: 'All government employees are subject to the necessary checks and vetting, and all special advisers declare their interests in line with Cabinet Office guidance. 'It is not unusual for a special adviser or civil servant to join government on secondment. No10 said that Mark Fullbrook was 'on secondment' from Fullbrook Strategies and had cleared the arrangement which sees his salary paid to the company set up in April. Usually special advisers are paid directly as employees and their salary is liable for income tax. Mr Fullbrook's predecessor as chief of staff under Boris Johnson was paid 140,000. 'Any government employee hired on secondment is subject to the usual special adviser or civil service codes. 'The government will pay the salary of an employee on secondment, including costs such as Employers National Insurance contributions to the seconding company. This has been cleared by the Proprietary and Ethics team in Cabinet Office.' Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng described Mr Fullbrook as a 'great professional' today but said he knew nothing about his salary arrangements. Deputy Labour leader Angela Rayner said: 'The shocking revelation that the Prime Minister's chief of staff is on loan from a lobbying company, not actually employed by the Government, raises serious questions about the new Prime Minister's judgement. 'While Liz Truss shows all the signs of allowing another wave of Tory sleaze to fester, a Labour government would create an Independent Ethics and Integrity Commission to clean up public life and restore the basic standards we expect.' Mr Fullbrook has already created headlines since starting in No10 a fortnight ago. It emerged last week he has been interviewed by the FBI over an alleged conspiracy to bribe an American politician and influence an election. He has been spoken to as a witness in a US Department of Justice (DoJ) and FBI investigation involving a London-based businessman accused of bribing a US politician. Federal agents contacted their counterparts in the UK's National Crime Agency and Scotland Yard to arrange an interview with the 60-year-old advisor, who previously worked with Brexit-winning Australian election guru Sir Lynton Crosby. According to the Sunday Times, Fullbrook, who is married to former Tory MP Lorraine Fullbrook, has been co-operating as a witness with the FBI and has retained a top white collar US law firm. Fullbrook strongly denies any wrongdoing. Introduced in 1999, IR35 was designed to stop freelancers working for a company or local authority like a full-time employee without having to pay the additional taxes this entailed. Originally, it was up to individuals to assess whether they were self-employed or an employee for tax purposes. But changes in 2017 and last year placed the burden on the organisations hiring these contractors. It came after a raft of BBC stars were ruled to have claimed lower tax bills by being paid as freelancers through companies they set up, while essentially being employees. The reforms attracted criticism, with some saying the changes risked damaging the self-employed and freelancers. Mr Kwarteng said the reforms created 'unnecessary complexity and cost for many businesses' and promised to reverse the changes in April. Karen Campbell-Williams, head of tax at accountancy firm Grant Thornton, said the move will 'simplify things for businesses' and 'open up the labour market'. Tom Evennett, head of private client at EY, predicted the measure will cost the taxpayer more than 6bn over the next five years. Jayden's dad, Joseph El Jer, called the five-year-old a 'blessing from the heavens' Parents uploaded a video of them driving through floodwater the day before His parents and two younger siblings were found clutching trees at about 8pm A Sydney couple's final social post before their five-year-old son drowned in floodwater shows their three children playing in the back of their ute as they drove through partly submerged roads. Devastated parents Joseph El Jer and Pam Hadchity shared videos of their 445km road trip from Granville, Sydney, to Tullamore in Central NSW, before their car was swept away in raging floodwaters on Friday at about 8pm. The family had headed west for a family trip to Dubbo Zoo. Joseph El Jer and Pam Hadchity (pictured holding their two youngest children) were found clutching trees after their car was swept off the road in floodwater with five-year-old Jayden (centre) still inside Emergency services found Mr and Mrs El Jer holding their two youngest children while clutching trees in raging water after abandoning their vehicle. The couple's eldest son Jayden, five, was unable to escape the car. Photos show the life-jacket clad family being lifted from the rescue boat. Emergency services waited with the vehicle while the family was rushed to Dubbo Hospital for treatment. Police divers found Jayden's body inside the submerged car and he was driven to Parkes Hospital but could not be saved. Jayden's mum Pam Hadchit (pictured being carried from floodwaters by volunteers) was found alongside her husband and two youngest children on Friday Just one day earlier his parents shared a video of them driving through partly flooded roads while the three children cheered from the backseat. The last video shared to the family's TikTok page showed them visiting Dubbo Zoo, about 126km east of Tullamore, on Friday afternoon. Jayden celebrated his fifth birthday in March. Photos show the little boy beaming with his face covered in icing from his dinosaur-themed cake. Five-year-old Jayden (pictured on his fifth birthday, covered in icing from his dinosaur-themed cake) was found by police divers inside a submerged car on Friday night Jayden's heartbroken parents parents Joseph El Jer and Pam Hadchity (above) shared videos of the family's road trip from Sydney to Tullamore before being swept away by floodwater 'You make me proud, glad, happy and I will always be your biggest fan love you so much,' Mrs Hadchity captioned the photos. Mr El Jer wrote Jayden was a 'blessing from the heavens'. 'You changed me into a father, something I only dreamt of. Now you and your siblings have made me complete,' he said. Heartbreaking videos on the family's TikTok page show Jayden playing with his siblings and dancing. Jayden's parents and two younger siblings were rescued SES workers on Friday night and taken to Dubbo Hospital (pictured, the family being lifted out of the rescue boat) The El Jer family are well known in the Tullamore community and visited several times a year. Locals said the family often attended the Tullamore Catholic church. 'It's absolutely devastating, things like this just don't happen out here and everyone is just absolutely devastated for the family, everyone that went out there,' Local mum Adriana Stevenson told the Daily Telegraph. 'It's horrible, absolutely horrible. You just can't explain how the family must feel, it's obviously a mistake, a split second decision that's gone terribly wrong. Jayden (pictured at his dinosaur-themed fifth birthday) was described by his dad as a 'blessing from the heavens' while his mum wrote 'you make me proud, glad, happy and I will always be your biggest fan love you so much' 'It gives you goosebumps.' SES chief commander Rob Cunneen said first responders to the horrific scene are 'looking after each other' amid ongoing flood rescues. In the last 24 hours SES volunteers have made six floodwater rescues and responded to 112 calls for help. For up to date flood warnings in NSW, visit the NSW SES website. Putin's private army may be under strain after demonstrations on Russian soil Russian politicians are calling for Putin's 'private army' to be reinforced as pressure mounts over the war in Ukraine with more than 2,000 Russians arrested for protesting against mobilisation. British military intelligence reported Sunday that Russian politicians are calling for more Russians to be mobilised to serve in the National Guard, used to quell protestors and enforce state violence at home. 'With a requirement to quell growing domestic dissent in Russia, as well as operational taskings in Ukraine, Rosgvardia is highly likely under particular strain,' said the UK Ministry of Defence in a briefing note. The Rosgvardia, created in 2016 to fight terrorism and organised crime, is a 'private army' whose loyalty is 'to the president rather than to the state', according to Stefan Hedlund, a Swedish academic and expert on Russian and Soviet studies. The force was recently used to facilitate Russia's 'referendums' in parts of occupied Ukrainian territory, with Western countries calling them a 'sham' designed to disguise an illegitimate attempt by Moscow to seize Ukrainian territory. The Intelligence brief said high-profile Russian nationalist Duma member Aleksandr Khinstein proposed to reinforce the guard and open the door for more units to fight in Ukraine, suggesting the Kremlin is struggling to keep disserts at bay both at home and abroad. The Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia), known as 'Putin's private army', are pictured blocking off Moscow's Manezhnaya Square last year. British military intelligence reported that Russian politicians are calling for more Russians to be mobilised to serve in the National Guard The Rosgvardia, was created in 2016 to fight terrorism and organised crime, but answers directly to Putin and is normally used to suppress descent at home. They are now being deployed in Ukraine, forcing the Kremlin to split its manpower high-profile Russian nationalist Duma member Aleksandr Khinstein proposed to reinforce the guard in Ukraine It comes after nearly three-quarters of countries in the United Nations assembly voted on Saturday to reprimand Russia and demand it withdraw its troops shortly after the February 24 invasion that Russia calls a special military operation. Russia's military campaign has killed tens of thousands, left some Ukrainian cities wastelands and triggered Russia's biggest confrontation with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Ukraine's military said early on Sunday that Russian forces had launched dozens of missile attacks and air strikes on military and civilian targets, including 35 'settlements', in the past 24 hours. Russia also used drones to attack the centre of the southern city of Odesa, Ukraine's military said. No casualties were reported. Russia denies targeting civilians. Its RIA state news agency reported that Ukrainian forces bombed a hotel in the city of Kherson, killing two people. Russian forces have occupied the southern city since the early days of the invasion. Police detain a demonstrator protesting against mobilisation in St. Petersburg, Saturday Police detain a man in Saint Petersburg on September 24, following calls to protest against the partial mobilisation announced by the Russian President More than 2,000 people have been detained across Russia for protesting the draft, including 798 people in 33 towns on Saturday, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info Russian law enforcement officers detain a person during an unsanctioned rally Nearly half of those detained were arrested in Moscow, at rallies following the partial mobilisation designed to bolster Russia's operation in Ukrain There has been no immediate response from Ukraine, with MailOnline unable to immediately verify either side's claims. The votes on becoming part of Russia were hastily organised after Ukraine recaptured large swathes of the northeast in a counteroffensive this month. Ukrainian officials said people were banned from leaving occupied areas until the four-day vote was over, armed groups were going into homes, and employees were threatened with the sack if they did not participate. Lavrov, in a news conference following his speech to the assembly in New York, said the regions where votes are underway would be under Moscow's 'full protection' if they are annexed by Russia. Russia said the referendums offer an opportunity for people in those regions to express their view. The Group of Seven industrialised economies said they will not recognise the results of the votes. A woman is shown evacuating with belongings and protecting her ears after a Russian attack in the frontline city of Kupiansk, in the Kharkiv region, on Saturday A man walks with a cane near a bridge over the Oskil River as black smoke rises in the frontline city of Kupiansk Asked if Russia would have grounds for using nuclear weapons to defend annexed regions of Ukraine, Lavrov said Russian territory, including territory 'further enshrined' in Russia's constitution in the future, 'is under the full protection of the state'. 'All of the laws, doctrines, concepts and strategies of the Russian Federation apply to all of its territory,' he said, also referring specifically to Russia's doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons. Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said Russia's statements on the possible use of nuclear weapons were 'absolutely unacceptable' and Kyiv would not give into them. 'We call on all nuclear powers to speak out now and make it clear to Russia that such rhetoric put the world at risk and will not be tolerated,' Kuleba said. Civilians look on during a military training session by the Right Sector close to Lviv, Ukraine, Saturday, Sept. 24 Civilians holding wooden replicas of rifles take part in a military training organized by the Ukraine A military instructor dressed in ghillie and holding a gun takes part in military training Ukraine has requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting over the referendums, accusing Russia of violating the UN Charter by attempting to change Ukraine's borders. Putin on Wednesday ordered the first mobilization since World War Two, sending some Russian men swiftly toward borders, with traffic at frontier crossings with Finland and Georgia surging and prices for air tickets from Moscow rocketing. More than 2,000 people have been detained across Russia for protesting the draft, including 798 people in 33 towns on Saturday, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info. Frustration has even spread to pro-Kremlin media, with one editor at the state-run RT news channel complaining that call-up papers being sent to the wrong men, adding that such issues were 'infuriating people'. A woman in her 20's is fighting for life after being struck by a ride at the Royal Melbourne Show while trying to retrieve her mobile phone stuck in the tracks. Horrified families watched on as the chaos unfolded at The Rebel Coaster on Sunday with paramedics treating the woman for serious facial injuries at the scene before taking her to hospital in critical condition. Others on the ride were left stranded atop the rollercoaster for some time with the ride immediately shut down. A woman in her 20's has been rushed to hospital after being injured on a ride at the Royal Melbourne Show. Pictured: The Rebel Coaster at the Royal Melbourne Show The area has been cordoned off as police and organisers investigate what caused the accident. 'It appears at this early stage the woman, believed aged in her 20s, may have walked on and entered the track to try and retrieve a dropped phone before she was hit by a rollercoaster carriage, about 5.45pm,' a statement by Victoria Police said. 'Sadly the woman was then found injured on the ground.' The Royal Melbourne Show confirmed the incident in a statement. 'We are working closely with the ride operator, WorkSafe Victoria and Victoria Police to investigate the issue further, however we can confirm that no one has fallen from the ride,' it said. 'The ride in question will be closed for the foreseeable future and updates will be made as information comes to hand. 'The visitor has been taken to hospital for further assessment. Others on the ride were left stranded atop the rollercoaster for some time with the ride immediately shut down 'The safety and well-being of our visitors to the Show is our number one priority.' The family-friendly event is running from September 19 to 29 after being cancelled for the past two years due to the Covid pandemic. A nearby stall owner said she saw the ride suddenly stop and heard people screaming. 'Apparently a kid fell over the front of the ride, and then everyone was stuck in the ride for one to two hours,' she told the Herald Sun. 'They only got down about half an hour ago, but the screaming was so loud I think everyone must have been really scared. 'The ride went up like normal, then there were screams, then it stopped and stayed that way for ages.' Italians look set to elect a far-right prime minister and the nation's first female leader as polls opened in today's snap general election. Brothers of Italy leader Giorgia Meloni is favourite to succeed centrist ex-banker Mario Draghi as prime minister. She would be Italy's most right-wing leader since Mussolini. She favours blockading nearby Libya to halt migration and has spoken out against the so-called 'LGBT lobby'. Polls opened at 7am local time and will close at 11pm (10pm in the UK), at which point an exit poll can be released. Forza Italia leader Silvio Berlusconi, pictured casting his ballot in Milan this morning, is backing Giorgia Meloni's right-wing alliance made up of numerous political parties Italian president Sergio Mattarella is pictured voting this morning in Palermo, Sicily Liga boss Salvini cast his ballot in Milan. He could become a key member of a new government But due to Italy's mixed electoral system of proportional and first-past-the-post voting methods, it's likely to be many hours before a precise result becomes clear. Opinion polls two weeks ago predicted a clear victory for Meloni's right-wing alliance. The national mood has since been hard to gauge as polls are banned during election campaigns, with the left still hoping for a surprise last-ditch recovery. The leader of the populist Brothers of Italy party, Giorgia Meloni (pictured in Naples on Friday) is set to be a big winner in today's election - and could become Italys first female leader There has been speculation that support for the left-leaning 5-Star Movement, the biggest party in 2018, has picked up in recent days. A furry friend accompanies a voter in Milan A late surge by 5-Star could jeopardise the rightist alliance's chances of winning a majority in the Senate or upper house, complicating the process of forming a government. Even if there is a clear cut result, the next government is unlikely to take office before late October, with the new parliament not meeting until October 13. Meloni would be the obvious candidate for prime minister, as leader of an alliance also featuring Matteo Salvini's League party and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia. Italian president Sergio Mattarella was pictured voting in Palermo this morning, while hard-right Liga leader Matteo Salvini cast his ballot in Milan. Centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) leader Enrico Letta waved at supports as he cast his vote in Rome. Pres. Mattarella walks through the Sicilian polling station this morning accompanied by guards Berlusconi's sympathy for Putin (the pair are pictured together in 2015) could cost the right A Meloni win would cap a remarkable rise for the Brothers of Italy, which won just four per cent of votes in the previous national election four years ago. Italy's first autumn national election in over a century was triggered by party infighting that brought down Prime Minister Mario Draghi's broad national unity government in July. Italy has a history of political instability. The next prime minister will lead the country's 68th government since 1946 and face a host of challenges, notably rising energy costs. The outcome of the vote will also be watched nervously in European capitals and on financial markets. Centre-left leader Enrico Letta is hoping his Democratic party will fare better than expected Salvini talks to an election officials this morning in Milan, northern Italy as he cast his vote Kingmaker again: Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia is backing Ms Meloni's alliance on the right European Union leaders, keen to preserve unity after Russia's invasion of Ukraine, are concerned that Italy will be a more unpredictable partner than under former European Central Bank chief Draghi. For markets, there are the perennial worries about Italy's ability to manage a debt pile that amounts to around 150 per cent of GDP. Meloni plays down her party's post-fascist roots and portrays it as a mainstream conservative group. Another dog stands on the polling station steps this morning in Rome as their owner votes Preparations were made overnight for polling stations to be open from 7am local time today She has pledged to support Western policy on Ukraine and not take undue risks with an economy hit hard by rising prices. Italy is also benefiting from 192 billion (171billion) in post-Covid EU recovery funds, offering a powerful incentive to stick to agreed reform plans. However, there are signs of division between Meloni and her allies on foreign policy. Ex-prime minister Mario Draghi (pictured last week) served his last day in office on Friday. Draghi was respected on the international stage and a darling of the EU establishment Voters are handed numerous ballots to cast their votes under the country's mixed system A man enters a polling booth to cast his ballot in Rome this morning League leader Salvini has criticised the impact of higher energy prices on Italians, blaming it in part on the blowback from Western sanctions against Russia. Berlusconi sparked outrage late in the campaign when he appeared to defend Russian President Putin. The firebrand political veteran, 85, said yesterday that Putin had been 'pushed' by NATO members into invading Ukraine. Nun of the above: a voter walks to the ballot box to place her completed papers this morning Polling station workers await the arrival of voters in Naples, southern Italy earlier today A voter studies the electoral list on offer at his local polling station in the Italian capital today A man casts two ballots for the Chamber of Deputies (left) and the Italian Senate (right) Officials were pictured carrying out final preparations at a polling station in Rome yesterday Western countries said Russia is staging vote to annex occupied parts of Ukraine 'My family was just forced to vote at gunpoint,' said journalist Maxim Eristavi The Kremlin appears to have sent soldiers to force Ukrainians to vote in its staged referendums at gunpoint, according to residents who say troops came to their homes in occupied territories to enforce the 'vote'. 'My family was just forced to vote at gunpoint in Russian cosplay of a "referendum in southern Ukraine,' said Maxim Eristavi, journalist and co-founder of Hromadske International, a broadcasting station in Ukraine. The Ukrainian journalist posted a video purporting to show armed soldiers entering the hallways where his family live and forcing them to vote in favour of joining Russia. Western countries have accused Russia of staging illegitimate referendums in Ukraine as a pretext for annexing parts of its neighbour. Kyiv called out the exercise as a bare-faced attempt by Russia to hold on to occupied territory now threatened by the Ukrainian army's counter-offensive. Eristavi added that his family members were also forced to take part in the same exercises in Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014 in an attempt to fool foreign audiences into thinking the voting was free and fair. Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhia, Kherson, and Crimea are all Ukrainian regions at least partially under Russian occupation where the referendums are being held with the results fixed by Moscow. Russian state media said the armed guards enforcing the door-to-door voting are there for 'security'. The pre-determined result would see Ukrainian territory become an 'independent' country under Russian law, before quickly joining the Russian federation as a 'federal subject', said Kremlin state media. A Ukrainian journalist has posted a video allegedly showing Russian troops entering the residence of his family before forcing them to vote in 'sham' referendums across occupied territories of Ukraine Ukraine and Western countries have accused Russia of staging illegitimate referendums on foreign soil as a pretext for annexing parts of its neighbour A copy of the ballot papers being handed to people, asking whether or not they agree to become part of Russia Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said the regions where votes are underway would be under Moscow's 'full protection' if they are annexed by Russia. He said any territory which is 'further enshrined' into Russia will be 'under the full protection of the state'. The four-day vote saw residents forced into voting and banned from leaving their area, according to Kyiv. The votes allow Putin to spin the narrative to his own people that any Ukrainian attack to try and reclaim its territories is an assault on Russia itself allowing the Kremlin to justify mass mobilisation, which more than 2,000 Russians have been arrested for protesting against. More footage surfaced of armed troops entering residents' homes during the days the votes took place. Serhiy Haidai, governor of occupied Luhansk, said some towns under Russian occupation have been entirely sealed off to ensure people vote with any crosses in the 'no' column recorded in a 'notebook'. One woman in Melitopol told the BBC there was one ballot for the entire household, rather than for separate residents. Meanwhile state media reported an unfeasibly high 97 per cent of people in two of those regions Donetsk and Luhansk are in favour of joining Russia. Chechen soldiers show up at the apartments of Ukrainians in Russian-occupied areas, trying to force them to vote for the annexation of Ukrainian lands to the Russian Federation in the sham referendum that Putin ordered. pic.twitter.com/YJD6P4gxvu Visegrad 24 (@visegrad24) September 24, 2022 UK Foreign Secretary James Cleverly said Russian officials had set targets for invented voter turnouts beforehand. Ballot boxes have also been opened across Russia itself, ostensibly to allow displaced Ukrainians to vote, but in reality offer more opportunities for vote rigging. In-person voting will take place exclusively on September 27, state media said. But the result is not in doubt. 'The United States will never recognize Ukrainian territory as anything other than part of Ukraine,' said President Biden in a release. 'Russias referenda are a sham a false pretext to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law, including the United Nations Charter.' Votes are being held in four areas currently under Russian control - Donetsk and Luhansk, which together make up the Donbas, as well as Kherson and Zaporizhzhia Valentina Matviyenko, chair of Russia's upper parliament house, said that residents of the occupied regions were voting for 'life or death' at the referendums. Denis Pushilin, separatist leader of Moscow-backed authorities in the Donetsk region, called the referendum on Friday 'a historical milestone.' Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, addressed the occupied regions Friday in an online statement, saying: 'If you decide to become part of the Russian Federation we will support you.' Western leaders have declared the referenda to be a sham, saying they have no legitimacy while urging other governments not to recognise the results. A Russian mercenary wearing the symbol of the notorious Wagner military group stands guard outside a polling station in occupied Ukraine Putin declared the 'partial mobilisation' of Russia's population, forcing hundreds of thousands of men into the military, after the Ukrainian army retook large swathes of territory invaded by Russia in the brutal war sparked on February 25. New laws have extended soldiers' contracts indefinitely, meaning they cannot simply quit if they don't want to keep fighting. As the votes was getting underway in the occupied regions, Russian social media sites were full of dramatic scenes of tearful families bidding farewell to men departing from military mobilization centers. In cities across the vast country, men hugged their weeping family members before departing as part of the draft. 'Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians they just need to replenish the empty spaces left by the dead, wounded, those who fled or the Russian soldiers that were captured,' said Ukrainian president Zelensky on Saturday. Russian anti-war activists, in the meantime, planned more protests against the mobilisation. Bosses struggle to fill 55-an-hour PA roles because so few candidates want to return to the office with almost half of jobseekers only applying for positions with remote working. Experts believe staff are in a strong position as the labour market is tight with low levels of unemployment and high numbers of job vacancies. Figures showed there were 1.3million vacancies in the economy, twice the average rate of the last ten years. Meanwhile Britons are leading the world in refusing to return to the office and would rather quit or find a new job the return to the workplace fulltime. Experts believe staff are in a strong position as the labour market is tight with low levels of unemployment and high numbers of job vacancies Britons are leading the world in refusing to return to the office and would rather quit or find a new job the return to the workplace fulltime The news comes as figures released in May suggested fewer than one in 10 workers wanted to get back to the office fulltime despite the end of the pandemic. Recruitment boss Chris Gray, of ManpowerGroup UK, said: 'Over the last 12 months we've seen employers offer unprecedented benefits, from hefty signing bonuses to fully remote working, to attract candidates. 'As demand for new workers cools, candidates are less able to secure these benefits but many existing employees don't want to give them up.' One boss based in the Capital told the Sun said: 'I understand the culture has changed post-Covid but the result is businesses are suffering big time. We need someone in the office five days a week. 'At the moment, the directors are left making the tea and coffee and doing the printing.' Bosses believe staff are less productive at home than they are in the office with their colleagues, according to new research. The news comes as figures released in May suggested fewer than one in 10 workers wanted to get back to the office full-time despite the end of the pandemic. A questionnaire conducted by Microsoft found 87 per cent of workers felt they worked as, or more, efficiently from home while 80 per cent of managers disagreed. A survey by Microsoft questioned more than 20,000 staff from 11 countries and found that bosses and their employees fundamentally disagree about working from home. Microsoft chief executive Satya Nadella told the BBC this tension needed to be resolved as workplaces were unlikely to ever return to pre-pandemic work habits. The questionnaire found 87 per cent of workers felt they worked as, or more, efficiently from home while 80 per cent of managers disagreed. WFH habits have changed since the pandemic with three in four Britons now travelling to at work during the week. But the data published by the Office for National Statistics also found around a third of people are continuing to spend part of their week working at home. Prior to the pandemic only one in eight employees were home-workers at any one time. In Whitehall hundreds of civil servants will never have to return to the office after being allowed to work from home permanently. The Mail on Sunday reported the Civil Service is still advertising work from home jobs paying salaries of up to four times the national average. The Ministry of Defence is looking for a 117,000-a-year Head of Platform Services Executive which the job listing says can be done by remote working (anywhere in the UK). Two mummies lying in the Valley of Kings could be the remains of Nefertiti and Ankhesenamun, the wife of Tutankhamun, with DNA tests expected to confirm whether or not the remains are the Ancient Egyptian queens. Over 3,000 years ago, Pharaoh Akhenaten and Queen Nefertiti decided to abandon worship of the Egyptian gods in favour of what the Pharaoh called the one true God rejecting a millennia of tradition. His son, Tutankhamun the last of his royal family to rule turned against his father and restored the pantheon of Egyptian gods. But after they were both dead, the high priests destroyed monotheist monuments created by Akhenaten and struck both of their names from their record, banishing the two Pharaohs from the history books. The revenge of the high priests obscured a rich history that was only fully appreciated upon the discovery of Tutankhamun's tomb in 1922, with the censorship ironically making him the most famous of the Pharaohs. Now, thousands of years after the end of Egypt's 18th dynasty, the Queens who ruled alongside both Akhenaten and Tutankhamun may have been found. The Nefertiti bust at the Neues Museum in berlin is pictured. Nefertiti ruled Egypt between 1370 to 1330 BC alongside the Pharaoh Akhenaten, and is considered as one of the most important Images of Tutankhamun and Queen Ankhesenamun, who was said to be beautiful, are shown A guide briefs tourists outside KV35, the Tomb of Amenhotep II, at the Valley of the Kings on the West Bank of the Nile river Who was Akhenaten? Nefertiti ruled Egypt between 1370 to 1330 BC alongside the Pharaoh Akhenaten. His predecessor, Amenhotep III ruled over a land whose priesthood, centered on the god Amun, had been steadily growing in power for centuries. By the time Akhenaten came to power, the priests of Amun were on almost equal standing with the royal house in terms of wealth and influence. In either the 9th or the 5th year of his reign, Akhenaten outlawed the old pantheon, closed the temples, and proclaimed himself the living incarnation of a single, all-powerful, deity known as Aten. Subsequent rulers, along with the high priests, decided to destroy all written recordings of Akhenaten - refered to only as 'the enemy'. Akhenaten's name was lost to history until the 19th century CE when the Rosetta Stone was deciphered by Jean-Francois Champollion in 1824. Source: World History Advertisement The mummified remains of Nefertiti, perhaps the most famous Great Royal Wife of ancient Egypt, are thought to be stored in tombs KV21 and KV35, in the Valley of the Kings. Two of the most important women in Egyptian history could be brought to life if DNA evidence confirms their identities. CT scans could be used to replicate the facial features of the two queens, scholars have said. 'In October we will be able to announce the discovery of the mummy of Ankhesenamun, Tutankhamuns wife, and her mother, Nefertiti,' Prof Hawass told Newsweek. 'I am sure that I will reveal which of the two unnamed mummies could be Nefertiti.' Finding mummies of perhaps the two most revered queens in ancient history has been the dream of many an Egyptologist. But archeologists have 'barely found 30 per cent of everything that is underground,' Hawass said. 'Modern Egypt is built on the Ancient. And that is why the heritage that remains hidden is immense.' Nefertiti ruled over what some scholars say was the wealthiest period of ancient Egypt, where the empire flourished. There is debate over whether Nefertiti ruled in her own right after the death of Akhenaten for a short period before Tutankhamun ascended. Much of her role in the tumultuous period of Egyptian history is still unknown to us, but DNA tests confirming her identity could open the door to further discoveries. The bust of Nefertiti was found in Egypt in 1912 at Tell el-Amarna, the short-lived capital of Akhenaten. It is now housed in Berlin's Neues Museum. Archaeologist Giovanni Belzoni speculated that he had found Nefertiti in 1817 while excavating tomb KV21 in the Valley of the Kings, but later DNA testing has proven inconclusive. Now, modern Egyptologists may be on the cusp of finally identifying her remains. The sarcophagus containing the gold coffin of the Pharaoh Tutankhamu is pictured An aerial view of the ancient Egyptian workmen's village of Deir al-Madina, home to artisans who worked on the tombs in the Valley of the Kings during the New Kingdom period of Ancient Egypt, is shown Colossi of Ramses II at the entrance to Luxor Temple, located on the east bank of the Nile River He is now forced to live out of his car and is unable to receive any welfare pay Mr Jackson's money to live on was given to the WA Public Trustee to manage The plight of a desperate man with brain damage forced to live in his car after a government trustee squandered his fortune on foreign investments has prompted anger across Australia. Perth man Neil Jackson, 63, was awarded $2.8million after a traumatic car crash in 1997 left him with severe brain injuries. His money was placed in the control of Western Australia's Department of Justice to manage, and he was also barred from accessing disability or pension payments until 2029. Now his furious family, along with members of the community, are calling for an inquiry into the public sector blunder. Neil Jackson (above) has been left homeless after his $2.8million was given to the WA Public Trustee to manage What is a Public Trustee? The Public Trustee offers independent, professional trustee and asset management services to the Western Australian community. These include Will and Enduring Power of Attorney drafting, deceased estate administration, and personal trustee and administration services. The Public Trustee offers a range of free and fee-based community services accessible to all Western Australians, including: - Preparing and giving advice when you make your Will with the Public Trustee. - Preparing Enduring Powers of Attorney (EPA) and acting as Done under an EPA. - Administering deceased estates. - Managing the financial affairs of people who have been deemed legally incapable of doing so themselves. - Acting as Trustee for people under the age of 18. Acting as Trustee when appointed to manage personal injuries or criminal injuries compensation. - Acting as Trustee when appointed by Deed. Providing support and examining the accounts of private personal financial administrators. Source: The Western Australian government Advertisement Mr Jackson's ex-wife, Janet, said the money he was relying to live on for the rest of his life was gambled away by the government department on overseas investments. His story has been widely shared online with commenters describing his situation as 'heartbreaking' and 'disgusting'. 'The Public Trustee is a terrible organisation!' one person wrote. Mr Jackson said he feels like 'a nothing' and has given up any hope for his future. 'It's 25 years of hell and it just keeps going and I can't take it anymore,' Mr Jackson told Nine News. 'I just want to go to sleep and not wake up.' Mr Jackson (pictured with his ex-wife Janet) was left with severe brain injuries after a traumatic car crash in 1997 Ms Jackson's story has been widely shared online with commenters describing his situation as 'heartbreaking' and 'disgusting' With the millions lost by strangers Mr Neil had one asset to hold onto, his southern suburbs home - but it burnt down in 2019. Ms Jackson said the trustee later sold Mr Jackson's land without telling him. 'We've had no say over all his money. Where it is, where it goes,' she said. With no money and nowhere to turn in the midst of a global pandemic, Mr Neil was forced to sleep in his car and hasn't been able to find shelter since. The former millionaire now only has secure access to food and 'weekly showers' though a not-for-profit organisation. Commenters on Reddit were devastated to hear about Mr Jackson's ordeal but said he's not the first to be done wrong by the Public Trustee. Mr Jackson is living out of his car (above) and relies on a charity organisation for 'weekly showers' Commenters on Reddit were devastated to hear about Mr Jackson's ordeal but said he's not the first to be done wrong by the Public Trustee 'This absolutely broke my heart. Sounds like his funds are gone, but I hope this story can get this guy the help he needs,' one person wrote. 'The guy had $2.7m that was gambled away by a government department who then sold his land from under him and now he gets weekly showers,' another said. 'Medical care of my Grandma was recently taken over by the Public Trustee in Perth. They insisted on moving her from my mother and to a nursing home. Her health declined very rapidly and 17 days later she passed away. We buried her yesterday. They're a pack of bastards,' a third claimed. Daily Mail Australia has contacted the WA Public Trustee for comment. Advertisement President Joe Biden's DNC appearance in Florida on September 27 was postponed, the White House announced late on Saturday, just after he declared an emergency in the Sunshine State President Joe Biden is pushing off his Florida visit to campaign with Democrat midterm candidates there as Tropical Storm Ian barrels toward the Sunshine State. Biden was due to appear in Orlando for a Democratic National Committee rally on September 27. The White House announced on Saturday night that the trip would be postponed due to the incoming tropical storm. It's expected to make landfall in the US this week and could be Florida's first major hurricane in four years. The president was expected to call out Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis on his home turf in an appearance alongside his challenger, Democratic House Rep. Charlie Crist. Crist, a former Republican who was governor from 2007-2011, is leaving the House of Representatives this year as he seeks a return to Tallahassee. Polls show DeSantis with just a single-digit lead over Crist with less than two months until the midterms, as Florida tests out a new Congressional map largely drawn to favor GOP candidates. When asked about a later date, the White House told DailyMail.com that it had nothing further to add at this time. It's not clear yet if the DNC is calling off the entire Tuesday event or if it will go on without the president. Biden's last planned trip to Florida was meant for July - but was called off when the president tested positive for COVID-19. His most recent cancelation came an hour after Biden declared an emergency over the looming storm and activated federal disaster relief aid for Floridians. Tropical Storm Ian is expected to strengthen into a hurricane on Sunday and reach 'major' hurricane strength - anything Category 3 or above - on Tuesday before it hits Cuba. It was postponed over Tropical Storm Ian, which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane on Sunday before making landfall in Florida later this week It's expected to be the worst hurricane Sunshine State residents have seen in four years It' expected to make landfall in Florida later this week, with projections indicating Thursday or Friday Florida residents (like the shopper pictured here on September 24) have been urged to make hurricane preparations as Governor Ron DeSantis declares an emergency throughout all 67 counties Grocery store shelves have been left bare as Floridians anxiously try to prepare for the storm Shoppers stock up on emergency water and hurricane supplies at a supermarket in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on September 24 As of 8am on Sunday morning, Tropical Storm Ian was roughly 590 miles off of Cuba's western tip DeSantis declared an emergency across the entire state and its 67 counties on Saturday afternoon in a sign of officials' high concern. As of 8am on Sunday morning, the storm was roughly 590 miles off of Cuba's western tip. The National Hurricane Center said it could reach 'major hurricane strength' before touching down on the Caribbean nation. The cities of Orlando, Panama City and Tampa are all in Tropical Storm Ian's path, according to the most recent projections The Weather Channel. Parts of Alabama and Georgia are also likely to be affected. Residents in the expected path have been urged to make hurricane preparations as National Hurricane Center officials warn of the higher-than-normal degree of 'uncertainty' in the storm's forecasted path and intensity. Tropical Storm Ian is in the southern Caribbean but is expected to bring heavy rain and intense hurricane winds to the state next week The storm could begin hitting southern Florida late on Monday or Tuesday morning, with this graphic showing one potential path DeSantis initially issued the emergency order for two dozen counties on Friday but has now expanded the warning to the entire states 67 counties There are still various models suggesting which way the storm will track The storm is expected to strengthen into a category 4 hurricane before striking the Florida coast Officials in the Caribbean and Florida are warning residents to prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Ian, an intensifying storm that's expected to grow into a hurricane The weather system is currently churning southeast of Jamaica and was declared a tropical storm Friday night. It is projected to hit populated areas with heavy rains and high winds starting Sunday The storm is first expected to hit Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands Though he hasn't campaigned in the Sunshine State, Biden has not shied away from ripping its governor at public events elsewhere and holding him up as boogeyman to push Democrats to the polls. The popular governor has seen a meteoric rise within the GOP for his vocal criticism of the Biden administration and culture war-influenced policies on education, LGBTQ issues and, now, the border crisis. DeSantis outraged progressives and immigrants' rights activists earlier this month when he sent a plane of undocumented migrants who crossed the US-Mexico border to the island of Martha's Vineyard, a bastion of liberal wealth. Local officials said they received no warning for the flights and it has been suggested by some migrants' lawyers that they were sent there under false pretenses. Biden tore into DeSantis and Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott last week, accusing them of using migrants as political pawns. Abbott has been sending buses of people to New York City and Washington, DC, where the Democrat mayors have declared the population influxes to be a crisis. 'Instead of working with us on solutions, Republicans are playing politics with human beings using them as props,' Biden said at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Gala. 'What they're doing is simply wrong. It's un-American. It's reckless.' Bradley Sierra and his family load plywood to board up their home at Home Depot in St. Cloud, Fla., as they spent Friday stocking up. 'We got a lot of water, food, gasoline, a generator in case the power goes out,' he said Residents in Osceola County, south of Orlando, are already stocking up on plywood boards Floridians panic bug water at Costco ahead of a possible hurricane which is expected to affect Florida early next week The National Hurricane Center has been tracking Tropical Storm Ian, forecast to strengthen into a hurricane within the next few days Counties across Central Florida have been preparing for possible impact from the storm Florida Governor Ron DeSantis enjoyed a meteoric rise in his national profile with his vocal criticism of the Biden administration and culture war-influenced policies Tyler Perry defended his popular Madea character against Spike Lee's old criticism that it promoted negative stereotypes, saying he is 'honoring the people who made me who I am.' The Emmy Award winner joined Chris Wallace on his new HBO Max show, which dropped Friday, to discuss his widely popular series Madea when the host asked about Lee's past criticism. Controversially, the filmmaker called the project 'coonery buffoonery' in 2009 and that it enhanced the negative stereotypes of the black community. 'For me, I've loved the movies that I've done,' Perry, 53, told Wallace. 'Because they're the people that I grew up with, that I represent.' He recalled being taken to the projects every weekend with his mother, so she could play cards with other women. 'Most of them didn't have a 12th-grade education,' he said. 'But their stories and how much they loved each other, and when they would get sad about something and another would come in and make a joke - I'm five years old, I'm on the floor with my matchbox cars, I'm in a masterclass for my life.' 'So when someone says: 'You're harkening back to a point in our lives that we don't want to talk about or we don't want the world to see,' you're dismissing the stories of millions and millions of black people.' Tyler Perry defended his popular Madea character, saying he is 'honoring the people who made me who I am.' He also said he believes the series 'resonates' with a lot of people because they know 'these women in these experiences and Uncle Joe and so on and so forth' The Emmy Award winner joined Chris Wallace on his new HBO Max show, which dropped Friday, to discuss his widely popular series Madea He went on to say he thought the series 'resonates' with a lot of people because they know 'these women in these experiences and uncle joe and so on and so forth.' 'What is important to me is that I'm honoring the people that came up and taught and and and made me who I am,' he told Wallace. Perry also discussed the abuse he suffered at the hands of his father and how that related to him successfully creating a $1billion brand. 'My father often, he sent a message to me a few years ago through my brother saying, if I beat your ass one more time, you would be Barack Obama, meaning that he thinks that his abuse brought me to success,' the billionaire said on the show. 'But he totally negates the love of my mother. And the love of my mother is what brought me here. It wasn't the abuse. It wasn't the rage and the anger. It was her love that brought me to this place.' Perry told People in 2019 that his abusive, alcoholic father once beat him with a vacuum so badly it could have ripped off his skin. 'I don't think I ever felt safe or protected as a child,' he told People. He also admitted that three different family acquittances had also raped him when he was 10 years old. Spike Lee had previously called the series 'coonery buffoonery' and said it enhanced the negative stereotypes of the black community (pictured: Perry as Madea) The high school dropout has since found forgiveness toward his father and said it was a 'weight' being lifted off him and that 'prayer' helped him get there. '[It took] a tremendous amount of prayer, but the biggest thing that helped me understand it is that me holding on to what I was holding on to wasn't hurting himbut it was killing me,' he told People. 'I'm telling you, the shift and forgiveness in me left me raw because it was a weight inside. I chose to be as positive and inspirational as I can, because I don't want to feel that again.' His positivity would eventually lead him to allow the Duke and Duchess of Sussex to live with him, while they were going through a 'very difficult time.' Perry revealed he offered up his $18million Beverly Hills home to Prince Harry and Meghan Markle to use as their personal residence after they quit the monarchy and moved to the US two years ago. Back in 2020, after the Duke and Duchess of Sussex announced that they were saying goodbye to their royal duties and relocating to California, the couple, along with their then-one-year-old son, Archie, spent a few months living in Tyler's Beverly Hills mansion - before they went on to purchase their own sprawling, $14.65million estate in Montecito, California. The comedian said he offered help to the couple, insisting that it was a 'very difficult time for them' and that he wanted to 'support them' in any way possible. The filmmaker added that he was inspired by Harry and Meghan's love, telling the Today show earlier this week: 'What I know about the two of them - and I wish the world knew - how much these two people love each other.' 'They found each other, out of all these odds against them finding each other, they found each other,' he said. 'The love they have is really, really moving and I wanted to do anything I could to support them.' He added of Meghan and Harry's relationship: 'If I don't have that, what she and Harry have, I don't want it. That's really amazing.' He recently opened up about why he allowed Prince Harry and Megan Markle to live in his $18million Beverly Hills home when they first moved to America and said he wants the love they have During a recent interview with The Cut, Meghan, 41, spoke out about her bond with Tyler, explaining that he got in touch with her after she first wed Harry, 38, in 2018. She explained that he told her that he was praying for her, and that he 'understood' the intense pressure she was under. According to Meghan, Tyler also told her that if ever needed advice, she could reach out to him - so she did. She soon began to open up to him about her struggles and the two grew close, despite them never even meeting in person. 'Sometimes, you can tell your life story to a stranger on a plane as opposed to some of the people that are closest to you,' she told The Cut. According to the outlet, Tyler offering his home to the pair 'became, in many ways, the reason that Meghan and Harry started their new life in Southern California.' Civilian reservists forced to join Vladimir Putins war machine are being issued with rusty worn-out old Kalashnikovs as weapons, a new video shows. The recruits expressed dismay in a volley of swearwords after a tank crew were provided with long-discarded weapons from a military store in Primonsky region in the far east of Russia. 'It's the tank boys who were given this c*** [rusty Kalashnikovs],' says one voice as the men are given their war kit. 'They said: "You've got tanks, so don't give a **** about the Kalashnikovs".' Russian tank crews were given weapons that looked decades old to take to war The tank crew were provided with long-discarded weapons from a military store in Primonsky Online sleuths identified the weapon as an AKM, a gas operated assault rifle introduced by the Soviets in 1959 as a replacement for the AK-47. It was officially replaced in Soviet frontline service in the late 1970s One man said of the worn and rusty guns: 'These are the machine guns we're getting. 'F***** up, I'm f****** up. I wont comment on anything. Im shocked.' They were told that, since they were part of a tank crew, the rusty weapons would be good enough. Online sleuths identified the weapon as an AKM, a gas operated assault rifle introduced by the Soviets in 1959 as a replacement for the AK-47. The AKM is lighter and cheaper to produce than the AK-47. It was officially replaced in Soviet frontline service in the late 1970s. 'There are WW2 re-enactors who have better equipment,' said Twitter user Magnus Canis. 'Are these the "real troops Russia has been holding back?' asked another user. 'Czar Nicholas is proud of his army,' joked a third. A separate video close to the Ukrainian border shows 'aged' military trucks being transported for use by Russias newly mobilised reservists. The recent videos underline increased Russian equipment problems, suggesting the military is digging through old Soviet equipment to use in its war against Ukraine. A mum's desperate Triple-0 call for help as her toddler had a heart attack in the back seat has been played for the first time, as the family reunited with two officers who helped to save the little girl's life on the side of a road. Lily McGowan, 2, was unresponsive when her mother Sam pulled over on Gilbert Road at Castle Hill, in Sydney northwest, and called for an ambulance on January 6. She immediately feared the worst because her daughter suffers from a pre-existing heart condition. 'I was just driving in the car and she's thrown up everywhere. And now, I think, I don't know if she's having a seizure or what,' she frantically told the emergency operator. Toddler Lily McGowan (pictured in her mum Sam's arms) is reunited with Senior Constable Nicole Ziedan (right), who helped save her life and other police officers What is a defibrillator? Pictured: A defibrillator A defibrillator is a sophisticated life-saving device used to treat Sudden Cardiac Arrest (SCA), a condition that occurs when the heart unexpectedly stops pumping due to an underlying medical condition. In Australia, there are more than 30,000 SCA's every year and without defibrillation and CPR, fewer than 5 per cent survive. Every minute that passes without defibrillation reduces the chance of survival by 10 per cent. If a defibrillator is used within the first few minutes of sudden cardiac arrest, it can increase the survival rate to as high as 70 per cent. It is vital that more people become aware of what defibrillators are, how to find them and how to use them. Source: St John Ambulance Advertisement 'She's struggling to breathe, but she's just very floppy,' she continued. The Triple-0 operator asked 'Is there a defibrillator available?' 'No, I'm on the side of the road, I don't have anything with me,' Ms McGowan replied. Lily soon stopped breathing and after her heartbeat came to a halt, her mum started CPR on the nature strip under the guidance of the emergency operator. Then two police officers arrived on the scene and took over the desperate battle to save the child's life. 'She was blue, she wasn't breathing, not responsive. It certainly wasn't looking good,' Senior Constable Nicole Ziedan told Nine News. But after almost 30 minutes of compressions, Lily began breathing again. She was then treated by NSW Ambulance paramedics along with the critical care team from the CareFlight helicopter before being airlifted to The Children's Hospital at Westmead. Lily has since made a full recovery and along with her family has been reunited with the officers who helped save her. Lewis McGowan (pictured right) said his daughter Lily (left) may not be alive if it wasn't for the help of police officers who performed CPR on the toddler after she had a heart attack Her dad, Lewis said if the officers hadn't acted as quickly as they did his daughter 'probably wouldn't be here today'. Ms McGowan said the horror ordeal had been the 'worst 30 minutes' of her life. 'It was a huge relief to see The Hills police officers arrive to help. They worked together to keep Lily alive until the paramedics arrived,' she said. 'We will be forever grateful for what they did for our beautiful daughter and our family.' Lily's story has changed policing in the Hills Shire, with 10 patrol cars now fitted with defibrillators for a 12-months trial. Police officers from the Hills Shire in Sydney are now carrying defibrillators (pictured centre) in 10 of their vehicles 'To be able to have access to and to be able to use life saving equipment in those first precious minutes of a medical episode, a cardiac arrest, makes the difference between life and death,' Superintendent Darrin Batchelor said. 'It is the reality of policing that officers will be called to unfolding emergencies including those where medical assistance is required. 'On this occasion, the actions of these officers may have saved Lily's life.' NSW Ambulance Inspector Brian Parsell welcomed the police trial. 'Only 12 per cent of people that have a cardiac arrest in NSW walk out of hospital,' he said. 'More lives could be saved if bystanders 'call-push-shock' call Triple-0, start chest compressions and shock with a defibrillator.' Advertisement Health officials are warning of a terrifying flesh-eating drug which is being increasingly found laced into heroin, cocaine and other narcotics - leading to a soaring number of drug overdoses across the country. Doctors say xylazine - a muscle relaxant intended for large animals like horses - has been appearing in the illicit drug scene in cities across the US, joining fentanyl as one of the primary narcotics used to cut opioids. The drug prolongs the highs felt from heroin, but results in users passing out for hours at a time, while injection points ulcerate and lead to grisly wounds that spread across the body. Some users even report severe soars erupting across their body where they never injected the drug, and many are left disfigured as fingers, arms, feet, legs and toes are forced to be amputated. 'It's eating away at my skin,' one 28-year-old female user from Philadelphia, Sam Brennan, told Vice. In Philadelphia - considered to be ground zero for the xylazine crisis - about one-third of all fatal opioid overdoses in 2019 were related to the drug. But because xylazine itself isn't an opioid, doctors warn that many hospitals don't know what they are seeing when an overdose victim comes in and cannot detect it in tests, and are unable to treat patients the way they would normal opioid overdoses. Health officials are warning of a terrifying flesh-eating drug which is being increasingly found laced into heroin, cocaine, and other narcotics, leading to a soaring number of drug overdoses across the country A massive skin lesion caused by xylazine. Users often exacerbate the problem by injecting the painkiller into their festering wounds In Philadelphia - considered to be ground zero for the xylazine crisis - about one-third of all fatal opioid overdoses in 2019 were related to the drug A Drug and Alcohol Dependence study conducted across 10 cities found that in 2015 xylazine accounted for a mere .36 percent of all fatal overdoses in 2015. By 2020 however, that number had soared to 6.7 percent. The numbers are most staggering in Philadelphia, where 2 percent of fatal opioid overdoses between 2010 and 2015, then rocketing to 31 percent in 2019 alone. And it's not just Philly which is reporting a frightening xylazine presence. The Massachusetts Drug Supply Data Stream detected it in 28 percent of drug sample tests - and as much as 75 percent in western Massachusetts. Studies in Michigan showed the state saw at least 200 xylazine related deaths since 2019. It was involved in at least 10 percent of all overdose fatalities in Connecticut in 2020, and 19 percent in Maryland in 2021. The increasing proliferation of xylazine looks frighteningly like the rise of fentanyl in the United States, which grew from relative obscurity to dominating overdose statistics over the last ten years. According to the National Institute on Drug Abuse, fentanyl related deaths rose from 14.3 percent in 2010 to 59 percent by 2017. The above graph shows the cumulative annual figure for the number of drug overdose deaths reported in the U.S. by month. It also shows that they are continuing to trend upwards Slide me The above map shows the rate of drug overdose deaths per 100,000 people in each state for the year to December 2020 (left) and the year to December 2021 (right). Every state has seen its drug overdose deaths tick up except Hawaii Philadelphia has seen frightening increases in amputations, tissue wounds, and bone disease, rising in conjunction with the prevalence of xylazine. The city's health department has seen a 20 percent rise in bone disease since xylazine came to dominate the drug scene and soft tissue rounds have climbed five percent. The problem is so bad, according to Vice, that last spring the city was trying to hire a field nurse to handle xylazine related injuries, along with a wound care specialist. As xylazine eats away at users' flesh, the intended purpose of the drug - relaxing muscle and alleviating pain - begets further problems as people inject it into the painful lesions to ease their pain. 'As skin ulcers are painful, people may continually inject at the site of the ulcer to alleviate the pain as xylazine is a potent 2-adrenergic agonist that decreases perception of painful stimuli,' a 2021 report in Injury Prevention said, 'People may self-treat the wound by draining or lancing it, which can exacerbate negative outcomes.' Because xylazine is not an opioid, health care officials say most hospitals and first responders are not prepared to respond to overdoses. 'Drugs like xylazine, they don't necessarily respond to Narcan,' Dr. Gjon Dushaj told Fox 6, 'So when you think someone should respond to Narcan and they're not, that heightens our awareness that something else is possibly on board.' Experts say presently the best option for treating a xyalazine overdose is not to try to bring patients back into consciousness, but merely to keep oxygen flowing to their brains. 'We don't want to be focused on consciousness - we want to be focused on breathing,' Amy Davis, assistant director for rural harm-reduction operations at Tapestry Health in Massachusetts told NPR. Doctors say xylazine - a muscle relaxant intended for large animals like horses - has been appearing in the illicit drug scene in cities across the United States, joining fentanyl as one of the primary narcotics used to cut opioids As xylazine eats away at users' flesh, the intended purpose of the drug - relaxing muscle and alleviating pain - begets further problems as people inject it into the painful lesions to ease their pain It is unclear exactly why xylazine has become the most recent cutting agent of choice for illicit drugs, but its rise coincides with China banning the production and sale of fentanyl in 2019. 'When fentanyl is not available, the cuts get heavy with xylazine,' Jen Shinefeld, a Philadelphia field epidemiologist, told Vice, 'We'll have someone that'll do a bag that's 23 parts xylazine to one part fentanyl, and we'll have 15 people [overdose] on one corner.' xylazine being an approved veterinary drug - thought not approved by the FDA for human use - also makes it extremely easy to obtain, as it can simply be purchased online. Drug dealers also find it ideal for cutting into opioids because it not only extends the high, but makes users wake up voraciously hungry for more and fuels deeper addiction than fentanyl does. The drug prolongs the highs felt from heroin, but results in users passing out for hours at a time, while injection points ulcerate and lead to grisly wounds that spread across the body The problem is so bad, according to Vice, that last spring the city was trying to hire a field nurse to handle xylazine related injuries, along with a wound care specialist Many experts also warn the xylazine crisis is likely considerably worse than the numbers show. Though the CDC found that xylazine contributed to just 1.2 percent of overdose deaths across 23 states in 2019, the report noted that those numbers are probably inaccurate because the drug is not typically tested for in overdoses. 'We don't have enough of a robust drug checking system to know reliably how far it's penetrated and in what areas,' co-founder of Harm Reduction Michigan, said Maya Doe-Simkins, told CNN. Others warned the frightening xylazine could be well on its way to becoming the next fentanyl crisis. 'It seems like xylazine is following fentanyl's footsteps,' said Joseph Friedman, University of California, Los Angeles, researcher, 'Just like fentanyl did 10 years earlier, everywhere it lands, it's growing exponentially.' Friedman expressed hope that this time around health officials will learn from their previous failures and use that experience to curb xylazine before it gets even more out of hand. 'This time 10 years ago, there was a missed opportunity to effectively respond to fentanyl,' he said, 'And hopefully we can do a better job this time around.' Opioids including fentanyl (black line) were behind almost three in five fatalities from a drug overdose, CDC figures showed. The black opioids line includes deaths from synthetic opioids (brown) natural and semi-synthetic opioids (green), heroin (blue), and methadone (purple) The above graph shows the CDC estimates for the number of deaths triggered by drug overdoses every year across the United States. It reveals figures have now reached a record high, and are surging on the last three years The above map shows the percentage change in drug overdose deaths by state across the U.S., each has seen a rise except for Hawaii. In Oklahoma deaths did not increase or decrease compared to previous years Spreading work about xylazine comes as deaths from drug overdoses in the US hit their highest level since records began last year, with opioids including fentanyl behind nearly three in five fatalities. The CDC estimated there were 107,622 fatalities linked to overdoses during 2021, or one every five minutes, marking a 15 percent uptick on the previous year's record of 93,655 drug deaths and the seventh 12-month period in a row where they have risen. Opioids including fentanyl were linked to the majority of fatalities, or 80,800, followed by psychostimulants such as methamphetamine at nearly 33,000. It was possible for more than one drug to be linked to a fatality. Only one state - Hawaii - saw its deaths from overdoses decline last year, with Appalachian states like West Virginia, Tennessee and Pennsylvania remaining the nation's hotspots for fatalities. Number of teens killed by fentanyl has TRIPLED since the pandemic began, researchers say Teenage deaths from overdosing on fentanyl have tripled over the two years since the COVID-19 pandemic began, a study revealed last month. An analysis of official statistics performed by researchers at the Researchers at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), found that deaths from the synthetic opioid surged to 680 in 2020, and 884 in 2021 - up from 253 deaths from the drug in 2019. That is a more than two-fold rise in only one year, and a rate that more than tripled from 2019 to 2021. Overall, deaths from overdosing on any drug in the age group doubled from 2019 to the second year of the pandemic. Fentanyl is at the center of America's drugs crisis, which experts say is now at an 'unacceptable' level and should 'shock everyone'. The synthetic opioid is often mixed with other drugs such as heroin, Xanax or cocaine to raise their euphoric effects. It means many people overdose on the drug without realizing they are even using it - often fatally. Advertisement Experts warned fentanyl and other drugs had now been 'injected... through the whole country', with fatalities surpassing another 'devastating milestone'. They added that the rising deaths were likely due to fentanyl - which is up to 100 times more potent than morphine - being mixed with other drugs, and people taking them often being unaware this had happened. The drug is largely sourced from Mexico via China, with experts pointing out that the southern border crisis is the main way they are trafficked into America. Every month the CDC receives reports from every state on the number of deaths it recorded that were due to a drug overdose, which it uses to calculate a provisional estimate of deaths in a year period. Data is reported about six months after the death occurred because of the time taken to confirm a fatality was due to an overdose rather than another disease. Reacting to the figures last spring, Dr. Nora Volkow - the director of the National Institute on Drug Abuse - warned: 'These data surpass another devastating milestone in the history of the overdose epidemic in America. 'Behind each of these numbers, there is a persons life that has been lost, a family devastated, a community impacted. 'Compounding the tragedy, we have underused treatments that could help many people. 'We must meet people where they are to prevent overdoses, reduce harm, and connect people to proven treatments to reduce drug use.' She told USA Today: 'We're finding that people are overdosing because they've had no exposure to opioids that powerful. 'We like to categorize our deaths to a single drug or a single cause of death. [But] what's happening right now on the street is this incredible experiment in combination of drugs.' Rahul Gupta, the director of the White House's Office of National Drug Control Policy, said: 'It is unacceptable that we are losing a life to overdose every five minutes around the clock.' Deaths from drug overdoses have been trending upwards over the past three years after a brief drop in 2018. They were at their lowest in 2015 - when current records began - with 53,000 fatalities recorded that year. Last year West Virginia recorded the most overdose deaths at 83 per 100,000 people, followed by Tennessee (57) and Pennsylvania (54.8). At the other end of the scale Nebraska (11), South Dakota (11.2) and Iowa (14.8) recorded the least fatalities linked to overdoses. Breaking down the figures by change over the previous year, Alaska saw the biggest spike with fatalities up by 75 percent, alongside Kansas (43 percent) and South Dakota (35 percent). The smallest rises were seen in Nebraska (one percent), Maryland (one percent) and New Hampshire (three percent). Opioids such as fentanyl are at the center of America's epidemic crisis with drugs, and are behind the majority of overdose deaths in the country. The super-strength drug first shot to notoriety in 2016 after music superstar Prince died of a fentanyl overdose, and has continued to tear through families since. Angela Rayner fired a broadside at Liz Truss and Kwasi Kwarteng over their tax-cutting mini-Budget today, accusing the Tories of 'enriching bankers while families are starving'. The Labour firebrand made the accusation in a tub-thumping conference speech in which she also vowed to stick up for striking workers. Addressing the event in Liverpool she lashed out at Mr Kwarteng's mini-Budget that abolished the top rate of income tax that was people earning more than 150,000 pay 45p in the pound. The Chancellor also announced a 1p cut to the basic rate from April but economists have said that the measures he outlined last week will give more to the better off than the poor. Ms Rayner told delegates the Government was 'lining the pockets of oil and gas executives'. '(They are) enriching bankers while families are starving,' she added. 'Attacks on our most basic rights. Be in no doubt - they are coming after the most basic things we expect: decent work, fair pay. The foundations of a family life. 'Conference, so long as I have a breath left in my body I will defend those rights - including the right to strike. 'And when in power we will repeal all the anti-worker and anti- trade union laws this Conservative Government has enacted. All of it.' The Labour firebrand made the accusation in a tub-thumping conference speech in which she also vowed to stick up for striking workers. Addressing the event in Liverpool she lashed out at Mr Kwarteng's mini-Budget that abolished the top rate of income tax that was people earning more than 150,000 pay 45p in the pound. Ms Rayner said Labour would introduce a 'fair work' standard to improve workers' conditions alongside plans to overhaul Government procurement and outsourcing. If in power the party would oversee the 'biggest wave of insourcing for a generation' and give the self-employed the right to a written contract and 'timely' payment. A 'fair work gold standard' will champion employers providing a certain standard of conditions and underpin a new 'fair work code for the public sector, guaranteeing fair conditions, job security, wellbeing, proper training, rights at work and union access', she said. Ms Rayner, also Labour's shadow secretary of state for the future of work, said the changes show the party does not just have a vision, but also a plan, saying it would 'always be on the side of working people'. 'The Tories have broken Britain, but together we'll rebuild it again,' she said. On procurement, Ms Rayner said a 'value for money guarantee' would 'ensure that every single penny of taxpayers' money provides the best possible value to the public'. Vowing to turn the 'Tory procurement racket on its head', Ms Rayner said the party's five-point national procurement plan would reward businesses that 'pay their taxes and their workers properly'. Labour would give small enterprise a 'level playing field' at winning Government contracts, she said, vowing to 'cut red tape and streamline the bidding process, giving small businesses a genuine shot'. 'It will no longer just be the giant corporations with the glossiest leaflet that wins. Everyone will get a fair chance,' she said. Ms Rayner said Labour would raise standards by 'clawing back the public's money from those who fail to deliver for taxpayers', saying 'striking off failed providers' would ensure failure would not be rewarded, highlighting money lost on unusable PPE. And she announced plans for a 'public dashboard of Government contracts', saying there would be 'no hiding place for cronies and no corner for corruption'. The Chancellor also announced a 1p cut to the basic rate from April but economists have said that the measures he outlined last week will give more to the better off than the poor. The dashboard was inspired by Ukraine's anti-corruption blueprint, saying 'even under attack from Russia they are honest about how they spend public money - so what's the Tories' excuse?' On employment rights, Ms Rayner announced a 'fair work standard', adding: 'It will underpin a new fair work code for the public sector, guaranteeing fair conditions, job security, wellbeing, proper training, rights at work, and union access. 'We will also create a fair work gold standard to champion the very best of employers, and a Labour government will be on the side of the self-employed too. 'We will give genuinely self-employed workers the right to a written contract and timely payment by law so they aren't left out of pocket and chasing invoices. 'Because our fair work standard will raise standards for all.' She also told the conference: 'We will oversee the biggest wave of insourcing for a generation.' 'The Tories have become too dependent on handing away our public services on the cheap, and now we are all paying the price,' she said, adding that under Labour 'before any service is contracted out, public bodies must show that the work could not be done better in-house'. She added 'We'll reinstate and strengthen the Two-Tier Code, created by the last Labour government and scrapped by the Tories, to end the scandal of outsourced workers getting second class pay and conditions.' She also warned that under Liz Truss the Tories 'stand for vested interests' and are 'coming after the most basic things that we expect - decent work, fair pay, the foundations of a family life'. 'So long as I have a breath in my body, I will defend those rights, and including the right to strike. 'And when in power we will repeal the anti-worker and anti-trade union laws this Conservative Government has enacted. All of it.' Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky urged US President Joe Biden on Sunday to 'help the whole world by designating Russia as a state sponsor of terror - a move that the White House has previously declined to make. Senior Biden administration officials have been in close contact with Kremlin counterparts 'in the last few days,' White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan also said Sunday, after Russia's autocrat leader Vladimir Putin suggested he could use nuclear weapons in his months-long attack on Ukraine. It comes amid international condemnation of Moscow's 'sham' referendums in parts of eastern Ukraine that are being occupied by Russia. Videos have appeared to show residents being forced to the polls at gunpoint to vote on whether to allow Russia to annex their home territories. Zelensky told CBS News' Face The Nation that Moscow following through with the illegal annexation would make it 'impossible' to continue to try ending the invasion via diplomatic talks with Kyiv. 'I think it's a very dangerous signal from President Putin that tells us that Putin is not going to finish this war,' Zelensky said. He also urged the United States to go a step further than implementing yet more sanctions on Russia by showing its 'leadership position' in designating the country as a state sponsor of terrorism. 'I understand there will be implications. These implications will make diplomatic negotiations impossible, however, they are terrorists, and we cannot let them do it out of fear. They will not surrender. We need to keep applying pressure,' Zelensky said. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said he believes Russian leader Vladimir Putin is 'not bluffing' about his nuclear threats He added, 'The United States can help the whole world.' Zelensky cited the recent atrocities uncovered in Kharkiv, a region recently liberated from Russia's control by the Ukrainian military. 'We started exhumations, we lifted 500 bodies. The whole families were tortured and killed. Their families were buried together. Adults, men and women, and little children with bullets in their heads. Some of their body parts were missing,' he said. Adding of Russia, 'They are terrorists, we need to recognize them.' But the White House said earlier this month that such a move could upset the fragile humanitarian agreements set up with Russia in areas of Ukraine under its control. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre warned it could undercut international cooperation for holding Putin accountable and 'could also undermine our ability to support Ukraine at the negotiation table.' The Biden administration did offer a stark warning for Putin on Sunday, however, when the president's national security advisor told Face The Nation interview that the US would 'respond decisively' if Putin makes good on his nuclear threat. He was asked on NBC's Meet the Press on Sunday whether the Moscow-US hotline popularly known as the 'red phone' was back up and running over Putin's warnings. White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan told multiple news networks that Washington and Moscow have had high-level talks on the matter WATCH: National Security Adviser @JakeSullivan46 says the "red phone" is working again and the White House can speak with the Kremlin at "senior levels." "That has happened frequently over the course of the past few months. It has happened even in the last few days." pic.twitter.com/ruZZB1oNOb Meet the Press (@MeetThePress) September 25, 2022 The Cold War-era communication line was first used by the US to inform Russia of JFK's assassination. Its last known use was in 2016 when Barack Obama warned Moscow against interfering in the US presidential election. 'The answer to your question is yes, we do have the capacity to speak directly at senior levels and to be clear about our messages to them, and to receive their messages,' Sullivan told NBC. Zelensky also urged Biden to show more 'leadership' by naming Russia a state sponsor of terror - despite the White House ruling the idea out earlier this month 'That has happened frequently over the course of the last few months, it has happened even in just the last few days.' Sullivan elaborated more on those warnings during his CBS interview. 'We have communicated directly, privately, at very high levels, to the Kremlin that any use of nuclear weapons will be met with catastrophic consequences for Russia, that the United States and our allies will respond decisively,' he said. The official added, 'And we have been clear and specific about what that will entail.' In a speech last week, Putin called up more Russians to mobilize in his flailing invasion, now in its seventh month, while also making a comment that was widely regarded as a nuclear threat. He pledged to 'certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people,' adding: 'It is not a bluff.' Zelensky warned Sunday that he believed Putin was being completely serious. 'I don't think he's bluffing. I think the world is deterring it and containing this threat,' Zelensky said. 'We need to keep putting pressure on him and not allow him to continue.' Liz Truss today vowed to make the 'special relationship' between the UK and the US 'even more special' amid claims of a freeze in transatlantic detente. In an interview on CNN's State Of The Union programme, the Prime Minister was asked about concerns in US president Joe Biden's administration that she does not share the same belief in the special relationship as some of her predecessors in No 10. She and Mr Biden met in the margins of the UN General Assembly last week on issues including the political breakdown in Northern Ireland and the war in Ukraine. 'I do think our relationship is special and it's increasingly important at a time when we're facing threats from Russia, increased assertiveness from China,' Ms Truss told the US broadcaster. 'I'm determined that we make the special relationship even more special over the coming years.' She said she is a 'huge fan' of the US, and added: 'We are stepping up as an alliance to take on what is an absolutely appalling war created by (Russian president Vladimir) Putin'. She added that the West should not listen to Vladimir Putin's 'sabre-rattling' and 'bogus threats' to unleash his nuclear arsenal. Last week he announced he would mobilise 300,000 reservists as Russia suffers heavy losses in its invasion. In an interview on CNN's State Of The Union programme, the Prime Minister was asked about concerns in US president Joe Biden's administration that she does not share the same belief in the special relationship as some of her predecessors in No 10. "We should not be listening to his saber-rattling and his bogus threats." UK Prime Minister @liztruss speaks with CNN's @jaketapper about the war in Ukraine and how countries should react if Russian President Vladimir Putin escalates things further. @CNNSotu #CNNSOTU pic.twitter.com/c1A39dtFT7 CNN (@CNN) September 25, 2022 She and Mr Biden met in the margins of the UN General Assembly last week on issues including the political breakdown in Northern Ireland and the war in Ukraine. She added that the West should not listen to Vladimir Putin's 'sabre-rattling' and 'bogus threats' to unleash his nuclear arsenal. The Prime Minister was asked how the West should respond to the Russian president's partial military mobilisation and warnings his country would use 'all the means at our disposal' to protect itself. She told CNN's State Of The Union programme: 'We should not be listening to his sabre-rattling and his bogus threats. 'Instead, what we need to do is continue to put sanctions on Russia and continue to support the Ukrainians because if Putin is allowed to succeed, this wouldn't just send a terrible message in Europe and of course, huge threats to the Ukrainian population themselves, but it also would send a message to other authoritarian regimes around the world that it's somehow acceptable to... invade a sovereign nation. 'So this is why it's so important that we continue to be resolute, we don't listen to the sabre-rattling that we're hearing from Putin, and we continue to back the Ukrainians to the hilt.' Ms Truss's first meeting with Joe Biden in Washington suggested the term 'special relationship' may be phased out as she launched her new foreign policy ethos. The President did not utter the words, first used by Winston Churchill, during bilateral talks, but instead told her: 'You're our closest ally in the world.' The White House denied the term had been 'retired' but offered to suspend its use, with an official saying: 'We'll shut it down until we can figure out what's going on.' However, the exchange was in sharp contrast to when Miss Truss entered No 10 earlier this month. At the time, Mr Biden said he looked forward to 'deepening the special relationship' between the two nations. Though he previously used the phrase when dealing with Boris Johnson, the former prime minister has mooted axing the term as it risks sounding needy and weak. The UK's new Home Secretary is planning an 'urgent overhaul' of the Government's counter-terrorism scheme after an inquiry revealed potential terrorists were being treated as 'victims.' Suella Braverman has said reforming the Prevent programme, which aims to stop individuals from becoming terrorists, is a 'key priority for her within her first few months,' insiders allege. Ms Braverman's push for reform comes just months after a scathing report found that under its current model Prevent is 'protecting terrorists and not the public.' The assessment, which was commissioned three years ago but released over summer, also cautioned the programme disproportionately focuses on far-right extremism and not the 'lethal threat from Islamism.' While the details of Ms Braverman's reformation plans were not readily available, a Government source noted the 'Home Secretary takes terrorism prevention incredibly seriously.' New Home Secretary Suella Braverman (pictured on Friday) is planning an 'urgent overhaul' of the Government's counter-terrorism scheme after an inquiry revealed potential terrorists were being treated as 'victims,' sources allege The findings of the Prevent report have caused concern within the Government, The Telegraph reported. The official inquiry concluded Prevent, which was originally established by Tony Blair, is no longer fulfilling its 'core mission' of stopping people from becoming terrorists. Instead the programme is allegedly 'protecting those referred into Prevent from harm' instead of 'protecting the public' from potential terrorists. The assessment, written by former Charity Commission chairman William Shawcross, argues Prevent must 'return to its overarching objective: to stop individuals from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism.' 'Prevent is a crucial pillar of the UK's counter-terrorism architecture, yet it has increasingly come to be seen as synonymous with safeguarding (i.e. an emphasis on protecting those referred into Prevent from harm and addressing their personal vulnerabilities). The assessment, written by former Charity Commission chairman William Shawcross (pictured in 2011), argues Prevent must 'return to its overarching objective: to stop individuals from becoming terrorists or supporting terrorism' 'Prevent too often bestows a status of victimhood on all who come into contact with it, confusing practitioners and officials as to Prevent's fundamental purpose.' The report also claims some taxpayer funds being distributed by Prevent are at risk of being handed to groups that promote extremist views. Mr Shawcross reportedly examined hundreds of millions of pounds of funding distributed by the programme. He alleged Prevent was 'too often' putting money towards 'generic' projects and in some instances risked the funds going to organisations that 'promoted extremist narratives.' He claimed one piece of internal research at Prevent 'listed a prominent Conservative politician and member of the Government as being among figures 'associated with far-right sympathetic audiences, and Brexit.'' In another example he claimed officials involved with the programme are focusing on right-wing extremism 'above and beyond the actual threat it posed' to 'try and fend off accusations' that the organizations was 'stigmatising minority communities'. 'Prevent's first objective - to tackle the causes of radicalisation and respond to the ideological challenge of terrorism - is not being sufficiently met,' Mr Shawcross aid. 'Prevent is not doing enough to counter non-violent Islamist extremism.' He did applaud he programme's current 'Prevent duty,' which requires public officials to prevent people from being drawn to extremism. He said the duty 'works well' and is 'especially effective in schools.' He was also 'greatly encouraged by the dedication and diligence' of the programme's current 'early intervention' mechanism. A Home Office spokesman told the Telegraph: 'Prevent is a vital tool for safeguarding against radicalisation. We will not allow extremists or terrorists to spread hate or sow division, and Prevent provides crucial interventions that divert people away from dangerous ideologies. 'The Independent Review of Prevent will ensure we continue to improve our counter-terrorism response, and stop people from being drawn into terrorism. The report is currently being finalised.' HYDERABAD: The Telangana government will make a strong demand before the Centre to persuade Andhra Pradesh to withdraw the court cases under the AP Reorganisation Act in order to facilitate the resolution of the two Telugu states long-pending bifurcation issues. Official sources said Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao reviewed the pending bifurcation issues with senior officials ahead of the Union home ministry's scheduled meeting in Delhi on September 27 to discuss bifurcation issues. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, finance special chief secretary K.Ramakrishna Rao and senior officials of the departments concerned will attend the meeting in New Delhi. The CM reportedly said that the AP government had been blocking resolution of bifurcation issues by approaching courts. There could be no progress unless AP withdraws the cases. The CM is learnt to have said that there was no point in the Centre holding such meetings if it first failed to persuade AP to withdraw the cases. Rao had claimed that the previous TD government in AP from 2014 to 2019 did not cooperate in resolving these issues, instead complicating them further by moving the courts despite the TS offering to hold talks several times. According to sources, the CM recalled his two invitations to AP CM Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to visit Pragathi Bhavan for talks after the YSRCP government came to power in AP in 2019. By refusing to withdraw court cases, the YSRC government was taking the same stance as the previous TD government," Rao said. The CM reportedly took stock of assets and liabilities, cash reserves of common institutions listed under Schedule IX and X of the Act, located in Hyderabad, in which AP was seeking a share. Two policemen are fighting for their lives after being seriously injured in a two-car collision on a country road in the early hours of this morning. The officers were on duty in a marked white Peugeot 308 when it collided with a grey BMW at around 1.20am on a B-road in Eriswell, Suffolk. The site is at a bend on a 60mph limit stretch of road just a mile from airbase RAF Lakenheath. A Suffolk Police spokesperson said the officers were left with 'life-threatening injuries'. Emergency service workers from the police, fire brigade, ambulance service, air ambulance and the voluntary Suffolk Accident Rescue Service (SARS) all attended the scene. The B1112 in Eriswell near Lakenheath, Suffolk was the scene of the grim collision this morning The officers' condition is thought to be life-threatening. One man has been arrested on suspicion of dangerous driving. Pictured: a Suffolk Police vehicle on a road near Newmarket The BMW driver, a man in his 20s, was arrested at the scene on suspicion of causing serious injury by dangerous driving and driving whilst unfit through drink or drugs. The two officers were taken by land ambulance to Addenbrooke's Hospital, Cambridge. The arrested man was taken as a precaution to West Suffolk Hospital, Bury St Edmunds. He has since been released and was taken to Bury St Edmunds Police Investigation Centre for questioning, where he remains. The injured officers were rushed by land ambulance to Addenbrooke Hospital in Cambridge Suffolk Police said the injured officers had not been responding to an emergency call at the time of the incident. The B1112 is closed in both directions between Underly Road and Lords Walk 'to allow for an investigation into the circumstances of the incident and recovery of vehicles to take place'. Police are appealing for help from any witnesses to the collision, or who may have seen vehicles matching the description being driven in the area prior to the incident. Her son, Jeffrey Bearden, said his mother's death was the ''darkest and most harrowing time' in a statement released on Saturday In September 2022, Bearden's mother Debbie Collier was found naked and dead. So far Giegerich and Bearden have not been listed as suspects Giegerich also allegedly wrote an angry note in May threatening her family He claimed Bearden's was stealing $500 from each of his paychecks to spend on drugs after 'manipulating' him to link their cards together Amanda Bearden, 36, called the police because he was banging on her door at 8.30am Andrew Giegerich, 27, of Athens, was arrested on September 4, 2021, for violating a no-contact order and banging on his ex-girlfriend's door A former Georgia MMA fighter accused of threatening his girlfriend's mother was arrested for a domestic incident a year prior to her death after he accused his lover of stealing money for drugs. Andrew Giegerich, 27, of Athens, Georgia was arrested on September 4, 2021, for violating a no-contact order and banging on his on-and-off-again girlfriend Amanda Bearden's home. He claimed his then on-off again girlfriend was stealing money for drugs from him and had kicked him out. The arrest came almost a year before he alleged wrote a threatening handwritten message, contained in police evidence files, stating: 'If you or your family ever come near me again I will hurt them. 'Have a nice life you lying a** b**ch. Don't ever contact me again!!!'' the New York Post reported. Her mother Debbie Collier, 59, was found dead on September 11, 2022, her body naked, burned, and tied to a tree in Athens. A day before her death, Collier allegedly sent her daughter $2,385 via Venmo, attached to a bizarre note that indicted she was being held against her will. However, investigators have ruled out suicide or kidnapping. So far, neither Bearden or Giegerich have been listed as suspects. It comes as Collier's son broke his silence to say her death was the 'darkest and most harrowing time.' Andrew Giegerich, 27, of Athens, (pictured) was arrested on September 4, 2021, for violating a no-contact order and banging on his on-and-off-again girlfriend Amanda Bearden's home He claimed Bearden was stealing $500 from him every paycheck to spend on drugs after 'manipulating' him to link their cards together Bearden, 36, (pictured in an unrelated mug shot) called the police because he was banging on her door at 8.30am and broke their no-contact order In the September 2021 bodycam footage, obtained by Fox News, it shows the MMA fighter being taken into police custody after Bearden, 36, called the police because he was banging on her door and demanded his money, that he claims she stole from him to buy drugs. 'That's the only reason we have contact,' Giegerich told police. 'Every week, she takes [$500] or $600 from my check, and I don't know how that's right. She goes and does dope with my money. 'I've made $30 to $40,000 this year and I'm completely broke because she spent it all on drugs.' Bearden - who has a criminal history, including several domestic violence cases - had called police to complain that her then-ex-boyfriend was 'beating on the door and yelling' around 8.30am. Giegerich was an MMA fighter (pictured in 2017) Her ex claimed that she 'manipulated' him into 'linking our cards together so she can send herself money from my card' after he lost his phone and that she continuously sends herself money. 'The first person to touch my money is her,' he told police. '[She can] basically do whatever she wants to me, kick me out whenever she wants, basically just do whatever. 'And it's OK because I'm a man. There's nothing I can do about it other than just let her do it and leave.' The MMA fighter briefly mentioned Collier to police during the September 2021 arrest, saying: 'I've been arrested before the last time I got arrested because they falsified whatever, I mean her mom...I don't know what the issue is here. I don't know why I'm so unliked (sic).' Police reminded the fighter that he was not allowed on her property and that did not want to speak with him. They eventually arrested him and asked if he could just 'go home,' according to Fox News. While in the back the police cruiser, he grew agitated and began hitting the cage and sobbing, Fox News reported. He worried he wouldn't be released from jail until November, but the officer comforted him and told he him he'd probably be released the next morning. He assured officers he did not do drugs, according to Fox News. He was also arrested on September 16, 2022 for violating probation and has a history of domestic violence incident, and was told to show proof of substance abuse treatment within 20 days. DailyMail.com spotted the couple leaving their home this week as the investigation into Debbie's brutal killing gathers pace. Her son, Jeffrey Bearden, (pictured together) said his mother's death was the ''darkest and most harrowing time' in a statement released on Saturday Her son wrote a heartbreaking tribute to her on Facebook, saying his family's lives were 'irrevocably change' after her death Giegerich has complained that the pair were recently 'interrogated' by police over Debbie's death. 'The [police have] interrogated all of us. The people who are closest to [Collier] are kind of looked at as suspects right now,' he told the Post. Collier's son Jeffery Bearden wrote a tribute post to his mother on Saturday, writing: 'I will never be able to fully articulate the loss of my mother and what she meant to me. She was my longest source of love, support, and encouragement. 'My mother was a very vibrant and strong soul. She was a person who valued kindness, empathy, and understanding throughout her entire life. She went through life recognizing the beauty and grace in everything she saw and experienced around her.' He said the lost of his mother was the 'darkest and most harrowing time' and 'our lives have been irrevocably changed.' 'Our grief is here and our pain is deep,' he wrote, alongside photos of him and his mother. This comes after it was revealed the Habersham County Sheriff's Office served a search warrant for Bearden's home, Fox News reported, among several that have been requested amid the investigation. Police have not responded to requests for comment on what, if anything, was found upon search of Bearden's residence. In December 2020, Debbie posted these horrific photos of a black eye on Facebook. She told friends she'd fallen on the sidewalk Debbie lived with her husband Steve at their home in Athens. On Friday, he fought tears as he told DailyMail.com that Debbie was the 'love of his life. The couple had been married four nine years and both had children from previous marriages. 'It has been a long two weeks and I'm very tired. My wife was a wonderful person.' A close friend of the couple, who did not want to be identified, confided to DailyMail.com: 'Steve loved Debbie with all his heart. I know that for a fact. 'I cannot imagine what he's going through right now, with the terrible loss of his wife and having to be part of the murder investigation and all that entails. 'I have known them both for many years and they were a devoted couple.' In a direct move of support, he added: 'I know suspicion can fall on the family of murder victims, but I would bet my life Steve had nothing whatsoever to do with Debbie's disappearance.' Debbie's husband Steve reported her missing on September 10. He told police he last saw her at 9pm the previous night, but that they slept in separate rooms because of his snoring 'She was a beautiful woman and I loved her,' distraught Steve Collier said about his wife 11 days after her charred, naked body was found in a ravine 60 miles from their Georgia home On September 10, Steve reported Debbie as missing, claiming that he hadn't seen her since 9pm the previous night at their home. Neighbors heard fighting and screaming coming from the house the night before she vanished. Police then tracked the car Debbie had been driving - a rented SUV hired because her own vehicle was undergoing repairs - to a wooded ravine 60 miles from her home. Her naked body was found there, charred and tied to a tree. The exact cause of her death remains unconfirmed. When questioned, Bearden told police that she last saw her mother the night before she vanished, and that everything was normal. She received the Venmo message the day her mother was reported missing. In an interview with CBS after her mother's body was found, Amanda appeared shaken and struggling to speak. 'My mom was my everything. Somebody took my whole world from me. She was a beautiful, kind, giving woman. She didn't deserve this,' she said, her head and hands shaking. Police have not yet ruled out anyone as suspects. Debbie had turned her car in for servicing and was driving a rented SUV when she died. That car was equipped with a GPS tracking system that led police to her body after her husband reported her missing on September 10, 2022. It was found 60 miles from the couple's modest home, where they lived quietly. Labour is on track to win a 56-strong majority at an election, a shock poll showed today. Research by Savanta gave Keir Starmer a boost as he kicked off the annual conference in Liverpool, putting the party on 45 per cent support to just 33 per cent for the Tories. The analysis for the LabourList website used a statistical technique known as MRP to overlay the results on constituencies - and found Sir Keir would have 353 MPs compared to the Conservatives' 211. That would be a staggering turnaround from the last election in 2019, when Boris Johnson secured an historic 80 majority. Mr Johnson and former Transport Secretary Grant Shapps would be among the senior figures to lose their seats, according to the estimates - although they will be regarded as unlikely by many Westminster watchers and the survey was conducted before the Emergency Budget. Manchester mayor Andy Burnham underlined the growing sense of confidence by boasting that Labour is now 'odds-on' to win power at the election, which is expected in 2024. Research by Savanta gave Keir Starmer a boost as he kicked off the annual conference in Liverpool, putting the party on 45 per cent support to just 33 per cent for the Tories Sir Keir is still struggling to unite his party and show Labour has a clear vision of how it wants to run the country 'Keir Starmer's put us in a position where we can win the next election,' he told Sky News' Ridge on Sunday. 'It's the first conference since we last left government, where I think it's odds on that there could be a Labour government within one or two years.' However, Sir Keir is still struggling to unite his party and show Labour has a clear vision of how it wants to run the country. The Labour leader this morning pledged to reinstate the 45p top rate of income tax paid by 600,000 of Britain's richest people after it was axed by the Chancellor on Friday. But he said he would keep an additional cut to the basic rate of income tax by a penny in the pound to 19p. 'I've long made the argument that we should reduce the tax burden on working people,' the party leader told the BBC's Laura Kuenssberg. The policy put him at odds with Mr Burnham. The mayor of Greater Manchester used a TV interview to suggest that the party should campaign ahead of the next election to reverse all the Tory tax cuts. 'I don't think it is the most targeted way of using the resources that we've got at this moment in time,' he told Sky's Sophy Ridge on Sunday. 'I would use it though to support people in different ways, so I'm not saying we wouldn't put money in people's pockets but if you keep that money, you are then able to target it to those who most need it because obviously if you cut the 20p rate, it benefits it's not as targeted a measure as doing other things such as supporting people who are at real risk and those are people on Universal Credit That's my position, I don't think it was a time for tax cuts. I think this is a time to support people through a crisis.' Sir Keir's pledges came after he had accusing the Tories of 'taking the p***' out of voters with their massive tax-cutting mini-Budget. :: Savanta surveyed 6,226 British adults online on September 15 and 16 The son of Michigan news anchor slain in alleged murder-suicide attempt by a 'family friend' was in critical condition following brain and ear surgery after being being beaten and tied when he tried to fight his father's killer. Police said WWJ950's overnight anchor, Jim Matthews, 57, invited a 'frequent visitor' to his Chesterfield Township home outside Detroit. Shortly thereafter, police were called to the residence, and found Matthews dead and his 35-year-old girlfriend, Nichole Guertin, seriously injured, having been stabbed multiple times. Their 10-year-old son, Hunter, was found tied up in a closet suffering from head trauma. Police said the boy was brutalized after he tried fighting off the murderer, who is in the hospital and has yet to be named. Hunter was promptly hospitalized, where he underwent brain and ear surgery and is currently sedated as he 'goes through the biggest challenge he has yet to face,' his aunt, Ashley Quigley, said. Quigley, who described the attack on her sister's family as 'vicious' and 'needless,' has started a GoFundMe page to support her family as she is also taking in her neice, Rosie, 5, who suffered less serious injuries in the incident. Ten-year-old Hunter Matthews (left) and sister Rosie, 5 (right), were hospitalized following the murder of their father, WWJ950's overnight anchor Jim Matthews Matthews (above), 57, was killed and his girlfriend and their two kids injured in what police are calling a murder and attempted suicide after the anchor invited a 'family friend' inside Hunter, pictured with mother Nichole Guertin and his sister, underwent brain and ear surgey after being beaten and tied in a closet when he tried to fight off his father's murderer Guertin, Matthew's live-in girlfriend, was also critically injured in the attack, cops said, after escaping the horrific scene with her and Matthews' daughter. Stabbed multiple times and leaving her older child behind, the woman was able to escape the house with the young girl and flag down a driver to call police, despite reportedly being bound and gagged. Upon arriving at the residence, authorities also found the 54-year-old male suspect, overdosing on heroin and suffering from self-inflicted wounds in the home's basement. The suspect was then resuscitated by officials with the prescription medicine Narcan, and was taken into police custody. Chesterfield Police said the investigation was still ongoing. Guertin and the kids survived the assaults, after escaping the horrific scene with the pair's other daughter, Rosie, who suffered less serious, unspecified injuries, cops said He remains hospitalized and is in stable condition, but faces a litany of charges for the assault - for which cops have yet to glean a motive. Cops noted that the unidentified attacker had been an acquaintance of the family as well as frequent visitor of the residence, and had been invited inside the home before carrying out the attack, police said. The sudden tragedy has since left locals and the Detroit news scene reeling as they mourn the late anchor, who spent nearly seven years as the radio station's overnight news anchor. The late broadcaster was remembered by his longtime employer as a devoted and dependable family man who was passionate about reporting the news throughout his time with the network. 'He would often talk to co-workers about his children and his love for them and their adventures at school,' the radio station wrote. 'He was a consummate professional and was dedicated to WWJ and the broadcasting industry. He loved delivering the latest news to his listeners.' The station added that 'there have been many tears shed in our newsroom' in the wake of Matthews' sudden death, and that 'our thoughts and prayers go out to Jim's family and friends.' Troublingly, many of Matthews' colleague's learned of his passing live on air, forced to anchor Jackie Paige report the then breaking incident to thousands of daytime listeners. Stabbed multiple times and leaving her older child behind, the woman was able to escape the house with the young girl and flag down a driver to call police 'We are updating our top story this afternoon,' Paige said while announcing the grisly murder Friday. 'It's very difficult to report. Our overnight news anchor Jim Matthews was killed this afternoon in Chesterfield Township.' Staffer added that Matthews would often talk about his children and tout his love for them to his coworkers at WWJ, excitingly telling them about their adventures at elementary school. 'Something like this I never would have expected it in a million years,' said broadcaster Charlie Langton, who reports for the station during the day, of his late colleague. 'When he was off at 5 am I was just coming in at 5 am, so I would see him,' Langton recalled. 'He always had a nice word, always had something good to say. He was just a great guy.' The sudden tragedy has since left locals and the Detroit news scene reeling as they mourn the late anchor, who spent nearly seven years as the radio station's overnight news anchor The attack happened around midday Friday at Matthews' and Guertin's home on Bayview Drive off Hooker Road in the Chesterfield Township, a quiet suburb outside of Detroit Neighbors in the close-knit suburb were similarly shocked by the tragedy, which is currently being probed by local police. 'I think it's crazy. I can't make sense of it,' said Thomas Teague, who said. 'I just got a ton of phone calls of them telling me what happened and she was laying outside bound and gagged.' His colleagues fought through their emotions as they remembered Matthews on air. 'He would often talk to co-workers about his children and their adventures at school,' Paige said during an on-air tribute. 'He was a consummate professional and was dedicated to WWJ and the broadcasting industry. He loved delivering the latest news to his listeners every night. 'There have been many tears shed in our newsroom this afternoon. Our thoughts and our prayers go out Jim's family.' Police said they found 10-year-old Hunter (at right, locked in a closet with a severe head injury. Sources said the youngster was beaten by the alleged perpetrator over the head multiple times with a hammer - as he tried to fight off the suspect. He is currently in critical condition, while his younger sister Rosie, who suffered less serious injuries, was in stable condition The 54-year-old suspect, who police said was a friend of the family and had been invited inside prior to the assault, remains hospitalized and is in stable condition, police said Police said they were notified of the incident after a bound and gagged Guertin managed to escape the home with Rosie in tow before flagging down an unidentified driver. The driver then called 911, and police would descend on the scene minutes later. 'A 35-year-old white female had escaped with her five-year-old daughter,' said Chesterfield Police Chief Brian Bassett. The top cops added that Guertin 'was suffering from stab wounds at that time,' to which 'our police officers and firefighters began rendering aid.' At that point, Bassett added, 'additional officers made entry into the home,' where they came across Matthews, who was already deceased. Police said they then found 10-year-old Hunter, locked in a closet with a severe head injury. Sources told Local 4 that the youngster was beaten by the alleged perpetrator over the head multiple times with a hammer - as he tried to fight off the suspect who was killing his father, who instead left him for dead tied up in the closet. Both kids, as well as their mother, remained hospitalized as of Saturday morning - Hunter and his mom in critical condition, and young Rosie in stable condition, police said 'We also found a 10-year-old white male bound and suffering from blunt force trauma,' Bassett said. The boy, like his mother, was also hospitalized and said to be in critical condition. Police added that Rosie also 'injured' but did not detail the severity of those injuries, saying that she was in stable condition. The chief did not disclose the location of or specific type of injuries the suspect - as well as the victims suffered. 'Our investigation has determined this is an isolated tragedy that does not present a danger to our community at this time,' Bassett said during the news conference, Police have yet to reveal the identity of the attacker, and have only hinted at a supposed connection to the family. Their investigation is currently ongoing, with the suspect likely facing first-degree and attempted murder charges. A retired Humberside Police dog who survived being shot three times in the face while on duty has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award. Logan, an eight-year-old German Shepherd, received his award at a ceremony at Knebworth Park, Hertfordshire, hosted by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation. His owner and former handler PC Ian Sweeney, 52, from north-east Lincolnshire, attended the awards and described Logan as his 'soulmate'. PC Sweeney, who has worked as a police officer for 28 years, with 13 years in the dog unit said: 'This award is particularly special as it encompasses everything he's done and I don't think you ever really believe you'll achieve something like that. 'It makes all the hard work so worthwhile. Logan is my soulmate and I'm so proud of him for everything he's achieved. I still feel incredibly shocked, overwhelmed and overjoyed by it.' Former handler PC Ian Sweeney, 52, and his German Shepherd Logan. The eight-year-old dog received his award at a ceremony at Knebworth Park, Hertfordshire, hosted by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation Mr Sweeney with his hands on Logan's happy face. The Lincolnshire man attended the awards and described Logan as his 'soulmate'. Logan joined Humberside Police in January 2015 as a 10-month-old puppy from the South Yorkshire Police breeding programme Logan joined Humberside Police in January 2015 as a 10-month-old puppy from the South Yorkshire Police breeding programme. Having had no training, Logan was partnered with PC Sweeney who said he had 'never known a dog like him'. PC Sweeney said: 'It usually takes around 13 weeks to train a general purpose police dog but Logan took only eight weeks before he was trained and licensed, and we hit the streets in May 2015. Having had no training, Logan was partnered with PC Sweeney who said he had 'never known a dog like him' 'He was a natural with his scent detection and tracking, I've never known a dog like him. 'He had a faultless career, always passed all of his assessments and never put a paw wrong. He was the dream dog.' In 2017 he qualified as a firearms support dog but a year later Logan almost lost his life while protecting his owner from an attempted murderer in Grimsby. 'We knew where he was hiding and we knew he had a bladed weapon,' PC Sweeney said. Deploying Logan was one of the hardest thing to do for his owner, as Mr Sweeney thought he was 'sending [him] to his death' 'Logan and I cornered him and then he turned on us with a handgun and threatened to kill us.' PC Sweeney said he had feared he was 'sending Logan to his death' and the pair were both seriously injured during the arrest. 'I deployed Logan which was probably one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make as I thought I may be sending him to his death to protect me,' PC Sweeney said. The German Shepherd protected his owner from a murder in Grimsby and was shot by another man three times including in the mouth and head 'I got hit in the face three times and Logan was also shot in the mouth and head three times - but, despite his injuries, he still detained him successfully.' Following the incident, Logan received a Heart of the Community Award and was also honoured with the North East Region 2 National Bravery Award. 'I haven't got enough shelf space for all of his medals and awards,' PC Sweeney added. In December 2020, Logan successfully tracked a high-risk missing person who had disappeared from his home. In December 2020, Logan successfully tracked a high-risk missing person who had disappeared from his home. After 70 minutes searching approximately five square miles in temperatures of -2C, Logan located the man, who was unclothed and close to death, and led medics to him, saving his life. Humberside Police Superintendent Lee Edwards said: 'This award is one in a long line of accomplishments Logan has achieved. 'We are all extremely proud for everything RPD Logan has accomplished over his seven and a half years' service, and we congratulate him on his well-deserved award.' Logan retired in May this year with two chief constable commendations and more than 300 successful arrests. PC Sweeney said: 'Working as a dog handler is my dream job and I feel so lucky that I got to spend seven and a half years working beside Logan. 'Now he is mine, I just want him to have a lovely retirement,' he added. Advertisement Riot police have arrested protesters reportedly trying to storm Iranian embassies in London and Paris amid mounting global fury after an Iranian woman was arrested and tortured to death by the Islamic regime for wearing her hijab too loosely, her cousin has claimed. Video footage from outside the British capital's embassy shows a large group of people gathered, with police officers forming a line to stop the group from moving closer to the building. Witnesses reported that some were trying to 'attack' and 'storm' Iranian embassies in both London and Paris, as people entered the British premises, 'throwing rocks and chairs at the building'. Violent unrest has since spread to at least 46 cities, towns and villages across the country following her death. Today further protests broke out in Paris, with riot police confronting protesting crowds in the city who were demonstrating solidarity with Amini. And Iranians took to the streets for a tenth consecutive night on Sunday, in defiance of a warning from the judiciary. Echoing a warning the previous day by President Ebrahim Raisi, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei on Sunday 'emphasised the need for decisive action without leniency' against the core instigators of the 'riots', the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. Dozens of demonstrators gathered at the embassy in Princes Gate, Knightsbridge, could be seen standing on walls, holding flags and placards in the street, with some throwing bottles and other objects at officers. Two police officers held a man down as others tried to hold the crowd of people back. Red paint was also thrown at the embassy building. The protesters were calling for an end to the Islamic Republic of Iran, shouting and pushing against officers who had formed a line in front of the embassy. Crowds chanted 'Death to the Islamic Republic' and waved Iran's former national flag from before 1979. Footage shared online also showed violent altercations breaking out among those in the crowd. Up to 12 people were arrested during the demonstration, with five police officers injured by the 'substantial group intent on causing disorder', Scotland Yard said. 'A significant policing presence will remain in and around the area to monitor the situation,' the Met Police said. It follows protests around the world following the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. The 22-year-old Kurdish woman was detained in Tehran by Iranian morality police who believed she was wearing her hijab too loosely. The protests broke out in north-western Iran at the funeral of Amini, who died after falling into a coma following her detention. Her cousin has since said that she was 'tortured and insulted' before she died. Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists have been arrested amid the mostly night-time demonstrations since unrest first broke out after Amini's death on September 16. At least 41 people have died since the unrest began, mostly protesters but including members of the Islamic republic's security forces, according to an official toll, although other sources say the real figure is higher. Video footage from outside the embassy shows a large group of people gathered, with police officers forming a line to stop the group Protesters clashed with police as they call for an end to the Islamic Republic of Iran outside the London embassy Mahsa Amini, 22, died in police custody after being detained by Iranian morality police over hijab laws Protester Hadis Najafi, 20, died after being shot six times by security forces in Iran, according to social media reports A woman affected by the tear gas thrown by French riot police when protesters tried to approach the Iranian Embassy In Paris, a woman leans against a wall after being affected by the tear gas thrown by French riot police Water pours from a man's face after he has been affected by tear gas used by French riot police in Paris on Sunday Police officers held down a man during the protest (left) outside the Iranian embassy in London as the crowd pushed against officers (right) Witnesses reported that some were trying to 'attack' and 'storm' Iranian embassies, as people entered the British premises, 'throwing rocks and chairs at the building' In London, five people were arrested following the demonstration, the Met Police confirmed. In a statement, the force said: 'During the afternoon of Sunday, 25 September a large number of protesters gathered at the location, with a substantial group intent on causing disorder. 'Further police resources were brought in to support those on the ground after protesters attempted to breach police lines and had thrown missiles at officers. 'Five arrests have been made for offences including violent disorder. 'We are aware of a number of police officers who received injuries while dealing with the disorder; none of those are thought to be seriously hurt. 'A significant policing presence will remain in and around the area to monitor the situation.' It comes as Amini's cousin, Erfan Mortezaei, has said that on the day she was arrested, she was forced into a police van and taken to the station where she was 'tortured'. 'There is a report from Kasra hospital [in Tehran] that says effectively by the time she reached the hospital she was already dead from a medical point of view,' he told Sky News. 'She suffered a concussion from a blow to the head.' He said that Amini has since become a voice of the anger coming from Iranian people, as uprisings spread across the country. A protester outside the London embassy holds a placard calling on the government to 'be vice of Iranian people' In London, a demonstrator hold an image of Iranian Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in Iran while in police custody Protesters hold images of Iranian Mahsa Amini, after she died in police custody for allegedly wearing her hijab to loosely Demonstrators hold placards outside the Iranian Embassy in London on Sunday afternoon Police patrol the area in Knightsbridge outside the Iranian embassy where protests took place earlier in the day Police stand guard outside the Iranian Embassy after a small group of protesters threw paint at the building Red paint has been thrown at the Iranian embassy in London during a protest on Sunday afternoon Riot police stood guarding the Iranian embassy in London on Sunday as protesters demonstrated against the death of an Iranian woman Red paint has been splattered on the Iranian embassy in London after being thrown at the building by protesters Iranians protest for tenth night, defying judiciary warning Iranians took to the streets for a tenth consecutive night Sunday, in defiance of a warning from the judiciary, to protest the death of young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. At least 41 people have died since the unrest began, mostly protesters but including members of the Islamic republic's security forces, according to an official toll, although other sources say the real figure is higher. Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) on Sunday evening said the death toll was at least 57, but noted that ongoing internet blackouts were making it increasingly difficult to confirm fatalities in a context where the women-led protests have in recent nights spread to scores of cities. Echoing a warning the previous day by President Ebrahim Raisi, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei on Sunday 'emphasised the need for decisive action without leniency' against the core instigators of the 'riots', the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists have been arrested amid the mostly night-time demonstrations since unrest first broke out after Amini's death on September 16. Amini, whose Kurdish first name was Jhina, was detained three days before that for allegedly breaching the rules that mandate tightly-fitted hijab head coverings and which ban, among other things, ripped jeans and brightly coloured clothes. Images circulated by IHR showed protesters on the streets of Tehran, shouting 'death to the dictator', purportedly after nightfall on Sunday. Advertisement In Paris, France, police in riot gear could be seen opposing protesters in the city who were holding flags and shouting. French police on Sunday used tear gas and employed anti-riot tactics to prevent hundreds of people protesting in Paris from marching on Tehran's embassy, reporters and eyewitnesses said. The protesters had gathered for the second day running to express outrage at the death of Amini following her arrest by Iran's morality police last week - and to show solidarity with the protests that have erupted in Iran. The protest had began peacefully at Trocadero Square. Some demonstrators chanted 'Death to the Islamic Republic' and slogans against supreme leader Ayatollah Khamenei. But police in full anti-riot armour, backed by a line of vans blocked the path of the protesters as they sought to approach the Iranian embassy a short distance away. Police fired tear gas to disperse the protesters. 'I don't feel good, it was catastrophic,' said one protester, who asked not to be named, recovering from the effects of the tear gas. The use of tear gas angered activists already upset by President Emmanuel Macron's talks and public handshake with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly last week. 'Police used tear gas to disperse Iranian protesters in Paris in an effort to protect the Islamic Republic embassy. Meanwhile, @EmmanuelMacron shook hands with the murderous president of Iran,' tweeted the US-based Iranian women's rights activist Masih Alinejad. Protesters also repeated the viral Persian chants used by protesters inside Iran such as 'zan, zendegi, azadi!' (woman, life, freedom!) and also its Kurdish equivalent 'jin, jiyan, azadi!' Amini, also known as Jhina Amini, was Kurdish. 'In view of what is happening, we Iranians are fully mobilised,' said Nina, a Paris-based French Iranian. 'We must react given that we are far from our homeland, our country. 'It's really time we all come together so we can really speak up so the whole world can really hear our voice,' she added. In Iran, a female protester has died after being shot six times by security forces in the country. Protesters in Paris, France, have been showing their solidarity for the 22-year-old Iranian woman who died in police custody Hadis Najafi, 20, died after being shot six times by security forces in Iran, social media reports have claimed It is understood that Najafi was shot in the chest, face and neck and died from the wounds Ghazale Chelavi (left), Hanane Kia (centre) and Mahsa Mogoi (right) were killed in Iran after protesting the death of Amini in police custody Hadis Najafi, 20, was killed after protesting in Iran, the Sun reported. She is understood to have been shot in the chest, face and neck, according to reports on social media. Iranian journalist Masih Alinejad tweeted about Najafi, sharing a video of her tying up her hair, appearing to prepare before joining a protest. 'This 20 Yr old girl who was getting ready to join the protest against the murdering of #MahsaAmini got killed by 6 bullets,' Alinejad wrote on Twitter. 'HadisNajafi, 20, was shot in the chest, face and neck by Islamic Republic's security forces.' Other victims of the protests, where people have hurled rocks, torched police cars, set ablaze state buildings, and shouted 'death to the dictator', included Ghazale Chelavi, Hanane Kia and Mahsa Mogoi. Some Iranian women protesters have since removed and burnt their hijabs in the rallies and cut off their hair, some dancing near large bonfires to the applause of crowds that have chanted 'zan, zendegi, azadi' or 'woman, life, freedom'. The EU's foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said on Sunday that Iran's crackdown on protests is 'unjustifiable' and 'unacceptable', as Tehran vowed no leniency against the unrest gripping the country. In a statement on behalf of the EU, Borrell said: 'For the European Union and its member states, the widespread and disproportionate use of force against nonviolent protestors is unjustifiable and unacceptable'. Moves 'to severely restrict internet access by the relevant Iranian authorities and to block instant messaging platforms is a further cause for concern, as it blatantly violates freedom of expression', he added. A molotov cocktail bomb was thrown against the Iranian embassy in Athens on Sunday. According to Greek police, at around 1am local time, two people riding a motorcycle with their faces covered hurled the weapon on the wall of the embassy where it exploded. No damage was caused. Iran's foreign ministry said it had summoned Britain's ambassador over what it described as a hostile atmosphere created by London-based Farsi language media outlets. The state-run IRNA news agency reported the ministry also summoned Norway's ambassador to Iran due to remarks made by the president of the Norwegian parliament, Masud Gharahkhani. State television has suggested that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the protests began on September 17. It is thought that more than 1,200 demonstrators have been arrested as well. People face riot police as they take part in a demonstration in support of Iranian protesters in Paris on Sunday People take part in a demonstration in support of Iranian protesters in Paris, following the death of a woman in morality police custody 'Rolling blackouts' hit coverage of Iran The world has learnt of the violence largely through shaky mobile phone footage posted on social media, even as authorities have throttled internet access. Web monitor NetBlocks noted 'rolling blackouts' and 'widespread internet platform restrictions', with WhatsApp, Instagram and Skype having already been blocked. This followed older bans on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Telegram. Protests abroad have been held in solidarity with Iranian women in Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Istanbul, Madrid, New York and Paris, among other cities. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell deplored the security forces' response to the unrest late Sunday as 'disproportionate... unjustifiable and unacceptable'. Iran - which is ruled by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 83, and which has been hit with tough economic sanctions over its nuclear programme - has blamed 'foreign plots' for the unrest. The foreign ministry said Sunday it had summoned Britain's ambassador over what it described as an 'invitation to riots' by Farsi-speaking media based in London, and Norway's envoy over 'unconstructive comments' made by his country's parliament speaker. Foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Amir-Abdollahian criticised 'the US interventionist approach in the affairs of Iran... including its provocative actions in supporting the rioters'. Advertisement The foreign ministry's website said it summoned Simon Shercliff, the ambassador to Iran, on Saturday over the UK's hosting of critical Farsi-language media outlets. The ministry alleges the news outlets have provoked disturbances and the spread of riots in Iran at the top of their programmes. Iran said it considers the news agencies' reporting to be interference in Iran's internal affairs and acts against its sovereignty. Running clashes between demonstrators and security forces have continued to erupt. A member of the Basij, a volunteer force with Iran's Guards, was killed by protesters last night in Tehran, semi-official Fars news agency reported on Sunday. Another Basij member, who was in a coma since Thursday after street clashes, died in Urmia, West Azerbaijan province on Sunday, IRNA reported. US support for 'rioters' is contrary to Washington's diplomatic stance towards Iran, Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian was quoted as saying by the semi-official ISNA news agency on Sunday. 'Peaceful protest is the right of every nation. However, the U.S. involvement in Iran's affairs and support to 'rioters' in implementing their destabilisation project is in clear conflict with Washington's diplomatic messages to Iran regarding the necessity of a nuclear deal and establishing stability in the region,' Amirabdollahian said. The crisis in Iran began as a public outpouring of anger over the the death of Amini, who was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly wearing her Islamic headscarf too loosely. The police said she died of a heart attack and was not mistreated, but her family has cast doubt on that account. Ms Amini's death has sparked sharp condemnation from Western countries and the United Nations. Pro-government rallies were also held on Sunday in several cities across Iran. Thousands attended a rally in the capital's Enghelab, or Revolution Square, waving Iranian flags. The country's judiciary chief vowed no leniency on Sunday against the wave of unrest that has rocked the country since the death of Amini. The warning from Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei came after nine nights of protests and street clashes, and it echoed earlier comments by Iran's ultra-conservative President Ebrahim Raisi. The judiciary chief 'emphasised the need for decisive action without leniency' against the core instigators of the 'riots', the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. A woman is among the crowd facing riot police as they take part in a demonstration in support of Iranian protesters in Paris Iranian pro-government protesters burn flags of the US, Israel and Britain during a rally against the recent anti-government protests in Iran Iranian pro-government protesters burn flags during a rally against the recent anti-government protests in Iran, in Tehran Flames rip through a flag set alight by Iranian pro-government protesters during a demonstration in Tehran Iranians carrying the coffin of a security man who was killed during the anti-government protest in Tehran The coffin of a security man who was killed during the anti-government protest in Tehran is carried in the street An Iranian pro-government demonstrator holds up a copy of Islam's holy book, Quran, in a rally condemning recent anti-government protests Iranians took to the streets for a tenth consecutive night on Sunday, in defiance of a warning from the judiciary, to protest the death of young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. At least 41 people have died since the unrest began, mostly protesters but including members of the Islamic republic's security forces, according to an official toll, although other sources say the real figure is higher. Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) on Sunday evening said the death toll was at least 57, but noted that ongoing internet blackouts were making it increasingly difficult to confirm fatalities in a context where the women-led protests have in recent nights spread to scores of cities. Echoing a warning the previous day by President Ebrahim Raisi, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei on Sunday 'emphasised the need for decisive action without leniency' against the core instigators of the 'riots', the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists have been arrested amid the mostly night-time demonstrations since unrest first broke out after Amini's death on September 16. Amini, whose Kurdish first name was Jhina, was detained three days before that for allegedly breaching the rules that mandate tightly-fitted hijab head coverings and which ban, among other things, ripped jeans and brightly coloured clothes. Images circulated by IHR showed protesters on the streets of Tehran, shouting 'death to the dictator', purportedly after nightfall on Sunday. State media quoted President Raision Saturday as saying Iran must 'deal decisively with those who oppose the country's security and tranquillity'. Raisi was speaking by telephone to the family of a member of the Basij volunteer force killed while taking part in the crackdown on unrest in the north-eastern city of Mashhad. The president 'stressed the necessity to distinguish between protest and disturbing public order and security, and called the events ... a riot,' state media reported. Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists have been arrested amid the mostly night-time demonstrations that have spread to scores of cities since unrest first broke out after Amini's death. Security forces have fired live rounds and bird shots, rights groups charge, while protesters have hurled rocks, torched police cars, set ablaze state buildings, and shouted 'death to the dictator'. Iran's largest protests in almost three years have been led by women, triggered by anger over the Islamic republic's strictly enforced gender-based dress code. Amini was arrested on September 13 for allegedly breaching the rules that mandate tightly-fitted hijab head coverings and which ban, among other things, ripped jeans and brightly coloured clothes. Protesters march through Sadeqieh Square in West Tehran on Saturday night, the eighth evening of demonstrations that have rocked the Islamic regime Iran's president has called for a 'decisive' crackdown on the mass protests that have sent the Islamic theocracy reeling over the past week after the death in custody of a woman detained by the Islamic Republic's morality police (picture from Wednesday September 21) Iran organises pro-government rallies Iran has also organised large rallies in defence of the hijab and conservative values. Pro-government rallies were held Sunday, with the main event taking place in Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran, where demonstrators voiced support for mandatory hijab laws. 'Martyrs died so that this hijab will be on our head,' said demonstrator Nafiseh, 28, adding that she was opposed to making the wearing of the hijab voluntary. Another demonstrator, 21-year-old student Atyieh, called for 'strong action against the people who are leading' the protests. The main reformist group inside Iran, the Union of Islamic Iran People's Party, however, has called for the repeal of the mandatory dress code. Human rights groups based abroad have sought to shine light on the turmoil rocking Iran, citing their own sources in the country. IHR reported on Sunday that an umbrella of Iranian teachers' unions were calling on teachers and students to boycott classes on Monday and Wednesday in support of the protests. Iranian authorities have yet to state the cause of death of Amini, who activists say died as a result of a blow to the head. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi has said Amini was not beaten and that 'we must wait for the final opinion of the medical examiner'. Advertisement The army warned on Friday that it would 'confront the enemies' to ensure security and peace in the country said 'these desperate actions are part of the evil strategy of the enemy to weaken the Islamic regime'. Cities within Iran have been likened to a 'warzone' since the protests kicked off, with tires burning, petrol bombs being launched and cars being destroyed. There have even been claims that some cities, such as Oshnavieh, Sanandaj and Rudsar have been partially or totally occupied by protesters. Babol, Amol and Rezvan Shahr which are all situated in the north of Iran, have the most reported killings by security forces, according to Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO). The group report, via an informed source, that 'at least six people were killed as a result of direct bullet fired by security forces on Thursday night,' including a father of two. Iran Human Rights (IHRNGO) Director Mahmood Amiry-Moghaddam said Thursday: 'The Iranian people have come to the streets for their fundamental rights and human dignity, taken away by Islamic Republic leaders for more than four decades. Their peaceful protests are met with bullets from the authorities.' Huge crowds marched through Tehran on Friday night chanting and beeping horns. A resident of the capital told MailOnline: 'It was like a war zone in several parts of the city last night. People were throwing stones at the police and police was firing rubber bullets and tear gas directly at people, I heard gunshots too but I guess they just fired into air. 'Last night the crowd started to gather at around 7pm and the clashes continued after mid night,' he added. 'It was more chaotic last night than previous nights and I heard more gunshots. People burned a tyre in the middle of the road. The internet is filled with videos of riots and protests across the city, despite a government shut down of local internet services. The world has learnt of the violence largely through shaky mobile phone footage posted on social media, even as authorities have throttled internet access. Web monitor NetBlocks noted 'rolling blackouts' and 'widespread internet platform restrictions', with WhatsApp, Instagram and Skype having already been blocked. This followed older bans on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Telegram. Protests abroad have been held in solidarity with Iranian women in Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Istanbul, Madrid, New York and Paris, among other cities. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell deplored the security forces' response to the unrest late Sunday as 'disproportionate... unjustifiable and unacceptable'. Iran - which is ruled by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 83, and which has been hit with tough economic sanctions over its nuclear programme - has blamed 'foreign plots' for the unrest. The foreign ministry said Sunday it had summoned Britain's ambassador over what it described as an 'invitation to riots' by Farsi-speaking media based in London, and Norway's envoy over 'unconstructive comments' made by his country's parliament speaker. Foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Amir-Abdollahian criticised 'the US interventionist approach in the affairs of Iran... including its provocative actions in supporting the rioters'. In one video from Tehran, amid a cacophony of gunfire, a voice can be heard saying: 'They are shooting at people! Oh my God they're killing people!' Another resident of the capital told MailOnline that he had seen armed men with no uniforms on roofs of people's houses in a neighbourhood in Tehran. 'I noticed them last night. I have not seen them shooting but they were just checking who goes where. Probably to come and arrest them later,' he said. 'Local people are closing their shops early these days,' he added. Even in Qom in central Iran, known as the country's religious powerhouse, protesters have stormed the streets armed with Molotov cocktails. Meanwhile, the authorities shut off access to popular social media services such as Instagram and Whatsapp and even LinkedIn, according to internet traffic monitor Netblocks. There have also been reports that Elon Musk's satellite internet service Starlink has been removed from the app store Google Play. The Iranian government organised counter protests on Friday, where hijab-wearing women carried signs reading: 'We are obedient to the leader' An Iranian pro-government woman holds the Iranian flag during a rally against the recent protest gatherings in Iran, after the Friday prayer ceremony in Tehran, Iran September 23 Iran has also organised large rallies in defence of the hijab and conservative values. Pro-government rallies were held Sunday, with the main event taking place in Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran, where demonstrators voiced support for mandatory hijab laws. 'Martyrs died so that this hijab will be on our head,' said demonstrator Nafiseh, 28, adding that she was opposed to making the wearing of the hijab voluntary. Another demonstrator, 21-year-old student Atyieh, called for 'strong action against the people who are leading' the protests. The main reformist group inside Iran, the Union of Islamic Iran People's Party, however, has called for the repeal of the mandatory dress code. Human rights groups based abroad have sought to shine light on the turmoil rocking Iran, citing their own sources in the country. IHR reported on Sunday that an umbrella of Iranian teachers' unions were calling on teachers and students to boycott classes on Monday and Wednesday in support of the protests. Iranian authorities have yet to state the cause of death of Amini, who activists say died as a result of a blow to the head. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi has said Amini was not beaten and that 'we must wait for the final opinion of the medical examiner'. Almost 30,000 was stolen in a hold-up at an Asda supermarket in Manchester, with police urgently seeking a man for questioning in connection with the heist. The suspect in the armed robbery made off with a bag filled with 28,500 cash after threatening a security worker, in what police are calling a 'terrifying and outrageous act'. The robber pointed what is thought to have been a black pistol at the guard during the incident and specialist firearms officers were deployed to the scene. Almost 30,000 was stolen in an hold-up at an Asda supermarket in Manchester, with police urgently seeking a man (pictured) in connection with the heist Greater Manchester Police (GMP) say it was a cash-in-transit theft and that the ordeal left the security man 'shaken', but that he fortunately remained unharmed. Officers were called to the scene of the reported armed robbery on Manchester's Princess Road at around 9.40am on Saturday. A man is being sought for questioning in connection with the offence, with police releasing two images to see if the public can help them with their enquiries. Police say they are hoping to identify the man, who is described as white, aged between 30 and 40 years-old, and of a medium build. They said he was in the area around the time of the theft before heading away from the City Centre on a silver-framed mountain bike. He was wearing a green parker jacket, dark Adidas hat, black gloves, dark tracksuit bottoms, and grey trainers, as pictured. No arrests have yet been made and investigators are trawling CCTV and speaking to potential witnesses to the crime. Greater Manchester Police want to speak to this man after a cash-in-transit robbery at an Asda supermarket on Saturday Detective Inspector Kat McKeown, of GMP's Longsight CID, said: 'I can't imagine the fear that the security guard felt when the offender committed this terrifying and outrageous act. 'We know there were people near the supermarket who will also have felt shock and fright at the incident, and I can assure everyone concerned that we are working tirelessly to identify and capture the man responsible. 'So far we have spoken to a number of people and we are keen to ensure that everyone who was in the area on Saturday morning, and who could have information, is spoken to so if you haven't already then please contact us.' Anyone with information is urged to call GMP on 0161 856 6049 or 101 quoting incident 1018 of 24/09/2022. A 10-year-old boy has fallen from a 100ft cliff while on holiday in Brighton and been airlifted to hospital with serious injuries. The child fell from the Ovingdean cliffs at around 5pm yesterday and was airlifted to St George's Hospital in London, where he is still in a critical condition. One passer-by told The Argus: 'I saw all the emergency services at the cliff and it looked really worrying. 'I had heard it was a child so I really hope they are ok. It's absolutely awful.' The 10-year-old child fell from the Ovingdean cliffs (pictured) at around 5pm yesterday evening Officers are continuing to enquire into what exactly happened A police cordon and some road closures have been in place to aid the rescue and investigations. Sussex Police said the young boy is not a local of the area but was visiting. They added that his family is reportedly receiving support from specially trained officers. Officers' enquiries into what exactly happened continue. A spokesperson for Sussex Police said: 'Police responded to a report of a boy falling from height in Ovingdean, at about 5pm on Saturday September 24. 'The 10-year-old was found to have suffered serious injuries and was airlifted to St George's hospital in London, where he remains in a critical condition. 'He is not local to the area and was visiting Brighton and Hove. 'Ovingdean roundabout was closed whilst the boy was brought to safety. 'The roundabout reopened just before 10pm. We thank the public for their patience during the closure. 'The boy and his family are receiving support from officers and enquiries are continuing.' Klunk said there's 'a lot of similarities' between KFC's menu and Claudia's Dinner House, but the dinner house's offerings have 'no connection to the KFC recipe' 'Its a very unique situation,' Realtor Jonathan Klunk said. In addition, he said it's hard to tell sell the brand without mention KFC or Sanders The filing seeks to reinforce the KFC trademark protections, including 'Colonel Sanders' Original Recipe,' 'Col. Harland Sanders' and 'It's Finger Lickin' Good' Despite offers, from franchising it for the first time to making it into an Airbnb, the KFC brand owner Yum! Brands' legal team has stalled the transaction by submitting a filing to the US Patent & Trademark Office The Settles are reportedly seeking $9million for the estate, which includes the dinner house, the mansion known as Blackwood Hall, the three acres of land, and the intellectual property Claudia's Dinner House - located in Shelbyville - was owned by the Sanders and their friends Tommy and Cherry Settle, and now the Settles are committed to finding a new 'caretaker of this historic brand' Advertisement The brand owners of KFC are stalling the purchase of the Kentucky restaurant and estate created for Harland Sanders for his wife in 1959 over trademark concerns. Claudia's Dinner House - located in Shelbyville - was owned by the Sanders and their friends Tommy and Cherry Settle, and now the Settles are committed to finding a new 'caretaker of this historic brand.' The Settles are reportedly seeking $9million for the estate, which includes the dinner house, the mansion known as Blackwood Hall, the three acres of land, and the intellectual property, including a KFC flag and a birthday letter to Sanders from President Richard Nixon. Despite there being a few offers, from franchising it for the first time to making it into an Airbnb, the KFC brand owner Yum! Brands' legal team has stalled the transaction by submitting a filing to the US Patent & Trademark Office just days after the estate hit the market in June. The filing seeks to reinforce the KFC trademark protections, including 'Colonel Sanders' Original Recipe,' 'Col. Harland Sanders' and 'It's Finger Lickin' Good,' according to the New York Post. 'Its a very unique situation,' Realtor Jonathan Klunk of Six Degrees Real Estate told the Post. 'We are selling Claudia and she doesnt have as much name recognition as her husband, but a buyer cant describe her without mentioning both her husband and KFC.' Klunk said there's 'a lot of similarities' between KFC's menu and Claudia's Dinner House, but the dinner house's offerings have 'no connection to the KFC recipe.' Claudia's Dinner House was owned by the Sanders and their friends Tommy and Cherry Settle, and now the Settles are committed to finding a new 'caretaker of this historic brand.' Despite there being a few offers, from franchising it for the first time to making it into an Airbnb, the KFC brand owner Yum! Brands' legal team has stalled the transaction by submitting a filing to the US Patent & Trademark Office just days after the estate hit the market in June. The filing seeks to reinforce the KFC trademark protections, including 'Colonel Sanders' Original Recipe,' 'Col. Harland Sanders' and 'It's Finger Lickin' Good' The Settles are reportedly seeking $9million for the estate, which includes the dinner house, the mansion known as Blackwood Hall, the three acres of land, and the intellectual property, including a KFC flag and a birthday letter to Sanders from President Richard Nixon Colonel Harland Sanders created the restaurant in 1959 for his wife Claudia. It is located in Shelbyville The Settles did, however, have a run-in with Yum! Brands in 2001, according to the Post, when Tommy found a datebook from 1964 that contained a list of 11 herbs and spices in Blackwood Hall. He wanted to have it authenticated to sell it, but Yum! sued. The case was later dropped after the brand owners said the recipe was nothing close to the now-famous combination sold in stores today. Despite the stand-off between the brand and future owners, Klunk said the $6.5billion conglomerate has not offered to buy the property. The mansion features a lot of green and white, creating an open and light feeling throughout the house The home has a unique feel to it and has a white grand paint with large windows to cast a lot of light into the room The mansion features a room with emerald green carget and a six-seater dining room table The realtor also said they are considering unbundling the estate to sell each property separately to attract more buyers. Potential buyers, so far, have ranged from a local bourbon company interested in expanding to comfort food, as well as local and large restaurant groups and serial entrepreneurs with many brands. All potential buyers have to talk to Yum! to detail how they plan to use the brand without inviting litigation. 'If you want to use the Claudia Sanders brand you have to have a team of intellectual property lawyers,' Klunk has warned buyers, according to the Post. 'Whoever is going to take on the Claudia Sanders name is probably in for an uphill and expensive battle,' Trademark Attorney Brad D. Rose told the Post. The gift shop offers a selection of fine treats to pack up to take home It also features a gift shop that sells jams and candies and other treats for customers to purchase The dinner house features a large staircase and has contrasting light and dark colors for an open, but homely feeling The dinner house originally served as KFC's headquarters after the Sanders closed their Corbin KFC location in 1952. That same year, Sanders would begin franchising his company, which would eventually become a global icon. The couple opened Claudia Sanders Dinner House in 1959 when they moved to Shelbyville. It would become know for its yeast rolls, massive buffet, pies, and fried chicken, Kentucky.com said. The dinner house would eventually burn down in 1999, but it was rebuilt and the legacy continues on. 'Claudia was the unspoken hero of her husband's success in business,' Jonathan Klunk, a listing agent, said in June in a statement, according to Kentucky.com. Outdoor tables overlooking lots of greenery are also on the property, allowing customers to enjoy the Kentucky weather The dinner house has a rustic feel with dark wood chairs and tables and wooden floors 'And he wanted to honor her by creating Claudia Sanders Dinner House and associated brands. There is so much rich history included in this sale; it is exciting to think about the potential that lies ahead for the right buyer - to honor and protect this legacy and grow the brand even further.' The Settles have fully owned the estate since the 1970s and are now looking to retire. Cherry, who is now 78, started out as a hostess at the restaurant, while her husband, now 80, supplied the establishment with hams from a plant he owned, when they bought the place. Claudia and Harland met in the 1930s when she was working at his restaurant in Corbin as a waitress. Claudia would become a huge part of the brand, even packaging food and spices to send to the franchises while Harland was out selling the brand. They sold the restaurant to Tommy and Cherry in 1974, six years before Harland died in December 1980. Claudia died 16 years later in 1996. However, even after selling the business, the pair still actively promoted the brand, traveling the world in his iconic white suit and her antebellum dress. The No. 3 Republican in the Senate said Sunday that he doesn't think a president can declassify documents simply by 'thinking about it' - after the former president made the bold claim in an interview last week. Rep. Adam Schiff, a Democratic critic of Trump's who is investigating him on the January 6 select committee, put it even more bluntly: 'Those comments don't demonstrate much intelligence of any kind.' Trump's defense against accusations that he knowingly took classified documents from the White House when he left office last year raised eyebrows during an interview last week with Fox News primetime host Sean Hannity. He told the conservative host that the documents seized by the FBI during an unannounced search of his Mar-a-Lago mansion were declassified because he deemed them so with his mind. Senator Republican Conference Chair John Barrasso was asked about the claim during his own interview, with ABC News' This Week on Sunday. 'I've not heard that one before,' Barrasso told host George Stephanopoulos. 'Ill tell you, in terms of national security documents, we have to always use extreme caution. Republican Senator John Barrasso of Wyoming, the No. 3 in the Senate GOP, conceded that neither Donald Trump nor any president can declassify documents with their mind Pressed by @GStephanopoulos on whether former Pres. Trump had the authority to declassify documents just by thinking about it, GOP Sen. John Barrasso acknowledges: I don't think a president can declassify documents by saying so, by thinking about it. https://t.co/MOQfVDlfNS pic.twitter.com/wIxJMYxwpr This Week (@ThisWeekABC) September 25, 2022 'I'm on the Foreign Relations Committee. We deal with classified information all of the time and are always very careful. I don't know what anything about the rules for when a president declassifies documents and information.' Barrasso attempted to shift the spotlight to the Justice Department by demanding a classified briefing and denouncing the raid as 'political.' But Stephanopoulos pressed again, 'You know that a president can't declassify documents by thinking about it. Why can't you say so?' 'I don't think a president can declassify documents by saying so, by thinking about it,' the Wyoming senator admitted. Meanwhile during a Sunday appearance on CNN's State of the Union, House Intelligence Committee Chair Schiff warned that Trump believing he can declassify documents with his mind would make him 'even more dangerous' than he previously thought. 'No, that's not how it works. Those comments don't demonstrate much intelligence of any kind,' Schiff said flatly. 'If you could simply declassify by thinking about it, then, frankly, if that's his view, he's even more dangerous than we may have thought.' Rep. Adam Schiff, a California Democrat, was even more blunt in his reaction: 'No, that's not how it works' No one can declassify national security information just by thinking about it. People put their lives at risk to get that information. Information that protects American lives. For Donald Trump to treat it so cavalierly shows what a continuing danger he is to our country. pic.twitter.com/ze9gx2tQS3 Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) September 25, 2022 He explained, 'with that view, he could simply spout off on anything he read in a presidential daily brief or anything he was briefed on by the CIA director to a visiting Russian delegation or any other delegation and simply say, well, I thought about it, and, therefore, when the words came out of my mouth, they were declassified.' The ex-president told Hannity that he had declassified the documents that were recovered by FBI agents in January and June, and a third time via an unannounced raid on August 8. Asked the process behind it, Trump said: 'There doesn't have to be a process, as I understand it.' 'Different people see different things. If you're the President of the United States you can declassify just by saying it's declassified. Even by thinking about it - because you are sending it to Mar-a-Lago or wherever you're sending it,' the former president claimed. 'It doesn't have to be a process, it can be a process but it doesn't have to be. You're the president you make that decision. So when you send it, it's declassified. I declassified everything.' Jaipur: A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in Rajasthan will be held at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence here on Sunday evening, amid the leadership change buzz following the announcement that he will contest the party president poll. Congress president Sonia Gandhi has appointed Mallikarjun Kharge as observer along with general secretary in-charge Rajasthan Ajay Maken.They will attend the meeting of the Congress Legislature Party (CLP) of the Rajasthan Legislative Assembly. Party leaders in the state said the meeting will clear whether the observers are coming to convey a message of the high command on the name of new chief minister or going to take views of the legislators on the next chief minister. If the legislators move a proposal that they will accept whatever decision the high command takes then the way for naming the next chief minister will be clear, they said. On the basis of discussion and deliberations at the CLP meeting, observers will decide whether to announce the final decision on Sunday or declare it after reaching New Delhi, party sources said, adding the observers may return to the national capital on Monday. This is the second CLP meeting within a week. The last meeting was held on September 20. Gehlot became the first person to announce his candidature for the AICC presidential poll on Friday and said former president Rahul Gandhi has told him that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next party chief. The chief minister also said that the call on his successor will be taken by Sonia Gandhi and Maken. Gehlot's remarks came after Rahul Gandhi batted for the "one man, one post" concept in the party, in line with the 'Chintan Shivir' reforms. Talking to reporters in Kochi, Gehlot had said, "I will fix the date (to submit the nomination papers) after going back (to Rajasthan), but I have decided that I will have to contest. It is a question of democracy and let us make a new start." Later in the day, Gehlot had told reporters in Shirdi that the debate on "one man, one post" is unnecessary and that he would like to serve the people of his state all his life. He also said his statements on wanting to serve the people of Rajasthan are being interpreted in different ways. Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday had met Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C P Joshi amid speculation of a change of guard in the state. Pilot had met Joshi in his chamber in the state Assembly, where several party MLAs were also present. According to party sources, Pilot is the main contender for the chief minister's post but Joshi's name is also doing the rounds. Joshi is a former state Congress president and was a contender for the post in 2008 but lost the Assembly elections by one vote at that time. After over two decades, the Congress is set to see a contest for the post of party chief with Gehlot, who has announced his candidature, expected to take on Shashi Tharoor, who had the nomination forms collected from AICC headquarters in Delhi on Saturday. According to a notification issued by the party on Thursday, the process for filing nominations for the election will be held from September 24 to 30. The date for scrutiny of the nomination papers is October 1, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8. The final list of candidates will be published at 5 pm on October 8. The polling, if needed, will be held on October 17. The counting of votes will be taken up on October 19 and the results will be declared the same day. Two teenagers who died in a horror crash in a Nottinghamshire village have been named, as tributes from friends have poured in for the young men who 'will be dearly and sorely missed'. Harvey Holehouse, 19, of Woodborough, and 17-year-old Jake Hankins, from Stamford, were killed in a two-car collision on the A612 Southwell Road, in Gonalston, which happened at around 10.45pm on Thursday. Two others were taken to hospital with what police described as 'potentially life-threatening injuries'. A fifth person suffered injuries which are currently not believed to be life-threatening. Friends said Harvey Holehouse, 19, of Woodborough, and 17-year-old Jake Hankins (pictured), from Stamford, will be 'sorely missed' Tom Ware, a friend of Harvey and Jake, said 'both lads will be so dearly and sorely missed' and he expressed his love and condolences to both families. Mr Ware, a 20-year-old from Southwell, described Jake as 'the lad with the most amazing smile, always asking about how you've been, always making new friends' and 'a true kind, warm-hearted chap'. Mr Ware said: 'He will be missed. His passion for agriculture and farming was set to take him a long way, cut short by such catastrophic events.' Mr Ware who started a Facebook page called Just Talk Agri, to post videos supporting farmers with their mental health, said: 'Harvey was a true gentleman, loved by many, his infectious personality always brought light to any situation. 'He was a great friend to many, a best friend to me and an ear to listen to any problem. 'He will be sorely missed by everyone. His help with Just Talk Agri was amazing and he was always keen to help raise awareness for mental health in the UK agricultural sector. 'I will miss him a ridiculous amount and will love him forever and always.' A friend of Harvey Holehouse (pictured) paid tribute to the young man saying he 'was a true gentleman, loved by many, his infectious personality always brought light to any situation' Southwell Road was closed for several hours after the collision between the junctions with Gonalston Road, Gonalston, and Beck Street, Thurgarton, before it was reopened. Dozens of bouquets of flowers and cards have been left at the scene of the tragedy. People in the two villages said their thoughts were with the families of the two young men. Semi-retired Dave Keegan, a 60-year-old Gonalston resident, said: 'It is very sad. I can imagine the parents are in bits about it. I didn't realise two had died.' Lisa Gibson, the owner of a hair salon in Thurgarton, said: 'It's really sad. I don't know what the circumstances were. They have had no life at all.' The 48-year-old said her thoughts were with the families, adding: 'It's not the sort of thing that anyone would want to hear.' Police have asked witnesses to come forward. Case investigator Louise Melbourne, of Nottinghamshire Police's serious collision investigation unit, said: 'This was a tragic incident and our thoughts remain with the families, friends, and the wider community at this incredibly sad time. #APPEAL | Appeal for information after two teenagers die in collision https://t.co/5JLEwCjZnh pic.twitter.com/vNShKqNIVz Notts Police (@nottspolice) September 24, 2022 'Our inquiries remain ongoing as we work to establish the circumstances leading up to the collision and our specialist trained officers are continuing to offer the families support. 'I would appeal to anyone who witnessed the collision, who hasn't yet come forward, or any drivers who may have recorded dash-cam footage that may be helpful to our investigation, to get in touch as soon as possible. 'While we understand people want to pay their respects we would ask anyone laying flowers or tributes do so as safely as possible.' Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact Nottinghamshire Police on 101, quoting incident 801 of September 22.' London is set to attract greater numbers of bankers and fund managers from New York and Edinburgh after Kwasi Kwarteng scrapped the cap on bonuses in Friday's mini-budget. The limit - set at 100 per cent of bankers' salary, or double with shareholder approval - was introduced by the European Union after the 2008 financial crisis. But the Chancellor said it was having little positive effect and was hindering London's attractiveness as an investment destination. He told MPs the move would encourage global banks to create jobs, invest, and pay taxes in the City. Mr Kwarteng also scrapped the top 45p rate of tax and cut 1p from the basic rate in the biggest package of tax cuts by a British Government for half a century. And despite Friday's announcements causing the pound to drop to a 37-year low, finance sources have told the Telegraph that scrapping the bonus cap has sparked immediate interest in the U.S., with investment banks expected to move more staff to Britain. Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng (pictured) announced that the Government would be scrapping the cap on bankers' bonuses introduced by the European Union after the 2008 financial crisis Finance sources have said that scrapping the bonus cap has sparked immediate interest in the U.S., with American banks now more likely to send staff from their New York (pictured) offices to London One American banking source told the newspaper: 'This makes things more flexible for banks, it removes a barrier to people considering moving here from other locations.' Another added: 'Instead of bringing someone to London and whacking up their salary, they can maintain a lower base salary and pay the rest through bonuses. It is better performance-related, and helps manage their fixed costs far better.' A key complaint of the cap on bonuses was that it forced banks to push up executives' salaries in order to remain competitive. This locked them into higher costs and limited their ability to reduce rewards from individuals who performed poorly. The chief executive of financial services advocacy group The City UK, Miles Celic, said scrapping the cap shows that the UK is 'open for business and ambitious'. But north of the border there is a fear that Friday's mini-budget might have the opposite impact. While England's top rate of income tax is to come down from 45 per cent to 40 per cent, Scotland's will remain at 46 per cent, sparking fears about the potential impact on Edinburgh. Benny Higgins, a Scottish banker and former business adviser to Nicola Sturgeon said that while a 1 per cent difference between England and Scotland was 'tolerable', 6 per cent will be a different story. 'The effect on high earners means jeopardy for the Scottish business community,' he said. 'The Scottish government doesnt have to close the gap completely but should do something to reduce it.' There are concerns that the reduction in England's top rate of income tax could have a negative impact on Edinburgh (pictured) as Scotland's rate is now 6 per cent higher Peter Hewitt, a fund manager at Columbia Threadneedle who lives in Edinburgh, suggested people might start commuting to towns in northern England rather than work in Scotland's capital. The Scottish Government, which controls Scotland's income tax rates and bands, is expected to publish an emergency budget review within a fortnight, with First Minister Nicola Sturgeon under pressure to do something to address the widening gap. Meanwhile, Mr Kwarteng today vowed to push on with more tax cuts despite the nervous market reaction to his Emergency Budget. The Chancellor insisted there is 'more to come' as he delivered a robust defence of the 45billion tax-cutting package. Liz Truss and Mr Kwarteng (pictured at a factory in Kent on Friday) are sticking to their guns, with suggestions that the personal allowance could be raised and child benefit restored for higher earners as part of efforts to unleash a 'decade of dynamism' He argued that it is right to 'put money into people's pockets' and drive growth amid the cost-of-living crisis - pointing out that no other comparable nations were increasing the tax burden Liz Truss and Mr Kwarteng are sticking to their guns, with suggestions that the personal allowance could be raised and child benefit restored for higher earners as part of efforts to unleash a 'decade of dynamism'. Ms Truss declared in an article for The Mail on Sunday that she was determined to create 'low-tax nation rich in opportunity', despite the anxiety on her own backbenches. Some have been muttering about the prospect of a revolt against the Finance Bill should Sterling slip below parity with the US dollar. It hit a new 37-year-low after the Emergency Budget on Friday, and is hovering perilously close to the all time low of just over $1.05. India and China have heaped pressure on Vladimir Putin to end his faltering invasion of Ukraine in favour of peace talks. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Russia and Ukraine not to let effects of their war 'spill over' and called for a diplomatic resolution at the United Nations General Assembly yesterday. China's top diplomat stopped short of robustly supporting the invasion, nominally an ally of Beijing. He said: 'We call on all parties concerned to keep the crisis from spilling over and to protect the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries.' Mr Yi also called for 'fair and pragmatic' peace talks to resolve all global issues. He added: 'China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis. The pressing priority is to facilitate talks for peace," Wang said. 'The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture.' His remarks were seconded by India, which also shares historic economic ties bilateral defence agreements with Moscow. It suggests support for Putin's invasion among its two key allies is waning days after he announced he would mobilise 300,000 reservists and warned his country would use 'all the means at our disposal' to protect itself. Previously, India and China voiced their opposition to Western sanctions imposed on Russia following the invasion in February and continued to purchase Russian energy. Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks with Chinese President Xi Jinping before an extended-format meeting of heads of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit last week Russia's Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov pictured speaking at the United Nations General Assembly in New York yesterday A destroyed Russian tank is seen as Ukrainian serviceman rides a tractor and tows a Russian military vehicle as its invasion falters But US officials have been heartened by what they see as a lack of concrete backing for the war. They say that Beijing has declined requests to send military equipment, forcing Russia to rely on North Korea and Iran as its own supplies dwindle. It comes as Russia's foreign minister Sergei Lavrov also refused to answer a question on whether China is pressuring the Kremlin to end the war. Earlier this month, Putin also acknowledged Chinese 'concerns' about Ukraine during a meeting with his counterpart Xi Jinping. Before the war, the Russian president had visited Beijing and the two nations declared a tight alliance. But in the first meeting with China and India at the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit in Uzbekistan, Putin is understood to have been angered when both countries said they felt uneasy about the invasion, The Times reports. Putin had been hoping for strong statements of support from his allies. However, Mr Jinping instead said he had 'questions and concerns' about the invasion, while Indian PM Narendra Modi urged Putin to bring the war to an end. Modi told the Russian leader: 'Todays era is not an era of war, and I have spoken to you on the phone about this.' Russia has also been reliant upon Turkey during its war efforts, but the country issued a stern riposte when Putin said referendums would be carried out in Russian-held regions of Ukraine. Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi pose for a photo shaking hands prior to their talks on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation summit earlier this month A statement from Istanbul said: 'Such illegitimate fait accomplis will not be recognised by the international community. 'On the contrary, they will complicate efforts to revitalise the diplomatic process and deepen instability, Istanbul's statement said. 'We renew our support to Ukraines territorial integrity, independence and sovereignty, which we have been emphasising since the illegal annexation of Crimea in 2014, and reiterate our readiness to extend all necessary support to resolve the ongoing war through peaceful negotiations.' During his visit to the United Nations, Mr Wang also met with Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba, in their first talks since Russia invaded its neighbour on February 24. It comes as Liz Truss today said the West should not listen to Putin's 'sabre-rattling' and 'bogus threats' to unleash his nuclear arsenal. The Prime Minister was asked how the West should respond to the Russian president's partial military mobilisation and warnings his country would use 'all the means at our disposal' to protect itself. She told CNN's State Of The Union programme: 'We should not be listening to his sabre-rattling and his bogus threats. 'Instead, what we need to do is continue to put sanctions on Russia and continue to support the Ukrainians because if Putin is allowed to succeed, this wouldn't just send a terrible message in Europe and of course, huge threats to the Ukrainian population themselves, but it also would send a message to other authoritarian regimes around the world that it's somehow acceptable to... invade a sovereign nation. 'So this is why it's so important that we continue to be resolute, we don't listen to the sabre-rattling that we're hearing from Putin, and we continue to back the Ukrainians to the hilt.' Advertisement Opposition to Vladimir Putin's spluttering invasion of Ukraine and mobilisation order is continuing to grow in Russia, as families flee to Georgia and mass anti-war protests break out across the country amid mounting fears that one million men will be conscripted. Putin's escalation of his wicked and barbaric war has sparked an exodus, with men, women and children seen pulling luggage beside cars with Russian licence plates parked at the Georgian side of the Verkhni Lars customs checkpoint some 125 miles outside Tbilisi. Brave women in the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala, one of Russia's poorest regions, held placards and shouted 'no to war' as they faced down the Kremlin's shock troops at a large anti-war demo today - even as riot police fired warning shots into the air to frighten them. And now even the Russian dictator's allies are blaming the regime's cack-handed handling of the failed invasion, brutal clampdown on civil liberties since February 24 and forcible conscription of reservists for the exodus and the scale of the protests which have erupted across the country. The Speaker of Putin's puppet parliament Valentina Matvienko said the use of force - including stun guns and truncheons - by officers pressing people into the Russian Army was 'absolutely unacceptable', adding: 'I consider it absolutely right that they are triggering a sharp reaction in society.' Putin's riot police have arrested more than 2,000 anti-war protesters this week after the increasingly panicked and irrational dictator announced a mobilisation order and held the world to ransom by threatening to use nuclear weapons against Ukraine and the West. Videos shared to social media shows locals tussling with officers in the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala, where dozens of women chanted 'No to war!' at a protest against mobilisation Meanwhile, thousands have opted to instead flee to neighbouring countries, with photos showing people dragging suitcases across the Georgian border The speaker of Russia's upper house Ms Matvienko tried to deflect the blame away from the Kremlin, arguing that the governors of Russia's 85 federal regions held 'full responsibility' for enforcing the conscription order. Meanwhile, Valeriy Fadeev, the Russian governments human rights ombudsman, yesterday expressed concern that 70 fathers of large families and nurses without military skills had been drafted. And Margarita Simonyan, the head of the pro-Putin state-owned Russia Today media group, posted examples of violations on her Telegram channel, including a doctor with no previous military experience being told he would have to operate a grenade launcher. In the mainly Muslim area of Dagestan today, videos shared to social media show women in head scarves chasing police away from a rally and standing in front of police cars carrying detained protesters, demanding their release. Dozens of women chanted 'No to war!' in the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala, while police fired warning shots to disperse more than 100 people who blocked a highway in the region in an attempt to prevent their men from being mobilised. OVD-Info group, an independent Russian human rights monitor, said it was concerned by reports of 'very tough detentions' occurring in the region. Women also protested in the Siberian city of Yakutsk, chanting 'No to genocide!' and 'let our children be free' while marching in a circle around police, who later dragged some away or forced them into police vans, according to videos shared by Russian media. Thousands have opted to instead flee to neighbouring countries, with photos showing people dragging suitcases across the Georgian border. In the mainly Muslim area of Dagestan, videos shared to social media show women in head scarves chasing police away from a rally Those fleeing walk past vehicles with Russian licence plates near the Nizhniy Lars customs checkpoint between Georgia and Russia Russians fled the country on foot in the pouring rain today, while thousands of cars queued up at the border More than 2,000 people have been detained across Russia for protesting the draft, including 798 people in 33 towns on Saturday, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info. Pictured: officers detaining a woman in Moscow on Wednesday Those fleeing, wearing ponchos and raincoats, walk past vehicles with Russian licence plates near the Nizhniy Lars customs checkpoint between Georgia and Russia. Russian authorities acknowledged a 'significant' influx of cars trying to cross from Russia into Georgia today, with one official saying there is 'significant congestion of private vehicles... around 2,300'. Zelensky claims Putin's rush to conscript '1million' men is proof Russian army 'is not able to fight' Ukraine's president today spoke of how Russia's rush to mobilise hundreds of thousands of recruits is a tacit acknowledgement that its 'army is not able to fight'. Speaking to U.S. broadcaster CBS, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said he's bracing for more Russian strikes on Ukraine's electrical infrastructure, as the Kremlin seeks to ramp up the pressure on Ukraine and its Western backers as the weather gets colder. Zelenskyy warned that this winter 'will be very difficult.' 'They will shoot missiles, and they will target our electric grid. This is a challenge, but we are not afraid of that,' he said. He portrayed the Russian mobilisation - its first such call-up since World War II - as a signal of weakness, not strength, saying: 'They admitted that their army is not able to fight with Ukraine anymore.' Advertisement Although the European Union is now largely off limits to most Russians, with direct flights stopped and its land borders increasingly closed to them, an exodus of Russian men fleeing military service is creating divisions among European officials over whether they should be granted safe haven. German officials have voiced a desire to help Russian men deserting military service and have called for a European-wide solution. Germany has held out the possibility of granting asylum to deserters and those refusing the draft. In France, senators are arguing that Europe has a duty to help and warned that not granting refuge to fleeing Russians could play into Putin's hands, feeding his narrative of Western hostility to Russia. 'Closing our frontiers would fit neither with our values nor our interests,' a group of more than 40 French senators said. Turning away fleeing Russians would be 'a mistake by Europe in the war of communication and influence that is playing out.' Yet other EU countries are adamant that asylum should not be offered to Russian men fleeing now - when the war has moved into its eighth month. They include Lithuania, which borders Kaliningrad, a Russian Baltic Sea exclave. Its foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, tweeted: 'Russians should stay and fight. Against Putin.' His counterpart in Latvia, also an EU member bordering Russia, said the exodus poses 'considerable security risks' for the 27-nation bloc and that those fleeing now can't be considered conscientious objectors since they did not act when Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Many 'were fine with killing Ukrainians, they did not protest then,' the Latvian foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics, tweeted. He added that they still have 'plenty of countries outside EU to go'. Finland also said it intends to 'significantly restrict' entry to Russians entering the EU through its border with Russia. A Finnish opposition leader, Petteri Orpo, said fleeing Russian military reservists were an 'obvious' security risk and 'we must put our national security first'. Russia is pressing on with its call-up of hundreds of thousands of men, seeking to reverse recent losses. Without control of the skies over Ukraine, Russia is also making increasing use of suicide drones from Iran, with more strikes reported today in the Black Sea port city of Odesa. A Russian protestor carries a placard showing a picture of Russian president Vladimir Putin with the name 'Terrorist No1' during a demonstration against the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Geneva, Switzerland Russian protestors in Switzerland carry placards against the war in Ukraine during a demonstration on Sunday A protestor hold a sign saying 'no to war' during a demonstration against the Russian invasion of Ukraine A Russian protestor in Geneva carries a placard showing a picture of Russian president Vladimir Putin with the direction of The Hague, the seat of the UN International Court of Justice Russian protestors carry placards during a demonstration against the Russian invasion of Ukraine in front of the Palais des Nations, European headquarters of the United Nations, in Geneva A demonstrator holds a poster of Russian president Vladimir Putin with the label 'murderer' covering his eyes A Russian protestor carries a placard showing a picture of Russian president Vladimir Putin with the name "Putler Kaput !" during a demonstration in Geneva, Switzerland For Ukrainian and Russian military planners, the clock is ticking, with the approach of winter expected to make fighting much more complicated. Already, rainy weather is bringing muddy conditions that are starting to limit the mobility of tanks and other heavy weapons, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said today. Russian conscripts sent into Ukraine with RUSTY AKs: Civilian reservists forced to join Putin's war machine are handed worn out weapons before heading to frontline Civilian reservists forced to join Vladimir Putins war machine are being issued with rusty worn-out old Kalashnikovs as weapons, a new video shows. The recruits expressed dismay in a volley of swearwords after a tank crew was provided with long-discarded weapons from a military store in Primonsky region in the far east of Russia. 'It's the tank boys who were given this c*** [rusty Kalashnikovs],' says one voice as the men are given their war kit. 'They said: "You've got tanks, so don't give a **** about the Kalashnikovs".' Russian tank crews were given weapons that looked decades old to take to war Advertisement But the think-tank said Ukrainian forces are still gaining ground in their counteroffensive, launched in late August, that has rolled back the Russian occupation across large areas of the northeast and which also prompted Putin's new drive for reinforcements. The Kremlin said its initial aim is to add about 300,000 troops to its invasion force, which is struggling with equipment losses, mounting casualties and weakening morale. The mobilisation marks a sharp shift from Putin's previous efforts to portray the war as a limited military operation that wouldn't interfere with most Russians' lives. It also appears to have led to a change in rhetoric from India and China, who have heaped pressure on Vladimir Putin to end his faltering invasion of Ukraine in favour of peace talks. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi urged Russia and Ukraine not to let effects of their war 'spill over' and called for a diplomatic resolution at the United Nations General Assembly yesterday. Mr Yi also called for 'fair and pragmatic' peace talks to resolve all global issues. He added: 'China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis. The pressing priority is to facilitate talks for peace. 'The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture.' His remarks were seconded by India, which also shares historic economic ties and bilateral defence agreements with Moscow. It suggests support for Putin's invasion among its two key allies is waning days after he announced he would mobilise 300,000 reservists and warned his country would use 'all the means at our disposal' to protect itself. The Russian mobilisation is running hand-in-hand with Kremlin-orchestrated votes in four occupied regions of Ukraine that could pave the way for their imminent annexation by Russia. Ukraine and its Western allies say the referendums in the Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in the south and the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions have no legal validity, not least because many tens of thousands of their people have fled. Ukraine has requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting over the sham referendums, calling for Russia to be 'held accountable for its further attempts to change Ukraine's internationally recognised borders in a violation of the UN Charter,' foreign affairs ministry spokesperson Oleg Nikolenko said on Twitter. Kremlin officials, military police and hired guns have been keeping a careful eye over the voting, which started on Friday- with residents saying troops came to their homes in occupied territories to enforce the 'vote'. A Ukrainian journalist has posted a video allegedly showing Russian troops entering the residence of his family before forcing them to vote in 'sham' referendums across occupied territories of Ukraine 'My family was just forced to vote at gunpoint in Russian cosplay of a "referendum in southern Ukraine,' said Maxim Eristavi, journalist and co-founder of Hromadske International, a broadcasting station in Ukraine. The Ukrainian journalist posted a video purporting to show armed soldiers entering the hallways where his family live and forcing them to vote in favour of joining Russia. Serhiy Haidai, governor of occupied Luhansk, said some towns under Russian occupation have been entirely sealed off to ensure people vote - with any crosses in the 'no' column recorded in a 'notebook'. Meanwhile state media reported an unfeasibly high 97 per cent of people in two of those regions - Donetsk and Luhansk - are in favour of joining Russia. Ballot boxes have also been opened across Russia itself, ostensibly to allow displaced Ukrainians to vote, but in reality offer more opportunities for vote rigging. Kyiv called out the exercise as a bare-faced attempt by Russia to hold on to occupied territory now threatened by the Ukrainian army's counter-offensive. Russian politicians call for Putin's 'private army' to be reinforced in military draft: MoD says National Guard is 'under strain' as it tries to enforce sham referendums in Ukraine and quell anti-mobilisation protests in Russia ByTom Brown For Mailonline Russian politicians are calling for Putin's 'private army' to be reinforced as pressure mounts over the war in Ukraine with more than 2,000 Russians arrested for protesting against mobilisation. British military intelligence reported Sunday that Russian politicians are calling for more Russians to be mobilised to serve in the National Guard, used to quell protestors and enforce state violence at home. 'With a requirement to quell growing domestic dissent in Russia, as well as operational taskings in Ukraine, Rosgvardia is highly likely under particular strain,' said the UK Ministry of Defence in a briefing note. The Rosgvardia, created in 2016 to fight terrorism and organised crime, is a 'private army' whose loyalty is 'to the president rather than to the state', according to Stefan Hedlund, a Swedish academic and expert on Russian and Soviet studies. The force was recently used to facilitate Russia's 'referendums' in parts of occupied Ukrainian territory, with Western countries calling them a 'sham' designed to disguise an illegitimate attempt by Moscow to seize Ukrainian territory. The Intelligence brief said high-profile Russian nationalist Duma member Aleksandr Khinstein proposed to reinforce the guard and open the door for more units to fight in Ukraine, suggesting the Kremlin is struggling to keep disserts at bay both at home and abroad. The Russian National Guard (Rosgvardia), known as 'Putin's private army', are pictured blocking off Moscow's Manezhnaya Square last year. British military intelligence reported that Russian politicians are calling for more Russians to be mobilised to serve in the National Guard The Rosgvardia, was created in 2016 to fight terrorism and organised crime, but answers directly to Putin and is normally used to suppress descent at home. They are now being deployed in Ukraine, forcing the Kremlin to split its manpower high-profile Russian nationalist Duma member Aleksandr Khinstein proposed to reinforce the guard in Ukraine It comes after nearly three-quarters of countries in the United Nations assembly voted on Saturday to reprimand Russia and demand it withdraw its troops shortly after the February 24 invasion that Russia calls a special military operation. Russia's military campaign has killed tens of thousands, left some Ukrainian cities wastelands and triggered Russia's biggest confrontation with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis. Ukraine's military said early on Sunday that Russian forces had launched dozens of missile attacks and air strikes on military and civilian targets, including 35 'settlements', in the past 24 hours. Russia also used drones to attack the centre of the southern city of Odesa, Ukraine's military said. No casualties were reported. Russia denies targeting civilians. Its RIA state news agency reported that Ukrainian forces bombed a hotel in the city of Kherson, killing two people. Russian forces have occupied the southern city since the early days of the invasion. There has been no immediate response from Ukraine, with MailOnline unable to immediately verify either side's claims. The votes on becoming part of Russia were hastily organised after Ukraine recaptured large swathes of the northeast in a counteroffensive this month. Police detain a demonstrator protesting against mobilisation in St. Petersburg, Saturday Police detain a man in Saint Petersburg on September 24, following calls to protest against the partial mobilisation announced by the Russian President More than 2,000 people have been detained across Russia for protesting the draft, including 798 people in 33 towns on Saturday, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info Russian law enforcement officers detain a person during an unsanctioned rally Nearly half of those detained were arrested in Moscow, at rallies following the partial mobilisation designed to bolster Russia's operation in Ukrain Ukrainian officials said people were banned from leaving occupied areas until the four-day vote was over, armed groups were going into homes, and employees were threatened with the sack if they did not participate. Lavrov, in a news conference following his speech to the assembly in New York, said the regions where votes are underway would be under Moscow's 'full protection' if they are annexed by Russia. Russia said the referendums offer an opportunity for people in those regions to express their view. The Group of Seven industrialised economies said they will not recognise the results of the votes. A woman is shown evacuating with belongings and protecting her ears after a Russian attack in the frontline city of Kupiansk, in the Kharkiv region, on Saturday A man walks with a cane near a bridge over the Oskil River as black smoke rises in the frontline city of Kupiansk Asked if Russia would have grounds for using nuclear weapons to defend annexed regions of Ukraine, Lavrov said Russian territory, including territory 'further enshrined' in Russia's constitution in the future, 'is under the full protection of the state'. 'All of the laws, doctrines, concepts and strategies of the Russian Federation apply to all of its territory,' he said, also referring specifically to Russia's doctrine on the use of nuclear weapons. Ukraine's foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said Russia's statements on the possible use of nuclear weapons were 'absolutely unacceptable' and Kyiv would not give into them. 'We call on all nuclear powers to speak out now and make it clear to Russia that such rhetoric put the world at risk and will not be tolerated,' Kuleba said. Civilians look on during a military training session by the Right Sector close to Lviv, Ukraine, Saturday, Sept. 24 Civilians holding wooden replicas of rifles take part in a military training organized by the Ukraine A military instructor dressed in ghillie and holding a gun takes part in military training Ukraine has requested an urgent UN Security Council meeting over the referendums, accusing Russia of violating the UN Charter by attempting to change Ukraine's borders. Putin on Wednesday ordered the first mobilization since World War Two, sending some Russian men swiftly toward borders, with traffic at frontier crossings with Finland and Georgia surging and prices for air tickets from Moscow rocketing. More than 2,000 people have been detained across Russia for protesting the draft, including 798 people in 33 towns on Saturday, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info. Frustration has even spread to pro-Kremlin media, with one editor at the state-run RT news channel complaining that call-up papers being sent to the wrong men, adding that such issues were 'infuriating people'. Do YOU know what happened? Email emma.james@mailonline.com A 12-year-old girl from Texas shot her father as part of a murder-pact she made with her friend, officials said. According to the Parker County Sheriff's Office, the girls spent weeks plotting to kill their families - and their pets - then drive off together to Georgia. But the friend didn't come through on her end of the bargain, and the 12-year-old girl ended up turning the gun on herself in the street just outside her home after she fired on her father. 'Sheriff's investigators said the juvenile is believed to have shot her father, fled the scene, and later shot herself. A handgun was located lying underneath the juvenile suspect,' police said in a press release. According to the Parker County Sheriff's Office, the girls spent weeks plotting to kill their families - and their pets - then drive off together to Georgia Cops said they responded to reports of a shooting around 11:30pm last Tuesday in Weatherford, Texas, a small city about 30 miles west of Fort Worth. When they arrived they found the girl lying in the street in front of the home with a self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head. Inside the house cops found her 38-year-old father with a gunshot to the abdomen. Both were airlifted to a nearby hospital, and their conditions remains unknown. Cops said after shooting her father, the girl planned to drive about 230 miles to the town of Lufkin, Texas, where she intended to pick up her friend on and begin their runaway. Cops said they responded to reports of a shooting around 11:30pm last Tuesday in Weatherford, Texas, a small city about 30 miles west of Fort Worth It remains unclear why the girls wanted to kill their families and runaway. 'It doesn't matter if they live in a small town or a big city. Things like this can happen, unfortunately,' Lufkin Communications Director, Jessica Pebsworth, said. 'I will say that this case is definitely a time to remind parents that it's very important to know who your children are friends with, whether that's in the classroom, social media apps, Snapchat, TikTok and then also gaming platforms.' Cops said they are withholding the names of the girls due to their age, and are also not releasing the name of the wounded father to protect the kids. Police said the girl from Lufkin was charged with criminal conspiracy for the plot. Just half said they will stick to the same working pattern when scheme ends Came as more than 3,300 employees across 70 companies began four-day week A Labour MP has tabled a new parliamentary bill to introduce a four-day week to Britain. Peter Dowd, the MP for Bootle, called for a reduction in working hours from 40 to 32 a week and said British workers currently clock up the longest hours in Europe. Parliamentary time has been secured for the bill to be discussed in the House of Commons in mid-October. I am introducing this legislation because were long overdue a shorter working week,' Mr Dowd said. In the UK, workers put in some of the longest working hours across Europe while pay and productivity remains low in comparison. In numerous examples across the world the four-day week with no loss of pay has been shown to boost productivity and the wellbeing of workers. Peter Dowd (pictured), the MP for Bootle, made the proposition to introduce a four-day week and said British workers currently clock up the longest hours in Europe Joe Ryle, director of the 4 Day Week Campaign, said: This bill gives every British worker the chance of moving to a four-day week. Imagine how much happier we would all be. It would give us the time to properly rest, enjoy a better quality of life and boost productivity at work. The 9-5, five day working week is outdated and no longer fit for purpose. It comes after around half of the British businesses trying out a four-day week say they will stick to the new working pattern when the scheme ends. More than 3,300 employees across 70 companies and charities took part in the radical six-month experiment in June, with staff given full pay for 80 per cent of their time while making a commitment to produce 100 per cent of their usual output in a trial that could overhaul the working life of Britons. However, only around half of those taking part (41) responded to a survey canvassing opinion at the halfway point, with nearly nine in ten of the respondents saying that they would keep the scheme in place beyond the trial period. It comes after around half of the British businesses trying out a four-day week say they will stick to the new working pattern when the scheme ends (stock image) 15 per cent surveyed claimed that productivity had surged dramatically - while the remainder recorded either no change or only a 'slight improvement' in output. Companies previously said they had struggled with rota chaos and staff confusion after rolling out the four-day week, with bosses admitting that they doubted the policy could survive the trial period. Weighing up a four-day week? Here are the pros and cons Pros Fewer distractions at work Longer hours does not necessarily mean more output Increased mental wellbeing and physical health Parents with children find themselves less stressed out Potentially lowered carbon footprint Cons Not all industries can participate It might widen existing inequalities The cost risk for employers is expensive Workers may put in the same hours anyways Difficult team management Source: Adecco Group Advertisement Samantha Losey, boss of communications firm Unity, told The Telegraph: 'It's more likely that we won't carry on now. One of the things that has struck me is whether or not we are a mature enough business to be able to handle the four-day week. 'The rest of the world not doing four-day weeks makes it challenging. We agreed we'd go all the way through the pilot, but I'm questioning whether this is the right thing for us long-term. It's been bumpy for sure.' However, toward the end of the trial it seems that despite the 'rough times' she acknowledged during the changeover process, her attitude towards the concept was a much more positive one: 'Ultimately, the outcomes we're experiencing, such as better, higher, and a positive team culture shift are reassuring that the bumps in the road are exponentially worth it.' A range of businesses and charities are taking part, including the Royal Society of Biology, hipster London brewery Pressure Drop, Southampton computer game developer Yo Telecom, a Manchester medical devices firm, and a fish and chip shop in Norfolk. The trial is being run by not-for-profit 4 Day Week Global in partnership with left-wing thinktank Autonomy, researchers at Boston College and Oxford and Cambridge universities, and lobby group 4 Day Week Campaign, which is pushing for a 32-hour working week with no pay reduction. The firms and not-for-profits are being charged up to 10,000 to take part, MailOnline has learned. Of those who did respond to the survey, nearly half (46 per cent) said productivity had not increased, while about a third (34 per cent) reported only a 'slight' improvement and just 15 per cent a 'significant' one'. And on a scale of one to five indicating how smooth the shift had been, with a grade of one representing 'extremely smooth', more than a fifth (22 per cent) did not rate the move to a shorter week one or two. Even among those who now believe the four-day week worked for them, the transition was not been without its difficulties. Nicci Russell, managing director of water efficiency group Waterwise, told The Times: 'It wasn't a walk in the park at the start, but no major change ever is. 'Some weeks are easier than others and things like annual leave can make it harder to fit everything in, but we're much more settled with it now.' Teens, both from Huddersfield, will appear before Leeds Magistrates' tomorrow Police have charged two teenage boys with the death of a pupil stabbed to death outside the gates of his school. Khayri Mclean was stabbed to death outside North Huddersfield Trust School in Fartown, West Yorkshire, shortly before 3pm on Wednesday. Two boys, 15 and 16, have today been charged with murder and possession of a bladed article. The pair, both from Huddersfield, have both been remanded in custody to appear before Leeds Magistrates' tomorrow. A spokesperson for West Yorkshire Police said: 'Detectives investigating the death of a 15-year-old boy in Huddersfield have charged two males with murder. 'Both males, who are 15 and 16 and from Huddersfield, have also been charged with possession of a bladed article. Two teenage boys have been charged with murder over the stabbing of Khayri on Wednesday Khayri Mclean was stabbed to death outside his school in Fartown, West Yorkshire, on Wednesday 'Both have been remanded in custody to appear before Leeds magistrates tomorrow. 'The charges relate to the death of Khayri McLean, who died after he was stabbed in Woodhouse Hill, Huddersfield, last Wednesday.' The police force previously described the killing as an 'absolutely senseless loss of a young life'. Floral tributes were left at the scene on Friday, with candles and bottles of Yazoo milkshake also placed near the spot where Khayri was stabbed. Khayri McLean hugged by his mother in an older picture together sat at a table outside a cafe, believed to be in Huddersfield A police community support officer lays a floral tribute at the scene in Woodhouse Hill, Huddersfield The scene in Fartown, a suburb of Huddersfield, West Yorks, following the stabbing on Wednesday Headteacher Andrew Fell said in a statement: 'It is with enormous sadness that I must tell you that following an incident on Woodhouse Hill Road yesterday one of our pupils has tragically lost their life. 'The pupil was taken by ambulance to hospital after the incident but despite the most valiant of efforts, medical staff were unable to save their life. 'This is truly shocking news for our pupils, your children and our staff. We will be providing specialist support for any among our community who feel they could benefit.' Police have arrested a 20-year-old man at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of attempted murder after four men were hit by a car in west London. The Metropolitan Police were called at 2.43am on Sunday after reports that four people had been struck by a car in Kingsley Road, close to the junction with Taunton Avenue, in Hounslow. The pedestrians, all men in their early 20s, were taken to hospital where two remain in a critical condition. The two others were treated for non-life changing injuries. The driver of the car did not stop at the scene, police said. The vehicle involved in the crash, a Nissan Qashqai, was found by police in Hounslow a short time later. Detectives launched an investigation and arrested a 20-year-old man at Heathrow Airport on suspicion of attempted murder just before 7pm. Police have arrested a 20-year-old man at Heathrow Airport (pictured) on suspicion of attempted murder after four men were hit by a car in west London Two men in their early 20s are fighting for their lives and two others suffered life-changing injuries after being struck by a hit-and-run driver on Taunton Avenue, Hounslow (pictured) The pedestrians, all men in their early 20s, were taken to hospital where two remain in a critical condition. The two others were treated for non-life changing injuries Police said he had booked a flight and was planning to leave the country. A second man was also arrested nearby on suspicion of assisting an offender. Detective Chief Inspector Andy Thrower said: 'This was a serious incident that will have shocked the local community. 'Two men are in hospital fighting for their lives and our thoughts are with them and their families. Officers have acted without delay to identify a suspect. 'The arrest - which happened as the man was trying to fly out of the UK - is a timely and crucial development in this ongoing investigation. 'We will continue at pace as we work to establish what happened and to get justice for the victims. I would continue to urge anyone with information to come forward.' Information can be provided by calling 101 or tweeting @MetCC with the reference 921/25SEP or call the independent charity Crimestoppers, anonymously, on 0800 555 111. Joe Exotic's former attorney has claimed the star unknowingly made him use Netflix royalties to buy drugs in a prison deal. Attorney Francisco Hernandez's law office said in a 147-page court filing Joseph Maldonado-Passage, 59, had directed him to make 'cloaked payments for drug transactions in the prison.' 'Indeed, Mr. Maldonado-Passage would lie to Mr. Hernandez, referring to the payments as expenses for tiger food, among other descriptions,' the court documents, obtained by The Sun, said. 'Mr. Hernandez only learned of the true nature of these payments in September 2021, when Mr. Maldonado-Passage was caught in prison with a burner phone and admitted the practice to Mr. Hernandez.' Insiders said Maldonado-Passage ran a drug scam inside the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth by sending cloaked payments to criminals, who would then smuggle the drugs into the facilities Attorney Francisco Hernandez's law office admitted in a damning 147-page court filing that Joe Exotic, legally named Joseph Maldonado-Passage, 59, had directed Hernandez to make 'cloaked payments for drug transactions in the prison' Insiders said Maldonado-Passage ran a drug scam inside the Federal Medical Center in Fort Worth by sending cloaked payments to criminals, who would then smuggle the drugs into the facilities, according to The Sun. Hernandez said in the court document that he had email proof of the Tiger King star 'directing Mr. Hernandez to use funds' for drugs. Maldonado-Passage has previously tried to get Hernandez disbarred. It is unclear how much the tiger handler made off the hit Netflix show. In June, Maldonado-Passage made waves again after he took to Instagram in a now-deleted post to reveal his love had decided to end his romance with him, after John Graham was released from federal prison in Texas. Maldonado-Passage had recently broke up with his prison boyfriend John Graham. John and Maldonado-Passage fell in love after they met in February 2021 while both were serving prison time at FMC Forth Worth in Texas But harboring no ill-feelings, Maldonado-Passage revealed that he had decided to patch things up with his ex, Seth Posey, saying that he had always stood by him, despite never meeting Graham and Maldonado-Passage fell in love after they met in February 2021 while both were serving prison time at FMC Forth Worth in Texas. But harboring no ill-feelings, Maldonado-Passage revealed that he had decided to patch things up with his ex, Seth Posey, saying that he had always stood by him. Maldonado-Passage had first revealed he was in a relationship with Seth during an interview in Tiger King 2 but they parted ways in November before getting back together. He described his then-lover as a 'drop f**king dead gorgeous' man living in Arkansas. Maldonado-Passage added at the time; 'I've never met Seth, but we talk 15 times a day, and we have a pretty strong connection.' It's quite the turnaround for Maldonado-Passage, who had been busy planning a wedding to Graham. Back in April, he ordered custom $11,500 all-white tuxedos for himself and Graham ahead of their prison wedding. According to TMZ, he had tapped Odain Watson of the brand Odaingerous to design the tuxedos, which were going to be handcrafted in Italy. The media outlet reported that each tuxedo will feature a custom silk tiger print lining. The process of creating the tuxedos was set to take about four to six weeks. But as Odain wasn't able to take the incarcerated television personality's measurements in person, he was using a model of similar weight and height. The news came after another one of Joe Exotic's exes Dillon Passage filed for a prenuptial agreement in May in his ongoing divorce from from Maldonado-Passage. However, an attorney for the Tiger King personality said she believed it had been filed under fraudulent circumstances. Exotic's attorney Autumn Blackledge told TMZ that the zookeeper never signed an official document in the agreement, which would separate the assets each party brought in before and after the marriage. Blackledge told the outlet she believes Passage filed the prenup in an effort to stretch out the divorce proceedings to capitalize off of his former relationship with Exotic who filed for the split in March. Blackledge said Passage has sold many of Exotic's belongings during his imprisonment, and has yet to visit Exotic while he's in custody. Blackledge said that Passage has profited more than $1 million from Tiger King following its 2020 debut and the notoriety it gained. Maldonado-Passage currently in prison serving a reduced sentence of 21 years following his conviction for trying to hire two different men to kill animal welfare activist Carole Baskin. Advertisement Iranian protesters have defied the Islamic regime and taken to the streets for a tenth consecutive night in a row over the death of a woman in morality police custody arrested for 'not wearing her hijab properly'. Mahsa Amini, 22, died in custody after she was detained in Tehran by Iranian morality police who believed she was wearing her hijab too loosely. Demonstrations continued for a tenth night in a row this evening, in defiance of a warning from the judiciary, with violent unrest having spread to at least 46 cities, towns and villages across Iran following her death. Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists have been arrested amid the mostly night-time protests since unrest first broke out after Amini's death on September 16. At least 41 people have died since the unrest began - including both protesters and some members of the Islamic republic's security forces - according to an official toll, although other sources say the real figure is higher. Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) this evening said the death toll was at least 57, but noted that ongoing internet blackouts were making it increasingly difficult to confirm fatalities in a context where the women-led protests have in recent nights spread to scores of cities. Echoing a warning the previous day by President Ebrahim Raisi, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei this evening 'emphasised the need for decisive action without leniency' against those organising the 'riots', the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian also criticised US support for the 'rioters' amid a security crackdown and curbs on internet and phones. Iran has summoned the British and Norwegian ambassadors over what it called interference and hostile media coverage of the nationwide unrest. Amini, whose Kurdish first name was Jhina, was detained three days before that for allegedly breaching the rules that mandate tightly-fitted hijab head coverings and which ban, among other things, ripped jeans and brightly coloured clothes. Mahsa Amini, 22, died in police custody after being detained by Iranian morality police over hijab laws on September 16 At least 41 people have died since the unrest began - including both protesters and some members of the Islamic republic's security forces Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights (IHR) this evening said the death toll was at least 57, but noted that ongoing internet blackouts were making it increasingly difficult to confirm fatalities Members of the Iranian community and their supporters rally in Ottawa, Canada, in solidarity with protesters in Iran Protesters clashed with police as they called for an end to the Islamic Republic of Iran outside the London embassy earlier today Activists of the 'Femen' organization hold placards showing solidarity with Iranian women during a protest near the Iranian Embassy in Paris Members of the Iranian community and their supporters rally in solidarity with protesters in Iran today over Mahsa's death Amini, whose Kurdish first name was Jhina, was detained three days before that for allegedly breaching the rules that mandate tightly-fitted hijab head coverings 'Rolling blackouts' hit coverage of Iran The world has learnt of the violence largely through shaky mobile phone footage posted on social media, even as authorities have throttled internet access. Web monitor NetBlocks noted 'rolling blackouts' and 'widespread internet platform restrictions', with WhatsApp, Instagram and Skype having already been blocked. This followed older bans on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Telegram. Protests abroad have been held in solidarity with Iranian women in Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Istanbul, Madrid, New York and Paris, among other cities. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell deplored the security forces' response to the unrest late Sunday as 'disproportionate... unjustifiable and unacceptable'. Iran - which is ruled by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 83, and which has been hit with tough economic sanctions over its nuclear programme - has blamed 'foreign plots' for the unrest. The foreign ministry said Sunday it had summoned Britain's ambassador over what it described as an 'invitation to riots' by Farsi-speaking media based in London, and Norway's envoy over 'unconstructive comments' made by his country's parliament speaker. Foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Amir-Abdollahian criticised 'the US interventionist approach in the affairs of Iran... including its provocative actions in supporting the rioters'. Advertisement Images circulated by IHR showed protesters on the streets of Tehran, shouting 'death to the dictator', purportedly after nightfall tonight. Security forces tackling the protests have fired live rounds and bird shot, namely small rubber or lead sphere. EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell deplored the security forces' response to the unrest late this evening as 'disproportionate... unjustifiable and unacceptable'. Meanwhile, protesters have hurled rocks, torched police cars and set ablaze state buildings. Some Iranian women protesters have removed and burnt their hijabs in the rallies and cut off their hair, while others have danced near large bonfires to the applause of crowds chanting 'zan, zendegi, azad' - meaning 'woman, life, freedom'. The world has largely been made aware of the unrest via shaky mobile phone footage posted on social media, even as authorities have throttled internet access. Internet monitor NetBlocks has noted 'rolling blackouts' and 'widespread internet platform restrictions', with WhatsApp, Instagram and Skype having already been blocked. This followed existing bans on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Telegram. Protests abroad have been held in solidarity with Iranian women in Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Istanbul, Madrid and New York among other cities. It comes as riot police arrested protesters reportedly trying to storm Iranian embassies in London and Paris today. Video footage from outside the English capital's embassy showed a large group of people gathered, with police officers forming a line to stop the group from moving closer to the building. Witnesses reported that some were trying to 'attack' and 'storm' Iranian embassies in both London and Paris, as people entered the British premises, 'throwing rocks and chairs at the building'. Dozens of demonstrators gathered at the embassy in Princes Gate, Knightsbridge, could be seen standing on walls, holding flags and placards in the street, with some throwing bottles and other objects at officers. Pro-government rallies were also held today, with the main event taking place in Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran Two police officers held a man down as others tried to hold the crowd of people back. Red paint was also thrown at the embassy building. The protesters were calling for an end to the Islamic Republic of Iran, shouting and pushing against officers who had formed a line in front of the embassy. Crowds chanted 'Death to the Islamic Republic' and waved Iran's former national flag from before 1979. Footage shared online also showed violent altercations breaking out among those in the crowd. Five people were arrested during the demonstration, with police officers injured by the 'substantial group intent on causing disorder', the Metropolitan Police said. Meanwhile, Iran has blamed 'foreign plots' for the unrest. The country, ruled by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has also organised large rallies in defence of the hijab and conservative values. It comes as Iran has already been hit with tough economic sanctions over its nuclear programme. Pro-government rallies were held today, with the main event taking place in Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran, where demonstrators voiced support for mandatory hijab laws. But the main reformist group inside Iran, the Union of Islamic Iran People's Party, has called for the repeal of the mandatory dress code. Human rights groups based abroad have also sought to shine light on the turmoil rocking Iran, citing their own sources in the country. IHR today reported that an umbrella of Iranian teachers' unions were calling on teachers and students to boycott classes on Monday and Wednesday in support of the protests. Iranian authorities have yet to state the cause of death of Amini, who activists say died as a result of a blow to the head. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi has said Amini was not beaten and that "we must wait for the final opinion of the medical examiner". Chinese, Sri Lankan FMs meet on sidelines of UNGA session Xinhua) 11:37, September 25, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Sabry on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Sabry on Friday on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly. As strategic cooperative partners, Wang said, China and Sri Lanka have always shared weal and woe and sincerely helped each other. This year marks the 65th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties between China and Sri Lanka and the 70th anniversary of the signing of the Rubber-Rice Pact, which is an opportunity to build on their past achievements and take them forward, Wang said. China stands ready to work with Sri Lanka to strengthen their traditional friendship, consolidate strategic mutual trust, and deepen and expand practical cooperation, he added. Wang congratulated Sri Lanka on its progress in stabilizing the situation and alleviating the difficulties in the country. China has provided medicine, rice, fuel and other emergency humanitarian assistance to Sri Lanka and will continue to help the country overcome its temporary difficulties within its capacity, he said. For his part, Sabry highlighted the solid foundation of the friendship between Sri Lanka and China. Sri Lanka will never forget China's strong support over the years to its economic and social development, especially when the South Asian country encountered difficulties, he noted. China is an important development partner of Sri Lanka, and Chinese enterprises have made contributions to Sri Lanka's growth, he said, underlining that the so-called "Chinese debt trap" is an utterly groundless rumor. Sri Lanka welcomes investments from all countries including China, and will ensure the security and reasonable returns of the investments, Sabry noted. He also thanked China for helping Sri Lankan students resume study in China. China-Sri Lanka cooperation is South-South cooperation based on equality and mutual benefit, Wang said. The narrative of "debt trap" created and spread by certain countries is essentially a trap of underdevelopment for developing countries, he added. China and Sri Lanka will continue to render mutual understanding and support, and will stand firmly together on issues of sovereignty, independence and national dignity, Wang said. Both sides agreed to jointly promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation and help boost Sri Lanka's economic recovery by leveraging the Hambantota Port, Colombo Port City and other flagship projects. The two sides will speed up the negotiation process and strive for an early conclusion of a free trade agreement, thereby boosting the confidence in and stabilizing the expectations for their economic and trade cooperation. (Web editor: Bianji, Liang Jun) TS Congress president A. Revanth Reddy challenged others in the fray for an open debate on the constituencys development. (DC Image) HYDERABAD: On his maiden visit as the mandal in-charge of Samsthan Narayanpur, forming part of Munugode by-election campaign, TPCC chief and Lok Sabha member A. Revanth Reddy tried to woo tribals and women on Sunday. He concluded his tour at Vaillapally village by daring others in the fray for an open debate on the constituencys development. Reddy, accompanied by party nominee Palvai Sravanthi, toured the villages in Narayanpur and urged tribal youth and female voters to give their woman leader from Congress a chance to bring changes to their lives. She will help you get pattas for podu lands, he reassured the villagers. Expressing gratitude to the tribal community, he recalled how they all had backed him, which helped him win the Lok Sabha seat. It was the Congress party, which came to the rescue of local auto drivers who were being harassed by the authorities. Some of you had voted for me and helped me win. I expect a similar support for our party candidate, this time around, the Malkajgiri MP urged. Rather than keeping their word, the Union and state governments have added to the problems of the people. For instance, lands were snatched away after the introduction of the Dharani portal. As Sravanthi has mentioned, the BJP and Rajgopal Reddy are taking you all for a ride by promising the moon, he added. Describing Munugode as a Congress fortress, Sravanthi called upon voters to teach the BJP and TRS a lesson. Melissa Caddick's mother is holding the corporate watchdog personally responsible for her daughter's death, it has been revealed - as the notorious fraudster's cliffside mansion goes on the market. Potential buyers will be charged a refundable $10,000 fee to inspect Caddick's property at Dover Heights, in Sydney's eastern suburbs, as receivers finally put the home on the market with prestige real estate agent Sotheby's on Monday. The fee will be used to deter anyone but legitimate buyers from accessing the property at the centre of one of Australia's biggest mysteries - as agents release a flashy video showing off the property. It comes as the inquest into Caddick's suspected death and suicide is set to resume on Monday morning with the chief investigator, Isabella Allen from the Australian Securities and Investment Commission, set to testify. She will be followed Ms Caddick's husband, Anthony Koletti. The inquest of Melissa Caddick resumes on Monday. Her husband Anthony Koletti (right) will give evidence this week Melissa Caddick's former Dover Heights home (pictured) goes on the market this week. It required extensive repairs, cleaning and maintenance after Caddick's husband was evicted Ms Allen led the formal investigation from September 8, 2020 into Ms Caddick's Ponzi scheme operated under her fake company Maliver. The conwoman purported to be investing her victims' wealth by appearing to set up CommSec trading accounts and forging documents to claim she was generating profits through capital growth and shares. She preyed on mostly friends and family and stole up to $30 million between 2013 and 2020, counsel assisting Jason Downing SC has told the inquest. A week after the corporate watchdog began its investigation into the misappropriation of funds Ms Caddick booked shredding services for document destruction at her home address. The last verified sighting of Ms Caddick was when ASIC and the Australian Federal Police raided her Dover Heights mansion on November 11, 2020. Ms Caddick's mother Barbara Grimley holds ASIC responsible for her daughter's suspected death saying she was highly distressed during the raid and was not allowed any food or water. The AFP's Constable Amelia Griffen shadowed Ms Caddick for the majority of the 12-hour search and confirmed she did make herself food and was allowed to leave the property whenever she wished. Her husband Anthony Koletti phoned in the 49-year-old as missing some 30 hours after he says she walked out of their home for the last time on November 12 about 5.30am to 'go for a jog'. Mr Koletti is due to give evidence following Ms Allen. Melissa Caddick's mother Barbara Grimley holds ASIC responsible for her daughter's suspected death What Mr Koletti knew about Ms Caddick's disappearance has been the source of intense scrutiny in the first week of his wife's inquest. The part-time hairdresser and DJ told police he was too busy working from home to make a statement in person and was subsequently visited at his home where he gave 'conflicting stories,' Sergeant Trent Riley told the coroner. In February 2021 Ms Caddick's decomposing foot encased in an Asics shoe washed ashore at Bournda Beach on the NSW south coast, about 400km south of Sydney. The inquest before Deputy State Coroner Elizabeth Ryan is set to resume on Monday after a week's break. Meanwhile, Caddick's former Dover Heights home will enter the market on Monday. A $10,000 refundable deposit is required to set foot inside the home to deter stickybeaks. Insolvency firm Jones Partners took possession of the clifftop home in Sydney's eastern suburbs in May after Mr Koletti ordered by the Federal Court to vacate. The rooftop has stunning views of the city's iconic skyline and the Sydney Harbour Bridge Extensive repairs, cleaning and maintenance was required over the last two months to present the home as a 'prestige property', including new floors, fresh paint and recarpeting. The receiver appointed Sydney Sotheby's International Realty to sell the property. Jones Partners principal Bruce Gleeson told Sydney Morning Herald he was 'shocked' at the state of the home when Koletti moved out. Mr Gleeson claimed Caddick's husband left behind rotting food in the fridge along with discarded belongings, including fish tanks and unwanted pieces of furniture. The two storey five bedroom mansion with stunning Sydney harbour views is estimated to be now worth almost three times the $6.2million Caddick paid for it in 2014. Mr Gleeson was reluctant to name a price figure but hopes it sells for more than $10 million for the sake of Caddick's victims. Caddick's husband Anthony Koletti (right) was evicted from the Dover Heights home in May Prospective buyers need to fork out $10,000 just to inspect Melissa Caddick's former home (pictured kitchen and living area) The home boasts expansive views of Sydney's iconic harbour and skyline with five bedrooms, four bathrooms and stunning pool. 'Since obtaining vacant possession in late May 2022 and receiving orders enabling us to proceed with a sale, we have undertaken certain maintenance and minor improvements to amplify the property's luxurious appeal,' Mr Gleeson said. 'The home is positioned in an elevated part of one of Dover Heights' most sought-after streets and we are extremely pleased to be able to offer this prestigious property for sale during spring.' 'Commanding elevated outlooks across its exclusive eastern suburbs surrounds, this elegant family haven is set against a quintessential Sydney Harbour backdrop, with views stretching along the water to the city's iconic skyline and Harbour Bridge,' the property description states. The stunning home is estimated to be now worth almost three times the $6.2million Melissa Caddick paid for it in 2014 (pictured, the rooftop in 2014) The house is open for inspection by appointment only, with 'expressions of interest' closing October 31. 'We are also well advanced and close to finalising an application to the Federal Court which will seek sale orders regarding the designer jewellery, clothing and artworks.' 'It is our intention to have an Investor briefing to provide a detailed update on the receivership and liquidation status in late October 2022'. Insolvency firm Jones Partners hopes till the home will sell for at least $10million (pictured, one of the home's five bedrooms) Meddling by Left-wing campaigners will leave the Rwanda asylum scheme in legal limbo for up to a year, the Daily Mail can disclose today. Attempts to fly Channel migrants to Africa will remain on hold until a series of appeals have been heard in the courts. Officials fear the case will ultimately face a final appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, causing further delay. Flight that was due to be the first to transport migrants to Rwanda under new scheme Last night there was fury at the hold-ups instigated by the charities Care 4 Calais and Detention Action and by the Public and Commercial Services trade union which represents Border Force staff. Tom Hunt, Tory MP for Ipswich, said: 'The Left-wing lawyers and organisations that are behind these legal challenges are essentially working against the interests not just of hard-working British taxpayers but also genuine refugees who are fleeing persecution from war-torn countries. 'The individuals illegally entering our country are coming from a safe European country. Under no circumstances should they ever be allowed to stay here.' Alp Mehmet of Migration Watch UK, which campaigns for tougher border control, said: 'It's disgraceful that a trade union should be spending its members' money in this way. 'It amounts to civil servants working against government policy, and does no favours for democracy in this country.' The Mail understands the prospect of introducing 'pushback' tactics against migrant boats in the Channel has also been virtually ruled out by new Home Secretary Suella Braverman. Although the Home Office has spent around 1million on specialist equipment while developing the tactics and even introduced laws allowing their use they are highly unlikely to proceed. 'We don't think pushbacks will be fruitful, although nothing is off the table,' a government source said. Turning dinghies around in the Channel would require the French to accept the boats back and Emmanuel Macron's government has so far refused to do this. The number of small boat migrants to have reached Britain since the start of the year has hit 32,321. September's arrivals have already set a new monthly record. Migrants heading for Britain across the Channel are brought into Dover Former home secretary Priti Patel sanctioned a Rwanda charter flight in June but it was blocked from taking off by a Strasbourg judge's 11th-hour intervention. Earlier this month the High Court in London scrutinised the policy's legality in the first stage of a judicial review, with a ruling due later in the autumn. It was originally thought that Rwanda charter flights would be able to begin if the Home Office won that case. Officials are believed to feel 'positive' about the prospects of success at the initial hearing but expect further legal challenges to be drawn out. Advisers are understood to have warned Miss Braverman that she will have to wait until a series of appeals has been heard. Even if the Home Office wins in the High Court, the Government's opponents are likely to take it to the Appeal Court and potentially on to the Supreme Court. 'There is the spectre of the Strasbourg court at the end of it all, even if you think you're home and dry,' a source said. Officials fear massive numbers of migrants being pushed across the Channel by people trafficking gangs will lead to further loss of life as the weather worsens. Last November, 27 men, women and children drowned on just one day in the worst tragedy since the beginning of the crisis. Suella Braverman has virtually ruled out the prospect of introducing 'pushback' tactics against migrant boats in the Channel Miss Braverman has already held initial talks with her French counterpart, Gerald Darmanin. 'The discussions have started on a positive footing,' a government source said. 'The fact that Suella speaks quite fluent French is helpful. 'By the end, the discussion was quite warm. It was a good sign.' Miss Braverman is keen to avoid 'over-promising' what can be delivered on the Channel crisis in a clear change from the Boris Johnson era. The former prime minister launched the Rwanda policy in April promising that tens of thousands of migrants would be deported. 'Suella does not want to over-promise and under-deliver,' an insider said. When Strasbourg judges intervened in the Rwanda scheme in June, they ruled that removals could not take place until three weeks after British courts had made a 'final' decision in the case. It is understood the Government is now interpreting this as the end of the full appeals process and not the end of the initial judicial review proceedings. Tory backbencher Natalie Elphicke, MP for Dover, said: 'It's high time to end the abuse of judicial review by political activist groups seeking to undermine the democratic will of the British people.' She bounces into the room, a tiny woman with a big voice and long blonde hair. This forcefield of energy instantly tells me: We sell 30 per cent of mascara in the world and more than half the make-up. I am a little taken aback, but intrigued. You might expect such a sales pitch from the Italian delegation at an international trade show. But not from Giorgia Meloni, the pocket dynamo predicted to become Italys first female Prime Minister after yesterdays election. Certainly, shes wearing mascara, but not that much. In fact, what is striking is how casual she looks gold platform trainers, plain grey leggings, a matching poncho. But then, during my interview with her at a hotel in Udine, north-east Italy, it becomes clear. She is holding up her countrys beauty industry as a little-known Italian success story. And she tells me shes determined the world should be made aware of such triumphs, with Made in Italy stamped on all her countrys exports. Giorgia Meloni is nothing if not a patriot. She questions the power of the European Union, the wisdom of mass immigration and LGBT lobbies, and has built a powerful personal brand with her carefully crafted image as a down-to-earth, 45-year-old single mother who understands ordinary Italians. Her populist stance is loathed by much of the Left and her success has already prompted reactions from extremists At political rallies, she gives her impassioned hour-long speeches dressed in black trousers that look as if they are from a supermarket rack. Not for her the power-dressing, Prada heels and expensive salon hair-dos favoured by the Roman political elite. In a guttural voice, she tells Italians of her humble childhood, of how she was raised by a single mother in a gritty district of Rome after her father abandoned them, leaving her to claw her own way up the slippery pole of Italian politics. And this, she says, has shaped her core beliefs. I want a country where you get ahead, not because of your friends in high places, or the family you were born into, but what you make of yourself, she says during our interview. The voters like me because they trust me. They know there are no tricks, no lies. I have the courage to say what I believe in. I will do exactly what I promise them. It has been a long walk for me to get this far. But I have never changed my ideals. Other politicians say one thing one day, and two days later say something different with the same face. Whether true or not, the fact is her current political trajectory is extraordinary. Pollsters predict she will capture as many as a quarter of the countrys votes tomorrow to become queen bee of a new Right-wing government. These polls mirror a swing to the Right in other European countries. Earlier this month for instance, I reported on Swedens election result on how a nation ruled for decades by Left-leaning social democrats had turned its back on liberalism following a surge in immigration levels and a shocking increase in gang violence. Yesterday, Swedens new Right-wing bloc agreed on a stricter immigration policy and, as we shall see, its likely Meloni will follow the same path. During her whirlwind summer campaign, she has stuck to her politician of the people script while proclaiming the merits of her Right-wing party, Brothers of Italy, despite its historical links to Benito Mussolinis fascists. She questions the power of the European Union, the wisdom of mass immigration and LGBT lobbies, and has built a powerful personal brand with her carefully crafted image as a down-to-earth, 45-year-old single mother who understands ordinary Italians Her populist stance is loathed by much of the Left and her success has already prompted reactions from extremists. The night before we met, she tells me, a message threatening her life was delivered to the northern Italian headquarters of her party. It promised a surprise and a hot and fiery time for Meloni if she wins power. Written partly by hand and partly on a typewriter, according to media reports, the missive was signed by the New Red Brigades, a Marxist-Leninist successor to the Red Brigades, the Left-wing Italian-based terror group of the 1970s and 1980s that gained a frightening notoriety for kidnappings, murder and sabotage. I know I have lots of enemies, but I dont feel unsafe, she says shaking her head at me. If anyone thinks they can intimidate or stop us, they are very mistaken. I am a woman, and women are often underestimated. I am treated like the enemy by the Left because my party has ideas that are common sense, she continues. If I dont believe in something, I wont ever say I do believe in it. You cannot cheat people. The truth will come out in the end. Her campaign began in late July following the resignation of the (now caretaker) Prime Minister Mario Draghi, a long time-EU devotee and self-confessed liberal socialist. Draghi, former chief of the European Central Bank, had been brought in by Italys president with the EUs backing to sort out the nations financial woes spiralling national debt, an energy crisis, and a reliance on Brussels money. Draghis efforts were in vain and he fell on his sword after Right-wing parties in his coalition rebelled against him. High on the agenda too, are a return to family values, a continuation of abortion controls and a change in the relationship with the EU Crucially, these included Silvio Berlusconis Forza Italia and the anti-immigrant League party, both allies of Meloni who, with her party Brothers of Italy, was in the wings awaiting her chance. The result is that Meloni is expected to be anointed head of a bloc of Right-wing parties currently polling at 50 per cent of the votes. Support for her party has grown rapidly from four per cent in 2018. The evening I met her, the latest polling predictions on her mobile phone showed Brothers of Italys support had reached 27 per cent. At this, Meloni whispered to me, in a girlish way: The truth is I dont want too many people to think I will win. I dont know if you believe me, but I try not to keep talking up the result. Im worried that voters will go to the beach and not turn out on the day. It was a disclosure that reveals another side to this politician who tells me she has been dubbed a monster by her Left-wing opponents: They dont know what to do. They are not only angry over my success, but they are scared too. Meloni insists she is not of the far-Right but building up a party similar to the UKs Tories and the U.S. Republicans. Among her major policies are big cuts on income tax, VAT and business taxes; plus a tough line on illegal immigration, targeting in particular traffickers boats coming from Libya to Italy and the granting of automatic citizenship to babies born to foreign parents. High on the agenda too, are a return to family values, a continuation of abortion controls and a change in the relationship with the EU. Brothers of Italy, with the slogan Less Europe, Better Europe, does not want to withdraw from the Eurozone but insists that national laws should have pre-eminence over EU rules. Pollsters predict she will capture as many as a quarter of the countrys votes tomorrow to become queen bee of a new Right-wing government Meloni says she is putting Italy first and that her idea of putting the Made In Italy branding on the countrys exports, from cheeses to designer shoes and, yes, mascara, is all about boosting her nations confidence. She explains in American English smattered with Italian: I want low taxes and a different relationship between the citizen and the state. We now have a state that is suffocating entrepreneurs (with red tape). I want to let people work and produce things. The state should be at their shoulder helping them, not interfering. Melonis strong voice rises a decibel or two on the subject of migration. Uncontrolled immigration is what ordinary people worry about. It impacts on those in the lower level of society. Those who defend open borders, they live on the higher level. A country must be able to decide who comes in. She doesnt care if Italys Left-wing press vilifies her for her views. These were highlighted in a speech she made in Spain to that countrys Right-wing Vox party a few weeks ago. She reportedly told the rally, with some vigour: Yes to natural families, no to the LGBT lobby, yes to sexual identity, no to gender ideology, before adding, her voice rising to a crescendo: No to the violence of Islam, yes to safer borders, no to mass immigration, yes to working for our people. Little wonder, given these views, that she is surrounded by a ring of steely-looking security guards as she gets ready to leave for her evening walkabout in Udine. One is a burly former Italian police officer who shakes my hand with a grip that nearly takes my fingers off. When I comment to one of her aides, a young dark-haired man in a neat Italian suit, that Melonis chances of winning look good, he puts his hands together and raises his eyes to the heavens as if in prayer. She says she no longer reads what is written about her in the papers. It follows some advice from her former mentor Berlusconi, the controversial 85-year-old media tycoon. He is a renowned womaniser who was accused of financial shenanigans when he was Italys on-and-off Prime Minister between 1994 and 2011, yet Meloni confides she still takes advice from him. Berlusconi told me that when he met Margaret Thatcher, she told him she didnt even read the articles that spoke well of her. Im the same. I just ignore all the news about me, good or bad. I think to myself what is correct, then go ahead. She probably hasnt seen the cover of Stern then, the liberal-leaning German weekly current affairs magazine. The most dangerous woman in Europe, it declares under a picture of her looking particularly flinty-faced with hard eyes and pursed lips. Stern goes on to describe Meloni as a protofascist. And not without reason, as there is still the thorny matter of her partys links to Italys fascist past. Recently the Left-wing press unearthed a video of her as a young Right-wing activist praising Mussolini she says now she has obviously changed her views. She explains she honed her political antennae by talking to ordinary people as she put up Right-wing posters on the streets of the inner-city Rome suburb where she was brought up. In her autobiography, published last year, she recalls that at 15 after her father left she found a new family when she joined the local youth section of the Italian Social Movement (MSI), created by Mussolinis henchmen and, later, by coming under Berlusconis wing. It was in 2012 that she broke away from Berlusconis fold to co-found Brothers of Italy, named after the opening lines of Italys national anthem. Controversially, her party uses the tri-coloured flame logo of the original Mussolini-linked MSI with its motto: God, family and fatherland. Last month, she issued a video declaring that her partys links to fascism were consigned to history. When I ask her about the f-word and why she stubbornly keeps the flame logo, she gives me a sudden steely glare. I never look back. This is my political party. I dont want to be likened to someone who has been before. I am Giorgia Meloni, she states emphatically. The truth is that when we talked in the hotel sitting room, used by the Brothers of Italy that evening, it was hard to ignore the contentious logo plastered multiple times across one wall. However popular she is, or whatever happens in Italy over these next few days, it sends out a deeply unfortunate message. Advertisement Supermarket shelves across Florida have been stripped bare as panicked locals prepare for the first major hurricane to make landfall in the sunshine state in four years. Photos from the weekend showed lines of Floridians stretching back from supermarket registers through aisles stripped bare of bottled water and other essentials. Shots from one Florida Costco showed an individual with two industrial sized pallets piled high with cases of water, while at Home Depot and hardware store's people flocked to the construction materials aisle to load up on planks of plywood to board their windows up with. Tropical Storm Ian is expected to strengthen into a hurricane on Sunday and reach 'major' hurricane strength - anything Category 3 or above - on Tuesday before it hits Cuba. The storm is expected to make landfall in Florida midweek, either late Wednesday night or early Thursday morning, and bring with it 130mph winds. Florida Governor Ron DeSantis declared an emergency across the entire state and its 67 counties on Saturday afternoon in a sign of officials' high concern. As of Sunday morning, the storm was roughly 540 miles off of Cuba's western tip. The National Hurricane Center said it could reach 'major hurricane strength' before touching down on the Caribbean nation. The cities of Orlando, Panama City and Tampa are all in Tropical Storm Ian's path, according to the most recent projections The Weather Channel. Parts of Alabama and Georgia are also likely to be affected. Residents in the expected path have been urged to make hurricane preparations as National Hurricane Center officials warn of the higher-than-normal degree of 'uncertainty' in the storm's forecasted path and intensity. President Biden also declared an emergency in Florida and activated federal disaster relief aid for the state, just an hour before he cancelled his Florida visit to campaign with Democrat midterm candidates. Grocery store shelves have been left bare as Floridians anxiously try to prepare for the storm Florida residents (like the shopper pictured here on September 24) have been urged to make hurricane preparations as Governor Ron DeSantis declares an emergency throughout all 67 counties Floridians panic bug water at Costco ahead of a possible hurricane which is expected to affect Florida early next week As of 8am on Sunday morning, Tropical Storm Ian was roughly 590 miles off of Cuba's western tip It was postponed over Tropical Storm Ian, which is expected to strengthen into a hurricane on Sunday before making landfall in Florida later this week It's expected to be the worst hurricane Sunshine State residents have seen in four years It' expected to make landfall in Florida later this week, with projections indicating Thursday or Friday Shoppers stock up on emergency water and hurricane supplies at a supermarket in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida on September 24 President Joe Biden's DNC appearance in Florida on September 27 was postponed, the White House announced late on Saturday, just after he declared an emergency in the Sunshine State Biden was due to appear in Orlando for a Democratic National Committee rally on September 27. The White House announced on Saturday night that the trip would be postponed due to the incoming tropical storm. The president was expected to call out Florida Republican Governor Ron DeSantis on his home turf in an appearance alongside his challenger, Democratic House Rep. Charlie Crist. Crist, a former Republican who was governor from 2007-2011, is leaving the House of Representatives this year as he seeks a return to Tallahassee. Polls show DeSantis with just a single-digit lead over Crist with less than two months until the midterms, as Florida tests out a new Congressional map largely drawn to favor GOP candidates. When asked about a later date, the White House told DailyMail.com that it had nothing further to add at this time. It's not clear yet if the DNC is calling off the entire Tuesday event or if it will go on without the president. Biden's last planned trip to Florida was meant for July - but was called off when the president tested positive for COVID-19. Tropical Storm Ian is in the southern Caribbean but is expected to bring heavy rain and intense hurricane winds to the state next week The storm could begin hitting southern Florida late on Monday or Tuesday morning, with this graphic showing one potential path DeSantis initially issued the emergency order for two dozen counties on Friday but has now expanded the warning to the entire states 67 counties There are still various models suggesting which way the storm will track The storm is expected to strengthen into a category 4 hurricane before striking the Florida coast Officials in the Caribbean and Florida are warning residents to prepare for the arrival of Tropical Storm Ian, an intensifying storm that's expected to grow into a hurricane The weather system is currently churning southeast of Jamaica and was declared a tropical storm Friday night. It is projected to hit populated areas with heavy rains and high winds starting Sunday The storm is first expected to hit Jamaica, Cuba and the Cayman Islands Though he hasn't campaigned in the Sunshine State, Biden has not shied away from ripping its governor at public events elsewhere and holding him up as boogeyman to push Democrats to the polls. The popular governor has seen a meteoric rise within the GOP for his vocal criticism of the Biden administration and culture war-influenced policies on education, LGBTQ issues and, now, the border crisis. DeSantis outraged progressives and immigrants' rights activists earlier this month when he sent a plane of undocumented migrants who crossed the US-Mexico border to the island of Martha's Vineyard, a bastion of liberal wealth. Local officials said they received no warning for the flights and it has been suggested by some migrants' lawyers that they were sent there under false pretenses. Biden tore into DeSantis and Republican Texas Governor Greg Abbott last week, accusing them of using migrants as political pawns. Abbott has been sending buses of people to New York City and Washington, DC, where the Democrat mayors have declared the population influxes to be a crisis. 'Instead of working with us on solutions, Republicans are playing politics with human beings using them as props,' Biden said at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute Gala. 'What they're doing is simply wrong. It's un-American. It's reckless.' Bradley Sierra and his family load plywood to board up their home at Home Depot in St. Cloud, Fla., as they spent Friday stocking up. 'We got a lot of water, food, gasoline, a generator in case the power goes out,' he said Residents in Osceola County, south of Orlando, are already stocking up on plywood boards The National Hurricane Center has been tracking Tropical Storm Ian, forecast to strengthen into a hurricane within the next few days Counties across Central Florida have been preparing for possible impact from the storm Florida Governor Ron DeSantis enjoyed a meteoric rise in his national profile with his vocal criticism of the Biden administration and culture war-influenced policies A 12-year-old boy 'was 'gang-raped by four friends who stuck a rod into his genitals before beating him with bricks' in a heinous attack. The boy is understood to have been rushed to hospital in a critical condition following the incident in the Seelampur area of Delhi, India, last Sunday. It came to light when a woman told the Delhi Commission of Women (DCW) that her son had been 'sexually assaulted'. Her report said the group had inserted the rod into his genitals before he was struck with bricks and rods. The boy informed his parents days later, who immediately alerted police, The Sun reports. Swait Maliwal, chief of the DCW, tweeted: 'In Delhi, not even boys are safe. A 12-year-old boy was brutally raped by four people and left in a half-dead condition after being beaten with sticks.' A group of protesters demonstrate after a 12-year-old boy was allegedly raped by a group of males She said the DCW has registered a report and one of the suspects has been detained by police. But Maliwal said three of the suspects remain at large. It comes as India's rape crisis has seen an average of 86 cases being recorded every day. Last month, a mother hacked off her boyfriend's genitals with a kitchen knife to 'teach him a lesson' after he attempted to rape her daughter. The 36-year-old mother came home just in time to catch her 32-year-old beau in the act against her daughter, 14, in the Mahevaganj area of Lakhimpur Kheri, Uttar Pradesh state, one hundred miles east of New Delhi. Activists hold placards as they participate in a protest demonstration in New Delhi amid a rape crisis in India She had been living with him for the previous two years since separating from her alcoholic husband. And in June, a mother and her six-year-old daughter were gang-raped by a group of men who offered them a lift home in northern India, police said. The pair accepted the men's promise to drive them back from holy site Piran Kaliyar, a holy site for Muslims and Hindus, on the banks of the Ganga Canal, Roorkee, Uttarakhand province. Floyd 'Money' Mayweather delivered a knockout victory against Japanese MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura in their exhibition bout on Saturday. The 45-year-old American has had a number of exhibition bouts since retiring professionally and extended that when he faced off with Asakura at the Saitama Super Arena in Japan. With the bout scheduled for three two-minute rounds to take place, Mayweather needed only two of them to put a stop to his Japanese counterpart with a flush right cross. Floyd Mayweather delivered a brutal KO in his exhibition bout in Japan on Saturday night The American landed a flush right cross on Japanese MMA fighter Mikuru Asakura Asakura was given a chance by the referee before Kenny Bayless called off the bout The first round opened with the southpaw Asakura jabbing away at the American before throwing in plenty of feints for Mayweather to deal with. The crowd rejoiced whenever the Japense fighter landed while Mayweather didn't look like he was out of second gear. Into the second round and the intensity in the bout shot up immediately. Asakura opened with some heavy punches that landed flush on 'Money' Mayweather, something rarely seen in his exhibition bouts. Two clean shots to the head saw Mayweather wobble backwards before Asakura charged forward and the two fighters entered the clinch. Once referee Kenny Bayless separated the two, Mayweather looked a man of intent. The American returned with a flurry of shots to the head and the body before eventually landing a brutal right cross that dropped his opponent just moments before the end of the second round. Asakura put Mayweather through the paces in the opening minutes of the second round Asakura, whose professional MMA record stands at 16-3, was given a standing count by Bayless before the referee called an end to the bout. In his post-fight speech, Mayweather said: 'I would like to thank the whole country of Japan; unbelievable country, unbelievable people.' It was Mayweather's second time in the Saitama Super Arena having defeated Japanese kickboxer Tenshin Nasukawa via TKO in 2018. It was Mayweather's second exhibition in Japan after he beat Tenshin Nasukawa in 2018 The victory keeps Mayweather in line for a 2023 rematch with Conor McGregor - which the American has suggested is close to being finalised. Earlier this week, Sportsmail revealed Mayweather's plans for the rest of the year and the American went into further detail about facing McGregor again. Mayweather said: 'I want to go out there this weekend in Tokyo and have fun [against Mikuru Asakura]. Then I have another exhibition in Dubai in November and me and Conor McGregor in 2023. 'We don't know if it's going to be an exhibition or a real fight. But there's been talks of both. I would prefer an exhibition.' Advertisement The Instagrammers by the lagoon sense a disturbance. A sea monster lurks with intent. Its quarry, though, is nimble on her feet and deftly scurries up the steps to safety. My five-year-old daughter is thoroughly enjoying the rooftop pool at the newly opened - and, with rooms from around 85 a night, sizzling-value-for-money - Lighthouse Athens hotel. Its shallow enough throughout for her to stand up in and shes delighting in a fellow (much larger) guest gamely pretending to be a mysterious creature from the depths. We parents, meanwhile, are taking the window this unannounced babysitting shift has afforded us to soak in the view, which is stupendous - an almost-360-degree panorama of Athens, including the famed Acropolis, which lies a couple of miles away. Ted and his family check in to Lighthouse Athens hotel, which has a 'tremendous' rooftop pool area (publicity shot above) Lighthouse Athens offers sizzling value for money, with rooms from around 85 a night The rooftop pool offers respite from the city heat. Ted's shot above shows how the space is lined with cabanas The other contented-looking guests, lounging on loungers and lolling in cabanas, are busying themselves with selfies and soaking up the August rays, which are pushing the mercury to the late-30s Celsius. The cool waters of the small wooden pool offer the perfect respite. Throw in a circular bar, a couple of hot tubs and the option to order light bites, and the rooftop can stake a claim - alongside the price - to being one of the major lures of this hip 220-room property, the fourth hotel by Tel Aviv-born hospitality group Brown Hotels to open in the Greek capital. Ted finds his room (similar to the one above) 'a bit dark and dingy', but notes that 'those who love their own reflection will no doubt be bewitched by the dark reflective surfaces that abound' Ted recommends opting for a lighter and airier balcony room (pictured above) Lighthouse Athens is by Tel Aviv-born group Brown Hotels, which runs several Athens hotels Egg-cellant: A quirky chair in the hotel lobby The breakfast, served in the first-floor dining room and bar and illuminated by classic chandeliers, is also hugely seductive, with a vast array of tasty foodstuffs and beverages available to plunder for fuelling explorations of the city, including ouzo and vodka. Maybe 20 years ago... We opt for cooked-to-order pancakes with chocolate sauce, watermelon, good coffee from a high-end Douwe Egberts machine and croissants, before taking advantage of the hotels handy location in Omonia Square, which has a metro station just three stops from Akropoli - the station for the Acropolis. The monument is walkable, too, or a short hop away in a taxi. We vow to rise early and reach the ancient site before the midday sun and the crowds and fail miserably, instead hoping on a subway train at around 11.30am and ascending the slopes to the pillared Parthenon and the other glorious monuments and sanctuaries in the former city built in the 5th century BC amid heaving crowds and in blowtorch heat. Despite the discomfort, its still a truly memorable experience and the cooling waters of the Lighthouse rooftop pool work their magic afterwards. Our bedroom, however, doesnt enchant me. Those who love their own reflection will no doubt be bewitched by the dark reflective surfaces that abound the walls behind and in front of the bed are mirrored, along with the black door and dividing wall for the ensuite. A pouters paradise, but ironically given the hotels name, I find it a bit dark and dingy the only natural light comes from a small window in one corner (and the view is of a crumbling building next door) and creating a relaxing glow artificially is tricky. The lights are mostly undimmable spotlights. The minimalist nature of the bathroom frustrates, too. Theres a huge sink but no shelving or cabinets for toiletries and such. It stands alone. Breakfast at Lighthouse Athens is served in the first-floor dining room and bar (above) The Lighthouse breakfast (left) is 'hugely seductive', says Ted, with 'a vast array of tasty foodstuffs and beverages available to plunder for fuelling explorations of the city, including ouzo and vodka' (right) Lighthouse Athens is on Omonia Square, which has a metro station just three stops from Akropoli - the station for the Acropolis Eye-catching furniture in the lobby of the hotel, which lies around two miles from the Acropolis The distinctive exterior of Lighthouse Athens And there is no overhead shower just a hose in the corner. Still, we sleep well on the sumptuous king-sized bed and in the fresh light of day appreciate the hotels efforts to inject some stylish avian-related quirk into the interior design, typified by the bare lightbulb by the bed held in the beak of a wall-mounted bird sculpture, the golden egg chairs in the foyer and the banquettes housed in birdcage-style frames in the dining room. There are also better bedroom options check in to a balcony room for more natural light, views, and sinks with shelving. Then make for the rooftop for a flout and a pout and ripples of fun in one of the best hotel pools in the city. Arnold Schwarzenegger celebrated Oktoberfest in Munich, Germany, on Saturday, with his younger girlfriend Heather Milligan and his sons Patrick and Christopher. The 75-year-old appeared in high spirits as he partied with his family and conducted the orchestra while clad in a traditional embroidered leather outfit. Heather, 47, wore a navy and white dirndl dress and cosied up to her Hollywood star partner on the evening. Time to celebrate! Arnold Schwarzenegger, 75, cosied up to girlfriend Heather Milligan, 47, as they partied with his handsome sons at Oktoberfest in Munich on Saturday Arnold, who attends the event almost every year, wore brown leather trousers and a matching embroidered jacket with long socks and leather shoes. The Expendables star was joined by his sons Patrick and Christopher, and his nephew Patrick at the event. His son Patrick Schwarzenegger, 29, wore a light blue button-down shirt and green shorts to the event. His brother Christopher, 24, wore a plaid pink shirt and matching shorts to the beer-soaked evening. Family day: The special day was a big family affair. He was joined by sons Patrick, 29, (left) and Christopher, 24 (far left) He's Back: The 75-year-old actor wore a traditional embroidered leather outfit as he smiled ear-to-ear and waved the conductor's wand passionately The boys are here! The Expendables star was joined by his sons Patrick and Christopher and his nephew Patrick at the event (left) Buttoned-up: His son Patrick Schwarzenegger wore a light blue button-down shirt and green shorts to the event More color: His brother Christopher wore a plaid pink shirt and matching shorts to the beer-soaked evening Patrick's partner: His son Patrick brought his own girlfriend, Abby Champion, to the event Arnold's longtime love Heather stunned in a navy dress over a white shirt. His son Patrick brought his own girlfriend, Abby Champion, to the event. Arnold and his sons took turns instructing the orchestra with each of the men showing off their musical flourish. The Hollywood star also was spotted enjoying Oktoberfest on Sunday with his family in Munich. Beauty and brains! Heather is a physical therapist by trade Going strong: The couple have been together since 2013 Festival time: The Hollywood star also was spotted enjoying Oktoberfest on Sunday in Munich Making memories: Christopher and Patrick joined their famous father at Munich Oktoberfest Popular guy: Arnold posed for a photo with a fan at Oktoberfest on Sunday The Austrian-born father-of-five is the lead in the Netflix series Utap, which has been filming throughout Ontario, Canada, since spring and, according to production listings, should be wrapping up soon. The concept of the series is spun off of his wildly successful 1994 True Lies, which he starred in alongside Jamie Lee Curtis. The iconic actor has starred in dozens of movies over the last five decades, but this will be the first time he will star in a scripted TV series in his career. Taking turns: Arnold and his sons took turns instructing the orchestra with each of the men showing off their musical flourish Singing? Arnold appeared to sing some kind of song during the festivities Happy couple: Arnold was joined this year by Heather, who also participated with him in 2018 when they celebrated his son Patrick's 25th birthday Big group: A number of the attendees posed together (L to R: Daniel Marshall, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Ralf Moeller, Siegfried Able and Christopher Schwarzenegger) Party time: Arnold seemed to be living his best life once on his return to Oktoberfest A meal and beers: Arnold and his sons enjoyed a meal and beers in the beerhall Close: The couple sat next to each other on the day and appeared close The plot centers around a father and daughter who have worked as CIA Operatives for years. Still, each kept their involvement in the CIA hidden from the other, resulting in their entire relationship being a gigantic lie. Upon learning that each of them was secretly involved with the CIA, the pair are forced to work together as a team amidst a backdrop of explosive action as they learn who each other truly is in the spy-adventure thriller. Schwarzenegger and actress Monica Barabaro have been cast as the father-daughter duo. The actress recently gained accolades and praise for her role in Top Gun: Maverick and is also set to feature in the upcoming animated film Army of the Dead: Lost Vegas. In Traditional dress: The 75-year-old actor wore a traditional embroidered leather to the event New projects: The Austrian-born father-of-five is the lead in the Netflix series Utap, which has been filming throughout Ontario, Canada, since spring and, according to production listings, should be wrapping up soon In good spirits: Heather waved to crowds and beamed as she stood next to her man Last month, the duo was seen on set in what looked like a high-adrenaline scene as they held handguns and searched outside a Catholic Church. The actors were dressed in typical CIA secret-agent business attire, with Arnold yelling in one scene and looking very much the part of a CIA enforcer. Schwarzenegger recently reprised his role as the T-800 in Terminator: Genisys and Terminator: Dark Fate which grossed $440 and $261.1 million worldwide, respectively. His first TV series: The bodybuilder and former Governor of California, best known for his roles in The Terminator, Conan, and Predator, will play Luke Brunner, described as a strong, gruff, bad-tempered yet lovable person (show filming in August in Toronto) Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus put on a loved-up display as they graced the red carpet at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain on Saturday. Looking sensational in an embellished beige turtleneck bodysuit and floral miniskirt, the actress ppeared alongside her co-star Liam Neeson for the premiere of her latest film Marlowe. The 46-year-old wore her hair back in a slick low bun with a dark bronzed smokey eye look, finishing the look off with a pair of powder blue pointed court heels. Cute! Diane Kruger and Norman Reedus put on a loved-up display as they graced the red carpet at the San Sebastian Film Festival in Spain on Saturday She needed little accessory to complete her outfit as her eye-catching bodysuit, which had trumpet frilled cuffs, the chunky diamante neckline and shiny silver spots covered the light beige toned top. Her black skirt had a frilled panel beneath the skin-tight waistband which showed off Kruger's svelte waist, and had a trailing panel at the back. Diane's long pins were given even more length with the court heels which added some height to her frame. Her fiance Norman Reedus donned an almost-all-black ensemble with a pale blue shirt to compliment his soon-to-be wife's heels and flowers on her skirt. Stunning: Looking sensational in an embellished beige turtleneck bodysuit and floral miniskirt, the actress was in attendance for the premiere of her film Marlowe Co-stars: Diane stars alongside Liam Neeson in Marlowe, and the pair were seen posing for snaps together at the film's launch Premiere: Neil Jordan, Diane Kruger and Liam Neeson all posed up a storm together on the red carpet as they attended the premiere for their film Pins: Diane needed little accessories to complete her outfit as her eye-catching bodysuit, which had trumpet frilled cuffs, the chunky diamante neckline and shiny silver spots on her top He gave his beloved partner a kiss on the lips to show his support for her starring role in Marlowe, in which she plays Clare Cavendish. A 'neo-noir' thriller, the latest movie from Kruger directed by Neil Jordan is a story about Detective Phillip Marlowe, played by Liam Neeson. Marlowe becomes embroiled in an investigation with a rich Californian family residing in Bay City after a Clare hires him to find her former lover. Stunning: The 46-year-old wore her hair back in a slick low bun with a dark bronzed smokey eye look and nude lip Picture-perfect: Her black skirt had a frilled panel beneath the skin-tight waistband which showed off Kruger's svelte waist, and had a trailing panel at the back Diane stars alongside Liam Neeson, Jessica Lange, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Alan Cumming, Danny Huston, Daniela Melchior, and Colm Meaney and is set to be released on 2 December. Earlier this year the loved-up couple, who share a daughter, celebrated their six-year anniversary after first setting eyes on each other on set in 2015. She took to Instagram in July to share a black and white photo of the two and wrote: '|||||\.' The tally marks were accompanied by a red heart emoji and she tagged her husband-to-be, 53. New film: Her fiance Norman Reedus donned an almost-all-black ensemble with a pale blue shirt to compliment his soon-to-be wife's heels and flowers on her skirt Red-carpet ready: Earlier this year the loved-up couple, who share a daughter, celebrated their six-year anniversary after first setting eyes on each other on set in 2015 Reedus, who starred in the AMC horror series The Walking Dead, also has a second child, a son, from his previous relationship with supermodel Helena Christensen. Based on John Banville's novel 'The Black Eyed Blonde', the movie is set in 1930s Los Angeles. Private eye Philip Marlowe - played by Neeson - is tasked with finding the missing ex-lover of Clare Cavendish, a beautiful heiress played by German-born actress Diane Kruger. The character Marlowe has been played before by the likes of Humphrey Bogart and Elliott Gould, but Neeson said this pedigree didn't phase him from taking part in the neo-noir thriller. 'Even though these wonderful actors have played it before, that didn't intimidate me,' Neeson told a press conference in San Sebastian. And pose: Reedus, who starred in the AMC horror series The Walking Dead, also has a second child, a son, from his previous relationship with supermodel Helena Christensen Smooch: He gave his beloved partner a kiss on the lips to show his support for her starring role in Marlowe, in which she plays Clare Cavendish Selfie: A 'neo-noir' thriller, the latest movie from Kruger (pictured) directed by Neil Jordan is a story about Detective Phillip Marlowe, played by Liam Neeson The film by Oscar-winning director Neil Jordan was screened out of competition at the 70th edition of the festival, which opened in San Sebastian in northern Spain on September 16. 'We don't get to play those kind of characters very often anymore or those kind of films are not being made that often anymore,' said Kruger, known for films such as 'Inglourious Basterds' and 'Troy'. 'I knew Neil would give it a certain quirky twist and that he would cast it superbly,' said Neeson. Star roles: Private eye Philip Marlowe - played by Neeson - is tasked with finding the missing ex-lover of Clare Cavendish, a beautiful heiress played by German-born actress Diane Kruger A total of 17 films are competing for the best award in the official selection, with the festival's prizes to be announced at a ceremony late Saturday. The festival is the fourth major European film gala of the year, following Cannes, Venice and Berlin. It was originally intended to honour Spanish-language films but has established itself as a top showcase for new films. The festival hosted the world premiere of Alfred Hitchcock's spy thriller 'North by Northwest' in 1959 and Woody Allen's 'Melinda and Melinda' in 2004. VIJAYAWADA: The YSR Congress has speeded up its counter- strategy to remove legal hurdles in the way of its aims of decentralised development of the state. The Jagan-led government amended the APCRDA act to give house lands to outsiders in Amaravati and it proposed to amend the Amaravati Master Plan and its related development plans. Recently, the government filed a Special Leave Petition in the Supreme Court, seeking a stay on the AP high court orders that backed the development of Amaravati as sole capital. Now, the government is going further on its policy decision to have 3 capitals by conducting public meetings against the former TD governments concept of centralised Amaravati development. Severe objections are coming from Amaravati farmers against the APCRDA act amendment and they are readying to approach court, seeking justice. The government is bent on countering every move against its resolve for decentralized development. The AP Assembly, on the last day of its monsoon session, passed a bill to amend the Capital Region Development Authority (CRDA) Act, 2014, and the Metropolitan Region and Urban Development Authorities (MRUDA) Act, 2016. By doing so, the phrase social (affordable) housing for the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS), including any scheme of the state government or the Union of India, had been inserted in the CRDA Act. This provides for allotment of sites for the construction of houses in the capital city. Further, the amendment to the MRUDA Act enables the government to make modifications to the capital city perspective plan, the master and infrastructure plans and the area and zonal development plans on its own, or with a reference from the local body concerned or from the person-in-charge where an elected body does not exist, or based on an application from a land owner. The pro-Amaravati supporters including farmers were on a Padayatra to Arasavilli for the past two months, seeking Amaravati as the solo capital. The amendment came as a rude shock to them. The previous TD government of Chandrababu Naidu had put strong norms in the APCRDA, which cannot be changed or amended without public opinion. This proved to be a big hurdle to the present government. Its efforts to give house sites to the poor were also badly affected due to the hard norms. The Jagan government, in January last, proposed to develop Amaravati as a Municipal Corporation with 19 villages. But a majority of the people there, who were hardcore supporters of Telugu Desam, rejected the proposal. Recently, from 12 to 17 September, the Jagan government once again tried to establish the Amaravati Municipal Corporation with 22 villages, but there again was a bitter result of refusal at the public opinion meetings. Hence the government decided to amend the act under which the consent of local village panchayats or person in-charge of the villages was cited as the only requirement to amend the previous act. There were no elected bodies in the Amaravati villages and hence the government can take the opinion of village incharges, paving the way to amend Amaravati Master Plan and further to establish the Amaravati Municipal Corporation, the amendment stated. Political analysts note that the Jagan government had earlier issued GOs to give house sites to the poor in Amaravati, but those orders were dismissed by the AP high court citing the APCRDA norms. Now that the government successfully amended the APCRDA with a majority vote in the assembly and Council, this will help distribute house sites to at least 50,000 people in Amaravati. This would also strengthen the YSRC base in Amaravati. The analysts also noted that Jagan Reddy will take forward the dedication of the YSRC government towards development of all regions through the 3-Capitals formula in the next 20 months under his Mission Election 2024 strategy. Minister for municipal administration and urban development, Adimulapu Suresh, said the government is committed to developing Amaravati as the Legislative Capital and hence started efforts including making an amendment to the act. CPM secretary Babu Rao said the amendments made to the CRDA Act were anti-democratic and it was unconstitutional to abolish the power of the gram sabhas and transfer the decision-making power to the bureaucracy. After the high court has given a clear verdict in the matter of state capital, it is necessary for the goverment to respect it and it is not appropriate to amend the law, contrary to the verdict of the high court, he argued. Pro-Amaravati farmer leaders stated they will approach the AP high court seeking quashing of the amendments. Jennifer Lawrence was noticeably dressed down while shooting scenes for her latest film No Hard Feelings in Long Island on Friday. The 32-year-old actress donned a dark gray t-shirt with a rabbit printed on the chest. It was paired with blue striped shorts and some pink Adidas slides. And action! Jennifer Lawrence was noticeably dressed down while shooting scenes for her latest film No Hard Feelings in Long Island on Friday For a tinge of glamour, she wore a thin gold necklace around her neck. Lawrence's hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail and she appeared to be wearing little to no makeup. Someone tossed her a pair of car keys while she stood on a gravel path alongside a patch of grass. Relaxed: It was paired with blue striped shorts and some pink Adidas slides Natural beauty: Lawrence's hair was pulled back in a messy ponytail and she appeared to be wearing little to no makeup Nice catch: Someone tossed her a pair of car keys while she stood on a gravel path alongside a patch of grass The Oscar winner is co-starring alongside Saturday Night Live alum Kyle Mooney, 38, and Hasan Minhaj, 37. An official description hasn't been released, but Vogue describes the R-rated romp as 'a Harold and Maudetype comedy based on a Craigslist ad in which a mom was seeking someone to date her son before he went to college.' Gene Stupnitsky, who introduced Jennifer to her husband Cooke Maroney, 38, co-wrote the script and is directing. Thanks to that introduction and her subsequent marriage in October 2019, the Silver Linings Playbook star is now a working mother. The happy couple welcomed their son, Cy, in February. Co-starring: The Oscar winner is co-starring alongside Saturday Night Live alum Kyle Mooney, 38, and Hasan Minhaj, 37 (Mooney pictured 2021) Her man: Gene Stupnitsky, who introduced Jennifer to her husband Cooke Maroney, 38, co-wrote the script and is directing (Lawrence and Marney pictured August 2022) In a Vogue interview, the outspoken women's rights advocate shared how motherhood had changed her life. 'The morning after I gave birth, I felt like my whole life had started over. Like, now is day one of my life. I just stared. I was just so in love.' 'I also fell in love with all babies everywhere. Newborns are just so amazing. Theyre these pink, swollen, fragile little survivors. Now I love all babies. Now I hear a baby crying in a restaurant and Im like, "Awwww, preciousssss."' Holliday Grainger is seizing her chance to conquer Hollywood after acclaimed performances as a detective in BBC surveillance thriller The Capture. The British actress, 34, will play a female superhero in science-fiction blockbuster Mickey 7. And industry sources say this is just the beginning for Holliday after she caught the eye of Los Angeles producers. She is now being discussed in Hollywood as the next big thing. Holliday Grainger, 34, is now being discussed in Hollywood as the next big thing, insiders say Filming of her first cinema leading role has begun at Warner Bros studios near Watford, with Holliday starring opposite British heart-throb Robert Pattinson, 36. Mickey 7, which also features Australian actress Toni Collette, is based on a novel by Edward Ashton and tells the story of a superhero who joins a human mission to colonise an ice world. An insider on the film said: Holliday is really enjoying herself. Its something really different for her after The Capture. She has been seen by the nation playing a tough detective but now she is off to space. She has been somewhat excitable on set and she is loving being part of a film that couldnt have a more different genre for her. It is understood casting directors are delighted Manchester-born Holliday is a redhead, as they are in demand across Hollywood. Holliday, who has toddler twins with her partner, The Crown actor Harry Treadaway, 38, is directed in Mickey 7 by South Korean Bong Joon-ho, whose black comedy thriller Parasite won a Best Picture Oscar in 2020. Holliday Grainger is seizing her chance to conquer Hollywood after acclaimed performances as a detective in BBC surveillance thriller The Capture Just days ago in the finale of The Capture, more than six million viewers saw Hollidays character DCI Rachel Carey expose the truth about the politician played by Paapa Essiedu. She studied English at Leeds University and appeared in TV dramas Where The Heart Is and Waterloo Road before finding fame playing Lady Constance Chatterley in a BBC remake of Lady Chatterleys Lover in 2015. Two years later she landed her role on the first series of The Capture. In 2020, it was reported that the thrillers producers had agreed to put the second series on hold after she revealed she was pregnant with twins by her partner Harry. That series finally aired from the end of last month. Lily James says she was 'shot to s**t' and 'a real wreck' after she lived in character as Pamela Anderson while filming biographical drama Pam & Tommy. The actress, 33, played the Baywatch star in the show which chronicled the marriage between Pamela and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee, played by Sebastian Stan. Screen star Lily says she spoke to her own mother in Pamela's voice and never properly left character the entire time she was filming, insisting the difference between her real-life self and Pamela is too stark. Tough role: Lily James, 33, says she was 'shot to s**t' and 'a real wreck' after she lived in character as Pamela Anderson while filming biographical drama Pam & Tommy According to the Mirror, Lily said: 'It was such a screwed-up process. You just have to be patient with yourself. The hours are so long and you feel really burnt out. Your nervous system is just like, shot to s**t. I felt like a real wreck at the end of it. 'The difference from me to her was too extreme to go back and forth. So, I had to stay in this middle no mans land of like Lily/Pamela most of the time. I would totally slip into her voice. 'Even when I went out for dinner and was ordering with the waitress or talking to my mom on the phone, I would be American. I think Ive lost lots of jobs because I keep speaking like Pamela in any audition.' Telling the tale: The actress, 33, played the Baywatch star in the show which chronicled the marriage between Pamela and Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee (Lily pictured as Pamela in show) Lily was nominated in the Lead Actress category at the 2022 Emmy Awards but was beaten by Amanda Seyfried who won the prize for her role as Elizabeth Holmes in The Dropout. Pam & Tommy chronicles the sex tape scandal which rocked Pamela and her then-husband Motley Crue drummer Tommy Lee (played by Sebastian Stan) during their three year marriage. The Downton Abbey star previously told PORTER that it felt 'liberating' playing Pamela, but explained: 'Ive never worked so hard. I read the books [Anderson] has written, I read her poetry, I can parrot along to all her interviews. Lily explained that the makeup and costume took four hours every day to perfect, and came complete with a prosthetic body suit. All stars: Lily starred opposite Sebastian Stan, who played Tommy Lee (pair pictured in series) She said: 'Of course, there was the physical transformation. Slowly, our incredible team found a balance where I resembled Pamela but also felt like I could act through it. 'Ive never done anything where I look very different from myself before. And Id really like to continue in this vein, because I felt there was something very freeing and liberating in it. There was a bravery that came from that. A courage that came from disappearing.' Pamela, 54, and Tommy, 59, tied the knot on a beach in Mexico in 1995 after dating for just four days. At the time, Pamela's mother hadn't even met Tommy. The pair would go on to welcome sons Brandon, 25, and Dylan, 24, but they divorced in 1998. In 2015, Pam told Andy Cohen on Watch What Happens Live that she never profited from the sex tape, nor even watched it. She said: 'I've never seen it. I made not one dollar. It was stolen property... Seeing double: Lily (L) looked the spitting image of Pamela (R) as she slipped into a busty red swimsuit for the series 'We made a deal to stop all the shenanigans. I was seven months pregnant with Dylan and thinking it was affecting the pregnancy with the stress and said, "I'm not going to court anymore. I'm not being deposed anymore by these horny, weird lawyer men. I don't want to talk about my vagina anymore or my public sex anything."' The sex tape was stolen by Rand Gauthier, who is played by Seth Rogen in the show, after Tommy reportedly refused to pay for work that he had performed on their house. When Gauthier confronted the musician about not being paid the $20,000 he was owed, Tommy pulled out a gun to scare him away. Gauthier took his revenge by stealing the giant safe that had been kept in the couple's garage, which mainly housed the drummer's guns and Pamela's jewelry, in addition to the sex tape. Earlier this year, Pam claimed that the video wasn't actually a sex tape, but was merely a compilation of footage of them naked on vacation, which just happened to include sex acts. Former Bachelor star turned radio presenter Abbie Chatfield recently returned from holiday in Fiji. And on Saturday, the 27-year-old looked pensive as she was spotted going for a walk with her rescue dog. Abbie dressed for comfort, wearing a black jumper and striped green bike shorts. Abbie Chatfield, 27, (pictured) looked pensive as she walked her dog in Sydney on Saturday after admitting she's been posting racy images to 'get attention' The newly-single star showed off her natural complexion and threw her highlighted brown locks into a messy bun. Abbie spent the last week luxuriating in Fiji, documenting the trip by sharing a never-ending stream of raunchy bikini photos to Instagram. 'If you think this post is to get your attention, it probably is,' she wrote in the caption of one provocative snap. Abbie dressed for comfort, wearing a black jumper and striped green bike shorts The newly-single star showed off her natural complexion and threw her highlighted brown locks into a messy bun It came after Abbie admitted that she has been uploading more racy pictures and videos to Instagram in the hopes of attracting potential lovers following her recent breakup. Abbie split from her boyfriend Konrad Bien-Stephen several months ago, but they didn't announce their break-up until after he returned from Argentina, where he was filming a new reality show. During that trip, he hooked up with former Bachelor contestant Megan Marx. Abbie spent the last week luxuriating in Fiji, documenting the trip by sharing a never-ending stream of raunchy bikini photos to Instagram 'If you think this post is to get your attention, it probably is,' she wrote in the caption of one provocative snap The ex-couple were in an open relationship for the entire time they were dating, but she has clarified this arrangement was not the reason for their split. Abbie recently admitted that she is deliberately uploading more and more racy pictures and videos to Instagram in the hopes of attracting interested parties. She bragged about her recent 'thirst traps' during her radio show Hot Nights with Abbie Chatfield on Thursday. The TV and radio host explained what she had recently shared online, she said: 'I am obviously single.' 'I wouldn't say I've got a roster, but because of that I've uploaded some pretty racy stuff lately,' she added. Abbie recently admitted that she is deliberately uploading more and more racy pictures and videos to Instagram in the hopes of attracting interested parties Kendall Jenner showed off her toned tummy while getting off a private jet in the Bahamas on Saturday. The 26-year-old model donned a tiny white crop top and adding a pair of beige, striped shorts with a raw hem. She walked on huge, platform high heels while making her way across the rocky tarmac. Toned: Kendall Jenner showed off her toned tummy while getting off a private jet in the Bahamas on Saturday Her long dark brown locks were parted in the middle and whipped around in the island wind. She carried a brown leather handbag slung over her right shoulder. Jenner arrived in the Bahamas from Miami where she's been busy promoting her brand 818 Spirits. Casual: The 26-year-old model donned a tiny white crop top and adding a pair of beige, striped shorts which ended just above her knees Big shoes: She walked on huge, platform high heels while making her way across the rocky tarmac Joined by a close friend: She was joined by her friend Fai Khadra on the trip who she's been seen with consistently over the last few days She was joined on the trip by her friend Fai Khadra, who she's been seen with consistently over the last few days. He stepped out alongside Jenner in New York City early in the week while the socialite wore a rather racy ensemble. Kendall was a vision of beauty on the outing as she teased her incredible figure in a sheer white T-shirt adorned with a graphic print. Just friends: Kendall and Fai made for a picture perfect couple on the outing, yet their relationship is strictly platonic She teamed the garment with a white mini skirt from Simon Miller's 2023 Resort collection, while black leather boots gave her model frame an extra boost. The Vogue cover girl completed the look with a white handbag and small silver hoops. Kendall and Fai made for a picture perfect couple on the outing, yet their relationship is strictly platonic. The pair last cleared up their relationship status when she went with Fai to Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin's wedding in 2019, with Kendall explaining online: 'We don't date he's just my date.' Clearing things up: The pair last cleared up their relationship status when she went with Fai to Justin Bieber and Hailey Baldwin's wedding in 2019 Kendall is currently loved-up with Devin Booker, who she has been dating on and off for two years. The couple were first linked and seen together in May 2018, but at the time, the two were seeing other people and were just on friendly terms. Two years later, the pair started seeing each other on a romantic level, with an insider revealing: 'It's not like they will be getting engaged any time soon. Kendall likes the pace at which things are going at the moment and has no plans to elevate things so quickly.' The couple were still happily dating into 2022, and were seen attending Kourtney Kardashian and Travis Barker's glamorous wedding ceremony in Italy earlier in May. The following month in June, the two split. A source explained to E! News that, 'once they got back, they started to feel like they weren't aligned and realized they have very different lifestyles.' It seemed that the stars couldn't stay apart for long, and were seen hanging out together in July at the Hamptons. Last month in August, an insider confirmed to Us Weekly that Kendall and Devin have rekindled their relationship. 'Kendall and Devin are 100 percent back together,' a source close to the pair stated, adding 'They spent some time apart but are back to a good place and are really happy with each other.' On October 12, 2002, the world was rocked by the news of a series of terrorist bombings in Bali, Indonesia. Two separate bombs had detonated in the tourist area of Kuta and a third in Denpasar, tragically killing 202 people including 88 Australians. Stan's newest series, Bali 2002, is focused on the stories of those who perished, the survivors who lived to tell the tale, and the Australian Federal Police officers and Indonesian authorities tasked with investigating the devastating attacks. Daily Mail Australia has visited the set of Stan Original miniseries Bali 2002 in Sydney's Rosehill, where the modern streets were transformed into Kuta, 2002, the morning after the bombings had taken place Bali 2002, starring Australia's own Richard Roxburgh and Rachel Griffiths, as well as Bridgerton actress Claudia Jessie, will be released on September 25, weeks ahead of the 20th anniversary of the bombings. In March, Daily Mail Australia visited the set of the miniseries in Sydney's Rosehill, where the modern streets were transformed into Kuta, 2002, the morning after the bombings had taken place. There was smoke wafting in the air, burnt out cars and collapsed buildings, Balinese market stalls and buildings that had survived the devastating explosions - all expertly recreated by an ingenious production team. The miniseries was directed by Katrina Irawati Graham and Peter Andrikidis (pictured on set) The production team also painstakingly recreated the signs that hung on the same buildings in Kuta exactly 20 years ago. Cast and crew were seen filming a scene involving a group of Australian police officers, lead by Roxburgh who played officer Graham Ashton, investigating the aftermath of the bombings and speaking with actors playing Balinese locals. While on set, Daily Mail Australia spoke with series director Katrina Irawati Graham, executive producer Tim Pye and series production designer Tim Ferrier. The series, starring Australia's own Richard Roxburgh and Rachel Griffiths, as well as Bridgerton actress Claudia Jessie, will be released on September 25, weeks ahead of the 20th anniversary of the bombings 'We had a duty of care to do it (the series) as truthfully as we can,' said Tim Pye before speaking about the reaction of survivors to the production of the series. 'People wanted to tell their stories. Experience living through that shocking response.' Two survivors of the bombings came to the set after expressing a desire to visit. The set featured burnt out cars and collapsed buildings, Balinese market stalls (pictured) - all expertly recreated by an ingenious production team 'They were really quite moved by it,' Mr Pye recalled. 'It was moving for me and moving for them.' The crew also revealed that the two survivors, strangely enough, were eager about getting a photograph with the actor playing the bomber. Bali 2002 had been in development for 15 months, with construction of the Kuta set beginning in December. Cast and crew were also seen filming a scene involving a group of Australian police officers, lead by Roxburgh who played officer Graham Ashton (pictured), investigating the aftermath of the bombings and speaking with actors playing Balinese locals The scene involved Australian Federal Police officers and a forensics team investigating the aftermath of the bombings and speaking with Balinese locals There was an attempt to film a series based on the bombings back in 2005 in Indonesia, with many of the same crew members involved. But a week before shooting was to begin, another terrorist attack happened in Bali. A series of bombs were detonated in Kuta and Jimbaran beach resort, killing 23 including the three bombers involved. The bombings ironically caused production of the earlier series to shut down and eventually be scrapped entirely. Bali 2002 had been in development for 15 months. There was an attempt to film a show based on the bombings back in 2005 in Indonesia but production was shut down after the 2005 Bali bombings Stan green-lit a new miniseries based on the 2002 bombings 17 years later, with director Katrina Irawati Graham explaining that a decision was made to film in Australia rather than Indonesia as it was more 'reliable'. Series production designer Tim Ferrier, the mastermind behind the construction of the sets, pulled the original plans, along with some props and set pieces from the 2005 production for the new one. He'd built an identical set outside Jakarta - the capital of Indonesia - for the 2005 series and was about to throw the props away when he was called up about coming on board as production designer for the new show last year. Series production designer Tim Ferrier pictured on the set of Bali 2002. Mr Ferrier had painstakingly recreated the site of the bombings Construction of the set had began in December after the series was green-lit by Stan. Up to 60 people worked on building it with Mr Ferrier 'We tried to be accurate as possible to the street and the signage,' he said on re-creating the site of the bombings. 'I was adamant to keep it as true to the place.' Mr Ferrier explained that he was forced to 'take a bit of license' for the set as he couldn't 'possibly get the scale of the devastation'. Mr Ferrier explained that he was 'adamant' about being as accurate as possible and keeping 'true' to the location There were between 20 to 30 people working on the set at any one time, with up to 60 builders at one point. Mr Ferrier remarked that it was 'good' for his 'soul' to recreate the set due to his connection to the original show. He recalled the reaction of two survivors who visited the set he had built with his own two hands. 'It was cathartic and exciting for them,' he said. Bali 2002 is available to stream on Stan from September 25 2022. Emily Ratajkowski is among the bevy of beauties to hit the runway during Milan Fashion Week kicked off in Milan, Italy last Tuesday. One day after making a splash in the Versace show, the stunner continued to make the rounds stepping out to Bally with a gal pal. Photographers couldn't get enough of the I Feel Pretty star when she made her grand arrival in a brown leather skirt with a daring thigh-high slit, a white button-down shirt and black stiletto boots. Night out: Emily Ratajkowski is among the bevy of beauties to hit the runway during Milan Fashion Week kicked off in Milan, Italy last Tuesday. One day after making a splash in the Versace show, the stunner continued to make the rounds stepping out to Bally with a gal pal Ratajkowski put on a leggy display thanks to the slit in her skirt, which also put her sexy boots front and center. A group of admirers, both professional and amateur, snapped away when she stepped out of her chauffeured vehicle. As she made her way towards the entrance, with a gal pal following close behind, the London, England native stopped to make a call on her phone. Stunning: Photographers couldn't get enough of the I Feel Pretty star when she made her grand arrival in a brown leather skirt with a daring thigh-high slit, a white button-down shirt and black stiletto boots Leggy: Ratajkowski put on a leggy display thanks to the slit in her skirt, which also put her sexy boots front and center On this night, the newly single lady had her dark brown tresses styled long and flowing over her chest and down her back with a center part. The previous day, Ratajkowski strutted down the runway at the Versace Fashion Week show as part of the designer's new 2023 Spring and Summer collection. The leggy model turned heads in a black leather mini skirt, a black leather and denim moto jacket, knee high platform boots, and her brunette hair styled long and straight. Runway maven: The previous day, Ratajkowski strutted down the runway at the Versace Fashion Week show as part of the designer's new 2023 Spring and Summer collection Edgy: The leggy model turned heads in a black leather mini skirt, a black leather and denim moto jacket, knee high platform boots, and her brunette hair styled long and straight At the Versace after-party, the My Body author wore a sleeveless little black dress with a plunging cowl neckline down to her belly button, along with pair of black high heel pumps. Along with Milan, Ratajkowski has also worked the runways at the recent fashion weeks in New York and London. In July, the proud new mother to 18-month-old son Sylvester announced she split from her husband of four years, Sebastian Bear-McClard, and has since filed for divorce after he allegedly cheated on her. Milan Fashion Week kicked off last Tuesday and goes through until Monday, September 26. They have been married for over 21 years. And Catherine Zeta-Jones celebrated another joint birthday with husband Michael Douglas in style on Friday as they enjoyed a lavish meal in Sardinia after stepping off a friends yacht. The actor, 78, and actress, 53, were both born on September 25 though Michael was born in 1944 while Catherine was born in in 1969. Celebrations: Catherine Zeta-Jones celebrated another joint birthday with husband Michael Douglas in style on Friday as they enjoyed a lavish meal in Sardinia Catherine looked effortlessly chic in a striped top, teamed with a pair if black trousers and white trainers. She accessorised with a styling cap, a pink scarf and a shoulder bag as she walked behind Michael, Lawrence Stroll and his wife Raquel Diniz. Meanwhile, Michael bundled up in a grey jumper, black jeans and dress shoes at the Hotel Cala di Volpe in Porto Cervo. Stunning: The actress, 53, looked effortlessly chic in a striped top, teamed with a pair if black trousers and white trainers Friends: They were joined by Lawrence Stroll , who owns the luxury yacht, and his wife Raquel Diniz Michael and Catherine both took to Instagram to publicly wish one another a happy birthday. To acknowledge his wife's special day, the Wall Street actor posted a throwback photo of the pair and wrote: 'Happy Birthday Catherine! I love you always & forever' Catherine then shared a recent selfie of the two of them and an older one, penning: 'Its our Birthday!! After 24 years of celebrating our special day together, I still look forward to it. I love you!!! a la votre!!!!!!!!!!' To acknowledge his wife's special day, the Wall Street actor posted a throwback photo of the pair and wrote: 'Happy Birthday Catherine! I love you always & forever' It comes after Catherine paid tribute to her son while watching him graduate from the prestigious Brown University in May. The Tony Award-winner was in attendance as Dylan- collected his degree certificate after majoring in political science. Taking to Instagram following the ceremony, Catherine shared a photo of her son dressed in traditional mortar and gown as he accepted a kiss from his proud mother. Catherine then shared a recent selfie of the two of them and an older one, penning: 'Its our Birthday!! After 24 years of celebrating our special day together, I still look forward to it. I love you!!! a la votre!!!!!!!!!!' Birthday: The actor, 78, and actress, 53, were both born on September 25 though Michael was born in 1944 while Catherine was born in in 1969 Captioning the image, she wrote: 'Graduation congratulations to my boy, my pride, my joy, Dylan. I am inexplicably proud of you and I love you beyond words.' The previous evening he was reduced to tears after his uncle Lyndon Jones - Catherine's younger brother - made a surprise appearance at his pre-graduation dinner. Stunt performer Lyndon, 50, greeted the speechless student with a bellowing song while he dined in Rhode Island with a group of friends. Capturing the moment in a short video, Catherine wrote: 'Surprise! Surprise! Pre-graduation dinner when my son Dylan sees his Uncle who came all the way from Wales to celebrate this amazing milestone. 'It was tough keeping this a secret but it was priceless.' Brown, a private Ivy League research university, has previously been attended by celebrities including Tracee Ellis Ross, Laura Linney, John Krasinski and Harry Potter star Emma Watson. Last year Catherine took to Instagram to share a photo of herself and Dylan after she paid him a visit at his college campus. Well done: Catherine and Michael's youngest child, daughter Carys graduated from high school in 2021 and is expected to follow her brother's path by also attending Brown Catherine and Michal's younger child, daughter Carys, 19, graduated from high school in 2021 and is expected to follow her brother's educational path by also attending Brown. Sharing images from her graduation ceremony, Catherine wrote: 'What a proud day as our daughter Carys graduates with honors for her International Baccalaureate! You rock, we love you.' Proud dad Michael added: 'Congratulations to Carys and the entire class of 2021! Your Mom and I are so proud of you!' Jordan Barrett is one of the world's most in-demand models. And it was easy to see why as he flashed his muscular chest at Bottega Veneta's runway show on Saturday. The Australian stunner, 25, looked better than ever as he posed outside the show for the womenswear collection at Milan Fashion Week. Australian model Jordan Barrett, 25, (pictured) turned up the heat on Saturday as he wore an all-white suit to the Bottega Veneta show at Milan Fashion Week Jordan wore a white singlet which he paired with tailored suit pants and a fitted blazer for the stylish event. He completed the look with a gold chain and leather boots for the occasion. He finished his look with freshly styled hair. The Australian stunner, 25, looked better than ever as he posed outside the show for the womenswear collection at Milan Fashion Week Jordan surprised fans last year when he married fellow male model Fernando Casablancas. The pair wed in an intimate ceremony in Ibiza in August, just a month after Jordan announced he was engaged. The ceremony was attended by 15 of Jordan's closet friends, including models Kate Moss and Georgia May Jagger, and American playwright Jeremy O. Harris. Jordan wore a white singlet which he paired with tailored suit pants and a fitted blazer for the stylish event 'It was very spontaneous, but his wedding planner Serena Cook was able to pull some strings to make sure it was very special since his Aussie family couldn't attend,' a source told Daily Mail Australia at the time. 'Champagne and cocktails were flowing. It was very relaxed. Kate [Moss] brought out the rings and really made sure it was special for him.' Jordan later confirmed his marriage on Instagram, sharing a short video of himself and Fernando swimming at the beach on their honeymoon. She is a top model with a string of big name collaborations to her name. And now Roxy Horner is exhibiting her enviable physique in a range of lacy underwear as she fronted a new lingerie campaign for Boux Avenue. In stunning new photos exclusive to MailOnline, the model, 31, pulls out her best poses as she slips into pretty bras and thongs for the brand's Autumn/Winter campaign. Wow! Roxy Horner, 31, exhibited her enviable physique in a range of lacy underwear as she fronted a new lingerie campaign for Boux Avenue in new images released this weekend Some of the sensational lingerie sets boast coordinating suspender belts and sexy stockings. Roxy proudly showcases her slim frame in a simple burgundy lace bra and thong before switching into a longline black criss-cross bra and matching G-string. Roxy has been dating comedian Jack Whitehall, 34, for over two years and the pair live together in Jack's 17.5million, five-bed home in Notting Hill with their pooch Coco. Wow! The model pulled out her best poses as she slipped into pretty bras and thongs for the brand's Autumn/Winter campaign Gorgeous: Roxy proudly showcased her slim frame in a simple burgundy lace bra and thong Sexy: The model switched into a longline black criss-cross bra and matching G-string It was announced in May that Jack's Bad Education is set to return to BBC Three for a 10-year anniversary special followed by a brand new spin-off series. The 45-minute one-off special episode, celebrating a decade since the show first aired, will reunite Alfie (Whitehall) with former students as they return to Abbey Grove for a joyfully chaotic careers day. In March, Roxy praised Jack for being her 'rock' amid her Type 1 diabetes diagnosis. 'Jack's been my absolute rock, he's so lovely. He was there when I got diagnosed. My parents and my family live in Australia, so he has been my family. We're amazing,' she told The Sun. Sensational: Some of the sensational lingerie sets boasted coordinating suspender belts and sexy stockings (Pictured with Mariam Jarju) Divine: Mariam Jarju modelled a plunging green bodysuit in the stunning campaign shots Incredible: Sofia Jamora slipped into s stunning purple floral lingerie set The blonde beauty explained how her symptoms got worse during the pandemic, pushing her to seek medical advice. 'I felt extremely tired and exhausted for a long time, I had no energy. I couldn't even go for a walk, it was draining, I felt like I was dying. I was drinking four to eight litres of water a day,' she recalled. Despite 'knowing something was really wrong' with her body and visiting the doctors on numerous occasions, Roxy was not tested for diabetes due to not fitting the criteria. The model took herself to A&E out of desperation, where she was finally diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes - which causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. The critical thing for the moment is that Mr Putin has decided to carry on the fight. He has reportedly ordered the mobilisation of 300,000 reservists. AP By the end of August 2022 six months had elapsed without any decisive signals of victory or defeat on the battlefield in the ongoing Russia-Ukraine war. There was nothing unusual about this. Wars fought with original resources many times come to a standstill especially if the forces are broadly matching and there are no outstanding manoeuvres which place one side at an operational or strategic advantage against the other. There is no doubt that the war was extending and this was against all the expectations of Nato and the European Union nations which were living in fear of the approaching winter without adequate alternatives worked out towards crucial energy management for the challenging period. Russia was already cutting back its energy supplies to Europe and the anticipated collapse of its economy had not taken place despite severe Western sanctions. The economic impact of the Covid-19 pandemic was, however, being worsened by the energy crisis which was fast converting to a worldwide economic crisis, leading to collapse of frail economies like Sri Lanka and Pakistan. The Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), which was due to meet in early September 2022, didnt appear to offer any hope regarding the war in Ukraine, despite the presence of Russia and China. It was a situation demanding a fresh initiative to spur things on from the level of inactivity to which they had sunk. The question was: who would take this initiative? Eastern Ukraine in the Donbass area was under Russian siege. With the demographics against them, President Volodymyr Zelenskyys forces couldnt hope to make much headway. The Black Sea coastline had also been largely wrested from Ukraine and the latters operations through that direction would obviously be tedious, costly in time and resources. Fearful of a long war which could well see the end of Natos unity and its current energetic commitment, it appears the alliance led by the United States focused on gathering and assessing intelligence in the north and triggered a series of Ukrainian offensive operations that have been termed counter-offensives. The announcement in the Western media and the information coming from important European capitals at the end of August 2022 that Ukraines armed forces had resorted to successful counter-offensives was hyped and built with focus on the Kyiv, Kharkiv and Kherson areas, all high-profile landmarks. None of this has been closely examined by military experts in India and the Western information has simply been lapped up and projected as impending victories and collapse of the Russian front; reportedly 2,000 sq miles of territory has been captured/recaptured. Surprisingly, there are very few other analysts who look at the military operational angle of the war. The aim of the West is to project an impending collapse of Russias military capability and thus sap its will to fight, while instigating revolts against President Vladimir Putins government. On the energy side, efforts are afoot to place obstacles in the way for the movement of Russian energy resources to willing buyers through pressure on insurance and shipping companies. This combined strategy is what Nato hopes will succeed. It has of course received a sudden surprise in the form of the perceived cooling by both India and China towards Russia and the advice given by both nations on the need for an immediate end to the war for the sake of the international economic and energy situation. Its the operational hype which is the main weapon to try and bring Mr Putin to the table and end the war, now that economics doesnt seem to be working. In actual effect, none of the operations now on are serious enough to be decisive. It's incorrect to call them counter-offensives, which by themselves would be much larger in content and scope. The operations we are seeing are more in the nature of ripostes which are short offensive punches across fronts to hit the logistics and firm bases of the adversary, from where the Russian offensives were launched. Yes, territory has been captured but not critical ones, and the Russians arent really wilting; there seems to be no pursuit and the Ukrainians are obviously not going overboard while they continue to maintain balance. Mr Putin has his own ways of information and psychological pushback; he is no babe in the woods and his recent responses to the soft Sino-Indian pressure to stop the war may actually be deceptive. The critical thing for the moment is that Mr Putin has decided to carry on the fight. He has reportedly ordered the mobilisation of 300,000 reservists. The quality of these soldiers is going to be highly questionable especially since the Ukrainians are returning with better orientation, training and confidence. Yet, the Western propaganda claiming 80,000 to 90,000 Russian troops having died in action bears little credibility. The response within Russia would have been far more negative had such casualties occurred in a population which is reducing year on year. However, Mr Putins actions also display desperation. The quality of operational capability of his forces has been highly questionable, right from day one. Except for the delivery of huge quantities of explosives through various artilleries, the power of closing in and making decisive manoeuvres to capture and hold territory has nowhere been on display. Thus, with additional poorly trained troops, Mr Putin is only getting deeper into the trap and that is dangerous in the current situation. The Russians have deliberately conducted operations around nuclear power plants to give hints of their willingness to take this war into the realm of limited nuclear domain. Natos nuclear doctrine will be under test. Equally, Mr Putin will be under pressure both externally and internally. There are yet no firm indicators on the buildup of organised negative sentiment against Mr Putin; small protests against airlines denying seats to males are no real parameters to judge with. Chris Bath has shared a moving tribute to Perth journalist Nick Way, who lost his battle with motor neuron disease at the age of 63 on Friday. In a segment on Channel Ten's news on Sunday evening, the journalist was visibly tearful as she farewelled her colleague. 'The Ten News First family is mourning revered Perth journalist Nick Way, who has lost his fight with motor neurone disease,' the 55-year-old said. Chris Bath (pictured) shared a moving tribute to Perth journalist Nick Way on Sunday, after he lost his battle with motor neuron disease at the age of 63 on Friday A tribute package then played, showing highlight's from Nick's career. 'Nick Way was a gifted storyteller. Over three decades, he never failed to connect deeply with those he reported on, often staying in close contact with them long after the news cameras had stopped rolling,' the voiceover explained. 'His stories shone through even through our darkest chapters, the Bali bombings. Many of the survivors still call Nick very good friend.' In a segment on Channel Ten's news, the journalist was visibly tearful as she farewelled her colleague 'The Ten News First family is mourning revered Perth journalist Nick Way, who has lost his fight with motor neurone disease,' the 55-year-old said. Nick is pictured It continued: 'Nick always gave a voice to those who struggled to find their own. Championing so many wonderful causes and when it came to his own health battle, he dug in and raised tens of thousands of dollars for research. 'Here at Ten, Nick taught so many the ropes. His beautiful smile and voice we will never forget. To his wife Karen and loved ones, we are sending our deepest sympathies.' Chris then returned to the screen, her eyes glistening with emotion as she said: 'Vale Nick, and our condolences to his family'. Karen, Nick's wife-of-29-years, revealed to The West Australian that he was at a specialised care facility in Cottesloe while she was in New Zealand for her nephews wedding when he 'had a turn' and died of a suspected blood clot in his lung. Nick's wife-of-29-years revealed to The West Australian that he was at a specialised care facility in Cottesloe while she was in New Zealand for her nephews wedding when he 'had a turn' and died of a suspected blood clot in his lung. Pictured together 'It was like he waited for me to be here in New Zealand to be with all my family and he's made the decision that it's time to go,' she told the paper 'It was like he waited for me to be here in New Zealand to be with all my family and he's made the decision that it's time to go,' she told the paper. 'He wanted to stay as independent as he could, but he just couldn't do things for himself anymore and he lost the ability to talk last August. Talking was his favourite thing and he loved being the centre of attention. 'But he had a great life, we had so much travel and he did so many things a lot of people never get the opportunity to do. We've got lots of really great memories.' Nick began his career at the regional network GWN in 1996 before moving to Channel Ten. Laura Anderson swapped reality TV for the stage as she was clad in a Cinderella constume at Colne Municipal Hall on Saturday. The Love Island star, 33, got stuck in to take on the role in the princess pantomime, beaming for snaps outside the theatre. Sporting a decadent tiered dress with silver embellishings, the reality star added a wand and glitzy tiara. Princess: Laura Anderson, 33, got into character in a full Cinderella costume as she took on the princess role in new winter pantomime Laura added a pair of silver kitten heels to the glimmering look, with her blonde locks styled into a bouncy curl. She opted for a typical stage makeup look, complete with a bright red lip and full-coverage base. And posing for snaps in the getup, the star appeared in high spirits as she flung one leg in the air and struck a slew of poses. Glamour: Sporting a decadent tiered dress with silver embellishings, the reality star added a wand and glitzy tiara Stage star: She opted for a typical stage makeup look, complete with a bright red lip and full-coverage base And she was joined by co-stars outside of the theatre as they had a laugh, posing with the show's stepsister characters. Laura teased the pantomime news via Instagram, sharing a video to her 1.4M followers as she arrived at the theatre. 'What is next for laura?' she asked her followers as she filmed the Stories. It's not the first pantomime appearance, with the star taking on the Wicked Queen role in last year's Snow White pantomime while living in Dubai. Having a laugh: She appeared in high spirits while outside the theatre Stars: And she was joined by co-stars outside of the theatre as they had a laugh, posing with the show's stepsister characters Alongside the pantomime, Laura is also set to star in the upcoming season of Celebs Go Dating as she prepares to look for love on TV once again. The beauty recently returned to the UK following her split from ex Dane Bowers last month, who she lived in Dubai with. Taking to Instagram to announce the split, Laura wrote: 'Just to let all of my beautiful support on here know that unfortunately Dane and I have decided to separate. 'Sadly we're just not right for each other but I do wish him nothing but love. I will be moving back to the UK as soon as I can. Roll on the rest of 2022, let's make it count.' Gemma Owen looked incredible as she posed for a PrettyLittleThing photoshoot in new snaps released on Sunday, after becoming an ambassador for the brand in August. The Love Island star, 19, who signed a six-figure deal with the clothing brand, dressed to impress in a pair of faux leather black trousers. The international dressage rider modelled a white bodysuit and a stunning khaki double breasted coat as she sat at a bar posing for the sizzling snap. Stunning: Gemma Owen looked incredible as she posed for a PrettyLittleThing photoshoot on Sunday after becoming an ambassador for the brand in August The beauty was handpicked by the online retail giant following a series of meetings in Manchester with founder Umar Kamani, 34, and his close team. Gemma told MailOnline about her new role last month: 'This really is a dream come true for me. 'I wore PrettyLittleThing throughout my time on the show and now being announced as one of their newest ambassadors alongside some incredible talent including Love Island alumni is really special. Looking good: The Love Island star, 19, dressed to impress in a pair of faux leather black trousers and a khaki coat as she posed for sizzling snaps Career opportunity: MailOnline exclusively revealed that the Love Island star, 19, had signed a six-figure deal with the clothing brand in August 'The team has been amazing and I'm excited to get to work and start designing some collections for you all.' Gemma is the first UK brand ambassador for PrettyLittleThing since they signed Love Island 2019 runner-up Molly-Mae, who is estimated to be worth an eye-watering 4.5million. In August last year, Molly, whose Instagram following is a whopping 6.4million, became the retailer's creative director. Gemma's year-long partnership with PLT will see the ITV2 star launch her own collections and create content for the brand's YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok channels. Amazing: Gemma's year-long partnership with PLT will see the ITV2 star launch her own collections and create content for the brand's YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok channels She will also help the brand launch their new platform PLT Marketplace, where customers can resell clothes in a move towards improved sustainability. Gemma is already the owner of OG Swimwear, which she launched prior to starring on the dating show this summer. The International dressage star, who has competed for Great Britain, came second in the Love Island final with Luca Bish, 23, a fishmonger from Brighton. Ekin-Su Culculoglu and Davide Sanclimenti, both 27, who garnered 63.7 per cent of the public vote, beat them to the 50,000 cash prize. Eddie Redmayne was all smiles as he posed on the red carpet with fans at The Good Nurse premiere in Switzerland on Sunday. The Oscar winning actor, 40, cut a dapper figure in a grey wool double breasted blazer and coordinated trousers. He teamed the smart number with a crisp with shirt and a black bow tie as he attended the 18th Zurich Film Festival at Kongresshaus. Incredible: Eddie Redmayne was all smiles as he posed on the red carpet with fans at The Good Nurse premiere in Switzerland on Sunday The star opted for a pair of eye catching black boots with red toe caps and styled his brunette tresses spiked up. Eddie seemed in high spirits as he took selfies and signed autographs for fans while on the star-studded red carpet. At the festival Eddie picked up the Golden Eye Award where he spoke on stage to the guests. High spirits: The Oscar winning actor, 40, cut a dapper figure in a grey wool double breasted blazer and coordinated trousers Dapper: The star opted for a pair of eye catching black boots with red toe caps and styled his brunette tresses spiked up Eddie stars in the true-crime thriller alongside Jessica Chastain who plays a struggling single mother trying to stay afloat with her demanding career as a nurse at a New Jersey Hospital. She initially strikes up a good rapport with a new nurse (played by Eddie), but after several of her patients who seemed to be improving die under unusual circumstances, she comes to suspect him of foul play. Eddie plays Charles Cullen in the film who is responsible for 29 confirmed deaths. All smiles: He teamed the smart number with a crisp with shirt and a black bow tie as he attended the 18th Zurich Film Festival at Kongresshaus Incredible: Eddie seemed in high spirits as he took selfies Meet and greet: The award winning actor signed autographs for fans while on the star-studded red carpet Looking good: Eddie posed up a storm as he made his way to the event However, the serial killer claimed to have killed as many as 40 people, and some investigators involved in the case believe he may have killed more than 300 people. This makes him possibly the most deadly American serial killer, according to Charles Graeber's 2007 New York Magazine story, which was the basis for his 2013 book and, in turn, the film. The Good Nurse will be released in US theaters on October 19, followed by a streaming release on Netflix on October 26. Congratulations: At the festival Eddie picked up the Golden Eye Award where he spoke on stage to the guests Amazing: Eddie was all smiles as he picked up his award at the film festival Sensational: The actor spoke to the crowd as he accepted the award Eddie posed up a storm alongside (left to right) editor Adam Nielsen, director Tobias Lindholm and producer Scott Franklin Wow: Eddie plays Charles Cullen in the true-crime thriller film who is responsible for 29 confirmed deaths He has carried Gillian McKeith off camera after she fainted during a bushtucker trial, removed a cockroach from Fatima Whitbread's nose and been right on hand to help hundreds of other celebs in compromising positions. But his days pulling critters out of celebrity pants are over - as Bob the Medic has left I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! after spending 20 years on the show. Bob McCarron, 72, has never missed a series of the Australia-based ITV game show. End of an era: Bob the Medic has left I'm A Celebrity... Get Me Out Of Here! after spending 20 years on the show But he is being replaced by a different medical expert who won't be featured on television. Starting on the show back in 2002, Mr McCarron has been the right-hand man for celebrities walking through the camp gates for two weeks under the trees. The 72-year-old medic did not feature in the show when it relocated its camp from Australia to Gwrych Castle in Wales due to Covid restrictions. Kiosk Keith also did not feature in the Welsh castle, replaced by Kiosk Cledwyn, named after the late politician Cledwyn Hughes. Famous faces: Starting on the show back in 2002, Mr McCarron has been the right-hand man for celebrities walking through the camp gates for two weeks under the trees Medic Bob is a fan favourite who has been on I'm A Celebrity since it started in 2002, with iconic moments including him rushing to Gillian McKeith's aid after she fainted and helping Fatima Whitbread remove a cockroach from her nose. In 2018 he also removed a cockroach from Harry Redknapp's ear, who went on to be crowned as King Of The Jungle on that series. The Sun has reported that Bob is set to continue working on the German version of I'm A Celeb instead. He is also said to be continuing to work on his spin-off show where he travels around Australia. One source told the publication that Bob was so busy that 'something had to give' - 'Sadly, that's the UK version,' they said. The source added: 'It's unthinkable to imagine the show without Medic Bob.' A spokesman for I'm a Celeb said that Bob will 'always be a friend to the show' and wish him 'all the very best', also thanking him for 'his hard work'. 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Ireland Uruguay, Eastern Republic of Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela, Bolivarian Republic of Viet Nam, Socialist Republic of Wallis and Futuna Islands Western Sahara Yemen Zambia, Republic of Zimbabwe Iranian women are burning their hijabs and cutting their hair short in protest at the death of Mahsa Amini, a young lady who died after being imprisoned in Tehran by Iran's "morality police." She was with her brother in Tehran when morality police detained her for violating the law mandating women to cover their hair, arms, and legs with loose clothing. She collapsed at a correctional facility and soon after went into a coma, according to BBC. Nada al-Nashif, the acting UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, claimed that there were claims that police struck Ms. Amini's head with a baton and slammed her head against a car. The victim's father alleged that she was killed by beatings. According to eyewitness accounts cited by Amini's family, cops beat her in the police vehicle following her detention. Police claim Amini died of a heart attack after being hospitalized. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi promised Amini's family a full investigation, NPR reported. He said: "Your daughter is like my own daughter, and I feel that this incident happened to one of my loved ones." Mohseni Ejei, Iran's chief justice, also has pledged an investigation. The United Nations demanded an unbiased investigation into Amini's demise. Massive Unrest Erupts Following Amini's Death Since the news spread, protesters in more than 50 Iranian cities have gone to the streets. Authorities reportedly have killed up to 36 individuals during protests and detained several journalists, campaigners, and human rights advocates. The government has restricted internet access to conceal the situation's full image. These women in #Irans northern city of Sari are dancing and burning their headscarves anti-regime protests have now spread to dozens of cities from north to south, east to west all triggered by the death of #MahsaAmini while in the custody of Irans morality police. pic.twitter.com/BBDvgC5L1w Rana Rahimpour (@ranarahimpour) September 20, 2022 The latest protests occur when Iran's financial situation is exceedingly precarious, and a substantial section of the population lives in poverty. This is in part due to the effects of US sanctions on Iran's nuclear program, as well as the general state of the world economy and the consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak. Read Also: Volodymyr Zelensky Urges Russians To Protest Partial Mobilization; Citizens Flock Border in Bid To Escape Over the past few years, protesters have often challenged the oppressive regime, frequently airing their economic frustrations. Iranian resistance politics have always placed a strong emphasis on women, even before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The latest protests stand out because of the variety of participants and the extensive nature of Iranian opposition in both large and small cities. The Power of Iran's Morality Police All Iranian women are required to adhere to a strict dress code that includes covering their heads in public and dressing in loose-fitting garments to hide their bodies after the Islamic Revolution of 1979. The "Gasht-e Ershad" (Guidance Patrols) morality police are in charge of, among other things, making sure ladies dress according to what the authorities consider to be "appropriate." Officers have the authority to stop women and determine if their hair is showing excessively, whether their overcoats and pants are too short or tight, or whether they are sporting excessive amounts of makeup. Fines, jail time, or public whipping are possible penalties for breaking the law. In 2014, Iranian women started posting pictures and videos online showing themselves openly disobeying the hijab restrictions as part of a "My Stealthy Freedom" online protest campaign. Other initiatives, such as "White Wednesdays" and "Girls of Revolution Street," have subsequently been influenced by it. International Crisis Group analyst Ali Vaez was moved by the images of youngsters retaliating against the authorities. He said that such scenes "were unimaginable" 10 or 20 years ago, as per a report from Vox. "The Islamic Republic can no longer maintain control over this society. They might be able to buy time through repression, but they won't be able to address the fundamental causes of these protests," he noted. Related Article: Migrant Crisis: Heartbreaking Photo Shows Innocent Victims of Current Situation on Southern Border @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. Chennai: Amid continuing incidents of Sangh Parivar activists' properties being targeted in the wake of NIA raids against the Popular Front of India (PFI), the Tamil Nadu police on Sunday warned of slapping the stringent National Security Act against those indulging in such acts. A release from the office of DGP C Sylendra Babu said investigation is being held in connection with various incidents of explosive substances being hurled at the premises of the members of "some organisations", and 250 people have been enquired so far. Without specifying the numbers, he said arrests have also been recorded in connection with the incidents. Similar fresh incidents -- from Madurai, Salem and Kanyakumari -- where unidentified miscreants hurled such substances were reported from the state. Earlier, the premises and vehicles of members of the BJP and RSS, mainly in and around Coimbatore, were targeted in the wake of NIA raids against the PFI earlier this week, with the BJP holding the radical Islamist outfit responsible for the incidents. Police said the miscreants hurled "kerosene-filled" bottles. On Sunday, the DGP said security has been beefed up in Coimbatore with the deployment of around 3,500 personnel from the Rapid Action Force and the state commando force, among others. "It is being warned that those impeding public peace through such acts will be arrested under the NSA," the DGP said. ADGP (Law and Order) P Thamarai Kannan was camping in Coimbatore. VIJAYAWADA: Andhra Pradesh government has filed a special leave petition (SLP) in Supreme Court against AP High Courts judgement that the state is not competent to legislate on its three capitals. In its SLP at the countrys highest court, AP government has taken a stand that if a state, reorganised as per provisions of a Central Act under Articles 3 and 4 of the Indian Constitution, is deprived of the power to reorganise its capital city, it amounts to destroying the federal structure of the Indian Constitution. The SLP contended that the High Court has held Andhra Pradesh Capital Region Development Authority Act, 2014, as a legislation made by state government under Article 258 of the Indian Constitution, indicating that AP government legislated the said act as a delegate of Union of India. When the CRDA Act was enacted in 2014, the text of the act made it clear that the state government is exercising its powers under List II of Entry 5 for constituting a local body. Neither the centre nor the AP government said that CRDA Act is part of delegation of the centre. In fact, the centre itself filed an affidavit in the High Court stating that shifting of capitals is within the purview of AP government. As per the SLP, the law makes it clear that the power under Article 258 of Indian Constitution is only relatable to delegation of executive and administrative powers, but not the legislative power to the centre. The state government maintains that it is challenging the High Courts observation for the reason that CRDA Act has been legislated as delegation of power. The delegate had not followed norms under Section 6 of AP Split Act, 2014. Moreover, the AP government took the stand that location of the capital at Amaravati is contrary to recommendations of the committee that had been appointed under the Central Act. Basis this, the state government has raised a question of law, asking whether a decision taken by a delegate, contrary to provisions of the Central Act, could be affirmed by the High Court. Further, the state government has challenged AP HCs findings about non-compliance with obligations under Land Pooling Scheme, as the CRDA had already extended the timeframe for compliance with LPS rules up to 2024. Therefore, the state feels there is no cause for adjudication of the dispute by High Court at the relevant stage. AP government also asked whether adjudication of competence of legislature, which is one of the organs of the government, after withdrawal of the three capitals legislation, would constitute a breakdown of principle of separation of powers among the three organs of the government, as it is considerate as the basic structure of Indian Constitution. The state government said it has filed the SLP in the apex court based on legal advice of experts in constitutional law, assuming that there is a legal remedy available to AP government against the AP High Courts judgement. The SLP reiterated that Andhra Pradesh government is committed to people of the state and decentralisation of governance by way of setting up legislative, administrative and judicial capitals in Amaravati, Visakhapatnam and Kurnool respectively. VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided that three capitals for the state of Andhra Pradesh will be the main slogan for ruling YSRC to fight the state assembly general elections in 2024. Party sources say this is a master stroke, as three capitals will be to the liking of more people than Amaravati being the sole capital of Andhra Pradesh, behind which Telugu Desam and other opposition parties have thrown their weight. Jagan Mohan Reddy has made his intention clear by launching a scathing attack against main opposition TD in the State Legislative Assembly through a discussion on decentralised development in Andhra Pradesh. He has followed it up with filing of a Special Leave Petition in Supreme Court against AP High Courts verdict of developing Amaravati as the sole capital of the state. The Chief Minister has clearly picked up the gauntlet after TD leaders led by Nimmala Rama Naidu challenged Jagan Mohan Reddy to go in for fresh elections over Three Capitals. It is now clear that the 2024 elections will be fought with Three Capitals versus Amaravati as agendas of YSRC and TD. The main opposition has been assiduously promoting Amaravati as sole capital of AP state. It stood by the areas farmers and also backed their long march earlier to Tirumala-Tirupati on the issue, which was quite a success. Further, along with other opposition parties, Telugu Desam is supporting Amaravati-Arasavalli Padayatra launched a few days ago by farmers of Amaravati. This walkathon has also gone on smoothly through Guntur and Krishna districts, without facing much protests. This seems to have forced YSRC high-command to rethink its welfare strategy for Mission 2024 Elections. Senior political analysts recall that Navaratnalu had been the main agenda of YSRC in 2019 elections. The party has fulfilled 98 percent of the promises it made during those elections. Jagan Mohan Reddy now needs a new hot topic as agenda for the 2024 assembly elections. He seems to have decided on development of all regions through Three Capitals as his main agenda. The belief is that this will attract people of north Andhra, Rayalaseema and coastal Andhra. Further, the YSRC chief has affirmed that Amaravati will continue as legislative capital of AP. Analysts say there are 18 months to go for elections. Jagan and YSRC will utilise the period to make decentralised development through Three Capitals as their main agenda in 2024 elections. Ministers Botsa Satyanarayana and Adimulapu Suresh, apart from other leaders have affirmed that Three Capitals is their governments policy, which would be implemented. They claim that there is need to develop backward areas of the state to avoid demands like Telangana. They maintain that Three Capitals means all round development. the TTD chairman said the board has resolved to pay Rs 25 crore to the district administration to procure 132 acres of land for employees-related development activities. Representational Image/DC TIRUPATI: The Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanams (TTD), the custodian of the world-renowned hill shrine of Lord Venkateswara, will soon release a white paper containing details of all immovable properties that it has received so far in the form of donations from devotees. This is the third consecutive year that the richest temple administration in the country has been releasing a white paper on its properties. It will be uploaded on the TTDs official website www.tirumala.org, soon and the details will be made available for the public to view, said TTD trust board chairman Y.V. Subba Reddy while disclosing the key resolutions passed in the trust board meeting held in Tirumala on Saturday. Subba Reddy said the TTD has owned 960 immovable assets across the country, spread over 7,123 acres and worth around Rs 85,705 crore. The management scrutinised all the properties and prepared a comprehensive database containing details like propertys nature, survey number, donor details, location and other information, and will make them available on TTDs official website. Briefing the reporters on other important resolutions along with TTD executive officer A.V. Dharma Reddy, the TTD chairman said the board has resolved to pay Rs 25 crore to the district administration to procure 132 acres of land for employees-related development activities. The erstwhile Chittoor collector has allotted 300 acres towards employees house sites for which the TTD has already paid Rs 60 crore. Apart from this, after the formation of new Tirupati district, another 132 acres of land has been provided for employees-related development activities in future to which the TTD shall have to pay Rs 25 crore, he said. He said the board has approved to construct Pilgrims Amenities Complex in Tirumala at a cost of Rs 98 crore behind Govardhan Choultries to facilitate accommodation to more common pilgrims. Apart from this, the board also sanctioned Rs 7.20 crore to set up additional load transformers in Tirumala to meet water geyser and other electrical improvisations carried out in the rest houses and Rs 2.45 crore for refurbishing furniture and other requirements in Nandakam Rest House at Tirumala. The trust board has given the nod to construct a four-lane road at Rs 30 crore from Vakulamata Temple to Pudipatla near S.V. Zoo Park. Rs 6.37 crore has been sanctioned for the development of S.G.S. Arts College in Tirupati and Rs 3 crore has been earmarked for the development of TTD Kalyana Mandapam in Nellore. After such a long wait, it finally happened! Punjabs former chief minister, 80-year-old Capt. Amarinder Singh, joined the BJP at last, something that was expected for around a year ever since Rahul Gandhi began the move to replace him as chief minister. But what does the ageing former Maharaja of Patiala bring to the BJPs table? Besides the ex-CM tag, nothing much more. Amarinder Singh minus the Congress means very little, despite the fact that the Grand Old Party is itself down in the dumps in Punjab as well as several other key states like Uttar Pradesh. The record of Amarinders Punjab Lok Congress is even more pathetic. His party, which has now merged into the BJP, had contested this years Assembly polls in alliance with the BJP, and both performed poorly. The PLC couldnt open its account, and lost the deposit in 27 out of 28 seats. While admitting Amarinder, the BJP tried to take the ex-maharaja off his high horse by deputing just two Union ministers to welcome him. Not only was the PM not there, neither was home minister Amit Shah or BJP president J.P. Nadda. A while ago, former Punjab PCC chief Sunil Jakhar had also joined the BJP. Mr Jakhar, 68, was upset over Charanjit Singh Channi being made CM. But Mr Jhakar too is also a has been. And while Jyotriaditya Scindia may have helped the BJP to bring down the Congress government in Madhya Pradesh three years ago, it had also affected the partys cohesion in parts of the state. Most of the recent inductions show that the BJP, which boasts of being the worlds largest party, simply loves deadwood. In a hurry to widen its footprint further, the party is allowing inductions left, right and centre, unmindful of the fact that it has already become like an overcrowded suburban train in Mumbai in which the original occupants are feeling suffocated and the pickpockets could have a field day. The entire episode of the parting of ways of Ghulam Nabi Azad from the Congress is also no great shakes. Though Mr Azad hasnt joined the BJP, he has entered a pro-BJP political space in a move that looks scripted by the powers-that-be. The tragedy with the 73-year-old Mr Azad is that despite the backing of the top Congress leadership in half a century, he could not evolve into being a mass leader. In Goa, the BJP has inducted another batch of Congress MLAs, including former CM Digambar Kamat, all of whom had taken an oath not to leave their former party under any circumstances. Its an open secret in Goas mercurial politics, leaders with skeletons in their cupboards have wildly fluctuating loyalties. But the question is: why these latest inductions in Goa when the ruling BJP has more than the requisite numbers? The only reason, it seems, is to show the world how the Congress is dwindling despite Rahul Gandhis Bharat Jodo Yatra. The talk in political circles is that the desertions from the Congress were planned four months back, but effected only recently in a bid to damage the Congress during the yatra. With much fanfare, former Union minister R.P.N. Singh was inducted in the BJP in the run-up to the UP polls earlier this year, to projecting that the Congress leader from the Kurmi community was a big catch. But Mr Singh, once a close associate of Rahul Gandhi, found to his dismay that he wasnt even sent to the Rajya Sabha. It seems now that everyone has forgotten about him. Soon after the last Lok Sabha polls, Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Sinh, an Amethi royal and a close associate of the Gandhis, had resigned from the party and joined the BJP. Mr Sinh, 70, has been virtually unheard of since. He was made a candidate for the Assembly polls in UP earlier this year from Amethi, where he lost to the Samajwadi Party. Almost similar is the story of former Congress media secretary Tom Vadakkan, who caused embarrassment to the party before the last Lok Sabha polls by joining the BJP. Mr Vadakkan was denied a Lok Sabha ticket by the BJP, which projected him as being such a big leader that Rahul Gandhi had to funnily clarify that it wasnt really so. It must be acknowledged though that both Prime Minister Narendra Modi and home minister Amit Shah were spot-on about Himanta Biswa Sarma, who is now Assam CM, and has emerged as the BJPs face in the Northeast and one of Rahul Gandhis bitterest critics in the ruling party. Mr Sarma quit the Congress before the 2014 elections after a fall out with his mentor Tarun Gogoi, then Assam CM. There are now three BJP-ruled Northeast states where the CM is a former Congressman: Mr Sarma in Assam, Pema Khandu in Arunachal and N. Biren Singh in Manipur. Suvendu Adhikari, the loyalist-turned-foe of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, has also shown hes no pushover despite being a new entrant to the BJP. This is not to say that Prime Minister Modi is not aware of the problem of deadwood. He had removed as many as 12 ministers from his Cabinet last year in what was believed to be the biggest shakeup of its kind in Independent India. But its equally true that trash is growing by the day in the BJP these days. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov addresses the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City on September 24, 2022. (Yuki IWAMURA / AFP) United Nations: Russia has voiced its support for India and Brazil as worthy candidates for permanent membership in the UN Security Council, calling them key international actors. During the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Saturday expressed his support for India, becoming a permanent member of the Security Council. In his address to the General Assembly just an hour before External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar's speech, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the UN and Security Council have to be aligned to contemporary realities. He said Moscow sees the prospect of making the Security Council more democratic, exclusively, through broadening the representation of countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America. We note India and Brazil in particular as key international actors and worthy candidates for permanent membership within the Council whilst simultaneously unilaterally and mandatorily raising the profile of Africa, Lavrov said. India has been at the forefront of efforts at the UN to push for urgent long-pending reform of the Security Council, emphasising that it rightly deserves a place at the UN high table as a permanent member. At present, the UNSC comprises five permanent members and 10 non-permanent member countries which are elected for a two-year term by the General Assembly of the United Nations. The five permanent members are Russia, the UK, China, France and the United States and these countries can veto any substantive resolution. There has been growing demand to increase the number of permanent members to reflect the contemporary global reality. Later, addressing a press conference at UN headquarters Saturday, he was asked why he mentioned only India and Brazil for permanent membership and not South Africa. I said that we view India and Brazil as strong candidates given they are leading international players, as strong candidates for permanent membership at the Security Council with the condition that at the same time, in the same way, the profile of Africa will be raised, Lavrov said. I mentioned India and Brazil for a single reason. They have long officially advanced their candidatures. As for South Africa, the Republic of South Africa, this step has not been put forward, he said, adding that Members of the African Union are committed to the Ezulwini Consensus. He added that addressing the question of expansion of the Security Council without reflecting the interests of Africans is not possible. Again, I emphasize that we're talking exclusively about expansion of the Security Council membership with the representatives of Asia, Africa and Latin America. Because if we had to talk about an additional inclusion in the Security Council of Western countries, well, that would be humorous for a number of reasons. I will set aside the fact that they are all hostile to the Russian Federation and the People's Republic of China. He said if political assessments were to be set aside, what new would any additional western country bring to the Security Council He said western countries can provide absolutely nothing to the Council and "they are all following the orders of the United States. He said next year, with the addition of Japan to the Council as a non-permanent member, there will be seven countries representing the western group in the 15-nation Council. He said there is not an iota of difference between the policy of Japan and that of the United States. India is currently halfway through the second year of its two-year term as an elected non-permanent member of the UN Security Council. India's tenure at the Council will end in December when the country will also preside as President of the powerful UN organ for the month. North Korea launched a ballistic missile into the sea off its east coast on Saturday ahead of military exercises and a visit by US Vice President Kamala Harris. According to South Korea's military, it was a single, short-range ballistic missile that was launched just before 7 a.m. local time from a location close to the Taechon region of North Pyongyang Province and traveled around 600 km (373 miles) at a height of 60 km and a speed of Mach 5. per a CNBC report. "North Korea's launch of a ballistic missile is an act of grave provocation that threatens the peace and security of the Korean peninsula and international community," South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. Kim Seung-kyum, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, and Paul LaCamera, the commander of U.S. Forces Korea, talked about the launch and stressed their readiness to respond to any threat or provocation from North Korea. Yasukazu Hamada, Japan's defense minister, claimed it reached 50 kilometers and may have flown irregularly. Hamada claimed it was beyond Japan's exclusive economic zone and there were no maritime or air traffic difficulties. Experts say many of North Korea's short-range missiles are designed to elude missile defenses by rotating in flight and flying on a lower, "depressed" trajectory. Hamada claimed Japan protested at North Korea's Beijing embassy. In a statement following the launch, US Indo-Pacific Command said it was aware of the launch and talking with allies. It reaffirmed the US commitment to South Korea and Japan's defense. The missile launch "does not pose an immediate threat" to US personnel, territory, or allies, but it underlines the "destabilizing impact" of the DPRK's "unlawful weapons of mass destruction" and ballistic missile capabilities, the combatant command noted. The launch occurs as the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan arrives in South Korea to take part in joint exercises with South Korean forces and before Harris's trip to Seoul this week. What Will Happen During Kamala Harris' Trip? Vice President Kamala Harris will join a dozen US officials in Japan for the burial of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo before flying to South Korea, per Spectrum News1. The primary objective of the travel is to pay respects to the late Japanese leader, but senior administration officials said Friday that the group also looks forward to a "busy and productive visit" covering many vital matters for the US and its friends and partners. Read Also: Iranian Women Burn Their Hijabs In Protest of Severe Government Restrictions; Dozens Reportedly Killed in Rallies VP Harris will arrive in Tokyo on Monday with U.S. Ambassador Rahm Emmanuel, US Trade Representative Katherine Tai, and Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. Harris will meet with foreign leaders throughout her tour, including Japan's Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. On Tuesday, she'll meet Australia's Anthony Albanese and South Korea's Han Duck-soo before heading to Korea on Thursday. In Korea, Harris will meet with President Yoon Suk-yeol to "highlight the strength of the U.S.-ROK Alliance and discuss the threat posed by the DPRK, the importance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, and our growing economic and technology partnership," senior administration officials said. China views Taiwan as its sovereign territory, has not ruled out military force to reunify it with the mainland, and has stepped up military activities in the area. North Korea May Launch Its Nuclear Test During Harris' Indo-Pacific Trip Pyongyang may soon undertake its sixth nuclear test, the first since 2017. The Japan Times reported that a senior White House official told reporters Friday that a nuclear test or other provocation is likely during Harris' visit, but they have no estimates or pronouncements. Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul, said Kim Jong Un may be delaying a nuclear test "out of respect" for China's Communist Party meeting next month, where Xi Jinping is anticipated to prolong his leadership term. However, Easly said Pyongyang's self-restraint has limitations. "The Kim regime sees itself in an arms race with South Korea and may be looking to make up for lost time after its pandemic struggles," he noted. Related Article: Moscow-Controlled Areas in Ukraine Start Referendum on Joining Russia Amid International Criticism @ 2022 HNGN, All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. "It is regrettable that the Prime Minister of Pakistan has chosen the platform of this august assembly to make false accusations against India. He has done so to obfuscate misdeeds in his own country and to justify actions against India that the world considers unacceptable," first secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN Mijito Vinito said in the Right of Reply at the United Nations in New York. AFP File Image New Delhi: India has hit back sharply at Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif for his critical remarks about the status of human rights and minority rights in India and Jammu and Kashmir at the UN General Assembly. India termed Sharifs remarks as "false accusations" and "done to obfuscate misdeeds in his own country." India countered Sharif by underlining Pakistans role in sheltering terrorists and carrying out terror attacks in India. "It is regrettable that the Prime Minister of Pakistan has chosen the platform of this august assembly to make false accusations against India. He has done so to obfuscate misdeeds in his own country and to justify actions against India that the world considers unacceptable," first secretary in the Permanent Mission of India to the UN Mijito Vinito said in the Right of Reply at the United Nations in New York. Vinito said, "A polity that claims it seeks peace with its neighbours would never sponsor cross-border terrorism. Nor would it shelter the planners of the horrific Mumbai terrorist attack, disclosing their existence only under pressure from the international community. Such a country would not make unjustified and untenable territorial claims against its neighbours. It would not covet their lands and seek to illegally integrate them with its own. But it is not just about the neighbourhood that we have heard false claims about today. It is about human rights, about minority rights and basic decencies. When young women in the thousands from the minority community are abducted as an SOP, what can we conclude about the underlying mindset?," Vinito said. The official said the desire for peace, security and progress in the Indian subcontinent is real. "It is also widely shared. And it can be realised. That will surely happen when cross-border terrorism ceases, when governments come clean with the international community and their own people, when minorities are not persecuted and not least, when we recognise these realities before this Assembly," said Vinito. In his address to the UNGA, Pakistan's PM had said that while Pakistan looked for peace with India, "sustainable peace and stability" in the region was contingent upon the resolution of the Kashmir issue. He also mentioned Indias abrogation of Article 370, which scrapped special status for Jammu and Kashmir. Sharif said, "The officially sponsored campaign of oppression against Indias over 200 million Muslims is the worst manifestation of Islamophobia." India's state-run Bharat Petroleum Corp said it has signed a preliminary agreement with Brazil's national oil company Petrobras to help it diversify its crude oil sourcing. Indian state refiners rarely buy Brazilian oil. The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed by BPCL Chairman Arun Kumar Singh and Petrobras CEO Caio Paes de Andrade, BPCL said in a statement on Saturday. Also Read | Oil prices edge down, recession fears back in focus The MoU will help the company to explore sourcing of crude oil through long term contracts "especially considering the current geopolitical situations," it added. India recently allowed BPCL to invest $1.6 billion for developing an ultra-deep water hydrocarbon block in Brazil. The block is majority owned and operated by Petrobras. Singh said: "Strengthening India's foothold in Brazil will further open business avenues in neighboring Latin American countries." BPCL said the field development plan and final investment decision for the BM-SEAL-11 block is expected to be declared soon. Oil production from the block is expected from 2026/27. BPCL is the second largest fuel retailer in India and operates three refineries in the country with a combined capacity of 706,000 barrels per day (bpd). The United Kingdom, France and Sweden are the most prepared through their policies and practices to address child sexual violence, a new report shows. In the Out of the Shadows Index, in which policy think tank Economist Impact ranks 60 countries in their preparedness to combat child sexual violence, India is in the 15th position, behind South Africa, Mexico and Albania. India was among the top five countries in terms of protective legislation. These 60 countries are home to approximately 85 per cent of the global population of children. The report comes in light of the countrywide raids that the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) carried out at 56 locations across 19 states and a Union Territory on Saturday to combat the online circulation of child sexual abuse material (CSAM). Also Read | India's under-5 mortality rate sees 3-point decline with UP, Karnataka recording highest dip but sex ratio remains concern To prepare the report, Economist Impact looked at two governance dimensions prevention and response. The prevention dimension comprises protective legislation, policy and programmes, and national capacity and commitment pillars. The response dimension comprises support services and recovery, and justice process, the report states. Each year, the report reveals, as many as 400 million children around the world are exposed to child sexual exploitation and abuse (CSEA). The index data also shows that many governments are failing to create the policies needed to prevent and respond to CSEA and that less than half of the 60 countries have a strategy to end CSEA. Additionally, since 2019, there has been a 36 per cent decrease in the number of countries that have a national strategy or action plan that specifically addressed child sexual exploitation and/or abuse, reads the index. The report shows that globally, countries continue to lag behind when it comes to formulating legislation to combat online CSEA. While 67 per cent of the countries have legislation that prohibits showing or sending sexually explicit material to a child online, only 45 per cent have legislation targeted at online grooming. The number is even lower when considering legislation that prohibits online grooming regardless of intent to meet the child: Just one-quarter of countries have laws against such crimes, says the report. The report also shows that income is not a key driver of a countrys ability to effectively prevent and respond to CSEA; middle-income countries have performed well across most categories. Three of the top ten countries, including South Africa, Indonesia and Turkey, are middle-income economies, and 55 per cent of the top 20 countries are non-high income. As much as 98 per cent of the 60 countries have ratified the Convention on Elimination of all forms of Discrimination against Women, and 80 per cent have developed national gender strategies. Another key finding is that while 93 per cent of countries criminalise penetration between adults and female minors, only 82 per cent prohibit similar acts between adults and male minors. Relatives of the 19-year-old receptionist allegedly murdered by a BJP leader's son cremated her Sunday and protesters lifted an eight-hour blockade of a key highway after Uttarakhand Chief Minister Dhami assured justice. Ankita Bhandari was cremated on the banks of the Alaknanda at Shrinagar around 6.30 pm in the presence of Commissioner, Garhwal, Sushil Kumar and Pauri District Magistrate Vijay Kumar Jogdande. Her body was found in the Cheela canal close to Rishikesh on Saturday, six days after her parents found her missing from her room. She was killed allegedly by her employer. Bhandari's family had initially refused to perform her last rites until they received the final postmortem report. A preliminary report of an autopsy conducted at AIIMS, Rishikesh, said she died of drowning but there were antemortem injuries (injuries before death) on her body. A message from the chief minister that the SIT was doing its job and perpetrators of the murder would get the punishment they deserve helped convince the woman's relatives to finally cremate her. Also Read: Resort razed to destroy evidences, alleges Ankita's family as autopsy reveals injuries to body Earlier on Sunday, protesters demanding justice for Bhandari sat on a dharna on the Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway in Uttarakhand's Srinagar. The blockade lasted for nearly eight hours, leading to a nine-km-long traffic snarl. The woman worked at the Vanantara resort in Pauri district's Yamkeshwar block owned by Haridwar BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya. Pulkit and two other employees have been arrested in the case. Violent protests had erupted in areas surrounding the resort with local people breaking glass panes and some trying to torch a pickle factory on its premises as news of the murder spread. Earlier, the administration had begun demolishing the structure, prompting critics to say that this might have destroyed some evidence. Former Uttarakhand DGP Aloke Lal told a TV news channel that the demolition was not right as it was a scene of crime and it should have been retained as it was. On Sunday, the SIT headed by DIG P Renuka Devi reached the resort for a forensic examination. Also Read: Ankita Bhandari murder case: Protesters block Rishikesh-Badrinath national highway in Srinagar H State DGP Ashok Kumar, meanwhile, assured the victim's family that the police would produce enough evidence in court to hang her killers. "I have spoken to the victim's father on the phone and assured him of an impartial probe into her killing and strictest punishment to the guilty. They will not be spared at any cost," he said in a social media post. Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the Uttarakhand government should act with seriousness and sensitivity in the case and demanded that the accused be tried in a fast-track court. On Sunday, as protesters blocked the national highway in Srinagar, the police tried to have Ankita's father Virendra Singh Bhandari talk to them to lift the dharna, but it did not work. The protesters demanded that the perpetrators of the crime be hanged immediately. A section of women at the dharna site also demanded that the accused be handed over to them so that they could be punished appropriately. Virendra Singh Bhandari told the crowd that the police were cooperating with him and investigations were being carried out properly. The protesters, however, claimed that he was making the statement under pressure from the administration. Additional Superintendent of Police Shekhar Chandra Suyal had appealed to the protesters as well, saying all necessary action was being taken against the accused. Shops in Srinagar also kept shutters down in protest against the murder. Ankita Bhandari's village Shrikot is about 23 km from Srinagar. Senior BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday batted for the 'one nation, one voter list', saying that there is a need for paramount and path-breaking reforms in the electoral process of the country. The former minority affairs minister was addressing a conference at an event organised here to celebrate the birth anniversary of Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) ideologue Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay. "Different voter lists for elections to Panchayat, Municipal Corporation, Municipality, Vidhan Sabha, Lok Sabha and other elections not only create confusion but also raise questions on the credibility of the voter lists. 'one nation, one voter list' and 'one nation, one voter card' can help to solve this problem," he said. Read | CBI, ED no more 'caged parrot' but 'jewels of law': Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Naqvi said many significant electoral reforms took place in the year 2000 during the tenure of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee including the use of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs), ban on contesting from more than two places, limit on election expenditure and putting curb on criminalisation in the politics. "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has also initiated various crucial reforms in the electoral process. The Modi Government has brought 'electoral bonds' to curb the use of black money by political parties, candidates in elections and to ensure financial transparency in the electoral process," he said. "The other electoral reforms introduced by Modi also include easy and accessible procedures for voters, expansion of voter ID cards, legal restrictions on money and muscle power, formulating guidelines for non-serious candidates and political parties and the appeal for 'one nation, one election'," the BJP leader added. He called Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay an "institution of political purity and probity", terming his principle and ideology an essential and effective lesson for electoral reforms. Cautioning the people about money and muscle power in electoral politics, the leader said Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay Ji had said "vote for a person, not for his purse; vote for a party, not for a person; vote for ideology, not for a party". Deendayal Ji had also cautioned against opportunism which has nowadays become a "prevailing political practice", he said. Naqvi said elections are a festival of democracy, adding that people's faith and enthusiasm towards elections strengthen democratic values in India, the largest democracy of the world. On the margins of a summit meant as a show of force for a Russian leader seeking a turnaround on the battlefield, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India leaned in with a different message. Democracy, diplomacy and dialogue not war is the answer, he told Russian President Vladimir Putin as the cameras rolled on Sept. 16, before declaring that the two would speak more about how to bring peace in Ukraine. That assured interaction in Uzbekistan was the latest display of Indias rise under Modi. An ambitious and assertive power, India has become increasingly indispensable in the search for answers to some of the worlds most pressing challenges, from diplomacy to climate change to technology and trade to efforts at diversifying supply chains to counter China. Also Read | India on side of peace in Russia-Ukraine conflict: Jaishankar in UNGA It is Indias credentials as the worlds largest democracy that Modi rides on the global stage. But at home, diplomats, analysts and activists say, Modis government is undertaking a project to remake Indias democracy unlike any in its 75 years of independence stifling dissent, sidelining civilian institutions and making minorities second-class citizens. While past Indian leaders exploited religious divisions and weaponized institutions to stay in power, Modis focus has been more fundamental: a systematic consolidation of power achieved not through dramatic power grabs but through more subtle and lasting means, aimed at imprinting a majoritarian Hindu ideology on Indias constitutionally secular democracy. Modi has bent to his will on the courts, the news media, the legislature and civil society referee institutions that guarded Indias democracy in a region of military coups and entrenched dictatorships. As he has done so, the countrys indispensability on major global issues, coupled with challenges to democracy in both the United States and Europe, has ensured little pushback from Western allies. The question for India and the world is whether the country can remain an engine for growth and a viable partner even as its heavy-handed marginalization of minorities, particularly its 200 million Muslims, stokes cycles of extremism and perpetual volatility at home. Also Read | 'Jaage ho': How PM Modi surprised Jaishankar with midnight call The contradictions of Indias rise were crystallized in Germany in late June when Modi stood alongside the leaders of the Group of 7 major industrialized nations as his public relations team worked to document his seeming intimacy with his counterparts: a shared laugh with President Joe Biden, an interlacing of fingers with Justin Trudeau of Canada. But just as Modi was joining his hosts in signing a statement urging the defence of democracies and affirming ideals like freedom of expression and the independence of civil society, his government was continuing a crackdown on dissent back home. Indian authorities arrested an activist critical of the prime ministers past record on human rights and a fact-checker who had highlighted disparaging comments about Islam by a governing party spokesperson. Days earlier, officials had again rolled in bulldozers to raze the homes of Muslims as part of a campaign of instant justice, this time targeting activists accused of leading sometimes violent protests against the provocative remarks. Also Read | Dislodging Modi regime inevitable to save democracy, says Yechury For now, Modis focus is on leveraging Indias strengths. As the global order has been disrupted by Covid, the Russian invasion of Ukraine and an expansionist Beijing, Modis lieutenants have made clear that they see this as their moment to establish India, on their own terms, among the foremost powers. India is a rising economic force, having just passed Britain, its onetime colonial overlord, as the worlds fifth-largest economy. It is well positioned to prosper with its improving trade ties, large youth population and expanding technological infrastructure a potential alternative, in the eyes of some democracies, to a future dominated by China. Modis diplomats are emboldened to overcome seeming contradictions, such as holding military exercises with both Russia and the United States and increasing purchases of Russian oil despite American and European pressure. Indias Western allies have shown little appetite to challenge the Modi government as it diverges from some of their professed democratic values. A focus on trade and geopolitics has often pushed human rights to the back burner, analysts and diplomats said. With the European Union fast-tracking negotiations on a free-trade agreement with India, the talk is all this deal, this deal, this deal, one European diplomat in New Delhi said. Also Read | India is a flourishing democracy: Theres proof The United States, which two years into the Biden administration still does not have an ambassador in New Delhi, is reeling from former President Donald Trumps assault on its democratic system. Its seriousness about a foreign policy that prioritizes human rights was questioned as the quest for cheaper oil took Biden this summer to Saudi Arabia, where he fist-bumped with the crown prince implicated in a journalists murder and dismemberment. The U.S. also has lost some of its authority to criticize other countries on their records on democracy, said Lisa Curtis, a former senior U.S. national security official who leads the Indo-Pacific Security Program at the Center for a New American Security. In many ways, diplomats, officials and analysts said, Indias rise brings together two unique developments: a natural opening in the countrys often-uncertain post-colonial trajectory, and the emergence of a leader at the peak of his power who has spent half a century pursuing his vision from the ground up. After Indias violent founding as an independent nation in 1947, the country remained consumed for decades with questions of whether it would remain intact and whether its economy could feed an enormous population. The moment to define itself, and its relations with the world, has come only after those questions have largely been settled. Also Read | Using political epithets lightly in a fatigued democracy Modi, 72, has spent his life in the trenches of a right-wing movement that calls Indias founding as a secular republic a grave injustice that accommodated minorities like Muslims and Christians at the cost of what they see as the Hindu majoritys rightful claims. Modis political consolidation at the top, coupled with extensive welfare projects to maintain a strong voting base, has given Indias right-wing its most effective formula yet to bring about the cultural and systemic changes the movement has long fought for on the streets. The countrys central investigating agencies have become willing levers of intimidation against dissenting voices, analysts say. Journalists and activists face frequent harassment, are mired in lengthy court cases or are thrown in jail under laws that make bail difficult. Independent institutions from courts to parliament to the national human rights commission and the elections body have been overwhelmed or have largely retreated, as the compliant are rewarded and detractors are punished. Modi is not the first Indian leader to capture institutions and unleash them on political opponents, said Josy Joseph, who has chronicled a long history of abuses in his book The Silent Coup. The closest the countrys democracy has come to fracturing was in the 1970s when Prime Minister Indira Gandhi declared an emergency to jail opponents and censor the media in a bid to remain in power. Also Read | From rights to duties: The deliberate remaking of the citizen Joseph said Modi had been much more effective than Gandhi in achieving his aims, aided by an unparalleled propaganda operation allied broadcast media and newspapers, and a social media machine reaching into every phone that provides cover both at home and abroad. Modi and his Bharatiya Janata Party have very cleverly combined Indias traditional democratic credentials and autocratic controls, Joseph said. Gopal Krishna Agarwal, a BJP spokesperson, attributed criticism of the governments human rights record to politics and an unnamed nexus globally that cannot stomach Indias ascension. Our rise at the international level is because India, under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is looking out for Indian interests, taking independent decisions, Agarwal said. We are leveraging the strengths of India whether it is the large youth population, resources, manufacturing strength, IT strength, human resource strength. Agarwal said the governments approach to law and order should not be classified as human rights violations. He rejected the contention that Modi was deploying investigating agencies against his opponents, saying the raids were intended to clean up corruption. If somebody has objection to the investigation agency, there is courts, etc., which takes care of the balance of power, he said. But local courts, analysts and activists say, often act as a stamp for the executives abuses. The already-clogged higher courts struggle to keep up and are at times accused of aiding the executive by ignoring important cases of constitutional overreach. There are nearly 6 million cases pending in Indias high courts and more than 70,000 in the Supreme Court. One tactic the governing party deploys is to jail critics under strict laws against terrorist activities and money laundering. The conviction rate is abysmal, but the process of exoneration serves the political purpose of spreading fear, critics say. Siddique Kappan, a journalist, and his taxi driver were arrested in October 2020 as he tried to report on the governments efforts to contain the blowback over a gruesome rape case. Before Kappan had even reached the village, the government charged him with intending to hurt local communal harmony. He was repeatedly denied bail. When the Supreme Court of India finally heard his appeal this month, the judges took less than 30 minutes to rule that the governments case for denying Kappan his freedom was flimsy at best and granted him bail. Both Kappan and the taxi driver had already spent nearly two years in jail. But even the highest courts intervention did not free Kappan: He remains in jail under another pending case against him, while the driver has been freed. In our criminal justice system, the process is the punishment, N.V. Ramana lamented before his retirement as Indias chief justice last month. Modis confidence at home has extended into confidence abroad. Officials in his government often denounce international indexes rating countries on key indicators like health or press and religious freedom, dismissing them as products of colonial agendas or foreign naivete on Indias civilizational approach an attitude that reminds many diplomats of the stance often taken by authoritarian China. Shall we not set our own standards? Modi said last month at an event marking his countrys 75 years of independence, as helicopters showered rose petals. We want freedom from slavery. In April, Secretary of State Antony Blinken said in a rare public comment on Indias domestic policies that the United States was monitoring some recent concerning developments in India, including a rise in human rights abuses by some government, police and prison officials. His Indian counterpart, S. Jaishankar, fired back. I would tell you that we also take our views on other peoples human rights situation, including that of the United States, Jaishankar said during a visit to the United States. So, we take up human rights issues when they arise in this country. Following a protest march by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Pune where 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were reportedly raised, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray came out and predicted unrest if Hindus and Marathis decide to take matters into their hands. If this happens, there will be unrest during the festive times. So it's better to put an end to these anti-national activities on an urgent basis," he said in a statement issued on Saturday. If slogans such as Pakistan Zindabad Allahu Akbar are going to be proclaimed in our Pune city, then our countrys Hindus are not going to keep quiet. Rather, its better to urgently put an end to this disease of anti-national elements.@AmitShah @Dev_Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/pdpqZQFBqc Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) September 24, 2022 A video has surfaced on social media, which shows that a "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan was allegedly raised during a protest organised by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Pune, drawing a sharp reaction from the Maharashtra government, which said action would be taken against the slogan shouters. Also Read: Maharashtra: More than 60 booked in Pune for holding protest over action against PFI The MNS chief, in his statement, that was shared on social media, claimed that the PFI members were arrested as they were funding terror activities in the country, and deemed it as an 'anti-national activity'. Referring to those who were shouting 'pro-Pakistani' slogans, he said, "If such is their mental state, then take your religion and go to Pakistan. This kind of drama is not going to be allowed in our country." "I earnestly request the central and state home ministers to take the sternest action against such outfits that even the phonetic sound of 'PA' will not be uttered from them. If not, then our country's Hindus will not take it lying down. I don't wish to go into the details of what may happen," he added. The incident was condemned by top Maharashtra leaders, including Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and his deputy Devendra Fadnavis. Watch: How the massive crackdown against PFI was planned Shinde said such slogans will not be tolerated in the state, while Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Home Minister, said those who indulged in this sloganeering will not be spared. Nana Patole, the state's Congress chief also condemned the incident. "I condemn the raising of pro-Pakistan slogans in Pune. Divisive and communal organisations should be banned. The Congress wants peace and such tendencies to create a divide should be stopped," said the Congress chief. In a massive crackdown on the PFI, multi-agency teams spearheaded by the National Investigation Agency (NIA) had, on Thursday, arrested 106 leaders and activists of the radical Islamic outfit in near-simultaneous raids in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. Maharashtra and Karnataka accounted for 20 arrests each, Tamil Nadu (10), Assam (9), Uttar Pradesh (8), Andhra Pradesh (5), Madhya Pradesh (4), Puducherry and Delhi (3 each) and Rajasthan (2). The PFI, formed in 2006, claims to strive for a neo-social movement ostensibly for the empowerment of marginalised sections of India and is often accused by law enforcement agencies of promoting radical Islam. (With agency inputs) I was over the moon! laughs former NASA astronaut and moonwalker Charles Moss Duke when asked to recall his feelings on stepping on the lunar surface over 50 years ago during the Apollo 16 mission. As the youngest person to do so at 36 years on April 27, 1972, the legendary NASA astronaut says he still holds that record though I wish someone had broken it by now. One of the only 12 men to ever walk on the moon, the 86-year-old was the star speaker at the 6th Starmus Festival, held recently in Yerevan, the capital city of Armenia. The multi-day international celebration of science and culture brought together scientists, engineers, astronauts and Nobel Laureates from all over the world to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the first soft landing on Mars by Mars 3 and the first orbiter Mariner 9. Duke, who is currently one of the only four living moonwalkers, delivered a lecture about the Apollo programmes. Today I feel as young as the astronaut who walked on the moon at the age of 36, Duke said sharing his experiences of staying on the moon for over 20 hours. Dukes Apollo 16 mission commanded by John Young, along with himself as the Lunar Module Pilot and Command Module Pilot Ken Mattingly is remembered for many things. Not only was it the first to land in the lunar highlands, but it also scooped out the oldest rock samples whose age is estimated to be around 4.4 billion years old. Dukes team did three moonwalks in the Descartes highlands to seek the volcanic rocks for which they had received months of geology training. The trio also mixed business with pleasure. Since 1972 was an Olympic year, they came up with the unique idea of doing Moon Olympics. We did our own version of the high jump and a record attempt at how we could leap in one-sixth gravity, shares Duke who retired as a Brigadier General in the US army. The attempt wasnt all fun and games though as the astronaut weighed a whopping 170 kg with all his gear even though his lunar weight was only 25 kg. So when Duke jumped, he lost his balance and tumbled backwards. It was a moment of fear, recalls the moonwalker, his memories of half a century ago still fresh. But fear is not a bad emotion if you can overcome it. It motivates you to push yourself. And thats what happened to me. Recalling how his hammer also fell on the moons surface while collecting rock and soil samples, Duke says it was tough to lift it up again. Understanding gravity is not at all easy, but thats what discipline and training are for. And we had months of it at NASA, adds Duke who travelled around 5 km at a speed of 17 km per hour. Maintaining body temperature on the moon is also fraught with challenges and saving myself was a daily battle, he remembers. No stranger to challenging moments in his stellar career, Duke is also commended for his crucial role as Capcom the spacecraft communicator during the dramatic landing of Apollo 11. His crew was several miles off course, grappling with computer overload alarms while also running low on fuel. The lunar module touched down on the surface with less than 30 seconds fuel remaining in the tanks! Proud of being a family man, Dukes wife Dorothy Meade Claiborne is a constant companion on his various travels around the world when he delivers motivational talks. The couple resides in Texas and have also co-authored the book Moonwalker and also produced two videos/DVDs Moonwalker and Walk on the Moon, Walk with the Son. Given his strong family bonds, it was hardly surprising that Duke left a memorable token behind on the moon a family photo. On the back of the photo, wed written This is the family of astronaut Charlie Duke from planet Earth who landed on the moon in April 1972. And we all signed it. Although it would have disintegrated now, Duke says its an indelible memory as its the only family photo to make it on the Moon. Though Duke says he doesnt follow the latest developments on space and lunar programmes, he is thrilled that the United States is getting back into deep space exploration with a new generation of astronauts and new lunar missions, such as the Artemis programme. A supporter of womens rights, he adds that he is happy that the mission plans to land the first woman and person of colour on the Moon. An avid traveller, Duke recalls his visits to India fondly when he visited Jaipur, Agra, Chennai, Mumbai, Vijayawada and Kolkata. Awed by Taj Mahals beauty, he says he also loved interacting with students at a local college in Vijayawada, Andhra Pradesh in 2019. So what is his message to todays youth? The three Ps Planning, Practice, Performance are indispensable to ones success, he says. Thanks to NASA, these traits were inculcated in me. So I encourage all youngsters to do the same; work hard, get educated and stay focused. Only then can they aim for the moon! Is there gender parity on the Moon? The fact that the landing of women on the Moon is still discussed through a gendered lens a woman landing on the moon, as opposed to simply an astronaut shows the clear gender inequality that still exists. That NASAs latest mission to the Moon is named after an ancient lunar goddess turned feminist icon, Artemis, is no wonder seen as mere tokenism by many as no woman has yet walked on the Moon! Helga, Zohar to show the way... Even as Artemis I, NASAs mission to the Moon has been deferred due to a tropical storm, whenever the big date arrives in the near future, on board the Orion space capsule will be two special passengers Helga and Zohar. These Phantom mannequins will mimic human bones, soft tissues, and the internal organs of an adult female. The mannequins will map radiation exposure levels throughout the body. Zohar, specifically, will wear a radiation protection vest designed to protect the real astronauts slated for future Artemis missions including the first women to go to the moon. The third mannequin on the Artemis will be Moonikin Campos. Over the years, researchers have been collecting data on how sex differences might influence astronauts health in space but the information has been very limited. With Helga and Zohar now making the trip, NASA hopes to make progress on this front. Going beyond short-term conditions and changes to bodies, a lot of the focus on human health out in space is focused on exposure to cosmic radiation from stars and galactic explosions. Some calculations suggest that the radiation exposure rate on the moon is about 2.6 times higher than that experienced by astronauts aboard the International Space Station (ISS). Here are some more observations: Most of the data currently available shows a pattern of female survivors being more susceptible to developing lung cancer than male ones. With radiation coming from all angles in space, devising a physical barrier like a spacesuit or protective vest can be tricky. It makes understanding how all human organs are affected by radiation exposure important whether they be sex-specific reproductive organs or not. Back in 2020, a female astronaut developed a blood clot while on the ISS prompting an investigation into whether the use of hormonal contraceptives for menstrual cycle control increased the risk of clotting during space flights. A review of 38 female astronaut flights published later that year concluded that it does not. But considering the small sample size, it left many unanswered questions about hormonal birth control pills increasing ones risk of developing blood clots. Women did better than their male counterparts whose eyesight seemed to be more affected by swelling around the optic nerve in zero gravity than female astronauts. Having said that, female astronauts have statistically experienced greater orthostatic intolerance (the inability to stand without fainting for a long period of time) upon returning to Earth. Helga and Zohar should be able to come back with more about all these and also about how women handle menstruation in microgravity! (Agencies) Please allow ads as they help fund our trusted local news content. Kindly add us to your ad blocker whitelist. If you want further access to Ireland's best local journalism, consider contributing and/or subscribing to our free daily Newsletter . Support our mission and join our community now. It is a big day for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) on Monday, September 26, as it is the day when its Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) mission is expected to smash into the asteroid moonlet Dimorphos. The space agency is confident that everything will go to plan and you can watch it happen online. If you are wondering how you can go about it, we are about to tell you how! NASA's DART Mission to Slam Into Dimorphos But before we talk about how to watch everything unfold on Monday, let us first discuss the mission itself. Launched in November 2021, the DART mission's goal is to see if it is possible to change the course an asteroid is currently on. The target of the mission is asteroid moonlet Dimorphos, which is located around 700 million miles away from our planet and is around 560 feet wide. It is part of the same binary system as Didymos, which it actually orbits. Should the DART mission succeed, "shift Dimorphos' orbital period enough to alter its gravitational effects on the larger Didymos, changing the trajectory of the pair," according to a report by Space. Related Article: NASA's DART Mission Expected to Smash Into Asteroid Dimorphos on September 26 What Happens If the DART Mission Fails? While NASA is confident that the DART mission will slam into Dimorphos as planned, there will always be a possibility that things may go wrong and the spacecraft misses its target. So what happens then? Per the report by Space, the DART team will first process the available data that has been collected by the mission. Once that has been done, the team will then consider other space objects that the spacecraft can slam into instead. How to Watch the DART Mission Online Want to see what happens when a spacecraft slams into an asteroid? Well, there are a couple of ways you can do so. First, according to a separate report by Space, NASA will provide live coverage of the mission via NASA TV, NASA's official website, and of course, the space agency's social media pages. "The DART probe's sole instrument, the Didymos Reconnaissance and Asteroid Camera for Optical navigation (DRACO), will beam back approximately one image per second as it approaches its target, which NASA will share both in a dedicated livestream and in a broadcast event," the report states. However, it should be noted that if the mission is successful, the camera will cease its broadcast because it has already slammed into Dimorphos. If you want to watch the whole mission, including the aftermath of the impact, you can do so via the Virtual Telescope Project's website, accordingt to Space. This has been made possible due to the partnership between Virtual Telescope Project with two South African observatories: Klein Karoo Observatory and the Mahikeng Astronomical Observatory. The livestream begins at 6:30 p.m. EDT on Monday. Read Also: NASA's DART Asteroid Mission Risks Deforming the Moonlet Dimorphus When They Collide A Co Tyrone woman whose father was murdered has described how writing her first novel has been a cathartic experience. Claire Shiells father Eric, 49, was killed outside his home when she was a child in April 1977. The part-time member of the Ulster Defence Regiment was shot dead by the IRA. Despite the early trauma, Ms Shiells described her childhood as more Derry Girls than doom and gloom. My debut novel, After Dad comes out NEXT WEEK 28 September! You can pre-order #AfterDad from all good bookstores & booksellers now. Find out more on my website: https://t.co/Cp8VS5g6gy A little request: Please support your local bricks & mortar bookshop, if you can. pic.twitter.com/KPC5HvW8Py claire shiells (@claireshiells) September 24, 2022 However, the experience inspired her first novel, exploring the challenges and changes which Northern Ireland is going through emerging from conflict through an unlikely love story. After Dad follows a woman who moved from her native Co Tyrone to London, but finds she cannot escape her familys tragedy through geography. Capturing memorable characters, her lead Millie, a journalist, returns home following a trauma, but finds no peace, with a family divided in how they, like scores of families, have coped with the murder. Most of the story centres around a family cottage in Co Donegal where Millie meets her love interest, Finn McFall, a Catholic from west Belfast, and while love blossoms, the novels questions if they can move on from their respective pasts. Ms Shiells described the experience of writing the book as strangely cathartic. The book was inspired by my familys own experiences during the Troubles, she said. I was raised in Co Tyrone, a beautiful rural area but one steeped in sectarianism. I wanted the book to highlight the chilling contrast between the landscapes beauty and the violence that took place there. I found the experience strangely cathartic. After Dad is a novel, not an autobiography, however, many of the incidents, both sad and funny, did happen to me and my family in real life. Ms Shiells, who lives in London with her husband and daughter, said she was inspired to realise her long-held dream of writing a novel after a near-death experience, following complications after surgery in March 2020. After Dad is a book full of characters that have faced adversity throughout their lives, but who also live in hope, she said. At times, I think this manifested hope was what carried me along on my own personal journey. What happened to me as a child in Northern Ireland, and later with my health, have definitely impacted my writing but in all the right ways. They say what doesnt kill you makes you stronger. I am living proof of that. Bringing a debut novel into the world and seeing my characters come to life is something I have always dreamed of. I cannot wait to share this story, and these characters with the world. Jeremy Thompson, of The Book Guild, said he believes the book will resonate with local audiences. Claires personal experience of growing up during The Troubles in Northern Ireland is both heartbreaking and joyous and this comes through in her writing, and in the colourful characters and powerful narrative voice she has created, he said. After Dad will resonate with local audiences but its main themes of love, loss, and loyalty are universal in appeal. After Dad by Claire Shiells will be published by The Book Guild on September 28. What is UPI Lite? UPI Lite is an on-device wallet service provided by select banks that allow low-value transactions up to 200 through the BHIM app. Lets see how it works. How does UPI Lite work? UPI Lite works with current UPI IDs that you may already have. Note that it works with only one UPI ID only though. You can transact up to 200 and you can save (debit) up to 2000 on your phone (within the BHIM app). So, thats the transaction limit and UPI Lite Balance you should be aware of. Interestingly so, you dont need a UPI pin to do a UPI Lite transaction, but you will have to enter the passcode of the BHIM app to access the app in the first place. Also, with UPI Lite, not even an internet connection is required to send money to the other party. Although you would internet to credit money to your device and the other person should also have the internet to receive the amount that you sent. NPCI notes that while adding funds to the UPI Lite Balance, you will have to set an Additional Factor of Authentication (AFA). Rest to transact, you can either scan a QR code of the merchant/receiver or do it through mobile number or VPA ID of the other person/party like you do in case of the regular UPI. When the amount of transaction is less than 200, the UPI app (BHIM in this case) automatically switches to UPI Lite mode. How to enable UPI Lite? A. Heres how you can activate UPI Lite: In the BHIM app home screen, you may get to see the option to enable UPI Lite. Do it. Agree to the terms and conditions and press the Enable Now button. Select the issuing Bank Account. Add funds to the local wallet on the device (phone). Now when you transact below 200, the UPI Lite mode will be suggested even though you can still choose to go with the regular UPI mode. UPI Lite FAQs Q. What are the banks that work with UPI Lite? A. UPI Lite is supported by banks like HDFC Bank, State Bank of India (SBI), Punjab National Bank (PNB), Canara Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, Indian Bank, Union Bank of India, and Utkarsh Small Finance Bank. "Any disputes pertaining to enablement, top up or disablement of UPI Lite shall be referred to and handled by issuing bank," as per the NPCI website. Q. Do UPI Lite transactions appear on the bank statement? A. No, UPI Lite transactions dont appear on the bank statement or passbook. Only the the funds you top up to the UPI Lite Balance would be reflected in the passbook. Fret not, you will get a daily account statement or history of all UPI Lite transactions done during the day through SMS on your registered mobile number. Q. Does UPI Lite work on Google Pay, PhonePe, PayTM, etc? A. As of writing this, UPI Lite is exclusively available on BHIM app. You can download the BHIM app on Android and iOS through Google Play Store and Apple App Store respectively. Q. What happens to unused funds, if you disable UPI Lite some day? A. In case you decide to deactivate UPI Lite account, the remaining fund in your UPI Lite Balance will be credited back to your bank account. Q. Whats the UPI Lite transaction limit in a day? A. You can carry out unlimited UPI Lite transactions in a day but the maximum amount you can sent at a a time is 200 only. Q. Is there a interest on UPI Lite Balance? A. No, there is no interest will be payable on the UPI Lite Balance. Q. Does RBI or NPCI receive your money as part of this service? A. No, RBI or NPCI doesnt receive your money. Rather, its all held and handled by your issuing bank. Q. Are there any UPI Lite charges? A. At the moment, UPI Lite is said to be free of cost. Q. How does UPI Lite benefits customers like you and me? A. UPI Lite lets you do small-change transactions up to 200 without worrying about loose cash For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in. As part of a UK's National Cyber Crime Unit investigation, a 17-year-old teenager was detained on suspicion of Rockstar Games hack that led to a major Grand Theft Auto (GTA) VI leak. According to the reports, the alleged hacker might have also been involved in an intrusion on ride-hailing service Uber. "@CityPolice confirm 17-year-old arrested over hacking incident; source says the crime is related to intrusion on Rockstar Games and possibly Uber Technologies," prominent journalist Matthew Keys tweeted. This month Uber has blamed the infamous Lapsus$ hacking group for the cyber attack on its internal systems recently. Uber had also mentioned that "there are also reports that this same actor breached video game maker Rockstar Games". Meanwhile, Rockstar Games' confirmed 'network intrusion' resulted in the leak of 90 videos of GTA VI, showcasing its engine, gameplay and more from an early development build. The leak provided a glimpse into GTA 6 development, confirming prior reports of the series' first female protagonist and a Vice City setting. The title, informally known as GTA 6, will mark the first mainline game since 2013's GTA V, having racked up a record-breaking 170 million sales to date. (Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited) For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in. Google-owned wearable brand Fitbit is planning to make Google Accounts mandatory on new Fitbit devices from next year. According to Fitbit, Google will not use Fitbit health and wellness data for Google Ads. "After we launch Google accounts on Fitbit in 2023, some uses of Fitbit will require a Google account, including to sign up for Fitbit or activate newly released Fitbit devices and features, "the wearable brand said on a support page. "If you have a Fitbit account, after the launch of Google accounts on Fitbit, you'll have the option to move Fitbit to your Google account or to continue to use your existing Fitbit devices and services with your Fitbit account for as long as it's supported," it added. The company said Google accounts on Fitbit will support several benefits for Fitbit users, including a single login for Fitbit and other Google services, account security, centralised privacy controls for Fitbit user data, and more features from Google on Fitbit. After the launch of Google accounts on Fitbit, if you want to move from your Fitbit account to your Google account, you will need to consent to transfer your Fitbit user data from Fitbit to Google. Once you complete the move, you will log into Fitbit with your Google account and no longer with your Fitbit account. Google will then provide you with Fitbit under Google's Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and binding commitments for Fitbit. (Except for the headline and cover image, the rest of this IANS article is un-edited) For more technology news, product reviews, sci-tech features and updates, keep reading Digit.in. A new movement is popping up all over the world with the launch of Circles: relaxed, networking events led by members of the Wedo Womens Inspire Network. Locally Iris Kavanagh is hosting the Louth Circle in The Creative Works Remote Working Hub in Dundalk. The Womens Inspire Network empowered by Wedo is a new movement to encourage women to start a business and become new leaders. 56% of freelancers are women and as Wedo is a new app for freelancers, this is the perfect fit to create a global community. Wedo helps you build a community, automate your payments and invoices, manage your calendar and gives you video & audio conferencing tools that take away the pain involved with running a freelance business. Indiana Gregg, founder of Wedo.ai says: "Women run great companies and are underrepresented when it comes to both investment and in leadership. Women who are leaders who have blazed tails in business need to help those who are on their way up. "Womens Inspire Network was initially an Irish online womens network and with Wedo has already begun to expand globally. With Circles we get the opportunity to meet up in real life as well as online. We hope more women in leadership will join Wedo and the Women's Inspire Network to unite women's networks across the globe". Samantha Kelly, the founder of Womens Inspire Network says: During the pandemic we saw the need to learn to use technology that we might have put off before: we HAD to learn zoom, social media etc. Valuable relationships can be built online, which we have seen with the rise of social audio and hybrid events. Now with Wedo launching, we can nurture those relationships even more with groups and communities. "With Circles, no one is left behind. Particularly in smaller towns, where there might not be a network yet, there is still a need for community and sharing knowledge. It can be very isolating to start a business and it is especially difficult for women over the age of 40, who might not have any experience with social networks and technology before starting their businesses. Magic can happen over a cup of tea, so our circles are relaxed, with tea/coffee and you just never know who that next useful introduction can be." Wedo say they want to be the women other women are excited to meet when starting their business. Welcoming, friendly and adding value with tips to keep others from making the mistakes they made and avoid some of the challenges they had, or offer solutions to women who are experiencing similar challenges. So join Iris on Thursday 13th October from 11am-1pm.Women in business are invited along for a cup of tea, expert advice and business networking opportunities. Netflix's Tudum event is certainly filled with many exciting announcements for series and movies. If you happen to be eagerly waiting for a new update for "Alice in Borderland" season two, you will not be disappointed as an official trailer has been dropped during the Tudum event. If you have yet to see the trailer, we have it for you right here! We will also recap what is known about "Alice in Borderland" season two, including cast members as well as what it will focus on in terms of story. Here is what you have to know about "Alice in Borderland" season two: Netflix Series 'Alice in Borderland' The Netflix series "Alice in Borderland" is based on the manga of the same name by Haro Aso. It follows the story of Arisu, who finds himself trapped with his friends in an abandoned Tokyo. In order to survive, they must play games. Losing these games often leads to deadly consequences. The first season, which premiered on Netflix on December 10, 2020, is eight episodes long. It stars Kento Yamazaki, Tao Tsuchiya, Yuki Morinaga, and Keita Machida, among others. Read Also: Want to Learn More After Watching 'Thai Cave Rescue' on Netflix? Here are the Documentaries Available on YouTube Netflix Drops Trailer for 'Alice in Borderland' Season Two Netflix has released an official trailer for season two of "Alice in Borderland," which is scheduled to premiere sometime in December 2022. A report by ComicBook.com says of the trailer, "There's no concrete release date, nor has it been revealed how many episodes this new season will be running for, but there has been the first trailer showing fans many of the new games in the mysterious new Shibuya that Arisu and Usagi [Tsuchiya] jump into." The story of the second season will focus on the second half of the manga series and will follow Arisu and Usagi's efforts to return to the real world. As you may have already guessed, both Kento Yamazaki and Tao Tsuchiya are returning for season two, along with the cast members whose characters survived the first season. No spoilers here, especially for those who have yet to watch the series! New cast members have also been added for the second season of "Alice in Borderland," including Tomohisa Yamashita (otherwise known as Yamapi), Honami Sato, Kai Inowaki, Yuri Tsunematsu, Hayato Isomura, and Katsuya Maiguma. Without further ado, here is the official trailer of "Alice in Borderland" season two: Other News From Netflix's Tudum Event Aside from season two of "Alice in Borderland," Netflix's Tudum event also provided fans with updates on "The Witcher." As a previous iTech Post report states, a release window for "The Witcher" season three has been provided. A release date has also been given for its prequel series, "The Witcher: Blood Origin." Related Article: Netflix's 'Alice in Borderland' Drops Season 2 Teasers Ahead of December Release Huni a 30 minute documentary which was filmed, edited and produced by emerging Irish film maker, Dani, will be having its Irish premiere at the upcoming Louth International Film Festival in the An Tain Theater in Dundalk on Saturday 1 October at 12pm. Before the pandemic, Dani went to live with and film the Huni Kuin who are an indigenous tribe living in a remote part of the Amazon jungle. The psychedelic Ayahuasca is a key part of their spirituality. Every Saturday they gather as a tribe and go on a night long psychedelic inner vision quest. They are deeply spiritual and try to live in peace and harmony within themselves, with their neighbouring tribes and with the ecosystem. They were so concerned about the effects deforestation and climate change was having on the Amazon rainforest that they held a tribal Ayahuasca ceremony to pray. The documentary explores the Huni Kuins daily life, philosophies, medicines, challenges as well as a recording of the tribes special Ayahuasca ceremony to try and heal the planet. Music has a particular spiritual significance to the Huni Kuin people and so the music from the ceremony is used as the soundtrack for the film. Like many indigenous people, the Huni Kuin believe that many of the worlds current challenges including depression, violence and climate change are in part due to the Western Worlds disconnection from their spirit. The film also explores the connection between the state of humanitys consciousness and climate change. It is the debut film for Irish film maker Dani. Born and raised in Dublin, she has been living in California for the past 13 years but now has returned to Ireland to begin work on her first feature film which will be shot here. Huni has just begun its festival run and has already been selected for 12 film festivals and has won Best Documentary at two international festivals. To find out more about the movie visit www.hunitribe.com. Tickets will be on sale shortly via www.gatecinemas.com. The Louth International Film Festival run takes place from Saturday 1 until Sunday 2 October and is proudly presented by the Louth Filmmakers Society in association with Dundalk Institute of Technology (DKIT). The film festival was established in 2019, to support emerging filmmakers and celebrate creative, challenging and evocative cinema from around the globe. Patrons include Hollywood director, John Moore, and acclaimed cinematographer, Seamus McGarvey (ASC, BSC). Founded to support emerging filmmakers and celebrate creative, challenging and evocative cinema from around the globe. The festival is made possible in part by support from Create Louth, Dundalk Credit Union and donations from the local community. To find out more about the Louth International Film Festival visit https://www.facebook.com/louthinternationalfilmfestival/ A smuggler carrying six gold biscuits was apprehended by border security force troops from the border station Hakimpur, 112 Battalion, on the South Bengal Frontier. The seized biscuits weigh 1.269 kg and are worth around Rs 65 lakh. Six gold biscuits were found in a mans pants pocket after the on-duty jawans stopped and searched the man riding a bike. The smuggler was arrested and taken to the border outpost for further questioning. Abdur Rehman Moula, a 33-year-old resident of West Bengals North 24 Parganas area, was identified as the smuggler who was apprehended. The smuggler confessed during questioning that he had been engaged in similar smuggling for a significant amount of time. He went on to say that he had bought the biscuits from Muzaffar Dafadar in the Swaroopada market and that he was bringing them to Musharraf Sardar in the Dattapara village. However, foiling the crime, BSF apprehended him. A news report on North Korea's launch of a missile is aired on a television at Seoul Station on May 7. Yonhap North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea on Sunday, South Korea's military said, two days after a nuclear-powered U.S. aircraft carrier arrived here for allied drills. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from an area in or around Taechon, North Pyongan Province, at 6:53 a.m., and that it flew some 600 kilometers at an apogee of around 60 km at a top speed of Mach 5. The intelligence authorities of the South and the United States are conducting a detailed analysis for other details, the JCS said. The launch came as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris plans to visit Seoul later this week and the allies are set to hold a joint maritime exercise in the East Sea, involving the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group. Soon after the launch, JCS Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum and Gen. Paul LaCamera, the commander of the South Korea-U.S. Combined Forces Command, had discussions on security coordination. "They reaffirmed that through the planned South Korea-U.S. maritime exercise and other efforts, they would further solidify a combined defense posture against any North Korean threats and provocations," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters. It strongly urged the North to immediately stop all ballistic missile tests, saying such a launch is an act of "significant provocation that undermines peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula as well as in the international community," and a "clear" breach of U.N. Security Council resolutions. "While monitoring and tracking North Korean movements to prepare against any additional provocation in close cooperation with the U.S., our military will maintain a firm readiness posture based on the capability to respond overwhelmingly to any North Korean provocation," the JCS said. LOCALS are calling for urgent action following yet another blaze at the site of the Good Shepherd Convent. A 75-foot aerial platform was deployed by Cork City Fire Brigade in response to the incident at Sundays Well which occurred in the early hours of this morning. A backup water tanker, obtained from Mallow Station, was also utilised to control the blaze. The scene was attended by a sub-station crew in addition to a crew from the main station. Some 20 firefighters fought the blaze with 12 remaining on-site to ensure the safety of the building this afternoon. It comes four years after Developers Moneda were granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanala following a proposal to build 234 apartments at the site. Gardai are currently investigating the incident. However, a number of TDs and councillors stressed that the site needs to be secured to protect those living nearby from potential tragedy. DAMAGE While it is understood there was substantial damage to the roof of the building, Sinn Fein TD, Thomas Gould said it was lucky the blaze didnt end in deaths or serious injury. Fire crews from Anglesea Street tending the ruins of the former Good Shepherd Convent in Sunday's Well in Cork, some 12 hours after a fire broke out in the former Magdalene laundry, mother and baby home and orphanage. Picture: Donal O'Keeffe. This is a disgrace, he told The Echo. There have been half a dozen fires here but three major ones. It is only a matter of time before this ends in tragedy. Firefighters are having to go up there and put their lives at risk because these speculators are sitting on properties. Cork City Council has to act. He warned that lives are being put at risk. This is blackguarding of the highest order. Buildings are being allowed to crumble in the middle of a housing crisis. What is needed is a compulsory purchase order for the immediate purchase of this building. Lives are being put in jeopardy-particularly the lives of firefighters. If a tragedy occurs, then the outrage will have come too late Meanwhile, local councillor Kenneth Collins also raised a number of concerns. There is a duty of care here where the owners are concerned to make sure this doesnt happen again, Cllr Collins said. All it will take is the wind blowing the wrong way one night for a spark to reach a nearby property. There is also the historical element. We would like to keep the facade of the building but it looks like that could be lost. Crews from Cork Fire Brigade battle a fire at the former Good Shepherd Magdalene Laundry in Sunday's Well, Cork. The blaze is understood to have begun shortly before 4am on Sunday morning. This was at least the third such fire at the derelict premises, which is a listed building. Picture: Donal O'Keeffe Meanwhile former Lord Mayor and Fianna Fail councillor Tony Fitzgerald described the development as disappointing". The disruptions have been very upsetting to locals in particular. Im hoping to meet with the owners of the property to see what measures can be taken to make it safer. Hopefully, they can make it more secure and move on with the development. "Its regrettable when you think of the level of resources being utilised by the fire services during these disturbances. Sinn Fein Councillor, Mick Nugent expressed concern that the situation is getting out of control. It is incumbent on the owners of the property to let the community know their plans, he said. If they are not interested then the property should be passed on to someone else. There should be a role for the council to come in and take it over and do something better than what was envisaged by the developer. This is getting out of control and we are calling on the owners of the property to take responsibility. Completed in 1881, the building operated as a Magdalene laundry, a mother and baby home, and an orphanage for 103 years. The Good Shepherd laundry was the home of Little Nellie of Holy God, Corks unofficial patron saint. Ellen Organ was five years old when she died in 1908. Her short life was steeped in ill health and extreme religious devotion. National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han Yonhap South Korea's presidential National Security Council (NSC) on Sunday condemned North Korea's test-firing of a short-range ballistic missile as a "provocation" that heightened tensions on the Korean Peninsula and the region. The condemnation came as National Security Adviser Kim Sung-han chaired an emergency meeting shortly after Pyongyang fired the short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea. President Yoon Suk-yeol was briefed about the North's launch of the ballistic missile, the presidential office said. The NSC "condemns the ballistic missile launch as a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and a provocation that heightens tensions on the Korean Peninsula and the region, and makes it clear that it cannot be justified for any reason," according to the office. A file image of a missile launch by North Korea is shown on a news program at Seoul Station in Seoul, Sunday. North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile Sunday into the East Sea in an apparent protest against a U.S. aircraft carrier that visited South Korea for joint military exercises. AP-Yonhap By Nam Hyun-woo North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea, Sunday, in what appears to be a protest against U.S. aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan's arrival in Busan for a combined exercise with the South Korean Navy. According to the Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS), the North fired one ballistic missile from Taechon County, North Pyeongan Province at 6:53 a.m. The military said the short-range ballistic missile (SRBM) flew approximately 600 kilometers to a maximum height of 60 kilometers at a speed reaching Mach 5. Intelligence officials of South Korea and the U.S. believe the North launched a variant of the KN-23, also known as the North Korean version of the Russian Iskander-M, from a transporter erector launcher. This is the 19th missile that the North has fired this year and the fifth missile provocation since the conservative President Yoon Suk-yeol took office in May. Monday's launch came 113 days after Pyongyang launched eight SRBMs on June 5. A day earlier, the military detected signs that the North was set to launch submarine launched ballistic missiles, which may pose a greater threat to Seoul's national security. But the JCS sees a slim chance of the latest launch being an SLBM, given the missile on Sunday was fired from inland. The USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier is docked in Busan, Friday. The visit is the nuclear-powered carrier's first in five years amid growing threats from North Korea. UPI-Yonhap Experts said Sunday's launch appears to be the North's protest against a scheduled joint maritime exercise in the East Sea, involving the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group. The aircraft carrier, along with cruiser USS Chancellorsville and destroyer USS Barry, docked in South Korea's southern port city of Busan on Friday for the exercise, which will take place from Monday until Thursday. "The distance between Taechon Airport in the North and Busan Port is about 620 kilometers," said Kim Dong-yup, a professor at the University of North Korean Studies. "If the North was to launch the missile toward Busan, not into the East Sea, the missile could reach the carrier. Pyongyang has used similar tactics in the past." Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup, center, speaks with Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly, left, commander of the Carrier Strike Group 5, during his visit to the USS Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier in Busan, Saturday. Courtesy of Ministry of National Defense Yes, robots are coming to take our jobs. That's a good thing, we should be happy they are because those jobs they're taking kinda suck. Do you really want to go back to the days of manually monitoring, flagging and investigating the world's daily bank transfers in search of financial fraud and money laundering schemes? DBS Bank, Singapore's largest financial institution, certainly doesn't. The company has spent years developing a cutting-edge machine learning system that heavily automates the minutia-stricken process of "transaction surveillance," freeing up human analysts to perform higher level work while operating in delicate balance with the antique financial regulations that bound the industry. It's fascinating stuff. Working with AI by Thomas H. Davenport and Steven M. Miller is filled with similar case studies from myriad tech industries, looking at commonplace human-AI collaboration and providing insight into the potential implications of these interactions. MIT Press Excerpted from Working with AI: Real Stories of Human-Machine Collaboration by Thomas H. Davenport and Steven M. Miller. Reprinted with permission from The MIT Press. Copyright 2022. DBS Bank: AI-Driven Transaction Surveillance Since the passage of the Bank Secrecy Act, also known as the Currency and Foreign Transactions Reporting Act, in the US in 1970, banks around the world have been held accountable by governments for preventing money laundering, suspicious cross-border flows of large amounts of money, and other types of financial crime. DBS Bank, the largest bank in Singapore and in Southeast Asia, has long had a focus on anti-money laundering (AML) and financial crime detection and prevention. According to a DBS executive for compliance, We want to make sure that we have tight internal controls within the bank so the perpetrators, money launderers, and sanctions evaders do not penetrate into the financial system, either through our bank, through our national system, or internationally. The Limitations of Rule-Based Systems for Surveillance Monitoring As at other large banks, the area of DBS that focuses on these issues, called transaction surveillance, has taken advantage of AI for many years to do this type of work. The people in this function evaluate alerts raised by a rule-based system. The rules assess transaction data from many different systems across the bank, including those for consumers, wealth management, institutional banking, and their payments. These transactions all flow through the rule-based system for screening, and the rules flag transactions that match conditions associated with an individual or entity doing suspicious transactions with the bankthose involving a potential money laundering event, or another type of financial fraud. Rule-based systemsin the past known as expert systems are one of the oldest forms of AI, but they are still widely used in banking and insurance, as well as in other industries. At DBS and most other banks across the world, rule-based financial transaction surveillance systems of this sort generate a large number of alerts every day. The primary shortcoming of rule-based surveillance systems is that most up to 98 percent of the alerts generated are false positives. Some aspect of the transaction triggers a rule that leads the transaction to be flagged on the alert list. However, after follow-up investigation by a human analyst, it turns out that the alerted transaction is actually not suspicious. The transaction surveillance analysts have to follow up on every alert, looking at all the relevant transaction information. They must also consider the profiles of the individuals involved in the transaction, their past financial behaviors, whatever they have declared in know your customer and customer due diligence documents, and anything else the bank might know about them. Following up on alerts is a time-intensive process. If the analyst confirms that a transaction is justifiably suspicious or verified as fraud, the bank has a legal obligation to issue a Suspicious Activity Report (SAR) to the appropriate authorities. This is a high-stakes decision, so it is important for the analyst to get it right: if incorrect, law-abiding bank customers could be incorrectly notified that they are being investigated for financial crimes. On the other side, if a bad actor is not detected and reported, it could lead to problems related to money laundering and other financial crimes. For now at least, rule-based systems cant be eliminated because the national regulatory authorities in most countries still require them. But DBS executives realized there are many additional sources of internal and external information available to them that, if used correctly, could be applied to automatically evaluate each alert from the rule-based system. This could be done using ML, which can deal with more complex patterns and make more accurate predictions than rule-based systems. Using the New Generation of AI Capabilities to Enhance Surveillance A few years ago, DBS started a project to apply the new generation of AI/ML capabilities in combination with the existing rule-based screening system. The combination would enable the bank to prioritize all the alerts generated by the rule-based system according to a numerically calculated probability score indicating the level of suspicion. The ML system was trained to recognize suspicious and fraudulent situations from recent and historical data and outcomes. At the time of our interviews, the new ML-based filtering system had been in use for just over one year. The system reviews all the alerts generated by the rule-based system, assigns each alert a risk score, and categorizes each alert into higher-, medium-, and lower-risk categories. This type of post-processing of the rule-based alerts enables the analyst to decipher which ones to prioritize immediately (those in the higher- and medium-risk categories) and which ones can wait (those in the lowest-risk category). An important capability of this ML system is that it has an explainer that shows the analyst the evidence used in making the automated assessment of the probability that the transaction is suspicious. The explanation and guided navigation given by the AI/ML model helps the analyst make the right risk decision. DBS also developed other new capabilities to support the investigation of alerted transactions, including a Network Link Analytics system for detecting suspicious relationships and transactions across multiple parties. Financial transactions can be represented as a network graph showing the people or accounts involved as nodes in the network and any interactions as the links between the nodes. This network graph of relationships can be used to identify and further assess suspicious patterns of financial inflows and outflows. In parallel, DBS has also replaced a labor-intensive approach to investigation workflow with a new platform that automates for the analyst much of the support for surveillance-related investigation and case management. Called CRUISE, it integrates the outputs of the rule-based engine, the ML filter model, and the Network Link Analytics system. Additionally, the CRUISE system provides the analyst with easy and integrated access to the relevant data from across the bank needed to follow up on the transactions the analyst is investigating. Within this CRUISE environment, the bank also captures all the feedback related to the analysts work on the case, and this feedback helps to further improve DBSs systems and processes. Impact on the Analyst Of course, these developments make analysts much more efficient in reviewing alerts. A few years ago, it was not uncommon for a DBS transaction surveillance analyst to spend two or more hours looking into an alert. This time included the front-end preparation time to fetch data from multiple systems and to manually collate relevant past transactions, and the actual analysis time to evaluate the evidence, look for patterns, and make the final judgment as to whether or not the alert appeared to be a bona fide suspicious transaction. After the implementation of multiple tools, including CRUISE, Network Link Analytics, and the ML-based filter model, analysts are able to resolve about one-third more cases in the same amount of time. Also, for the high-risk cases that are identified using these tools, DBS is able to catch the bad actors faster than before. Commenting on how this differs from traditional surveillance approaches, the DBS head of transaction surveillance shared the following: Today at DBS, our machines are able to gather the necessary support data from various sources across the bank and present it on the screen of our analyst. Now the analyst can easily see the relevant supporting information for each alert and make the right decision without searching through sixty different systems to get the supporting data. The machines now do this for the analyst much faster than a human can. It makes the life of the analysts easier and their decisions a lot sharper. In the past, due to practical limitations, transaction surveillance analysts were able to collect and use only a small fraction of the data within the bank that was relevant to reviewing the alert. Today at DBS, with our new tools and processes, the analyst is able to make decisions based on instant, automatic access to nearly all the relevant data within the bank about the transaction. They see this data, nicely organized in a condensed manner on their screen, with a risk score and with the help of an explainer that guides them through the evidence that led to the output of the model. DBS invested in a skill set uplift across the staff who were involved in creating and using these new surveillance systems. Among the staff benefiting from the upskilling were the transaction surveillance analysts, who had expertise in detecting financial crimes and were trained in using the new technology platform and in relevant data analytics skills. The teams helped design the new systems, beginning with the front-end work to identify risk typologies. They also provided inputs to identify the data that made most sense to use, and where automated data analytics and ML capabilities could be most helpful to them. When asked how the systems would affect human transaction analysts in the future, the DBS compliance executive said: Efficiency is always important, and we must always strive for higher levels of it. We want to handle the transaction-based aspects of our current and future surveillance workload with fewer people, and then reinvest the freed- up capacity into new areas of surveillance and fraud prevention. There will always be unknown and new dimensions of bad financial behavior and bad actors, and we need to invest more time and more people into these types of areas. To the extent that we can, we will do this through reinvesting the efficiency gains we achieve within our more standard transaction surveillance efforts. The Next Phase of Transaction Surveillance The banks overall aspiration is for transaction surveillance to become more integrated and more proactive. Rather than just relying on alerts generated from the rule-based engine, executives want to make use of multiple levels of integrated risk surveillance to monitor holistically from transaction to account to customer to network to macro levels. This combination would help the bank find more bad actors, and to do so more effectively and efficiently. The compliance executive elaborated: It is important to note that money launderers and sanctions evaders are always finding new ways of doing things. Our people need to work with our technology and data analytics capabilities to stay ahead of these emerging threats. We want to free up the time our people have been spending on the tedious, manual aspects of reviewing alerts, and use that time to keep pace with the emerging threats. Human analysts will continue to play an important role in AML transaction surveillance, though the way they use their time and their human expertise will continue to evolve. The compliance executive also shared a perspective on AI: Its really augmented intelligence, rather than automated AI in risk surveillance. We do not think we can remove human judgment from the final decisions because there will always be a subjective element to evaluations of what is and is not suspicious in the context of money laundering and other financial crimes. We cannot eliminate this subjective element, but we can minimize the manual work that the human analyst does as part of reviewing and evaluating the alerts. Lessons We Learned from This Case What would happen if a duckling decided to stay behind when its family flew south for the winter? That's the premise of a new series of books about a duckling that does this, because he likes the pond so much, only to experience all kinds of challenges as winter sets in. A video for the series is at https://youtu.be/i8mkX3BLZ04. The five-part series, called The Story of Googala Duck, began as a story that author John M. Pluff told his young children, and later decided to turn it into five books, and now the series might be turned into a film. In the first book, Saying Goodbye for the Winter, Googala parents urge him to fly south with them, but Googala doesn't listen and stays behind. But he soon finds that his friends, the otters, beavers, badgers, and muskrats, are preparing for the coming winter, and in the second book Getting through the Winter, he faces the growing cold weather and snow. Then, he faces even more challenges, including an encounter with a hunter who is preparing, to cook him for dinner, though he finds protection for a while from an owl who lets him stay in his nest. Will Googala make it through the winter? Will he see his family again when they return? And what will he learn about himself as a result of his struggles? The Story of Googala Duck tells this story, and it is not only a tale about what happens in nature, but a story about the importance of both learning from one's parents and gaining personal courage. Now Googala Duck takes his place among other classic ducks such as Disney's Donald Duck and Warner Brother's Daffy Duck, and more Googala Duck stories are planned that feature his adventures as he grows up on the pond. Since writing The Story of Googala Duck, author John Pluff has also been writing film scripts when not working in his main business as the owner of a successful building company, the American Building Group. The first of these, The Dragon of Locke, is about the theft of a sacred dragon from a Taoist monastery in China that is shipped to Stockton, California and then stolen from the warehouse, while a Tong group in Locke is after it because it is worth big bucks. Now detectives Dan Sellers and Winnie Falk are on the trail to find out what happened to it and bring it back, while trying to find the missing brother-in-law of a local businessman. Future detective stories about Dan and Winnie are in the works. For more information, visit the website at www.jmichaelpublishing.com, and you can contact John Pluff at J. Michael Publishing at info@jmichaelpublishing.com or call (408) 316-5553. The government has been told to provide 'meaningful support' to aid the survival of small and medium sized farming businesses or risk more closures. The warning comes as small, often family-run firms continue to shut down, such as the recent closure of the 100-year-old Mettricks abattoir in Derbyshire. Small abattoirs are especially at risk: during the period between 2019 and 2021, the sector saw the closure of 14 abattoirs. Fears have been consistently raised over the negative impact of these closures on the rural economy, as well as the need for greater government support to maintain them. The Sustainable Food Trust (SFT) said the closure of Mettricks would cause 'heartache and distress' for farmers around the area. Richard Young, SFT policy director said: This is an extremely worrying development. If a state-of-the-art small abattoir like this is unable to continue in business, yet more closures will follow. This isnt about money, it's about the government being willing to set its own, risk-based rules for small abattoirs." He added: "Ironically, now we have left the EU, ministers are more frightened to vary from the bureaucratic letter of EU regulations than when we had a voice in Europe. All food, farming and rural organisations must work together to turn this situation round. It is in no ones interest to let small abattoirs slip away like this." The National Sheep Association (NSA) warned the government to realise the ongoing severity of the situation facing small and medium sized businesses. The body said that companies were increasingly dominating agricultural markets, compared to smaller companies which traditionally play an important part in the sector. "The largest 24 meat processing plants control 85% of the throughput," NSA chief executive, Phil Stocker explained. "As an industry, there is a desperate need to support small and medium sized businesses to ensure that there is capacity and a service for rural locations at a time when interest in localising supply chains is growing. The government's Food Strategy, published in June, outlined a range of aspirations to improve the food systems within the UK. A key component of it was that healthy and sustainable food should be sourced as locally as possible. But Mr Stocker warned that the capacity to do this "is escaping communities quicker than government policy can be enacted". "NSA urges the government to support and incentivise the investment in our own supply chain infrastructure before it is too late," he added. "It is disappointing to see the disconnect in government farming schemes often incentivising diversification and local sourcing yet there is little to no action in maintaining the means to deliver these outcomes. Warrenton, VA (20186) Today Partly cloudy skies in the morning will give way to cloudy skies during the afternoon. Slight chance of a rain shower. High 58F. Winds NNE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Showers early becoming less numerous late. Low 46F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. Chance of rain 40%. Next Story : Tanisha D Kanani and Priyanka Kuka: Matching The Yin To Your Yang In what can be called a significant step, Anuprabha Das Mazumder of West Bengal has the gender of her choosing printed on a crucial identity document in India. She has 'Transgender', or TG, stamped on her Aadhaar card, making her the first person in the state, and possibly the country, to have so.The 29-year-old woman, born as Achinta Das Mazumder and previously identifying as male, had her gender changed recently. "I was having a lot of issues because my old Aadhaar listed my gender as male. The new card now bears my name and the gender with which I identify. I am overwhelmed because this indicates recognition of the third gender," she told The Times of India.In July this year, the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) added TG identity cards to its list of acceptable supporting papers for verification. Anuprabha obtained her TG card from the minister of social justice and empowerment Dr. Virendra Kumar in May and applied for a new Aadhaar as soon as UIDAI notification was issued.However, striving for a new Aadhar card with the TG stamp has been a tough feat for Anuprabha to pull off. When she went to an Aadhaar centre in Salt Lake, Kilkata, the staff at that centre could not help since they were not even aware that the TG card was a legal document. It was only when senior authorities at the UIDAI headquarters in Bengal took action to evaluate her request when things started moving for her. Now, acccording to the National Transgender Portal, 216 people have applied for the TG card so far, with 17 having received it.Anuprabha was estranged from her family after revealing her identity, and she had to travel to numerous cities in the hopes of finding work. She currently works for the NGO Prantakatha, which advocates for women's rights. The Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PHILEXPORT) recently said at least nine multinational corporations have expressed keen interest to set up textile or garment units in the country as part of their expansion plans. Four are from Cambodia, three from India and two from Vietnam, Robert Young, PHILEXPORT trustee for textile, yarn and fabric, said. Potential investors will conduct an ocular trip for assessmentprobably before the year endswhich will be followed by a project study, Young, who is also president of the Foreign Buyers Association of the Philippines (FOBAP), said. The Philippine Exporters Confederation Inc. (PHILEXPORT) recently said at least nine multinational corporations have expressed keen interest to set up textile or garment units in the country as part of their expansion plans. Four are from Cambodia, three from India and two from Vietnam, Robert Young, PHILEXPORT trustee for textile, yarn and fabric, said. These companies indicated their intentions to invest in the Philippine garments and textile industry during their one-on-one business-to-business (B2B) meeting as part of the 54th ASEAN Economic Ministers Meeting and related meetings held in Cambodia this month. He said these planned investments are expected to generate about 9,000 jobs initially, and raise annual garments and textile exports by $500 million. An ideal textile fabric mill would have an investment of minimum $1 million, while a garment apparel factory would be from $300,000 to $500,000, Young was quoted as saying by a Philippine media report. The countrys garments and textile industry exports are estimated at $1.5 billion, with an annual growth rate of 10 per cent. Fibre2Fashion News Desk (DS) Chinese FM meets with UN chief Xinhua) 11:58, September 25, 2022 Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres here Friday on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Secretary-General Guterres has called for strengthening international cooperation as the world today is full of changes and chaos, which the Chinese side deeply appreciates, said Wang. China has always been advocating that major countries, especially permanent members of the UN Security Council, should take the lead in complying with the international law, in maintaining the authority of the UN, in practicing true multilateralism and in helping developing countries, he said, adding it is regrettable that certain major country, for its self-interest, practices unilateralism in the name of multilateralism, and creates small circles or cliques everywhere under the pretext of maintaining so-called rules. China will stand firmly with the UN, unswervingly support the UN's central role in international affairs, and support the UN in playing a bigger role in addressing challenges confronting peace and security, Wang said. Guterres expressed appreciation for the key role China has been playing for a long time in upholding multilateralism, promoting international cooperation and sustainable development, saying the partnership with China is an important pillar for the UN and multilateralism. He said that the two sides have been carrying out close and effective cooperation, and that the UN supports the Global Development Initiative (GDI). He congratulated China for successfully organizing the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of the GDI recently, which he believed would help accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Guterres briefed Wang about the recent efforts to promote Ukrainian grain shipments and Russia's fertilizer exports, and expressed deep concern about the difficulties facing developing countries due to spillover from the Ukrainian crisis. Guterres said that the UN takes development as a priority and hopes to strengthen cooperation with China on issues bearing the interest of developing countries, such as financing, climate change responses, biodiversity, and anti-pandemic measures. Wang said that China appreciates the Secretary-General's active mediation and tangible results, adding that China's core position on the Ukrainian issue is to promote peace talks and stand on the side of peace. He stressed that China will continue to play a constructive role in its own way. Wang emphasized that Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed the GDI and Global Security Initiative, which has contributed a China plan to boosting international development cooperation and helping implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and has provided public goods to mitigate peace and security deficit and jointly cope with the current severe challenges. Wang said that China is willing to work closely with the UN to form greater consensus, gather more forces and facilitate more actions, adding that China will continue to support the various causes of the UN and assume its due responsibilities. On the same day, Wang also met with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Sabry respectively. (Web editor: Bianji, Liang Jun) People enjoy a festival held at Jamsu Bridge over the Han River in Seoul, Sunday, one day before the mask mandate outdoors is fully lifted nationwide. The government has decided to drop the mask requirement outdoors for the first time since it was adopted in April, 2021, but people will still be required to wear masks indoors. Korea Times photo by Oh Dae-geun NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to a global learning crisis that has left 222 million crisis-impacted children in dire need of education support, The LEGO Foundation, Germany, and the United States announced this week US$42 in new funding to Education Cannot Wait (ECW). "These generous new contributions from the LEGO Foundation, Germany and the United States are a global call to action. We must unite to fully fund Education Cannot Wait and our strategic partners in mobilizing US$1.5 billion over the next four years. This new funding will allow us to reach 20 million children caught in some of the world's worst humanitarian crises," said ECW Director Yasmine Sherif. Taking the stage at this weekend's Global Citizen Festival, The LEGO Foundation CEO Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen announced a new US$25 million contribution to ECW, bringing total contributions to approximately US$65 million to date. "Imagine there was a magic lever that could transform the lived experiences of the 222 million children and youth living in crisis contexts into the peacekeepers and builders of tomorrow. Well, there is: Education," said Albrectsen. In response to the crisis in Ukraine, which has severely impacted access to education for close to 7 million children, the Government of Germany also announced 10 million in new funding. Germany is the largest donor to ECW, with approximately 330 million in total funding to date. "The international community urgently needs to increase its investments in education. Global Citizens, thank you for raising your voices to call for more support for Education Cannot Wait, so that all young people everywhere in the world will have access to quality education: this will enable us to end extreme poverty - now," said Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany. The Government of the United States announced US$7 million in new funding from the US State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, bringing total contributions to US$109.3 million to date. "Today at ECW's High-Level Steering Group meeting during the United Nations General Assembly, I was privileged to announce US$7 million in additional assistance from the United States for Education Cannot Wait to bring quality education to refugee, stateless and other displaced children," said Julieta Valls Noyes, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1906920/Education_Cannot_Wait_1.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1656121/Education_Cannot_Wait_Logo.jpg View original content:https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/the-lego-foundation-germany-and-usa-announce-us42-million-in-new-funding-to-education-cannot-wait-301632597.html London, United Kingdom--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2022) - The TON Foundation, stewards of the The Open Network (TON) blockchain, are pleased to announce the appointment of Bill Qian, Chairman of Cypher Capital, as a new board member. Bill was made Chairman of Cypher Capital in June this year and will help to grow the TON ecosystem to shepherd billions of Web2 users into the world of Web3. Bill's appointment as a board member follows many exciting developments on the TON blockchain, including the successful launch and auction of TON DNS domain names. Most recently, TON announced a partnership with Huobi Global, one of the world's top blockchain companies. As part of this collaboration, Toncoin, the native token of TON, was listed on Huobi Exchange. Before joining Cypher Capital, Bill was the Global Head of Fundraising at Binance Labs, and the Global Head of M&A for leading Crypto platform Binance Prior to this, Bill was the Head of Investment in Fintech/Technology for Asian e-commerce platform JD.COM. Bill has also worked with Trustbridge Partners, a leading technology-focused private equity fund. Bill sees himself as a "web-native investor," looking for phenomenal founders in Web3. Steve Yun, Founding Member of the TON Foundation, commented, "We are very thrilled to have Bill and his support. We have no doubt that his unparalleled experience in both Web2 and Web3, combined with his passion for building, will create permanent value in the TON ecosystem." Bill Qian, Chairman of Cypher Capital and TON Foundation board member, commented, "I am more than excited to join the TON Ecosystem. My team and I will bring top-tier Asian Web2 developers from major internet platforms to TON, and strive to bring the five billion Web2 users to Web3." About The Open Network (TON) The Open Network is a third-generation proof-of-stake blockchain initially designed in 2018 by the Durov brothers, the founders of Telegram Messenger. Later, it was handed over to the open TON Community, which has been supporting and developing it ever since. TON was designed for lightning-fast transactions. The TON Foundation is a non-commercial group of supporters and contributors who help further grow the TON blockchain. SOURCE The Open Network (TON) Learn more about TON: https://ton.org Tarek Al Fakih Tarek@lunapr.io ENDS To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138359 Public Sector Retirement Educators (PRSE) has announced an online ADA-compliant retirement education platform for federal employees. Scottsdale, Arizona--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2022) - With growing interest in e-learning platforms for both personal and professional use, Public Sector Retirement Educators is now offering a revolutionary federal employee retirement training e-learning program, which can be used on its own or in combination with in-person training. Public Sector Retirement Educators Announce ADA Compliant Employee Training To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/138358_defe278ed4b25b11_001full.jpg The announcement comes as PRSE surveys show that only 20% of federal employees are happy with their current retirement training. By contrast, over 93% report that they would participate in an online retirement training course - and almost two-thirds would be willing to personally invest in online retirement education. PRSE aims to make federal retirement training and education accessible to all and leverage the benefits of e-learning to help employees master the concepts efficiently. "Today, everything is done online, from buying cars to selling homes to ordering groceries," explained a company spokesperson. "Educating your employees about their federal retirement benefits is no exception." "Our powerful, personalized e-learning platform leads the way in online benefits education and training for federal employees. As the application 'learns' about the federal employee, it provides highly-customized training to the employee's unique needs and circumstances. Through online training, the employee receives better training at significantly reduced costs while simplifying participation and enhancing retention. When coupled with in-person training, PSRE may provide the best training available - period," they added. Featuring expert instructors from the federal retirement industry, the learning materials cover all the latest updates in federal retirement benefits. The company has used previous federal employee feedback to update the program and create a streamlined resource that facilitates information retention and increases satisfaction for employees - all at a competitive price for organizations. By using a modern web-based platform to deliver its training resources, PRSE substantially reduces employee training costs while making the information easier to access and more engaging to learn. The company's program thus meets the needs of both organizations looking to meet OPM requirements to have a retirement and education strategy, and of employees interested in relevant retirement benefits information. Federal employees interested in discussing their benefit options and requirements can schedule a complimentary one-on-one consultation with a federal retirement expert. The latest announcement is part of the company's commitment to offering comprehensive web-based training and education solutions for federal employees. Contact Info: Name: Betty Morales Email: Info@psreducators.com Organization: Public Sector Retirement Educators (PSRE) Address: 10869 N Scottsdale Rd Suite 103, Scottsdale, Arizona 85254, United States Phone: +1-888-919-3252 Website: https://www.PSReducators.com/ To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138358 Best Life at Large has released a new article informing what the top 3 teas to drink in the morning are in the market today. It is aimed primarily at tea lovers. More information about the report can be found below. Sheridan, Wyoming--(Newsfile Corp. - September 25, 2022) - Best Life at Large has recently released a new report titled "Best Tea To Drink In The Morning." The article details this product's history, health benefits, and the most renowned brands. People who enjoy starting the day with energizing and delicious drinks and other interested individuals can view the full article at BestLifeatLarge/Blog. Best Life at Large - Blu-E-Commerce LLC Top 3 Teas in the Market Report Released To view an enhanced version of this graphic, please visit: https://images.newsfilecorp.com/files/8814/138156_6214c797d4214a63_001full.jpg Best Life at Large's report offers fascinating research on the most outstanding teas in the market today. Brands like Twinings of London English Breakfast Tea, Bigelow Love Lemon with Vitamin C, and Organic Japanese Matcha + Green Tea Bags are thoroughly described. The information provided in the report should be of interest to tea lovers because even though it is hard to know which tea is best for breakfast, people will have a better understanding. One of the article's most critical pieces of information is a list guide to choosing the best teas in the morning. The best Decaffeinated, Caffeinated Milk, and Caffeinated Teas are described. In addition, the report summarizes one of the most frequently asked questions regarding top teas to drink in the morning and provides exclusive industry information. In discussing the article's creation, Shaun Lowe, Founder/CEO at Best Life at Large, said: "Best Life At Large is proud to present this opportunity for readers to learn about the latest industry trends. On this occasion, as the company is aware, it can be hard to figure out the best teas to drink in the morning because there many brands. That is why the company picked up three teas to please any palate." About Best Life at Large: Best Life At Large is proud to present this opportunity for readers to learn about the latest industry trends. In today's digital world, getting product reviews is necessary when deciding which product to buy. That's why the company has gathered a collection of stories, thoughts, and suggestions to give people the best quality of Life. Best Life At Large now welcomes comments and questions from readers concerning the article, as they intend to enlighten the audience about the best teas available on the market today. Anyone who has a specific question about a past, present, or future article can contact Best Life at Large via their website at https://www.bestlifeatlarge.com. The complete article is available to view in full at BestLifeatLarge/Blog. Contact Info: Name: Shaun Lowe Email: shaun@blu-e-commerce.com Organization: Best Life at Large - Blu-E-Commerce LLC Address: 30 North Gould Street, Sheridan, Wyoming 82801, United States Website: https://www.bestlifeatlarge.com To view the source version of this press release, please visit https://www.newsfilecorp.com/release/138156 On August 8, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi and Mongolian Foreign Minister Batmunkh Battsetseg jointly met the press after their talks. Wang Yi said that since his last visit to Mongolia two years ago, he has witnessed encouraging changes in Ulaanbaatar and felt the vitality of the vast grassland. As a friendly neighboring country, China is heartily glad with Mongolias rapid progress and looking forward to its development and revitalization. Wang Yi briefed the broad consensuses reached by the two sides during the visit. The two sides agreed that faced with the current complex and volatile international and regional situation, China and Mongolia are closely connected with a shared future, and should be good neighbors more valuable than gold, good brothers sharing weal and woe, and good partners striving for common development. The two sides are willing to promote the in-depth synergy between the Belt and Road Initiative and Mongolia's Steppe Road Program, the Global Development Initiative and Mongolia's New Revival Policy, and China's "two-step" development strategy and Mongolia's long-term development vision, so as to create three major engines for further development of bilateral relations. The two sides reaffirmed mutual respect for independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity, and continue to firmly support each other on issues concerning each other's core interests. China supports Mongolia in maintaining stability, focusing on development and exploring a development path in line with its own national conditions. China appreciates that Mongolia reaffirms its firm commitment to the one-China principle and opposes interference in China's internal affairs related to Taiwan, Xizang, Xinjiang and Hong Kong, among others. The two sides agreed to strengthen cooperation at the border, promoting the opening of ports and connection of railways and highways to the largest possible extent, so as to keep the industrial and supply chains stable and unimpeded. The two sides signed the Memorandum of Understanding on the cross-border railway connection program at the Gants Mod port will be important in helping Mongolia to expand its opening-up and achieve strong growth. The two sides agreed to promote cooperation in such fields as economy and trade, investment, mining and energy, science and technology, agriculture and animal husbandry, forge major demonstration projects in areas including infrastructure and energy, and strive to achieve coordinated development and common prosperity between the two countries. The two sides agreed to promote the Erdeneburen hydropower plant project in a coordinated manner, and speed up solving the electricity supply problem for people in western Mongolia. The two sides will support the implementation of livelihood projects such as shanty-town renovation, sewage treatment plant and meat processing plant as soon as possible to better benefit the Mongolian people. The two sides will enhance cooperation in afforestation and counter-desertification. China appreciates Mongolia's plan to plant one billion trees, and China has proposed to plant 70 billion trees in the next ten years. China hopes that both sides support each other in greening the common home and guarding the green land and blue sky. The two sides agreed to continue cooperation in combating the pandemic and protect people's lives and security, increase direct flights between the two countries to facilitate personnel exchanges, and support Mongolian students in returning to China to resume classes at an early date. The two sides also strengthen youth exchanges and sub-national cooperation to consolidate the foundation of popular support for the China-Mongolia friendship. The two sides agreed to strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs, uphold true multilateralism and open regionalism, push forward the implementation of the Global Development Initiative and the Global Security Initiative, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, join hands to promote the development and prosperity of Asia, and jointly build a community with a shared future for mankind. On the morning of September 15 local time, President Xi Jinping met with President of Kyrgyzstan Sadyr Zhaparov at Forumlar Majmuasi Complex in Samarkand. President Xi noted that he and President Zhaparov had a friendly, in-depth and pragmatic exchange in February and reached many important common understandings. China firmly supports Kyrgyzstans independently chosen development path, supports Kyrgyzstan in defending national independence, sovereignty and security and opposes interference in Kyrgyzstans internal affairs by any external forces under whatever pretext. China has been and will always be a friend and partner that Kyrgyzstan can trust and rely on. President Xi stressed that under the new circumstances, the two sides need to increase staunch mutual support and deepen mutually beneficial cooperation in an all-round way. The two sides need to further synergize development strategies and implement well the Medium and Long-Term Economic and Trade Cooperation Plan between China and Kyrgyzstan. China supports the implementation of the China-Kyrgyzstan-Uzbekistan (CKU) railway project, and is ready to work for its early operation. China supports more eligible Chinese companies in investing in Kyrgyzstan and will facilitate the exchange of personnel and the customs clearance of goods between the two countries. China is ready to work with Kyrgyzstan to strengthen coordination, develop a sound China+Central Asia (C+C5) Meeting mechanism, act on the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), resolutely defend international equity and justice, and safeguard the common interests of the vast developing countries. President Zhaparov recalled the success of his meeting with President Xi Jinping during the Olympic Winter Games Beijing 2022 in February and recognized the meetings important role in guiding the cooperation between the two countries in various fields. He reaffirmed that Kyrgyzstan firmly abides by the one-China principle, firmly maintains that Taiwan is an inalienable part of China, and firmly supports Chinas stance on issues concerning Chinas core interests such as the issues related to Taiwan, Xinjiang and Hong Kong. Kyrgyzstan is ready to work with China to strengthen cooperation in economy and trade, railway, COVID-19 and security among other fields and deepen Kyrgyzstan-China comprehensive strategic partnership. The Kyrgyz side commends the GSI and GDI proposed by China and views both as important initiatives for promoting world peace and development. The Kyrgyz side will work closely with the Chinese side to make the Shanghai Cooperation Organization an anchor for security and stability in Central Asia and jointly safeguard regional security and stability. President Zhaparov wished the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China a full success and shared his conviction that the CPC will lead the Chinese people toward even greater success on the path of realizing national rejuvenation. Relevant departments of the two countries signed cooperation documents in such areas as agriculture, medical care, fire protection and phytosanitary measures. Ding Xuexiang, Yang Jiechi, Wang Yi, He Lifeng and other officials attended the event. On September 21, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Hungarian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Peter Szijjarto on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Wang Yi said, thanks to the strategic guidance of the leaders of both sides, China and Hungary enjoy a sound relationship, as the two countries always adhere to independence, sincerity and friendship, and win-win cooperation. The Chinese side appreciates the Hungarian side for being firmly committed to a friendly policy toward China and the one-China principle, and upholding a just position on issues concerning China's core interests. The high-level development of China-Hungary relations serves the fundamental interests of the two countries and peoples. Facing changes unseen in a century, the Chinese side will continue to plan bilateral relations from a strategic height, consolidate strategic mutual trust, practice true multilateralism, resist unilateral bullying, and uphold basic norms governing international relations. The Chinese side will continue to encourage competent enterprises to invest in Hungary, and expects the Hungarian side to maintain its consistent, steady and long-term policy. Szijjarto said that Hungary is the first European country that has signed the Belt and Road Initiative cooperation documents with China. Hungary-China cooperation has played an important role in boosting the economic development of Hungary. Hungary is firmly committed to the one-China policy, and opposes bloc confrontation. Hungary will continue to unswervingly develop its cooperation with China, and actively participate in the Cooperation between China and Central and Eastern European Countries (China-CEEC Cooperation). Wang Yi said that China and Central and Eastern European countries have carried out mutually beneficial cooperation on a voluntary basis, and the cooperation has continuously yielded fruitful results, meeting each other's needs and also helping complement each other with comparative strengths and create new channels for cooperation. The Chinese side has full confidence in the future of China-CEEC Cooperation. On September 22, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Wang Yi said, we met two months ago in Bali. The both sides stressed the importance of China-Australia relations, reaffirmed the positioning of a comprehensive strategic partnership between the two countries, and shared the view that we should follow the spirit of mutual respect to steer bilateral relations back on the right track as early as possible. This year marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Australia. "At fifty, one knows where his goal of life is headed." Having undergone changes over the past half century, bilateral relations should become more mature, stable, and resilient, and this serves the two sides' interests and the two peoples' expectations. The Chinese side stands ready to work with the Australian side to seriously take stock of experience, properly manage differences, and steer the sound and steady development of bilateral relations. Penny Wong said that Australia stands ready to work with China to develop a stable, mutually-beneficial and productive relationship on the basis of mutual respect. The Australian side stands ready to take the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations as an opportunity to uphold a calm and forward-looking attitude, and have candid communication and constructive exchanges with the Chinese side, to advance the Australia-China comprehensive strategic partnership. Australia respects the system of international law based on the UN Charter, is committed to the one-China policy, and does not support "Taiwan independence". The Australia-China trade benefits both sides, and Australia hopes to maintain an open international trading system. Wang Yi expressed, the Chinese side appreciates the Australian side for reaffirming its commitment to the one-China policy. The two sides should meet each other halfway, uphold a more positive mindset, send more positive signals, tell more stories of win-win cooperation, and carry out more people-to-people and cultural exchanges and exchanges at sub-national levels, to create a favorable environment for the sound development of China-Australia relations. Wang Yi stressed, the Chinese side firmly supports trade liberalization and facilitation, and is committed to fostering an economic system of opening-up of higher standards, and building an open world economy. All parties should carry forward the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, abide by international law and the basic norms governing international relations, and play the central role of the United Nations. Wang Yi also expounded on China's principled position on issues related to Ukraine, the South China Sea, and Xinjiang, among others. On September 23, 2022 local time, State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with Kiribati President and Foreign Minister Taneti Maamau on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Wang Yi first conveyed President Xi Jinping's warm greetings to President Maamau. Wang Yi said, three years ago, Mr. President and Foreign Minister made the political decision to resume diplomatic relations with China, opening a new historic chapter for China-Kiribati relations. Since the resumption of diplomatic relations, cooperation between the two countries had a good start and has witnessed rapid development with fruitful outcomes, bringing tangible benefits to the people of Kiribati. The Chinese side is satisfied with the current development of bilateral relations, and has full confidence in future development. We support Kiribati in safeguarding its sovereignty, independence, and national dignity, following an independent development path suited to its national conditions and supported by its people, and achieving national stability and sustainable development. Maamau asked Wang Yi to convey his sincere greetings to President Xi Jinping and the Chinese people. He thanked the Chinese side for the friendship and precious support to Kiribati. Maamau said that the resumption of diplomatic relations between Kiribati and China stands on the right side of history and has brought new hope to Kiribati. Since the resumption of diplomatic relations, bilateral relations have achieved steady and sound development despite the impact of the pandemic, and cooperation in maritime affairs, tourism, education, health, and other areas has been successfully advanced. The Kiribati side highly appreciates that the Chinese side shoulders the responsibilities of a major country, and is committed to promoting world peace, openness, and prosperity. The Kiribati side expects to strengthen the synergy between the "Kiribati 20-year Vision" and the Belt and Road Initiative, consolidate the momentum of the sound development of bilateral relations, and elevate practical cooperation to a new level. Wang Yi noted, China always upholds the principle that all countries, big or small, are equal, is always a reliable good friend and good partner of Kiribati, and will continue its utmost assistance according to the needs of the Kiribati side, helping Kiribati accelerate development and rejuvenation, and setting a good example of friendly coexistence between countries different in size. The two sides agreed to make good use of the platform of cooperation between China and Pacific Island Countries, to expand cooperation in climate change response, and human resources training, among others. People, some wearing masks and others not, walk around a neighborhood in Jung District in central Seoul. Korea Times photo by Bae Woo-han Outdoor mask mandate to be lifted Monday By Lee Hae-rin The government is expected to speed up the pace of its COVID-19 exit strategy after its decision to lift all outdoor mask mandates starting Monday. The next steps are likely to range from ending the post-arrival PCR test to resuming face-to-face visits at nursing hospitals, and it is considering a step-by-step easing of the seven-day quarantine for infected patients. Until Sunday, those at outdoor gatherings of 50 or more people, such as sporting events, had to wear masks, but it is no longer required, according to the government. "We are clearly overcoming the hurdle of the recent resurgence of the coronavirus," Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said during a government meeting at the Government Complex in Sejong, Friday. The government plans to map out a new set of low-risk quarantine measures to solve the public's inconveniences based on feedback from experts, the prime minister said. Volunteer organizations, events they hold and their philanthropic impact are notoriously fragile, and Albany should know this far better than most cities. For more than a half-century, the Timber Carnival was held around the Fourth of July in Hub City. For decades, this was the biggest event in town, a massive flannel-clad jubilee. There was a royalty court, a de facto Independence Day parade with log trucks rumbling through downtown, a logging skills contest with international competitors shown on ABCs Wide World of Sports and a fireworks display that could be seen halfway to Lebanon. The popularity of the event, staged by the Jaycees, mimicked Oregons declining timber industry. Where once there were crowds of thousands, attendance gradually dipped to a few hundred fans and the festival began to lose money, according to Edward Loy in his excellent book Gem of the Willamette Valley: A History of Albany, Oregon. The Jaycees, deep in debt, their numbers fewer and their energies flagging, staged the Timber Carnival in the year 2000, but at its conclusion reluctantly turned out the lights for the final time, Loy wrote. The end of the festival once seemed unthinkable. And then it was gone, with only the East Albany Lions Clubs Lumberjack Breakfast remaining. Today, it feels like Hub City is on the precipice of losing another event that defines the community the Veterans Day parade. The event bills itself, with our newspapers enthusiastic assistance, as the largest veterans parade west of the Mississippi. We havent tested that claim lately, but it seems likely given the parade includes a plethora of floats, marching bands, military vehicles, public safety rigs and more. Thousands of spectators also flock to downtown. Regardless of the parades ranking, wed still put Albanys patriotism per capita up against any other city in the country. The parade, to be clear, is scheduled to start at 11 a.m., Friday, Nov. 11 once again. Were excited about the events return to its regular form for the first time since 2019. In 2020 and 2021, reverse parades were held instead due to COVID-19. Those reverse parades were fun ways to honor heroes and their sacrifices, but they lacked the grand scale and spectacle of the traditional parade, which clocked in at two-and-a-half hours the last time it was held. Yes, the parade returns in full this year, but it needs help to survive. That isnt hyperbole. As reporter Shayla Escudero detailed in a recent article, the group that spearheaded the event for years lost its nonprofit status, and didnt hand over its financial records or supplies to a new organization formed to continue the parade. The whole event is on wobbly legs right now. So were making a call to action. The Linn County Veterans Day Parade in Albany needs your assistance. Entries are needed, and volunteers both new and experienced are needed, too. So are donations of money and items such as such as safety vests, bottled water for volunteers, first-aid kits, walkie-talkies to communicate along the route and more. A fundraiser is set from 4 to 6 p.m., Saturday, Oct. 8 at American Legion Post 10 in Albany, 1215 Pacific Blvd. SE. A silent auction, raffles, wine-tasting and spirits will be included, and volunteers can sign up and get more information. Potential volunteers and parade entrants also can get details and entry forms by calling the legion at 541-926-0127, emailing lcvpttreasurer@gmail.com or going to https://www.linncountyveteransdayparade.org/. Again, this feels like a key moment for Albany and its residents, who can rescue a community tradition and start the process of preserving it for future generations. Volunteer and donate to save the Linn County Veterans Day Parade in Albany. Britain's top diplomat will visit South Korea this week as part of his Asia tour to discuss bilateral cooperation, his office said Sunday. British Foreign Secretary James Cleverly will meet with his South Korean counterpart Park Jin in Seoul on Wednesday and discuss cooperation in global security and economic affairs, according to the office. He also plans to meet with other high-ranking government officials and visit the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) separating the two Koreas, it added. The Seoul visit comes after the two countries adopted "A Bilateral Framework for Closer Cooperation" in June. It is part of his Asia tour that will include his visits to Singapore and Japan where he will attend the state funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe set for Tuesday, the office said. It will be his first Asia tour since taking office early this month. (Yonhap) Pune, Sept. 23, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Global Dental Fitting Market 2016-2030 report discovers comprehensive insights on key manufacturers with share information, market size and projection, key dynamics, growth factors, and new company profiles. The report provides detailed information about the market overview, prevalent trends, demand, and recent developments impacting the market growth in the coming years. Dental Fitting Market opportunities analysis, strategic growth analysis, product launches, marketplace expanding, and technological innovations are also highlighted. The report uncovers Dental Fitting market size, potential growth, trends and expansion strategies followed by top prominent players. Get a Sample PDF of the report @ https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/request-sample/20744679 This report provides detailed historical analysis of global market for Dental Fitting from 2016-2021, and provides extensive market forecasts from 2022-2030 by region/country and subsectors. It covers the sales/revenue/value, gross margin, historical growth and future perspectives in the Dental Fitting market. Moreover, the impact of COVID-19 is also concerned. Since outbreak in December 2019, the COVID-19 virus has spread to all around the world and caused huge losses of lives and economy, and the global manufacturing, tourism and financial markets have been hit hard, while the online market/industry increase. Fortunately, with the development of vaccine and other effort by global governments and organizations, the negative impact of COVID-19 is expected to subside and the global economy is expected to recover. This research covers COVID-19 impacts on the upstream, midstream and downstream industries. Moreover, this research provides an in-depth market evaluation by highlighting information on various aspects covering market dynamics like drivers, barriers, opportunities, threats, and industry news & trends. In the end, this report also provides in-depth analysis and professional advices on how to face the post COIVD-19 period. The research methodology used to estimate and forecast this market begins by capturing the revenues of the key players and their shares in the market. Various secondary sources such as press releases, annual reports, non-profit organizations, industry associations, governmental agencies and customs data, have been used to identify and collect information useful for this extensive commercial study of the market. Calculations based on this led to the overall market size. After arriving at the overall market size, the total market has been split into several segments and subsegments, which have then been verified through primary research by conducting extensive interviews with industry experts such as CEOs, VPs, directors, and executives. The data triangulation and market breakdown procedures have been employed to complete the overall market engineering process and arrive at the exact statistics for all segments and subsegments. Get A Sample Copy Of The Dental Fitting Market Report 2016-2030 Dental Fitting Market Top Manufacturers Analysis : The report covers extensive analysis of the key market players along with their business overview, expansion plans, and strategies. Top Key Players covered in the report are: Densply Danaher Modern Dental Ivoclar Vivadent 3M Glidewell Shofu Dental Heraeus Kulzer Yamahachi Dental Argen Coltene Pritidenta Amann Girrbach Zirkonzahn Huge Dental The report focuses on the Dental Fitting market size, segment size (mainly covering product type, application, and geography), competitor landscape, recent status, and development trends. Furthermore, the report provides detailed cost analysis, supply chain. Technological innovation and advancement will further optimize the performance of the product, making it more widely used in downstream applications. Moreover, Consumer behavior analysis and market dynamics (drivers, restraints, opportunities) provides crucial information for knowing the Dental Fitting market. Based On Product Types, the Dental Fitting market from 2016 to 2030 is primarily split into: Crowns and Bridges Denture Other Based On Applications, the Dental Fitting market from 2016 to 2030 covers: Repair Broken Teeth Implanted Teeth Other Enquire before purchasing this report - https://www.industryresearch.biz/enquiry/pre-order-enquiry/20744679 Geographically, the report includes research on production, consumption, revenue, market share and growth rate, and forecast (2016 -2030) of the following regions: North America (United States, Canada and Mexico) Europe (Germany, UK, France, Italy, Russia and Spain etc.) Asia-Pacific (China, Japan, Korea, India, Australia and Southeast Asia etc.) South America (Brazil, Argentina and Colombia etc.) Middle East & Africa (South Africa, UAE and Saudi Arabia etc.) Major Highlights of Dental Fitting Market Report: Define and discuss the growth of the global Dental Fitting market Analyze the various segments and dynamics of the Dental Fitting market To identify and make suitable business plans according to industry and economic shifts. The key objective of presenting an in-depth research study on the global Dental Fitting market is to conduct an extensive analysis and Dental Fitting performance. The report highlights the latest trends, market drivers, and investment avenues for the new entrants and the market players looking for market expansion. It is helpful to combine relevant facts and offers a wealth of information and analysis on the global Dental Fitting market. This report assesses the performance and profit potential of the global Dental Fitting market. Different variables are used to analyze attractiveness and strengths. TO KNOW HOW COVID-19 PANDEMIC AND RUSSIA UKRAINE WAR WILL IMPACT THIS MARKET - REQUEST SAMPLE What ideas and concepts are covered in the report? The assessments accounted by all the zones and the market share registered by each region are mentioned in the report. The study sums up the product consumption growth rate in the applicable regions along with their consumption market share. Data regarding the Dental Fitting Industry market consumption rate of all the provinces, based on applicable regions and product types is inculcated in the report. Region-based analysis of the Dental Fitting Industry market: The Dental Fitting Industry market, with regards to the provincial scope, is segmented into USA, Europe, Japan, China, India, South East Asia and more. The report also includes information regarding the products use throughout the topographies. Some of the key questions answered in this report: Which are the five top players of the Dental Fitting market? How will the Dental Fitting market change in the upcoming years? Which product and application will take a share of the Dental Fitting market? What are the drivers and restraints of the Dental Fitting market? Which regional market will show the highest growth? What will be the CAGR and size of the Dental Fitting market throughout the forecast period? What is the current market size, what will the market size be in 2030 and what will the growth rate be? What are the challenges to grow in the market? What are the market opportunities and challenges faced by the key vendors? Who are the major competitors and what is their strategy? What are the barriers to entry for new players in the market? Purchase this report (Price 2500 USD for a single-user license) - https://www.industryresearch.biz/purchase/20744679 With tables and figures helping analyze worldwide Global Dental Fitting market trends, this research provides key statistics on the state of the industry and is a valuable source of guidance and direction for companies and individuals interested in the market. Detailed TOC of Dental Fitting Market Forecast Report 2016-2030: Chapter 1 Dental Fitting Market Overview 1.1 Dental Fitting Definition 1.2 Global Dental Fitting Market Size Status and Outlook (2016-2030) 1.3 Global Dental Fitting Market Size Comparison by Region (2016-2030) 1.4 Global Dental Fitting Market Size Comparison by Type (2016-2030) 1.5 Global Dental Fitting Market Size Comparison by Application (2016-2030) 1.6 Global Dental Fitting Market Size Comparison by Sales Channel (2016-2030) 1.7 Dental Fitting Market Dynamics (COVID-19 Impacts) 1.7.1 Market Drivers/Opportunities 1.7.2 Market Challenges/Risks 1.7.3 Market News (Mergers/Acquisitions/Expansion) 1.7.4 COVID-19 Impacts 1.7.5 Post-Strategies of COVID-19 Chapter 2 Dental Fitting Market Segment Analysis by Player 2.1 Global Dental Fitting Sales and Market Share by Player (2019-2021) 2.2 Global Dental Fitting Revenue and Market Share by Player (2019-2021) 2.3 Global Dental Fitting Average Price by Player (2019-2021) 2.4 Players Competition Situation & Trends 2.5 Conclusion of Segment by Player Chapter 3 Dental Fitting Market Segment Analysis by Type 3.1 Global Dental Fitting Market by Type 3.1.1 Crowns and Bridges 3.1.2 Denture 3.1.3 Other 3.2 Global Dental Fitting Sales and Market Share by Type (2016-2021) 3.3 Global Dental Fitting Revenue and Market Share by Type (2016-2021) 3.4 Global Dental Fitting Average Price by Type (2016-2021) 3.5 Leading Players of Dental Fitting by Type in 2021 3.6 Conclusion of Segment by Type Chapter 4 Dental Fitting Market Segment Analysis by Application 4.1 Global Dental Fitting Market by Application 4.1.1 Repair Broken Teeth 4.1.2 Implanted Teeth 4.1.3 Other 4.2 Global Dental Fitting Revenue and Market Share by Application (2016-2021) 4.3 Leading Consumers of Dental Fitting by Application in 2021 4.4 Conclusion of Segment by Application Chapter 5 Dental Fitting Market Segment Analysis by Sales Channel 5.1 Global Dental Fitting Market by Sales Channel 5.1.1 Direct Channel 5.1.2 Distribution Channel 5.2 Global Dental Fitting Revenue and Market Share by Sales Channel (2016-2021) 5.3 Leading Distributors/Dealers of Dental Fitting by Sales Channel in 2021 5.4 Conclusion of Segment by Sales Channel Chapter 6 Dental Fitting Market Segment Analysis by Region 6.1 Global Dental Fitting Market Size and CAGR by Region (2016-2030) 6.2 Global Dental Fitting Sales and Market Share by Region (2016-2021) 6.3 Global Dental Fitting Revenue and Market Share by Region (2016-2021) 6.4 North America 6.4.1 North America Market by Country 6.4.2 North America Dental Fitting Market Share by Type 6.4.3 North America Dental Fitting Market Share by Application 6.4.4 United States 6.4.5 Canada 6.4.6 Mexico 6.5 Europe 6.5.1 Europe Market by Country 6.5.2 Europe Dental Fitting Market Share by Type 6.5.3 Europe Dental Fitting Market Share by Application 6.5.4 Germany 6.5.5 UK 6.5.6 France 6.5.7 Italy 6.5.8 Russia 6.5.9 Spain 6.6 Asia-Pacific 6.6.1 Asia-Pacific Market by Country 6.6.2 Asia-Pacific Dental Fitting Market Share by Type 6.6.3 Asia-Pacific Dental Fitting Market Share by Application 6.6.4 China 6.6.5 Japan 6.6.6 Korea 6.6.7 India 6.6.8 Southeast Asia 6.6.9 Australia 6.7 South America 6.7.1 South America Market by Country 6.7.2 South America Dental Fitting Market Share by Type 6.7.3 South America Dental Fitting Market Share by Application 6.7.4 Brazil 6.7.5 Argentina 6.7.6 Colombia 6.8 Middle East & Africa 6.8.1 Middle East & Africa Market by Country 6.8.2 Middle East & Africa Dental Fitting Market Share by Type 6.8.3 Middle East & Africa Dental Fitting Market Share by Application 6.8.4 UAE 6.8.5 Saudi Arabia 6.8.6 South Africa 6.9 Conclusion of Segment by Region Chapter 7 Profile of Leading Dental Fitting Players 7.1 Densply 7.1.1 Company Snapshot 7.1.2 Product/Service Offered 7.1.3 Business Performance (Sales, Price, Revenue, Gross Margin and Market Share) 7.2 Danaher 7.3 Modern Dental 7.4 Ivoclar Vivadent 7.5 3M 7.6 Glidewell 7.7 Shofu Dental 7.8 Heraeus Kulzer 7.9 Yamahachi Dental 7.10 Argen 7.11 Coltene 7.12 Pritidenta 7.13 Amann Girrbach 7.14 Zirkonzahn 7.15 Huge Dental Chapter 8 Upstream and Downstream Analysis of Dental Fitting 8.1 Industrial Chain of Dental Fitting 8.2 Upstream of Dental Fitting 8.3 Downstream of Dental Fitting Chapter 9 Development Trend of Dental Fitting (2022-2030) 9.1 Global Dental Fitting Market Size (Sales and Revenue) Forecast (2022-2030) 9.2 Global Dental Fitting Market Size and CAGR Forecast by Region (2022-2030) 9.3 Global Dental Fitting Market Size and CAGR Forecast by Type (2022-2030) 9.4 Global Dental Fitting Market Size and CAGR Forecast by Application (2022-2030) 9.5 Global Dental Fitting Market Size and CAGR Forecast by Sales Channel (2022-2030) Chapter 10 Appendix 10.1 Research Methodology 10.2 Data Sources 10.3 Disclaimer 10.4 Analysts Certification Detailed TOC of Global Dental Fitting Market @ https://www.industryresearch.biz/TOC/20744679 About Us: Market is changing rapidly with the ongoing expansion of the industry. Advancement in technology has provided todays businesses with multifaceted advantages resulting in daily economic shifts. Thus, it is very important for a company to comprehend the patterns of the market movements in order to strategize better. An efficient strategy offers the companies a head start in planning and an edge over the competitors. Industry Research is a credible source for gaining the market reports that will provide you with the lead your business needs. By Arthur I. Cyr Korea is in the news on several fronts, with even more noteworthy developments than usual. First, the negative news: in the latest outrageous declaration from North Korea, leader Kim Jong-un decreed nuclear weapons may be used preemptively to defend the nation. The puppet parliament of his totalitarian nightmarish state, the Supreme People's Assembly, this month rubber-stamped a law confirming the point. This new law follows a public rejection last month of a proposal from new South Korea President Yoon Suk-yeol to provide large-scale food, economic, infrastructural and technical support. The people of North Korea, suffering in desperate poverty for decades, are in extreme need of such relief. The privileged ruling elite make clear they couldn't care less. In a switch from the norm, North Korea leader Kim did not address this subject. Rather, his sister, Kim Yo-jong, also a senior official, rejected the offer, fueling speculation and intrigue. The new nuclear legislation indicates that Kim Jong-un, who in 2020 had been rumored to be sick, is still the leader. More important is what is now taking place in South Korea. The government in Seoul has just imposed heavy fines on global tech companies for aggressively harvesting the personal data of their customers. Google and Meta, which owns Facebook and Instagram, are being fined a combined total of the equivalent of $72 million. South Korean officials have concluded after a review of the evidence that the massive information and communications companies are not open and transparent about their practices, especially in collecting information from customers using other platforms and services. Predictably, the corporations issued immediate denials of any unfair predatory practices, along with expressions of alarm that they are being targeted. As is usually the case when a powerful company pleads victimization, at least some healthy skepticism is in order. Google and Meta are enormously successful players in an intensely competitive, high-stakes business environment. They can take care of themselves, and have the option of appealing in court the penalties they face. Finally, on Sept. 16 an extremely important military ceremony took place on a runway at Incheon International Airport in South Korea. With practiced discipline, a Republic of Korea Army (ROK) honor guard of nine soldiers stepped precisely, uniformly toward a line of counterparts from the People's Liberation Army (PLA) of China. The ROK soldiers carefully placed nine ornate polished boxes on a table. Ambassador Xing Haiming, China's representative to South Korea, ceremonially placed the flag of China on each box, which contained the remains of a Chinese soldier killed during the Korean War. A PLA honor guard carefully carried the nine boxes into a massive Y-20 China transport aircraft. Soldiers and diplomats similarly honored more boxes of remains and personal effects of the dead. In total, 88 boxes containing China's deceased were loaded on the imposing transport. Similar ceremonies accompanied the arrival of the aircraft in China and the burial of the remains. Two of China's state-of-the-art J-20 stealth jet fighters escorted the transport plane during landing. Repatriation of PLA soldiers' remains began in 2014. According to South Korean defense officials, the effort reflects "international law and the spirit of humanity." It also deters North Korea. Arthur I. Cyr ( ) is author of "After the Cold War American Foreign Policy, Europe and Asia" (NYU Press and Palgrave/Macmillan). English French OTTAWA, Sept. 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The Canadian Red Cross is encouraging people who are impacted by Hurricane Fiona to register with Red Cross by calling 1-800-863-6582, between the hours of 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. ADT or online at www.redcross.ca/hurricanefiona. Registration with the Red Cross ensures people can be contacted while away from home and be reached with information about further Red Cross services and assistance that may become available to them during this time of need. For people not impacted by this disaster, those wishing to help are encouraged to contribute to the Hurricane Fiona in Canada Appeal online at redcross.ca or by calling 1-800-418-1111. A $10 donation can also be made by texting FIONA to 20222. The Red Cross is working closely with community leadership and all levels of government to get help to people in and around affected areas as quickly as possible and to provide humanitarian assistance for new needs as they arise. Money raised will enable the Red Cross to carry out relief, recovery, resiliency, and risk reduction activities in and beyond the region at the individual and community levels. ADDITIONAL RESOURCES @RedCrossCanada | facebook.com/CanadianRedCross | redcross.ca/blog Red Cross donor inquiries: WeCare@redcross.ca or 1-800-418-1111 About the Canadian Red Cross Here in Canada and overseas, the Red Cross stands ready to help people before, during and after a disaster. As a member of the International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement which is made up of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, the International Committee of the Red Cross and 192 national Red Cross and Red Crescent societies the Canadian Red Cross is dedicated to helping people and communities in Canada and around the world in times of need and support them in strengthening their resilience. QUEENSLAND, Australia, Sept. 25, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Pax8, the leading cloud commerce marketplace, today announced that Pax8 Asias CEO Chris Sharp and its Vice President of Sales Patara Yongvanich, selected to speak on two panels at the upcoming Canalys APAC Forum taking place the 15 17 of November in Singapore. Pax8 has seen tremendous growth in Australia and New Zealand since we launched in April, and we are excited to participate as expert panelists at the Canalys APAC Forum, said Sharp. What makes Pax8 unique is our ability to simplify the cloud-buying journey for IT service providers through our people, technology, and support. We look forward to sharing ways to accelerate growth, increase efficiency, and reduce risk so their businesses can thrive. As we expand our presence across Asia, we see the Canalys Forum as an excellent way for MSPs to realize the value we can provide their businesses, said Yongvanich. So often, there is a barrier to entry with cloud adoption because of the change management required to transform from a project-based system integrator to recurring revenue-based managed service provider. Pax8 supports our partners through this transformation, allowing them to take advantage of the market opportunities and enable their clients to grow and scale with the benefits of cloud technology. The 2022 Canalys Forum will be a hybrid experience, bringing together the regions top channel leaders personally and virtually. For the 2022 APAC event, up to 1000 VIP channel executives will come together in Singapore to meet, share, discuss and learn face to face. The Forum is an opportunity to recruit and engage with a high-quality audience of channel decision-makers. All attendees will have access to Canalys insight, vendor content, and messaging. Onsite and remote attendees will access Canalys sophisticated mobile app and platform, powered by Canapii, to build their agenda, schedule meetings, view attendees, and access high-level content. The analysts at Canalys are the acknowledged leaders in channel research, and at the event, partners will hear their unique perspectives. The conference provides independent and impartial content while creating a platform for vendors to influence the channel. In 2022, the Forum will continue to bring an independent vision to todays channel leaders. To learn more about Pax8, please visit pax8.com. About Pax8 Pax8 is the worlds favorite cloud marketplace for IT professionals to buy, sell, and manage best-in-class technology solutions. Pioneering the future of modern business, Pax8 has cloud-enabled more than 250,000 enterprises through its channel partners and processes one million monthly transactions. Pax8s award-winning technology enables managed service providers (MSPs) to accelerate growth, increase efficiency, and reduce risk so their businesses can thrive. The innovative company has ranked in the Inc. 5000 for five years in a row. Join the revolution at pax8.com. Follow Pax8 on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. Media contact: Amanda Lee CVP, Global Communications alee@pax8.com Max Verstappen is not worried about having to deal with an RB18 that does not turn in tight enough in Singapore. Earlier this season, much to his frustration, the Dutchman already had problems with that in Monaco and Baku. For the race at the Marina Bay Street Circuit, that problem will not occur, he expects. Article continues under ad Verstappen initially found the RB18 too slow in the corners. Since then, the car has been developed to be strong at the front and a bit less stable at the rear, and that is exactly to Verstappen's liking. Whether the 24-year-old therefore sees the upcoming weekend as a test to gauge progression? "Well, at the beginning of this year the car was mostly overweight. That overweight was just in the wrong place, so our car tended very much towards understeer," he says in conversation with the Dutch branch of Motorsport.com. Lighter car Pierre Wache, Red Bull's technical director, previously explained that the RB18's overweight meant that the front end was part of the tuning. Now the bolide has become a lot lighter. Therefore, Verstappen is confident that the same problem will come up again in Singapore. Read more Brawn compares Schumacher situation with Max and Jos Verstappen Bumpy track Verstappen is just not sure yet and it could just be that the team could run into other things this time. They have already been away from the race, due to the cancellation of the race due to the corona pandemic. Verstappen says that normally the track there is very bumpy so you have to look extra carefully at the set-up. This year, that is an even bigger question mark because they have yet to see how these new cars react to the bumps. Koreans should stay alert to overcome final COVID-19 hurdle Starting Moday, Koreans don't have to wear masks outdoors. Under the eased rule, individuals at outdoor gatherings of 50 or more people, sporting events and concerts will not be required to wear masks. This is the first time in about two years that the government wholly lifted the outdoor mask mandate. However, quarantine authorities have decided to maintain the indoor mask mandate for the time being, considering a possible COVID-19 resurgence in the winter and an increase in the number of seasonal influenza patients. Announcing the eased mask mandate last Friday, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said, "We are clearly over the hump of the COVID-19 resurgence." Han's remarks reflect the quarantine authorities' belief that the pandemic has entered a calming down phase. The government's antibody positive rate survey results also back up this belief. About 97 percent of 9,901 citizens examined by the Korea Disease Control and Prevention Agency (KDCA) were found to have antibodies either through vaccination (40 percent) or natural infection (57 percent). However, it's still too soon to feel relieved. Antibodies last six to eight months at most. Experts point out that herd immunity is almost impossible to attain, given the increasingly weak defense. Koreans can ill afford to neglect efforts to prevent infection. Indeed various risk factors will remain. The flu, which had been quiet for the past two years, increased dramatically recently, exceeding the 2018 level and is approaching an "endemic" level. COVID-19 is also likely to resurge in November when the antibody-positive rate drops sharply and spreads further in winter. Concerns are mounting over a possible "twindemic," in which, the flu and the coronavirus with similar initial symptoms occur simultaneously. Health authorities should take preemptive measures by reorganizing the medical system. While relaxing COVID-19 rules according to circumstances, the government should be very careful not to send the wrong message, so people do not lower their vigilance and wariness. Individuals should continuously abide by personal hygiene rules, such as hand washing, ventilation, and coughing etiquette. They should wear masks indoors and even outdoors, whenever possible, if they are in close proximity to others or in crowded places. If the public and private sectors work together to respond to COVID-19, the nation can overcome the pandemic's last obstacle without too much damage. The US Department of Energy (DOE) released the Sustainable Aviation Fuel Grand Challenge Roadmap outlining a government-wide strategy for scaling up new technologies to produce sustainable aviation fuels (SAFs) across the US airline industry. The Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) Grand Challenge is a US government-wide approach to work with industry to reduce cost, enhance sustainability, and expand production to achieve 3 billion gallons per year of domestic sustainable aviation fuel production that achieve a minimum of a 50% reduction in life cycle greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) compared to conventional fuel by 2030 and 100% of projected aviation jet fuel use, or 35 billion gallons of annual production, by 2050. The roadmap is the product of a collaboration between the US Departments of Energy, Agriculture, Transportation, the Environmental Protection Agency, and Federal Aviation Administration. US commercial aviation currently consumes approximately 10% of all transportation energy and contributes 2% of the nations CO 2 emissions. SAF has the potential to deliver the performance of petroleum-based jet fuel but with a fraction of its carbon footprint; emerging SAF pathways can even have a net-negative GHG footprint. SAF can be made from renewable biomass and other resources, including corn grain, algae, agricultural and forestry residues, and municipal solid waste streams, and enough biomass can be collected sustainably each year in the United States to produce 50-60 billion gallons of low-carbon fuels. Growing, sourcing, and producing SAF from renewable and waste resources can also create new economic opportunities in agricultural and rural communities, improve the environment, and even boost aircraft performance. The SAF Grand Challenge Roadmap strives to align government and industry actions and coordinate national policies to achieve the goals of the SAF Grand Challenge, which was signed in 2021 by the partnering agencies. The roadmap lays out six action areas spanning all activities with the potential to impact those SAF Grand Challenge objectives: Feedstock Innovation Conversion Technology Innovation Building Supply Chains Policy and Valuation Analysis Enabling End Use Communicating Progress and Building Support The roadmap also helps position the United States as an exporter of SAF technology and fuels to support other countries in their efforts to decarbonize aviation. Welcome to our recap of the biggest headlines from week 38. The Apple iPhone 14 fever is still here we saw the regular iPhone 14 pass a durability test where it fared quite well. The 14 Pro models had their shaky camera problem ironed out with its latest iOS 16.0.2 update. In semi-related news, Android makers such as Xiaomi and Realme are preparing to implement Dynamic Island-type notification systems to their upcoming devices cant say we didnt see that coming. Xiaomi is set to launch its Civi 2 smartphone on Tuesday, September 27 with a centered pill-shaped cutout on its screen. Googles Pixel 7 series marketing campaign is in full force as we got a new teaser for the phones and the Pixel Watch ahead of the October 6 launch event. Pre-orders for the Pixel 7 series start on the same date as the announcement. Asus debuted its ROG Phone 6D duo consisting of the ROG Phone 6D and ROG Phone 6D Ultimate. Both phones share nearly identical specs to the ROG Phone 6 lineup with the big change being the Dimensity 9000+ chipset which replaces the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1. The vanilla 6D start at 799 in the UK while the Ultimate alteration asks at least 1,199. Asus also launched a Batman edition ROG Phone 6 which goes for 1,199. Nvidia announced its RTX 40-series graphics cards with a claimed 2-4x performance boost and DLSS 3. The baseline 12GB RTX 4080 starts at $899 while the top-of-the-line RTX 4090 will go for a cool $1,599. Official sales for the RTX 4090 start on October 12 while the RTX 4080 will be available from November. The big rumors of the week include Samsung continuing to use Exynos chipsets for the Galaxy S23 series and Apple finally bringing 8K video to next years iPhone 15 Ultra. We also got some details for the upcoming OnePlus 11 Pro which should be bring the Snapdragon 8 Gen 2 chip alongside 100W charging. These were the biggest headlines for this week. See you next time. Redmi K60 to get a Dynamic Island type notification system Xiaomi President Lu Weibing asked Weibo users if they would like to see a Dynamic Island implementation. Apple says that a fix for iPhone 14 Pro (Max) camera shaking is coming next week This affects the two Pro models when users open third-party apps that use the camera. Apple's own camera app is not affected. Rumor: iPhone 15 Ultra to arrive with 8K video, better battery life The 8K video may be exclusive to the Ultra. However, all four models are expected to have USB-C ports and Dynamic Islands. Redmi Note 11 Pro (2023) with Snapdragon 712 spotted at the Google Play Console It looks just like the Redmi Note 10 Pro, except that one had the more powerful Snapdragon 732G chipset. Asus ROG Phone 6 Batman Edition announced The US/Canada models will get the Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 chipset while other regions will boast the Dimensity 9000+ SoC. Samsung is rolling out a small update for the Galaxy S6, S6 edge and S6 edge+ This trio launched in the distant 2015, over 7 years ago. In related news, the more recent Galaxy A40 is getting a security patch. Apple iPhone 14 passes durability test with top marks It's essentially an iPhone 13 some improved internals and an easier-to-repair back plate. Pixel 7 series will launch in India, confirms Flipkart Will be the first mainline Pixel phone to launch in India since the Pixel 3. Last weeks poll shows that Motorola is on the right path the Edge 30 trio received a mostly warm welcome, with people showing a preference for the flagship Ultra and a liking for the Fusion. It is really only the mid-range Neo thats in the red (and even then the positive and negative votes are nearly even). Well start with the Motorola Edge 30 Ultra. If youve missed them, check out our written and video reviews. One important thing to note is that Motorola has addressed one of the biggest criticisms against its phones software support. The Ultra will get three major OS updates (that should bring it to Android 15) and four years of security patches, Motorola tells us that they will arrive monthly. Are you seeing this, Sony? The Edge 30 Ultra is a good all-rounder with the improved Snapdragon 8+ Gen 1 and a very high refresh rate display, plus powerful 125W fast charging. The 200MP camera performed well for a first outing, but the other two modules left something to be desired. 4K video for one, but a bit more magnification on the tele lens wouldnt have hurt. Still, considering the price of the phone, it is a strong contender, especially for those looking for stock Android or a desktop mode. The Motorola Edge 30 Fusion, which we have reviewed as well (including a video review), also impressed voters. It doesnt have the wow factor of a 200MP camera, but the faux leather design and a two-tone camera give it a classy look. Unfortunately, the Fusion wont enjoy the extended software support of the Ultra. You only have 2 OS updates and 3 years of security patches to look forward to. The phone also runs on last years Snapdragon 888+ chipset, but with a good-quality 144Hz display you can still get into some gaming. Also, this one supports Motorolas Ready For desktop mode, unlike Galaxy A-series phones. The Motorola Edge 30 Neo is the most affordable of the three, but not necessarily the one that gives you the most bang for your buck. What it has going for it is its relatively petite size (its the same size as the Pixel 6a but has a smaller screen) and fast 68W charging, plus Motorolas clean Android implementation. There are some customization and gesture features available in the Motorola app, but you dont have to use them if you dont want to. Once an Android fans go-to brand, Motorola moved to the background a few years ago. Phones like the Edge 30 series are just what it needs bring it back into the spotlight. The 28th Annual Pacific Islander Festival, one of the largest festivals of Pacific Island culture on the mainland, kicked off the two-day celebration in the Mission Beach neighborhood of San Diego on Saturday after a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic. A culture showcase of music and dance performances, food, exhibits, educational booths, and merchandise, PIFA includes communities from Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Hawaii, Samoa and Micronesia. Amid the many vendors and food stalls, the longest lines could be found at Guam retailers Crowns and Vince Jewelers, and at California-based restaurants Guahan Grill and Chamorro Grill. For Vincent Lin, owner of Vince Jewelers, sponsoring PIFA is a dream long overdue. We are supported and loved by CHamorus, even though we are across thousands of miles, he said. According to Lin, their most popular items on Saturday were Guam seal pendants. We are so proud of the culture and heritage, and wanted to bring the convenience to San Diego, he said. At the ENEWEAR booth, founder Eric Camacho was busy selling merchandise from his Tamuning store. Its nice, man. Its good to see a bunch of different islands get together like FestPac. Its great being here, all cultures mixed into one pot. Islanders all one, he said. Despite the busy day, Camacho remained upbeat and energized. I love the fact that we do have a bunch of the boys from Guam Peeps and Crowns coming out here to showcase what we got, he said. In addition to the food and clothing vendors, PIFA featured many educational organizations. At the Guampedia.com booth, informational materials and kulu-blowing demonstrations took place. According to Rita Nauta, Guampedias managing director, this year was their first appearance at the festival. Half of Guampedias web traffic comes from areas outside Guam with high concentrations of CHamoru communities, she said. Were trying to connect with people who have roots to the Marianas, and give them a deeper dive into the culture online and reconnect to the motherland, she said. Crowd-favorite dance group Kutturan Chamoru took center stage in the afternoon after much anticipation. Cheered on by large crowds, dancers of all ages synchronized their movements to the beat of loud drums. Kutturan Chamorus fafanague, Heidi Quenga, stressed the importance of events like PIFA. Weve been doing this festival for over 25 years. It means culture, it means that theres hope for the future, that our Pacific Islander way of life will not die, that it will be passed on. It brings everyone together as a community. Our ancestors are looking down on us and their spirit is with us, she said. The modern Korean army in the early 1900s. Robert Neff Collection By Robert Neff They say everyone loves a parade especially a military parade. In late 1888, Frank G. Carpenter, an American travel writer, had the opportunity of reviewing some of Joseon Korea's soldiers the old and the new. His observations were brutal. The new soldiers all the sons of nobles were "drilled twice a day in the palace grounds by two American advisors: General William McEntyre Dye, who had served as an officer during the American Civil War and Captain John Henry Nienstead, a former sailor in the American Asiatic Fleet. Carpenter was not overly impressed with their drill or ceremony. He noted the Korean soldiers "marched very well, but their evolutions were not those of war, and were, it seemed to me, of little practical sense." At the archery range near the ruins of Gyeonghui Palace (also known as the Mulberry Palace) Carpenter found himself, somewhat vexingly, impressed with these modern soldiers' skills with weapons from the past bows and arrows and disgusted with their attempts to use modern rifles. "The distance between the palace where the archers stood and the target was fully 300 yards, and the judges had such confidence in the accuracy of the shots that they had their seats within five feet of the bull's eye," he wrote. A depiction of a Korean general of the past circa 1904. Robert Neff Collection However, with their modern Remington rifles, they were dismal at best. Carpenter never witnessed the soldiers actually firing their rifles, but was informed by a foreign resident of the city that the soldiers were not able to "hit a barn door (at 100 yards away) more than two shots out of five." Carpenter's poisonous pen was even more disparaging towards the old-style Korean military (armed with "old muzzle-loaders of different makes") and especially their officers who were, he declared, "the most pompous" of Korean officials. "One of these silk-gowned, black horsehair hatted Corean generals was going up one of the hills about the capital the other day. He had two men behind him to push him and two others held his arms, when General Dye, who by the way is twice the man's age, walked by him with a springing step and asked him as he passed if he expected to have that retinue with him in battle. It took some time for the Corean to appreciate the sarcasm in this remark, but it finally crept through his top knot that among the Western people, that laziness and inability were not marks of honor and the next time the two came together the yang ban general walked alone," he wrote. Judging from Carpenter's holier-than-thou articles, Korea's military was slowly modernizing but apparently not quick enough. In the summer of 1894, Korea was not the Land of the Morning Calm it was the center of the Sino-Japanese War. Chinese and Japanese soldiers battled about the peninsula and in Seoul each of the foreign legations summoned detachments of marines and sailors to serve as legation guards. In September 1894, an American military journal published a somewhat amusing but denigrating article about an encounter with a Korean general in the streets of Seoul. A member of the upper class with his two attendants. Circa 1890s to early 1900s. Robert Neff Collection According to the writer, it was near the royal palace when he encountered "a procession headed by two soldiers bearing poles with the square boards fastened to their tops, inscribed with the words, 'Silence' and 'Keep out of the way.'" The commands on these boards were readily heeded (with the encouragement of fierce shouting and threats by the accompanying soldiers) by the general public who respectfully veered to the edge of the streets while lesser officials on horseback dismounted and waited until the general and his procession had passed. "Following the pole-bearers an official marched in the street, carrying a large portfolio with the visiting cards of the general. These cards are usually of bright red color, about a foot long and a half a foot wide. Another soldier carried a small camp stool, a third a pair of high felt belt boots. Then came about a dozen soldiers with rifles and bayonets, and marching in (single) file on either side of the street, keeping it clear for the general, who now followed. He was mounted on a splendidly caparisoned pony, led by two grooms dressed in long yellow robes." A blending of the past and the future. Circa 1904. Robert Neff Collection Former Navy photographer John A. Kurtz is donating almost 300 photographs depicting life on Guam in the early 1960s to the Guam Museum. An artists rendering of the new Community First Guam Federal Credit Union headquarters, currently under construction along Route 4, in Hagatna. Inalahans Ija subdivision, shown June 18, 2019, is sparsely developed but could be home to new families under the CHamoru Land Trust lease program. Under a new law, fees collected for telecommunication will go to the Land Trusts Survey and Infrastructure fund for the upgrade of land that is all but unusable. Community health advocates and residents living with diabetes now have opportunities to learn how to better manage the disease as the Department of Public Health and Social Services steps up efforts to train the public on chronic disease management. Patrick Luces, Public Health program coordinator for the Diabetes Prevention and Control Program, said this year they are planning to relaunch a chronic disease self-management training program. It is to train clinicians and even members of the community not only on diabetes, but other chronic diseases like hypertension and high blood pressure, said Luces, noting that a start date has yet to be set. Some skills that will be taught include how to effectively communicate with doctors and how to organize medication regimens. Education Luces said educating members of the community will empower them to teach their family members, friends, clients or patients about how to manage chronic disease and reduce the need for emergency room visits and related health complications. We also work with the Department of Education and University of Guam to develop a diabetes curriculum for school-aged children from grades kindergarten through 12th grade. In three years of curriculum training we were able to train 60 teachers, said Luces. The teachers can then share what they learned with their students, who will understand what diabetes is and how to manage the disease when they graduate. Partners, events Luces said the program tries to create the greatest impact by working with other organizations like the Guam Diabetes Control Coalition, the Guam Diabetes Association, Lions Club District 204 and insurance company partners. The Guam Diabetes Association holds monthly meetings. The meetings are open to the public and take place at 5:30 p.m. every third Tuesday of the month at the Dededo Senior Citizens Center. One of our biggest events we are looking forward to is the annual 23rd Guam Diabetes Conference, said Luces. The free event for community is scheduled for 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Nov. 13 in the Micronesian Room of the Hilton Guam Resort & Spa. Those who are interested in attending can register online through the Guam Diabetes Association website at bit.ly/3fjN2xt. Online registration ends Nov. 6 and in-person registration can be done at the hotel before the start of the conference. To learn more about the Guam Diabetes Control and Prevention program and services offered, call 671-922-2563. The Harvest House Resource Center, located within the Harvest Baptist Ministries compound in Barrigada on Sept. 23, 2022. Kim Young-shub, right, CEO of LG CNS, poses with Thomas Kurian, CEO of Google Cloud, after signing a Digital Transformation Partnership at Google's headquarters in Sunnyvale, California, in this photo provided by LG CNS, Sunday. LG CNS said this is the first time that Google Cloud signed a partnership with a Korean company, adding that the two will cooperate on expanding leadership in Korea's enterprise artificial intelligence software market, cloud computing-based application modernization and other digital transformation-related businesses. Courtesy of LG CNS Haiti - FLASH : 145 women escape from Cabaret Women's Prison During the Thursday, September 22, 2022 attack on the Cabaret women's prison, by a group of heavily armed men from Canaan https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37710-haiti-flash-the-women-s-prison-attacked-dozens-of-inmates-escape.html , 145 women out of the 230 incarcerated in this penitentiary center have escaped, confirmed the prison officials after counting the prisoners in their cell. They were not authorized to give more details on this escape, so as not to harm the ongoing investigation which must reconstruct the facts and determine any internal complicity. Nevertheless, they informed that 3 escaped women (Julie Jean-Pierre, Iceland Nogil and Angela Pierre) had been captured a few hours after their escape by the National Police of Haiti (PNH) and then taken back behind the bars of their cell. 143 escapees are still on the run. Note that Marie Yolene Gilles, the Executive Director of the "Je Klere" Foundation, indicates that 232 women were incarcerated in this prison and not 230 as mentioned by the prison officials... A prisoner and a policeman would have been killed during the attack by the armed individuals, information neither confirmed nor denied by official sources. See also : https://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-37710-haiti-flash-the-women-s-prison-attacked-dozens-of-inmates-escape.html SL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - Politic : Speech by PM Henry at the 77th Ordinary Session of the UN General Assembly Saturday, September 24, 2022, during the 77th Ordinary Session of the United Nations General Assembly, the Speech of Prime Minister a.i. Ariel Henry was delivered by Jean Victor Geneus, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Haiti because of the socio-political situation in Haiti, preventing the Head of Government from leaving the country. Excerpts from Prime Minister Ariel Henry's speech : "[...] Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, [...] I am speaking at a time when my country is going through a multidimensional crisis whose consequences threaten democracy and the very foundations of the rule of law [...] Haiti is at a crossroads, at an extremely difficult but decisive crossroads for its future. [...] [...] On the issue of security and the restoration of public order, I won't tell anyone here anything by telling you that the activities of armed gangs create a poisonous climate, which poisons the daily life of the population. This is an intolerable situation that has taken on worrying proportions. The clashes between rival gangs caused a high number of casualties among the population, which forced thousands of people to flee their places of residence to escape the terror of the outlaws. [...] Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, [...] I want to reaffirm here my determination to put out of harm's way those who want to maintain the chaos and prevent the normalization of the situation. My Government, at the cost of heavy sacrifices, has made available the necessary resources to provide the Police with the appropriate means they need to carry out their missions effectively. The delivery of armored vehicles and equipment that it lacks is slow. I really regret that the orders placed to better equip the National Police are taking so long to be delivered. The National Police is able to do the job, but it needs robust support from our partners, and adequate training in the field with the help of partners from the international community, in order to give a blow stop at this situation. [...] Mr. Secretary General, Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen, [...] Haiti is at a crossroads, at a turning point in its history. We are working on transformative solutions to address the challenges we face. From this rostrum, I want to associate my voice with that of President Biden, who has a good understanding of the Haitian crisis, to launch a solemn appeal to the international community and ask it to stand alongside Haiti and Haitians. . I say thank you to all the Heads of State and Government of the great family of nations, who have expressed their concern about the situation prevailing in my country and who have offered their support to Haiti. Much remains to be done to emerge from the crisis and move towards the social and economic progress to which the Haitian people aspire. Thank you for your kind attention !" Download the full text of Prime Minister Ariel Henry's speech : https://www.haitilibre.com/docs/dicours-pm-ariel-henry-onu-24-09-2022.pdf HL/ HaitiLibre Passengers wait for a subway train at Jamsil Station on Line 2 in Seoul, May 13, 2020. Korea Times file By Baek Byung-yeul The high output of 5G relay base stations is found to have caused frequent malfunctions of sensors on subway screen doors that detect obstacles, threatening the safety of passengers, a lawmaker warned Sunday. Kim Young-joo, a lawmaker with the main opposition Democratic Party of Korea (DPK) and a member of the National Assembly's Science, ICT, Broadcasting and Communications Committee, said the 5G relay base stations installed in subway platforms by SK Telecom, KT and LG Uplus have caused the detection sensors of screen doors to malfunction. Since the country commercialized 5G network services in 2019, the three telecommunications companies have installed relay base stations in order to let their customers use network services inside the subway station platforms and trains. Screen doors are physical barriers that open and close automatically to ensure the safety of passengers as trains approach station platforms. According to state-run Korea Railroad Corporation (KORAIL), 99.7 percent of subway stations have installed the barriers nationwide. After analyzing data received from KORAIL, the lawmaker said malfunctions caused by the 5G relay base stations occurred at 30 out of 38 subway stations in Seoul from June 2020 to August 2022. KORAIL concluded that the cause of the problem of the screen doors was the high output of the 5G relay base stations and continuously requested the mobile carriers to fix the problem, because such malfunctions could lead to a fatal accident. In 2021, a passenger was trapped between the screen door and the train at Mangu Station on the Gyeongui-Jungang Line in Seoul. Subway passengers at Jamsil Station on Line 2 in Seoul, May 24, 2021. Yonhap Haiti - Social : 18,412 Haitians back from Dominican Rep. in 1 month For more than a year, the crises have been multiplying and growing in Haiti, as a result, thousands of Haitians, among those who have fled the country, are constantly being repatriated by the United States, Mexico and the Dominican Republic among others. Should be noted that the Dominican Republic, due to its proximity, is the country that receives and returns the most Haitian migrants in an irregular migration situation. Report of the Support Group for Returnees and Refugees (GAAR) August 2022 : Repatriation from the Dominican Republic August 1 to 31, 2022 (8,955 people) : Official points: Anse-a-Pitres : 181 men, 125 women, 7 girls, 6 boys (total 318) Belladere : 3,802 men, 351 women, 7 girls, 8 boys (total 4,168) Malpasse : 223 men, 32 women, 4 girls, 8 boys (total 267) Ouanaminthe : 1,834 men, 661 women, 78 girls, 91 boys (total 2,664) Total 7,417 people : 6,040 men, 1,168 women, 96 girls, 113 boys Unofficial point : Baptiste : 182 men, 0 women, 2 girls, 5 boys (total of 189) Belladere (Rocher) : 141 men, 12 women, 0 girls, 3 boys (total 156) Cornillon : 44 men, 10 women, 0 girls, 0 boys (total of 54) Fonds-Verettets : 209 men, 110 women, 12 girls, 17 boys (total 348) Las Cahobas (Bateille) : 238 men, 186 women, 58 girls, 67 boys (total 550) Ounaminthe (Ti Machin) : 0 men, 0 women, 0 girls, 0 boys (total 0) Savanette (Miguel) : 146 men, 60 women, 13 girls, 22 boys (total 241) Total 1,538 people : 961 men, 378 women, 85 girls, 114 boys Spontaneous returns from the Dominican Republic from 1 to 31 August 2022 (7,504 people) : Official points: Anse-a-Pitres : 85 men, 106 women, 11 girls, 7 boys (total 209) Belladere : 616 men, 233 women, 54 girls, 51 boys (total 954) Malpasse : 28 men, 11 women, 0 girls, 0 boys (total 39) Ouanaminthe : 638 men, 532 women, 195 girls, 166 boys (total 1,531) Total 2,733 people : 1,367 men, 882 women, 260 girls, 224 boys Unofficial points : Baptiste : 107 men, 37 women, 8 girls, 21 boys (total 173) Belladere (Rocher) : 90 men, 59 women, 31 girls, 35 boys (total 215) Cornillon : 52 men, 23 women, 10 girls, 16 boys (total 101) Fonds-Verettets : 248 men, 141 women, 26 girls, 79 boys (total 94) Las Cahobas (Bateille) : 689 men, 589 women, 244 girls, 333 boys (total 1,855) Ounaminthe (Ti Machin) : 377 men, 448 women, 177 girls, 160 boys (total 162) Savanette (Miguel) : 436 men, 215 women, 40 girls, 80 boys (total of 771) Total 4,771 people : 1,999 men, 1,512 women, 536 girls, 724 boys Refoulement at the border from August 1st to 31, 2022 : 1,349 by official points and 604 by unofficial points Total 1,953 people Repatriations from Cuba, the Bahamas and the USA : Cuba : 133 USA : 77 Bahamian : 250 Total : 460 Grand total of Haitian migrants returned to Haiti for the month of August : 18,872 people : 12,102 men, 4,433 women, 1,292 boys and 1,045 girls Reception at the border : In terms of support at the border, the Support Group for Returnees and Refugees (GAAR) continues to strengthen its vigilance in order to ensure respect for the rights of Haitian migrants. Unfortunately, migrants' rights continue to be violated by Dominican migration authorities. The testimonies provided by the migrants recount cases of mistreatment, poor conditions of detention and repatriation. For the month of August, the GARR identified 93 pregnant women and 123 unaccompanied minors among the repatriated persons. In Belladere, GAAR provided basic assistance (psychosocial support, food, accommodation, hygiene kits and transport costs) to 378 returnees: 38 women, 323 men, 7 girls and 10 boys. HL/ HaitiLibre Haiti - News : Zapping... Fuel : Emergency of La Providence Hospital closed Friday, September 23, the Providence hospital in Gonaives closed its emergency services for lack of fuel. The Management of this Hospital Center asks for the help of the Good Samaritans. Digicel calls for solidarity Our technicians continue to try to travel to the provinces to repair damaged optical fibers and to put diesel in our antenna sites. We are also trying to help out a few hospitals in critical situations. This is a call for solidarity to facilitate the transition, said Maarten Boute, President of Digicel. PAHO flies to the aid of MSF and hospitals Faced with the shortage of inputs that has affected the capital's health structures since the beginning of the violent demonstrations last week, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) has provided medicines and medical inputs with the aim of palliating emergency to this problem at Medecins Sans Frontieres, the Hopital Universitaire la Paix and the Hospital of the State University of Haiti. Cuba : Haitian Day Saturday, September 24 was celebrated in Cuba the Haitian Day which aims to value the contribution of Haitians and their descendants who have emigrated to Cuba over the years. The Embassy of Haiti in Cuba applauds and congratulates the Association of Haitian Descendants of Guantanamo and other provinces, representatives of Local Governments, Uneac, ICAP and other institutions and/or persons, for all actions that they have always carried out over the years to promote the heritage and integration of Haitian culture in their communities. UNICEF : 4 million liters of drinking water distributed in Cite Soleil In emergency situations, it is difficult for people living in conflict zones to have access to drinking water. UNICEF has distributed more than 4 million liters of water to the population of Cite Soleil to prevent the occurrence of waterborne diseases. Post-earthquake : 20 Million Canadian dollars New funding of $20 million to the United Nations Development Program Multi-Partner Trust Fund for post-earthquake reconstruction efforts in Haiti was announced by Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada. HL/ HaitiLibre Flowers are seen on a portrait of Mahsa Amini during a demonstration in her support in front of the Iranian embassy in Brussels, on Sept. 23, following the death of an Iranian woman after her arrest by the country's morality police in Tehran. AFP-Yonhap Protests flared again in Iran Saturday over the death of a woman in morality police custody, despite a crackdown by security forces in which at least 41 people have died, according to official figures. The main reformist party inside Iran called for the repeal of the mandatory Islamic dress code that Mahsa Amini had been accused of breaching as the protests over her death entered their ninth night. Web monitor NetBlocks reported that Skype was now restricted in Iran, as part of a crackdown on communications that has already targeted the last accessible international platforms Instagram, WhatsApp and LinkedIn. Hundreds of angry demonstrators have been arrested, along with reformist activists and journalists. Twenty-two-year-old Amini was pronounced dead after spending three days in a coma following her arrest by the morality police. State television said the death toll had risen to 41. It aired footage of "rioters" on the streets in north and west Tehran as well as "some provinces", and said they had set fire to public and private property. Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights put the death toll at 54, excluding security personnel. It said that in many cases authorities had made the return of bodies to families contingent on them agreeing to secret burials. The group said most of the deaths had come in the Caspian Sea provinces of Gilan and Mazandaran. Waves of arrests have been reported, with the Gilan police chief announcing "the arrest of 739 rioters, including 60 women" in that province alone. Protests broke out again on Saturday night in the Gilan provincial capital Rasht as well as in various parts of Tehran, according to videos posted on social media. Anti-riot police deployed in northern Tehran in large numbers after night-fall, witnesses told AFP. One viral video, purportedly from Saturday evening, showed a woman defiantly swinging her headscarf above her head as she walked in the middle of a Tehran street. Security forces have also arrested reformist activists and journalists, with Sherif Mansour of US-based media watchdog the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) reporting 17 had been detained since the protests began. They include Niloufar Hamedi of the reformist newspaper Shargh, who reported on Amini's death. Iranian Americans rally outside the White House in support of anti-regime protests in Iran following the death of Mahsa Amini, in Washington, U.S., Sept. 24. Reuters-Yonhap Police officers detain a demonstrator during a protest against a partial mobilization in Moscow, Russia, Saturday. AP-Yonhap Russian police moved quickly Saturday to disperse peaceful protests against President Vladimir Putin's military mobilization order, arresting hundreds, including some children, in scores of cities across the vast country. Police detained nearly 750 people, including over 370 in Moscow and some 150 in St. Petersburg, according to OVD-Info, an independent website that monitors political arrests in Russia. Some of the arrested individuals were minors, OVD-Info said. The demonstrations followed protests that erupted within hours Wednesday after Putin, in a move to beef up his volunteer forces fighting in Ukraine, announced a call-up of experienced and skilled army reservists. The Defense Ministry said about 300,000 people would be summoned to active duty, but the order left a door open to many more getting called into service. Most Russian men ages 18-65 are automatically counted as reservists. On Saturday, police deployed force in the cities where protests were scheduled by opposition group Vesna and supporters of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. They moved quickly to arrest demonstrators, most of them young people, before they could hold protests. S.Korea says DPRK fires short-range ballistic missile Xinhua) 12:08, September 25, 2022 The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a short-range ballistic missile into its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Sunday. The JCS said in a statement that it detected the launch from an area in or around Taechon, North Pyongan province, at 6:53 a.m. local time. It provided no further details immediately. South Korea was maintaining a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States while strengthening surveillance and vigilance, according to the JCS. The DPRK missile launch came two days after a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrived in Busan, about 390 km southeast of the capital Seoul, for combined drills with the South Korean navy being planned to take place later this month. (Web editor: Bianji, Liang Jun) A woman from Donetsk region, the territory controlled by a pro-Russia separatist governments who live in Russia wait to attend voting during a referendum at temporary accommodation facility in Novocherkassk, Rostov-on-don region of Russia, Saturday. AP-Yonhap Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities Saturday as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in four occupied regions to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In cities across Russia, police arrested hundreds of people who tried to protest a mobilization order aimed at beefing up the country's troops in Ukraine. Other Russians reported for duty, while the foreign minister told the U.N. General Assembly his country had ''no choice'' but to take military action against its neighbor. Ukraine's presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Oleksandr Starukh, the Ukrainian governor of Zaporizhzhia, one of the regions where Moscow-installed officials organized referendums on joining Russia, said a Russian missile hit an apartment building in the regional capital, killing one person and injuring seven others. Ukraine and its Western allies say the referendums underway in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south and the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions have no legal force. They alleged the votes were an illegitimate attempt by Moscow to seize Ukrainian territory stretching from the Russian border to the Crimean Peninsula. Luhansk Gov. Serhiy Haidai said the voting ''looked more like an opinion survey under the gun barrels,'' adding that Moscow-backed local authorities sent armed escorts to accompany election officials and to take down the names of individuals who voted against joining Russia. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged Ukrainians in occupied regions to undermine the referendums and to share information about the people conducting ''this farce.'' He also called on Russian recruits to sabotage and desert the military if they are called up under the partial troop mobilization President Vladimir Putin announced Wednesday. ''If you get into the Russian army, sabotage any activity of the enemy, hinder any Russian operations, provide us with any important information about the occupiers - their bases, headquarters, warehouses with ammunition,'' Zelenskyy said. Putin on Saturday signed a hastily approved bill that toughens the punishment for soldiers who disobey officers' orders, desert or surrender to the enemy. To carry out the referendums that started Friday, election officials accompanied by police officers carried ballots to homes and set up mobile polling stations, citing safety reasons. The votes are set to wrap up Tuesday. ''Half of the population fled the Donetsk region because of Russian terror and constant shelling, voting against Russia with their feet, and the second half has been cheated and scared,'' Donetsk Gov. Pavlo Kyrylenko said. In the Ukrainian capital, about 100 people from the Russia-occupied city of Mariupol, which is part of the Donetsk region, gathered to protest the referendum, covering themselves in Ukrainian flags and carrying posters ''Mariupol is Ukraine.'' ''They ruined the city, killed thousands of people, and now they are doing some kind of profanation over there,'' said Vladyslav Kildishov who helped organize the rally. Elina Sytkova, 21, a demonstrator who has many relatives left in Mariupol even though the city spent months under bombardment, said the vote was ''an illusion of choice when there isn't any.'' It's ''like a joke, because it's the same as it was in Crimea, meaning it's fake and not real,'' she said, referring to a 2014 referendum that took place in Crimea before Moscow annexed the peninsula in a move that most of the world considered illegal. Russian policemen detain a demonstrator protesting against mobilization in St. Petersburg, Russia, Saturday. AP-Yonhap As an existing print subscriber it is easy to get FREE access to all our online content. When you click get started below it will walk you through creating an online account to attach your print subscription number to. After your account is created it will ask you to either add a subscription for online access or click on the print subscriber button. Click the print subscriber button header and it will open a dropdown, now click on get started. The page will reload and you will be prompted to enter an account number and a zip code. IT IS VERY IMPORTANT TO USE THE NUMBER OFF OF THE MOST RECENT ISSUE OR ANYTHING AFTER JANUARY 28, 2019 TO GAIN ACCESS! OLD ACCOUNT NUMBERS WILL NOT WORK The account number and zip code are easily available on your most recent issue of the High Plains Journal or Midwest Ag Journal in the address fields as is shown here. Sometimes the account number has extra zero's in front of it, just ignore those. Displaced people walk on flooded highway, following rains and floods during the monsoon season in Sehwan, Pakistan, September 16, 2022. Reuters-Yonhap The World Bank said it will provide about $2 billion in aid to Pakistan, ravaged by floods that have killed more than 1,600 people this year, the largest pledge of assistance so far. Unprecedented monsoon rains and flooding this year which many experts attribute to climate change have also injured some 13,000 people across the country since mid-June. The floods have displaced millions and destroyed crops, half a million homes and thousands of kilometers (miles) of roads. The World Bank's vice president for South Asia, Martin Raiser, announced the pledge in an overnight statement after concluding his first official visit to the country Saturday. ''We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and livelihoods due to the devastating floods and we are working with the federal and provincial governments to provide immediate relief to those who are most affected,'' he said. Raiser met with federal ministers and the chief minister of southern Sindh province, the most affected region, where he toured the badly hit Dadu district. Thousands of makeshift medical camps for flood survivors have been set up in the province, where the National Disaster Management Authority said outbreaks of typhoid, malaria and dengue fever have killed at least 300 people. The death toll prompted the World Health Organization last week to raise the alarm about a ''second disaster,'' with doctors on the ground racing to battle outbreaks. ''As an immediate response, we are repurposing funds from existing World Bank-financed projects to support urgent needs in health, food, shelter, rehabilitation and cash transfers,'' Raiser said. The World Bank agreed last week in a meeting with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly to provide $850 million in flood relief for Pakistan. The $2 billion figure includes that amount. Raiser said the bank is working with provincial authorities to begin as quickly as possible repairing infrastructure and housing and ''restore livelihoods, and to help strengthen Pakistan's resilience to climate-related risks. We are envisaging financing of about $2 billion to that effect.'' Over the past two months, Pakistan has sent nearly 10,000 doctors, nurses and other medical staff to tend to survivors in Sindh province. (AP) Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi speaks during a press conference in New York on September 22. AFP-Yonhap Iran's ultra-conservative President Ebrahim Raisi has vowed "decisive action" against the wave of unrest that has rocked the country since the death of young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police. Raisi labelled the protests "riots" and urged "decisive action against the opponents of the security and peace of the country and the people", speaking with relatives of a Basij militiaman killed in the city of Mashhad, in a phone call Saturday, his office said. At least 41 people have died, mostly protesters but including members of the Islamic republic's security forces, according to an official toll, although human rights groups say the real figure is far higher. Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists have been arrested since the mostly night-time demonstrations and street clashes broke out after Amini's death on September 16 and then spread to scores of cities. Security forces have fired live rounds and bird shot, rights groups charge, while protesters have hurled rocks, torched police cars, set ablaze state buildings, and shouted "death to the dictator". Iran's largest protests in almost three years have been led by women and driven not by classic political or economic grievances but by anger over the Islamic republic's strictly enforced gender-based dress code. Amini, whose Kurdish first name is Jhina, was arrested on September 13 for allegedly breaching the rules that mandate tightly-fitted hijab head coverings and which ban, among other things, ripped jeans and brightly colored clothes. Some Iranian women protesters have since taken off and burnt their hijabs in the rallies and cut off their hair, some dancing near large bonfires to the applause of crowds that have chanted "zan, zendegi, azadi" or "woman, life, freedom". 'Outrage and hope' Demonstrators gather around a burning barricade during a protest for Mahsa Amini, a woman who died after being arrested by the Islamic republic's "morality police", in Tehran on Sept. 19, 2022. Fresh protests broke out on Sept. 19 in Iran over the death of a young woman who had been arrested by the "morality police" that enforces a strict dress code, local media reported. Public anger has grown since authorities on Friday announced the death of Mahsa Amini, 22, in a hospital after three days in a coma, following her arrest by Tehran's morality police during a visit to the capital on Sept. 13. AFP-Yonhap The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a supplementary challan in the designated court at Mohali in the case of the targeted killing of a Hindu priest by terrorists in Phillaur tehsil of Jalandhar district in January 2021. The anti-terror agency has in its charge sheet named one Gagandeep Singh alias Gaggu resident of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh who is a member of banned Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF) led by Canada-based Hardeep Nijjar. Gaggu, on the instructions of Arshdeep Singh alias Arsh, an associate of Nijjar, extended help to other assailants in executing the plan for the targeted killing. Gaggu was the supplier of arms and ammunition to the gang members who were charge-sheeted in July 2022. Those charge-sheeted earlier were Kamalpreet Sharma and Ram Singh besides Canada-based masterminds Hardeep Nijjar and Arshdeep Singh Arsh. The KTF wanted to disturb the communal harmony in Punjab by targeting a Hindu priest, Kamaldeep Sharma. He was shot and injured but later he succumbed to his injuries. Nijjar and Arsh have been declared as proclaimed offenders since they could not be arrested as they are residing in Canada. The NIA has announced an award of Rs 10 lakh on the head of Nijjar. A red corner notice has been issued asking Interpol to arrest Nijjar who heads the management of a Gurdwara in Surrey, BC, Canada. It is common knowledge that Nijjar and Arsh move around freely in Canada carrying out their daily anti-India activities but still Interpol is unable to arrest them. The 2 key founders-cum-directors of KTF are also wanted by the Punjab police in several cases of terrorism and supplying arms and ammunition to their gang members. In 2020, Nijjar in association with Arshdeep Singh Arsh who originally hailed from Moga raised a four-member KTF module in Punjab. The module succeeded in killing Manohar Lal, a Dera Sacha Sauda follower in Bhagta Baika village in Bathinda district on November 20, 2020. Punjab Police arrest an absconding operative of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). He's one of the main shooters involved in murder of Dera Premi, firing on a priest in the village of KTF Chief Hardeep Nijjar, Sukha Lamme murder&Supershine murder case of Moga: Office of Punjab DGP pic.twitter.com/LAqh1ONjri IndSamachar News (@Indsamachar) June 1, 2021 They also killed Shakti Singh, a resident of village Dagu Romana in Faridkot district, in July 2021, and Tejinder Pinka, owner of Sunshine Cloth Store in Moga on July 14, 2021. Three members of the module were arrested with arms and ammunition and are in jail now facing trial. Also Read: Punjab police seeks extradition of Canada-based Khalistani Hardeep Nijjar In a stern message to China and Pakistan on Saturday, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover-up blood stains and nations who defend proclaimed terrorists in the United Nations neither advance their own interests nor their reputation. Without mentioning Pakistan, Jaishankar, in his speech at the United Nations General Assembly referred to its support to cross-border terrorism and said that no rhetoric, however sanctimonious can ever cover-up blood stains. The United Nations responds to terrorism by sanctioning its perpetrators. Those who politicize the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril. Believe me, they advance neither their own interests nor indeed their reputation, Jaishankar stated, in a clear reference to China without actually naming the country. India's Statement at the General Debate of the 77th session of #UNGA. https://t.co/WuNNyRth4y Dr. S. Jaishankar (@DrSJaishankar) September 24, 2022 Having borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism for decades, India firmly advocates a zero-tolerance approach. In our view, there is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation, Jaishankar added. Resolution 1267 provides for sanctions against individuals and entities that support or finance the acts or activities of ISIL, Al-Qaida, associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities. Jaishankar invited all the member states of the UN to participate in the Counter-Terrorism Committee in Mumbai and New Delhi. External Affairs Minister also said that the reforms in Security Council received support from the UN members because they recognized that the current architecture is anachronistic and ineffective. It is also perceived as deeply unfair, denying entire continents and regions a voice in a forum that deliberates their future. India is prepared to take up greater responsibilities. But it seeks at the same time to ensure that the injustice faced by the Global South is decisively addressed, Jaishankar said. Our call is to allow serious negotiations on such a critical matter to proceed sincerely. They must not be blocked by procedural tactics. Naysayers cannot hold the IGN process hostage in perpetuity. In these turbulent times, it is essential that the world listens to more voices of reason. And experiences more acts of goodwill. India is willing and able on both counts. We believe and advocate that this is not an era of war and conflict. On the contrary, it is a time for development and cooperation, he added. On September 16, China blocked a proposal moved at the United Nations by the US and co-supported by India to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist, Sajid Mir as a global terrorist. China blocks UN resolution to declare Pakistani citizen Sajid Mir as 'Global Terr0rist'. He is already one of the most wanted terr0rist in the world. pic.twitter.com/WQ7vKYwz7T (@TheAvenger82) September 17, 2022 He is Indias most wanted terrorist and was involved in the 2008 Mumbai attacks. Abdul Rauf Azhar, the dy chief of Jaish-e-Mohammed, was actively involved in terrorist attacks i.e hijacking of Indian airlines IC 814 in 1998, terror attacks on the Indian Parliament in 2001, on the Indian Army camp in Kathua in 2014, & the Pathankot IAF base attack 2016: MEA pic.twitter.com/uFqkdonndU ANI (@ANI) August 12, 2022 This is the third time that China has blocked an India-US proposal in recent months after Abdul Rehman Makki, LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) leader as well as Abdul Rauf Azhar, the brother of Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM) chief Masood Azhar were also protected by Beijing. Also Read: India nails Pakistans lies at UN, says Islamabad must stop cross-border terrorism On October 16, 2019, Parvaiz Ahmad Dedar, a resident of Garkote village of Uri in north Kashmirs Baramulla district was plucking walnuts from a tree in Nilsar area of Tangmarg when he fell from a tree and his left leg suffered a major injury. I was immediately shifted to a local hospital in Tangmarg and from there I was referred to JVC hospital Srinagar, Parvaiz told Indiatimes. J&K Tourism Parvaiz calls plucking of walnuts his bad luck now. I dont have any other source of work. I earn my bread and butter through plucking walnuts and then selling them to the traders, he said adding unfortunately no one taught us about the precautions that need to be taken to pluck the walnuts. Though our horticulture department keeps always making big claims of doing a lot for the farmers and labourers but whose responsibility is of these walnut labourers, said Imtiyaz Ahmad Dedar, Parvaizs brother who works as bus conductor. Suffering on daily basis Parvaizs injured leg has not recovered despite the passing of almost three years and has to visit the doctor in Srinagar frequently. He visits at least twice in a week to Srinagar to meet the doctor. His leg has internally broken and doctors have made every effort to fix it back, Imtiyaz said. Idrees Bukhtiyar He further said that they were suffering on a daily basis now and no one was coming forward to help them. I earn Rs 3,000 per month and that goes for my rented room in Srinagar as travelling to and fro Uri is not possible on a daily basis as cab charges are huge, he said. No one helped us Narrating his woes further, Imtiyaz said that he met Block Development Council (BDC) Chairman Uri who assured them to help financially. But later he said that nothing cant be done. They only come when they need votes during an election, he said. I took a loan of Rs two lakh from a local walnut trader here for the marriage ceremony of my brother and now I am giving him walnuts to pay off the debt, he said. When asked what they expect from the government, he said, Government should create awareness about the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) kit which includes helmets, ropes, non-slippery boots and more importantly belts. They should make it available on the subsidised rates to the labourers in the market so that no one is injured and lose their lives, he added. No compensation given Habibullah Ganie, 55, a resident of the same village was plucking walnuts from a nearby tree in 2013 when he fell down. He was taken to the local sub-district hospital but he died on the way. No one from the government officials visited us till date and no compensation has been provided yet, said Habibullahs son Bashir Ahmad Ganie, 45. The past memories of 56-year-old Hakim Din, a resident of Uri still haunts him. J&K Tourism In 2009, I fell down from 85 feet from a walnut tree while plucking. I got thirty-one fractures in my back and I was unable to move and was under complete bed rest for almost one year. The situation was so bad for me that I was not sure that I would again stand up on my legs, he said. Din has now opened at a timbre shop in the main market Uri. I am happy in this business and want to live a normal life without any further falls from the tree as there is no value in your life. He appealed to the authorities to make the safety gear available for the labourers involved in plucking of walnuts so that no more life is lost. Belt is a must and it is the life line of the labourers who climb trees and risk their lives, said Shafqat Ahmad Naik, 22, a local of Garkote, Uri. Mohd Ashraf, a villager from south Kashmirs Shopian town said, Every year you will witness people falling from trees in this sector of Kashmir and getting killed. In the last three years, more than 20 people have been killed, he said. Advisory issued In September last year, the government came up with an advisory after the rise in accidental deaths of the people due to fall from walnut trees. The harvesting season of walnut, a major horticulture produce of Kashmir, commences in late August and continues through the month of September till ending November. Amid the rising number of accidental deaths due to fall from walnut trees, Jammu and Kashmir Disaster Management department issued fresh dos and donts to avoid casualties during the ongoing walnut harvest season. J&K Tourism The advisory mostly calls for safety measures to avoid any such tragic incidents in the future. Last year, the local daily Greater Kashmir reported that within the ten days of beginning of the walnut season at least six persons lost their lives while many were injured due to fall from walnut trees in different areas of Kashmir. After counting the various figures, it came to fore that over 40 people have been killed after falling from walnut trees in the last five years. Official Say Ghulam Rasool Mir, Director Horticulture Kashmir told Indiatimes that there is no scheme as of now so that safety gear could be sold on a subsidised rate. Currently we are promoting the high-density plantation of walnuts, he said adding, This type of plantation doesnt make a tree that large which will later create problems in plucking the walnuts. People should follow it as this is a game changer. However, Mir requested those who pluck walnuts to take precautions. Dont climb the tree when it has rained as it will lead to slip, tie rope while plucking the walnuts and dont sit on a branch which cant bear your weight, he added. For more on news and current affairs from around the world please visit Indiatimes News. A government hospital in Punjab asked patients to click pictures of their X-rays using their cellphones, The Tribune reported. The reason? The hospital is almost always out of physical film used to print the radiograph. Government hospital asks patients to take photos of their X-rays on their phones due to shortage of physical film According to reports, the staff at Government Mata Kaushalya Hospital, a district facility in Patiala, published an announcement asking its patients to get smartphones during X-ray scanning. Only those who have smartphones should come for X-ray, the announcement at the district-run hospital named Mata Kaushalya Hospital read, the report further stated. iStock/Representational Image Those without smartphones left unattended Unfortunately, those without smartphones were left unattended. Meanwhile, an X-ray is a frequent non-abrasive imaging technique used by doctors to inspect the interior of your body. According to The Tribune, a patient named Fuljaria Devi revealed that she was denied treatment by the hospital because she didn't own a smartphone. What she had was but a keypad phone. The 53-year-old said that she worked as a construction labourer and couldn't afford a smartphone. My son works near the Focal Point. Only he has a smartphone. Now, I will have to get my son to get my X-ray done, she added. Unsplash Another daily wage labourer, denied a scan for the same reason, had difficulty getting a diagnosis. Doctors sympathised with these patients and have found an alternative. This saves money. However, if someone does not have a smartphone, the staff of our X-ray department directly sends the shots to the doctor concerned, medical superintendent Dr Sandeep Kaur told the Punjab-based media outlet. Health & Family Welfare Minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra had recently visited the hospital and started a token system so that the patients could avoid queues and get their prescriptions easily according to their turn. On the direction of Health & Family Welfare Minister Chetan Singh Jauramajra, Punjab government has started token system in Mata Kaushalya Government Hospital, Patiala so that the patients don't have to stand in queues & can easily get their prescriptions according to their turn. pic.twitter.com/oCnI64uhMG Government of Punjab (@PunjabGovtIndia) September 22, 2022 For the latest trending stories, follow us on Telegram. As many as 30 residents of Naurangpur village were booked after they held officials of the Gurugram Metropolitan Development Authority (GDMA) at gunpoint and forced them to construct a broken road overnight. Villagers hold authorities at gunpoint over broken road Among those booked are Hoshiar Singh, a former block Samiti chairman. Locals reportedly obstructed the construction work of a master dividing road in Sector 78/79, threatened officials, and coerced them to construct a patch of the road. Representational Image/PTI While police said Singh was the main instigator as he wanted to get a road constructed in front of a petrol pump he owns, he refuted those allegations, the Hindustan Times reported. Singh said villagers wanted the road constructed at the spot because over 20 mishaps had taken place there in the last couple of months. He levied serious charges against the authorities and said they paid no heed to their requests to reconstruct the road. Representational Image/TOI Police register case against villagers A complaint against the residents who held officials 'hostage' was filed by a sub-divisional officer of GMDA. A private contractor, a team of GMDA and workers were on the site when at least 30 villagers came and started abusing the staff members. They assaulted the workers and held the team at gunpoint," a complainant told Hindustan Times. "They took away three machines and construction material and forced them to lay a 50-metre patch of road in front of a petrol pump on Tauru road, they added. Representational Image/TOI Police have registered a case under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including 148 (riots), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servants in discharge of public functions), and 323 (causing hurt). 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty), 427 (causing damage) and 506 (criminal intimidation). According to Rajender Singh, station house officer of the Kherki Daula police station, they are conducting an investigation and raids to apprehend the suspects. For more trending stories, follow us on Telegram. The past decade or so of the 21st century has witnessed a revolution in the fintech industry. From the rising significance of credit scores to increased access to credit through financial inclusion and digital payments through UPI, the fintech industry has given birth to many big trends over the years. One such trend that has been making a splash is the emergence of neobanks. So how are neobanks different from the regular traditional banks and how are they making their own way towards revolutionizing the fintech industry? Read on to know more! ET/getty What are neobanks and how do they work? A neobank is a digital bank that does not have any branches. Instead of having a physical presence at a set location, neobanking is entirely online. A broad collection of financial service providers who primarily target tech-savvy customers comes under the umbrella of neobanking. Basically, a neobank is a fintech firm that provides digital and mobile-first services like payments, debit cards, lending money transfers, etc This way, neobanks bridge the gap between the services that traditional banks offer and the evolving expectations of new-age customers. They do this by providing personalized experiences, employing data-driven insights and offering value-added services. Unlike traditional banks who in a way continue to cope with the era of digitization while at the same time keeping their branch-based traditional banking system alive, neobanks are better positioned to leverage their modern digital platforms to provide a fully digital banking experience to the customers. Neobanks also hold the flexibility to reduce customer-associated fees since they dont have to bear the traditional physical banks expenses of running physical locations. Also, customers get to enjoy the convenience of opening a hassle-free account from the comfort of their homes thanks to the technology-driven KYC process. This negates the need to search for a nearby bank branch to open the account or for other related banking services. How to avail a neobanks services financialtribune Just like you order food online through Zomato or Swiggy, or book an Uber or Ola cab. Yes, it's that easy. However, remember that neobanks offer basic banking facilities such as savings accounts, debit/ credit cards, loans etc. through their partnership with the relevant banking partner. So, neobanks themselves are currently not allowed to operate fully like a bank, hence there are many banking products and services they cannot offer themselves. For example, neobanks cannot accept deposits or offer lending products on their own books. Hence, they tend to have a non-banking financial company (NBFC) or a traditional bank as their parent to engage in lending and deposit activities. Here it's noteworthy that granting banking licenses directly to neobanks can turn out to be helpful in this aspect as it would give them the power to fully operate just like traditional banks without relying on or requiring to partner up with any other financial institution. Also Read: SBI Becomes Most Valuable Public Sector Stock What about the risks? At present, neobanks in India dont have a bank license of their own. Instead, they count on their licensed and regulated banking partners. Currently, neobanks such as Freo, Fi Money, Jupiter, Niyo, Open, Chqbook, etc are currently working in partnerships with traditional banks. So, simply put, neobanks are not directly regulated by RBI, but nevertheless, that does not mean that they are completely out of RBIs clutches. Through their partnerships with traditional banks, neobanks fall indirectly under RBIs purview. Hence, they are required to cooperate with external RBI audits. And depending on the financial product being offered, RBI has direct or indirect oversight of the neobanks. moneycontrol The road ahead In July 2022, the Indian government's policy thinktank Niti Aayog took a big step towards neobanks as it released a report titled 'Digital Banks: A Proposal for Licensing & Regulatory Regime for India', thus proposing the suggestion of licensing of the digital banks. The report also mapped the prevalent business models in this domain and highlighted the challenges presented by the partnership model of neo-banking. Now, it remains to be seen how and when this process gets rolled out and what the future holds for the neobanks in India. Also Read: Are Small Finance Banks Safe? For more of such simplified and interesting financial content, keep reading Indiatimes Worth. Click here. Cork offshore wind energy developer the Simply Blue Group said it is progressing plans towards a new partnership for major wind farms off the Cork and Clare coasts following the announcement by Shell that it was leaving the projects. Last year, the oil giant entered an agreement with Simply Blue for a 51% share in its Emerald and Western Star offshore wind projects, which aim to develop up to 2.35gw of wind energy. The agreement was to see both companies co-develop the projects. At the time the companies said the partnership would combine the local knowledge of Simply Blue with Shells offshore experience and ability to develop large complex projects. However, the companies have confirmed they have parted ways wishing each other success. The move away from the Western Star and Emerald offshore wind projects is a portfolio decision for Shell, according to a joint statement. "Simply Blue Group are progressing towards a new strategic partnership, building on the momentum of both projects to deliver government targets for Phase 2 of Irelands offshore wind development," the statement read. The Emerald floating wind farm, which is in the early stages, will be located off the south coast. It aims to exploit the vast floating wind potential in the Irish part of the Celtic Sea. Some 300 megawatts of installed capacity is planned initially, with the potential to scale up to 1gw. The Western Star Project will be located at least 35km off the west coast of Co Clare and will have a total capacity of 1.35GW, enough to power 1,145,000 homes in Ireland. The innovative floating technology proposed for this project will allow the turbines to be located far from shore and in waters over 100m deep. Last week Simply Blue signed a memorandum of understanding with Irving Oil the Canadian firm which owns and operates the Whitegate Oil Refinery in Cork Harbour. The companies will jointly explore opportunities for a renewable energy hub at Whitegate that would include the production of hydrogen and its use in the production of electrofuels for local and international markets. Gardai recovered a homemade shotgun known as a "slam-bang" during a drug search of a house in north Co. Dublin, a court has heard. Jeffrey Bangu, 19, with an address at Cardy Rock Crescent, Balbriggan, was charged with drug offences in connection with the operation. He was refused bail after appearing at Dublin District Court on Saturday. Garda Eoin OReilly charged him with possessing cocaine and cannabis for sale or supply at his home on August 31, contrary to the Misuse of Drugs Act. He has not yet indicated a plea and "made no reply" when gardai charged him following his arrest on Friday afternoon. Objecting to bail, Garda OReilly told Judge Marie Quirke the local drugs unit obtained a warrant to search the accused's residence. The court heard that during the operation, gardai found an "improvised slam-bang" shotgun in a bag with six 12-gauge cartridges on the floor. He said the homemade gun was "capable of causing serious harm or death". Under cross-examination, he conceded the designated firearms officer was not at the hearing. It was alleged they also recovered about 1,800 worth of cocaine and cannabis valued at 2,100 in the room. The garda added that the seizure of Mr Bangu's wallet there supported the belief it was his bedroom. The court heard gardai found a further 1,400 worth of cocaine and 2,100 of cannabis in another room and an imitation gun described as an air pistol underneath a bathtub. The contested bail hearing was also told that there was paraphernalia, including bags and weighing scales. The Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) has yet to decide if the case will remain in the District Court or go forward to the Circuit Court, which has wider sentencing powers. Defence solicitor Michael Byrne argued that there was no evidence the items were in his client's bedroom. He submitted that the teenager would abide by a range of conditions, including a nightly curfew, providing gardai with his mobile phone number and being contactable at all times. Pleading for bail, the solicitor described the allegations as vague. Judge Quirke stressed that Mr Bangu had the presumption of innocence; however, noting the garda evidence, she refused bail. Mr Bangu was remanded in custody to appear at Cloverhill District Court on Friday pending directions from the DPP. Legal aid was granted to the part-time worker, who provided a statement of his means, but remained silent during the hearing. Gardai investigating an incident in which a patrol car was rammed by a stolen vehicle in Dublin have searched six more houses in the Ballyfermot area as part of their investigations. A number of mobile phones and items of clothing were also seized and sent for technical examination and analysis. The ramming incident took place at about 7.30pm on Monday, September 19 after gardai were alerted to two vehicles driving erratically in the Cherry Orchard area of Ballyfermot. When gardai arrived in the area at approximately 8pm, one of the stolen vehicles deliberately and repeatedly rammed into a garda squad car. In footage of the incident shared on social media, dozens of onlookers could be seen cheering for the driver of the stolen car. Though the two garda officers in the patrol car at the time of the incident escaped without significant injuries, they did later seek medical attention. The pair subsequently reported unfit for duty following medical advice, according to the Garda Representative Association (GRA). Saturday morning's raids bring to 12 the number of domestic residences searched by gardai investigating the incident. "No arrests were made in this phase of the investigation," a spokesperson told the Irish Examiner. "Gardai continue to appeal to anyone with information to contact the incident room at Ballyfermot Garda Station on 01 666 7200, the Garda Confidential Line on 1800 666 111 or any Garda station." Its early days, but at the very least you could say that Saturdays protest in Dublin was a more than fair start for those protesting against the cost-of-living crisis. While initially the numbers present looked disappointing from the point of view of the organisers, it quickly became clear that the crowd size was expanding at a rate of knots. By 3.30pm it stretched more than the length of OConnell Street and then some. When it came to a halt on Merrion Square an hour later, a sea of people was in attendance. The crowd size metric was always going to be key to this event the larger the better from the point of view of the wide-ranging coalition, for whom last decades water charges protests are the clear aspiration point. That movement also had relatively inauspicious beginnings. By the time it was finished two years later in 2016 it had forced an embarrassing climbdown on the Government of the day. And those charges have never been introduced. If no one had shown up on Saturday the Government could have been forgiven for dismissing the protest as a storm in a teacup. It is unlikely to be feeling that way in the protests aftermath, particularly if there is more to follow. Protesters gathered at Parnell Square in Dublin. Picture Sam Boal/ RollingNews.ie The cost of living coalition is one which has brought together Mica redress campaigners, the political opposition of near all hues and ideologies, senior citizens, students, the unions, and whatever youre having yourself together for a (mostly) common purpose. If we hadnt stood up to water charges, what would we be paying now? Ask those intimately involved with its organisation and they would say that 20,000 were present. Those less invested would say 5,000. From this reporters eye, it was probably in or around 10,000. But that is no small number, when you recall this was only the first gathering, and it was a peaceable one. In fact, trouble from far right agitators for whom the protests ideals would hold little attraction was nowhere to be seen, although there were certainly a few familiar faces in the crowd from that particular cohort. Perhaps the agreeable mood among the crowd, at least until the names of the three government coalition leaders were mentioned, was due to the fact that the groups present had little familiarity with each other. For some of the speakers, Ireland's dependence on the dairy industry was the hot topic. For others, climate change is what is of most importance in the context of the energy crisis. People taking part in this afternoon's march. Picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie For veteran activist and former TD Ruth Coppinger the water charges movement is the clear template. If we hadnt stood up to water charges, what would we be paying now? she asked the crowd before the march began. Most of the aggravation on the minds of the crowd was to be seen in the placards held by those in attendance who were not obviously affiliated with any of the gathered groups. Why will my children never have a home? Because the Government doesnt care, read one. Make landlords afraid, said another in a rather more worrying fashion. Landlords indeed were probably the grouping the crowd appeared to have most animosity for not unsurprising given the number of students present for whom the current accommodation crisis is no joke. "This budget is make or break for all of us, Beth OReilly, president of the Union of Students of Ireland, told the crowd, adding her appreciation for the amazing display of solidarity on show. People power is the only thing that will make this Government act, she proclaimed. Picture: Sam Boal / RollingNews.ie Should Tuesdays budget not deliver for people who are feeling the pinch more keenly than ever and this amid a housing crisis frightening in its scale then its not hard to imagine further protests with many multiples of those present on Saturday showing up. And the thought of multiple repeat protests across the coming winter could be enough to give the ruling coalition sleepless nights. Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities on Saturday as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in four occupied regions to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In cities across Russia, police arrested hundreds of people who tried to protest against a mobilisation order aimed at beefing up the countrys troops in Ukraine. Other Russians reported for duty, while the foreign minister told the UN General Assembly his country had no choice but to take military action against its neighbour. Ukraines presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Oleksandr Starukh, the Ukrainian governor of Zaporizhzhia, one of the regions where Moscow-installed officials organized referendums on joining Russia, said a Russian missile hit an apartment building in the regional capital, killing one person and injuring seven others. Ukraine and its Western allies say the referenda underway in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south and the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions have no legal force. They alleged the votes were an illegitimate attempt by Moscow to seize Ukrainian territory stretching from the Russian border to the Crimean Peninsula. Luhansk governor Serhiy Haidai said the voting looked more like an opinion survey under the gun barrels, adding that Moscow-backed local authorities sent armed escorts to accompany election officials and to take down the names of individuals who voted against joining Russia. Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, urged Ukrainians in occupied regions to undermine the referenda and to share information about the people conducting this farce. He also called on Russian recruits to sabotage and desert the military if they are called up under the partial troop mobilisation President Vladimir Putin announced on Wednesday. If you get into the Russian army, sabotage any activity of the enemy, hinder any Russian operations, provide us with any important information about the occupiers their bases, headquarters, warehouses with ammunition, Mr Zelensky said. Putin on Saturday signed a hastily approved bill that toughens the punishment for soldiers who disobey officers orders, desert or surrender to the enemy. A Russian recruit and his wife kiss and hug each other outside a military recruitment centre in Volgograd (AP Photo) To carry out the referendua that started on Friday, election officials accompanied by police officers carried ballots to homes and set up mobile polling stations, citing safety reasons. The votes are set to wrap up on Tuesday. Half of the population fled the Donetsk region because of Russian terror and constant shelling, voting against Russia with their feet, and the second half has been cheated and scared, Donetsk governor Pavlo Kyrylenko said. In the Ukrainian capital, about 100 people from the Russia-occupied city of Mariupol, which is part of the Donetsk region, gathered to protest against the referendum, covering themselves in Ukrainian flags and carrying posters Mariupol is Ukraine. They ruined the city, killed thousands of people, and now they are doing some kind of profanation over there, said Vladyslav Kildishov who helped organise the rally. Soldiers carry the coffin of their comrade, Ukrainian military officer Volodumur Linsky, who was killed in a battle against Russian troops, in Kramatorsk, Ukraine (AP Photo/Andriy Andriyenko) Elina Sytkova, 21, a demonstrator who has many relatives left in Mariupol even though the city spent months under bombardment, said the vote was an illusion of choice when there isnt any. Its like a joke, because its the same as it was in Crimea, meaning its fake and not real, she said, referring to a 2014 referendum that took place in Crimea before Moscow annexed the peninsula in a move that most of the world considered illegal. The mobilisation ordered by Putin marked a sharp shift from his effort to cast the seven-month war as a special military operation that does not interfere with the lives of most Russians. Russian police moved quickly to break up demonstrations against the mobilisation that were held in several cities across Russia on Saturday, arresting more than 700 people. More than 1,300 protesters were arrested during a previous wave of protests on Wednesday, and many of them immediately received call-up summons. A woman from Donetsk region casts her vote at temporary accommodation facility in Krasnodar, Russia (AP Photo) The Russian leader, and defence minister Sergei Shoigu, said the order applied to reservists who had recently served or had special skills, but almost every man is considered a reservist until age 65 and Putins decree kept the door open for a broader call-up. The Russian ministry said that the partial mobilisation initially aimed to add about 300,000 troops to beef up its outnumbered volunteer forces in Ukraine. The Ukrainian government stopped allowing most men ages 18-60 to leave the country immediately after Russias February 24 invasion under a general mobilisation order intended to build a one million-strong military. Across Russias 11 time zones, men hugged their weeping family members before being rounded up for service amid fears that a wider call-up might follow. Some media reports claimed Russian authorities planned to mobilise more than one million recruits, which the Kremlin denied. Many Russian men bought up scarce and exorbitantly priced airline tickets out of the country as as rumours swirled about a pending border closure. Thousands others fled by car, creating lines of traffic hours or even days long at some borders. The massive exodus underlined the unpopularity of the war and fuelled public outrage. Putins mobilisation order followed a swift Ukrainian counteroffensive that forced Moscows retreat from parts of the north-eastern Kharkiv region, a humiliating defeat that highlighted blunders in Moscows military planning. The defence ministry on Saturday announced the dismissal of General Dmitry Bulgakov from the post of deputy defence minister in charge of logistics It did not mention the cause for his sacking, but the move was widely seen as a punishment for the flaws in supporting operations in Ukraine. The onset of autumnal weather, with rain making fields too muddy for tanks, is beginning to cloud Ukraines efforts to take back more Russian-held territory before winter freezes the battlefields, a Washington-based think tank has said. Russia, meanwhile, pressed on with its call-up of hundreds of thousands of men to throw into the seven-month war, seeking to reverse its recent losses. It also deployed suicide drones on Sunday against the Ukrainian port city of Odesa, Ukrainian authorities said. No casualties were reported. The Russian mobilisation, its first such call-up since the Second World War, is sparking protests in Russian cities, with fresh demonstrations on Sunday. It is also opening splits in Europe about whether fighting-age Russian men fleeing in droves should be welcomed or turned away. A Russian officer checks the temperature of recruits at a recruitment centre in Volgograd (AP) For Ukrainian and Russian military planners, the clock is ticking, with the approach of winter expected to make fighting more complicated. Already, rainy weather is bringing muddy conditions that are starting to limit the mobility of tanks and other heavy weaponry, according to the Institute for the Study of War. But the think tank said Ukrainian forces are still gaining ground in their counter-offensive, launched in late August, that has spectacularly rolled back the Russian occupation across large areas of the north east and which also prompted Russian President Vladimir Putins new drive for reinforcements. The partial mobilisation has triggered an exodus of men seeking to avoid the draft and sharp differences of opinion in Europe about how to deal with them. Lithuania, a European Union member country that borders Kaliningrad, a Russian Baltic Sea exclave, said it will not grant them asylum. Russians should stay and fight. Against Putin, foreign minister Gabrielius Landsbergis tweeted. Things Russian men can do instead of running away to Europe: protest disobey AWOL POW mutiny Asylum for 25 million draft dodgers is not an option. Russians must liberate Russia. Gabrielius Landsbergis (@GLandsbergis) September 24, 2022 His counterpart in Latvia, also an EU member and bordering Russia, said the exodus poses considerable security risks for the 27-nation bloc and that those fleeing cannot be considered conscientious objectors against the invasion. Many were fine with killing Ukrainians, they did not protest then, the Latvian foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics, tweeted. He added that there are plenty of countries outside EU to go. Read More Russia had no choice other than to attack Ukraine, Lavrov tells UN Officials in other EU nations, however, say Europe has a duty to help, and fear that turning away Russians could play into Mr Putins hands, feeding his narrative that the West has always hated Russians and that the war is being waged to safeguard their country against western hostility. Closing our frontiers would fit neither with our values nor our interests, a 40-strong group of senators in France said in a statement. They urged the EU to grant refugee status to Russians fleeing mobilisation and said turning them away would be a mistake by Europe in the war of communication and influence that is playing out. Many of Russians who now flee Russia because of mobilisation were fine with killing Ukrainians, they did not protest then, it is not right to consider them as conscious objectors. There are considerable security risks admitting them and plenty of countries outside EU to go Edgars Rinkevics (@edgarsrinkevics) September 22, 2022 The mobilisation is also running hand-in-hand with Kremlin-orchestrated votes in four occupied regions of Ukraine that could pave the way for their imminent annexation by Russia. Ukraine and its western allies say the referendums in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south and the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions have no legal force. The votes are set to end onTuesday but are being dismissed in Ukraine and the West as a sham, with footage showing armed Russian troops going door to door to pressure Ukrainians into voting. Ukraines reintegration ministry said Russia has brought people from Belarus, Brazil, Egypt, South Africa, Syria, Togo, Uruguay and Venezuela to act as supposed outside observers. The ministry warned that they will be punished, without specifying how. In cities across Russia, police have arrested hundreds of protesters against the mobilisation order. A Russian recruit and his wife other outside a military recruitment centre (AP) Women opposed to the call-up protested on Sunday in the Siberian city of Yakutsk. Videos shared by local media showed a crowd of a few hundred people, mostly women, holding hands and marching in a circle around a group of police. Police later dragged some away or forced them into police vans. News website SakhaDay said the women chanted pacifist slogans and songs. At least 2,000 people have been arrested in recent days for similar demonstrations around the country. Many of those taken away immediately received call-up summons. Other Russians are reporting for duty. Mr Putin and defence minister Sergei Shoigu have said the order applies to reservists who recently served or have special skills, but almost every man is considered a reservist until the age of 65 and Mr Putins decree kept the door open for a broader call-up. The Kremlin said its initial aim is to add about 300,000 troops to its forces in Ukraine, struggling with equipment losses, mounting casualties and weakening morale. The mobilisation marks a sharp shift from Mr Putins previous efforts to portray the war as a limited military operation that would not interfere with most Russians lives. The call-up is being accompanied by tougher punishments for Russian soldiers who disobey officers orders, desert or surrender to the enemy. Mr Putin signed those measures into law on Saturday. The Ukrainian government stopped allowing most men aged 18-60 to leave the country immediately after Russias February 24 invasion under a general mobilisation order intended to build a one million-strong military. One lucky lobster fisherman in Maine, an area known for great lobster fishing, landed himself an extremely rare blue lobster. According to a Newsweek report, the lucky fisherman is Blake Haass from Mount Desert Island, who told Newsweek, "I have never seen a blue lobster this bright of a blue or as pretty. We might see a lobster once in a while with a slight tint of blue on a claw or tail maybe but that's it. This is the first one I have ever seen this blue all over! And such a beautiful blue. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) confirmed: According to the (Akron) zoo, blue lobsters occur one in every 2 million. And the chances of one being caught, shipped, saved, and savored? Well go with virtually impossible. Haass thinks the lobster was around 10 years old. Explaining the color, NOAA Fisheries said: "'Red as a lobster' is just a tale. Lobsters come in just about every color but red. They can be blue, light yellow, greenish-brown, grey, dusty orange, some calico, and some with spots. However, they all turn red when they hit hot water." For the entire Newsweek article, click here. Allegations stemming from a political smear campaign, or campaigns, that delivered "attack" mail to two of the Village of Key Biscayne mayoral candidates in last month's primary have resulted in the filing of election law complaints against three political committees. The complaints were filed by noted attorney, and longtime Key Biscayne resident Eugene "Gene" Stearns. Stearns, chairman of the Stearns Weaver Miller law firm, is not only trying to pinpoint which committees were directly tied to Fausto Gomez's campaign funding, but also who is responsible for the negative mailers, which Gomez said he received and another that his opponent, Joe Rasco, received. Both advanced in the primary to the Nov. 8 general election for the mayoral post being vacated by Mayor Mike Davey. In the legal filings, dated Sept. 7, to the Florida Elections Commission in Tallahassee, Stearns listed three committees, two of which supported Gomez, while the other did not: * Key Biscayne Residents for Quality of Life is a committee with a P.O. Box address in Tallahassee that decidedly supports Gomez, based on its attacks against Rasco. In the legal filing, Stearns said his daughter (Jennifer Stearns Buttrick, part of his law firm) traced the originator of the committee to Tallahassee attorney Mark Herron, which he created in June to "specifically support the election of Fausto Gomez." Stearns called the specific two mailers in question "false and inflammatory," but it's not the reason for this complaint, he said, before writing: "At no time before the mayoral primary were any contributions reported, in violation of reporting requirements by Florida law. ... Having failed to make any timely disclosure, this committee concealed important information from the voters." * Coastal Beaches Matter is a committee that also originated in Tallahassee with the same P.O. Box number and also supports Gomez, based on its political advertisements, which Stearns writes in his filings "did not report any expenditures in the month of August. In fact, there are no reported expenditures by Coastal Beaches Matter through the Florida Division of Elections since March of 2022." He went on to write that because of the committee's "failure to comply with the law, Key Biscayne voters were left without any information about who funded the Mailers for Fausto Gomez' candidacy during the primary Mayoral election." * Floridians for Truth Now, Stearns said, is the committee decidedly against Gomez, and originated from an address in Fort Lauderdale. Stearns, in the legal filing, said the committee appears to have failed to properly disclose its contributors and/or to properly report its campaign expenditures in violation of Florida's Election Code." Stearns also listed three names linked to the committee who contributed money before Gomez had filed to run, but none of whom he was able to connect to the addresses supplied. "Floridians for Truth Now only reported one contribution of $4,500.00 in the mayoral primary" Stearns wrote in the filing, but he noted that sum of money would not be enough to pay for the five mailers (which he said he received, and attached as evidence) since "political committees can only expend funds once they have received contributions." Stearns went on to write: "Had the reporting requirements been followed, we would know who funded the campaign against Mr. Gomez." Stearns said all of this is noteworthy because Gomez all along has said he has self-funded his campaign, mentioning the words "unbought" and "unbossed" in the legal filings, which he claims the candidate used in his platform. Stearns, who was part of the drive for the Village's incorporation in 1991 and later similarly assisted, on a pro-bono basis, about a dozen other municipalities in Miami-Dade County, told the Islander News that he is filing the complaints only "as a citizen." He said it is the first time he's ever filed such an action, although his law firm has, on occasion, been hired to do representation in regard to election laws. "I filed these myself regarding the pathologically false claims made (by Gomez on social media letters) against me, my daughter and one of my former clients, who he said were behind these (attacks). He knows we had nothing to do with it," Stearns said, saying Gomez still had two active (as of last week) social media websites promoting his election bid. "When he attacks us, we can defend ourselves, but what does he do to those who cannot? I'm certainly not going to hide behind some political committee. ... I just don't appreciate the personal attacks," Stearns added. The legal action likely would not result in the overturning of the primary election, Stearns said, but, if found that election laws were violated, fines and penalties would be a likelier scenario. "This is serious stuff, Stearns said. Our community is a nice community, and when you start these attack ads, and then when you don't reveal who's behind them." Stearns said he notified Gomez and Rasco that he was filing the legal action. Gomez, who said he's enjoyed life on Key Biscayne for 21 years, said Wednesday afternoon: "I have no comment on Mr. Stearns' Flight of Fancy. I remain focused on the issues that affect our community: the privatization of the Rickenbacker Causeway; no homeless encampment on Virginia Key; no massive development on Key Biscayne; and the outrageous amount of money raised by my political opponent from interests outside of Key Biscayne ... and preserving our ability to decide the future of our community rather than delegating to the Council." Asked if voters receiving the mailers might have empathized with the candidates that allegedly received the mailers, Stearns said it would be difficult to link with a cause-and-effect like that. Instead, he said, "I believe Key Biscayne's voters are smart; they know what's going on." He said the issue likely will not be resolved before the Nov. 8 election. Data infrastructure company Equinix has partnered with the Centre for Energy Research and Technology under the National University of Singapores College of Design and Engineering to explore technologies that enable the use of hydrogen as a green fuel source for mission-critical data centre infrastructure. Equinix and the Centre for Energy Research and Technology (CERT) will launch research project to compare the efficiency of proton-exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cells and fuel-flexible linear generator technologies. Equinix said PEM fuel cells are a leading contender for hydrogen energy while fuel-flexible linear generators enable operators to easily switch between various clean fuel options including hydrogen, biogas and various renewable liquid fuels. Adoption of these technologies may allow data centres to reduce carbon emissions while meeting the rising demand for data, colocation, and interconnection services. The research collaboration between Equinix and CERT will involve a holistic assessment of the suitability of these technologies for tropical data centres, considering local climatic conditions, site constraints, power demand, supply chain, fuel storage capabilities as well as local regulatory policies. This research initiative comes under a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed earlier this year between the two partners. Under the MOU, CERT will conduct an analysis of technologies identified in collaboration with Equinix, to determine the operational viability of the technologies at scale. Based on the results of the research, Equinix expects to develop proof-of-concept projects within its global network of data centres for real-world testing and to support incorporation into future data centre designs. The Equinix and CERT partnership aims to accelerate disruptive technologies that can reduce the carbon footprint of global data centres, particularly in tropical locations. This partnership forms part of Equinixs Future First strategy that underscores the companys commitment to greening the digital economy. Data centres serve as the conduit powering the digital economy, and greening their operations can drive the rise of sustainable business throughout the broader economic landscape. Working with like-minded partners like the Centre for Energy Research and Technology at NUS empowers us with the combined experience and expertise to advance the growth of digital economies in line with environmental obligations, benefiting the data centre industry, global economies, and the planet, said Equinix managing director South Asia Yee May Leong. Sustainability is a key pillar of the global economy. To complement the efforts made by the public sector, timely progress also requires collaboration with stakeholders in the private sector and academia. We are keen to work with industry partners like Equinix, which is known for its sustainability efforts and provides us access to a global network of data centres that can serve as a testbed for a more accurate assessment of operational viability. Through this partnership, we look forward to playing a driving role for green data centre innovations that can be applied in Singapore and globally, said Centre for Energy Research and Technology NUS College of Design and Engineering associate professor Lee Poh Seng. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 23 September 2022. Telecommunications company Optus has informed the public that its current and former data was accessed following a cyberattack on its systems, and sensitive information such as dates of birth, email addresses, and passport numbers may have been impacted in the security incident. iTWire reported the breach yesterday. As per The Australian, up to nine million customers were affected. Optus assured customers that payment details and account passwords were not compromised. Optus services including mobile and home internet were not affected and remain safe to use and operate as normal. Optus said on Thursday that it is immediately "investigating the possible unauthorised access of current and former customers' information." As a precaution, it also notified government security offices such as the Australian Cyber Security Centre to mitigate risks to customers. Optus also alerted the Australian Federal Police, the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, and other key regulators. "We are devastated to discover that we have been subject to a cyberattack that has resulted in the disclosure of our customers personal information to someone who shouldnt see it," said Optus CEO Kelly Bayer Rosmarin in a staatement. "As soon as we knew, we took action to block the attack and began an immediate investigation. While not everyone maybe affected and our investigation is not yet complete, we want all of our customers to be aware of what has happened as soon as possible so that they can increase their vigilance. We are very sorry and understand customers will be concerned. Please be assured that we are working hard, and engaging with all the relevant authorities and organisations, to help safeguard our customers as much as possible." F5 regional vice president for ANZ Jason Baden said the personal data of many Australians may possibly land in the hands of criminal or state actors. "That data could be used to sign up for new mobile services, open mule bank accounts, gambling accounts, or pursue social engineering for purposes of fraud and money laundering," Baden commented. "The impact of breaches like this is much wider than the initial organisation hit - now everyone needs to be on notice, both individuals and organisations such as banks, gambling companies, telcos, loyalty programs, and more." Following the breach, the ACCC warned customers to protect their accounts and take necessary steps to secure their personal information. The regulatory body advised customers to monitor their personal accounts and to be vigilant for possible scams. The ACCC listed the following steps to protect personal information: 1. Secure your devices and monitor for unusual activity 2. Change your online account passwords and enable multi factor authentication for banking 3. Check your accounts for unusual activity such as items you havent purchased 4. Place limits on your accounts or ask you bank how you can secure your money 5. If you suspect fraud you can request a ban on your credit report. This first appeared in the subscription newsletter CommsWire on 23 September 2022. Two senators from the US Republican Party are seeking a public analysis and review of the Chinese firm Yangtze Memory Technologies Company after Apple said it was thinking of buying NAND memory chips from the firm for use in future iPhones. In a statement, Mark Warner (Virginia) and Marco Rubio (Florida) wrote to the director of National Intelligence, Avril Haines, seeking a review of alleged risks that YMTC poses to US national security. Over the last few years, the US has sought to cut off Chinese companies' access to advanced semiconductors. One of the firms affected has been Huawei Technologies, once a leader in the smartphone industry in China, but now reduced to a bit player. The letter was also signed by Democrat majority leader in the House, Chuck Schumer of New York, and Senator John Cormyn, a Republican from Texas. [W]e write to convey that any decision to partner with YMTC, no matter the intended market of the product offerings developed by such a partnership, would affirm and reward the PRCs [People's Republic of China's] distortive and unfair trade practices, which undermine US. companies globally by creating significant advantages to Chinese firms at the expense of foreign competitors," the letter said. "Last year, the Biden Administration described YMTC as Chinas national champion memory chip producer', which supports the CCPs [Chinese Communist Party's] efforts to counter US innovation and leadership in this space. Policymakers have for several years now conveyed to the American public the importance of a competitive semiconductor industry to US national and economic security. "A partnership between Apple and YMTC would endanger this critical sector and risk nullifying efforts to support it, jeopardising the health of chipmakers in the US and allied countries and advancing Beijings goal of controlling the global semiconductor market. "Buoyed by a major contract with a leading global equipment vendor such as Apple, YMTCs success would threaten the 24,000 American jobs that support memory chip production. "More broadly, such a partnership would also threaten the opportunities this market provides for research at US universities and further development of memory chips for civilian and military uses. Warner and Rubio also said that reports had alleged that YMTC may have breached the US foreign direct product rule in supplying smartphone and electronics components to Huawei. The rule prohibits companies on an Entity List from obtaining products made using American technology, unless they have an exemption from the US Department of Commerce. 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. Moscow replaced its top logistics general on Saturday after a series of setbacks as Kremlin-held regions of eastern and southern Ukraine voted for a second day on becoming part of Russia. The changing of the guard comes amid a major mobilisation drive by Russia after the Ukraine invasion revealed widespread logistical difficulties, with Kyiv now taking back more and more territory. Russia's invasion and recent gains by the Ukrainian army in a lightening counter-offensive have laid bare important logistical flaws with some analysts seeing logistics as the weak link in Moscow's army. "Army General Dmitry Bulgakov has been relieved of the post of deputy minister of defence" and will be replaced by Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, aged 60, the defence ministry said. Russia's partial mobilisation announced on Wednesday will likely be one of his first big logistical challenges with the hundreds of thousands of reservists being called up needing to be equipped and trained before deployment. The voting on whether Russia should annex four regions of Ukraine started on Friday, dramatically raising the stakes seven months after Moscow's troops invaded. US President Joe Biden has dismissed the referendums as a "sham... a false pretext to try to annex parts of Ukraine by force in flagrant violation of international law". Even Beijing, Moscow's closest ally since the war began in February, reacted. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi -- in comments made to his Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba at the UN General Assembly on Friday -- said the "sovereignty and territorial integrity of all countries must be respected". The voting is being held in Russian-controlled areas of Donetsk and Lugansk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south. - 'No legitimacy' - For four days, authorities are going door-to-door for four days to collect votes. Polling stations then open Tuesday for residents to cast ballots on the final day. Results are expected as early as late Tuesday or Wednesday. "Ultimately, things are moving towards the restoration of the Soviet Union. The referendum is one step towards this," Leonid, a 59-year-old military official, told AFP. The four regions' integration into Russia would represent a major escalation of the conflict as Moscow would consider any military move there as an attack on its own territory. Ukrainian forces said they were clawing back territory from Moscow-backed separatists in the very lands Russia wants to assimilate. The snap referendums were announced just this week after a Ukrainian counter-offensive seized most of the northeast Kharkiv region -- bringing hundreds of settlements back under Kyiv's control after months of Russian occupation. Irpin, close to the capital, was recaptured after weeks of fighting and residents have rallied round to start rebuilding before winter sets in. Over 100 apartment blocks in Irpin -- dubbed a "hero city" by President Volodymyr Zelensky for holding back Russian invaders -- were badly damaged by shelling. Head of his building's residents' association Mykhailo Kyrylenko looked proudly at the new roof taking shape. "People don't have much money, but they agreed" to donate funds to gradually restore the shattered homes, he told AFP. - Evidence of 'war crimes' - Putin this week warned that Moscow would use "all means" to protect its territory -- which former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev said on social media could include the use of "strategic nuclear weapons". The referendums recall the one held after Russia annexed Ukraine's Crimea in 2014. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has denounced the polls, on Friday calling them "crimes against international law and the law of Ukraine". G7 nations declared the polls will "never" be recognised and have "no legal effect or legitimacy". Otherwise, UN investigators on Friday accused Russia of committing war crimes on a "massive scale" in Ukraine -- listing bombings, executions, torture and horrific sexual violence. Erik Mose of the Commission of Inquiry -- an investigative team set up by the Security Council in March -- said they had seen evidence of a "large number of executions" and the rape and torture of children. In eastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian officials said Friday they had finished exhuming 447 bodies from a site near the city of Izyum, which was recaptured from Russian forces. "Most of them have signs of violent death, and 30 have signs of torture," said Kharkiv regional governor Oleg Synegubov. "There are bodies with rope around their necks, with their hands tied, with broken limbs and gunshot wounds." The Kremlin has accused Kyiv of fabricating evidence of the alleged war crimes. Russia on Saturday toughened penalties for soldiers voluntarily surrendering or refusing to fight, with up to 10 years imprisonment, and it replaced its top logistics general after a series of setbacks to its seven-month war in Ukraine. Those developments come days after Russia instigated a partial mobilisation affecting up to 300,000 additional troops, at a time when Kyiv has taken back more and more territory in a stunning counter-offensive. Seemingly in response to the new Russian penalties, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky directly addressed Russian citizens on Saturday, telling them that their president was knowingly "sending citizens to their death." Speaking in Russian, he called on Moscow's forces to surrender, saying, "You will be treated in a civilized manner... No one will know the circumstances of your surrendering." His pointed remarks came as Kremlin-held regions of eastern and southern Ukraine voted for a second day on whether to become part of Russia, dramatically raising the stakes in the conflict. Integrating the four regions into Russia would mean that Moscow would consider any military move there as an attack on its own territory. Zelensky has denounced the polls, on Friday calling them "crimes against international law and the law of Ukraine". Ukraine's recent gains have laid bare flaws in Russia's approach since it invaded on February 24, with some analysts seeing logistics as the weak link in Moscow's army. "Army General Dmitry Bulgakov has been relieved of the post of deputy minister of defence" and will be replaced by Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, aged 60, the defence ministry said. Russia's partial mobilisation, announced on Wednesday, will likely be one of Mizintsev's first big logistical challenges, with the hundreds of thousands of reservists being called up needing equipment and training before deployment. Military-age men have sought to leave, with flights full and neighbouring countries receiving an influx of Russians. Some 2,300 private vehicles were waiting at one crossing into Georgia, regional Russian authorities said. "We were talking to our friends and many are thinking about leaving," said Daria, 22, after fleeing Russia to Istanbul with many of her compatriots. "Not everyone wanted to leave in February. The (mobilisation) decision of September 21 forced many to think about it again." More than 700 people were detained in protests on Saturday against the partial mobilisation, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info. Now that President Vladimir Putin has signed the legislation, servicemen who desert, surrender "without authorisation", refuse to fight or disobey orders can face up to 10 years imprisonment. Looting will be punishable by 15 years imprisonment. A separate law, also signed on Saturday, facilitates Russian citizenship for foreigners who enlist in the Russian army as the Kremlin seeks to bolster the ranks. - Biden calls vote a 'sham' - On Friday, US President Joe Biden dismissed as a "sham" the voting on whether Russia should annex four regions of Ukraine. And in remarks at the UN General Assembly in New York, even Beijing, Moscow's closest ally since the war began, called on Russia and Ukraine not to let the effects of the war "spill over". In his own address to the UN on Saturday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov bitterly criticized Western nations, saying the United States and its allies sought to "destroy" his country. "The official Russophobia in the West is unprecedented. Now the scope is grotesque," he said. He also defended the referendums, describing them as people claiming land "where their ancestors have been living for hundreds of years." The voting is being held in Russian-controlled areas of Donetsk and Lugansk in the east, and Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in the south. Authorities there are going door-to-door to collect votes. Polling stations then open Tuesday for residents to cast ballots on the final day of voting. Results are expected as early as late Tuesday. "Ultimately, things are moving towards the restoration of the Soviet Union. The referendum is one step towards this," Leonid, a 59-year-old military official, told AFP. The snap referendums were announced just this week after the Ukrainian counter-offensive seized most of the northeast Kharkiv region -- bringing hundreds of settlements back under Kyiv's control after months of Russian occupation. On Saturday, bad weather and stiff Russian resistance caused Ukraine's counter-offensive to slow to a brutal slog in Kupiansk, in the eastern Kharkiv region. "For now, the rain is making it difficult to use heavy weapons everywhere. We can only use paved roads," Ukrainian army sergeant Roman Malyna told AFP. Irpin, close to the capital, was recaptured after weeks of fighting and residents have rallied to start rebuilding before winter sets in. More than 100 apartment blocks in Irpin -- dubbed a "hero city" by Zelensky for holding back Russian invaders -- were badly damaged by shelling. - Evidence of 'war crimes' - Head of the residents' association in his building, Mykhailo Kyrylenko looked proudly at the new roof taking shape. "People don't have much money, but they agreed" to donate funds to gradually restore shattered homes, he told AFP. Putin this week warned that Moscow would use "all means" to protect its territory -- which former Russian leader Dmitry Medvedev said on social media could include the use of "strategic nuclear weapons". UN investigators on Friday accused Russia of committing war crimes on a "massive scale" in Ukraine -- listing bombings, executions, torture and horrific sexual violence. In the eastern Kharkiv region, Ukrainian officials said they had exhumed 447 bodies from a site near the city of Izyum, which was recaptured from Russian forces. The Kremlin has accused Kyiv of fabricating evidence of the alleged war crimes. Hundreds of Iranians based in France rallied in Paris on Saturday to denounce Iran's leadership which has cracked down on protests following the death of Mahsa Amini after her arrest by morality police. The protesters gathered in the central Place du Chatelet and chanted slogans against supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and also urged French President Emmanuel Macron to halt negotiations with Iran. "Khamenei get out of Iran!", "Macron enough silence!" and "Death to the Islamic republic" were among the slogans shouted by the demonstrators in French and Persian. The protesters also sung in Persian the Italian protest song "Bella Ciao (Goodbye Beautiful)" which has become popular with supporters of the movement. They also repeated the viral Persian chants used by protesters inside Iran such as "zan, zendegi, azadi!" (woman, life, freedom!) and also its Kurdish equivalent "jin, jiyan, azadi!" as Amini, also known as Jhina Amini, was Kurdish. Iran says that 35 people have died in the protests that erupted after the death of Amini but activists say that the number is now over 50 and likely even higher. Demonstrators expressed fury that Macron had met and shaken hands with Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York this week as Paris seeks to keep the 2015 deal on Tehran's nuclear programme alive. "How can you shake the hands of someone who has committed a crime against humanity?" read a placard brandished by the protesters referring to Raisi's alleged involvement in the 1988 mass executions of political prisoners in Iran. "The anger has caught fire and the flames will be impossible to extinguish," said Mahtab Ghorbani, an exiled poet and writer who lives in France. "Those who do not speak up will be held responsible and we demand that France stops the negotiations (on the nuclear issue) and closes the Iranian embassy in Paris," she said. The protesters are planning to hold a second demonstration on Sunday where they intend to march on the Iranian embassy in Paris. "Today what we are doing is a demonstration against the mullahs," said one of the organisers Alborz Nikeghbal, using a pejorative term for Iran's clerical leadership. "Iran does not have the minimum of human rights. We were incensed by this meeting between Macron and Raisi." North Korea launched a ballistic missile on Sunday, Seouls military said, just days after a US aircraft carrier arrived for joint exercises with the south in a show of force against Pyongyang. After talks have long stalled, nuclear-armed North Korea has doubled down on its banned weapons programs and even revised its laws earlier this month to declare itself an irreversible nuclear power. Sundays launch is the latest in a record-breaking streak of weapons tests Pyongyang has conducted so far this year, including launching an ICBM at full range for the first time since 2017. South of the border, hawkish new President Yoon Suk-yeol, who campaigned to crack down on Kim Jong Un, has stepped up joint drills between South Korea and its key security ally, the US. The Seoul military detected a short-range missile fired by North Korea around Taechon in North Pyongan province toward the East Sea at 6:53 a.m. today, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said. Our military maintains a full readiness posture and is working closely with the US while increasing surveillance and vigilance, the statement added. The Japan Coast Guard issued a warning to ships after the launch, and Tokyos Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said the missile had reached a maximum altitude of about 50 kilometers (30 miles). If the missile had a regular trajectory, it likely flew about 400 kilometers and fell in waters off the east coast of North Korea, he said, adding that it landed outside of Japans exclusive economic zone. North Koreas repeated launches of ballistic missiles are absolutely unforgivable, and the remarkable improvement in its missile technology is something we cannot overlook, Hamada said. Visiting Kamala Harris South Koreas President Yoon, who took office in May, has promised to step up joint military exercises with the United States after years of failed diplomacy with North Korea under his predecessor. On Friday, the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan and ships from its strike group docked in the southern port city of Busan, part of a push by Seoul and Washington to operate more strategic US assets in the region. Yoon will also meet US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday when she visits Seoul this week, following a visit by President Joe Biden in May and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month. The timing of this latest test falls between the arrival of the USS Ronald Reagan this week and VP Harris visit to Seoul next week, Soo Kim, an analyst at RAND Corporation, told AFP. This is North Koreas way of defying the alliance and injecting itself at an opportune time. The USS Reagan will participate in joint exercises off the east coast of South Korea this month. Washington is Seouls main security ally, stationing about 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect it from the North. The two countries have long held joint drills that they claim are purely defensive, but North Korea sees them as rehearsals for an invasion. Pyongyang could make a show of force while a US aircraft carrier visits South Korea for defense drills, said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. But North Koreas major tests are, above all, part of a long-term campaign to further develop offensive military capabilities. Next nuclear test? South Korean and US officials have been warning for months that North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is preparing for another nuclear test. South Korea had also spotted signs the North was preparing to launch a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM), the presidents office said Saturday, a weapon Pyongyang last tested in May. The isolated regime has tested nuclear weapons six times since 2006. The latest and most powerful, in 2017 which Pyongyang dubbed a hydrogen bomb had an estimated yield of 250 kilotons. North Korea may postpone its seventh nuclear test out of respect for Chinas upcoming political conference, which Xi Jinping is firmly scripting to expand its leadership, Easley said. Cubans went to the polls on Sunday to vote in a landmark referendum on whether to legalize same-sex marriage and adoption, allow surrogacy and give more rights to non-birth parents. President Miguel Diaz-Canel and his wife cast their votes early at a polling station in Havana in what he says is a necessary overhaul of the countrys 1975 Family Code. The new code, he told reporters, is a fair, necessary, up-to-date, modern norm that gives rights and guarantees to all people, to all diversity of families, people and creeds. Cubans 16 and older are asked to simply vote yes or no to the question, Do you agree with the Family Code? The updated code would represent a major change in a country where machismo runs high and where authorities sent homosexuals to militarized labor camps in the 1960s and 1970s. Since then, official attitudes have changed and the government has conducted an intense media campaign in favor of the new code. But the referendum comes amid the countrys worst economic crisis in 30 years and could offer some voters an opportunity to speak out against the government. The law needs more than 50 percent of the vote to pass, and dissidents have urged citizens to reject the code or abstain from voting. If adopted, the new code would allow surrogacy as long as no money changes hands, while strengthening the rights of children, the elderly and the disabled. Significantly, it would define marriage as the union between two people rather than that of a man and a woman. We do not vote yes with the PCC (Communist Party of Cuba), stressed Maykel Gonzalez, a gay activist, on Twitter. It is the PCC that votes yes with us. Im Christian, I have other ideas- Several Latin American countries Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica and Ecuador, as well as some Mexican states now recognize same-sex marriages. A 2019 attempt by Havana to join this group fell short under heavy criticism from church leaders. This month, the Cuban Conference of Catholic Bishops announced its stance against several items in the new code, including surrogacy and adoption by same-sex couples. But many Cubans say they now support such ideas. A few years ago I would not have accepted this code, 78-year-old Elio Gomez, a former Marxism teacher, told AFP at a polling station in Havana. But you have to keep up. Its a very human code, totally inclusive. Im a Christian, I have different ideas, I dont accept that, said Zulika Corso, 65, a teacher. More important issues The codes wide reach, including nearly 500 articles, raised doubts among some, who said they agreed with, for example, same-sex marriage but not surrogacy. The code was the subject of months of intense debate across Cuba. Yet political scientist Rafael Hernandez called it the most important human rights legislation there since the 1959 revolution. Cuba is now experiencing a severe economic crisis with food, fuel and medicine shortages exacerbated by US sanctions and a collapse in tourism due to the coronavirus pandemic. Experts say voters could use this opportunity to voice their broad disapproval of the government. There are many other issues that are more important than the family code, like the fact that there is no food, that many people are starving, concierge Julio Cesar Vazquez told AFP. New York City, USA, September 25, 2022, ZEXPRWIRE, Supermoon Camp returns to New York and Mainnet VC Gala begins on September 23rd at the Web3 Gallery in the heart of NYC. Parallel to Messari Mainnet Week, Supermoon brings together senior executives, creative founders and VCs for an exclusive networking gala near Bryant Park. Share the latest industry developments and trends with industry thought leaders. This exclusive invitation-only event will start at 7:00 p.m. and last until 10:00 p.m., attended by 300 crypto and Web3 professionals. Supermoon Camp helps professionals build genuine and lasting relationships through an exclusive community of blockchain innovators, enthusiasts, and high-impact networking events. Web3 Gallery is the worlds first crypto, metaverse, web3 gaming and NFT experience becoming a hub for web3 innovation. Tens of thousands of Hasidic Jews gathered in the Ukrainian city of Uman for their annual pilgrimage, officials said on Sunday, although authorities urged them to cancel the trip because of the war. Every year Hasidic Jewish pilgrims from around the world come to Uman to visit the tomb of one of the main figures of Hasidic Judaism for Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The central Ukrainian city of Uman is relatively far from the frontline, but Ukrainian and Israeli authorities urged believers to skip celebrations between September 25 and 27 this year. But despite the warnings, crowds of Hasidim in traditional black dress gathered in Uman and celebrated in the streets. This is the most important day of the year to connect with God. And this is a great place to do that, one pilgrim, Aaron Allen, told AFP. Pilgrims often cite a religious text by Rabbi Nachman, the founder of an ultra-Orthodox movement who died in the city in 1810, in which he promised to save (worshippers) from Hell if they came to visit his grave on Rosh Hashanah to visit . There were sirens, but being from Israel we are used to sirens, we know what to do. We feel pretty safe, said Allen, a 48-year-old doctor from Yad Binyamin. The police set up a wide perimeter to enter the area around the tomb, checking IDs and only allowing residents and Hasidim through. It is forbidden to sell not only alcohol, firecrackers and firecrackers but even toy guns during the celebrations in Uman, regional police spokeswoman Zoya Vovk told AFP. A curfew between 23:00 (20 GMT) and 05:00 also applies. Despite the restrictions, the shrine that houses the tomb was packed with celebrations on Sunday. Pilgrims men and boys only prayed, pressed against the white walls and pillars of the tomb. Outside the temple, a simultaneous prayer rang out from hundreds of pilgrims. For fear of attacks from Russia, the police will only announce the exact number of pilgrims at the end of the celebrations. We understand that there is a large-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine and that the enemy is monitoring information, Zoya Vovk told AFP. The only thing I can say is that tens of thousands (of pilgrims have already arrived), she added, however. The NGO United Jewish Community of Ukraine said more than 23,000 pilgrims had arrived in Uman. While "Narco-Saints" season 2 is yet to be confirmed, Park Hae Soo shared his thoughts about having the K-drama a sequel and highlighting Choi Chang Ho's character. In an interview by The Korea Herald, the 40-year-old actor spoke about his thoughts regarding his character and wanting to have "Narco-Saints" a prequel. In the six-part episode series, Park Hae Soo plays NIS agent Choi Chang Ho whose mission is to capture one of South Korea's most wanted drug lords, Jeon Yo Hwan,(Hwang Jung Min) who built himself a religious group in South America's Suriname and acted as a pastor to cover up his illegal activities. "Narco-Saints" also featured how Choi Chang Ho tapped South Korean businessman Kang In Gu (Ha Jung Woo) who moved to Suriname for skate fish trading. Unfortunately, he ends up in jail after being framed by Pastor Jeon Yo Hwan but was asked by NIS to be their undercover agent to track down the pastor's activities in Suriname. Why Does Park Hae Soo W to Highlight Choi Chang Ho's Character in 'Narco-Saints' Through a Sequel? During his interview with the news portal, Park Hae Soo says that he was lucky to be part of the series that centers around Kang In Gu, Choi Chang Ho, and Pastor Jeon Yo Hwan. He revealed the preparation they did before filming and said that he and director Yoon Jong Bin studied the NIS agent's story, however, storylines were not directly used in the K-drama. IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: 'Narco-Saints' Threatens Safety of Koreans in Suriname - Here's Why As for his character, Park Hae Soo wanted to emphasize more of Choi Chang Ho's journey to capture Korean pastor Jeon. "There are lines that hint at Chang-ho's past activities. He says that he can empathize with Kang's father because he also worked overseas for three years," he tells the outlet adding that he is "looking forward to seeing news about a 'Narco-Saints' prequel." Did You Know? Choi Chang Ho Was Initially Offered to Jo Woo Jin In a separate report, the production company revealed that the role of Choi Chang Ho was initially offered to Jo Woo Jin but he declined it and chose the supporting actor instead. According to the team, he felt honored to be selected to play the NIS agent role but volunteered to portray the Chinese-Korean Byun Ki Tae instead. Per the media outlet, he was more drawn to Byun Ki Tae's character for its "wild beast and his infinite charm." Without a doubt, he perfectly portrayed the role and even exceeded the said character. Jo Woo Jin even had intense workout training to build a solid physique like the description of Byun Ki Tae as well as learning Chinese and coming to the set three hours before his time to prepare for his makeup transformation. Interestingly, Park Hae Soo once again gained the attention of the public as he impressed viewers by playing the role of Choi Chang Ho. READ MORE: 'Narco-Saints' Among the Top 3 Most-Watched TV Series on Netflix + Will it Be the Next 'Squid Game'? KDramastars owns this article Written by Geca Wills Han So Hee is a popular star equipped with a gorgeous physique and enviable visage. Apart from her top notch acting skills, she also boasts her impeccable sense in fashion. With almost 10 million followers on Instagram, Han So Hee has a great influence on the new generation fashion. Here are her favorite unconventional styles fans can explore outside their comfort zone! Han So Hee Look #1: Boho Chic Princess While Han So Hee is always clad in haute couture and drama wardrobes due to her field of work, the actress loves to wear ultra-feminine styles off-duty. In one of her Instagram posts, she is seen wearing a flowy yellow maxi dress that gives emphasis to her fair skin and bright aura. Cop her boho chic look by checking out this off-the-shoulder maxi dress. Han So Hee Look #2: Casual and Streetwear Another style that the "My Name" star loves the most is streetwear where she can enjoy being fashionable while still being comfy and simple. Han So Hee loves her oversized Balenciaga baby pink hoodie. While she can pair it with her sneakers from the same luxury brand, she amps her style with a pair of leather high leg boots. Not only does it elevate her style, it also gives women options, especially girls who aren't fond of wearing running shoes. Get Han So Hee's oversized hoodie for a steal price by clicking here. Han So Hee Look #3: Trendy Alt Grunge Style In one of Han So Hee's Instagram posts, Han So Hee gives a callback to the 2010's trendy alt grunge aesthetic. Wearing a simple gray baby tee coupled with a black denim shorts and boots, the young actress basks in the sunlight. Her choker necklace certainly is the icing on top of the cake as the fashion item is also one of the popular accessories back in the day. Check out this alt grunge ensemble-shirt, denim shorts, boots, choker-now! Han So Hee Look #4: Gen Z's Techwear Fashion Rather deviant and bizarre, techwear is a fashion style that many stylists ignore. However, it's a popular aesthetic that luxury brands like Nike ACG, Herno Laminar, Outlier and more. In South Korea, experimental Gen Zs are often seen wearing techwear and they certainly steal the attention. Like others, Han So Hee is not scared to try out new things outside her comfort zone. During her visit to New York City, she and her friends are seen wearing all black Techwear outfits. Her slicked back hair also gives spice to the whole outfit, which consists of a black dress, coat and thigh high boots. Would you like to try out this style? Check out this techwear piece to begin your wardrobe. KDramaStars owns this article. Written by Elijah Mully. Coalition Avenir Quebec Leader Francois Legault casts his ballot ahead of the election during an election campaign stop in L'Assomption, Que., Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022. Quebecers will go to the polls on October 3rd. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Graham Hughes Amazon vs. Apple: Only one will rewrite the rules of health care 22 Shares Share Big Tech has had a surprisingly small impact on U.S. health care, so far. Artificial intelligence, for example, outperforms physicians in many complex tasks (like reading mammograms and analyzing chest X-rays), yet AI remains woefully underused. Meanwhile, many have tried to spur operational efficiency using big-data analytics, but care delivery remains as inconsistent and ineffective as ever. Perhaps the most telling example of Big Techs struggles in medicine: 9 in 10 health care organizations still rely on fax machines to exchange important patient information. Two tech giants are trying to change all that and capture a meaningful slice of the $4.1 trillion Americans spend on health care each year. Their approaches couldnt be more different. One company is dutifully abiding by an old, unwritten rule of health technology. The other is poised to rewrite the health care rulebook altogether. First, the rule: Its better to collaborate (than compete) with health cares power players In most industries, technology has been used to disrupt or displace the incumbents. Thats how ride-sharing apps shook up the taxi industry, how online booking sites changed travel and how streaming platforms bested cable companies. In health care, however, the safest and most reliable path to success is different. Tech companies make a profit by (a) playing it safe and (b) playing nice with hospitals, physicians, insurers and drug companies. Apple: Playing it safe, playing nice and profiting handsomely Late last month, Apple released a 59-page report it referred to as a snapshot of our work to advance health. It was supposed to be a big, bold announcement, positioning Apple as a major force in health care. Instead, critics called it a desperate maneuver a fickle attempt to convince shareholders that the company is keeping up with its rivals. The media backlash was swift, severe and certainly not what CEO Tim Cook must have envisioned three years ago when he said Apples greatest contribution to mankind would be health-related (a claim that was conspicuously absent from the companys near-60-page report.) For all the reports lofty language, there was no evidence in it to suggest that Apple is on course to drastically improve American health. Take the Apple Heart Study, which aimed to prove the Apple Watch can accurately detect atrial fibrillation (AFib). The effort was a classic case of rule-following: Apple aligned with a prestigious academic research partner (Stanford), funded the massive research project and took a lengthy PR victory lap when the results came out. Independent researchers were less impressed with the findings, which some called useless due to the studys poor demographics, a high dropout rate and the lack of follow-up. Critics also pointed out that mass screening for AFib might actually do more harm than good. As for the watch, itself, another study found that only 13 percent of people who were later diagnosed with atrial fibrillation had gotten an irregular heart rhythm notice previously. To be clear, the watch may someday contribute to the growing arsenal of tech-based tools used to detect AFib and other medical conditions. But thats not the kind of contribution Tim Cook promised years ago. Whats most frustrating about Apples modest dealings in health care thus far is knowing how capable the company is of doing so much more. It has the people, power and products to revolutionize health monitoring especially for the 30 percent of U.S. adults living with two or more chronic diseases (e.g., diabetes, heart failure, hypertension). That population doesnt need another medical device that generates terabytes of health data (EKG tracings, blood-pressure readings, etc.). And that populations already overburdened doctors definitely dont want all that data clogging up their health records either. What chronically ill patients need more than anything is a device that tells them one of two pieces of information: 1. Youre okay. Meaning, your measurements (heart rate, blood glucose, etc.) fall within an acceptable range that has been pre-determined by your physician. 2. Youre not okay. Something is off and you need to call your physician immediately. This type of tech powered by a combination of AI and algorithmic tools could save thousands, maybe millions, of lives without overwhelming doctors. Apple hasnt yet created it because doing so would make the company a provider of medical care. Were that the case, any error in measurement or analysis would subject Apple to significant medical-legal risk. Tim Cook knows that playing it safe and playing nice with health cares biggest players all but guarantees future profitability. But until Apple is willing to take risks and challenge the status quo, its unlikely to make a meaningful contribution to our nations health. Amazon: Poised to rewrite the rules of U.S. health care The same week Apple released its underwhelming report, Amazon announced the $3.9 billion acquisition of One Medical, a membership-based primary care practice based in San Francisco, New York and 23 other metro markets. For Amazon, it was the latest in a series of big moves that constitute anything but playing nice with health cares existing powers. In recent years, the worlds largest online retailer has launched its own pharmacy, its own telehealth and urgent-care services, health-tracking device, health-data arm, cloud-based medical records service, and its own series of neighborhood health centers situated near employee hubs. As its health care services grow, Amazon becomes an ever-growing threat to drugmakers, hospitals, doctors and insurers. The company now seems intent on doing in health care what it did to retail: take it over. Of course, critics are quick to point out that medicine isnt retail. Health care is complicated and Amazon has already had to change course twice. First it was Haven, a nonprofit venture created for the employees of Amazon, Berkshire Hathaway and JPMorgan Chase, which disbanded after just three years. At the time, experts argued the U.S. health care system was just too complex to be disrupted by Jeff Bezos and his billionaire buddies. I disagree. I believe Bezos vision for Haven (and for health care) was just much bigger and bolder than that of his executive counterparts. In fact, Ive said before that anyone who thinks Bezos end goal with Haven was to create a not-for-profit health care service just for employees probably also believes that Amazon only sells books. Amazons other health care retreat happened last week, announcing it will unplug its virtual care operation later this year, likely pivoting to an expanded telemedicine service through One Medical. For any new health care entrant, including Amazon, the hardest part is achieving scale. Its expensive, difficult and time-consuming to attract new patients, hire physicians and build medical offices. With the One Medical acquisition, Amazon scooped up 188 clinics and 700,000 patients, along with enough physicians and support staff to care for them. And with $60 billion cash on hand, the company can continue to scale up quickly in years to come. Both Bezos and his successor Andy Jassy understand that if Amazon can satisfy patients as much as it pleases current retail customers, health care disruption and domination are within reach. And if Amazon does, in fact, take a customer-service approach to health care, we can expect it will negotiate the best prices on everything from drugs to doctor visits. Itll emphasize cost- and information-transparency, both of which are sorely lacking in health care today. And it might even introduce user feedback tools (like its 1 to 5-star product reviews). Expect Amazon to also create business synergies, as well, potentially bundling Prime membership with enrollment in One Medical and/or leveraging Amazon Web Services to bring telehealth and patient data into the 21st century. Still, for Amazon to succeed, it will need to keep investing in growth and scale. One or two million Amazon patients wont cut it. After all, UnitedHealthcare Group has 70 million members while Humana, the smallest of the Big 5 insurers, boasts 16 million. At 5 million members, Amazon could turn One Medical from a loss leader (currently bleeding $240 million per year) into a profit center. At 10 million members, Amazon could add specialists to One Medicals current primary-care-only model to bolster both care coordination and operational efficiency. At 50 million members, Amazon could become the nations No. 1 insurer and health care system, capable of demanding lower costs from every player, including doctors, hospitals and drug makers. In the end, if Amazon can scale up and make health care as easy as its beloved one-click buy now feature, the company will put every existing industry player on its heels. And it will leave its Big Tech rivals, including Apple, in the dust. Robert Pearl is a plastic surgeon and author of Uncaring: How the Culture of Medicine Kills Doctors and Patients. He can be reached on Twitter @RobertPearlMD. This article originally appeared in Forbes. Image credit: Shutterstock.com One hundred years ago in September 1922, Kilkenny was in the throes of the Civil War. Dramatic events including guerilla warfare, ambushes, and raids occurred regularly. These events grew increasingly commonplace across the county as autumn moved into winter in 1922. While the war had operated across conventional lines during the initial months of the conflict, by the end of August guerilla warfare was emerging as the most common tactic used by Anti Treaty IRA forces. Fewer resources such as weapons and men made this style of operating a tactical necessity for the lesser resourced side. Initially, the Kilkenny papers were confidently declaring that the Civil War would be over by the end of August, 1922. As events transpired Anti Treaty forces gradually removed themselves from urban settings and withdrew to the countryside. Flying columns became adept at launching ambushes as active service units (ASUs) proved hard to defeat using conventional conflict. Swift ambushes with an element of surprise became the favoured method for the Anti Treaty IRA. State barracks were also a frequent target for raids to secure more weapons. The deaths of Arthur Griffith and Michael Collins had an impact nationally and also in Kilkenny. Griffith, the President of Dail Eireann died from a cerebral haemorrhage aged 51 a mere nine months after the Treaty negotiations, with General Michael Collins following him ten days later to a premature death after an ambush in Beal na Blath. Griffith had been a friend of Kilkenny Mayor Peter de Loughry, and had visited Kilkenny during the 1917 by-election campaign so his loss was felt deeply in the county. On August 16 1922, all the businesses in Kilkenny closed for Griffiths funeral. Similarly when Michael Collins was assassinated, all three Kilkenny papers carried reports of his death. Collins, while not having direct Kilkenny connections, had passed through Kilkenny and visited Lady Desart months prior to his death. On Monday August 28, there was a High Mass at St Marys Cathedral in his memory which was so full that large crowds had to stand outside. After the mass, a military parade proceeded through the town and on the Parade three volleys of shots were fired in honour of Collins and the Last Post was played. As August progressed, the Anti Treaty IRA continued to survive in rural areas. They became increasingly isolated, planning attacks and moving around to evade detection. The North and the South Brigades of the Kilkenny IRA remained largely independent of each other while the South West of the county saw the most action for the South Brigade. There were five main columns active in the county but they werent always continuously active. There were three flying columns in the South with 15 to 20 men in each. There were 35 to 40 men in the 6th South East Brigade. As the war intensified, the Anti Treaty IRA forces advised that vehicles would be fired on with the exception of doctors with a prominently displayed red cross, so travelling by car became quite hazardous. Civilians were also warned not to speak freely about the location of the IRA. Sometimes the Free State Army chose not to engage with the flying columns unless it was strategically important to do so. Communications were delivered by a network of civilians including Cumann na mBan members. Dispatches could be sent over a distance of 30KM using a chain of couriers, many of whom were women. By September 1922, civil life in Kilkenny City had largely returned to normality. As reported by a local paper, a platoon of 22 men part of the new unarmed Civic Guards arrived in Kilkenny City and marched to the old RIC barracks in Parliament Street. One notable disruption to general life was the cancellation of the Iverk Show due to the fighting. At that time the show was nearly 100 years old and had never been cancelled. The schoolboys of St Kierans College were happy however as they got an extra weeks holiday due to the war and didn't return to school until September 12, 1922. Tragically on September 30 1922, the youngest victim of the conflict died when William Purcell, A Free State soldier aged only 16 was shot accidentally in the stomach at Templemore Barracks. He had lied about his age when joining up, probably because his father had died in the great flu epidemic leaving his mother a widow to care for seven children. His mother received a mere 65 compensation for the loss of her son, equivalent to 5000 today. In total, seven young men lost their lives in Kilkenny in September and October 1922. Lawlessness by Anti-Treaty IRA forces during this period included an attack on the home of Major McAlmont, at Mount Juliet, outside Thomastown when gallons of fuel were robbed. Sheestown House and the creamery at Muckalee were also raided. On September 27, in Gowran there was an attempt to burn down the grandstand at the race track, possibly with the aforementioned fuel from Mount Juliet. There were also frequent thefts from post offices by the Anti Treaty IRA, with Old Age Pension payments a particular target. In September and October, the post offices at Knocktopher, Inistioge, Piltown and Mullinavat were all raided. As the conflict continued the death toll rose with the deaths of Free State soldiers Thomas Brownrigg and Patrick Hayes as the result of an ambush between Clonmel and Cahir and later the death of another Free State private, Pat Quigley. In October 1922 a pastoral letter from the Bishop of Ossory Dr Brownrigg warned that those engaging in attacks on the Anti Treaty side faced excommunication for their actions. In November 1922 there was a prisoner escape from Kilkenny jail when 25 men escaped from the prison via a tunnel. None were recaptured and cigarettes were stopped for all prisoners as punishment afterwards. The authorities in Kilkenny sought to downplay the event, stating that those who had escaped were not important. One of the escapees, Jim Hayes was shot dead two days later. Members of Cumann na mBan visited IRA prisoners and raised money for hampers of supplies to keep them fed in captivity. The families of imprisoned men were often left without financial support and suffered severely while their men were in prison. Members of Cumann na mBan were also imprisoned by the Free State and some of them also went on hunger strike to protest. One such woman was Mary Jo Commins, a member of Cumann na mBan in Kilkenny, who suffered long term health problems as a result of her two separate hunger strikes. By the winter of 1922, with a policy of execution by the Free State government and tit for tat killings escalating, the situation appeared extremely bleak with no end in sight. For more information listen to Eoin Swithin Walsh's podcast at: https://www.kilkennylibrary.ie/eng/our_services/decade-of-centenaries-resources/guerrilla-war-returns-to-kilkenny/ Shenandoah, IA (51601) Today Intervals of clouds and sunshine. High 81F. Winds SSE at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low 51F. Winds SE at 5 to 10 mph. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission. Prime Minister Han Duck-soo, left, speaks at a meeting with leaders of the ruling People Power Party and senior presidential officials on Sept. 25. Yonhap Prime Minister Han Duck-soo said Sunday he will discuss pan-governmental measures with leaders of the ruling People Power Party (PPP) to help prevent stalking crimes amid public uproar over an alleged stalking and murder case at a Seoul subway station. Han made the remarks as he held a meeting with leaders of the PPP and senior presidential officials earlier in the day. How to prevent crimes of voice phishing, which refers to electronic fraud in which individuals are tricked over the phone into revealing critical financial or personal information to scammers, also will be an agenda item at the meeting, Han said. The meeting is aimed at "discussing pan-governmental measures against obsessive crimes, such as stalking, and voice phishing crimes, in which the damage is concentrated on low-income people," Han said. slide 2 of 6 Girl group IVE showed the potential to take first place without appearing on music shows. IVE ranked first on KBS 2TV's "Music Bank" broadcast on the 23rd with the title song "After LIKE." Canada to send military aid to storm-hit eastern region Xinhua) 12:12, September 25, 2022 Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Saturday that his government would deploy armed forces to assist in the recovery of the storm-hit eastern region. After making landfall on Saturday morning, post-tropical storm Fiona brought intense, hurricane-strength winds and torrential rains to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Quebec's Magdalen Islands in eastern Canada, leaving half a million homes and businesses without power and prompting municipalities to declare a local state of emergency. The prime minister told reporters in a press conference Saturday afternoon that he had spoken to the premiers of the five affected provinces. Trudeau said he canceled the trip to Japan for the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and he would visit affected communities if needed. Defence Minister Anita Anand said the troops would assist with the tree and debris removal, the restoring of transportation links and whatever else is required. Canada's environment ministry said the highest wind gust reported has been 179 km per hour, and rainfall exceeded 100 millimetres in some locations. Potentially damaging winds will develop this evening over the eastern Lower Quebec North Shore and southeastern Labrador, and diminish Sunday afternoon or evening, according to the ministry. (Web editor: Bianji, Liang Jun) Hyderabad, Sep 25 (PTI) Sixteen urban local bodies from Telangana clinched awards in the Centre's Swachh Survekshan 2022, an official release from the state government has said. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao said the achievement is a reflection of the efforts put by the Telangana government for urban development, the release issued on Saturday night said. Also Read | Andhra Pradesh Fire: Doctor, Two Children Die as Blaze Engulfs Hospital Near Tirupati, Mother Rescued. The latest rankings were announced by the Union Ministry of Housing and Urban Development. Rao reminded that Telangana has also won 13 awards in various categories under the Swachh Bharat Mission Gramin. Also Read | Gurugram: 3 Weeks On, Brother-in-Law Arrested for Man's Murder in Sadar Bazaar. He said the new Municipal Act, brought by the state government, aiming for comprehensive urban development and a slew of 'Pattana Pragati' programmes in a phased manner yielded positive results. "Qualitative development is possible in urban bodies through the improvement of civic infrastructure, sanitation, establishment of urban green forests, increasing green cover, set up of nurseries, efforts for ODFs and other development programmes," the release said quoting Chief Minister. He further said state Municipal Administration and Urban Development Minister K T Rama Rao, senior officers and staff of the department and public representatives at all levels worked towards executing the urban development programmes efficiently and strove to make Telangana a role model in the country. The Chief Minister called upon government employees and public representatives to move forward with the participation of the people in the same spirit towards achieving the aspirations of the government, it added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kolkata (West Bengal) [India], September 25 (ANI): Actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty on Saturday claimed that nearly 21 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs are in touch with him. Mithun while addressing a press conference here said that he stood by what he said in July- 38 MLAs of TMC are in touch with the Opposition party, and of them, 21 are directly in contact with him. Also Read | Mumbai Shocker: History-Sheeter Held for Sexually Harassing Lawyer in Ladies Compartment of Local Train at Jogeshwari Railway Station. "I have said before and I stand by what I had said earlier even today. Please wait for some time, you will see. There is an objection within the party to induct TMC leaders. Many leaders have said that we will not take rotten potatoes," said Mithun Chakraborty. Earlier, the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari said that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) won't last even for the next six months in the state. Also Read | Mumbai: Doctors Remove Over 7000 Gallstones From Woman's Bladder After She Complains of Stomach Pain. His remarks came after the ruling party put up posters claiming that a "new and reformed TMC" come in the next six months. "Enforcement Directorate(ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are doing their job. This party (TMC) will not last for even six months, December is their deadline," LoP Suvendu Adhikari had said in Purba Medinipur. Chakraborty was among the BJP's star campaigners in the 2021 Assembly elections in West Bengal but had restrained from making public appearances until now after the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC won 213 seats in the West Bengal Assembly election and the BJP garnered 77 seats in the 294-seat state assembly. Meanwhile, Mousumi Das, district Vice President of Mahila Morcha Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) was allegedly attacked by "Trinamool Congress-backed" goons at her residence in the Malatipur area of Malda on September 23. However, Shuvomoay Basu, spokesperson of Trinamool Congress (TMC), Malda refuted the allegation. He said, "We have faith in the police investigation. They will find out the reason behind the attack if it has happened." Bengal BJP leaders have often complained of attacks on party cadres and claimed that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated. Violence gripped West Bengal as several party workers died and many were injured in clashes, immediately after the result of the state assembly poll was declared on May 2. Several party workers were allegedly killed in a clash that broke out between the TMC and the BJP in West Bengal. Following that the BJP had alleged Trinamool Congress of "sponsoring" the post-poll violence through the police in West Bengal. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare Bharti Pravin Pawar on Sunday said India's healthcare system has shown great efficiency not only in providing diagnostic and management facilities but also in minimizing mortality and maximizing recovery. Bharti Pravin Pawar said this while presiding over the 67th Foundation Day celebrations of AIIMS, New Delhi. Also Read | Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: Last Rites Held at NIT Ghat, NH 58 Blocked in Protest. Speaking at the occasion, the Minister said, "India's health care system has shown great efficiency not only in providing diagnostic and management facilities but also in minimizing mortality and maximizing recovery." Pawar expressed happiness over AIIMS ranking among the top 10 educational institutional in research category. She also said it is the only institution with a patient care service component in addition to research. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest News Today: Govt Likely To Revise Minimum Qualifying Service Required for Promotion of Employees; Check Details Here. She appreciated that it is a matter of pride that for the fifth consecutive year, AIIMS, New Delhi has been ranked as number one among medical institutions as per the National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) issued by the Ministry of Education and she urged the authorities to maintain the ranking in coming years too. She stated that "To build stronger and healthier India, AIIMS New Delhi with its repository of wisdom, to lead the path with other Institutes of Excellence," she said. "When we talk about holistic health and inclusiveness of accessibility, we are including three factors in it. Firstly, expansion of infrastructure and human resources related to modern medical science. Secondly, promotion of research in traditional Indian system of medicine and its active engagement in the healthcare system and thirdly providing better and affordable healthcare facilities to every person and every part of the country through modern and futuristic technology," she added. The Minister said the efforts of the central government are to work holistically with an emphasis on preventive care while giving priority to tertiary healthcare. She said efforts are to reduce the cost of treating for the poor and at the same time, on increasing the number of doctors rapidly. She also awarded AIIMS employees for their outstanding contributions. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Nagpur, Sep 25 (PTI) Activist-lawyer Prashant Bhushan on Sunday said the fairness of the Election Commission of India (ECI) has come under cloud in the last few years. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Calls for Congress-Comprised 'Main Front' To Oust BJP. He accused the ECI of keeping mum when big leaders from the ruling party violate the poll code, while acting swiftly against the opposition parties in such cases, and also claimed that the schedule of elections is made keeping in mind the convenience of the government. Also Read | Haryana Government To Recruit 18,000 School Teachers, Announces CM Manohar Lal. Bhushan alleged that the independence of the judiciary is under threat and those speaking against the government face sedition and other serious charges, and they are not able to get bail for years. He was speaking on the topic 'Challenges before Democracy ' during a programme organised here by 'Deshonnati', a Marathi daily. "After T N Seshan became the chief election commissioner, for many years we could see that the Election Commission was very fair and impartial. But in the last six to seven years, a big question mark has arisen on its fairness," he said. The Election Commission takes action if the Model code of conduct is violated by the opposition parties. But it keeps quiet when big leaders from the ruling party violate it. We have been witnessing this for a very long time, he alleged. The election dates are prepared as per the convenience of the government, he said. "Earlier, even the government did not know what dates will be decided by the EC for elections. But now, it is being witnessed that representatives of the ruling party even before the formal announcement tell what the polling dates are and the same dates are later announced by the EC," he said. "The reason for the EC not being fair anymore...the problem for this has always been the selection in the poll watchdog is done by the government and there is no independent selection committee. And now, what the government is doing is that it is selecting people mostly from Gujarat and they are those who will do what the government will ask them to do. This also is an issue before democracy," he said. Bhushan also alleged that there was a lack of independence in all regulatory institutions, and termed it as one of the biggest problems. He said the judiciary was formed to protect the fundamental rights of people and to keep the legislature and the executive within limits. "But now we are seeing that this is not happening. Those speaking against the government are facing sedition and and sometimes false cases under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. They are not able to get bail for years and this is being done blatantly. Our judiciary is not able to act against it. Hence, the independence of the judiciary is also under threat," he said. "Media is also being controlled by the government. The police agencies are also being used for political use. The selection of some agencies like the Enforcement Directorate (ED), the National Investigation Agency (NIA) and the Income Tax department is completely in the hands of the government, which has put democracy in real danger," he alleged. On the electronic voting machines (EVMs), he said that although there was no significant manipulation in EVMs at present, in the coming times it cannot be ruled out. "There is a possibility of manipulation and I feel EVMs are very dangerous. Paper ballots should return and they have returned in most of the countries," he said. In order to tackle these challenges, a number of reforms can be brought by introducing Initiatives and Referendum law, Pre-legislative Transparency and Consultation law, he said, adding that parliamentary committees should be revived. Since the opposition has become weak now, these reforms cannot be done by it alone and hence people need to raise their voice now. They can raise voice for unfair practices like it was done for the Lokpal Bill. People can launch big agitations on issues like unemployment and privatisation of public sector units, which will also strengthen the opposition, he said. Replying to a query by PTI on the sidelines of the programme about why the Supreme Court was not taking up issue of electoral bonds on priority basis, Bhushan said the government was not interested in the issue and probably they were stalling it. "However, with the new Chief Justice of India at the helm, the matter will be heard," he said. Bhushan has filed a PIL challenging laws permitting funding of political parties through the electoral bond scheme. When asked whether the opposition parties would be able to put up a united fight against the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the next elections, he said he was not sure whether united opposition would be a good idea or not. "But, in any case, civil society needs to play a major role to any major political change is to be brought in the country," he 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 [India], September 25 (ANI): The central government has decided to withdraw multiple incentives and allowances given to the All India Service (AIS) Officers for posting in the North-East region, said the Ministry of Personnel order. The order was implemented with immediate effect from September 23. Also Read | IOCL Recruitment 2022: Vacancies Notified for 1535 Post of Trade Apprentice, Apply Online at iocl.com. These officers belong to the Assam-Meghalaya joint cadre, Sikkim, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur cadres. "The Government, after review of the various incentives/Special Allowances being granted to the AIS officers working in the North Eastern Region, has decided that the incentives/Special Allowances granted be withdrawn with immediate effect," said the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions notification. (ANI) Also Read | Rajasthan Congress Crisis: CM Ashok Gehlot-Loyalist MLAs Threaten To Resign, Reach Assembly Speaker's House. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chandigarh, Sep 25 (PTI) Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Sunday paid tributes to former deputy prime minister Chaudhary Devi Lal on the occasion of his 109th birth anniversary, saying he contributed significantly to building modern Haryana. Devi Lal was born on this day in 1914. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest News Today: Govt Likely To Revise Minimum Qualifying Service Required for Promotion of Employees; Check Details Here. Chaudhary Devi Lal dedicated his life to the welfare of farmers and labourers and contributed significantly to building modern Haryana, an official statement quoted Khattar as saying. He always strived to uplift the poor and deprived classes, the chief minister said. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Calls for Congress-Comprised 'Main Front' To Oust BJP. "Everyone should draw inspiration from his principles and life. This will be a real tribute to him," Khattar 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 [India], September 25 (ANI): Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Sunday slammed Congress MP Digvijay Singh for comparing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with the Popular Front of India (PFI) organisation and said that he should be "ashamed" for doing so. "Digvijay Singh has always supported those who are terrorists, who were the supporters of the terrorists of Batla House. Today, his condition is such that he has not been able to come to the power in Madhya Pradesh even after 20 years. He is comparing it with RSS whose patriotism is unquestionable," Sushil Modi told ANI while reacting to Singh's controversial comparison of RSS with PFI on Saturday. Also Read | @narendramodi The India Hypertension Control Initiative is a Collaborative Initiative of Latest Tweet by Prasar Bharati News Services. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh while denouncing the violence perpetrated by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Kerala, dissed the RSS and VHP as well, calling them "ek hi thali ke chatte batte." "Action should be taken against all those who spread hatred and violence. Why action is not being taken against RSS & Vishva Hindu Parishad? They (PFI-RSS) are 'Ek hi thaali ke chatte-batte'," he said on Saturday. Also Read | Haryana Shocker: Private Hospital Employee Rapes Two Colleagues, Records Video of One in Rewari; Arrested. Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi further said, "PFI organizations which were plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi were conspiring to create tension within the gathering." He alleged that Singh's statement supports such organisations whose bank accounts have been found with more than Rs 100 crore and who assert to make India a 'Muslim nation by 2047'. "Digvijay Singh should be ashamed. He is supporting an organisation which is being opposed even by the government ruling in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, i.e, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)," the Rajya Sabha MP said. During the PFI 'harthal' (protest) in Kerala, as many as 171 people were arrested and 368 others were detained in connection with multiple incidents of violence across the state. As per the reports, 71 Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses were damaged and 12 officials were injured during various incidents. Most buses were damaged in stone pelting. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Sunday slammed Congress MP Digvijay Singh for comparing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with the Popular Front of India (PFI) organisation and said that he should be "ashamed" for doing so. "Digvijaya Singh has always supported those who are terrorists, who were the supporters of the terrorists of Batla House. Today, his condition is such that he has not been able to come to the power in Madhya Pradesh even after 20 years. He is comparing it with RSS whose patriotism is unquestionable," Sushil Modi told ANI while reacting to Singh's controversial comparison of RSS with PFI on Saturday. Also Read | Haryana Shocker: Private Hospital Employee Rapes Two Colleagues, Records Video of One in Rewari; Arrested. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh while denouncing the violence perpetrated by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Kerala, dissed the RSS and VHP as well, calling them "ek hi thali ke chatte batte." "Action should be taken against all those who spread hatred and violence. Why action is not being taken against RSS & Vishva Hindu Parishad? They (PFI-RSS) are 'Ek hi thaali ke chatte-batte'," he said on Saturday. Also Read | Sharad Navratri 2022: Vaishno Devi Shrine All Set to Welcome Pilgrims During Nine-Day Navratri Festival. Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi further said, "PFI organizations which were plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi were conspiring to create tension within the gathering." He alleged that Singh's statement supports such organisations whose bank accounts have been found with more than Rs 100 crore and who assert to make India a 'Muslim nation by 2047'. "Digvijaya Singh should be ashamed. He is supporting an organisation which is being opposed even by the government ruling in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, i.e, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)," the Rajya Sabha MP said. During the PFI 'harthal' (protest) in Kerala, as many as 171 people were arrested and 368 others were detained in connection with multiple incidents of violence across the state. As per the reports, 71 Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses were damaged and 12 officials were injured during various incidents. Most buses were damaged in stone pelting. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jaipur, Sep 25 (PTI) Ahead of the Congress Legislature Party meeting on Sunday evening, MLAs considered close to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot met under the leadership of Cabinet Minister Shanti Dhariwal in what is seen as a message to the high command to pick a Gehlot loyalist as his successor. Gehlot is expected to quit as the chief minister of Rajasthan if he wins the election to the post of the Congress national president, as the party has a 'one-man one-post' policy. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Guests at Wedding in Amroha Asked To Show Aadhaar Cards Before Taking Dinner Plates (Video). The meeting is also seen as an attempt to thwart the possibility of senior party leader Sachin Pilot being made the next chief minister. Some participants said Gehlot's successor should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the political crisis in 2020 and not someone who was involved in toppling it, a veiled reference to Pilot. Also Read | Delhi Shocker: 12-Year-Old Minor Boy Gang-Raped in Seelampur; Rod Inserted in Private Parts. Gehlot and Pilot were at loggerheads for the chief minister's post soon after the Congress won the Assembly elections in December 2018. The high command then chose Gehlot as the chief minister for the third time while Pilot was made his deputy. In July 2020, Pilot along with 18 party MLAs rebelled against Gehlot's leadership. "If the decision is not taken keeping the MLAs' sentiments in mind, the government will be in danger," independent legislator and advisor to the chief minister Sanyam Lodha said after the meeting. Another leader Govind Ram Meghwal said Gehlot can shoulder both roles, that of the chief minister as well as the party's national president. He said if Gehlot does not remain the chief minister, the party will face a major trouble in winning the next Assembly elections. The CLP meeting was scheduled to begin at the chief minister's residence later in the evening in which Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Rajasthan incharge Ajay Maken will also participate. (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], September 25 (ANI): Karnataka Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar on Sunday informed that there is some technical glitch in the 108- Ambulance service call center and measures are being taken to rectify the issue. The Health Minister also said that there is no need to panic as alternative steps have been taken to ensure uninterrupted service and restore the normal functioning of the system Also Read | Devendra Fadnavis Says Previous Maharashtra Govt Did Nothing for Investment, Only Insulted Centre. Speaking to the media Dr Sudhakar said, "There are some issues in the hardware and the GVK-EMRI company which is handling the contract, and it is being rectified. Since the system is 15 years old, it is vulnerable to malware attacks. Technicians have resolved the motherboard issue. The Principal secretary chaired a video conference with all district-level officials to ensure that ambulances services remain uninterrupted. Calls are being serviced normally now and 4-5 decentralised backup centres have also been established in each district." "108 call centre has a system to allocate ambulance within 2 minutes through an automated system. Due to a technical glitch, the turnaround time has now increased to 6-7 minutes. Since it is an emergency and essential service backup server has been installed. Although it is a technical glitch, I sincerely apologise to people for the interruption in the service. However, our health department at the district level has worked proactively to quickly put in place a contingency plan and ensure unhindered service," the minister said. Also Read | Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: Last Rites Held at NIT Ghat, NH 58 Blocked in Protest. While talking about the measures taken to counter the issue, the minister said "The hospitals have been instructed to accord first priority to inter-facility transfers. Ambulance drivers have also been asked to respond to calls coming to their personal mobile numbers by creating manual IDs. The manpower in 112 call centres has been increased from the existing 2-3 to 7-8 and calls to 108 are being redirected to 112 for generating manual IDs. We are also utilizing 104 call centres to reduce the load on 108 call centres. We are also reaching out to missed calls, said the minister". The Karnataka Health Minister also said that the service of the current vendor is not satisfactory and a new tender has been floated. "The services of GVK, which is currently the vendor, have not been satisfactory. However, the matter is subjudice and we have already floated a new tender as per the court order. We can expect the new vendor with enhanced services within one month. The new service will have the latest technical features and will be a model in the entire country," Dr Sudhakar said. Reacting to the Leader of the Opposition (LoP) Siddaramiah's comment that corruption is the main reason for the Ambulance issue, Minister said, "Siddaramaiah doesn't understand technical issues. He must understand the facts before commenting. Everything should not be seen through the political lens". The BJP leader also attacked Congress for "targeting certain communities". "Congress has always been targeting the Lingayat community. They brought down Veerendra Patil from the post of CM, who had won a mandate of 173 seats. They didn't allow Kenal Hanumantaiah to inaugurate Vidhanasoudha, who built it. They didn't even treat SM Krishna respectfully, who gave good administration. Congress is deliberately targeting certain communities," Dr Sudhakar said. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Chandigarh (Punjab) [India], September 25 (ANI): Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Sunday permitted Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's government in the state to convene its Assembly session in the Vidhan Sabha on September 27. This will be the Punjab government's third Assembly session that is scheduled to take place at 11 am in Chandigarh. Also Read | English Rendering of PM @narendramodis Address in the 93rd Episode of #MannKiBaat on Latest Tweet by PIB India. "The Hon. Governor, Punjab, has very kindly acceded to our request and summoned the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to meet for it's third session on 27.9.2022 at 11.00 AM at Chandigarh," tweeted Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Speaker, Punjab Assembly. The Mann government's Assembly session to present the trust vote was earlier scheduled to be held on Thursday (September 22), whose permit orders were withdrawn by Governor Banwarilal Purohit a day before (Wednesday) citing the "absence of specific rules" to do so (hold a confidence motion). Also Read | IRCTC Recruitment 2022: Indian Railways Announces Vacancy for HRD Joint General Manager Post, Know How To Apply and Other Details. The assembly was called through the third special session of the sixteenth Vidhan Sabha. "I, Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab hereby withdraw my orders, regarding summoning of the sixteenth Vidhan Sabha of the state of Punjab to meet for its third (Special) session on Thursday in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha hall", the order on Wednesday read. Addressing a letter to Secretary Punjab Vidhan Sabha, governor Purohit had said that a legal opinion was sought on the entire matter from the Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain. "This matter was examined and a legal opinion was sought from Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India. He has given his legal opinion that there is no specific provision regarding the summoning of the Assembly for considering 'confidence motion' only, in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Rules of procedure and conduct of business", read the letter. In light of the above provision, the Punjab Governor had withdrawn his offer dated September 20. Earlier, there were speculations about the session to be held on Tuesday as the Governor had asked the state government for the details of legislative work to be done in this session, but Mann's government raised questions on the governor and alleged that in 75 years no governor has ever asked the government for its legislative functions. Reacting to the allegations, Governor Purohit further advised the state government to "read the Constitution". (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], September 25 (ANI): A 27-year-old IAF cadet was found dead at Air Force Technical College, Bengaluru on September 21, North Bengaluru Deputy Commissioner of Police Vinayak Patil said on Sunday. The cadet was found hanging in his room. The police have also recovered a seven-page note from the site, as per police. Also Read | Thane Shocker: Man Strangulates Wife to Death on Suspicion of Her Having Extramarital Affairs, Booked. The brother of the deceased cadet Ankit Kumar Jha has filed a police complaint alleging murder by six IAF officials, according to the complaint. He also alleged that the IAF officials were also involved in the tampering with evidence and demanded to charge them for that, as per the complaint. Also Read | Haryana Shocker: Private Hospital Employee Rapes Two Colleagues, Records Video of One in Rewari; Arrested. The cadet's brother further demanded the immediate arrest of the IAF officials. He also urged to stop the autopsy of his deceased brother's body as the case needs to be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation( CBI). A case has been registered under section 302 IPC by the Jalahalli Police. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bandipora (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], September 25 (ANI): Bandipora Police has attached the residential house of one person after it was proved that the said house was used for the purpose of terrorism, sheltering, and harbouring terrorists, said Kashmir police press release on Sunday. The said house was linked to a case in which two hard-core terrorists were neutralised, who were involved in different terror crimes in Bandipora. Also Read | Rosh Hashanah 2022: PM Narendra Modi Wishes Israel PM Yair Lapid on Jewish New Year. The house was attached after obtaining legal sanction from the competent authorities, added the press release. "Bandipora Police has attached the residential house of one person namely Bashir Ahmad Mir S/o Ab Sattar Mir R/o Wanpora Gurez A/p Watrina Bandipora after "obtaining legal sanction from the competent authorities ".The said house was linked to case FIR No.166/2021of PS Bandipora U/S 16,18,19,20,23,39UAPA,307IPC,7/27 IA Act, dated September 28, 2021, in which two hard-core terrorists were neutralised, who were involved in different terror crimes in Bandipora," said the press release. Also Read | Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: Accused Pulkit Arya Pressurised Ankita To Provide 'Special Service' to Guests, Says DGP Ashok Kumar. The person whose house has been attached is identified as Bashir Ahmad Mir. The investigation proved beyond doubt that the said house was used for the purpose of terrorism, sheltering, and harbouring terrorists and the such house was voluntarily and knowingly given by the member of the family Many attacks on civilians and protected persons were carried out, conspired, and planned by terrorists while using this house as a hideout. Bandipora police requested citizens once again not to harbour or give shelter to terrorists, failing which they will be liable to action under the law including property attachment (movable/immovable) proceedings. In case of any forced or coercive entry by terrorists into any house or vehicle. The matter should be brought to the notice of the police immediately, otherwise, proceedings under the law will follow against such houses or other properties. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jammu and Kashmir [India], September 25 (ANI): From October 1, Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a two-day tour of Jammu and Kashmir, during which he will address public gatherings in the two border districts of Rajouri and Kupwara. These two districts have a majority population of hill tribes, which have struggled for more than five decades for the demand of ST status. The hill tribe people have a lot of expectations from this visit of the Union Home Minister because according to reports published in national and local newspapers, the minister is going to make an important announcement regarding giving ST status to the hill tribe during this visit. Also Read | IOCL Recruitment 2022: Vacancies Notified for 1535 Post of Trade Apprentice, Apply Online at iocl.com. In both places, the rallies are being organized under the auspices of the Bharatiya Janata Party, for which the party leaders and workers are also working day and night, while the members of other hill tribes are also participating in these rallies beyond their political affiliations. On Saturday, a meeting was held at Sarnakot by senior Pahari leader Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, which was attended by various personalities of the region, who appealed to leave all work and reach the Rajouri bus stand on October 1 to participate in the rally. Also Read | Rajasthan Congress Crisis: CM Ashok Gehlot-Loyalist MLAs Threaten To Resign, Reach Assembly Speaker's House. Meetings were also held at various places in Mendhar, Rajouri, Poonch, and Mandi while important meetings will be held tomorrow in other areas of Thana Mandi, Manjakot and Rajouri. (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, Sep 25 (PTI) Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday asserted that unprecedented progress was being recorded across all sectors in the union territory, saying that it has the potential to emerge as a powerhouse of prosperity. He was addressing the IIT BHU Global Alumni Meet at Santa Clara in California. Also Read | Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: Accused Pulkit Arya Pressurised Ankita To Provide 'Special Service' to Guests, Says DGP Ashok Kumar. The Lt Governor lauded the efforts of the young IITians for their accomplishment and advancements in emerging technologies and for strengthening the dynamic technology ecosystem for societal transformation. Sinha conveyed the motto of shared effort and progress for all and urged innovators and entrepreneurs to contribute to India's growing knowledge economy. Also Read | ISRO Chief S Somanath Says 'World Seeing India As Inspirational Place in Space Sector'. "Development is powered by technology and innovation. India has created vibrant and fastest growing innovation ecosystems in the world and has helped create several thousands of startups and over 100 unicorns attracting huge investment," he said. "I urge entrepreneurs to invest in India, the cradle of civilization and the most attractive investment destination of the world," the Lt Governor added. He also discussed the progressive industrial policy of the union territory made under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting the immense potential and opportunities in different sectors to start industrial and business ventures that will also create job opportunities for the youths. JK has the potential to emerge as a powerhouse of prosperity. It should be our shared goal to tap immense resources and talents to ensure a better life for all our citizens, he said. Paying tributes to Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya, Sinha said the achievements of IIT BHU Alumni both in India and overseas are testimony to values imparted in IIT BHU and the strong foundation for modern education laid by Mahamana. "I am confident these deep and abiding ties with my alma mater will continue to grow," he added. While discussing developments in the digital economy, and innovative tech startups with innovators, entrepreneurs, the governor said the prime minister on August 15, 2021, had clearly established the importance of startups and young innovators by terming the coming decade as India's Techade and that the Indian Techade will be built by young Indian innovators. India is now the new land of opportunity, achievement, knowledge, and human capital. We are emerging stronger from the pandemic and we are now the world's fifth largest economy, which is one of the biggest stories of the decade, he said. I urge you to make in India and contribute in strengthening the research and innovation ecosystem, said the Lt Governor. The Lt Governor said the world has recognised the transformation in the Indian economy and the potential of the Indian market in terms of achieving global scale in quality and output. He said various core sectors with the best incentives, connectivity, energy and transport linkages are offering a conducive investment and growth climate and India is on the path to becoming the innovation capital of the world. Sinha also recalled the significant contribution of Mahamana Pandit Madan Mohan Malaviya to the country's first industrial policy. Mahamana had recommended mechanisation in agriculture, abolition of tax on agricultural production, promotion of railways and commerce in the industrial policy and setting up of shipbuilding and manufacturing units, he said. He also initiated the opening of commerce and industries departments in all the states to promote industrial development, the governor added. Sinha highlighted the transformation taking place in Jammu Kashmir and the unprecedented progress recorded across all sectors. "In the last two years, we have built a business-friendly climate for investors and JK has emerged as one of the favourite destinations to set up industries and other business ventures," he said. The aspirations of the youth of JK have been synchronised with the aspirations of the country today and the golden period of industrial development of JK has been ushered in through the new industrial development policy of the Prime Minister, he added. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): In the 93rd episode of his Mann Ki Baat, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday praised the Uttar Pradesh government's campaign titled 'Kabaad se Jugaad' which has the objective of beautifying public places in an environment-friendly way. PM Modi termed Yogi Adityanath's government's initiative was an example of protection of the environment and beautification of the city. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest News Today: Govt Likely To Revise Minimum Qualifying Service Required for Promotion of Employees; Check Details Here. "The campaign is also an example of how to beautify public places at a low cost. I appreciate all the people involved in this campaign from the core of my heart," the PM said during his address. "Realising the vision of the State Government to beautify the cities, the Meerut Municipal Corporation worked to beautify the city through waste material and disposable items. Since the formation of the Yogi government, there has been a significant improvement in the power supply in Meerut. The Municipal Corporation also resorted to artificial lights to beautify the district," the PM added. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar Calls for Congress-Comprised 'Main Front' To Oust BJP. The Prime Minister further said, "The Municipal Corporation launched a campaign to illuminate Meerut and named it 'Kabaad Se Jugaad'. The Municipal Commissioner Amit Pal Sharma informed that the campaign is an example of how public places can be beautified at a low cost. The city is being decorated using waste and discarded items such as iron scrap, plastic waste, old tires and drums." "Arrangements were made at the circuit house intersection with artificial light trees, barricading from waste wheels of hand carts, mini wheel parks, display walls from old JCB tires, and stool tables for sitting in the parks, among others. Using items at a lower cost, the city was decorated in a beautiful, unique way, presenting a 'model' before others," the PM said further. Earlier during the episode, PM Modi announced that based on the recommendation of the task force set up to observe cheetahs in Madhya Pradesh's Kuno National Park, it will be decided when people will be able to see the animals. "Friends, a task force has been formed. This task force will monitor the cheetahs and see how much they have been able to adapt to the environment here. On this basis, a decision will be taken after a few months and then you will be able to see the cheetahs," said PM Modi in the 93rd episode of his monthly radio broadcast 'Mann Ki Baat'. PM Modi also said that climate change is a major threat to marine ecosystems and that the litter on beaches is disturbing. "It becomes our responsibility to make serious and continuous efforts to tackle these challenges," he said. During the address of the 93rd episode of Mann ki Baat, the PM also announced that Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh as a tribute to the great freedom fighter. "As a tribute to the great freedom fighter, it has been decided that the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh," said Modi in the 93rd episode of his monthly Mann ki Baat address. The Prime Minister wished all the sportspersons participating in the 36th edition of the National Games starting on Thursday in Gujarat, ahead of the inauguration on September 29. "Friends, that's all the time in 'Mann Ki Baat', but before I leave, I want to tell you about the National Games as well. National Games are being organized in Gujarat from the 29th of September," said Prime Minister Modi while addressing the 93rd edition of 'Mann Ki Baat'. The PM also talked about the Divyangs and said, "India is winning laurels in para-sports. We have all been witness to this in many tournaments. There are many institutes that are working on helping Divangs increase their fitness levels & participate in sports. Today there are many people who are engaged in promoting the fitness culture among the specially abled at the grassroots level. This imparts a lot of strength to the self-confidence of the specially-abled." In the broadcast, PM Modi paid tributes to BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, saying he was a profound thinker and a great son of the country. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New Delhi [India], September 25 (ANI): Congress legislative party meeting will be held at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence in Jaipur on Sunday evening in which a resolution will be passed relating to the change of leadership in Rajasthan. The resolution will be passed that decision on change of face in Rajasthan will be taken by the Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi. Also Read | Mumbai Shocker: History-Sheeter Held for Sexually Harassing Lawyer in Ladies Compartment of Local Train at Jogeshwari Railway Station. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is also likely to resign from his post before filing his nomination for the Congress President poll. All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge will be present in the meeting which is scheduled to be held at 7 pm on Sunday. Also Read | Mumbai: Doctors Remove Over 7000 Gallstones From Woman's Bladder After She Complains of Stomach Pain. Earlier on Saturday, Ajay Maken had a meeting with Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi. AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the Congress president had appointed Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken as observers for the Rajasthan CLP meeting to be held on Sunday at 7 pm in Jaipur. "Congress President has appointed Mallikarjun Kharge as Observer along with Ajay Maken, Gen. Secretary AICC, Incharge of Rajasthan, to attend the meeting of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly slated to be held on 25th September at 7 pm," Venugopal said in a tweet. Filing of nominations for the post of Congress president began on Saturday with a contest between Ashok Gehlot and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on the cards. The nominations will be filed till September 30 and results declaring the new Congress chief will be announced on October 19. This will be the first time in 25 years that Congress will see a non-Gandhi chief after Sonia Gandhi replaced Sitaraman Kesri as party chief in 1998. The last time the party had a non-Gandhi chief was in 1997 when Sitaram Kesri defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot. Chairman of Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistri will be available in Congress headquarters in the national capital to take the nomination papers as returning officer of the election. Gehlot had earlier made it clear that there will be no candidate from the Gandhi family this time. Speaking to ANI Gehlot said, "I have requested him (Congress MP Rahul Gandhi) multiple times to accept everyone's proposal of becoming the Congress President. He clarified that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next chief." Till now, Gehlot has made it clear publically that he will contest the elections, while another name that is most likely to give him a contest is Shashi Tharoor who is also in the fray and had met Madhusudan Mistri. Sources close to former union minister Manish Tewari had also said that he is also considering the possibility of contesting the polls. The crux of the story that emerges is that the Congress party is all set to witness a tripartite or more contest. Earlier, Madhusudan Mistri said that more than 9,000 delegates will be voting in the polls. Anybody can contest and 10 delegates will be needed to support his or her candidature. The last date for filing a nomination is September 30. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dharamsala, Sep 25 (PTI) Himachal Pradesh High Court Chief Justice Amjad A Sayed on Sunday said it is possible to settle most cases through mutual consent and mediation, stressing it will help reduce pendency and deliver timely justice to people. He was speaking at the Legal Services Maha Shivir organised here under the aegis of the National Legal Services Authority (NALSA) and State Legal Services Authority. Also Read | Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: Last Rites Held at NIT Ghat, NH 58 Blocked in Protest. Chief Justice of India Uday Umesh Lalit was to be the chief guest at the event. Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju and Supreme Court judge and NALSA executive chairman Justice D Y Chandrachud were also supposed to attend the event. However, all three of them could not reach the venue due to heavy rain in the state. Justice Sayed said the ultimate goal of law is to establish peace and brotherhood among all sections of society and it is the fundamental right of every citizen to get justice. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest News Today: Govt Likely To Revise Minimum Qualifying Service Required for Promotion of Employees; Check Details Here. People have to be made aware of various aspects of law through general dialogue and resolving issues through conciliation and agreement, he said. One crore cases were settled through mutual consent in Lok Adalats organised by the NALSA in the country last month, Justice Sayed said. Of the total cases, 48,000 were received in Himachal Pradesh and 24,000 were disposed of, he said. Various Himachal Pradesh High Court judges, including Justices Sushil Kukreja and Virendra Singh, Solicitor General Balram Sharma, and Bar Association president Lavnish Sharma, among others, attended the event. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Bhopal, Sep 25 (PTI) The COVID-19 tally in Madhya Pradesh reached 10,54,227 on Sunday after the detection of 23 cases, while the death toll remained unchanged at 10,771, an official said. Also Read | Ankita Bhandari Murder Case: Last Rites Held at NIT Ghat, NH 58 Blocked in Protest. The positivity rate, or cases detected per 100 tests, stood at 0.5 per cent, he added. Also Read | 7th Pay Commission Latest News Today: Govt Likely To Revise Minimum Qualifying Service Required for Promotion of Employees; Check Details Here. The recovery count increased by 21 to touch 10,43,299, leaving the state with 157 active cases, the official informed. With 4,385 samples examined during the day, the number of coronavirus tests in MP went up to 3,00,26,204, he added. A government release said 13,20,82,912 COVID-19 vaccine doses have been administered so far in the state, including 163 on Sunday. Coronavirus figures in MP are as follows: Total cases 10,54,227, new cases 23, death toll 10,771, recoveries 10,43,299, active cases 157 number of tests so far 3,00,26,204. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Jaipur, Sep 25 (PTI) Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday said he has held constitutional posts for 40 years and the new generation should get a chance now, virtually admitting an imminent change of guard in the state. Gehlot, who has announced contesting for the post of Congress president, made the remarks during to a visit to Jaisalmer to offer prayer at the Tanot Mata Temple, in an indication that the Congress may choose Sachin Pilot as his successor in the state. Also Read | ISRO Chief S Somanath Says 'World Seeing India As Inspirational Place in Space Sector'. Later in the day, a meeting of the Congress Legislature Party is scheduled to be held at his residence in Jaipur. "I have said it earlier as well. No post is important to me. I am doing politics for last 50 years. I have remained on some constitutional post or other for 40 years. What more I can get and want. So, it is in my mind that the new generation should get a chance and we all will together give a leadership in the country," Gehlot told reporters in Jaisalmer. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh Accident: 4 Dead, 8 Injured After Tractor Collides Head-On With Truck in Bamorisar Village. Gehlot said the media reported that he did not want to leave the post of chief minister even though not the case. "I have said this to (the party) high command in August itself that the next election should be fought under a leadership so that the possibility of winning increases. Whether it is me or someone other than me, select him and form the government," he said. He said that he had informed the Congress high command that winning the next election is very important as Rajasthan is the only big state ruled by the Congress now. If the Congress wins in Rajasthan then the party will revive and the party will win in other states also, he said. The assembly election in Rajasthan is scheduled for next year. Replying to a question about focus of the next budget, Gehlot said, "I will tell whosoever becomes the next CM that present the budget having focus on the youth and students." Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Friday met Rajasthan Assembly Speaker C P Joshi amid speculations of a change of guard in the state. According to party sources, Pilot is the main contender for the chief minister's post but Joshi's name is also doing the rounds. Joshi is a former state Congress president and was a contender for the post in 2008 but lost the Assembly elections by one vote at that time. Gehlot became the first person to announce his candidature for the AICC presidential poll on Friday and said former president Rahul Gandhi has told him that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next party chief. The chief minister also said that the call on his successor will be taken by Sonia Gandhi and the party's in-charge of the state. Gehlot's remarks came a day after Rahul Gandhi batted for the "one man, one post" concept in the party, in line with the 'Chintan Shivir' reforms. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Etah (UP), Sep 25 (PTI) BJP leader Dinesh Sharma on Sunday said Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar will not even be able to win a village pradhan election in Uttar Pradesh. The former Uttar Pradesh deputy chief minister, who was in Etah to attend the birth anniversary celebrations of party idol Deendayal Upadhyay, also attacked senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh for comparing the RSS with the PFI. Also Read | Uttar Pradesh: Guests at Wedding in Amroha Asked To Show Aadhaar Cards Before Taking Dinner Plates (Video). Sharma's comments on Kumar come close on the heels of JD(U) leader denying the possibility of contesting the 2024 general elections from Phulpur, even as the party's Uttar Pradesh unit remained hopeful that he will reconsider the decision to send a larger message of Opposition unity against the BJP. Replying to a question on the JD(U) Uttar Pradesh unit asking Kumar to contest the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Phulpur, the BJP leader said, "Nitish Kumar should first contest 'pradhani' elections (for post of village pradhan in UP). He will have to forfeit his deposits. Nitish Kumar has lost his 'aadhaar' (base) in Bihar, and if he is coming to Uttar Pradesh to search for his base, this dream of his is 'niraadhaar' (baseless)." Also Read | Delhi Shocker: 12-Year-Old Minor Boy Gang-Raped in Seelampur; Rod Inserted in Private Parts. Dismissing speculation over his candidature in the Lok Sabha elections from the Phulpur constituency of Uttar Pradesh, Kumar said on September 20 that he was only interested in uniting opposition parties ahead of the parliamentary polls. Asked about Digvijaya Singh's remark, Sharma said, the Congress leader does not have the right "mental state". "My sympathies are with Digvijaya Singh-ji, and the reason is that his mental state at this point of time is disorganised. And he is not facing mental disorder from today ... He does not know the meaning of 'rashtraprem' and 'rashtradroh'. RSS is an organisation of people who love the nation and are dedicated to the nation," he said. "There can be no comparison between the RSS and the PFI," Sharma asserted, adding the PFI is a divisive organisation. "It divided the society and the country. A number of people who have been caught for making plans to spread terror have links with the PFI," he said. Singh had on Saturday said action should be taken against those who spread hatred, violence and religious frenzy. Apparently referring to the PFI, he said, "If action is taken against them, then why no action has been taken against the Sangh (RSS) and the Vishwa Hindu Parishad?" Those who spread hatred or religious frenzy are the two sides of the same coin and complement each other, Singh had said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dehradun, Sep 25 (PTI) Uttarakhand DGP Ashok Kumar has given an assurance to woman receptionist's father that the police will produce enough evidence in court to ensure that his daughter's killers are hanged. Nineteen-year-old Ankita Bhandari was killed near Rishikesh allegedly by her employer and her body was recovered from the Cheela canal close to Rishikesh early on Saturday, six days after her parents found her missing from her room. Also Read | Delhi Shocker: 12-Year-Old Minor Boy Gang-Raped in Seelampur; Rod Inserted in Private Parts. "I have spoken to the victim's father on the phone and assured him of an impartial probe into her killing and strictest punishment to the guilty. They will not be spared at any cost," the DGP said in a social media post. "I can personally assure you that the SIT looking into the case is collecting all evidences to produce in the court and ensure that the guilty are hanged," he said. Also Read | Maharashtra Shocker: Woman Kills Husband After Quarrel in Nashik; Body Found With Hands and Feet Tied, Say Cops. Additional SP Kotdwar Shekhar Chandra Suyal also refuted a report on the social media that evidences at the resort were destroyed. "No evidence has been destroyed. Our team has done videography of Ankita's room at the resort. We have also collected forensic and scientific evidences. We have enough evidence to prove that the accused are guilty," Suyal said. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Kochi, Sep 25 (PTI) The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said that former state Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac was not cooperating with the probe into the financial transactions of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). In an affidavit submitted by the ED before the Kerala High Court on Saturday, the agency said Isaac was making baseless allegations against the agency. Also Read | UP Shocker: Sadhu Bitten by Poisonous Snake in Unnao While Posing for Reel Makers, Dies. It said Isaac was trying to stay away from the probe and stall the investigation. The ED is probing the issuance of Masala Bonds by KIIFB which had later informed the court that permission for the issuance of the financial instruments were obtained from the Reserve Bank of India. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav To Meet Sonia Gandhi in Delhi Today With Aim To Unite Opposition. The probe agency had earlier issued multiple notices summoning Isaac to appear before it. Isaac had also moved the High Court against the ED. It said Isaac was trying to stay away from the investigation, making baseless allegations against the ED and was trying to flee from the jurisdiction of the central agency and stall the probe. The ED has the authority to investigate the Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violation during the distribution of Masala Bonds, the agency said in the affidavit. It said the investigation is in the primary stage and hence cannot say anything about the role of Isaac. "The summons to produce the documents were part of the investigation," ED said. During hearing of Isaac's plea, the high court had asked why ED cannot question someone if it has any doubts and at the same time it told the probe agency that privacy of an individual cannot be violated. Left leaders and MLAs had also moved the joint plea in the high court against the ED probe alleging that the same was a "fishing and roving" exercise aimed at discrediting the KIIFB. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dehradun (Uttarakhand) [India], September 25 (ANI): In a major breakthrough in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, the SIT on Sunday told ANI that the Whatsapp chats were also being probed. As per reports a WhatsApp chat has come to the fore in the investigation. According to police sources, in this chat, Ankita is telling her friend that the owner of the resort is pressuring her to provide 'extra service' to the guests. There is a lot of anger among people after the murder of receptionist Ankita Bhandari. Also Read | UP Shocker: Sadhu Bitten by Poisonous Snake in Unnao While Posing for Reel Makers, Dies. The SIT In-charge of Ankita Bhandari murder case, DIG PR Devi, told ANI that Ankita's WhatsApp chats that have surfaced are also being probed. As per a viral chat, it is alleged that it was being said that the guest would get 'extra service' and Rs 10,000. In the WhatsApp chat, there is talk of providing 'extra service' in the name of providing spa treatment at the Vanatara Resort. Also Read | Lok Sabha Elections 2024: Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, Lalu Prasad Yadav To Meet Sonia Gandhi in Delhi Today With Aim To Unite Opposition. An employee at the resort also alleged that Ankita Bhandari had called him crying on September 17 and asked him to take her bags out of the resort. He also confirmed that he saw Ankita at around 3 PM with three other people while only the rest of them returned except Ankita. He also confirmed that the owner Pulkit Arya's brother Ankit Arya came at 8 AM on September 18 and talked about preparing dinner for four people and said that he would have dinner in Ankita's room. This was countered by the employee as he said that the service boy can make the dinner, however, the resort's helper alleged that Ankit wanted to mislead the staff as Ankita had not returned. Earlier on Saturday, the Vanatara resort in Rishikesh owned by expelled BJP leader Vinod Arya's son Pulkit Arya, who is an accused in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, was set on fire by angry locals. Anger over the horrific crime poured onto streets in other parts of Uttarakhand as well as locals jammed the bus station in Pauri. Protestors also gheraoed District Magistrate's office in Pauri. The body of 19-year-old Ankita Bhandari who was reported missing a few days ago was also recovered on Saturday from the Chilla canal in Rishikesh. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami ordered a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to be formed to probe the case. "The body of daughter Ankita was recovered this morning. This heartbreaking incident deeply pains my heart," Dhami tweeted. Three persons, including Pulkit Arya, were arrested on Friday after they confessed to having pushed Ankita into the canal after an altercation. Additional Superintendent of Police Shekhar Suyal said, "The deceased's brother and father were here and they identified the body. The body found at the barrage is of Ankita Bhandari." While talking to ANI, Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami said, "Strictest action will be taken against all the culprits, regarding this, we have formed SIT under the leadership of DIG P Renuka Devi, which will get to the bottom of the whole matter, investigate it and work to bring the culprits to justice. The perpetrators will not be spared." On Friday Uttarakhand authorities had also bulldozed portions at the Vanatara Resort owned by Pulkit, where Ankita Bhandari was working as a receptionist. CM Dhami said that district magistrates have been ordered to take action against all resorts inside Uttarakhand which have illegal construction. (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, Sep 25 (PTI) Merger of seven entities with Tata Steel will allow simplification of management and help with sharper focus on the business, Koushik Chatterjee, CFO of the steel giant, said. On Friday, the board of Tata Steel approved the amalgamation of its seven subsidiaries -- Tata Steel Long Products, Tata Metaliks, The Tinplate Company of India, TRF Limited, Indian Steel & Wire Products, Tata Steel Mining and S&T Mining -- into itself. Also Read | IRCTC Recruitment 2022: Indian Railways Announces Vacancy for HRD Joint General Manager Post, Know How To Apply and Other Details. "We have been driving simplification across Tata Steel for some time. The objective is to consolidate the subsidiary businesses within Tata Steel to drive simplification of management and also have a sharper focus on the business," Chatterjee told PTI. After successfully integrating Bhushan Steel, which was much larger and more complex, this was the next natural step, the official who is also an executive director of Tata Steel, said. Also Read | Chandigarh University MMS Case: Indian Army Personnel Posted in Arunachal Pradesh Arrested by Punjab Police Over 'Leaked Objectionable Videos' of Students. In 2018, Tata Steel through its wholly-owned subsidiary Bamnipal Steel Ltd (BNPL) completed the acquisition of controlling stake of 72.65 per cent in Bhushan Steel Ltd (BSL). Tata Steel Ltd had won the bid to acquire debt-laden Bhushan Steel in an auction under the insolvency process. On the merger, the company official further said: "The net present value of all synergies will be over Rs 1,000 crore, which is a material value unlocking potential. This covers benefits on cost takeouts, leveraging the synergies on procurement, commercial and financing synergies." All the businesses of the amalgamating companies have a good future. These businesses are part of Tata Steel's enterprise strategy and the company has much more flexibility to grow some of these businesses faster, he said. According to Tata Steel, the merger is also part of its continuing journey to simplify the group holding structure. Since 2019 Tata Steel has reduced 116 associated entities (72 subsidiaries have ceased to exist, 20 associates and joint ventures have been eliminated and 24 companies are currently under liquidation). (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Taipei [Taiwan], September 25 (ANI): China's 16 military aircraft and four ships crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait on Saturday, as per the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense. The Ministry of National Defense said it had tracked 16 aircraft and four ships from China's military around the country by 5 pm on Saturday, reported Taiwan News. Also Read | US Losing Air Superiority to China in Pacific Region Amid Beijing's Rapid Fleet Expansion. "One unmanned drone and two planes entered the southwest sector of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ)," the ministry tweeted. The drone was a Harbin BZK-005, while the two planes were a Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft and a Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance plane, it said. Also Read | PTI Chief Imran Khan Bats for Merit-Based Appointment of Pakistan's New Army Chief. Taiwan issued radio warnings, tasked aircraft and naval vessels, and deployed land-based air defense missile systems to monitor and respond to Chinese activities, said the Taiwanese military, reported Taiwan News. China's recent incursions come as the US showed interest in helping Taiwan and approved USD 1.1 billion arms package to the self-governed nation. The deal covered Harpoon anti-ship missiles, Sidewinder short-range air-to-air missiles, and radar equipment. China's embassy in Washington threatened counter-measures if the US did not revoke the latest weapons agreement, while Taiwan's Presidential Office and Ministry of National Defence expressed gratitude for the Biden administration's support for the country's defence needs, reported Taiwan News. In the recent past, China has increased its use of gray zone tactics by routinely sending aircraft into Taiwan's ADIZ, with most occurrences taking place in the southwest corner. In 2021, Chinese military planes entered Taiwan's ADIZ on 961 instances over 239 days. Gray zone tactics are defined as "an effort or series of efforts beyond steady-state deterrence and assurance that attempts to achieve one's security objectives without resort to direct and sizable use of force." Taiwan has faced the threat of invasion ever since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek's defeated Nationalists fled there to set up a new government, having been chased out of the mainland by Mao Zedong's Communist Party. More than 70 years later, the Communist Party continues to view Taiwan as something akin to a breakaway province that must be "reunified" with the mainland at all costs -- and it has made clear it is prepared to use force, if necessary, to fulfill that objective. If China were to invade, the Kinmen islands -- most of which have been controlled by Taiwan since the end of the war -- would make a tempting first target. Lying just a few miles from the mainland Chinese city of Xiamen -- and hundreds of miles from Taiwan's capital Taipei -- they are acutely vulnerable, reported CNN. For Taiwan, the problem is that the nature of that invading force is changing. The Kinmen islands' proximity to the mainland puts them well within the range of commercially available drones, which are cheap and plentiful in China, home to the world's second-largest market for the machines and no shortage of potential operators among its population of 1.4 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) Tehran, Sep 25 (AP) Only glimpses of videos that make it online show the protests convulsing Iran over the death of a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by the nation's morality police. But those flashes show that public anger across the country, once only simmering, is now boiling. Also Read | US Losing Air Superiority to China in Pacific Region Amid Beijing's Rapid Fleet Expansion. The demonstrations surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini and the government crackdown emerging to stifle them represent just the latest cycle of unrest to grip Iran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution. It likely won't be the last as the Islamic Republic lurches between crises at home and abroad. The window through which the wider world can view them only will become more dim as authorities restrict internet access, detain journalists and tightly control all levers of the government's power. Also Read | PTI Chief Imran Khan Bats for Merit-Based Appointment of Pakistan's New Army Chief. Protests over Amini's death have spread across at least 46 Iranian cities, towns and villages. State TV has suggested that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the protests began September 17. An Associated Press count of official statements by authorities puts the death toll at at least 13, with more than 1,200 demonstrators arrested. But the tightening crackdown doesn't come as a surprise given Iran's modern history. Iran's theocracy has viewed itself as under threat from the moment the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Tehran in 1979. Bombings in 1981 blamed on dissidents killed dozens of top officials. One even paralyzed the right arm of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched a bloody eight-year war on Iran in which 1 million people were killed. In Tehran, enmity toward the United States began with the American-backed 1953 coup that cemented the shah's reign. For Washington, the 1979 US Embassy hostage crisis stoked hostility toward Iran. And the mutual distrust continues today. After the collapse of a deal in 2015 intended to curtail Tehran's nuclear ambitions, Iran amassed enough highly enriched uranium to produce an atomic bomb if it chose. The Iranian government has dismissed the latest protests as a foreign plot, rather than an expression of public outrage over the death of a woman detained only because her mandatory headscarf, or hijab, wasn't to the morality police's liking. Pro-government marches in Tehran and other cities echoed the official line, with some marchers chanting American mercenaries are fighting the religion. The government's decision to restrict Instagram, LinkedIn and WhatsApp three of the last Western social media apps working in the country has limited the ability for protesters to organize and share their videos with the outside world. Instead, only short clips find their way out, including those of security forces firing at protesters and women defiantly cutting off their hair and burning their hijabs. Security forces, including motorcycle-riding volunteers with Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, have attacked peaceful demonstrators. There's also been footage of apparent demonstrators setting fires, flipping over police cars and fighting back against riot police. These scenes are similar to those that occurred in 2019 after the government dropped fuel subsidies, prompting demonstrators to set gas stations ablaze and ransack banks. Rights groups say that the unrest across more than 100 cities and towns and the government crackdown that followed killed over 300 people and led to thousands of arrests. Because of the internet restrictions, it remains unclear if the latest protests have eclipsed those of 2019. Exiled opposition groups and Iranian hard-liners have both used the short clips online to paint their own pictures of the unrest as the government largely remains silent. Independent observers such as human rights activists face threats, intimidation and arrest in Iran. Text messages from the government to the public warn of criminal charges for joining demonstrations. At least 18 reporters are known to have been arrested so far in the crackdown, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Like other rounds of unrest since 2009, when millions took to the streets as part of the so-called Green Movement to protest a disputed presidential election, the latest demonstrations appear spontaneous and leaderless. Even if a government crackdown eventually quells the protests, it likely won't eradicate the deep-seated rage. Iran's economy has cratered, and Western sanctions have destroyed the savings of a generation. The value of the currency has plummeted, from 32,000 rials for a dollar in 2015 to 315,000 rials for a dollar in 2022. Iranian youth increasingly try to find new livelihoods abroad at whatever cost. Those left behind struggle to make ends meet. Iranian politics have grown insular and uncompromising. In the 2021 presidential election, all serious contenders were disqualified to allow Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Khamenei, to take the presidency in the lowest turnout vote in the Islamic Republic's history. The economic challenges and hardline political positions are only likely to solidify. Even if Iran agreed to a road map to restore the nuclear deal, it likely will face new US sanctions over selling so-called suicide drones to Russia to use in its ongoing war in Ukraine. A battle over leadership could turn Iran's focus further inward. There is no designated successor for the 83-year-old Khamenei, though some analysts suggest his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, might be considered by clerics to become the next supreme leader. Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to the supreme leader, has grown increasingly powerful both militarily and economically during the recent tensions with the West. The US Treasury said the Guard has smuggled hundreds of millions of dollars worth of sanctioned oil into the international market. Both the theocracy and the Guard have financial and political incentive to continue the status quo. And with no other outlets, mass protests by the Iranian public seem likely to continue. (AP) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Dhaka, September 25: At least 20 persons were killed after a boat capsized in Bangladesh's northern district of Panchagarh. As per Dhaka Tribune, at least 30 people are still missing and the number of dead may increase. The incident was reported from the Aowlia Ghat in Marea Union on Sunday afternoon, Panchagarh Deputy Commissioner Jahirul Islam confirmed. A team of divers from Dhaka was scouring the river to look for more bodies, as thousands of people crowded the river banks to watch the search efforts. Bangladesh: At Least 23 Killed, Several Missing After Boat Capsizes in Karatoa River in Panchagarh. Boat accidents in Bangladesh are common due to lax safety standards and overloading. As Bangladesh lies on the lower course of mighty rivers - the Ganga, and the Brahmaputra, the country is crisscrossed by 230 rivers. Notably, around 37 persons drowned in December last year after a passenger ferry hit a cargo ship and sank. At least 85 people drowned in November when an overloaded triple-decker ferry capsized off Bhola Island in the country's south. A week later another boat sank leaving 46 people dead. So far this year, dozens of people have been killed in several smaller boat accidents in Bangladesh. Naval officials have said more than 95 per cent of Bangladesh's hundreds of thousands of small- and medium-sized boats do not meet minimum safety regulations. But millions of people in Bangladesh rely on boats and ferries to travel to the capital or the delta nation's major cities. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) New York [US], September 25 (ANI): Reiterating its claim over Taiwan, China on Saturday said peace across Taiwan can be ensured only when China is completely reunified with the self-governed island nation and any move to obstruct China's reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history. "Only when China is completely reunified can there be enduring peace across Taiwan. Any scheme to interfere in China's internal affairs is bound to meet the strong opposition of all Chinese and any move to obstruct China's reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history," Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said at the 77th Session of the United Nations General Assembly. Also Read | Sikh Student Detained for Wearing Kirpan at University of North Carolina; BJP Leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa Raises Questions (Watch Video). Wang Yi said that all "stolen" territories including Taiwan shall be restored and reiterated that Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China's territory. "Since ancient times, Taiwan has been an inseparable part of China's territory...It is explicitly stated in the Potsdam Proclamation that all the territories that Japan has stolen from the Chinese including Taiwan shall be restored to China," the Chinese Foreign minister said. Also Read | Indian-Origin UK Minister Suella Braverman Wins Queen Elizabeth II of the Year Award. China's ruling Communist Party claims that Taiwan is part of its territory, despite having never governed it, and has refused to rule out the use of force to bring it under control. In line, after the US House speaker Nancy Pelosi visited Taiwan last month, China has over time reiterated that there is only one China in the world and Taiwan is an inalienable part of China's territory. China claims that the government of the People's Republic of China is the sole legal government representing the whole of China. China's Foreign Ministry condemned Pelosi for what it described as her "vicious and provocative actions," saying her trip to Taiwan amounted to "seriously interfering in China's internal affairs." China also increased its military activities around the Island nation. Amid the tension between US and China, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken met his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Friday and stressed for preserving peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait. Over an hour-long meeting, Blinken emphasized that the United States is committed to maintaining peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait, consistent with its longstanding one-China policy. Both leaders discussed the need to maintain open lines of communication and responsibly manage the US-PRC relationship. Recently, Chinese President Xi Jinping ordered his armed forces, the Peoples Liberation Army (PLA) to develop the ability to capture Taiwan by 2027, revealed David Cohen, the Deputy Director of the US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). Meanwhile, Taiwan has rejected China's "one country, two systems" formulation, believing that only the people of Taiwan can decide their own future. Taiwan has faced the threat of invasion ever since the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, when Chiang Kai-shek's defeated Nationalists fled there to set up a new government, having been chased out of the mainland by Mao Zedong's Communist Party. More than 70 years later, the Communist Party continues to view Taiwan as something akin to a breakaway province that must be "reunified" with the mainland at all costs -- and it has made clear it is prepared to use force, if necessary, to fulfil that objective. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tokyo, September 25: The state funeral of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who was assassinated on July 8 in the city of Nara during a campaign speech, will take place on September 27 and is expected to see thousands of attendees. According to Japan Times, representatives from over 217 countries and international organizations are expected to participate in the state funeral which is slated to start at 2 p.m. on Tuesday at the Nippon Budokan in central Tokyo. Shinzo Abe Assassinated: Former Japanese PM Dies After Being Shot At Campaign Event in Nara. Abe's funeral on September 27 will be the second state funeral for a former prime minister since World War 2. The first one was held in 1967 for Shigeru Yoshida. Other deceased prime ministers received a joint Cabinet Office and Liberal Democratic Party service. RIP Shinzo Abe Sand Art by Sudarsan Pattnaik: Heartfelt Tribute for Former Japan PM Who Died After Being Shot (View Pic & Video). The state funeral ceremony will be the first major public event since new police security guidelines were implemented, including sniffer dogs at train stations and police patrols at Tokyo-area airports after Abe's assassination on July 8. Several foreign dignitaries are expected to attend the funeral service in Tokyo. Prime Minister Narendra Modi will also attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and separately meet Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida. Japan Times reported quoting the Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirokazu Matsuno who told a news conference Wednesday that the funeral planning committee has decided to set aside two flower offering stands in the park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on the day of the funeral, however the area around the Nippon Budokan will be off-limits to anyone other than invited guests due to security concerns. The funeral service will likely last for approximately one-and-a-half hours following which the national anthem of the country will be played, observing silence for the late Prime Minister. As chair of the funeral committee, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida will deliver a commemorative speech that will then be followed by the speeches of the speaker of the House of Representatives, Hiroyuki Hosoda; Speaker of the House of Councilors, Hidehisa Otsuji; Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Saburo Tokura; and former Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga as a representative of Abe's closest colleagues, Japan Times reported. Furthermore, the royal family of Japan will also pay tributes to Abe at his state funeral, however, maintaining the line of tradition, Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko will not be attending the funeral, and their imperial envoys will pay their respects. Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, will lay flowers of condolence, followed by other attendees, Japan Times stated citing sources. The ceremony will finish with the sending off of Abe's remains and the placing of remembrance wreaths. Abe was shot on July 8 in the Japanese city of Nara. Tetsuya Yamagami, 41, approached the politician from behind and fired two shots from a distance of about 10 meters (33 feet). The attacker reportedly plotted the assassination of the 67-year-old former head of government for nearly a year.Abe sustained two gunshot wounds to the front of his neck and the bullet that killed him damaged his heart and a major artery, causing blood loss, Hidetada Fukushima, the head of emergency services at Nara Medical University Hospital said. Doctors attempted a blood transfusion after they were unable to stop the bleeding, Dr Fukushima said. Shinzo Abe arrived at a hospital without any vital signs after being shot during a campaign speech in western Japan. Abe, Japan's longest-serving Prime Minister, stepped down in 2020 citing health reasons. He was Prime Minister of Japan twice, from 2006-07 and again from 2012-20. He was succeeded by Yoshihide Suga and later by Fumio Kishida. (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) President of the Tibetan government-in-exile known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration, Penpa Tsering. Dharamshala (Himachal Pradesh) [India], September 25 (ANI): Penpa Tsering, the President of the Tibetan government-in-exile known officially as the Central Tibetan Administration (CTA), highlighted the worsening situation of the Tibetan people under the repressive policies of the Chinese Communist Party to Japanese parliamentarians in Tokyo. Addressing the largest Parliamentary Support Group for Tibet in the world, he said, "Tibetan children are forced to learn the Chinese language instead of Tibetan and its propaganda with the aim to change their mind so that there won't be any Tibetan in another 15 to 20 years." Also Read | Sikh Student Detained for Wearing Kirpan in US: University of North Carolina Issues Apology, Says 'Committed to Ensuring It Doesn't Happen Again'. Choekyi Lhamo, writing in Phayul said that Tsering told lawmakers at the parliament building in Tokyo that the biggest threat facing Tibet is the colonial boarding system run by the government, which has forcibly separated 80 per cent of children from their parents to alienate them from cultural roots. The CTA President said that the Chinese state continues to implement policies to wipe the cultural and linguistic identities of the Tibetan people. Also Read | Rabi Al Awwal Moon Sighting 2022 Live News Updates: Crescent Not Visible Yet in Indonesia, Malaysia and Philippines. He urged the Japanese parliamentarians to use their influence on UNHCR and come out with a comprehensive report on Tibet akin to the recently released human rights assessment on East Turkestan, reported Phayul. The Sikyong (President) said that defending the historical truth about Tibet is crucial for the movement, as detailed extensively in Michael Van Walt van Praag's book Tibet Brief 20/20. Another notable remark was made about the egregious climate change in Tibet that is rapidly quickened by Chinese industrial policies, said Choekyi Lhamo. He argued that environmental concerns in Tibet do not only affect Tibetan residents but the whole Asian subcontinent which is dependent on significant rivers originating from Tibet. Tsering further appealed to the Japanese government to discuss the detrimental effect of changing climate in Tibet by highlighting the concerns on international platforms like the upcoming COP27 in Egypt, reported Phayul. Meanwhile, he also extended an invitation to the parliamentarians to visit the exiled Tibetan capital and to meet the spiritual head, Dalai Lama. The President noted that the Dalai Lama devolved his political authority and introduced democracy after coming into exile. "Today we have a fully functional democratic system in the Tibetan community", he said while praising Japan's growing engagement with democratic countries like the US and India through collaborations including Quad (Australia, Japan, India and US) and AUKUS (Australia, UK, and US) for promoting values like "democracy, freedom and rule of law". (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 York [US], September 25 (ANI): Union minister Jitendra Singh, who is on a 5-day visit to the US on Saturday interacted with the Indian diaspora in New York and encouraged them to invest in India, as this is "the best time" to do so. Jitendra Singh told the Indian diaspora in New York that this is "the best time" to invest in the country, as India is fast becoming the investment destination for the world, an official statement read. Also Read | GTA 6 Leak: UK Police Nab Alleged 17-Year-Old Grand Theft Auto VI Footage Leaker. A community reception was hosted for the minister at New York, where he pointed out that the pro-business reforms unleashed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last eight years like reduction in compliance requirements, removal of retrospective taxation, simplification of the corporate tax rate structure, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) have improved India's "rank in ease of doing business from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2022, as per World Bank report. Jitendra Singh was speaking after returning from the Joint Ministerial Plenary of Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM13) and Mission Innovation (MI-7) at the "Global Clean Energy Action Forum- 2022", at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Also Read | Russia Backs India for Permanent Seat on UN Security Council Calling It Key International Actor. He led a high-level Joint Indian Ministerial Delegation of Ministry of Power, New & Renewable Energy and Ministry of Science & Technology at the Energy Summit from September 21-23 and presented India's view on clean energy initiatives and climate actions at various Roundtables and Joint Ministerial Plenary. Jitendra Singh also invited the NRIs (Non-resident Indians) and PIOs (Persons of Indian origins) to come and explore the great start-up boom in India, the success of which has become a global talking point. He said that with over 77,000 start-ups and 105 unicorns, Indian innovators, incubators, and entrepreneurs are making a mark for themselves and this may inspire and encourage you to look at opportunities in India. There is tremendous focus in the country on sunrise sectors such as 5G, artificial intelligence, drones, semiconductors, blockchain, green energy and space economy, the minister added. Referring to the National Education Policy 2020, Jitendra Singh said that it opens myriad avenues to enhance our university-to-university links, joint academic programs, credit portability and research partnership. He said, India is now open to foreign universities setting campuses in the country and we are hopeful that US Universities will take advantage of these opportunities. As per the official statement, Jitendra Singh further said that as two democracies with shared values, open exchange of knowledge remains key to our strong partnership. Indian students in the United States of America are integral to it, and so are our ties between universities and educational institutions on both sides. We also have a large number of Indian academicians and research scholars in the USA. The Minister informed that Indian students are the second largest cohort in the US and what makes them stand out is that most of them are enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses. He said, they contribute to cross flow of knowledge, technology, research and prosperity between the two countries and honing talent in this niche area has special importance for the digital age, for powering knowledge economy and for building a greener planet. He said that at present, there are so many Fortune 500 companies, be it Google and its parent company Alphabet, Microsoft, Adobe, IBM, Alphabet, Twitter, FedEx, NetApp and Starbucks - who have Indians either heading them or playing an important role in the senior management. He further said that Indo-US ties have emerged as the defining partnership of the 21st century and as per government data, merchandise exports from India reached a new high at USD 417.81 billion during the financial year (FY) 2021-22, marking a surge of 43.18 per cent over the USD 291.18 billion recorded in the previous fiscal. He said, this is the first time India has achieved its ambitious target of crossing the USD 400 billion mark in merchandise exports and this also shows that India has started to emerge as a trusted partner as global firms are looking to diversify their supply chains and reduce their dependence on China. The minister concluded by saying that we, in India and around the world, are celebrating 75 years of India's independence and its incredible journey as a vibrant democracy and a thriving economy. The minister told the Indian diaspora that they represent the aspirations of a new India, an India that is on the march towards 'Amrit Kaal', the golden age of progress and growth. It is also heartening to know that the largest India Day Parade in New York City was held on August 21 this year, by Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) in collaboration with the Indian Consulate, the statement read. The minister called upon them to join hands in celebrating India's diversity, art, innovation, sporting achievements, and much more and contribute to India's onward march as a nation. Singh departed for India after a 5-day fruitful visit to the USA to participate in Global Clean Energy Action Forum and meaningful interaction with eminent academicians as well as the Indian diaspora. (ANI) (This is an unedited and auto-generated story from Syndicated News feed, LatestLY Staff may not have modified or edited the content body) Tirupati, Sep 25: A doctor and his two children were killed in a fire that broke out at a newly constructed private hospital at Renigunta in Andhra Pradesh's Tirupati district on Sunday. The fire broke in the top floor of the hospital building where the doctor was living with his family. Dr Ravishankar Reddy and his son and daughter lost their lives. His wife Dr Ananta Lakshmi and mother were rescued by the locals. UP Shocker: Sadhu Bitten by Poisonous Snake in Unnao While Posing for Reel Makers, Dies. The incident occurred around 4.30 a.m. at Kartika Hospital for children in Bhagat Singh Nagar at Renigunta near the temple town of Tirupati. There were no in-patients at the hospital which opened recently. Gurugram Shocker: Unhappy With Her Job, Husband Brutally Stabs Wife; Accused Absconding. The fire fighting personnel shifted Bharat (12) and Kartika (15) to another hospital where they succumbed. The condition of the doctor's wife and mother is stated to be stable. A police officer said they received the information about the fire around 4.50 a.m. Two fire tenders rushed to the hospital and doused the fire. Police suspect that short-circuit led to the fire. The actual cause of the fire will be known after detailed investigation, police said. (The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 25, 2022 10:07 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com). A meeting of the Congress Legislature Party in Rajasthan will be held at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence here on Sunday evening, amid the leadership change buzz following the announcement that he will contest the party president poll. Farmers held a protest on Delhi's borders for a year but the govt didn't take any steps to solve their problems. Farmers were promised that MSP will be provided but it was not given.Govt promised to withdraw cases registered against farmers but didn't fulfil it: NCP chief S Pawar https://t.co/u86NucPqa8 pic.twitter.com/jf8hKgWrV6 ANI (@ANI) September 25, 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.) Two terrorists were killed in a gunfight with the security forces near the Line of Control (LoC) at Machil in North #Kashmir's Kupwara district, officials said on Sunday. Photo: IANS (Representational image) pic.twitter.com/ZCpRVH6s34 IANS (@ians_india) September 25, 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.) Notorious serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer was known to have murdered, raped, and dismembered at least 17 men and boys in Milwaukee, Wisconsin between 1978 and 1991. Dahmer reportedly committed his first murder in 1978, just three weeks after she graduated from high school. His first victim was Steven Nicks, a hitchhiker he picked up and lured back to his house. According to People, Hicks attempted to leave, which led to Dahmer bludgeoning him with a 10-pound dumbbell before strangling him to death. Dahmer was arrested after he offered three men to pose for nude photographs in July 1991, with a man named Tracy Edwards agreeing and following Dahmer back to his apartment. Dahmer handcuffed Edwards and told him his plan to eat his heart. Edwards managed to escape when he punched Dahmer and knocked him to the ground. It allowed Edwards to run through the unlocked front door, get out of the apartment, and flag down two police officers he led back to the Milwaukee serial killer's apartment. When they arrived, the officers saw an opened drawer that contained Polaroid pictures of human bodies in different stages of dismemberment. Jeffrey Dahmer tried to escape, but authorities overpowered him and cuffed him. READ NEXT: Ryan Grantham: 'Riverdale' and 'Diary of a Wimpy Kid' Star Admits Killing Mom to 'Save Her' From Seeing His Assassination Attempt on Justin Trudeau Some Shocking Facts about Milwaukee Serial Killer, Cannibal Jeffrey Dahmer Jeffrey Dahmer's gruesome crimes, which included cannibalism and necrophilia, continue to shock the world. Dahmer became one of America's most terrifying serial killers and was called the "Milwaukee cannibal" after he murdered 17 men and boys, engaged in necrophilia, and ate human flesh. Did you know that Dahmer had his own fan club at school? The serial killer was described as a "withdrawn and obsessive child," with hobbies including dissecting animals and collecting their bones. However, Dahmer was also known to be a class clown and did outrageous pranks. Some students, who were so captivated by his antics, dubbed themselves the "Dahmer Fan Club." His former classmates encouraged him to take it further, but they were stunned years later after they learned about his crimes. According to Crime Investigation, aside from cannibalism and murders, Dahmer also engaged in experiments to try to subjugate his victims. One of his victims was Errol Lindsey. Thinking the teenager would turn into a docile zombie, Dahmer drilled a hole into his skull and poured hydrochloric acid. Lindsey survived the act and woke up complaining of a headache before Dahmer strangled him. Another teen victim, Konerak Sinthasomphone, also survived having acid put into his skull. Sinthasomphone even managed to leave the apartment when Dahmer had gone to buy more alcohol. Three women called the police after they found Sinthasomphone on a street corner. However, Dahmer convinced the officers that the teen was his adult boyfriend, and they simply had a drunken lover's quarrel. Sinthasomphone was also strangled to death soon after the police officers left. It seemed that the serial killer was almost caught red-handed but got away with it. Dahmer also brought a human head to a chocolate factory, where he worked. He stored one of his victim's mummified heads in his personal locker. In one of his interviews, he said that's how "strong his compulsion was" and how "bizarre his desire was," adding that he wanted to "keep something of the person with me." Dahmer was also obsessed with "Star Wars" and "The Exorcist III" movies. He reportedly psyched himself up to kill by watching certain films. Dahmer even went as far as wearing yellow contact lenses to resemble the villain Emperor Palpatine in the "Star Wars" film series. Dahmer was also obsessively attached to "The Exorcist III," which focuses on serial killers and demon possession. Tracy Edwards, who managed to escape, recalled seeing "The Exorcist III" playing in the background when Dahmer lured him into his apartment. The Milwaukee serial killer had also planned to turn his victims into an altar. Dahmer told investigators when he was arrested that he was planning to create an altar in his apartment using the remains of his victims. He even made a detailed sketch of the supposed altar that would have consisted of a black table decorated with skulls and skeletons. Dahmer said this would be a place where he could cleanse his thoughts and feed his obsession. Jeffrey Dahmer was bludgeoned to death by a fellow inmate on November 28, 1994. He was 34. About Jeffrey Dahmer's Controversial Arresting Officer Jeffrey Dahmer's arresting officer was John Balcerzak, who went to the serial killer's apartment with his partner after Tracy Edwards came forward about his experience, according to Women's Health. However, Balcerzak was fired from the police force after catching Dahmer. Dahmer's neighbor, Glenda Cleveland, called the police several times, reporting Dahmer's suspicious behavior. On one occasion, Balcerzak and his partner responded to a call to find Konerak Sinthasomphone with three women. The women asked the police officers to take the 14-year-old boy to a safe space. However, Balcerzak and his partner had led the teenager back to Dahmer's place. Both officers were found guilty of gross negligence and were fired in May 1991. However, Balcerzak maintained that they did the "appropriate thing" and "the best that we could" based on the information they had at the time. In 1994, a judge ruled that Balcerzak and his partner should be reinstated into the police force and should receive back pay of $55,000. The judge noted that firing them was too harsh of a punishment. John Balcerzak retired in 2017. He still lives in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and reportedly owns a tavern. READ MORE: John Lennon Killer: The Disturbing Story of Mark David Chapman Who Was Denied Parole for 12th Time This article is owned by Latin Post. Written by: Mary Webber WATCH: The Untold Story of Jeffery Dahmer - From WatchMojo.com A Laois councillor is blaming satellite navigation for what he said is the rising number of crashes on a Portlaoise junction. The sat nav voice should include a warning coming up to a T-junction between two local roads at Derrgarran in Portlaoise, says Cllr Willie Aird. He is calling on Laois County Council to install safety measures at the juction as a matter of urgency. He outlined why, when tabling a motion on it to the September meeting of the Portlaoise Municipal District. This is probably one of the most dangerous junctions in the area. It reminds me of Moneycross until they staggered it. This has escalated in a short time. Google gives it as the shortest route from the west to Rosslare. There have been several accidents, Cllr Aird said. He wants the Sat Nav voice direction to include a warning, if no funding can be got to improve the junction. If we don't get funding what will happen? Have you input on the people who put it on the Google map? The person who talks on the app, could they say to be careful, you're approaching a T-junction, he asked. We have met there three times over this. One time a road was still closed after an accident. I've asked for signs and rumble strips, Cllr Aird said. People are peeping around the corner to see if a car is coming up on them, Cllr Aird added. Cllr Catherine Fitzgerald seconded the motion. It's a very busy junction near Rathevan and Rathnamanagh. I have been looking for safety measures too. So many people use it going to the secondary school. It's really dangerous,she said. In answer, Laois County Council area engineer Wes Wilkinson said that the location will be included in an application for funding for safety improvement works in 2023. Moses Roche, who passed away in Callan, Co Kilkenny on August 24, at the age of 94 years, lived in Naas for several years but was an out and out Corkman. Even so, both Moses and his brother Batt were well known in the Callan area of Co Kilkenny. Moses, of Kilminnick, died peacefully at Stratmore Lodge Nursing Home. His Requiem Mass took place at The Church Of The Assumption, Callan and he was laid to rest in nearby Kilbride Cemetery. Some thirty years ago Moses Roche retired from work at Lawlors Hotel in Naas and came to live with his brother in Callan. In the 1950s Moses had been on his way to work in the UK when he was offered the position of barman in Lawlors of Naas: He stayed on to work for three generations of the Lawlor family over the next forty-five years. Moses was a very popular barman and great stories about him are being told to this very day. He loved working in Lawlors and was part of the very effective team consisting of Miss Brennan, Tom Cardiff and Moses. Characters He greatly enjoyed the company of the numerous characters who frequented Lawlors very famous bar. Like many of them, Moses had a love of the horses and for years he even ran a Bookies Office beside the Random Inn next door to Lawlors. When Moses retired from Lawlors Hotel he joined his brother Batt who had bought a farm in Bauntha, near Callan. Batt originally arrived from Co Cork to work on the farm of Mrs Margaret Fennelly who also owned the Fennelly Pub on Bridge Street, Callan. Callan Shortly after his arrival Moses was working in Fennellys Bar, became involved in local politics and befriended many local people, who will confirm his legendary status. Through these years Moses was visited by many of his old friends from Naas because of the gra they had for him. When his health failed Moses was looked after in the caring environment of Strathmore Lodge Nursing Home, Callan. His funeral was attended by people from all over the country, including former colleagues and customers of Lawlors Hotel and Fennellys Bar, friends in the racing world and members of the Lawlor, Fennelly and Roche families. Farewell words Fr Willie Dalton PP, Callan celebrated the Requiem Mass for Moses with eloquent and fitting farewell words. Afterwards, when friends gathered at Kevin Keoghs Hostelry, the fond memories recalled identified Moses as an impressive, sincere and witty man with integrity: May his noble soul Rest in Peace. A Months Mind Mass for Moses was celebrated in Callan Parish Church recently. A bar show their energy bill showing a rise of 394% of electricity compared to the same period last year in Milan, Italy on September 9, 2022. PIERO CRUCIATTI / ANADOLU AGENCY VIA AFP When he talks about his country, Luigi Consiglio can go on for hours, and he is very proud: "Political crises? Covid? No problem: Italian industry is among the strongest in the world, nothing can bring it to its knees," boasted the entrepreneur, the president of GEA, a Milan-based firm that supports Italian SMEs in international development. For the past few weeks, however, his confidence has been wavering. Many of the family businesses that are the strength of the industrial north are finding it increasingly difficult to cope with the surge in energy prices. "Some are running out of cash to pay the bills, it's very worrying," he said, suddenly gloomy. Read more Subscribers only Italy fears return of widening 'spread' from German bonds He is not alone. "Our region has been punished by the drop in the Russian market, the jump in prices and logistical disruptions linked to Chinese lockdowns, and it is plagued by doubts," said Giovanni Dini, who is part of the national confederation of trades in the Marche region, which is rich in small businesses working in fashion, mechanical production and agri-food processing. "We are facing an economic earthquake," Carlo Bonomi, head of Confindustria, the Italian employers' federation, said on Italian radio station RTL 102.5 on September 1. He warned: "We cannot wait two months, the time it might take to have a new government." After the resignation on July 21 of Mario Draghi, the former head of the European Central Bank (ECB), who had put together a "grand coalition" government in February 2021, Italians are going to the polls on September 25 to elect a new parliament. "There is little doubt about the outcome of the election: The far-right Fratelli d'Italia party, led by Giorgia Meloni, will come out on top," predicted Marcos Carias, eurozone economist at Coface, the French credit insurer. The party should be able to form a coalition with Matteo Salvini's Lega (far right) and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia (conservative right). "The Mario Draghi interim period is coming to a close, and this will have serious consequences for the economy," said Franco Pavoncello, professor of political science at John Cabot University in Rome. Will reforms continue? We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback On closer inspection, however, Italy has weathered the energy crisis rather well (at least so far) despite the difficulties experienced by its companies. In the second quarter, GDP grew by 1.1%, compared with only 0.5% and 0.1% in France and Germany respectively. Consumption even jumped by 2.6%. This performance is partly due to the measures deployed to help households cope with the energy crisis, worth about 50 billion, or 2.8% of GDP. The measures include a 30-cent reduction in taxes per liter of fuel, a 5% cut in VAT on gas, and tax credits for the most affected SMEs. There is also the European recovery plan, of which Italy is the main beneficiary, to the tune of 191.5 billion. The Draghi government also deployed offensive gas diplomacy to diversify sources of supply before the winter, notably from Algeria and Qatar. You have 50.42% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. Who could have imagined General Charles de Gaulle arguing about the future of the French nuclear industry with Marcel Boiteux (appointed head of French energy giant EDF in September 1967)? It is an anachronistic question, but can nevertheless put into perspective the surreal argument that French President Emmanuel Macron and EDF CEO Jean-Bernard Levy have just engaged in. Just before handing over the reins of France's national electricity company, Mr. Levy accused the president of having contributed to the decline of the French nuclear industry. Currently, it is going through a difficult time, with nearly half of the reactors shut down due to maintenance work, corrosion and defects. At the heart of the battle is the closure of the Fessenheim plant (eastern France) in 2020, which was decided by former President Francois Hollande in 2012 and later implemented by Mr. Macron. Read more Subscribers only Energy in France: 'The new boss will soon discover that EDF is not like any other company' This event is symptomatic of the tension that runs through the French nuclear industry and the administration's inability to objectively discuss the place it should occupy in the country's energy mix. Faced with inconsistent political power, the industry players are disoriented and unprepared to make the right decisions. As for the public debate, it is somewhere between water cooler talk and ideological battle, unable to give a diagnosis that would allow the French to form a reasonable opinion on such a crucial matter, at a time when the fight against global warming is coupled with an unprecedented energy crisis. "It is very difficult to have a complete picture of the topic, as each person only uses arguments that go in one direction or the other depending on their point of view and preconceptions," said Christian de Perthuis, director of the climate economics chair at Universite Paris-Dauphine. No one takes responsibility We are interested in your experience using the site. Send feedback The example comes from above, or so they say. What happened at Fessenheim is only a sad reflection of French politicians' lack of vision. The closure of a power plant is a serious and long-term decision, which must take into account scientific and economic criteria, not on a political agreement that the next election or a minister's sudden resignation will render null and void a few months later. Today, no one is taking responsibility and everyone is passing the buck. After back-and-forth decisions on whether to relaunch the industry, the president unilaterally announced the construction of new reactors, without having first discussed what would happen to the existing infrastructure, what technology would be chosen and how such projects would integrate into a European vision of energy production. The president must set the course, but is it his role to determine all at once the number of nuclear reactors needed by the country, without carrying out a broad consultation? This method is not helping to calm down a an already tense discussion. You have 56.02% of this article left to read. The rest is for subscribers only. The Delhi Police on Sunday informed that the Economic Offenses Wing has detained five suspects for defrauding six people out of 14 crores under the guise of issuing work orders for the transportation of Covid vaccines. The accused prepared forged documents of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare. Economic Offences Wing has arrested five accused for duping six people of 14 crores on the pretext of providing work orders for transportation of Covid vaccines. The accused prepared forged documents of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare: Delhi Police pic.twitter.com/j9xu3c3bUh ANI (@ANI) September 25, 2022 Earlier, 2 days ago on 23 September, the Economic Offences Wing (EOW) of Delhi Police had arrested an MBBS doctor from AIIMS and his sister for cheating on the basis of forged documents and causing wrongful loss to another doctor to the tune of 16 crores approximately. The accused were identified as Dr Cherian and his sister Meenakshi Singh, a resident of Bengaluru, Karnataka. The accused person Dr Cherian completed his MBBS from AIIMS, Delhi and Meenakshi Singh completed her B.E. (Computer Science) and MBA from IIM. Both were arrested from a resort located in Dindigul, Tamil Nadu, while they were trying to escape the investigation and were at large. According to the Police, both the accused siblings, who came together along with friend and partner Dr Gandharv Goyal to start an app-based business structured on Artificial Intelligence (AI) in the field of healthcare. However, when investment flourished in the company, both the accused persons ousted Dr Gandharv Goyal on the basis of forged and fabricated documents. The Police said that the accused persons Dr Cherian and Meenakshi hatched a criminal conspiracy and on the basis of forged signatures of Dr Gandharv Goyal, created with the help of DocuSign append acquired his shares. Both the above-mentioned accused individuals' share agreements and term sheets were seized during the investigation, and data from the Registration of Companies (ROC), bank statements, and minutes books were also obtained and analysed. A case has been registered under Sections 409, 420, 468, 471 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code. India's vaccination coverage India's cumulative vaccination coverage has surpassed 217.41 crore as a result of the widespread vaccination campaign. 94.76 crore of the doses administered were second doses, and 20.34 crore were precautionary doses. Through the Government of India Free of Cost channel and the direct state procurement category, the central government has so far given States/UTs more than 203.53 crore (2,03,53,52,325) vaccine doses. More than 3.35 billion (3,35,16,390) Covid vaccine doses are still available to the States and UTs for administration, according to the Ministry. (With inputs from wire agencies) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar sent a stern message to China on Friday regarding its opposition to the UN's blacklisting of terrorists, saying those who politicize the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime in order to defend declared terrorists do so at their own peril. The EAM also referred to Pakistan's support of cross-border terrorism saying, "no rhetoric, however sanctimonious can ever cover-up blood stains." Speaking at the United Nations General Assembly without naming anyone, EAM said, "The United Nations responds to terrorism by sanctioning its perpetrators. Those who politicize the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril. Believe me, they advance neither their own interests nor indeed their reputation," "Having borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism for decades, India firmly advocates a 'zero-tolerance' approach. In our view, there is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation,", Jaishankar added Jaishankar invited all the member states of the UN to participate in the Counter-Terrorism Committee in Mumbai and New Delhi. Resolution 1267 provides for sanctions against individuals and entities that support or finance the acts or activities of ISIL, Al-Qaida, associated individuals, groups, undertakings and entities. It was adopted unanimously by the UNSC to allow sanctions against the Taliban and Osama Bin Laden. China has blocked several proposals moved at the United Nations by the US and co-supported by India enlisting some individuals as 'Global terrorist'. On September 16 China put a hold on a proposal by India and the US enlisting India's most wanted terrorist Sajid Mir of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) under the 1267 Al-Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council as a global terrorist. This was the third time China had blocked such proposals in recent months. It had previously blocked proposals sanctioning Abdul Rehman Makki, LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD) leader Abdul Rauf Azhar. "Having borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism for decades, India firmly advocates a 'zero-tolerance' approach. In our view, there is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation. And no rhetoric, however sanctimonious can ever cover up blood stains," EAM added Speaking on UNSC reforms during his address Jaishankar said that the reforms in Security Council received support from the UN members. He further said that the UN members support the reform because it recognized that the current architecture is anachronistic and ineffective. "It is also perceived as deeply unfair, denying entire continents and regions a voice in a forum that deliberates their future. India is prepared to take up greater responsibilities. But it seeks at the same time to ensure that the injustice faced by the Global South is decisively addressed," "Our call is to allow serious negotiations on such a critical matter to proceed sincerely. They must not be blocked by procedural tactics. Naysayers cannot hold the IGN process hostage in perpetuity. In these turbulent times, it is essential that the world listens to more voices of reason. And experiences more acts of goodwill. India is willing and able on both counts. We believe and advocate that this is not an era of war and conflict. On the contrary, it is a time for development and cooperation," There has been a growing chorus over reforms at the UNSC with India leading the charge. India recently joined the joint statement by 32 countries the United Nations requires urgent and comprehensive reforms and emphasized that the Security Council must be reflective of the 'aspirations and perspectives of the developing world. With inputs from ANI The World Bank has announced that it will financially assist Pakistan with $2 billion for reconstruction and rehabilitation, including food, shelter, and other urgent needs of the victims of the most recent devastating floods. Martin Raiser, the new vice president of the World Bank for the South Asia region, made the announcement on Saturday in a statement released at the conclusion of his trip to Pakistan. As an immediate response, we are repurposing funds from existing World Bank-financed projects to support urgent needs in health, food, shelter, rehabilitation, and cash transfers," the statement said. In an earlier meeting with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly in New York, the World Bank had committed to providing $850 million for flood relief. The amount has now been increased to $2 billion. The current portfolio has 54 projects and a total commitment of $13.1 billion, according to the World Bank resident mission in Islamabad, the Dawn newspaper reported. The World Bank groups portfolio supports reforms and investments to strengthen institutions, particularly in fiscal management and human development. Raiser said, We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and livelihoods due to the devastating floods and we are working with the federal and provincial governments to provide immediate relief to those who are most affected." The UN had also launched a $160 million flash appeal for immediate relief for the victims of the devastating floods in Pakistan, but it quickly became clear that this amount would not be sufficient after officials from the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) estimated that the floods had resulted in losses of $40 billion. Pakistan has seen unprecedented suffering because of the country's worst floods triggered by record rain in three decades. According to official statistics, since mid-June, there have been massive floods that have resulted in more than 33 million people being affected and over 1,600 fatalities, leaving the government in need of international assistance. The World Bank's commitment is so far the biggest help to Pakistan in dealing with the huge devastation. (With inputs from PTI Researchers sequenced the DNA from more than 400 Viking remains including from this female skeleton named Kata discovered in a Viking burial site in Varnhem, Sweden. Those ferocious seafaring warriors that explored, raided and traded across Europe from the late eighth to the early 11th centuries, known as the Vikings , are typically thought of as blonde Scandinavians. But Vikings may have a more diverse history: They carried genes from Southern Europe and Asia, a new study suggests. "We didn't know genetically what they actually looked like until now," senior author Eske Willerslev, a fellow of St. John's College of the University of Cambridge, and director of The Lundbeck Foundation GeoGenetics Centre at the University of Copenhagen in Denmark, said in a statement . The research "debunks the modern image of Vikings." For the study, which took six years to complete, an international group of researchers analyzed the DNA taken from the remains such as the teeth and bones of 442 people who lived sometime between about 2400 B.C. to A.D.1600 found in archaeological sites across Europe and Greenland. These people lived, for the most part, during the Viking Age, which lasted from about A.D. 750 to A.D. 1050. The researchers then compared these ancient people's DNA with already published DNA sequences from 3,855 modern-day individuals and from 1,118 other ancient individuals. Related: Fierce fighters: 7 secrets of Viking seamen This sweeping gene analysis suggested that the Vikings weren't just the continuation of Iron Age groups who lived from about 500 B.C. to about A.D. 700 in Scandinavia before the Viking Age. Rather, the Vikings and their ancestors would have intermingled often with people from Asia and Southern Europe. Many Viking individuals had "high levels of non-Scandinavian ancestry," the authors wrote in the paper. Researchers analyzed the DNA from some remains found in a mass grave of 50 headless Vikings in Dorset, U.K. (Image credit: Dorset County Council/Oxford Archaeology) "No one could have predicted these significant gene flows into Scandinavia from Southern Europe and Asia happened before and during the Viking Age," Willerslev said. They also found that many Vikings had brown hair, not blonde blond hair as typically imagined, according to the statement. The researchers found genetic differences among different Viking populations within Scandinavia, which suggests that Viking groups were much more isolated from each other than previously thought, Willerslev said. The coastal communities had high genetic diversity likely due to more trading and spread of people than communities in the heartland of Scandinavia, the authors wrote. What's more, by comparing ancient genes to modern-day genes, the researchers were able to confirm ideas about how the Vikings moved out of Scandinavia to raid and trade. Vikings from present-day Denmark typically went to England; Vikings from Sweden went mostly east to the Baltic region; and Vikings from Norway traveled to Ireland, Iceland, Greenland and the Isle of Man. An artist's reconstruction of "Southern European" Vikings. (Image credit: Jim Lyngvild) Their finds also revealed unique cultural tidbits. A boat burial in Estonia may have been the earliest evidence of a Viking voyage, according to the paper. It's not clear if this expedition was a raid or a "diplomatic" expedition; but the burial, made up of two boats, contained the remains of 41 men from modern-day Sweden who died violently and were buried with "high-status" weaponry. Among the burial remains were four brothers and a relative, which suggested raiding may have been a family or local activity, according to the statement. Others in the burial had similar genes, suggesting they came from the same local spot in what is now Sweden. And it turns out, not every person treated as a Viking was genetically a Viking. In Orkney, Scotland, the researchers found two male skeletons in a Viking burial site. They were buried with swords and other Viking items, but they weren't actually Vikings, but rather genetically similar to modern-day Irish and Scottish people. The findings were published yesterday (Sept. 16) in the journal Nature (opens in new tab). The whos who of the local strongman and strongwoman world will be in Longford in a little over a weeks time to showcase one of the regions fastest growing sports. Longfords Coral Leisure Complex will provide the backdrop to Midlands Strongest, an event which is being held in association with the leisure firms sister facility in Ballinasloe. Organiser and rising local strongman Dave Harrington said plans are already well advanced to ensure there is plenty of appeal for young and old alike. Usually Monaghan run an event every year but unfortunately they didnt have the resources this year so ourselves in Longford said we are here in the middle of the country, we might have a good chance of stepping in, he said. Dave said the wealth of facilities on offer at Coral Leisure made it the ideal venue for what the affable lifeguard hopes will become an annual event. On the day we plan on holding it outside on the astro turf and basketball court but if it does start to rain we can bring it inside, he said. There are two events that will be run outside either way. Guest officials on the day will be the current holder of Irelands strongest mans title Jack Harkin and his partner Jade Hoare who is the countrys incumbent U82kg strongest woman. Its one of the best spectator sports in the world. Where are you going to see people pulling trucks, flipping cars or lifting atlas stones, stuff that normal people might go and say Wow, said Jack. Alongside special guest referees, a plethora of strongman equipment will be on display alongside timely insights which will be provided by a sports injury specialist. And, in a bid to ensure the occasion is a family orientated affair, a barbeque, coffee stand and local DJ will be on hand throughout the course of the afternoon. In highlighting the positive mental health benefits the sport has and continues to offer, Dave said he has already set his sights on ensuring the event stays in Longford. My goal is to hold it annually, maybe not at that time of the year every year because of the weather but this year I wanted ample time for planning purposes to make sure everything was done right, he added. It all gets underway at Coral Leisure, Longford on Saturday week (October 1) at 11am. Drivers in Missouri have lfive days to claim a gas rebate. September 30 is the last day for all people in Missouri or drivers who charged gas through specific dates in the state. Missouri state government created the gas rebate to combat the increase in gas taxes. Missourians could claim gas refunds of their spending, beginning on October 1, 2021, until June 30, 2022. In October 2021, Missouri increased its gas prices by 2.5 cents per gallon. The deadline approaches, and car owners need to take action to claim the gas rebate in Missouri. How can I obtain the gas rebate? Car owners must apply before September 30 with the Missouri Department of Revenue. According to the state of Missouri, residents could claim a 2.5-cent rebate per gallon from October 2021 to June 2022. The Kansas City Star illustrated that the refunds will depend on the periodicity of gas filling. Who's eligible? According to Missouri's Department of Revenue, the residents need: ID of the vehicle and number of the vehicle Date of gas sales Name and address Address of the seller and name Gallons purchased Taxes charged You should have your receipts from gas stations, and your vehicles must weigh 26,000 pounds or less to be eligible. If you charged gas in Missouri and still have your receipt, you are eligible for the rebate. "Out-of-state drivers can also file for the refund so long as they are filing for gas that was purchased in Missouri and have the receipts to prove it," the Kansas City Star mentioned. Gas in Missouri Residents of Missouri who have cars must understand that gas taxes will increase by 2.5 cents every year until 2025. Numbers illustrate that gas will have a 29 cents tax price per gallon in Missouri by 2025. Republicans increased the taxes criticizing gas prices. However, gas in Missouri will be more expensive than all blu-states they criticized. "The state's gas tax will increase by 2.5 cents each year until it reaches 29.5 cents in 2025," the Kansas City Star published. The opinions expressed in this op-ed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Military.com. If you would like to submit your own commentary, please send your article to opinions@military.com for consideration. North Korea passed a law this month putting into effect Kim Jong Uns decision that in case he is incapacitated by foreign hands, the country will automatically and immediately launch a nuclear retaliation. This arrangement makes it sound as though the North Korean nuclear arsenal is not only designed to be used by one man but exists to keep that one man in power. Is this arrangement an aberration of North Korea, or is it descriptive of the other eight nuclear states? As tensions persist Russias war in Ukraine, but also between India and Pakistan, the U.S. and China, the U.S. and North Korea how strong are the nuclear nations guardrails? While some nuclear leaders (including a recent U.S. president) go to great lengths to keep themselves in office, it seems improbable that any of them would regard their own individual lives as something that should be paid for by 2 billion or 5 billion human lives the numbers of deaths that recent research on nuclear winter shows will result from a small or large nuclear war. But what the North Korean law accurately foregrounds is the monarchic power that these weapons have brought about within the nine nuclear states. Each has an arrangement for letting a single individual, or a tiny number of individuals, initiate an earth-scorching launch. In the United States, the presidential order to launch entails no second voice not from the Cabinet, Congress, the military nor the citizenry. The force that before 1945 could only be brought about by hundreds of thousands of soldiers all consenting to fight remains compressed into a single weapon designed to be delivered by a single individual. It may appear that the U.S. has a safeguard that North Korea lacks. Whereas the Constitution of North Korea authorizes the countrys leader to declare war, the American Constitution states that only Congress can issue a declaration of war. France and India have similar provisions. Russias Constitution stipulates that while the president can act alone to defend the country within its own border, carrying out military action beyond the border requires authorization from the Council of the Federation, the counterpart of the U.S. Senate. Yet at least for the United States, the declaration of war limitation does not provide much of a check. Historical record shows presidents contemplating a nuclear launch at times when Congress had made no such declaration. Eisenhower considered using atomic weapons during the Taiwan Strait Crisis that began in 1954 and again in Berlin just a few years later. President John Kennedy, according to Robert McNamara, three times came within a hairs breadth of nuclear war. Lyndon Johnson considered using a nuclear weapon to prevent China from acquiring nuclear weapons. Nixon reported that he considered using a nuclear weapon four times. Not to mention, during the nuclear age U.S. presidents in part encouraged by their nuclear power have repeatedly led the country into even conventional wars without a congressional declaration: Korea, Vietnam and every war up through the present with one exception. The first Gulf war had a conditional declaration from Congress. In theory, citizenry provide an additional brake on going to war in the U.S. and elsewhere. That was the original intent of the right to bear arms, a provision now so covered in mud by the nuclear age that its meaning is hard to recover. The Second Amendment references a militia a form of force divided into tiny pieces and evenly distributed throughout the population as opposed to a standing army, loyal only to the executive and serving as an extension of his personal will. The amendment was meant to protect against the very problem that now faces us with the nuclear architecture. Its meaning was this: Whatever military power the country has must be one that can be equally divided across the population and hence overseen by that population, rather than one centralized in one pair of hands. Russia has a provision similar to the right to bear arms: Its constitution stipulates that the defense of the country is the responsibility of the full citizenry. But again, executive ability to unilaterally use nuclear weapons circumvents the principle. Thus we face a gulf between the constitutional theory of shared power in government and nuclear practice that continues to loom over global conflict. We in the United States, alongside other nuclear states that may consider themselves less autocratic than North Korea, need to decide whether we wish to live in accordance with our own constitutions. Thomas Paine argued that the American and French constitutions would change the world, saying of the U.S. documents in particular: The American constitutions were to liberty what a grammar is to language: they define its parts of speech, and practically construct them into syntax. We have lost that syntax. A weapon that silences a citizenry and its legislature on the way to annihilating millions of people cannot be justified by democratic principles and should not be tolerated. If the American people demand that defense arrangements be brought into line with our Constitution, it will ensure meaningful brakes on warmaking, help recover our democratic syntax and provide a clear path toward joining the international Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons. It is the most essential and elementary manifestations of civilization that will be lost if we dont soon require that constitutional theory and practice be brought into accord. 6:51pm: Tracy confirmed the extension in an appearance on MLB Roundtrip with Jeff Joyce and Cliff Floyd on MLB Network Radio. Tracy said the deal will be re-evaluated after every season and he has "an opportunity to manage this club, basicallyas the way I understand it, until I don't want to manage it anymore." Tracy sees this as his final job, saying he has "every intention of finishing my career in a Colorado Rockies uniform." 6:17pm: The Rockies and Jim Tracy have agreed to extend the manager's contract past 2012, according to the club's Twitter feed. The two sides "have a handshake agreement for Tracy to continue to be a part of the organization's leadership team," and in a follow-up tweet, GM Dan O'Dowd says the team "expects this relationship to continue for a number of years." Exact terms of the new agreement weren't announced but Troy Renck of the Denver Post describes it as "kind of like a roll-over deal in many ways." At the very least it means Tracy won't be a lame-duck manager heading into 2012, while still giving the Rockies room to inexpensively cut ties with Tracy should they want to make a change. Tracy took over as Colorado's manager partway through the 2009 season and helped turn around a struggling club, eventually leading the Rockies to a playoff berth as the National League's wild card team. For his efforts, Tracy received the NL Manager Of The Year award and a three-year, $4.4MM contract extension. Over the last two seasons, however, the Rockies have failed to live up to expectations, posting just a 156-168 record and finishing fourth in the NL West in 2011. Some retirement speculation swirled around Clayton Kershaw at the end of last season, when the veteran southpaw was entering free agency and also dealing with forearm/elbow injuries that kept him from pitching during the Dodgers postseason run. However, when he returned to full health, Kershaw ended all thoughts of retirement, and ended up returning to Los Angeles on a one-year contract worth $17MM in guaranteed money. As Kershaw approaches free agency once again, health again might be the primary factor as to whether or not hell return for a 16th Major League season. For now, Kershaw is feeling good, and told The Los Angeles Times Dylan Hernandez that I do think Im leaning towards playing over not, for sure.I hold the right to change my mind, but as of today, I think that Ive got at least one more run. The 34-year-old is still a dominant force on the mound, posting a 2.42 ERA over 115 1/3 innings this season. Still among the leagues best at limiting free passes (4.4% walk rate) and barrels (4.2% barrel rate), Kershaw also has excellent strikeout and hard-hit ball rates, not to mention a 47.7% grounder rate. Perhaps the only noteworthy number is that innings total, as Kershaw has missed about two months due to hip inflammation and lower-back pain. At the end of the day, pitching is tough on my back. Theres no way around that, Kershaw told Hernandez. I can manage it, definitely, and maybe theres a time where it can last for eight months of the year and be good. I still think thats in there. While serious in their own right, back and hip problems arent as potentially devastating to Kershaws future as an arm injury. In that sense, Kershaw has fewer concerns than he did last offseason, and he noted that he was thankful for the lockout in terms of giving him some extra time to rehab and consider his next step. Kershaw was known to have only been looking at two teams in free agency, and chose a return to the Dodgers over signing with his hometown Rangers. Kershaw didnt give any hints about his plans for the winter, saying that his focus is just on the Dodgers and the playoffs. While any number of clubs would love to add a pitcher of Kershaws caliber to their rotation, it would stand to reason that Los Angles and Texas will be his top two (and probably only) options for another contract. The Dodgers are certainly closer to perpetual contention than the Rangers, though if L.A. can win another World Series this fall, Kershaw might find it an intriguing challenge to head to Arlington and help the Rangers try to win their first championship. On September 20, 2022, representatives from the Chinese and Cambodian defense ministries sign on the certificates to transfer Chinese-aided supplies to the Cambodian side at a handover ceremony held in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia. BEIJING, Sept. 23 -- A ceremony marking the handover of supplies provided by China's Ministry of National Defense to its Cambodian counterpart was held at the Phnom Chumreay International Military Police Training Centre in Kampong Chhnang Province, Cambodia on the morning of September 20, 2022. Chinese Ambassador to Cambodia Wang Wentian and Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense General Tea Banh attended the event and delivered speeches. At the ceremony, Senior Colonel Tang Hao, defense attache of the Chinese Embassy in Cambodia, and General Sao Sokha, deputy commander-in-chief of the Royal Cambodian Armed Forces (RCAF) and commander of the Gendarmerie, signed the handover certificate on behalf of the Chinese and Cambodian defense ministries respectively. General Tea Banh said that the Cambodian government and people are grateful for China's sincere assistance. Cambodia firmly upholds the one-China principle and is actively committed to the building of a community with a shared future for China and Cambodia. Cambodia is willing to work with the Chinese side to deepen practical cooperation in the areas of economic and social development and safeguarding regional peace and stability, so as to jointly maintain and continuously deepen the "ironclad friendship" between the two countries, General Tea Banh stated in his speech at the ceremony. Pharoah Sanders, one of the most wildly inventive figures in jazz who wrestled his saxophone to its limits and felt equally at home in Indian and African music, died on Saturday. He was 81. His record label, Luaka Bop, said he died peacefully around friends and family in Los Angeles. Always and forever the most beautiful human being, may he rest in peace, a label statement said. Taking the open-mindedness of the free jazz movement to new heights, Sanders would virtually attack his saxophone by heavily overblowing on the mouthpiece of which he collected hundreds as well as biting the reed and even shouting into the bell of the instrument. Sanders, a disciple of John Coltrane, who played aggressive solos on the jazz master's classic late-career Live in Japan album, was often seen as a sort of successor to the global-minded legend after Coltrane's sudden death in 1967. Ornette Coleman arguably the most important pioneer of free jazz called Sanders probably the best tenor player in the world. But Sanders, who to a lesser extent played soprano and alto sax as well, also divided audiences and never reached quite the same commercial success as Coltrane, Coleman or other historic jazz innovators. With solos that built from screeching and squawking to silky and melodic, Sanders was described as a godfather of spiritual or even cosmic jazz, although the reticent musician brushed aside labels. His best-known works included The Creator Has a Master Plan, a nearly 33-minute track off his Karma album on which Sanders sounds as if he is exorcising demons, before reaching back to a heavenly state. Leon Thomas sings on the track, released in 1969 at the apex of counterculture, with the lines, The creator has a master plan / Peace and happiness for every man. Upper Egypt and Lower Egypt, off Sanders' influential 1967 Tauhid album, builds off guitar twangs and a gentle xylophone paying tribute to African tradition as Sanders storms in with a saxophone that sounds like tortured howls. Seeing saxophone as self I don't really see the horn anymore. I'm trying to see myself, he said in the liner notes to Tauhid, his first album on the Impulse! label that put out Coltrane. And similarly, as to the sounds I get, it's not that I'm trying to scream on my horn, I'm just trying to put all my feelings into the horn, he said. Farrell Sanders he changed his first name's spelling at the encouragement of futuristic jazz composer Sun Ra was born and raised in segregated Little Rock, Arkansas, where he played clarinet in a school band and explored jazz from touring artists. He moved after high school to Oakland, California, where for the first time he enjoyed the freedom to attend racially mixed clubs and had a fateful first meeting with Coltrane as they shopped for mouthpieces. He later headed to New York where he at times fell into homelessness, working as a cook and even selling his blood to survive. He met Sun Ra while cooking at a Greenwich Village club. Discovering his musical talent, Sun Ra and Coltrane enlisted Sanders as a band member, with Sanders coming into his own as a band leader after Coltrane's death. Describing his style in a 1996 interview with the San Francisco Chronicle, Sanders said: I have a dark sound; a lot of the younger guys have a bright sound, but I like a dark sound with more roundness, more depth and feeling in it, he said. I want my sound to be like a fragrance that people will like something fresh, like the smell of your grandmother's cake cooking, he said. Spiritual explorations Sanders distinctive in his later years for his long white beard and fez cap dabbled in pop music, starting with 1971's Thembi, named after his wife. But his mainstream direction was brief and he often found more musical kinship outside the United States. On 1969's Jewels of Thought, Sanders explored mysticism from across Africa, opening with a Sufi meditation for peace. Decades later on The Trance of Seven Colors, Sanders collaborated with Mahmoud Guinia, the Moroccan master of the spiritual gnawa music and of the guembri lute. Sanders' 1996 album Message from Home delved into the influences of sub-Saharan Africa including highlife, the pop mix of Western and traditional music that originated in Ghana. He also explored Indian form with his collaborations with Alice Coltrane, the jazz master's second wife, who became a yogi. Sanders voiced the most admiration for Indian musicians, including Bismillah Khan, who brought a wider audience to the shehnai, a type of oboe played frequently at processions on the subcontinent, and Ravi Shankar, who made the sitar international. Sanders, accustomed to the sharing of energy within jazz bands, described Indian musicians as achieving pure music. Nobody is trying to cut each other's throat. There's no ego, he told the San Francisco Chronicle. Describing his own music, he said: I want to take the audience on a spiritual journey; I want to stir them up, excite them. Then I bring them back with a calming feeling. AFP Fuji Oil Company Ghana Limited and the Techiman Municipal Assembly has supported the Techiman Senior High School (TESS) with 250 bags of cement to help construct girls toilet and improve sanitation in the school. The school authorities called the Municipal Assembly and the Oil Company to come to the aid of the school to help improve the sanitation situation which was affecting teaching and learning in the school. Mr Ronny Voorspools Managing Director of the Company presenting the items on Thursday to the school in Techiman disclosed that it was not proper for the girls to live in such unhygienic condition. Mr Voorspools indicated that sanitation when improved in schools would help improve academic performance as students will have peace of mind to study. Mr Gabriel Ofosu Mensah Headmaster of the school who received the items lauded the initiative and said the support was timely. According to him, the female students will no more engage in open defecation. Mr Mensah noted that the lack of toilet facilities for the students was a security threat to the school as many of them usually go to the bush to ease themselves which he described as dengerous and unhealthy to their health among others. He hinted that the school would soon celebrates it's 60 year anniversary next year November 2023, but as it stands there are many challenges including dilapidated buildings, poor road network and sanitation. He appeals to stakeholders to as a matter of urgency to come to the aid of the school to help fix the challenges and give it a facelift. Mr Benjamin Yaw Gyarko Techiman Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) underscored the need to improve sanitation in schools as it was a priority to the Assembly. He noted that the assembly is committed to improving the sanitation issues in order to create an enabling environment for teaching and learning. Mr Gyarko explained that the Techiman Senior High School was the heart of the Assembly indicating that plans were far advanced to partner with stakeholders to address the challenges and give it a befitting status. He hinted that education was a major priority to government and was committed to ensuring that it provides the needed educational infrastructure. "Many infrastructure has been provided for basic, secondary and tertiary education to promote quality education for the purpose of producing quality human resource for the country's development", he added. He called on developmental partners to support government and it's partners to provide the needed educational support for the country as government alone cannot do it all. JACOBS FOUNDATION, a Swiss based organization devoted to promoting child and youth development all over the world and UNICEF have engaged stakeholders of education in the Kwahu Afram Plains North District in the Eastern Region. The project dubbed Community of Excellence Project is a pilot project that seek to improve the standards of education in the district by collaborating with stakeholders to find innovative ways to promote learning and child development in the communities. The project seeks to strengthen existing education structures by investing in the future of young people so that they become socially responsible and productive members of society. Dr. Madis Adamu, a representative from UNICEF intimated that collaboration with the stakeholders including the GES, Traditional Authority, NCCE, the Afram Plains Development Organization and the Kwahu Afram Plains North District Assembly was crucial in ensuring that the youth and children are given better opportunities and access to quality education irrespective of the communities they find themselves. The District Chief Executive for Kwahu Afram Plains North, Hon. Isaac Ofori-Koree thanked the partners for choosing the Kwahu Afram Plains North as the pilot district for the Community of Excellence Project. He said it is the right of every child to get access to education whatever their background, place of residence or family income may be children should have the chance to reach their full potential. He pledged the support of the Assembly and the stakeholders to ensure the success of the project. READER, PLEASE if you can spare a minute, click on this link: Ankobrah 'dead', galamsey destroys river The accompanying text says that the Ankobrah River, one of the largest rivers in Ghana, is practically dead. The reason why I want you to watch the video that should open when you click on the link is that (as generally accepted), one picture is worth more than a thousand words! The state of the Ankobrah should makes every Ghanaian weep uncontrollably. For its state is also duplicated by the Pra, the Tano, the Densu, the Birim, the Oti, the Offin (and their tributaries) which constitute the greater part of the water resources generously bequeathed to us by Nature. Has the colour of the Ankobrah, as graphically depicted in the video, been caused by floods or other natural event? The answer is a big NO! On the contrary, the wretched state of the river has been deliberately caused by man. More precisely, Ghana Man, aided and abetted by Chinese nationals (both men and women), have done this. This alliance has destroyed the Ankobra in this horrific manner by using excavator, bulldozers and other machinery to turn the riverbed upside down, churn up sand and pebbles from it, and wash the debris in search of gold. They use chemicals, mainly, poisonous cyanide and mercury, to carry out their mission. Cyanide and mercury are known to kill humans and fishes. They also cause genetic diseases and deformities. (There have been reports in the media that children have been born in the towns and villages (where water polluted with poisonous chemicals is use) who have no eyes or noses! Nevertheless, despite galamsey being so obviously a one hundred percent disaster, some Ghanaians don't see her nor speak evil of it. But every now and then, accidents occur to knock some sense into the most obtuse of our brains. An example is: Who would have been able to create a scenario whereby a Chinese woman would be able to so captivate Ghanaian officialdom that she would be able to import and sell excavators and chanfangs, against Ghanaian law; and use them in forest reserves and rivers, but, when arrested, cause the transfer of the senior police officer in charge of her case? Or that a senior minister of ours would state quite irrelevantly that it wasn't her prosecution that would enable us pay Ghana's debts. Or that the actions of our bureaucracy could be so opaque that the elected President of the land would not be sure whether the said Chinese national had been deported from Ghana or not (after his own Government had stopped her prosecution with an application to the court to stop the trial on the basis of a nolle prosequi? And to take the cake, who would have thought it possible that this Chinese national would have the effrontery to re-enter Ghana (assuming she had in fact ever left!) and continue to live in the house where she had been domiciled before; go and have herself officially finger-printed in order to be issued with a non-citizen identity card? The mind boggles, doesn't it? And yet, when in view of all these facts, the DAILY GUIDE reveals that over 35,000 Chinese nationals have also obtained non-citizen identity cards, the paper is accused of inciting Sinophobia! You don't believe it? Okay, read this: QUOTE: Re: 35,000 Chinese Grab Ghanacard Greetings to you, Cameron. I feel the need to react publicly. because I find the DAILY GUIDEs presentation of the newsworthy facts is undoubtedly misleading, but also, in my estimation, deliberately and disgracefully so. The headline and, more specifically, the news editor's choice of the verb grab is quite bad enough for me. The body of the story is far worse though, with its incendiary opening line, claiming, Chinese nationals have taken over Non-citizen National Identity card. (Never mind the grammatical atrocity.) Theres a disturbing wave of anti-Chinese hysteria percolating through a section of Ghanaian society, and it appears to me that some unscrupulous media owners are seeking to cash in on this tendency. I fear that by circulating this kind of material especially in the form of a naked, provocative headline such as this one risks compounding the publishers unprofessional, irresponsible and frankly offensive conduct, which seems calculated to incite disaffection toward a group of legally resident and law-abiding, but easily identifiable, members of our multicultural community, based purely on their looks, race, ethnicity or presumed nationality. This is embarrassing for a country that boasts so loudly about its supposed hospitality. Anyone who promotes this kind of journalism would bear a part of the blame if the particular strand of xenophobia that the DG is flaunting here were ever expressed in a form that went beyond verbal aggression. Against the backdrop of current events that concern the alleged misdeeds of a single individual, an outbreak of indiscriminate violence against these tens of thousands of our Chinese guests is not hard to imagine. [CAMERON'S COMMENT: This is rich! People's drinking water has been turned to mud by unscrupulous people and when they protest mind you, with mere words written in a newspaper you accuse them of aggression? Oh come on, KAA! What would the Chinese do to Ghanaians who polluted the drinking water of the Chinese?]' What concerns me even more than the sheer ignorance, envy and nastiness fuelling the incipient mood of Sinophobia is the fact that it runs directly counter to Ghanas strategic national interest. (MORE ON THIS ISSUE NEXT WEEK) BY Cameron Duodu Queen Elizabeth II's death earlier this month prompted a flood of tributes -- but not from everyone. In Britain's black community, many asked: what had she ever done for us? The question gave her eldest son and successor, Charles III, an early taste of what he will have to confront as king, with feelings still running high about the toxic legacy of Britain's colonial past. At her death, the queen was head of state of 14 countries outside Britain, including nations in the Caribbean exploited by the slave trade. Charles immediately succeeded his mother as their distant head of state but the question of for how long is increasingly being discussed as republican movements gather pace. Kehinde Andrews, professor of black studies at the University of Birmingham, wrote the day after the queen's death on September 8 that he did not share the country's loss. "For the children of the British empire, those of us who were born here and those of us who were born in the 15 nations of the 'commonwealth', the Queen is the number one symbol of white supremacy. "She may have been seen as an institution but for us, she was the manifestation of the institutional racism that we have to encounter on a daily basis," he wrote on the Politico website. Royals accused Many black Britons no longer want to stay silent about the racism that they see as rooted at the heart of many British institutions. Harry and Meghan won fans among the black community for criticising the royal family. By OLIVIER DOULIERY (AFP) The subject came to fore in Black Lives Matter anti-racism protests, which saw calls for statues of historical figures linked to slavery to be torn down. During the national mourning period which ended with the queen's funeral on September 19, protests were held about the death of Chris Kaba, an unarmed black man who was shot dead by police in London. The monarchy itself had previously been drawn into the debate when Charles's youngest son, Prince Harry, and his mixed-race wife, Meghan, accused the royal family of racism. That claim saw the queen promise to investigate but prompted an outright rejection from Harry's brother William. "We are very much not a racist family," he told reporters. Harry and Meghan quit royal life in early 2020 and moved to California, winning many fans among younger people and in the black community for taking on the British establishment. 'Mass awakening' Unresolved questions about race and colonialism are all the more significant as Charles stands to succeed his mother as head of the 56-nation Commonwealth group of nations. Many members are former British colonies, while most of the body's 2.6 billion people are not white and most are aged under 30. David Olusoga, author of "Black and British: A Forgotten History", said there had been a "mass awakening to the realities and legacies of imperialism and slavery" in the Commonwealth. But the British historian wrote in The Guardian that Buckingham Palace had failed to recognise or understand the "shift of consciousness". William and Kate's visit to the Caribbean was criticised as smacking of colonialism. By Ricardo Makyn (AFP) He highlighted William and his wife Catherine's Caribbean tour earlier this year, which was widely criticised as smacking of colonialism. William also faced calls to apologise for slavery and for the monarchy to pay reparations. "Historians might well look back at that tour as the first portent of the age in which we now find ourselves: the post-Elizabethan age," Olusoga said. Since then, William has praised the "immense contribution" of the "Windrush" generation of Caribbean migrants, who came to Britain after World War II to help the country rebuild. Despite arriving legally, many found themselves later wrongly detained and even deported under the government's hardline immigration policies. Race equality Ashok Viswanathan, deputy director of Operation Black Vote, said Charles's record, via his Prince's Trust charity, of working with disadvantaged young people and the black community "speaks for itself". Charles is praised for his work with disadvantaged young people and the black community. By Chris Jackson (POOL/AFP) But he said that to convince black Britons and especially the young, "he will have to foster that relationship in his new role". Charles is said to have been working behind the scenes to counter discrimination. In early September, before he became king, he was invited to guest-edit The Voice, a newspaper for the African-Caribbean community. But not all readers were happy, given the continued lack of apology for slavery, including from the royal family, the monthly's editor, Lester Holloway, said. He told the BBC: "We agreed to collaborate with the Prince of Wales after looking at the work he had done on race equality over 40 years and the parallels with our campaigning over the same period." 25.09.2022 LISTEN Recently, I read comments from a section of ignorant Ghanaians, including a presidential staffer Samuel Buabeng, asking why Agbogbomefia Togbega Afede XIV was not invited to the funeral of the Queen of England. This is the latest in a series of silly questions by people who are eager to display their ignorance in the direction of Ewes without bothering to learn a bit of history. I feel a duty to educate Mr. Buabeng and his ilk in this regard. Ewedome-that part of Ewelan comprising Asogli (Ho) and Akpini (Kpandu) had little historical dealings with the British; This area, together with modern Togo, was a GERMAN COLONY. We only became a British PROTECTORATE (not colony!) after Germany was defeated in the First World War. We never traded in slaves with the British, neither did we fight any war against them. We were part GERMAN TOGO (not GOLD COAST) which was later Split into East Togo (now republic of Togo) and West Togo (now part of Ghana). Hence, OUR CULTURAL AND HISTORICAL TIES LIE WITH GERMANY, not UK. Even though we allied with the British to defeat Asante in the Sagrenti war in 1872-74, our friendship with the British only took off when our relationship with Germany went sour. In 1914 when Togbega Dagadu was exiled to Cameroun by the Germans, it was the British who freed him and brought him back to Kpandu after defeating Germany in Cameroun during the second World War. That was when Togbega Dagadu wrote a letter to the Queen, stating his support for the war against Germany (Togbega Dagadus letter is quoted in the New York Times, see Laumann 2009) and gravitating Ewedome towards Britain. Asante, on the other hand, was perpetually a BRTISH COLONY and had more historical dealings with the British than any other tribe in Ghana. Indeed, it was Britain who eventually destroyed the Asante kingdom and restored it later as a confederacy, for the purpose of indirect rule. It makes perfect sense, therefore, for the Asante chief to be invited to the funeral of his historical overlord. Similarly, the Queen of Denmark, Margarethe, visited Akwamufie in 2017. This had nothing to do with Akwamuhene being more important than other chiefs in Ghana but with the fact that Akwamu and Denmark had intimate dealings in precolonial times. Should this Queen die one day, its most likely Akwamuhene would be invited, and not any other king in Ghana. Again, it would be foolish to assert that this is an indication of the superiority of Akwamuhene over other chiefs. If Germany had a monarch who died and Togbega Afede were not invited, that would have made for better (albeit still useless) comparison. And even then, such an invitation would have most likely gone to the titular head of Eweland, Togbega Agboli Agorkorli, Ewe paramount king of Togo and life time president of the Togolese National House of Chiefs. More importantly, we Ewes do not measure the greatness of our chiefs by how many high profile funerals they attend, instead, by the services they render to their people and their contributions to making the world a better place. In this regard, Agbogbomefia is unrivaled. Togbega Afede served on the Board of the Word trade Centre. That alone, to us Ewes, is by far a greater source of pride than going to visit the decaying corpse of any Western colonial monarch. Samuel Buabeng, take time off your duty as presidential staffer and read some history, for it is better to confess your ignorance and learn than to display it. Blagodzi Agamasu 25.09.2022 LISTEN "The law is not as straightforward as it looks, and the law you study is not the same as the law you practice hence, it is important for you to remember that the law had taken different forms and shapes, hence, it does not take timorous souls to make changes in society through the law." The Member of Parliament for Effutu Constituency, who also doubles as the Deputy Majority leader of Parliament, Hon Alexander Kwamena Afenyo Markin, gave the admonition when giving a lecture at the 6th Law Week Celebration, 7th Legal Luminaries Conference of the Faculty of Law, UCC. Speaking on the theme, "Judicial Independence in Ghana, the Balance Sheet", Afenyo-Markin maintained that the topic comes at a time of heightened unsubstantiated allegations that the country's judiciary has lost or is losing its independence. Defining the theme, he noted that the judiciary must not only profess independence but must be seen by all as genuinely independent. According to him, it is defined as the ability of judges to function independently from outside influences that may corrupt them and their ability to administer justice fairly. "The notion requires that judges must be free to exercise their judicial authority without interference from litigants, the state, the media or influential people in society or other entities", he stated. According to him, judicial independence is a foundational pillar for mounting and maintaining judicial integrity and the rule of law. The Deputy Majority Leader stressed that even though the framers of the 1992 constitution gave executive power to the President to make appointments to the highest courts, article 125,127, clearly gives authority to the judiciary in the discharge of their duties without interference. He reminded the students that they will meet judges who will disappoint or intimidate them in their line of work but in all of these, they should take it as part of the learning process and not give up. "These are to test your strength. Don't be a lawyer whose practice ends at the circuit court and never want to take cases at the high courts. At the Courts of Appeal they run away, as for the Supreme Court they would not even dare. "Tell yourself that your practice will end at the Supreme Court and you will challenge the law, and let the 9 judges put questions at you, get disappointed, come back home, prepare and go back again," he stated. He called on the law students not to take banters, arguments and exchanges between them and other colleague lawyers in court personal. He added that they should not attack their colleagues simply because they disagree with them or won a case. According to him, same colleague may be their lawyer who will be writing their notes for them in future. Afenyo-Markin admonished them to tolerate each other in school, which is the beauty of the path they have chosen. The guest speaker, Member of Parliament for Madina Constituency, Hon Francis Xavier Sosu, in his presentation, made reference to a recent survey on procedural justice of the judiciary and the police institution, which revealed that about 66% of the respondent said they do not have confidence in the justice system. Out of these respondents, 24% of them were indecisive and doesn't care what happens anymore when it comes to the justice system. He said the survey noted that 10% of the respondent were not even sure whether the country's justice system is fair or not. "There are serious threats to our collective existence, that is why it is important to have forums like this to have the chance to interrogate the issues dispassionately. "Some of these threats are political interference, threats of the sustainability of the current structure of unbalanced budgetary allocations and threat of lack of comprehensive internal mechanisms to address the issues of judicial appointments", he disclosed. Mr. Sasu hinted that if the country fails to address these issues she risks losing her democracy which is the rule of law. The head of legal affairs, UCC, Mr. Solomon Faakye, Esq, indicated that until the constitutional provisions that give the President the authority to appoint judges are repealed or reviewed, the same will continue to happen in the appointment of judges. He said the President in consultation with the council of state, does not necessarily mean that the President is under obligation to take the advice. According to him, what Ghana need to consider is whether is ready to allow the system continue or give the Chief Justice that mandate to do the appointment as it pertains in other countries. He said it is not always the case that judges appointed will do the bidding of the appointing authority otherwise, "we will create a perception that judges are always influenced by other political considerations." The president of the Legal Student Union, UCC, Mr. Erasmus Quartey, indicated, "there are constitutional provisions that insulate the judiciary from any interference, however, the judiciary has made a lot of progress especially, under the fourth republican constitution compared to previous constitutional regimes, where justices have been removed just by the call of the President." He said the 1992 constitution has provided that barier for the justices. "Is the president mandated to do those appointments, are there vacancies to be filled at the highest courts, 'if yes then that job needs to be done". He continued, "There is, therefore, no need for people to lament about these appointments, more so going round to dig the background of the person, his or her religious or political affiliation, instead of looking for competence." According to Mr. Faakye there have been several reports in the media which seem to undermine the integrity, neutrality and independence of judges. According to him, the forum was to gather legal brains to help proffer some sustainable strategies, solutions to help address some seaming perceptions of judicial independence. 25.09.2022 LISTEN I oppose both Mandatories based on reasons, and urge humankind to be careful of indifference on vivid oppressing of minorities. Unnecessary dictating of human beings is almost as old as human beings, but still very wrong. Even teenagers should not be dictated in how Iran, France, Quebec, and other places are trying to impose on adults, and often on one gender: females. This does not mean millions of females+ are not guilty culprits and billions of females+ are not guilty of indifference against their fellow humans ? Yes, many men are not innocent, but I think females as the primary victims in this particular issue should choose better than indifference... Will both genders learn and act from this humanist? Consistent analysing methods show Iran+ is denying a fraction of their women 'fun' , but France+ is denying their minority females 'working opportunities ' or even learning opportunities? If you patiently read through, I will provide tips on how to end both Mandatories. Remember I told the world: Big Devils deny you fun, bigger Devils deny you working opportunities, biggest Devils deny you learning opportunities. So who will sanction, censor, publish, share, or block me over this article? The Western world is not as innocent as they portray themselves, nor is Iran Islamic, especially on Mandatory head covering. One part of the west do worse against minority females, and the rest of the western world indifferently watch or gradually copy? The French state does not have the right to deny Muslim women working opportunities over a veil, nor should it allow French companies to do so even to immigrant Muslims, let alone citizens. Why did the u.s+ political leaders and media big wigs failed to condemned France+ like they do against Iran? Ilhan Omar is a so called Muslim u.s congresswoman with a veil and I do not think she is a danger to her co-workers or should be insulted as being under male indoctrination. What she, Nancy Pelosi, and many others are guilty of is hypocrisy or blind to psychological torture Mandatory uncovering may cause, plus unnecessary denials, as what level of devils? Rich 'Devils' like Epstein or xyz lure individuals, but Rich devilish countries lure groups who over value money and earthly fun? Hello the about 15% of Iranian women who want the fun of uncovered hair, come to France or u.s; hello the majority of Iranian women who prefer veil as option, we will deny you more than fun in some parts of the west? The unfortunate ones who believe that majority of Iranians have the right to deny 'fun' their minorities are bad or mistaken; but the westerners+ who believe the majority of French+ have the right to deny work and fun their minorities over a harmless veil are what? This example is financial leaning, but can be much deeper. Physical vs mental: Forcing a woman to wear a physical veil of few grams may feel uncomfortable, but how will it affect her mentally at home, after throwing off the veil? I did not have the chance to show off how beautiful my hair is, men did not stare at me enough, etc. It felt like winter, cover up, lightly, not heavily. They fear my hair or cannot control themselves, so they impose few grams on me? Forcing a woman to uncover her hair unnecessarily is much closer to forcing her to uncover her breast or hips? Even from a secular point, it can be very psychologically torturing. I remember when I used to wear hats and some nightclubs have dress codes that bar hats, you can comply or skip them, but will always wonder what harm my hat will do to them? May be I don't like a part of my head or covering an ugly scar, but they may not care or claim no one can see it at night. Or believed the hat will make me look better and get a girl who thinks her uncovered hair will help her get me ? Even some secular girls may not prefer to show their hair for different reasons, and society have no right to fear a covered head, with very vivid face. I won't defend face covering, just head covering. Religiously, it can psychologically torture in much worse ways. She may not only worry about God, but every time men stare at her or ask her out, she may feel partial guilt, especially if it is more often than when she is in a country where veil is optional or Mandatory. Male vs female, plus culture: They bar them veil on so called Religious symbols, but the sad reality is a man can wear a "Religious" hat or even Religious scarf without problems? The African head dress is not very far from veil, and how do they treat such or those who add scarf to it? Islamophobia is very real, but hating Islam also truly exist and they are very tactical in that fight. My Iranian friend, in Canada, once told me, 'you are a man, you will have no problem in Iran'; the other reality is Iranian Muslim men will have lot less problem than Iranian Muslim women when they travel to the west. If they deny your wife work over veil, you have more burden. If she choose money over religion, conscience, or simple belief, time may challenge her... I don't think the west is female friendly, beyond female Muslims, they just hate men and prefer women who hate or are indifferent to men. It's about culture than religion, but some foolish people over adore western culture, while claiming the west do not have culture. Beside pornography, western culture always demanded less clothing for women. Some may claim is their men who demand it, but it could be their evil women who encourage it and demand men should cover up more? Feel free to debate how it came about, but which gender is more offended by a veil or lack of it? Which gender support up to what level of punishment because someone refuse to show her shoulders or hair? Financial Secrets: We can never dismiss Financial issues when the west is involve, money is God to many. The hair industry brings in billions, especially from females than males. White Christian and semi Christians women spend millions, and black women claim they spend both money and time than other women on hair. So allowing Arab+ women to wear beautiful veils can be a Financial threat to some. They may fear more black women may choose it as secular fashion, plus the Arabs they force to uncover may now spend more on their hair? Yes, the veil industry is huge, but not any close to hiring hair dressers and the expensive creams+. I am clearly opposed to Mandatory uncovering for multiple reasons, not just Religious. However, I also oppose Mandatory head covering, especially at state level. The Verses that specify dress code in the Koran happens to end it with, 'piety is better'. Meaning clothing is important, but focus more on other more important things. Also no form of punishment is recommended for failing to comply on the dress code and other personal sins through out the Koran. The Angels or God did not forget, they want us to tolerate and have patience on many things, especially personal sins. Just because the Koran Frowned at or even condemned something does not mean it is punishable by humans. Such punishing is also against decent Conscience. We can have more accommodating dress code and let the Koranic dress code be optional as going to Mecca? You can claim it is mandatory between you and God, but no country have the right to fine or jail rich people for failing to visit Mecca. I recommend mass sensitization first, suing the guilty states second, mass protests and others may follow. With the right message, we can get the conscientious French+ to protest with us. Tactically fight back, including sending your children to study law towards supreme Court judges and run for office as citizens. Once you are voted in, then your voice may change them or consider wearing a veil as a man or woman in parliament and ask your fellow colleagues and beyond to end the oppression. Similarly, a strong sensitization can change countries like Iran, because the Koran is valued and going beyond what the Koran directly recommends is risky. Conscience is what I value most, and remember ch.4 told us it is not the desires of Jews, Christians, or Muslims God will judge by. May God bless Showlove Trinity: Let's learn, let's work, let's have fun. By Jarga Kebba Gigo An Activist and Transformer Optional Note : The Children of Africa who Ran away or were expelled are in clear cultural battles , but Africans should honestly advise and let God judge. Arab Culture and Islam are not necessarily the same, and anyone may misinterpret the Koran, including Arabs. Our White children are also trying to impose revamped white culture around the world. Both worlds may be financially wealthier than Africa, but Africa have many natural blessings and even our imperfect cultures sometimes beat both worlds we often over adore. Even the clothing we are discussing, only Mauritania have Mandatory female head covering in Africa, to the best of my knowledge. Not one single African country have Mandatory uncovering of the head, but they are indifferently silent about the oppression in France+? When the Arabs came to Africa with good and questionable Islam, many things happened, but no where was known to imposed strict head covering. Of course the cultural African head dress was tactically pressured without fine or jail . I am not impressed in Arabic Schools in Africa, especially then. When western colonisers came to Africa, Christian sponsored schools were many, largely good, but far from ideal. Even small Gambia of over 90% Muslims then, have Christian schools that separated the genders like Afghanistan, which I consider tolerable... To avoid lengthy article, I want to narrow it on clothing. The uniforms they imposed in the Gambia were not considerate towards Islam. For example, Saint Joseph High School is an all girls school with 'skirts' that many Muslim Girls and parents may not prefer. Such schools of Teenagers should have multiple uniforms to accommodate to all. State public schools should be most accommodating through options, regular and religious private schools can be educated and mildly pressured, if need be. During the last presidential political debate in France, I learned how terrible Marin Le Pen was, but also how bad Macron and France are. She is not worth my time, many know her. Macron admits some French companies ban veils, the state allows it or waiting for individuals and organisations to challenge them in court? He also said, he supports such veil banning in schools, because they are 'shaping minds' there. Well, even the Koran exempt children from dress code, so a good Muslim will never be too hard on children on dress code or fight a state over it. However, at teenage level or high school, I think neither the state or parents should have unnecessary dictates on clothing. We should teach and give reasonable choices to teenagers, not impose cultures or religions... Teenagers who feel oppressed by the state can turn against the whole society. Parents who try to force religion on teenagers may actually reduce such teenagers as hypocrites before God, because he can read their minds ("hearts") and know what they reluctantly did. Some teenagers may even turn against the family. It is simply not worth it. Ask them questions, try to educate them, and they may learn as teenagers or later. There was a time I was not praying even as an adult and hated my parents for trying to force me. If I prayed in fear of them, how will God feel? God helped me back without the efforts of my parents or any visible human. The Koran repeatedly told Muhammad or anyone cannot bring people to Islam, we should only invite and God will decide. We know Trump partly used Hatred of Islam and immigrants to rise to power. A female politician in Italy did similar and how will she fare compare to Le Pen's thoughts? Many did similar in Europe, some fail, but confirming this cultural battle I mentioned. Even Trump could have been contained lot better, but none of them is worth fearing or lying against. You win such by being truthful and smartly fighting. Many of us can make interesting videos to educate their populace and our leaders.'Does China or Russia deny Muslim women work over veil? The Gambia, Ghana, and many African countries are not like Iran, nor LGBTQ leaning France, why do they fear hijab (veil) or just enjoy oppressing muslims?' Have a group of nuns, a group of males with hijab or scarfs, add words you deem right. Think and make the videos, if you have talent or money. Macky Sall of Senegal, Algerian president, Erdogan of Turkey, and others with Conscience or Islamic populace have the duty to privately and publicly confront folks like Macron+ and president of Iran+ as per ch.103. France is much worse on clothing laws and policies, yet they don't have deadly protests like Iran? Something is wrong, beyond mainstream media. The western governments often fight along with a guilty or misled media. Marijuana is a perfect example. They lied against the plant and unnecessarily deny working opportunities to millions in the west than Africa. Now that social media is alive and some mainstream media are humbly learning, we have to educate with optimism, but may need to act at times. Once many westerners understand these oppressive clothing laws are based on lies, fighting a religion or culture, and can bring other problems, the best of them will demand change, similar to the marijuana laws. Coincidently, the marijuana war was also cultural, then later become financial valuing over humanity. The victims on that one was mainly blacks and men, and many women indifferently supported or still support them? Speaker Alban Sumana Kingsford Bagbin Saturday celebrated his 65th birthday with children of the Hopeland Training Centre at Adjei Kojo in the Tema West Municipality of the Greater Accra Region. Supported by his wife, Alice Adjua Yornas Bagbin, the Speaker presented a cheque for GHS50,000.00 and assorted items worth GHS50,000.00 to Reverend Brother Cosmas Kanmwaa, the Director of the Centre. The items were eight jerry cans of frytol, 20 bags of rice, two bags each of maize and sugar, three bags of gari, a bag of beans, cartons of soft drinks, biscuits, 50 bags of sachet water, 20 packs of bottled water,toiletries, and detergents. Mr Bagbin, who hails from Sombo in the Upper West Region, was born on 24 September, 1957 to Mr Sansunni Bagbin and Mrs Margaret B. Bagbin, both peasant farmers. He attended the Wa and Tamale secondary schools and the University of Ghana, where he obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Law and English in 1980. He proceeded to the Ghana School of Law , Makola, Accra, after which he was called to the Bar in 1982. He has an Executive Masters in Governance and Leadership from the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration . Mr Bagbin expressed gratitude to God for how far he had come in life. He said his journey in politics from being the Member of Parliament (MP) for Nadowli Kaleo; 1993 to 2021, and subsequent election as the Speaker of Parliament was a miracle. My entry into politics itself was a surprise to many, well they said I was not cutout for politics. My colleaguessaid they were surprised to hear I have entered into politics, because I was one of the very quiet gentle souls during formal education, he said. My rise in politics was not through my efforts, but it was through God's grace Mr Bagbin said he was unanimously elected as the Speaker of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association this year; adding: God is good; all the time. All the time, God is good. He is merciful, gracious, and loving. Though he went through tough times in 2021 with regard to his health, the storm was over and he thanked God for the abundant blessings. Mr Bagbin commended the Catholic Church for the support to deprived children such as those at the Hopeland Training Centre to impact on their health, education and moral upbringing. ..These depraved and neglected children, I can tell you, we are not better than them. We are here because some people have taken action to try and claw back the lost to society. The Speaker advised them to take their studies seriously to excel. Rev Kanmwaa, on his part, expressed gratitude to Mr Bagbin for the kind gesture, which, he said, was a reflection of his love for the poor. Hopeland Training Centre is one of the six departments of the Catholic Action for Street children (CAS), a local non-governmental organisation established in 1992. It is to provide support to children living on the streets of Accra, Ashaiman and Tema. In attendance were Mr Samuel Ofosu-Ampofo, Chairman, National Democratic Congress, Mr Ernest Henry Norgbey, Ashaiman MP, and Rev Brother Jos van Dinther, Founder of CAS. GNA President Nana Akufo-Addo has charged the youth to support government in its drive to achieve the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Nana Akufo-Addo posits that the role of the youth in championing, advocating and attaining the goals such as zero poverty, and quality education, cannot be over-emphasised. Speaking at the Global Citizen Festival in Accra, President Akufo-Addo urged the public to embrace this responsibility for the betterment of all. We have a limited window of opportunity to act decisively to lift millions of people out of poverty, promote inclusiveness and equality and safeguard the health of our planet, he said. President Akufo-Addo also announced the launch of a $1 billion fund called the African Prosperity Fund in collaboration with the Southern African government. It will fund strategic and transformational projects on the continent in the areas of infrastructural development, financial access and participation of women and youth, education healthcare, technology ad sustainability so that we leave no one behind in Africa, he said. By Citi Newsroom This years Global Citizen Festival held in Accra, Ghana, on Saturday, 24 September saw some disgruntled Ghanaians using the occasion to stage a protest against President Nana Akufo-Addo. No sooner had the Ghanaian leader begun to address the huge crowd gathered at the Black Star Square than a section of the crowd started booing at him and chanting away! amidst jeers. After the jeers subsided, the President continued with his speech in which he urged the youth to support the government in achieving the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). We have a limited window of opportunity to act decisively to lift millions of people out of poverty, promote inclusiveness and equality and safeguard the health of our planet, he said. The President also used the opportunity to announce the launch of a $1-billion fund called the African Prosperity Fund in collaboration with the Southern African government. It will fund strategic and transformational projects on the continent in the areas of infrastructural development, financial access and participation of women and youth, education healthcare, technology and sustainability so that we leave no one behind in Africa, he said. Ghanas first-ever Global Citizen Festival marked the 65th anniversary of the countrys independence. It is in this spirit of self-determination and unity that Accras Global Citizen Festival at the Black Star Square brought together artistes and world leaders to achieve an ambitious policy agenda focused on empowering girls and women, defending the planet, and creating change. ---classfmonline The Council Chairman of Koforidua Technical University, Professor Samuel Apori, has called on fresh graduates of the university and the public not to criticize the government in this harsh economic situation. According to the Professor, the President and his Finance Minister can not solely be responsible for the current hardships without those criticizing offering alternatives to change the situation. Giving his opening remarks to open the 18th congregation of the university in Koforidua over the weekend, Professor Samuel Apori indicated that the current situation is not worse off than its been portrayed by the international media. Currently there are economic challenges in the country, please do not be criticizing the president and finance minister for solely being responsible for the challenge without giving opinions on how to improve the economy. In Ghana, we can buy food, water, medicine and fuel without restrictions. Let us on a bipartisan basis see how the current challenge could be addressed. Comparatively, international media, we are not worse off as it is being portrayed, so have confidence in the government and assist the president in improving our condition and situation. Financial journalist Toma Imihere believe arresting persons dealing in foreign exchange unlawfully to curb the depreciation of the cedi is unsustainable. You can't even keep this thing up. You have black markets all around the country, Mr. Imihere said. The police are understaffed and under-resourced. They have their murder cases facing them, their kidnapping cases facing them, so they tend to prioritise. Mr. Imihere instead urged the government to look for a more permanent solution to the forex problems Ghana is facing. He suggested that the Bank of Ghana liberalised the formal market, which is represented by forex bureaus. He expects that this will boost confidence in the formal forex market. So there will be less incentives for people to go and store up dollars in the hope of making a profit or at least storing value. So what the Bank of Ghana needs to do is ease the restrictions on the formal market, especially at the retail end. All you do is you take out criminal money but apart from that, let everything go without question, Mr. Imihere explained. He was commenting on a special operation conducted by the Bank of Ghana and police on foreign exchange parallel market operators, otherwise known as black market operators. The perpetrators who were identified at hot spots within the Central Business District of Accra, specifically Rawlings Park, Makola, and Tudu are expected to face prosecution. citinewsroom Government has been urged to consider restructuring external debts too if local debts are also restructured. Speaking on the Big Issue, a financial analyst, Jerome Kuseh, said his call was a matter of fairness. Now let's say you are going to give them [local investors] a haircut, but the foreign investors who only decided to only buy your Eurobonds, they are not going to be subject to a haircut. Where is the fairness in that situation? The domestic market stayed with you and kept oversubscribing even to treasury bills. Now, these investors are going to be punished, Mr. Kuseh argued. He this stressed that the government must endeavour to do some sort of external restructuring. There are reports that Ghana is poised to start talks with domestic bondholders on a restructuring of its local-currency debt. This is part of Ghanas plan to secure a $3 billion loan from the International Monetary Fund. There are indications that major local investors, including local banks and pension funds, are preparing to engage in discussion on debt reorganisation that could entail extension of maturities and haircuts on principal and interest payments. Ghana's debt-service costs in the first half amounted to GHS 20.5 billion, equivalent to 68% of tax revenue, according to budget data. citinewsroom An International Monetary Fund (IMF) team will be in Ghana from September 26 to October 7 to continue discussions with the government on policies and reforms that could be supported by a lending arrangement. IMF staff will also further engage with other stakeholders during the visit. The IMF team will be led by Stephane Roudet, the Mission Chief for Ghana. The last IMF mission to Ghana was between July 6 and July 13, 2022, to assess the economic situation and discuss the broad lines of the government's Enhanced Domestic Program that could be supported by an IMF lending arrangement. The IMF team met with Vice President Bawumia, Finance Minister Ofori-Atta, and the Governor of the Bank of Ghana. The team also met with the Parliament's Finance Committee, civil society organizations, and development partners, including UNICEF and the World Bank to engage on social spending. Ghana is currently looking to secure a $3 billion loan from the IMF. By Citi Newsroom Tensions continue to escalate between Turkey and Greece over territorial disputes in the Aegean Sea. In the past, such tensions have been defused by US or European leaders, but this time there are fears they could be distracted by the Ukraine conflict. Addressing supporters earlier this month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan delivered a fiery speech against Greece, accusing it of threatening Turkey with its militarisation of islands close to Turkish shores and promising to respond. "We don't care about you occupying the islands," Erdogan said, referring to Greek Aegean islands with military bases. "When the time, the hour, comes, we will do what is necessary. Like we always say: we may come suddenly one night." The nationalist crowd cheered. Ankara claims Athens's building of military bases violates an international agreement that stipulates some Aegean islands should remain demilitarised. Athens says it's only protecting its people from the growing Turkish military threat. 'More than the usual tit-for-tat' Greece and Turkey are no strangers to tensions, but some analysts warn this time could be worryingly different. "I think this is significant and potentially very dangerous. It's quite a bit more than the usual tit-for-tat we're used to in terms of political accusations by both side," warned Asli Aydintasbas, a visiting fellow of the Washington-based Brookings Institute think tank. "Clearly, both sides feel the other country is a threat. We are seeing Turkey and Greece accusing each other of airspace violations, but also Turkey accusing Greece of building military bases and arming the Greek islands that are adjacent to mainland Turkey, and Greece accusing Turkey of questioning Greek sovereignty over the islands. Potentially these are dangerous accusations." Turkish and Greek forces went to the verge of war in 1996 over the contested uninhabited islet of Imia, or Kardak in Turkish. In the last few years, Athens has embarked on a major rearmament programme that has closed the military gap with Turkey, emboldening Greece to stand up to Turkish threats. "A madness can happen anytime, like in Imia, way back in the '90s. Of course it won't last, but they are prepared for this possibility," said Cengiz Aktar of Athens University. "They are taking all the necessary military, political, diplomatic measures to make sure that nothing will happen." Greece has powerful diplomatic allies. French President Emmanuel Macron has pledged full support to Athens. The two countries have recently developed strong military ties. The United States, building a series of bases across Greece, has also criticized Ankara's stance. A useful distraction? Erdogan, who's facing a difficult re-election next year with the Turkish economy in trouble, is accused of seeking to provoke a crisis with Greece to distract the electorate. Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis also goes to the polls next year and, like Erdogan, faces a challenging election, embroiled in a scandal over the phone tapping of political opponents. "There will always be potential for politicians on both sides to exploit those issues, either in promoting their national interests or promoting their personal political interests at home," said international relations professor Serhat Guvenc of Istanbul's Kadir Has University. "Because this much tension probably will help them domestically." Yet "crossing the threshold may lead to unintended consequences and Erdogan especially cannot afford to deal with the unintended consequences of an escalation with Greece in such a critical period of time," Guvenc added. Analysts warn that any confrontation would almost inevitably trigger European Union sanctions against Turkey, dealing a hammer blow to its weakened economy. But for now, neither Athens nor Ankara appear ready to step back, with their evenly matched militaries facing off across the Aegean Sea. Overshadowed by Ukraine Analyst Aydintasbas says that in the past, similar tensions were defused by the diplomatic intervention of the US or a European leader. But this time, she says, they may be distracted. "There are no interlocutors; in Europe and the US, they're focused on the war in Ukraine and in containing Russian aggression. You don't also have a dedicated US role. "I'm old enough to remember [US diplomat] Richard Holbrooke, who stepped in during the Clinton administration and was designated to prevent a similar escalation between Turkey and Greece. I don't see a figure as such, nor do I see a focus from Washington on keeping good neighbourly relations between these two countries. So it's quite problematic that there are no meditators or interlocutors in this current flare-up," said Aydintasbas. The Turkish-Greek tensions turned fatal this month with the deaths of six refugees, including two babies who drowned in the Aegean while crossing from Turkey to Greece. Turkish authorities accused the Greek coastguard of forcibly sending the refugees back to sea, while Athens blames Ankara for failing to stop the crossings. With bilateral tensions showing little signs of abating and neither leader seemingly interested in stepping back, the fear is these latest deaths in the Aegean may not be the last. September 25, 2022 The MoA Week In Review - (Not Ukraine) OT 2022-156 Last week's posts on Moon of Alabama: Sep 20 - 'Slamming' Moon of Alabama --- Other issues: Ukraine war: Labour: Epstein didn't kill himself: One Nation Under Blackmail - Whitney Webb / Unlimited Hangout Crazy money: Us as open (Not Ukraine) thread ... Posted by b on September 25, 2022 at 12:39 UTC | Permalink Comments next page U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken meets with Chinese State Counsellor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi during the 77th United Nations General Assembly in Manhattan, New York City. Belarus foreign minister blames NATO, West for Ukraine war View Photo UNITED NATIONS (AP) In the eyes of Belarus foreign minister, the root cause of the war in Ukraine dates back 30 years ago to the end of the Cold War. At that time, there was no official treaty just a gentlemens agreement that opened a path for the West to secure its domination, in part through the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, Vladimir Makei told the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday. With its drive to enlarge NATO, the West has essentially trampled upon the indivisibility of security, the vital principle, which states that one party must not seek to achieve its own security at the expense of other parties, he said. Makei said NATO and the West, in their quest to expand eastward, overlooked the legitimate security interests of both Russia and Belarus. He described NATOs involvement in what he called illegal wars in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya and Syria, in addition to the Alliances attempts to encroach on some historical Eastern Slavic and adjacent lands. Therefore, he claimed, it is the collective West that should fully bear the responsibility for the ongoing bloodshed in Ukraine. Makeis arguments unsurprisingly mirror those made by Russia, an ally of Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described NATOs expansion to Russias borders as the top security threat to his country. When he first sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, he cited increasingly close military ties between Kyiv and the West as a key reason behind his action. Belarus authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, has tied himself to Putin, which dissident Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attributes to a mutual understanding between the two leaders. Lukashenko has to support Russias invasion of Ukraine, she told The Associated Press, because Putin supported him after mass protests against the official 2020 election results that gave Lukashenko a sixth term with 80% of the vote. Many Belarusians and international observers denounced the results as a sham, believing Tsikhanouskaya had won. As long as Putin is in power, she told the AP on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, there will be constant security threats to Ukraine and to Belarus western border. But to Makei, it is the power-hungry West that is the problem. Most other countries want to create a polycentric or a multipolar world, with no single center of control, in which no one imposes its visions, interests and values on others, he said on Saturday. The West dominated the world for the past five centuries. Hence, it believes that it can go on with this kind of history indefinitely. He ridiculed the economic sanctions imposed by Western allies against Russia as ineffective while also pointing to the harm he says they have instead caused other countries, all over the globe, by driving up energy prices and food costs. Makei closed his remarks by offering up Belarus to help broker a ceasefire agreement and a comprehensive strategic peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine. There is no alternative to talks, he said. ___ For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly By PIA SARKAR Associated Press Family of Palestinian slain by Israel denies he was attacker View Photo BEIT IJZA, West Bank (AP) Relatives pushed back Sunday against Israeli claims that a Palestinian teacher intentionally rammed an Israeli police car before he was shot dead by security forces. The family of 36-year-old Mohammed Abu Kafieh said he had no possible reason to carry out an attack, noting that he was a father of three and had just opened a new business. His relatives said they believe he accidentally crashed into a police car Saturday before troops opened fire. He is not the kind of man that commits attacks, said Abu Kafiehs cousin, Mohammed Nimer. The army has said soldiers spotted a car attempting to ram them and then shot Abu Kafieh. Photos of the incident published online by Palestinian media show an Israeli police car and another vehicle, both with smashed front ends. Palestinian assailants have carried out dozens of attempted stabbings and car rammings in recent years. Palestinians and human rights groups say that Israeli troops often use excessive force, and in some cases, have shot people who did not pose a threat. The incident took place near the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank the focal point of the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian violence in the occupied territory since 2015. While mourning together in the village of Beit Ijza near Jerusalem, family members told The Associated Press that Abu Kafieh was a loving father and well-liked in the community. He mentored students and had invited the community to an opening ceremony for a new business venture selling mobile phones and accessories. He was on the road to Nablus to buy supplies for the opening of his shop when he was shot, his family said. The opening ceremony was today, he invited everybody, Abu Kafiehs sister Nuha said through tears while standing next to one of his three kids. With God as my witness, he was not going to commit an attack or anything, he was looking out for his livelihood and the livelihood of his children. Dozens of people at the gathering of mourners paid respects beneath banners of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah party. Another poster was a collage of Abu Kafieh alongside Abbas predecessor, the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a key Islamic shrine as well as a Fatah-linked gunman recently killed in an Israeli raid in Nablus. It was not immediately clear what Abu Kafiehs relationship to Fatah or its armed offshoot was, if any. At times, factions lay claim to Palestinians killed by Israel during the mourning period. Nimer said the family is awaiting the return of the body from the army and hopes to be able to view footage from surveillance cameras from the area of the incident. The army did not immediately respond to questions Sunday about the body but said that there was no surveillance video. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry alleged that Israeli forces had engaged in a criminal execution. Israeli troops have stepped up operations in the northern West Bank since a series of deadly Palestinian attacks inside Israel in the spring. Several attackers came from the area. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed, making 2022 the deadliest year in the occupied territory since 2015. Most of the Palestinians killed have been wanted militants or young men and teenagers who throw stones or firebombs at soldiers invading their towns. But some civilians, including an Al Jazeera journalist and a lawyer who inadvertently drove into a battle zone, have also been killed in the violence. In another incident, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a suspected Palestinian gunman during an arrest raid overnight in the northern West Bank, according to Israeli and Palestinian reports. The army said it spotted a group of armed men traveling in a car and on a motorcycle during an operation near the city of Nablus and opened fire. The Den of Lions, a local militant group, said one of its members, Sayid al-Kuni, was killed in a clash with the occupation forces. By MAHMOUD ILLEAN Associated Press By Lambert Strether of Corrente. Newton[1], MA, settled in 1630, is today an affluent suburb of Boston with a poulation of ~87,000. Built on seven hills, Newton was one of Americas earliest commuter suburbs. The Boston and Worcester railroad reached it in 1830, and Bostonian businessmen built hilltop homes. These early commuters needed sufficient wealth to employ a groom and keep horses, to drive them from their hilltop homes to the station. Further suburbanization came with streetcars in the 1870s, and automobiles in the 1920s. Newton[2] is the wealthiest town in Massachusetts (the second wealthiest state). Newtons median household income is $154,398 (more than double the ~$70,784 for all Americans). Newton is 76% white. Of Newtons total workforce of 45,494, 25,744 (56%) work for private companies, for non-profits (22%), and 3,892 (8%) for government. Only 1.6% of Newton residents have no health insurance (as opposed to 8% of all Americans). Newton has two symphony orchestras. The graduation rate from its public schools is 97%. 41.59% of Newton adults have graduate degrees. Newton voted 81.7% Democrat in 2020, up from 72% in 2000. Newton, in other words, is quintessially PMC (Professional Managerial Class), hence quintessentially Democrat, hence quintessentially Blue. Interestingly, Newton residents play a key role in what the Boston Globe sunnily terms the Newton-to-White House pipeline: In appointments roughly a year apart, President Biden enlisted [Newton residents Rochelle] Walensky and then [Ashish] Jha to help lead the nations fight against COVID-19 Walensky as director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention right at the start of his presidency, and Jha more recently to be White House coronavirus response coordinator. Their ascension from spending their spare time assisting neighbors to occupying some of the highest posts in the federal public health response reflects a larger reality brought about by the two-year war against the pandemic. While Massachusetts has long sent its brightest political stars to Washington, the pandemic has created a new demand in the halls of power for the world-class medical expertise concentrated in the Greater Boston area. Both Walensky and Jha quintessially PMC have children in the Newton Public School system. Barbara and John Ehrenreich, who coined the term PMC, write that the PMCs orignal dream was a society ruled by reason and led by public-spirited intellectuals (the phrase our democracy, emphasis our, encapsulates this idea). So here we have an interesting little natural experiment. Is there any contradiction between public roles that Walensky and Jha play as high administration officials, and the private roles they play as parents? Lets look at the record. Both Walensky and Jha, as highly credentialed medical professionals, consulted to Newton and the Newton Public Schools (NPS). From Newtons Mayor Ruthanne Fuller[3]: From day one, we paid attention to the science and were in constant contact with public health and infectious disease experts including NPS parents, Drs. Rochelle Walensky and Ashish Jha. We listened carefully and updated our guidelines as the understanding of the virus and its transmission evolved. Our school community was reassured when the Medical Advisory Committee [sic] was formally established. Jha served on the Medical Advisory Group (MAG) for NPS (first meeting, August, 2, 2021; final recommendation February 15, 2022, all available on the NPS website). Jha is listed as an attendee in the minutes for only one meeting, on November 8, 2021. These minutes are terrible, not what one would have expected from a meeting with Newtons demographic. Minutes (says Roberts Rules) are a record of what is done at a meeting, not what is said; my father impressed this lesson upon me. These minutes are a record of what was said. Nevertheless, some of the things said that were recorded are interesting: Agree that we are going to be living with this risk and making choices around what risk we think is tolerable. Even though infections are mild in vaccinated individuals, there are more impacts (quarantine, contact tracing, etc.) Each positive case is a lot of work and so we have to consider that every case creates a lot of work and is impactful. We will get to the point where we are living with it and that is less impactful. Here we have the ideology for both living with Covid and personal risk assessment adopted bubbling up as a group consensus in the heart of the PMC country, as early as November 8, 2021. (I do not know when that noxious phrase personal risk assessment first emerged, but alert reader John Zelnicker first used it on May 26, 2022, a reasonable indicator for when it had infested the zeitgeist, at least regarding Covid. If readers have earlier sightings, please add in comments.) Given minutes like those taken at NPS, we cannot document personal responsibility for NPS Covid policy regarding anybody, let alone Jha and Walensky, even though Jha was a MAG member. However, given the enormous deference shown to both by NPS and Newtons mayor, I think its fair to assume that any policy either disagreed with would not have been adopted. Anyhow, Jha put his name on the MAG recommendations. Here they are, from August 16, 2021: Universal masking was, naturally, abandoned by the good folks at NPS after a decent interval[4], as indeed the ideology of living with Covid and personal risk assessment would suggest. However, I wish to draw your attention to the highlighted ventilation. I need not recapitulate for NC readers the importance of ventilation in fighting SARS-CoV0-2, an airborne disease. It seems that the city of Newton agrees, both with MAG and with NC readers. Ruthanne Fuller once more: I invested $5 million in ventilation upgrades at every school. Under the direction of the Citys Public Buildings Department, the work was done incredibly fast. Newton is now the gold standard for other communities working to improve ventilation. In fact, every Newton school has its own ventilation dashboard. A Google search for corsi rosenthal box +newton massachusetts returns no hits. I guess in Newton, MA, they dont need them. But wait. Plot twist. Please return to the MAG recommendations. You will see that not only is ventilation highlighted, but should continue is highlighted as well. So when did NPSs $5 million investment begin? As it turns out, NPS decided to invest in ventilation on September 20th, 2020, far before the MAG committee made its recommendation. From the City of Newton Public Buildings Department on project completion, March 21, 2021: The HVAC project seems to have been initiated from the bottom up, because of parent pressure, to which the Newton Buildings Department, the City Council, and the NPS responded. (You can be sure that if any public figures had been the drivers, wed have seen their names). From the Boston Globe: Air quality has been something that has been raised by a whole bunch of folks for a number of months now, Councilor Marc Laredo of Ward 7 said during the Zoom meeting. Where in the school system is the responsibility for undertaking this work, and where did it fall down? In order to ensure all classrooms HVAC units meet airflow standards, [Newton Commissioner of Public Buildings Josh Morse] said the city contacted 75 ventilation contractors throughout the Northeast and plans to finish testing and servicing classrooms within six to eight weeks. I am speaking as much to parents as I am to the council I will move heaven and earth to get this done as fast as possible, Morse said. I assure you that not a second had gone by that I am not working on this since this past week. Quoting further from the City of Newton Public Buildings Department Note the emphasis on fresh air as a metric[5]. * * * So, after our plot twist, what have we learned? (1) The City of Newton took what might be called a whole of government approach to rebuilding NPS HVAC systems. This was an enormous project, on which the city spend $5 million dollars. And it began in 2020. (2) The ideology of living with Covid and personal risk assessment espoused by MAG in 2021 began and was adopted as common sense only in a context where ventilation had already been addressed. In MAG, #COVIDisAirborne is erased because ventilation is already a solved problem. (3) Jha and Walensky, in their public roles, push only for living with Covid and personal risk assessment. They do not push for ventilation. They mention it, to be sure, but they have never advocated any program at the Federal level of the size and scale that they, in their private roles, must know was done in Newton, the school system where their children but not yours go. The school system where their children but not yours share air thats fresh. Conclusion I must leave to a later date an explanation of how Jha and Walenskys public and private roles are so grotesquely, indeed murderously, contradictory. But I will end on a more optimistic note. Newton is the quintessential PMC town. Readers have mentioned that the phrase PMC tends to stereotype. A more sophisticated way of saying that is that PMC is a synecdoche: Part for whole. A certain subset of the PMC is taken, because of properties shared by that subset, as a proxy for the whole class. I had earlier urged a dichotomy this is a binary, therefore wrong, but lets roll with it for now between the hegemonic and the exceptional members of the PMC, where the hegemonic PMC are the part taken for the whole. I think our little natural experiment has turned out to provide us, after the plot twist, with examples of both subclasses. Jha and Walensky are clearly hegemonic PMC, as shown by their high offices, the deference shown to them, their erasure of a life-saving paradigm, their invincible albeit credentialed stupidity, and so forth. The anonymous parents who forced the ventilation issue would be exceptional, in both senses[6], but most importantly because they had to force their way into the discourse and take control of it, as they did. This is a more optimistic conclusion than I thought I would come to when I began, but I think theres something to it. Even in wealthy Newton, people can follow the science of an airborne disease. NOTES [1] I apologize to our Newton readership for this jeremiad, but it had to be said. This post was inspired by a comment from alert reader antidlc. When I did the research to answer it, I got really ticked off. [2] Figures from or derived from the 2020 United States census. [3] Here is local Newton Blog excoriating Mayor Fuller and Jha. The sourcing on Covid is pretty bad nothing [we all blush modestly] like that found here at NC, sadly which just shows how effective our famously free press and the platforms have been in shutting down, well, the science. This in a wealthy town where 41.59% of the adult population has a graduate degree! [4] NPS Revised Health and Safety Plan March 2022: We will move to a mask-optional environment. NPS will emphasize personal choice and responsibility around masking. There will be many reasons for which students and staff continue to wear masks. There will be reasons students and staff decide not to wear a mask. All decisions will be supported. [5] I know that HVAC does not necessarily clear the air of SARS-CoV-2. But if fresh air is the metric, I think we can have some confidence that the City of Newton Public Buildings Department did the right thing. [6] When I was struggling to work out this dichotomy, I had IM Doc, who is clearly exceptional (both senses) in mind as a test case. Note that the exceptional need not be a numerical minority. (Natural News) On not one but two separate occasions, billionaire eugenicist Bill Gates ordered then-President Donald Trump not to investigate the potential dangers associated with mRNA (messenger RNA) covid vaccines. The Microsoft co-founder turned philanthropist bragged watch below that his Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation heavily lobbied Trump against his proposed vaccine safety research project. In both of those two meetings [with Donald Trump], he asked me if vaccines werent a bad thing, because he was considering a commission to look into ill-effects of vaccines And I said, No that would be a bad thing, dont do that,' Gates said about his interactions with Trump. You may recall that Trump was not always a jab proponent, which he quickly became after launching Operation Warp Speed. Before that, and especially on the campaign trail, Trump seemed to oppose vaccines, or at the very least oppose their being forced on people. Trump was apparently curious about the effects of mRNA injections and wanted further research to be conducted on them. Gates vehemently opposed this proposition, instead pushing Trump and his administration to just support the shots and ask questions later. Remember in 2010 when Bill Gates said at a TED Talk that vaccines reduce the population? Trump never clearly indicated whether or not he actually went through with his vaccine safety research project. But what we do know is that Gates promised to stop it. Theres a rumor that he is going to do something in that area, Gates said about Trump back in 2020. But maybe I and others will convince him that thats not worthwhile. We can only wonder what Gates is trying to hide. Did he know all along that the injections are linked to myocarditis? Did he know that they would destroy peoples immunity and give them vaccine-induced AIDS (VAIDS)? It is important to point out that Gates pushed vaccines as a depopulation tool back in 2010 when he appeared at a TED Talk to discuss his eugenicist endeavors. The world population today has 6.8 billion people, Gates said at the time. Thats headed up to about 9 billion. Now, if we do a really great job on new vaccines, healthcare and reproductive health services, we can lower the world population by 10-15 percent. In other words, vaccines are a genocide tool that the globalists are using to cull the human herd. Despite admitting to this more than a decade ago, some people still trust Gates and are willing to roll up their sleeves for the latest shots from the government and Big Pharma. It is no secret that modern medical practices and pharmaceutical drugs are currently one of the highest causes of death in the U.S., writes Baxter Dmitry for Newspunch. Openly stating that vaccines and the current system of healthcare are part of his vision to reduce the global population should raise grave concerns in the mind of every parent alive. Sadly, too few parents even seem to be aware that there are risks involved with childhood injections. They just assume that the government is looking out for their best interests, which is foolishly naive. Gates had better hope that I never run into him in a dark alley, one commenter wrote about the news. So will Trump admit he takes his marching orders from Bill? asked another, not letting Trump off the hook assuming Gates claims are true. If this is true, and I expect there is truth to it, whose fault is it? expressed someone else. Gates for pursuing his own interests or Trump for aiding Gates in his agendas? The latest news about this subject can be found at Vaccines.news. Sources for this article include: Newspunch.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) A demonic doppelganger of Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot has been discovered in a Michaelangelo fresco in the Sistine Chapel, leaving visitors stunned at the incredible likeness. (Article by Baxter Dmitry republished from NewsPunch.com) This work of art by Michaelageno adorns the walls in the Sistine Chapel inside the Vatican. Its called The Last Judgement and Minos, a judge in hell, is the man with the serpent wrapped around him. Michelangelo hated the Popes servant so much that it is his likeness he used as Minos. This means the Lightfoot doppelganger would be a soul condemned to hell. The demonic likeness of Lori Lightfoot has gone viral on Twitter, with users reacting to the doppelganger by declaring Theres a demonic presence there! Meanwhile, Rey Cintra pointed out that Lightfoots other doppelganger is Tim Burtons demonic creation, Beetlejuice. Meanwhile, veggiepeople claims the likeness in the Michaelangelo artwork proves here are evil spirits that jump from body to body over the centuries, inhabiting places of evil. One thing is for certain Mayor Lori Lightfoot is not a popular woman outside of Democratic run Chicago. Everyone else can see the decay and deprivation she is presiding over in the Democrat-run hell hole. Chicago has been run by Democrats since 1931, they have enjoyed a monopoly on power for decades, and the results are right there in front of everyone. Because there is only one party in Chicago, the standards for Democratic candidates continue to get lower. Lightfoot is an incompetent trainwreck who expected to spend her mayoralty chasing media headlines for her bold, corporate-approved social justice sloganeering. When real problems arise that affect Chicago residents, she has no answers indeed, she doesnt even know the questions, and her Democrat successor will almost surely be even less competent than she is. Read more at: NewsPunch.com (Natural News) The corporate media is financially incentivized to project a false version of reality brainwashing the public to accept falsehoods as truth. Big Tech reinforces these falsehoods by shadow banning, blacklisting and censoring the actual truth. The actual truth is often mislabeled as misinformation while the real misinformation is promoted by algorithms and advertised as doctrine across social media and news feeds. These acts of deceit and manipulation are used to control the population, to instill obedient behaviors, and to persecute those who bring truth to life. The false narratives are reinforced through diversity quotas and the ever-increasing demands of the woke mob. These false realities are mandated in commercial advertisements, political pandering, magazines, curriculum and streaming services like Netflix. Because of this, minority groups are over-represented in print, radio, television, textbooks, streaming services and social media. For instance, LGBTQ activists infiltrate almost everything now, normalizing perversion and making it seem as if they represent the will of the majority. The reality and the truth is buried to provide a platform for a more inclusive world, where equality of outcomes is enforced. Forcing equality of outcomes has distorted reality for many In a recent YouGov poll, people were asked how they envision their country. It turns out that Americans largely overestimate the size and influence of minority groups. This creates wide-ranging misconceptions and twisted perceptions that are only used to stereotype and divide. The first question asked, What percentage of the country is black? On average, Americans thought the answer was 41%, however, the actual number is 12%. The second question asked about the percentage of mixed-race marriages in the US. The average answer was 50%, however, the actual number is 1%. When respondents were asked, What percentage of the population is Latinx? the average response was 39%. In reality, Latinx makeup 16% of the population. On the issue of income, Americans believe that 26% of families make over $500,000 a year. The real percentage of families with this kind of income is just 1%. When asked about the percentage of gay people in the population, most answered 30%. However, the actual number is closer to just 3%. When it came to guessing the transgender population, the average answer was 22%. In reality, the number of people who identify as transgender is less than one percent. No matter how hard equality of outcomes is enforced, individual excellence will remain a dominant law of nature The corporate media runs advertisements on race, gender and wealth, ad nauseam. In their efforts to enforce equality, diversity and inclusion, the corporate media and the Democratic Party have completely distorted reality and made a pariah of the minority groups they fail to champion. In this wokeness brainwashing, equality of outcomes becomes the end goal, as Marxism seeps in and rots out the foundation of American values. As equality of outcomes pervades society, individual merit, honor and the pursuit of excellence are disregarded. The irony is that excellence is the value that is definitively colorblind and nonsexual. It is a value that favors none and is based on the individuals drive to appreciate and make use of their opportunities in life. Excellence is a pursuit to superiority based on virtue, valor and strength. Life responds to this excellence and strength of character. Therefore, the equality of outcomes that are projected upon society ultimately set their believers up for failure, disappointment and mental self-destruction. The equality of outcomes approach fails to recognize individual achievement and tries to suppress human free will, but these controls will always be broken. The denigration of the competitive spirit, the belittling of rugged individualism and the mocking of character-driven work ethic has corrupted an entire generation, who may feel that their success is based on some minority or gender identity and all the attention it brings. As the Left tries to level the playing field with their equality of outcomes, the values of individual excellence only grow stronger, because the appreciation of personal achievement only grows in the setbacks and persecution. The woke mob cannot feign honor, merit and valor because these traits are earned. These values cannot be manipulated, stolen or faked. The false version of reality that is fostered upon society does not hold fortitude in an inherently unfair world, and therefore equality of outcomes and all the wokeness will not stand the test of time. The false version of reality that is broadcast by the woke media becomes nothing more than fruitless grandstanding, deceptive showboating with nothing of substance or truth beneath its shallow surface. At the end of the day, the corporate medias distortion of reality cannot vanquish the undying nature of truth a steady pulse that beats immortal, undeterred. Sources include: AMGreatness.com Today.yougov.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Chloe Cole, a former female-to-male (FTM) individual who de-transitioned, has denounced gender-affirming care in a stirring speech. The 18-year-old detransitioner recounted how the procedures she underwent almost killed her. Cole gave her testimony in front of the White House, accompanied by Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA). Her speech served to support Greenes bill the Protect Childrens Innocence Act that sought to prohibit any gender-affirming care for minors. My story is a cautionary tale, said the former FTM. Over the past decade, there has been as high as a 4,000-percent increase in children being referred to so-called gender clinics across the nation. I was one of those children. According to Cole, Americans deserve to know the truth about this radical and perverse ideology marketed as necessary and life-saving healthcare. She then recounted her story, which began when she told her parents that she was a boy at 12 years old. A year later, Cole was put on puberty blockers and received testosterone injections. Shen then underwent a double mastectomy the kind that breast cancer patients get at 15. But it was not until Cole turned 16 that she understood that her gender-affirming medical procedures were a lie. It almost killed me, as it has killed many who regret transition, she said. (Related: Former trans teens express REGRET over gender reassignment procedures.) I realized the beauty of motherhood was stolen from me by medical professionals who my family entrusted me to. A child does not, in fact, know who they are at 12 years old. I realized that I wanted to be what I always was, and forever will be: a woman. Detransitioning proves difficult for Cole Upon realizing her mistake, Cole then faced two big challenges: weaning herself off the drugs she had been taking, and breaking the news to her friends and family. My parents were shocked and felt like they had failed me on every level imaginable. My friends all turned against me, she revealed. I was a joke [and] a fraud. I was many years behind in development, incapable of feeding my future children and, worst of all, completely alone. Cole also set her sights on the healthcare professionals who got [her] into this mess, pointing out that they did nothing to help her when she regretted her decision to transition. In contrast, these same medical professionals also pressured her parents by asking: Would you rather have a dead daughter or a living son? Given these options, what loving parent wouldnt choose to transition their child? Scared for my life, my parents were prepared to sign anything the doctors asked. Aside from this, Cole also expounded on the LGBT agendas prevalence on social media a factor that greatly influenced her gender dysphoria. I saw the unbelievable amounts of praise and attention that [transitioners] got online and, subconsciously, I yearned to have a piece of it. With every milestone of my medical transition, I was given more and more attention and celebration. It was the ultimate high. Cole concluded: There is no second chance at childhood. No child deserves to suffer under the knife of a gender-affirming surgeon. Children and parents across the country have been caught off guard by gender ideology. Discussions about transgenderism and gender identity went from being a relatively benign social oddity to a doctrine that has invaded nearly every academic, medical, and educational institution seemingly overnight. How did we get to this point? Watch this short clip about Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greenes Protect Childrens Innocence Act. This video is from The Willow channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: British whistleblowers reveal horrors that come following trans surgeries. Detransitioner Chloe Cole blasts transgender refuge state bill backed by CA state senator. Former FTM transgender teen supports Florida ban on using Medicaid funds for transgender medical interventions. Sources include: LifeSiteNews.com Brighteon.com (Natural News) Health care settings that advertise surgical and hormonal procedures for gender-confused youth as young as 13 are throwing their offerings down the memory hole, following exposure by critics of such procedures for children. (Article by Greg Piper republished from JustTheNews.com) Vanderbilt University Medical Center took down the pages for its transgender clinic and pediatric counterpart after conservative author Matt Walsh posted videos Tuesday of its officials calling the clinics financially lucrative and warning that resistant VUMC employees would face consequences for not participating. Tennessee Republicans responded with horror. We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children or policies that suppress religious liberties, all for the purpose of financial gain, Gov. Bill Lee said in a statement to Just the News. He called for a thorough investigation of pediatric procedures and religious discrimination at VUMC, a legally distinct entity from the university. Asked what that means, spokesperson Casey Sellers said Lees office has shared concerns with Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti. A number of questions have been raised, and Tennesseans deserve answers, she said. State Rep. William Lambert retweeted Walshs announcement that they and Sen. Jack Johnson met to hash out legislation to shut down Vanderbilts child gender transition program and ban the practice in the state. September is the second consecutive month for a childrens hospital that performs so-called gender affirming procedures to scrub its website after outside scrutiny. Boston Childrens Hospital removed a 17-year-old minimum age for male patients to receive vaginoplasties, raising it to 18 but claiming that it only offered consultations to 17-year-olds, National Review reported. It claimed to have never offered gender affirming hysterectomies to minors, as suggested by a video with its logo, but only adults. These surgeries make a lot of money, the VUMC adult clinics primary care provider, Shayne Taylor, said in an LGBTQ Health Grand Rounds lecture in November 2018, just months after the clinic opened: $40,000 for double mastectomy and several thousand a year for routine hormone treatments. Vanderbilt opened its trans clinic in 2018. During a lecture the same year, Dr. Shayne Taylor explained how she convinced Nashville to get into the gender transition game. She emphasized that its a big money maker, especially because the surgeries require a lot of follow ups pic.twitter.com/zedM7HBCBe Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 20, 2022 She cited a gross underestimate from another gender clinic for a male-to-female vaginoplasty, $20,000, which doesnt include hospital stay, postoperative visits or anesthesia. I think thats just the surgeons piece of it, maybe 10%, she said. A female-to-male phalloplasty could be up to $100,000, Taylor said, citing the clinics surgeon Julian Winocour, who allegedly claimed phalloplasties alone fully fund some clinics. And that is, like, a fraction of the surgeries that were doing, which cost even more because they require a lot of followups. Winocours VUMC email bounced back when asked to confirm this anecdote. Traces of Taylor have disappeared so quickly that search results still bring them up. At least three of her employee pages are now off-limits, and her 2018 lecture posted to the Vanderbilt Program for LGBTQ Healths Facebook page apparently came down within hours of Walsh posting the videos late afternoon Tuesday. Other links simply redirect. While VUMC probably has to accommodate employees who assert conscientious objection to participating in transgender procedures, it is not without consequences and it should not be without consequences, Ellen Clayton, who has appointments in both pediatrics and law, told the 2019 LGBTQ Health Grand Rounds, equating objections with religious beliefs. Vanderbilt was apparently concerned that not all of its staff would be on board. Dr. Ellen Clayton warned that conscientious objections are problematic. Anyone who decides not to be involved in transition surgeries due to religious beliefs will face consequences pic.twitter.com/CgNicrG4Mg Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 20, 2022 If you dont want to do this kind of work, dont work at Vanderbilt, Clayton said. Her 2019 event was taken down from the programs Facebook page Wednesday afternoon after Just the News viewed the intact video. Asked if she was speaking casually about shunning employees who opt out of transgender procedures, or suggesting they lose their professional licenses, Clayton told Just the News I do not think it is a good idea to respond to questions about this story but said she wasnt under investigation or seeking legal counsel. One video from 2020 explicitly mentions pediatric treatment. We have some individuals who have started gender affirming hormones already on puberty blockers at 13 or 14 to be more like their peers, the unidentified speaker says, even though the presentation screen says consider starting as early as 14. The speaker continues that fertility preservation and consent are very important to discuss prior to any initiation. The pediatric clinic removed pubertal blockers and gender affirming hormone therapy from the services it advertises to children in the past month, Walsh said. After they have drugged and sterilized the kids, Vanderbilt as explained in this video presentation by plastic surgeon Julien Winocour and Physicians Assistant Shalyn Vanderbloemen will happily perform double mastectomies on adolescent girls. pic.twitter.com/SRvtytflsk Matt Walsh (@MattWalshBlog) September 20, 2022 The Tennessee Legislature can and will act to correct this next session and I will lead that fight to end transgender hormone treatments for minors and threats to religious objections, said Rep. Jeremy Faison, the GOP caucus chair. This type of child mutilation should be illegal and soon will be in TN, Lamberth tweeted. Congressional Republicans from Tennessee joined the chorus. There is nothing healthy about mutilating the bodies of minor children. We need an investigation into VUMC putting profits ahead of children immediately, Sen. Marsha Blackburn tweeted and Rep. John Rose agreed. The controversy may even play into the Arizona Senate race. President Trump-endorsed venture capitalist Blake Masters campaign tweeted a video about Sen. Mark Kellys support for transgender drugs and surgeries on kids without parental consent, showing young women with double mastectomies. The new president of the Southern Baptist Conventions public policy arm, located 10 minutes from VUMC, also denounced the practices. VUMC sent Just the News the same statement it posted Wednesday morning and didnt answer queries, including followup questions about Taylors emphasis on the profitability of the procedures, evidence for its claims from the now-removed clinic pages, and how its protecting conscientious objectors from retaliation. It claimed social media posts and a video misrepresent facts about the care the Medical Center provides to transgender patients, which started because they are a high-risk population for mental and physical health issues and have been consistently underserved by the U.S. health system. The medical center provides family-centered care to all adolescents in compliance with state law and in line with professional practice standards and guidance established by medical specialty societies, it said, alluding to the World Professional Association for Transgender Health, whose revision of standards has provoked sharp debate among clinicians. The statement said VUMC wont treat minors related to transgender care without parental consent and never refuses parental involvement in the care of transgender youth who are under age 18. An archive of VUMCs pediatric transgender clinic page seems to presume that parents have already given consent. It requires a letter from a mental health provider and informed consent from the child before starting puberty blockers or cross-sex hormones. Employees whose personal or religious beliefs do not support gender-affirming care are allowed to opt out without discrimination, VUMC said. Read more at: JustTheNews.com (Natural News) Independent journalist Matt Walsh has completely exposed the real reason transgender surgery centers are popping up all over the nation, including at the medical centers of major universities. Turning boys into girls and girls into boys is a huge money making machine, and the whole twisted gender movement pretends to be offended by anyone who doesnt believe in gender mutilation, but really theyre just protecting the cash cow money machine. In fact, Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) just deleted their entire website advertising their transgender surgery clinic because a doctors promotion of the surgery revealed just how much money they really make off each operation, including lots of follow up appointments and procedures. Tranny surgery cash machine: anyone who objects gets fired Do you consciously object to mutilating childrens private parts in the name of gender fluidity? Just say the words and you will no longer be employed at VUMC Medical, where any criticism is grounds for termination. Do you believe in chemical castration of minors using dangerous hormones that can cause cancer? No? The you must be a bigoted, racist, sexist, fascist pig, according to the people running the transgender surgery hospitals. Are you one of those religious people who doesnt appreciate the insane Leftists turning kids into sex-freak-dolls with broken reproductive organs and deformed sex drives? There are consequences you must face for those beliefs, according to the transgender-surgery tyranny. Administrators and doctors at Vanderbilt in Nashville were caught on video admitting they bankroll tens of thousands of dollars for every child and teen they get on the chopping block, cutting off penises, breasts and clitorises. They want your kids to establish Trans Buddies at UVMC who can talk your kids into this kind of surgery, so the surgeons and university can pocket some cold hard cash money. Sex-change operations are like a pandemic in this country, ruining lives while the hospitals rake in the dough Permanent, life-altering decisions that suppress religious and moral liberties are now exploited for financial gain. Transgender clinics are at the heart of the matter, and the Biden Regime is all in for wrecking lives by turning all our kids into sex-minded maniacs whos lives and libidos will be permanently damaged through surgery and drugs. It all starts with the Drag Queen Story Time at daycare centers. Then its splattered all over social media, that kids should all consider switching genders by taking drugs and getting surgery. Then the perverted President and his minions push for political bias against anyone who objects, and the mass media toes the line. Youre either 100 percent supportive of kids and teens getting gender-mutilation surgery, or youre labeled a bigot who hates gays. Thats the narrative. Its sick and twisted. Its part of the communist agenda to distract the whole nation from everything that matters in life, including family, health and the pursuit of happiness. When it comes to perverts trying to ruin childrens lives, remember that money is at the center of it also. Transgender clinics are making a fortune off mutilating kids in the name of trans-everything, and it should be illegal. Tune your internet dial to gender.news for updates on how gender-affirming care is really just medical quackery for big bucks made from child mutilation surgery. Sources for this article include: ZeroHedge.com NaturalNews.com (Natural News) Gov. Ron DeSantis made a tactically brilliant move last week regarding the ongoing illegal immigrant crisis along our U.S.-Mexico border that was fomented by the handlers running the administration of our fake president, Joe Biden. DeSantis sent around 50 migrants to the uber-leftist enclave of Marthas Vineyard, a ritzy island off Massachusetts filled with mostly rich white liberals (though the Obamas have a mansion there) that claimed to be a sanctuary for illegal aliens. The reaction of those who live there was typical: Abject hypocrisy, which is a prerequisite to being a Democrat. No sooner than the migrants arrived than the islanders began bellyaching and complaining about them in a way that would earn them allegations of racist and bigot if they were conservatives. In less than 48 hours, the islanders managed to convince the states RINO governor, Charlie Baker, to call out National Guard troops and send buses to ship the migrants to a military facility at Cape Cod. The message: We are all for allowing illegal aliens into the country and we will virtue signal all day about how were a welcoming sanctuary for migrants until we actually have to deal with them. No, dealing with migrants is something that other Americans peons (and conservatives) should have to deal with. People had not been talking about illegal immigration and how its the Democratic Party in charge of government right now that is responsible for the crisis until DeSantis sent migrants to a wealthy white enclave and exposed the problem, as well as the lefts gargantuan hypocrisy on the issue. Well, that exposure was enough to stir the usual propagandists into action, as noted by Breitbart News. The outlet posted a meme on its Facebook page highlighting the double standard shown by the wealthy white libs of Marthas Vineyard when that fake fact-checker Politifact, via its official page, responded by claiming that theres a housing crisis on Marthas Vineyard, which justified the residents there getting rid of the illegal aliens so quickly. But Breitbarts users blasted the liars at Politifact mercilessly, the news outlets John Nolte noted: Thats hilarious! You do realize that youre talking about a place where most of the homes have 10 bedrooms, 4 bathrooms, and a guest house. Those of us that live in the real-world call that a motel. [F]act? They have more than 50 rooms available RIGHT NOW in bnbs. So why are they a sanctuary city then??? I guess we just need to erect a tent city on the beaches like they do everywhere else! There problem solved. Obamas birthday tent alone could house them! Start building SECTION 8 homes in MV. Plenty of open space start building now. While building erect tents, kitchens, pavilions, bath houses, etc. CORRUPT liberals always screaming DIVERSITY.step up to the plate. Several commenters made the excellent point that the housing shortage is a national problem. But Americas housing shortage still hasnt stopped His Fraudulency Joe Biden from opening the border to millions of illegal aliens and then secretly flying them all over the country, Nolte wrote. So why is PolitiFact excusing Marthas Vineyard from its own sanctuary city policy with a housing shortage excuse? Well, PolitiFact knows that Americas border towns, which are constantly swarmed with thousands of illegal aliens, have a real housing crisis. But were PolitiFact to provide that kind of context, it would undermine the elite, hypocritical racists who populate Marthas Vineyard, who deport illegals within 24 hours, Nolte added. He went on to point out that Politifact, which has been caught lying to cover for the left on several previous occasions, sprang into action in order to provide cover for its favored political class. But he also noted that by elevating the issue to a national conversation, DeSantis also cast a bright light on Bidens handlers, who created the mass migration issue to literally replace American voters with third-world migrants who owe their allegiance not to our country but to the traitors who let them in. With so much on the line, the good dogs at PolitiFact will happily bend over, Nolte noted. Sources include: Breitbart.com CharlieKirk.com (Natural News) While left-wing sycophants continue to falsely claim that SUVs and cattle flatulence are destroying the planet, World War III is brewing and about to be unleashed, which will no doubt involve nuclear weapons, according to a top pro-Vladimir Putin ideologue. His comments come on the heels of an announcement by Putin that he is calling up 300,000 reserve troops to throw into battle in Ukraine after Kyivs troops have made substantial gains in a counterattack that sent Russian troops in Ukraines east reeling. In the same announcement, Putin strongly suggested he could resort to the use of nuclear weapons, and added pointedly that he isnt bluffing, according to CNBC, which added: Putin said mobilization events would begin Wednesday without providing further details, aside from saying he had ordered an increase in funding to boost Russias weapons production, having committed (and lost) a large amount of weaponry during the conflict, which began in late February. A partial mobilization is a hazy concept, but it could mean that Russian businesses and citizens have to contribute more to the war effort. Russia has not yet declared war on Ukraine, despite having invaded in February, and it calls its invasion a special military operation. Putin confirmed that military reservists would be called up into active service, but insisted a wider conscription of Russian men of fighting age was not taking place. I reiterate, we are talking about partial mobilization, that is, only citizens who are currently in the reserve will be subject to conscription, and above all, those who served in the armed forces have a certain military specialty and relevant experience, he said according to an Associated Press translation. Conscripts will obligatorily go through additional military training based on the experience of the special military operation before departing to the units, he added. Alexander Dugin, one of Putins main cheerleaders, also warned that World War III looms. Whats more, though Russia invaded Ukraine, Dugin claims the globe is on the brink because of the West. We are on the brink of World War III, which the West is compulsively pushing for. And this is no longer a fear or expectation, it is a fact. Russia is at war with the collective West, with NATO and its allies (though not with all of them: Turkey and Greece have their own position and some European countries, primarily but not only France and Italy, do not want to actively participate in a war with Russia). Yet, the threat of a third world war is getting closer and closer, he said. Whether it will come to the use of nuclear weapons is an open question. But the probability of a nuclear Armageddon grows by the day. It is quite clear, and many American military commanders (such as the former American commander in Europe Ben Hodges) openly declare it, that the West will not even be satisfied with our complete withdrawal from the territory of the former Ukraine, we will end up on our own soil, insisting on unconditional surrender (Jens Stoltenberg), de-imperialisation (Ben Hodges), dismemberment of Russia, he continued. In 1991, the West was content with the collapse of the USSR and our ideological surrender, primarily by accepting the Western liberal ideology, political system and economy under Western leadership. Today, the red line for the West is the existence of a sovereign Russia, even within the borders of the Russian Federation, Dugin noted further. The AFUs counter-attack in the Kharkiv region is a direct attack by the West on Russia. Everyone knows that this offensive was organised, prepared and equipped by the US and NATO military command and took place under their direct supervision. It is not only the use of NATO military equipment, but also the direct involvement of Western aerospace intelligence, mercenaries and instructors. In the eyes of the West, this is the beginning of our end, he went on. Once we have made a weakness in the defense of the territories under our control in the Kharkiv region, we can be further defeated. This is not a small success of the Kiev counteroffensive, but the first tangible success of the NATO forces Drang nach Osten, he said. Dugin is not wrong that the West has turned the conflict in Ukraine into a proxy war against Russia. Putin will not continue to sit idly by and watch his army and its men decimated without some sort of response. Sources include: TheBurningPlatform.com ZeroHedge.com (Natural News) A former attorney for an Oath Keeper member and defendant arrested for the Jan. 6 false flag attack at the U.S. Capitol Building is calling out the Democrat-led committee investigating the incident for making false allegations. Jonathon Moseley, who formerly represented Oath Keepers defendant Kelly Meggs, said a recording that the Jan. 6 Committee claims is radio traffic between members of the group is nothing of the sort. Rather, Moseley said that its a snippet of a 2.5-hour recording of people watching TV, The Epoch Times reports. The Select Committee has obtained a recording of communications over a walkie-talkie app among Oath Keepers who were inside the Capitol and others who were sharing intelligence from elsewhere. Listen to how they reacted to President Trumps 2:38 tweet in real-time, says a tweet with audio and a video clip of some purported Oath Keepers members inside the Capitol. The Select Committee has obtained a recording of communications over a walkie-talkie app among Oath Keepers who were inside the Capitol and others who were sharing intelligence from elsewhere. Listen to how they reacted to President Trumps 2:38 tweet in real-time. pic.twitter.com/0ZzJ1E37w0 January 6th Committee (@January6thCmte) September 15, 2022 But Moseley said that the committee has fabricated evidence. I can speak from personal, direct, first-hand knowledge that this is a 2-hour, 20-minute recording of people watching TV, Moseley told The Epoch Times in a statement earlier this week. This is NOT Oath Keepers at the Capitol. The outlet reported further: Defense attorneys in several Oath Keepers criminal cases have complained to the courts for months that these kinds of utterances from the Jan. 6 Select Committee will poison the jury pool, making it impossible for defendants to get a fair trial in the heavily Democratic District of Columbia. Numerous Oath Keepers motions for trial delays or changes of venue have been denied. The controversial Zello transmissions were under court seal when the Jan. 6 Committee published its Twitter post on Sept. 15. Elmer Stewart Rhodes III, the founder of Oath Keepers, along with four other defendantsKelly Meggs, Jessica Watkins, Kenneth Harrelson, and Thomas Caldwell are the highest-profile members of the group set to go on trial Sept. 27. The J6 Committee is operating as a partisan campaign PAC, Moseley noted. Its public relations releases are not legislative actions. It is a Democrat campaign PAC for the November 2022 elections. The communications occurred over a cellphone app known as Zello, which mimics push-to-talk walkie-talkie functions, except that it uses cellular networks and internet connectivity to link users, the outlet reported. The app functions like Nextel push-to-talk phones that were popularized in the 1990s. Prosecutors have claimed that Watkins is heard using Zello, but there are no records connecting her or her phone to the app. Also, there is no Zello user account in her name or linked to her phone. But of course, that doesnt matter; the highly partisan committee is only carrying out the whims of the overtly politicized Justice Department and FBI, according to a growing number of whistleblowers. As for the Jan. 6 insurrection, it very clearly was a false flag operation. J. Michael Waller, who is trained to spot such operations and who was at the Capitol that day, wrote about what he saw in a piece for The Federalist a week later: Plainclothes militants . Militant, aggressive men in Donald Trump and MAGA gear at a front police line at the base of the temporary presidential inaugural platform; . Militant, aggressive men in Donald Trump and MAGA gear at a front police line at the base of the temporary presidential inaugural platform; Agents-provocateurs . Scattered groups of men exhorting the marchers to gather closely and tightly toward the center of the outside of the Capitol building and prevent them from leaving; . Scattered groups of men exhorting the marchers to gather closely and tightly toward the center of the outside of the Capitol building and prevent them from leaving; Fake Trump protesters . A few young men wearing Trump or MAGA hats backwards and who did not fit in with the rest of the crowd in terms of their actions and demeanor, whom I presumed to be Antifa or other leftist agitators; and . A few young men wearing Trump or MAGA hats backwards and who did not fit in with the rest of the crowd in terms of their actions and demeanor, whom I presumed to be Antifa or other leftist agitators; and Disciplined, uniformed column of attackers. A column of organized, disciplined men, wearing similar but not identical camouflage uniforms and black gear, some with helmets and GoPro cameras or wearing subdued Punisher skull patches. This is all political theater aimed at demonizing and persecuting Americans who support Donald Trump and his agenda, period. Sources include: NaturalNews.com TheEpochTimes.com (Natural News) Russia has warned space companies that their commercial satellites could become military targets if they are utilized by Western governments for intelligence and communications work. While the threat widely applies to a lot of companies, Elon Musks SpaceX could be targeted specifically as the billionaire has openly criticized Russias invasion of Ukraine. Russia earlier put the West on code red by deploying an anti-satellite missile to destroy one of its own satellites in an event called anti-satellite (ASAT) weapons test. It brought thousands of pieces of space debris flying toward the International Space Station. Konstantin Vorontsov, a member of Russias Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated that space was becoming a launching pad for aggression and war during a meeting of the United Nations open-ended working group (OEWG) on decreasing space threats. We would like to underline an extremely dangerous trend that goes beyond the harmless use of outer space technologies and has become apparent during the events in Ukraine. Namely, the use by the United States and its allies of the elements of civilian, including commercial, infrastructure in outer space for military purposes. It seems like our colleagues do not realize that such actions in fact constitute indirect involvement in military conflicts. Quasi-civilian infrastructure may become a legitimate target for retaliation, Vorontsov said in a statement. Actions of the Western countries, needlessly put at risk the sustainability of peaceful space activities, as well as numerous social and economic processes on Earth that affect the well-being of people, in particular in developing countries. At the very least this provocative use of civilian satellites is questionable under the Outer Space Treaty, which provides for the exclusive, peaceful use of outer space and must be strongly condemned by the international community. Starlink satellites help control drones that fight Russian forces Of all the Western corporations helping Ukraine, Musk and his Starlink satellites have angered the Russians most over the previous year because the SpaceX CEO has delivered more than 10,000 dish antennas to Ukraine since the start of war. (Related: Lost in space: Solar storm destroys 38 Starlink satellites, costing Elon Musks company tens of millions in losses.) These satellites are helping to control drones utilized to fight the invading Russian forces. And it is very clear that Musks Starlink has become a significant part of Ukraines command, control and communication systems. Interestingly, Starlink satellites are much cheaper than the Russian missiles that would be used to destroy them. But Russia could also use an electromagnetic pulse against Starlink satellites to disrupt their signal. Last March, Musk issued a warning on Twitter: Starlink is the only non-Russian communications system still working in some parts of Ukraine, so the probability of being targeted is high. Please use with caution. Commercial satellite imagery corporations, such as Planet Labs, Maxar and BlackSky, have also contributed in the war effort against Russia by giving intelligence pictures of the battle from above. As an example, images by Planet Labs in early August displayed a Ukrainian attack on a Russian military base in Crimea, which created more damage than Russia had implied in public reports. Follow NationalSecurity.news for more about Russias threat to destroy Starlink satellites. Watch the video below to learn why Russia declared a Space War on Elon Musk and Starlink after the Moskva attack. This video is from the The Prisoner channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: Russia, China make stunning advances in anti-satellite drone swarms, laser weapons to win space war China, Russia developing space weapons that can destroy, disable satellites Pentagon: Chinas space weapons program on the march Defense Secretary Esper: China, Russia have killer satellites in space Russia accuses U.S., NATO of attempting to provoke all-out war between nuclear powers Sources include: Express.co.uk Strange Sounds.org (Natural News) You may not speak, because you are a person of the type and category whose speech is not permissible. And its a corporate failure if you actually get to say something. (Article by Chris Bay republished from ChrisBay.Substack.com) Jay Bhattacharya calls attention to this important exchange this week between Senator Josh Hawley and Facebook executive Chris Cox: Senator @HawleyMO Grills Facebook Executive And Gets Him To Admit That They Have Coordinated With The Biden Administration To Censor Constitutionally Protected Speech pic.twitter.com/fKluq9z7FG The Columbia Bugle ?? (@ColumbiaBugle) September 15, 2022 So yes: Government officials told social media companies what content to remove from their platforms, and social media companies did what government officials told them to do. And they all feel pretty good about doing that. But its extremely important to notice what happened all around this exchange. PBS provides video of the entire hearing, and it opens with the chairman of the Senate Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs Committee demanding that social media companies do more to remove extremist, dangerous, and radicalizing content. This content does significant harm to our society and stokes real-world violence. News reports on this hearing say approvingly that senators went after social media executives with tough questions about how they allow people to say things without making them stop: Notably, Chairman and Sen. Gary Peters of Michigan brought the receiptshe began the current executives portion of the hearing with recent examples of Boogaloo Bois and other extremists groups ability to skirt Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, and Twitters content-moderation practices. The organizations he presented had thousands of views, followers, and impressions related to extremist groups, some of whom potentially played a role in the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection. While the January 6th Select Committee is doing the bulk of investigative work, Peters has previously alleged that platforms played a role in facilitating violence that day. Peters emphasized that each company knows that engagement is a key metric to keeping people on the platform. He challenged Chris Cox, Facebooks chief product officer, with Mark Zuckerbergs own words: In 2018, the CEO said, when left unchecked, people will engage disproportionately with more sensationalist and provocative content. That [sensationalist and provocative] content is actually good for your business! Peters remarked. Isnt that inevitable, Peters added, that more people will engage with provocative content? Private companies are allowing people to read and write provocative content. Why arent they stopping it? So Josh Hawley asked a social media executive if social media companies are removing content because government is telling them to, and he had that exchange in the middle of a long discussion in which government officials told social media executives what content they find objectionable and want removed from social media platforms. Gary Peters made Josh Hawleys point, and did it with the greatest possible clarity. The frustrating absence in the exchange between Hawley and Cox is about the presumption in the category of disinformation. Cox acknowledges that Facebook has removed Covid-19 disinformation in coordination with government, but no discussion follows about how often they got that categorization right. Was every piece of disinformation removed from Facebook actually disinformation, or did some of it turn out to be information? Is it correct to say that every claim removed from social media as disinformation was provably incorrect? If you were thrown off Facebook in 2021 for saying that mRNA injections wouldnt prevent Covid-19 transmission and infection, were you actually penalized for disinformation? But do not fail to notice how matter-of-factly American elected officials declare that categories of people should not be allowed to speak, in a discussion that proceeds on the unchallenged assumption that government can choose the right and wrong sides in contests over information. UPDATED TO ADD: .@mirandadevine: Facebook reported private messages that questioned the 2020 election to the FBI. pic.twitter.com/AWTFOke9mr The Dirty Truth (Josh) (@AKA_RealDirty) September 16, 2022 Read more at: ChrisBay.Substack.com (Natural News) Texas Republican Gov. Greg Abbott is tired of waiting on the Biden regime to secure the border because he knows thats not going to happen. As such, he is taking bold new action on his own to protect Texans from an onslaught of illegal aliens and deadly fentanyl smuggling. On Wednesday, Abbott announced that he has signed an executive order designating the Mexico-based cartels as terrorist organizations while also empowering the Texas Department of Public Safety to take appropriate action to secure the border. Fentanyl is a clandestine killer, & Texans are victimized by Mexican cartels that produce & import it. Today, I issued an Executive Order designating cartels as terrorist organizations & directed @TxDPS to take immediate action to disrupt cartel & gang activity, Abbott noted on Twitter. Fentanyl is a clandestine killer, & Texans are victimized by Mexican cartels that produce & import it. Today, I issued an Executive Order designating cartels as terrorist organizations & directed @TxDPS to take immediate action to disrupt cartel & gang activity. Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 21, 2022 I also sent a letter demanding the Biden Admin. classify Mexican drug cartels operating in Texas as terrorist organizations. Texas is stepping up to get these gangs & deadly drugs off our streets, he added. I also sent a letter demanding the Biden Admin. classify Mexican drug cartels operating in Texas as terrorist organizations. Texas is stepping up to get these gangs & deadly drugs off our streets. pic.twitter.com/nhfeVo2ESm Greg Abbott (@GregAbbott_TX) September 21, 2022 Fentanyl is a clandestine killer, and Texans are falling victim to the Mexican cartels that are producing it, Abbott added in a statement. Cartels are terrorists, and its time we treated them that way. In fact, more Americans died from fentanyl poisoning in the past year than all terrorist attacks across the globe in the past 100 years. In order to save our country, particularly our next generation, we must do more to get fentanyl off our streets. Here is what Abbotts action entails: Establish a Mexican Cartel Division within the Texas Fusion Center to collect and analyze intelligence that will enable further apprehension, prosecution, and disruption of these foreign terrorist organizations. Identify, arrest, and impede the gangs in Texas that support the drug and human smuggling operations of these foreign terrorist organizations. Conduct multi-jurisdictional investigations of foreign terrorist organizations operating in Texas to support criminal prosecutions here and in other States. Conduct multi-jurisdictional investigations of transnational and Texas-based gangs that support the smuggling operations of foreign terrorist organizations. Target, seize, and dismantle the infrastructure, assets, vehicles, and buildings used by foreign terrorist organizations to smuggle drugs and people into and throughout Texas. Enhance southbound criminal interdiction operations resulting in the seizure of bulk cash and other assets being smuggled into Mexico. Intensify efforts under Operation Lone Star focused on detecting and interdicting transnational criminal activity between the ports of entry. Governor Abbott also directed DPS and law enforcement agencies to identify Texas gangs that support Mexican drug cartels and seize their assets in order to disrupt cartel networks operating in Texas communities, as thousands of Texans have been poisoned unwittingly by counterfeit pills laced with the deadly synthetic opioid, the press release noted further. With Mexican drug cartels disguising fentanyl as counterfeit pills and targeting children with rainbow fentanyl pills, the Governor emphasizes in his letter that immediate decisive action is needed from the Biden Administration to combat this deadly crisis impacting the nation, it added. The U.S.-Mexico border was the most secure it had been in decades under then-President Donald Trumps immigration and border enforcement policies. His Remain In Mexico directive, which was agreed to by Mexican leaders, was widely credited as the best of those policies. Biden, however, reversed all of them on his first day in office. Federal courts eventually ruled that his reversals were legal. Now, 19 months later, nearly 4.5 million people that we know of have crossed illegally into the U.S., and taxpayers are supporting them. Its an impeachable offense. But Bidens handlers want the chaos so it will be left to brave governors like Abbott to fight back. Sources include: Gov.Texas.gov NaturalNews.com (Natural News) It used to be that most Americans were mainly brainwashed into buying specific products and services by watching television, reading the newspaper, noticing billboards, and seeing films. Propaganda was a front-loaded machine that was quite linear in its approach to influence buying motives of consumers. With the invention of the internet and social media, everything changed. The consumption of news, products, services, lifestyles, pornography, and now most medical choices are made online, after consuming artificial intelligence. This is how technology has been created and disseminated to chronically DAMAGE humanity, and its happening like a tsunami engulfs a coastline, every day. Machine learning regulates nearly everything users see in front of them online, often in unethical, harmful ways An artificial intelligence (AI) algorithm regulates the content chosen to be placed in front of users eyes specifically to influence their purchases of products, services, and information, based on what they talk about, type about, and search for using smart devices. Ever just talk to a friend about anything, then minutes later an ad pops up on your smart device, selling exactly what you just talked about? Thats AI. Smart devices are almost always RECORDING, whether or not you have the camera, microphone, or app open or live. For example, Facebooks AI software analyzes videos, stories, photos, and even memes, then gathers together recommendations for you. Add in some key misinformation and suddenly you find yourself buying what Fakebook told you to buy, and believing what Fakebook calls news. Google search engine uses AI to guide everyone AWAY from any information about natural health and AWAY from any information that exposes prescription medications and vaccines as the dangerous, experimental mediums they really are. Google blocks, bans, censors and bankrupts people, businesses and organizations that do not support the communist narrative that attempts to control all Americans lives and livelihoods. Social media, mRNA and twisted, sick living thanks to the evil uses of AI AI dominates the social media landscape, have no illusions. Fake friends, fake followers, fake idols, fake news and fake trends run all the thinking of todays youth, millenials and even adults who see and hear what they want to see and hear, because they are influenced by the false gods of tech. With thinking comes action, and with action comes the adoption of the sick and twisted services of the AI-created world of social media. Bots and more bots tell the social-media-addicted world exactly what and how to think. The CDC, FDA, DHS, NSA and the FBI categorize all that data too. All online users are moderated by fake news in order to control your thoughts and actions, in a very unhealthy way. For example, the Covid pandemic was created, controlled and spread via the internet in a far greater way than it ever was physically manifested in the real world. AI made it a sickness of the mind, more than the body, first. This way key to having people think they were choosing to wear a mask, social distance, isolate, get vaccinated and visit the hospital (a place to die) if they caught the Fauci Flu. The most evil technology ever besieged upon the human race may just be mRNA technology. mRNA is a form of artificial intelligence that tricks your cells by entering them Trojan-horse style and then changing their manufacturing instructions, forever. With mRNA, cells produce toxic protein prions that clog the vascular system, damaging the heart, brain, CNS and immune system all in one shot (pun intended). By the way, mRNA is nothing new; in fact, this form of AI has been worked on by scientists for decades prior to the Wuhan flu ever being released. Robert Malone is a key pioneer of this landmark experiment, and he blew the whistle on everything about it this year. Hes on the record talking about how mRNA AI is permanently damaging children. mRNA has a tangled history that Malone has told the world about, and now the truth is getting out, despite the censorship. Now hundreds of millions of people around the world are suffering the health detriment of the deadly mRNA jabs. Do your own research and dont use Google. Try the search engine Brave BETA and get more truth news and real information. Bookmark Censored.news to your favorite websites for truth news thats being censored from the rest of media as you read this. Now check out this amazing video about the good and bad sides of artificial intelligence: Sources for this article include: Social-hire.com Nature.com NaturalNews.com Censored.news (Natural News) Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC) deleted its website about its gender-affirming treatments following bombshell revelations by Matt Walsh of the Daily Wire. Walsh outlined his findings about the Nashville, Tennessee-based medical facility in a lengthy Sept. 20 Twitter thread. My team and I have been investigating the transgender clinic at [VUMC] here in Nashville, he wrote. [VUMC] drugs, chemically castrates and performs double mastectomies on minors. But it gets worse. Walsh first shared footage of VUMCs Dr. Shane Taylor during a 2018 lecture, in which the latter bragged how she convinced the hospital to offer gender transition procedures. According to Taylor, such procedures were a big money maker mainly because the surgeries require a lot of follow-ups. VUMC began offering gender-related procedures when it opened in 2018, the same year as Taylors lecture. A second footage, this time from another VUMC doctor, showed apparent threats against medical professionals who had objections about the procedures religious or otherwise. If you are going to assert conscientious objection, you have to realize that this is problematic. You are doing something to another person, and you are not paying the cost for your belief. I think that is a real issue. I just want you to take home that saying that youre not going to do something because of your religious beliefs [its] not without consequences and should not be without consequences. I just want to put that out there, remarked the hospitals Dr. Ellen Clayton. Clayton admonished VUMC staff members who had hesitations with gender-affirming treatments. If you dont want to do this kind of work, dont work [here], she said. Walsh pointed out that VUMCs transgender clinic deleted its entire website following his report. We knew this would happen and have spent the past week saving videos and screenshots, the Daily Wire journalist wrote. We have it all. They cant hide it now. (Related: MEDICAL RACKET: Vanderbilts transgender clinic in Nashville EXPOSED for chemically and surgically castrating minors.) VUMC hires trans thugs to monitor doctors Walsh also zeroed in on the Trans Buddies program, which VUMC offered alongside gender-affirming hormone therapy and pubertal blocking. According to the journalist, the program involves transgender activists from the community. These activists attend appointments with trans patients, monitoring the doctors to guard against unsafe behaviors such as misgendering. He also cited a 2020 video from VUMCs YouTube channel, wherein the hospital admitted to giving irreversible hormone drugs to children as young as 13. After they have drugged and sterilized the kids, [the hospital] will happily perform double mastectomies on adolescent girls, he wrote. [VUMC] got into the gender transition game, admittedly in large part, because it is very financially profitable. They then threatened any staff members who objected, and enlisted a gang of trans activists to act as surveillance in order to force compliance. They now castrate, sterilize and mutilate minors as well as adults, while apparently taking steps to hide this activity from the public view. This is what health care has become in modern America. Walshs report became a cause of concern for Tennessee Gov. Bill Lee, who called for a probe on the journalists revelations about the medical facility. The pediatric transgender clinic at [VUMC] raises serious moral, ethical and legal concerns. We should not allow permanent, life-altering decisions that hurt children, or policies that suppress religious liberties, all for the purpose of financial gain, he said in a statement. Lee, a Republican, continued: We have to protect Tennessee children, and this warrants a thorough investigation. DangerousDoctors.news has more stories about VUMC and other hospitals gleefully performing transgender procedures on children. Watch former Kentucky Rep. Ron Paul tackle the VUMC scandal on the Ron Paul Liberty Report episode below. This video is from the GalacticStorm channel on Brighteon.com. More related stories: UK government bribing doctors with cash to mutilate patients with sex-change therapy. Whistleblower: American Academy of Pediatrics ignored, buried doctors major concerns over trans agenda. Transgender surgery is rooted in the idea that doctors can cure mental illness by permanently maiming patients. California to legalize state-sponsored trafficking of children combined with child mutilation and castration surgeries in the name of transgenderism. Sources include: InfoWars.com Twitter.com DailyWire.com Brighteon.com Air pollution brought on by humans is more harmful than desert dust. More than 90% of the fine aerosol particles that harm health and the climate in the Middle East come from manufactured sources. WHO Report The World Health Organization (WHO) reported at the beginning of the year that the Middle East is one of the areas with the poorest air quality. Contrary to popular belief, man-made causes account for more than 90% of the particulate matter that is harmful to health in this region. Desert dust is not the primary source of air pollution from particulate matter in this area. The less dangerous dust particles in the desert are unlike this artificial tiny particulate matter. Scientists found this by using measurements taken on board ships, and complex modeling simulations supported it. The production and consumption of fossil fuels, such as oil and gas, are the leading causes of anthropogenic particles. They can enter the lungs deeply and are often smaller than desert dust. In a magnificent voyage, an international team led by the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry sailed a research vessel around the Arabian Peninsula in 2017. Various monitoring tools were maintained on board to collect samples of aerosol particles and trace gases, including ozone and nitric oxides. The researchers identified the Suez Canal, the northern Red Sea, and particularly the Arabian Gulf as regional hotspots for ozone; the fact that these regions have exceptionally high concentrations of the dangerous gas suggests that other densely populated areas of the Arabian Peninsula also struggle with it. The researchers also discovered that nitrogen oxide values were much greater than those recommended by the WHO. Also Read: Exposure to Pollutant May Alter There Gut Microorganisms and Make Infants More Prone to Diseases and Hinder Brain Development Dust to Pollution Ratio According to Sergey Osipov, an atmospheric physicist at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz and the King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) in Saudi Arabia, "relatively few measurements from the region around the Arabian Peninsula and in the Middle East in general. We used the information from atmospheric chemistry models to make judgments regarding the general health effects and air quality. Serious Concern High mortality rates are a result of air pollution in the Middle East. The region, which has 400 million residents, often exceeds the particle matter criteria, according to research leader Jos Lelieveld, director of the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. In addition to many Mainz researchers, scientists from Kuwait, the Cyprus Institute, Saudi Arabia, France, and the USA were also involved in the project. "While the measurements were performed several years ago, looking into the data more closely with new atmospheric modeling tools surprisingly showed that the hazardous health fraction of the pollution particles are almost exclusively human-made," said the study's lead author. The atmospheric scientist, who is also a professor at the Cyprus Institute in Nicosia, continues, "The extreme air pollution results in an annual excess mortality rate of 745 people per 100,000 and has similar significance to other leading health risk factors, such as high cholesterol and tobacco use, and is also comparable to the mortality rate of COVID-19." He added that measures to cut emissions are even more crucial, given that anthropogenic air pollution is a major contributor to climate change in the Middle East. Related Article: Air Pollution Reportedly Causes Heart Attacks to Non-Smokers For similar news, don't forget to follow Nature World News! The Russian bat virus is being considered a global health threat, according to scientists in a new study. The potential threat of this newly discovered stems from the fact that it is similar to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), the virus that causes the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19). The only difference is that the virus was originally found from Russian bats. The new research warns that the virus can also infect human cells and is resistant to the antibodies produced by the COVID-19 vaccines that we know of today. This means that a potential global outbreak of the Russian bat virus could lead to a series of line of pandemic waves which make previous efforts since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic futile. Details of the potential threat posed by the Russian bat virus was made a week after the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is in sight. Amidst the increasing production and dissemination of vaccines, active cases have relatively stalled and severe cases have diminished compared to the pre-vaccine world before late 2020. Russian Bat Virus Findings on the Russian bat virus and its relation to the current pandemic was published in the journal PLOS Pathogens. The study was led by researchers from the Washington State University, where its author Michael Letko told Newsweek that virus belongs to the sarbecoviruses which were once thought to only circulate among the local bat populace in southern China. Letko adds that in the past 20 years they were also found in different species and various geographic locations, including in Laos, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, Bulgaria, and Africa. Also Read: SARS-CoV-2 Viruses Detected in Cambodian Bats More than a Decade Before Wuhan Outbreak Started Sarbecoviruses Relative to the newly discovered Russian bat virus, the pathogen has the potential to become the next pandemic due to its zoonotic transmission capability and similarity to the virus that causes COVID-19. According to the Global Autoimmune Institute, SARS-CoV-2 is a subspecies of virus under the subgenus sarbecovirus, which are all respiratory viruses or pathogens that affect the respiratory system. Similar to a family tree, the institute compared this virus hierarchy to the following analogy; beta coronavirus has a descendant called sarbecovirus. The subgenus includes not only SARS-CoV-2 but also the virus subspecies Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) and the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS-CoV). Universal Vaccine Ever since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March 2020, health authorities, researchers, and scientists alike have acknowledged the need for a universal vaccine which will aim to target not only a specific type of virus but also its variants and other pathogens. In August 2022, a study about SARS-CoV-2 variants in South Africa by scientists at Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health found that there is a need for more proactive measures for future variants of concern (VOCs). In the said research, the African country already experienced four distinct pandemic waves caused by the original SARS-CoV-2 virus and three known VOCs like Beta, Delta, and Omicron. Wan Yang, Ph.D., the study's author and the university's assistant professor of epidemiology, stated recurring pandemic waves have been triggered by new VOCs that overlap prior immunity from either an infection or vaccination. The August study was supported by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Related Article: Bats Found in Laos Carry Virus Strikingly Similar to SARS-Cov-2 Researchers from China claim to have successfully cloned an Arctic wolf using a contentious method of animal cloning that some believe could one day prevent the extinction of certain species. On September 19, Sinogene Biotechnology, a Beijing-based company, announced the discovery of a cloned wolf 100 days after its lab birth. According to The Global Times, a state-run Chinese media, the cloning of the Arctic wolf is the first case of this kind worldwide. Somatic Cell Nuclear Transfer Somatic cell nuclear transfer (SCNT), a cloning technique, has been used to create clones of animals in the past, most notably Dolly the sheep, which was created in Scotland in 1996 and revealed the following year. SCNT entails removing the nucleus of a donor cell from an animal's body and inserting it inside an egg cell that has had its chromosomes removed. The egg then turns into an embryo after being fertilized by this reprogrammed nucleus. This is then inserted into a host animal, which carries the fetus to term and develops the embryo into an animal that will be a perfect clone of the original specimen where the donor nucleus was taken. SCNT has occasionally caused controversy, particularly when it comes to human cloning, which raises social, ethical, and legal concerns. A 2006 study found that many SCNT-produced clones at the time had developed improperly, and some of those who had survived birth had health problems like early aging, premature death, and tumors. Dolly the Sheep, Maya the Arctic Wolf The Roslin Institute, which cloned Dolly the sheep, said that she survived and lived a relatively normal life in captivity, but at the age of six, she passed away in 2003 from lung tumors. According to the reports, the Arctic wolf that was cloned in China, named Maya, is said to be in good health. Although its surrogate mother was a beagle dog, its donor cell came from a wild female Arctic wolf. This choice was made because dogs and wolves share a common genetic ancestor, increasing the likelihood that the technique will be successful. Though it is anticipated that the wolf will be brought to the Harbin Polarland amusement park in Heilongjiang Province, China. The wolf will be on display to the public. Currently, a beagle and a cloned wolf live together in a Sinogene lab in Xuzhou, eastern China. Read also: Rise of Cloning: Reasons on Why Cloning Is Finally Happening Around the World The wolf will initially live alone because she might not be able to adapt to or interact normally with Arctic wolf packs. According to Gao Wei, the deputy manager of the Beijing Wildlife Park, the technique provides a chance to artificially preserve endangered species. The technique is still in its early stages, according to Sun Quanhui, a scientist with the World Animal Protection organization, and there are still technical and moral concerns that need to be resolved. Even though Maya's birth went smoothly, it wasn't the first attempt. 85 of the 137 embryos that the researchers had created were implanted into seven beagles. Although another cloned Arctic wolf is scheduled to be delivered on September 22, according to Zhao Jianping, the deputy general manager of Sinogene Biotechnology, one of the attempts led to the birth of Maya, Newsweek reports. Related article: Chinese Scientists Use A.I. for First Batch of Cloned Pigs Forecasts show that Hurricane Fiona could become one of the most powerful storms to impact Canada's easternmost. Before Hurricane Fiona moved to Atlantic Canada, it left widespread flooding and heavy rains in Puerto Rico, Dominican Republic, the Caribbean, and Turks to Caicos. According to the Canadian Hurricane Center, Fiona became a post-tropical storm. It added that Fiona made landfall between Canso and Guysborough. The Canadian Hurricane Center said Fiona makes the lowest pressured land-falling storm on record in Canada. AccuWeather reported that Hurricane Fiona, on Category 4 level, regained its strength with up to 13 mph sustained winds on Friday before Fiona weakened to a Category 3 storm. The report added that satellite images revealed (Friday) that Fiona became an enormous storm with hurricane winds. On the other hand, BBC said that the Canadian Hurricane Centre warned that Fiona could be a historic and extreme event. Furthermore, AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Brett Anderso explained that Fiona would likely become the most intense storm because of the central pressure and magnitude of wind gusts. As Fiona moves northward to Atlantic Canada, residents are warned that it could unleash high winds, heavy rains, dangerous seas, and coastal flooding. Also, it can cause to uproot trees and power lines. Affected areas While we wait for the NHC's official call, it looks like #Fiona has recently made landfall between Canso and Guysborough. With an unofficial recorded pressure at Hart Island of 931.6 mb, this makes Fiona the lowest pressured land falling storm on record in Canada. pic.twitter.com/TYo9G05sUz ECCC Canadian Hurricane Centre (@ECCC_CHC) September 24, 2022 Preparation for hurricanes and tropical warnings have been issued for portions of the Atlantic Canada coast. According to reports, Fiona is expected to unleash heavy rains in areas: Eastern Prince Edward Island Eastern Nova Scotia and Quebec Western Newfoundland Southeastern Labrador Gulf of St. Lawrence New Brunswick Despite Fiona's weakening, it could still impact Atlantic Canada. AccuWeather also reported that Fiona would cause widespread power outages because of the high winds and torrential rains in the Gulf of St. Lawrence. In addition, Northern Nova Scotia and southwestern Newfoundland could experience heavy rains of up to 4 - 8 inches. CBC reported that over 500,000 residents suffered from power outages in Nova Scotia because of the storm. On the other hand, reports say Nova Scotia would feel peak wind gust up to 96 to 110 mph and 39 to 73 mph in Maine, Labrador, and Quebec. Also Read: Atlantic Canada Braces for Hurricane Fiona Moreover, the report noted that Fiona could result in the loss of leaves, affecting the fall in October. In a BBC news report, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau encouraged residents to stay safe and listen to the instructions of local authorities. Weather preparations As Fiona is set to unleash damaging winds and flooding in Atlantic Canada areas, preparations for the storms are essential. Check your house and windows for possible damage. Listen to local weather forecasts and authorities' advisories. Keep an emergency bag containing basic food supplies, medicines, and primary documents for possible evacuation. It is advisable to cancel outdoor activities or travel for safety. Fully charge your mobile phones and power bank. Listen to your local authorities for an evacuation near the coast, rivers, or flooding-prone areas. Related Article: Forecasts Say Tropical Threats Seen Brewing in the Caribbean, Gulf of Mexico For more similar, don't forget to follow Nature World News. Scientists have discovered that a significant portion of fish, 75%, intended for human consumption may contain microplastics. One expert stated that whether or not one chooses to consume fish is a "personal choice." Until now, seafood has generally been regarded as a healthy choice but the study raises the question of whether this still holds. Three-quarters of fish caught off the southern New Zealand coast were found to have some microplastic in their tissues, according to a recent study. Microplastics are minute pieces of plastic with a diameter of less than 0.2 inches. Isabella Clere, the lead author of the study said that She sampled fish, and found that 75% of them had consumed microplastic. She collected fish samples over two years in all seasons along the southern Aotearoa coast of New Zealand, from Oamaru all the way to Te Waewae Bay. Clere is also a coastal scientist. She claimed that she discovered a similar ingestion rate in both benthic, or bottom-dwelling fish, and pelagic, or surface-dwelling fish, indicating that plastics are pervasive throughout the water column and an ongoing aspect of the ocean. From Cosmetics and Clothing to Fish Guts Some microplastic particles are designed for use in cosmetics or microfiber clothing, while others are the result of the breaking down of larger parts of plastic. The upper oceans of the world contain between 82,000 and 578,000 tons of microplastic, or approximately 24.4 trillion pieces, according to a 2021 estimate from a study that was recently published. Most marine organisms consume these microplastics, which is how they enter their systems. According to Clere's research from New Zealand, 391 microplastic fragments were found in the 155 fish from 10 different species that were examined. The size of 98% of the microplastic particles was less than 3mm. Bridie Allan, a co-author of the study said in a University of Otago statement, that they examined a variety of pelagic and benthic fish and discovered microplastics in the guts of every species, indicating that these particles are present in all oceanic layers. She added that the majority of the plastic types found in a sample of randomly chosen fish guts were polyethylene, viscose, polypropylene, and plastic additives. The most widely used plastic and the plastic that is most frequently found in the world's oceans are both polyethylenes. This means that the presence of microplastic particles in the southern waters is a persistent phenomenon because the fish were picked up over the course of a year rather than at one particular time point. Read also: Microplastic Pollution: California State Government Adopts Strategy of Microplastic Cleanup Microplastics vs Animal Health Although numerous microplastics have been discovered in fish all over the world, the New Zealand study is the first to document a similar pattern in the Southern Hemisphere. Clere said that global studies on fish microplastics have produced results that are comparable to their study. The majority of studies on marine microplastic pollution have been conducted in the Northern Hemisphere and near oceanic gyres, with little research conducted in the Southern Hemisphere. Large systems of circular ocean currents known as ocean gyres are formed by the Earth's rotational forces and wind patterns. Microplastics bioaccumulate and become more concentrated in the tissues of predators as they move up food chains. According to Scientific American, this could be harmful to the health of the animals because microplastic particles carry pollutants on their surface and can harm organs by rubbing against organ walls and livers. Clere said that generally speaking, there is a higher risk of secondary transfer of plastics with seafood that is consumed wholes, such as anchovies, sardines, and shellfish. She added that a variety of chemicals are also present in plastics, some of which could be consumed by people. However, there hasn't been a lot of research done to date that has examined the dangers connected with the secondhand transfer of chemicals from plastics to humans. Plastic Use and Misuse Clere stressed in an interview the need to be mindful of plastic use, potential misuse, and how that's affecting the environment and adversely harming humans, but in terms of eating it, that's just a matter of personal preference. The human body is also being increasingly found to contain microplastics. Microplastics were first discovered in human blood in a 2022 study. Dick Vethaak, an ecotoxicologist from Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam in the Netherlands, said that it is understandable to be worried. The particles are dispersed throughout the body and are present. In general, babies and young children are more susceptible to chemical and particle exposure, he continued. Vethaak is the author of the blood study, Newsweek reported. Related article: Robotic Fish That Sucks Microplastics from Waters Could Address Earth's Growing Microplastic Pollution The philanthropist and owner of a famous clothing brand was "horrified" by his position as a billionaire and donated his $1.5 billion company in the name of combating climate change. The billionaire owner of Patagonia announced on Wednesday that he is donating the entire business to help stop the destruction of the Earth's climate, setting a new standard for environmental corporate leadership. Yvon Chouinard, the owner of one of the most famous sportswear companies in the world who founded Patagonia out of his passion for rock climbing, is giving away the entire operation to a non-profit trust with a unique structure that will use all of the company's profits to protect the environment. The business declared in a statement that Earth is currently its only shareholder. Indefinitely, all profits will support their effort to "save their home planet." Yvon Chouinard The 83-year-old Chouinard collaborated with teams of business lawyers, his wife, and their two children to design a framework that will enable Patagonia to carry on as a for-profit business, with the proceeds going toward environmental causes. It will take everyone doing what they can with the resources they have if the company is to have any chance of having a thriving planet, let alone a thriving business, in 50 years. The business has discovered yet another way to play its part. The Chouinard family gave a trust that will be in charge of the company's vision and values 2% of all the stock and all the decision-making power. The Holdfast Collective, a non-profit organization, will receive the remaining 2% of the company's stock and use it as quickly as possible to fight the environmental crisis, preserve biodiversity and nature, and support thriving communities. Patagonia The profit Patagonia makes after investing it back into the company will be given to the non-profit each year to aid in the fight against the environmental crisis. The structure, according to the statement, was created to prevent the company from being sold or going public, which could have resulted in a change in the company's values. Chouinard said that instead of "going public," the company is "going purpose." Instead of taking value from nature and resources and turning it into just income for investors, the company will use the income Patagonia generates to protect the source of all fortune. According to Charles Conn, Patagonia's board chair said in an opinion piece published in Fortune magazine on Wednesday, the company's new strategy is intended to demonstrate the fallacy of the old shareholder capitalism axiom that businesses with objectives other than profit will only confuse investors. He wrote that the business is reversing shareholder capitalism by making the Earth its sole shareholder, rather than exploiting natural resources to increase shareholder returns. Chouinard and Patagonia have long been pioneers in employee benefits and environmental activism. The Ventura, California-based business has a reputation for offering its staff a wide range of benefits, such as on-site nurseries as well as afternoons off on days with good surf. One of the famous slogans of Patagonia is the "Don't Buy This Jacket" campaign. The purpose is to promote environmental awareness, asking the shoppers to be conscious of the environmental costs of some products. Read also: Patagonia Admits There's a Problem in Microfibers -- Are Synthethic Clothes the Biggest Unknown Environmental Issue? 1% for the Planet Scheme The business started giving 1% of sales to environmental organizations in the 1980s; the program was formally known as the "1% for the Planet Scheme" in 2001. According to the business, the program has raised $140 million in donations for the protection and restoration of the environment. One of the first businesses to submit for certification as meeting specific social and environmental standards was Patagonia. More recently, the company changed its mission to reflect its commitment to protecting the environment. Chouinard, the notoriously eccentric businessman who built his company making metal climbing pitons and spent many years living out of his van at climbing locations, reportedly felt horrified to be listed as a billionaire. He claimed that the Forbes magazine's listing of him as a billionaire infuriated him because he didn't have $1 billion in the bank and didn't own a Lexus. When it comes to charitable giving, the Chouinard family is at the forefront, as philanthropy and trust experts said to the New York Times. David Callahan, the founder of the website Inside Philanthropy, said that given that the majority of billionaires donate only a small portion of their net worth each year, this family stands out significantly from the norm, The Guardian reported. Related article: Best Social Media Nature-Saving Campaigns Post-Tropical Cyclone Fiona, previously called Hurricane Fiona, caused widespread damage and disruption with heavy rain, flooding, and high winds across the Atlantic Canada coast. The storm struck Eastern Canada when it made landfall in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia in the early hours of Saturday, September 24, causing large waves along the shores of the Eastern Passage municipality. Prior to landfall, meteorologists have reportedly predicted the hurricane's impact could be a historic event for Canada being compared to other storms, including Superstorm Sandy in 2012, which affected 24 states and the Eastern Seaboard. In spite of weakening on Friday, September 23, Fiona was still capable of causing storm surges, torrential rain, and severe wind, which accounts for the massive destruction. Last week, Fiona was responsible for killing 16 people in Puerto Rico and several others in the Caribbean region, including the Dominican Republic and Guadeloupe. The post-tropical cyclone also left thousands of people without electricity or running water. Reports said the death toll could increase as emergency personnel continue to gain access to hard-hit areas ravaged by Fiona when it came on September 18. After a relatively quiet August amid the Atlantic hurricane season, Fiona is only one of unnamed storms and hurricanes that formed in the region between the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean. These systems passed through the region and did not make any landfall in the United States Atlantic coast. However, the intensity of hurricane-force winds has caused storm surges affecting coastlines. Path of Destruction Multiple sources showed that Fiona downed trees on Saturday, including in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Residents of Shediac, New Brunswick, also suffered from floodwaters after Fiona passed the region. A sailboat also washed ashore due to the powerful winds and storm surges. Local authorities in the city of Bathurst issued a warning to residents due to hazardous conditions like coastal flooding or coastal erosion from storm surges in the area. In Shediac, damaged roads became inaccessible and some routes were temporarily closed. On Friday, Chris Fogarty, the manager for the Canadian hurricane Centre, stated that Fiona's arrival could be a landmark event for Canada when it comes to the intensity of a tropical cyclone. Fogarty added that it could also become Canada's version of Superstorm Sandy, as cited by CNN. Sandy, categorized as a Category 3 Hurricane, caused an estimated damage of $78.8 billion and approximately 233 fatalities. Also Read: Atlantic Canada Braces for Hurricane Fiona Power Outages Post-Tropical Storm Fiona caused large-scale power outages, affecting not only residential and commercial establishments but also traffic lights. In New Brunswick, its Emergency Measures Organization (EMO) has urged the public to avoid traveling to storm-damaged areas. This comes after Fiona lashed out over Atlantic Canada and eastern Quebec, leaving hundreds of thousands of households without running electricity, according to the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC). Post-Tropical Cyclone Fiona According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Post-Tropical Cyclone Fiona can still bring "tropical-storm-force winds" as it navigated northward over Atlantic Canada. Its expected exit in the country could occur between at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, September 25, and 8:00 a.m. local time on Monday, September 26. Related Article: Hurricane Fiona Will Make a Direct Impact in Eastern Canada Three baby chimpanzees have been kidnapped from an animal sanctuary in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), according to circulating media reports on Saturday, September 23. The animal enclosure is facing demands for ransom money. The abductors reportedly want an "unspecified six-figure ransom" during a proof-of-life video, which is only one of the many messages sent by a kidnapping gang. The three baby chimps, aged between two and five, were snatched from their enclosure at the middle of the night from the JACK Primate Rehabilitation Center in the city of Lubumbashi, located in southern DRC earlier in September. Since then, the gang responsible for the abduction sent multiple messages, including videos, threatening to kill the primates if their ransom money demand is not met by authorities. Sanctuary officials have expressed their concern and determination to save the baby apes from the kidnappers. While seem to be an isolated case, animal kidnapping and wildlife trafficking do occur in the DRC and other countries in Africa as a transit hub to the rest of the world. Regardless, the chimpanzee ransom for money scheme is being considered by officials to be the first of its kind in DRC and worldwide. Kidnapped Chimpanzees The sanctuary is called also Young Animal Confiscated in Katanga, where JACK is the abbreviation in French, and is founded and owned by Franck Chantereau. In spite of the animal welfare advocacy of the sanctuary, it is located between the DRC and Zambia border, a key route from Congo to South Africa used by smugglers to traffic apes in the region and to the rest of the world. It was around 3:00 a.m. local time on September 9 in DRC when the kidnappers broke in the sanctuary, taking away three out of the five baby chimps named Cesar, Hussein, and Monga who were originally rescued so far this year. An hour after the break-in, Chantereau's wife received three messages and a video showing the abducted chimps from the kidnappers. The sanctuary head said the perpetrators informed them that they are planning to kidnap their children who were supposed to take a vacation at their residence. However, the children did not arrive, so it prompted the kidnappers to take the three baby apes, demanding a large amount of ransom from the family, as cited by CNN. Also Read: Activists Rescue Scared Dog From Meat Shop in China Ahead of the Yulin Festival Chimpanzee Kidnap for Ransom Videos have circulated on social media showed the situation of Monga, whose arms were tied above her head in a room. Meanwhile, the two other young chimpanzees Hussein and Cesar were seen fleeing away from their captors, according to Al Arabiya news. In the Twitter page of JACK Primate Rehabilitation Center, the footage posted on September 21 showed the ordeal being faced by the baby primates. The video below was reportedly taken by the kidnappers. KIDNAPPING CHIMP/JOUR 12 -" #Menaces sur la vie de ma femme.Enlevement planifie de mes enfants et demande de #rancon consequente... Les #ravisseurs des #chimpanzes n'ont pas de limites.Voici une video recue des 3 bebes pour vous montrer notre #cauchemar (Franck, Fondateur JACK) pic.twitter.com/JlAlI93DHn J.A.C.K. - Jeunes Animaux Confisques au Katanga (@JackChimps) September 20, 2022 It has been two weeks already since Chantereau received proof-of-life evidence from the kidnappers. Despite the risks, the sanctuary owner said he will not yield to the demands of the abductors since it will create a potential precedent for kidnap for ransom, even for monkeys and other animals, CNN reported. Related Article: Wild Sea Lion Pup Kidnapped from LA Shores Our County Editor Dave Hinton is editor of The News-Gazette's Our County section and former editor of the Rantoul Press. He can be reached at dhinton@news-gazette.com. Multimedia Specialist Anthony Zilis is a multimedia specialist at The News-Gazette. His email is azilis@news-gazette.com, and you can follow him on Twitter (@adzilis). One of Editor & Publishers 10 That Do It Right 2021 Since the late 1970s, the University of Alaska Fairbanks Geophysical Institute has provided this column free in cooperation with the UAF research community. Ned Rozell ned.rozell@alaska.edu is a science writer for the Geophysical Institute. New York, US (PANA) - The Authorities in Mali are moving along the path to political transition and institutional reform while combating terrorism and other insecurity, Acting Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga said in his speech to the UN General Assembly on Saturday Fairbanks, AK (99707) Today Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 34F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%.. Tonight Cloudy skies with a few showers after midnight. Low 34F. Winds light and variable. Chance of rain 30%. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com A team of surgeons from the Ear, Nose, Throat and Anaesthesia Department at the Salmaniya Medical Complex saved the life of a Bahraini man in his sixties suffering from a cancerous tumour in his larynx through a complex surgery. The tumour created a life-threatening condition for the patient, who developed an obstruction in his airway producing difficulty in swallowing. Dr Dina Shabib, a consultant laryngeal and vocal cord specialist, and Dr Melda Khalil, an anaesthesiologist consultant, led the surgery. The medical team included Dr Amr Bahr, Dr Rehab Gharib from the Anaesthesia Department, Dr Talal Hassan, Dr Muhammad Siyadi, and Dr Esraa Qaidi. The patient developed severe swelling leading to a complete closure of his airway, requiring urgent surgical intervention, doctors said. Dr Dina Shabib, a senior consultant in the field of breathing and throat at the ENT department at SMC, said that conducting such operations reflects the outstanding capabilities and skills of the medical staff at SMC. Dr Melda Khalil, a Senior Consultant in the Department of Anaesthesia and Pain Care, praised the outstanding performance of SMC staff. Dr Talal Hassan explained the multiple symptoms that may appear in patients with this type of cancer, which are a change in the voice, the appearance of a lump in the neck, a feeling of pain in the throat, suffering from breathing problems, difficulty in swallowing, and unexplained weight loss. Dr Talal added that the genetic mutation in throat cells is one of the most important causes of throat cancer, where smoking is the root cause of these mutations. Other factors include alcohol consumption and problems in the immune system. TDT | Manama The Daily Tribune www.newsofbahrain.com Staff Reporter GCC countries including Bahrain will have 200 unusually hot days in the coming years, according to a study conducted by a leading science research institute. According to a report by Germanys Max Planck Institute, temperatures in the Mena region could increase as high as 4 degree Celsius in the coming years. Extensive research into the matter predicts that conditions in the Gulf region, including low elevations, very high humidity and temperature and intense sun, will make the region a specific regional hotspot where climate change, in the absence of significant mitigation, is likely to severely impact human habitability in the future. According to the International Labour Organisation (ILO), increases in heat stress resulting from global warming are projected to lead to global productivity losses equivalent to 80 million full-time jobs in the year 2030. In the Arab states, the construction sector will be hit most, with heat stress in this sector expected to account for 40 per cent of the total loss of working hours in 2030. In the Gulf states, where the construction sector accounts for 23pc of employmenthigh temperatures and humidity, alongside outdoor work, can exacerbate heat-related risks for these workers, the ILO observed. The Ministry of Transportation and Telecommunications Meteorological Directorate last week reported in their monthly weather summary that the month of August 2022 was warmer than normal in temperatures with below average wind speed. The mean temperature of the month was 36.3C which is 1.2C above the long-term normal for August and this goes on record as the fifth highest mean temperature for August since 1902. The highest mean monthly temperature for August was 36.8C recorded in 2021. The mean maximum temperature of the month was 40.5C which is 0.9C below the long-term normal and this goes on record as the eighth highest mean maximum temperature for August since 1946. The highest mean monthly maximum temperature for August was 41.8C recorded in 2021. During the month, Bahrain had 18 days with a maximum temperature exceeding 40C. The highest temperature recorded during the month was 43.7C which occurred on the 15th of August at Bahrain International Airport. The highest temperature recorded for August at Bahrain International Airport was 45.7C which occurred on 9th August 1993. The Daily Tribune earlier reported on the plight of different categories of workers including small-scale restaurant cooks, food delivery workers and others who were struggling from heat stress during the rising summer temperature. The report quoted construction and outdoor workers, who were pleading to the Labour and Social Development Ministry to extend the outdoor work ban to September as well amidst the mercury levels continuing to remain high in the Kingdom. The highest temperature recorded yesterday was 41 degree Celsius. The plea came as the outdoor work ban strictly implemented by the ministry, starting July 1 ended yesterday. The ban aimed to protect outdoor labourers from heat stress. Other countries in the region including the UAE generally offer midday breaks for outdoor workers from June 15 to September 15. During the months of July and August this year, the ministry directed all employers to strictly follow the outdoor work ban in line with the Kingdoms keenness to protect workers from occupational health issues and injuries, especially during the summer period, which witnesses a rise in temperature and an increase in humidity. The Labour Ministry has always implemented initiatives that affirm the Kingdoms position as a leader in ensuring a secure and safe work environment for workers. By Captain Mahmood Al Mahmood The world bowed its head in respect as the longest-reigning monarch, Queen Elizabeth II breathed her last in England. Her heir, King Charles III has taken over as Britains King in fact, he has been standing in for his 96-year old mother for quite sometime now, as the aged Queen slowly but surely handed over the reins of her role while still staying true to her duties. There is, of course, a lot of mixed reports from around the world as Britain prepares to anoint its next monarch. The world which Queen Elizabeth took charge of her role in was already a vastly different one from that of her father and ancestors. During her time, many former colonies went through the birth pangs of new independence and nationalism and Britain was called upon to gracefully support former colonies and adjust to a different political climate of equality. For us in Bahrain, Britain has always been a great friend. The Kingdom was a protectorate of the British at a time when India was the crown jewel of the empire and this nurtured a strong relationship for Bahrain with India too, as services and facilities automatically gravitated from British India. The very first scientific geological survey of Bahrains territories was carried out by the Geological Survey of India and later, this study helped greatly to strike oil as well as discover freshwater sources. Her Majesty has visited Bahrain and our leaders have trained at famed institutions such as Sandhurst, bringing the British sense of discipline to bear on their duties. The late Emir Shaikh Isa bin Salman Al Khalifa and His Majesty King Hamad have enjoyed warm and respected relations with the British Royal Family. They shared an abiding love of top-breed horses and all things equestrian. Modern Britain and Bahrain still have plenty of areas of common interest in sports, in education and in balancing political responsibilities on the world stage. The late Queen has left us all a legacy of goodwill and it will be nurtured and built upon by His Majesty and HRH the Crown Prince and PM. It may be a different world but when it comes to building world peace and development, the strength of every leader means a lot. By Captain Mahmood Al Mahmood With the launch of the iPhone14, Bahrain entered the sci-fi world of drones in a unique way. Batelco, in collaboration with the Bahrain International Circuit (BIC) delivered the first iPhone14 in the Kingdom at a midnight launch by drone. Given the traffic on Bahrains streets especially on weekends, does this mean we can look forward to commercial use of drones to beat the crush of vehicles on our streets? Of course, this may quickly lead to hazardous air traffic conditions, so we have to be careful what we wish for. The iP - hone14 has already generated interesting news related to customer interest, with one young man spending hundreds to fly from Kerala to Dubai to be the first by a few hours to get his hands on an iPhone14. He made sure the news went viral on social media but I wonder if he is ready with answers to questions that Iam sure the customs officers will have for him when he returns! Are we in Bahrain thinking clearly about the implications of commercial drone delivery? In the USA, where Amazon, Walmart and other giant corporations have petitioned to launch drone delivery services, there is an argument brewing that they are snatching up private airspace rights and paying the State nothing in return. What this means to the ordinary citizen is that companies will seek federal authority to route low-flying drones directly over their home or school playgrounds and there will be no right to object. Commercial delivery drones fly within a few hundred feet of the ground through space that landowners have historically controlled. Like the internet and social media, drones too are an inevitable sign of progress I guess but we must start now to draft laws and rules that will keep citizen safety and rights in view when large-scale use of drones are used. Otherwise can you imagine the potential for damage when two drones carrying fragile loads collide over a crowded school yard or busy street? We are at the start of an adventure. Let us get the rules right. A Japanese art and manga website that was cloned by Chinese pirates has hit back by encoding forbidden keywords and hashtags banned by Chinese censors into its code, prompting the authorities to shut the pirated version down. Pixiv, which describes itself as "an online community for artists," is headquartered in Tokyo, and offers a showcase for artists' works, as well as a rating system with feedback and user comments. It has been phenomenally successful, garnering more than 3.7 billion page views a month. Then, the entire site was cloned by Chinese pirates, who copied the site's content almost verbatim, translating tags and titles into simplified Chinese, and offering the pirated site vpixiv to users in mainland China. Pixiv fought back, however, with some of the site's users adding "sensitive" keywords to their artworks, including "Tiananmen massacre," which alerted the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s massive, government-backed censorship system. Other sensitive and forbidden keywords included "Free Hong Kong," "Independence for Taiwan," and "June 4, Tiananmen Square," all of which are heavily censored terms behind China's Great Firewall. ...continue reading TOKYO, Sep 26 ( NHK ) - Tokyo police have tightened security as many foreign dignitaries are arriving in Japan to attend the state funeral of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo on Tuesday. Roughly 20,000 police officers will be deployed to ramp up security for the funeral at Nippon Budokan in central Tokyo. About 4,300 people are expected to attend the ceremony. Some 700 of them will be government officials and other dignitaries from overseas and ambassadors based in Tokyo. Japanese Prime Minister Kishida Fumio is scheduled to hold separate meetings with more than 30 foreign dignitaries from Monday through Wednesday. ...continue reading Log on if you are already subscribed or Subscribe... The 20 different offices and branches of the historic Turin-based leading geoengineering company specializing in the design of underground works and in the hydroelectric sector will become part of Pini Group. Through this transaction, Pini Group accelerates its growth path by reinforcing its international presence as a reference company in design, construction management and consulting services for underground works. LUGANO, Switzerland, Sept. 22, 2022 /CNW/ -- With over 70 years of experience in the local and international market, the Swiss-born engineering company Pini Group has now acquired Geodata - a geoengineering company founded in Turin in 1984 and active in 20 countries, with subsidiaries in Italy, Algeria, Argentina, Australia, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Ecuador, Greece, India, Malaysia, Nepal, Portugal, Peru, and Turkey, which is mainly involved in underground and hydro-related works design. Geodata's insignia will soon give way to Pini Group's. With this strategic acquisition, Pini Group wants to benefit from the know-how of a company that in these 38 years of activity has planned and supervised the construction of more than 4,000 km of tunnels and more than 3,500 projects worldwide relating to subways, traditional and high-speed railways, roads and motorways, dams and hydroelectric plants, as well as geology and environment. "We recognize in Geodata an excellent player in the world of underground engineering and hydropower. Our intention is to enhance all the assets that have allowed this company to write the history of engineering: from its workers to its network of suppliers and its international partners. This acquisition is based on common values that characterize the two companies. Both Geodata and Pini started out as family businesses, which through hard work, dynamism and the pursuit of excellence have become global players in the engineering sector. Furthermore, the acquisition of Geodata allows Pini to access the renewable energy sector, with a particular focus on the hydroelectricity. In the fragile and transitional moment we are currently facing, we can make the experience and knowledge of a dynamic, international and innovative group available to the sector. We will join forces to build the future of engineering together." Andrea Galli, CEO of Pini Group Among the projects that have made Geodata an excellence in the world of underground engineering over the years it is worth mentioning the recent design of the 6 metro lines in the city of Istanbul, still under construction, the extension of the Sao Paulo metro line 5 in Brazil and the Maldonado River underground tunnel in Buenos Aires. The acquisition will give a strong acceleration to the development plans of Pini Group, which thus exceeds 700 employees, and strengthens its position as a leading company in design, construction management and consulting services. Pini Group Pini Group, a company founded in Switzerland and with more than 70 years of experience in the local and international market, currently operates in Italy, Austria, France, Portugal, Norway, Israel, Australia, Brazil, and the United States with approximately 500 employees engaged in design, construction management and consulting services. "Pini Smart Engineering" summarizes the peculiarities of our business. Speed of action, pragmatism, efficiency and a touch of elegance are the key aspects of our strategy. Faced with a fast-changing world and an increasing number of challenges, we are committed to developing sustainable solutions for a future society. Photo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1902440/PG_Geodata_Panel.jpg Logo: https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1902439/PINI_Group_Logo.jpg Contact: Luca Cereghetti, [email protected], 0041 78 715 26 28 SOURCE Pini Group Punjabi Singer Alfaaz Out Of Danger; Rapper... Alfaaz was admitted to a hospital after he was hit by a f... 3 October, 2022 Read more A member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Tomide Akinribido has charged Christians to protect Vice President Osinbajo for refusing to ... A member of the Ondo State House of Assembly, Tomide Akinribido has charged Christians to protect Vice President Osinbajo for refusing to be part of Bola Tinubus campaign council. The name of the VP was missing from the list of the Presidential Campaign Council (PCC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC). The PCC said President Muhammadu Buhari directed that Osinbajo and Federal Governments Secretary, Boss Mustapha, be left out. The spokesman, Festus Keyamo explained that this was to ensure they were not distracted from governance. In his posts on Twitter, Akinribido suggested that the ruling APC was engaging in a cover-up of the true situation because of the backlash over its same faith ticket. The Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftain said it was amazing that the two top government officials Buhari excused are Christians. Is it a coincidence that the top two Christians in the government and party hierarchy, Vice-President and SGF, are excluded from the campaign council of a rejected Muslim-Muslim ticket? The Christian community must stand in solidarity with Osinbajo and reject the disastrous APC Muslim-Muslim ticket. It takes enormous courage for him to decline participation in the Tinubu campaign council, he must be protected at all cost. VP Osinbajo was approached to play a prominent role in the APC campaign team, especially among the Christian community. He declined and stated that he cannot do such in good conscience. Whether Laolu Akande debunks this does not matter. Prof himself knows this is the truth, Akinribido wrote. Prosper Chijioke, a dismissed personnel of the Department of State Services, DSS, who was arrested in connection with the July 26 Bullion ... Prosper Chijioke, a dismissed personnel of the Department of State Services, DSS, who was arrested in connection with the July 26 Bullion van robbery at the Ntigha junction of the Enugu-Port Harcourt Expressway way, is begging for forgiveness. Chijioke who was paraded at the Abia State Police Headquarters, Bende Road Umuahia, along with other members of the 14-man robbery gang, claimed that it was his first time to be involved in criminality. The Ugwuagbo Local Government Area, Abia State-born ex-DSS personnel, said he was dismissed from the service in 2007. On what led to his dismissal, he said he reported late to his new place of deployment after serving at the Government House. When I finished serving at the Abia State Government House, I came back but was summarily dismissed because I reported late to the new place I was posted. Asked how he was involved in criminality, he said his younger brother brought some of his gang members into his house and gave him part of their loot. My younger brother brought his members to my house and they shared money and gave me part of it. Asked why he received the share knowing source of the loot and the implications, he apologized and begged for forgiveness. He said it was the first time he would be involved in crime and vowed never to continue with such life. I asked my brother and he told me how they got it. I want to plead with society to forgive me. Some of us did not intentionally choose to go into crime. It has happened but we want to be forgiven. Yes my participation is obvious because I will not say I did not participate since I did not rebuke my brother from sharing money. This is my first time.. The gang allegedly made away with N30 million from the bullion van belonging to a new generation bank but police presented N10 million recovered from them. A large cache of weapons including General Purpose Machine Gun, GPMG, and seven AK-47, and several rounds of lives ammunition were equally recovered from them. One of them was shot dead in a gun duel with security operatives during the robbery which also claimed the live of the cash officer of the bank escorting the bullion van while three police personnel were severally wounded. Some youths in llorin on Saturday embarked on a rally supporting the Peter Obi/Ahmed Datti presidential ambition, after an initial hiccup ... Some youths in llorin on Saturday embarked on a rally supporting the Peter Obi/Ahmed Datti presidential ambition, after an initial hiccup with security operatives. Recall that the group, made up mainly of youths, trooped out enmass wuth branded T-shirts and posters of the Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Peter Obi, gathered at the Stella Obasanjo Hall, along Ajase-Ipo road in Ilorin.Some security agents, including officers of the Police, were also noticed in the area in large number engaging the organisers of the rally and some participants.After a long discussion, the youths were later allowed to march towards Offa-Garage roundabout area. Speaking with newsmen, Mr Aloysius Nwora, the Kwara Coordinator of the Coalition of Obi Support Groups, said the rally was in solidarity with the political aspiration of Peter Obi, a former governor of Anambra.We are having a health walk in solidarity for our principals, Peter Obi and Ahmed Datti. The essence of this rally is to counter what is happening in social media or media generally that Obi has no structure.We want to clear those saying such that Obi has a structure and we are the structure. They said Labour Party has no structure; we agree with them because we are not politicians, but individuals with a passion to make a change in the country through ballot revolution.On the chances of Obi/Datti in the 2023 General Elections, the coordinator said: I am not a member of Labour Party and I cant speak for them, but I can speak for the movement.This movement has covered the whole 16 local government areas in Kwara state alone and same in other states in Nigeria.Masses and youths, in particular, are our real structure and you can see it with the level of turnout today, he said.On the altercation with the security operatives, he explained that the group sought approval from the police to avert possible hijack of the peaceful rally.Just as we all know the country has been hijacked, we fully wrote to the security agencies to inform them about this rally, but unfortunately early this morning we got information that we should not hold the rally .We insisted that this is a peaceful rally, not a political campaign and here we are, although, this can serve as a discouragement to some people that have not come here this morning.But, I believe they would soon be joining us as we are marching on. We have put in every arrangement for this rally and regret the little delay that occurred, he said.Also speaking, Mr Omoniyi Idowu, the state Coordinator for Peter Obi Youth Vanguard and Secretary for the Coalition of Peter Obi in Kwara, said we are only here for solidarity rally because as our slogan, we are Obidiently useful.We are not here to disturb the peace of the people in the state. The presence of police officers in numbers is just to intimidate us because I was one of the persons that signed the letter submitted to the security agencies to intimate them about this rally today.I along with others were with police on Sept. 21 for interrogation, although police boss told us that Kwara state is not ready for campaign but we told them that what we are doing is not a campaign but solidarity rally for a man we believe in.Police boss kept saying Kwara is not ready for campaign and we kept telling him that it is rally not campaign. You can see from what is written on my T-shirt, Support Peter Obi/Ahmed Datti, it is not vote for Peter Obi/Ahmed Datti.So there is no basis for the police officers to be blocking us not to hold support rally for our man, he said.Reacting to the development, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Okasanmi Ajayi said we saw them gathered, they claimed they want to march for Peter Obi of Labour Party.Like we all know that its not yet time for campaign and we have report that the time is not ripe for this type of rally in Kwara. That is why the Commissioner of Police, CP Paul Odama, called their leaders and addressed them but they had already gathered and nothing we can do at this stage again than to guide them and ensure that there is no breakdown of law and order.That is why you see a lot of policemen here. I can tell you that so far, they have done their talks and they have been asked to go, because its not yet a time for campaign.They also said it is not a campaign but solidarity rally, that is why we are preventing them from moving beyond this area.Although its their right to move but what we are saying is that the security report does not permit such movement to certain areas because we have other groups doing other things along the area they intend to march to, like Post Office and Taiwo.It could lead to commotion and we dont want to give chance to anything that would lead to breakdown of law and order, said the PPRO. The Osun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the Nigerian judiciary for rejecting the relocation petition of the All Progressives C... The Osun Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) has commended the Nigerian judiciary for rejecting the relocation petition of the All Progressives Congress (APC) with regard to the Osun Election Petition Tribunal. The Osun APC had petitioned the Court of Appeal for the election petition tribunal to be relocated out of the state on the basis that the state was not secured. This is as the party stated that there were no justifiable reasons for such a request and that it was elated that the judicial leadership saw through the plot and adopted the position of security agencies that Osun is secured enough to host the sitting of the Tribunal. In a press statement signed by Adekunle Akindele, the Osun State Caretaker Chairman, and obtained by newsmen on Sunday, the party, which maintained that Osun was not only a peaceful state, added that the state government mostly engineered the few cases of insecurity in its despairing agenda to scuttle peoples will. It also hinted that it was aware of a series of prejudicial media publications from the state governor, Adegboyega Oyetola, and the All Progressive Congress (APC) over the petition challenging the election of Senator Ademola Adeleke as the Governor of Osun State. The party also stated that it had noticed with disappointment that the intensity of the sponsored, subjudice media trial increased soon after the rejection by the President, Court of Appeal of Oyetolas request to relocate the Tribunal sitting from Osogbo to Abuja. While explaining that the objection of the party to the relocation request by the APC was premised on the critical need to protect the integrity and safety of BVAS machines and other materials used during the elections, Osun PDP added keeping them safe here in Osun rather than exposing them to tampering and hacking on transit, is our official position. It also explained that the machines are central to the determination of the petition. According to the statement, Our attention has been drawn to a series of prejudicial media publications from Mr Gboyega Oyetola and the All Progressive Congress (APC) over the petition challenging the election of Senator Ademola Adeleke as the Governor of Osun State. We notice with disappointment that the intensity of the sponsored, subjudice media trial increased soon after the rejection by the President, Court of Appeal of Oyetolas request to relocate the Tribunal sitting from Osogbo to Abuja. We first of all commend the judiciary for rejecting the relocation petition as there was no justifiable reasons for such request. Osun is not only peaceful but the few cases of insecurity were mostly engineered by the state government in its despairing agenda to scuttle peoples will. We are therefore elated that the judicial leadership saw through the plot and adopted the position of security agencies that Osun is secured enough to host the sitting of the Tribunal. We must hasten to add that our objection to the relocation request was premised on the critical need to protect the integrity and safety of BVAS machines and other materials used during the elections. As the machines are likely to be central to the determination of the petition, keeping them safe here in Osun rather than exposing them to tampering and hacking on transit, is our official position. It was reported on Friday that the Appeal Court in Abuja had rejected Governor Gboyega Oyetolas request to relocate the sitting of the Tribunal to Abuja. The Chief Registrar Court of Appeal, Bangari Umar, in a letter titled: RE: PETITION NO, EPT/OS/GOV/01/2022, ADEGBOYEGA ISIAKA OYETOLA & ANOR V. INDEPENDENT NATIONAL ELECTORAL COMMISSION & 2 ORS on Friday rejected the proposal of Oyetola, the All Progressives Congresss candidate in the July 16 governorship election. According to the note, Oyetola, on August 23, wrote to the President of the Court, Justice M.B Dongban Mensem of Appeal, on the subject matter. The Court of Appeal noted that after due consultation on and consideration of Oyetolas request, the President of the Court was unable to accede to the proposal as the Security Agencies in the State have assured the Court of their co-operation and support in enhancing the security of the Tribunal and its sittings. If you were looking for the Charlestown Democratic Town Committee website and ended up here, try this Got news tips, gossip, suggestions, complaints?E-mail us: progressivecharlestown@gmail.com We strive to avoid errors in our articles. Our correction policy can be found here The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi on Saturday said the 2023 general election is an opportunity for Nigeria... The Presidential Candidate of the Labour Party, LP, Mr. Peter Obi on Saturday said the 2023 general election is an opportunity for Nigerians, the youths, especially, to take back their country. He made the remarks while delivering an speech at the Success Conference 2022, taking place today, Saturday, 23rd September, 2022 at the Citi-Hub, Km 50, Abakaliki, Ebonyi State. The speech in full: It gives me great pleasure and honour to join you all and to extend a warm welcome to everyone attending this crucial conference. This conference is both timely and highly topical as it brings together our vibrant youths to reminisce on their roles, as key agents of change, in advancing national development. I want to express my sincere gratitude to the conferences organizers for the excellent job they are doing to encourage and uplift our young people to realize their potential as leaders in the development of our beloved nation. It is imperative that, as this conference draws closer to the most critical period ahead of the 2023 elections, all young people of voting age obtain their PVCs and make sure they cast their ballots for qualified, competent, and trustworthy candidates at the local/state and national levels. Governments at all levels have a responsibility to provide an environment that allows people to achieve their life goals, including those related to infrastructure, health, education, and security of life and property. Good leaders bring about the good life; terrible leaders bring about destruction. Without a doubt, the new administration taking office in 2023 will face a plethora of domestic and external challenges provoked by cumulative leadership failures over the years. These challenges have threatened our national unity, social cohesion, and citizens trust in the government and impeded our economic outcomes. Our country is currently one of the most miserable in terms of poverty rate, number of out-of-school children, infant and under-5 mortality rate, life expectancy, and a host of others. All these problems, though difficult, are not unsolvable. Permit me to say that Nigeria is not bereft of good ideas and plans that will move the country forward. However, the institutional weaknesses and lack of political will to implement them are undermining our development efforts. With the right leadership with political will and commitment to addressing these problems, a new Nigeria, where everybody including the most vulnerable and excluded group like youths, women, and children will become the key stakeholders in the decision-making process, is possible. I, therefore, reiterate my commitment to a purposeful leadership that draws its strength from all Nigerians, particularly the youths, in policy formulation and administration. The overall task of our leadership in 2023 is to streamline governance and ensure that it is responsive, transformative, and effective. We will demonstrate that good governance is all about providing the needed services to the people. If elected the next president of Nigeria, youths would be the main proponents of my main agenda to transform Nigeria from a consuming nation to a producing nation. The two main components of this agenda are human capital development and finance. Incidentally, the central goal of todays conference is to improve the quality of human capital. Thus, under my leadership, the Federal Government will prioritise the ability of our educational system to produce the necessary skilled labour force that coincides with the 21st-century labour market demand, alongside providing entrepreneurial education at all levels. In addition, given the role of health in reinforcing education in the measure of productivity, my leadership will pay serious attention to the health system by ensuring that at least 100 million poor Nigerians have access to free medical services through an integrated health insurance scheme. With respect to finance, the lack of government-backed sizeable venture capital funds is a significant adverse factor in the finance mix for SMEs and young entrepreneurs at the grassroots level. If elected, we intend to create a professionally managed SME Equity Fund within the first year of office with the goal of promoting the development of at least one value-added industry that will utilize the local raw material supply, be it agricultural or mineral, in every local government in Nigeria. our collaboration with global organizations like UNIDO and Afrexim Bank will ensure that the goods from these local enterprises will be of export grade. In conclusion, I wish to appeal to all Nigerians, especially the youths, to see the 2023 election as an opportunity to take back their country and more importantly shun every form of primordial sentiments. The 2023 election should be based on competence, capacity and commitment to doing the right thing and not on ethnicity/tribe and religion since the high cost of living, insecurity and other problems that are facing us have no discrimination against ethnicity/tribe and religion. Finally, I wish to thank the organisers once again for inviting me The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the death of 21-year-old Micheal Arigbabuwo who lost his life at a birthday party after alleged... The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the death of 21-year-old Micheal Arigbabuwo who lost his life at a birthday party after allegedly mixing two hard drugs for maximum effect. SP Benjamin Hundeyin, the Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Lagos State, disclosed this in a series of tweets on his verified Twitter handle. Hundeyin who confirmed the arrest of three of the victims friends said the incident happened on Friday in the Ikorodu area of Lagos State. He said information received by the police in Ikorodu revealed that at about 7.30pm on Friday, a distress call came that some group of Yahoo Yahoo boys brought a corpse to Igbogbo area of Ikorodu. Based on the information, teams of detectives visited and photographed the scene. Three young men of ages 23 and 24 were arrested. The suspects claimed that the deceased allegedly smoked loud and drank codeine at a birthday party of one of their friends held at Igbogbo area of Ikorodu. The suspects further claimed that the deceased began gasping for breath. He was rushed to the hospital but died, he said. Hundeyin added that the corpse was evacuated and deposited at the General Hospital, Ikorodu, for autopsy. He, therefore, warned youths against drug abuse, stressing that drugs will end their lives in disaster. Thank you for using NNY360! Please log in, or sign up for a new account and purchase a subscription to continue reading. Locally reported news and sports Stay Current with What's Happening Get the most of NNY360, register today! By providing your email address, you consent to receive emails and special offers from NNY360.com WHERE TO STAY Thanks to German traditions, guesthouses outnumber hotel rooms in Fredericksburg. The Gathering, a collection of six stand-alone rentals with private hot tubs and Texas chic interiors, welcomes guests about a mile off of Main Street. In the heart of downtown, the Winchester Lodge offers rustic rooms, outdoor amenities like a pool and fireplace as well as delectable breakfast baskets delivered to your door each morning. +13 With Texas wine country's October celebrations, a relaxed way to discover Lone Star vintages As the sun sets over manicured rows of lush grapevines, a guitarist tunes his instrument on an outdoor stage. Small groups tucked away under s Or truly get away from it all without sacrificing an ounce of luxury and check into the recently expanded Walden Retreats just outside Johnson City. Deluxe safari tents come with primo bedding, claw-foot tubs and dreamy views of the Pedernales River valley. TEXAS TERROIR Chardonnays and pinot noirs generally dont grow well in Texas. Instead, vintners there are introducing some unique new varietals into the regional wine lexicon. Get to know whats growing before you go. Picpoul Blanc: Picpoul means lip stinger en francais, so expect bright acidity from this white wine grape. Tannat: A French native made famous in Uruguay, find this tannin bomb in Texas reds and roses. Malvasia Bianca: Among the worlds most ancient varietals and yet still somehow a mystery, this white wine grape generally manifests crisp, fruity flavors. Counoise: This peppery and bright red makes for a light-bodied single varietal. Alicante Bouschet: For a hint as to this red wine grapes nature, look to its Portuguese nickname: Writers ink. New hire at Our Lady of the Lake Children's Health Covington clinic, Foundation for Louisiana names new CEO Of Jefferson Parish's almost 48,000 public school students, more than 16,000 are Hispanic. Friday night, the School Board appointed its first Latina, Diane Schnell, to fill the seat vacated by Larry Dale. One of nine applicants for the position, Schnell was appointed by a 7-1 vote after board members nominated three other applicants who failed to get the requisite five votes. Board President Clay Moise was the lone vote against Schnell. "It was a dream come true," Schnell said of her appointment. "I now have a chance to help a community." Earlier, Schnell and the other applicants briefly addressed the board and took questions, in a rare Friday night special session called to fill the 6th District seat. The meeting was necessitated by the resignation of Rafael Rafidi, whom the board had appointed Jan. 5 to fill the remainder of Dale's term. The next day, The Times-Picayune reported that Rafidi, in social media posts, had called elected officials vulgar names and blamed teachers for the "fall of our young people in our country." The School Board asked him to resign, which he did on Jan. 10. +5 After profane, polarizing social media posts emerge, Jefferson Parish School Board member resigns Rafael Rafidi, the Metairie businessman who was appointed last week to fill an interim Jefferson Parish School Board seat before a raft of oft After the candidates spoke, the board nominated three other candidates. But none was able to garner the support of enough of the board's eight members to get the appointment. "I feel like this is a God-given gift," Schnell said Saturday. Schnell grew up in Jefferson Parish, attended Grace King and Bonnabel high schools and graduated from Ridgewood Preparatory, a private school, in 1989. She has a daughter at Kenner Discovery Health Sciences Academy, and two of her adult children attended Chateau Estates Elementary when they were younger, she said. A 51-year old Republican of Honduran descent, she is fluent in both English and Spanish, something she sees as an asset to the entire board. She works for Telemundo as a marketing consultant. "I thought it was a good opportunity for the board [to] represent the second-largest student population," she said. About a third of the student population is Black, and less than a quarter is White, according to state records. Jefferson Parish is the state's most diverse public school system, with more than 40 native languages spoken among its students, something that has at times proved a challenge. +2 Nine throw hats in the ring for Jefferson School Board seat vacated after social media flap Three educators are among the nine people who submitted applications to be appointed by the Jefferson School Board to fill its vacant District Schnell said she plans to run for the 6th District seat in October, when it comes up as part of the regular School Board elections. "It was already a thought," she said. Dale and then Rafidi's resignations were an opportunity she could not pass up. "I immediately applied," she said. Quin Hillyer: Keep the faith -- NOLA has begun to fight back against crime A Place for All Conservatives to Speak Their Mind. BYD will debut the Tang, Han and Atto 3 in Europe at its Product Premiere on September 28. The company has already confirmed that the next car to launch on the continent will be the Atto 3, also named the Yuan Plus, arriving in the UK by the end of October. More vehicles are expected to reach Norway, Netherlands, Denmark, Germany and Sweden from Q4; BYD has already formed partnerships with dealers such as Louwman and the Hedin Mobility Group. Unlike some competitors, BYD is not facing production constraints, allowing it to deliver its electric vehicles to European customers within weeks. The BYD Tang and Han models are AWD, with a top speed of 180 kph (~112 mph) and a 380 kW (509 hp) output. While the Tang is a seven-seater with a 4.6 second 0 to 100 kph (~62 mph) acceleration, the Han is a five-seater, which only takes 3.9 seconds to achieve the same speed. The estimated range also differs, with the Tang rated at 400 km (~249 miles) and the Han forecast to reach 521 km (~324 miles) on a single charge. The FWD Atto 3 has a 150 kW (201 hp) motor and a top speed of 160 kph (~100 mph). This five-seater electric car is the slowest, accelerating to 100 kph (~62 mph) in 7.3 seconds, and has a 420 km (~261) mile range. All three models support DC fast charging from 30% to 80% in around 30 minutes. The official European price list for the EVs is yet to be announced. As a guide, the BYD Tang is already available in Norway, starting from 619,900 NOK (~60,331 or ~US$58,459). HAMMOND A Chicago man was killed and three other people were wounded in a shooting early Sunday during a private party at a business in the city's Hessville neighborhood, police said. Brian Leonard, 29, died at the scene at Serenity Lounge in the 6200 block of Kennedy Avenue, officials said. Hammond police responded to the business about 1:40 a.m. for a report of shots fired and located four people with gunshot wounds, Lt. Steve Kellogg said. Anyone with information about the shooting is asked to call Detective Sgt. Tony Pinarski at 219-852-2983 or Detective Sgt. James Onohan at 219-852-2907. Seventeen years ago the Indiana Supreme Court dodged the question of whether the Indiana Constitution contains a right to privacy, and correspondingly, the right of a woman to choose to continue or terminate her pregnancy. It appears likely, however, the Indiana high court's five Republican-appointed justices won't be able to escape that issue again this year. On Thursday, Judge Kelsey Hanlon, a Republican from southern Indiana's Owen County, halted enforcement of the state's near-total abortion ban, enacted in August by the Republican-controlled General Assembly and Republican Gov. Eric Holcomb, in part because she said it materially burdens liberties guaranteed by the Indiana Constitution. Specifically, Hanlon pointed to Article I, Section 1 of the Indiana Constitution and its declaration that all people have "certain inalienable rights," that "among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness," and that government exists for the "peace, safety and well-being" of the people. "Regardless of whether the right is framed as a privacy right, a right to bodily autonomy, a right of self-determination, a bundle of liberty rights, or by some other appellation, there is a reasonable likelihood that decisions about family planning, including decisions about whether to carry a pregnancy to term are included in Article I, Section 1's protections," Hanlon said. Republican Attorney General Todd Rokita, a Munster native, immediately pledged to appeal Hanlon's preliminary injunction in the hope of restoring Senate Enrolled Act 1, which he sees as just the beginning of new abortion restrictions in the Hoosier State following the June 24 Dobbs v. Jackson ruling of the U.S. Supreme Court that repealed the federal right to abortion established by its 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. The Indiana law, which initially took effect Sept. 15, prohibited all abortions in the state from the moment of conception, except within 10 weeks of fertilization for pregnancies caused by rape or incest, or 20 weeks if necessary to prevent serious physical impairment or the death of a pregnant woman, or because of a lethal fetal anomaly. It also attempted to shut down all abortion clinics in the state by requiring every abortion be completed in a hospital or hospital-owned surgical center, and put doctors at risk of losing their medical license if they failed to sufficiently justify the legal basis for an abortion. "We plan to appeal and continue to make the case for life in Indiana. Our office remains determined to fight for the lives of the unborn, and this law provides a reasonable way to begin doing that," Rokita said. This exact issue landed at the Indiana Supreme Court in 2005 after the Indiana Court of Appeals, in an opinion written by Judge Nancy Vaidik, a Porter County native, unequivocally said Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution establishes a right to privacy that extends to all Indiana citizens, including women seeking to obtain an abortion. "While we need not decide today precisely what the right to privacy or the substantive content of Article I, Section 1, animated by the core value of privacy encompasses, we have no doubt that it extends to the right to make decisions about our health and the integrity of our minds and bodies," Vaidik said. "Included within the protection of the right to make decisions about our health care and the integrity of our minds and bodies is the decision to terminate pregnancy," she added. Deciding not to decide At the Supreme Court in 2005 a majority of the justices, none of whom remain on the high court, set aside the Court of Appeals ruling and decided they didn't need to resolve the question of whether the Constitution includes a right to privacy in order to uphold a state law imposing an 18-hour waiting period to terminate a pregnancy, and thereby compelling Hoosier women seeking an abortion to make two separate trips to a clinic. Justice Robert Rucker, a Gary native, said the court found it "unnecessary to determine whether there is any right to privacy or abortion provided or protected by Indianas Constitution" because, in part, the challenged statute "would not impermissibly impinge upon any right to privacy or right to abortion that might exist." That normally would have been the last word on the matter, except Republican-appointed Justice Brent Dickson, a Hobart native, and Democratic-appointed Justice Theodore Boehm each wrote lengthy supplemental opinions focused on privacy and the Indiana Constitution. Dickson said in his opinion concurring in the Supreme Court's judgment that he believed the high court should "explicitly declare that the Indiana Constitution does not protect any alleged right to abortion." He said it's "inconceivable" the framers of the 1851 Indiana Constitution intended to create a right to abortion, since abortion had been criminalized in Indiana since 1835 and remained a crime, punishable by up to 1 year in jail and a $500 fine, long after the Constitution was adopted. "Even if we were to imagine that our framers and ratifiers intended Section 1 to protect some aspect of individual privacy, it is historically and logically unacceptable to suppose that they designed such protection for the purpose of assuring a right to abortion," Dickson said. Moreover, Dickson said Article I, Section 1 of the Constitution expressly recognizes an inalienable right to "life," and he said, "every decision to terminate a pregnancy denies this right to an unborn child." "I believe that the core values of Section 1 do not include the alleged right to abortion, and thus the state's constitutional responsibility and authority to provide for safety and public welfare in matters related to abortion remain undiminished," Dickson said. In contrast, Boehm pointed out in his dissenting opinion that just four years after ratification of the Constitution the Indiana Supreme Court in 1855 used the liberty guarantees of Article I, Section 1 to identify a right for each Hoosier to choose what he or she will eat and drink free from government interference. He said that while most litigation on such issues subsequently shifted to federal courts when the 14th Amendment was adopted after the Civil War, Indiana's protections for individual liberty remain in the Constitution and evolve with the times because life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness only are "among" the rights guaranteed by Article I, Section 1. "The Indiana Constitution insulates some areas of human activity and guarantees that they are free from interference by the Legislature," Boehm said. "The consequences of individual decisions of whom to marry, whether to have a child, and whether to carry a nonviable fetus to term are exclusively, or at least overwhelmingly, personal." "To be sure, the sensibilities of some may be offended by the choices of others in selecting a spouse, or a married couples decision to use or forego contraceptives. But that result is largely due to the varied attitudes towards these matters that are grounded in individual philosophies and religions. Government has no role in seeking to take sides in those debates over matters of conscience. Indeed the Constitution is explicit on this point: 'No law shall, in any case whatever, control the free exercise and enjoyment of religious opinions, or interfere with the rights of conscience,'" he added. Notably, a separate lawsuit claiming Senate Enrolled Act 1 runs afoul of Indiana's Religious Freedom Restoration Act is scheduled for review next month by an Indianapolis trial court. There currently is no timeline for appellate action on the constitutional challenge to Indiana's near-total abortion ban. HIGHLAND From one end of Wicker Memorial Park to the other, bikers were there Sunday for the annual Victory for Veterans Memorial Ride. An estimated 2,000 motorcycles were expected for one purpose. We're giving back to veterans, said Enrique Herrera, of Highland, a Marine veteran who served 1990-94. Joining Herrera was with his son, Xavier, 11, and his brother, Cosme Herrera, of Hammond, who served in the Army 1997-2002. He saw action in Bosnia and Kosova. Were getting together with veterans, Cosme said. Veterans do a lot the ones serving, the ones here and the ones not here. The ride, which started in 1999, is a partnership of the North Township Trustees Office with the Wicker Park Memorial Fund and the American Veterans Motorcycle Riders Association. Trustee Adrian Santos called Sundays numbers truly humbling, a testament to the importance of area veterans. With assistance from local and county police departments, the 27-mile route traveled through Highland, Munster, Dyer, Schererville, Merrillville, Gary, Calumet Township and back to Highland. Along the route, supporters cheered participants from lawn chairs and their vehicles. Fire trucks suspended a large American flag near the intersection of Ridge Road and N. Broad Street in Griffith. Not everyone rode motorcycles. Coming off a stroke, Bobby Fields of Matteson, Illinois, brought his truck. He served in the Army 1963-75, along with three years in the National Guard. Im here because Im a veteran, Fields said. We need to thank these people for fighting for our country. Not all riders were veterans. Jill Kane supports American Legion Post 261 in her hometown of Cedar Lake. This is for the veterans, and this is a great benefit every year, she said. Anything I can do to help them, this is for them. Theresa Sulski of Burnham, Illinois, has volunteered at the ride for eight years. Her son Andrew rode in this years parade. Sulski continues to volunteer as a tribute to her father, the late Ines Carrillo, who served in World War II and was involved in the liberation of the Philippines. I do it to honor him and my other family members serving now, Sulski said. Many participants decorated their bikes with flags. That included Ricky Gray, of Valparaiso, who served in the Army during the Vietnam era, 1973-79. I do this for the fellowship with other veterans, said Gray, a V4V rider since 2016. Near him was Walter Sandoval, of Valparaiso, an Army veteran of 1966-69, including two years in Vietnam. He was a mountaintop radio operator on Hill 837, which today, he said, is a tourist attraction. I love doing this ride, Sandoval. Its a lot of people, lot of motorcycles and I grew up with motorcycles. He added, A lot of times, people take veterans for granted. Regardless of whether youre Democrat or Republican, were all Americans. Craig Allen, of Portage, was in his second ride. Not a veteran, he was riding for all veterans, including some friends. This helps veterans not only financially but mentally, Allen said. It lets people know were here for them and we back them. Jeff Richmond, a friend who served in the Navy 1990-94, has been a regular rider in the benefit. I do this for the cause and because of all they sacrificed, he said of veterans. Tim and Mary Toppen of Manteno, Illinois, did not serve in the military, but they have relatives and friends who served. That includes Aaron Toppen, a cousins son, who was killed by friendly fire while deployed to Afghanistan in 2014. One of my regrets is that I never served in the military, Tim said. Were only here to support the veterans, Mary added. Veterans have needs, like meals, medicines and housing. We should support them for all they do for us. The pre-ride program featured the posting of colors by AVMRA members and speeches by Hammond Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. and U.S. Rep. Frank J. Mrvan, D-Highland, who called the ride a time to celebrate America. Retired U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Lorenzo Mendoza, the guest speaker, called the ride an opportunity for veterans to maintain the camaraderie whey shared by serving, ... and an opportunity for the community to show its appreciation for our veterans. Originally from East Chicago, Mendoza now lives in Schererville. He served in the USAF for 26 years, 1991-2017. That included tours in Korea and Italy. Mendoza recalled his military duty as fantastic, the opportunity to serve my country, a chance to meet different people and a chance to lead and mentor. MICHIGAN CITY LaPortes team in the 2022 Creekness race on Trail Creek earned bragging rights for Mayor Tom Dermody, a landlubber whose employees paddled their hearts out while Dermody was elsewhere. It was a great victory, Dermody said. Ive been fortunate to be a part of such a great team. As expected, the employees put this together. (Michigan City) Mayor (Duane) Parry and I have ongoing competitions, and its becoming standard that LaPorte wins, Dermody said. Kassi McCullough, of Madison, Wisconsin, was a member of LaPortes team. She works with Wilderness Inquiry, whose Canoemobile program benefited from the race. My boat was filled with a bunch of really strong men, and that was probably the fasted that Ive even gone in a canoe, she said. McCullough joked that her banana socks offered good luck for her team. AnnMarie Backstrom, of Faribault, Minnesota, was on the LaPorte County Soil and Water Conservation Districts team. We may not have won, but we had a lot of spirit, she said. Joey Rykka, of Minneapolis, was on the poop-themed team that placed last in the race. Rykka taped fake flies to her face and wore a hat that resembled a plunger. We were out there to have a silly, goofy time, she said. The LaPorte County Soil and Water Conservation District sponsored the event at Hansen Park, in the shadow of Blue Chip Casino and Hotel. Students had a week to learn about Trail Creeks history, ecology and other lessons as well as a ride in a 10-person canoe with their classmates. On Saturday, the culmination of Trail Creek Week, the Creekness race was held, and the public was able to use the canoes as well. Hyleigh Robinson, of Michigan City, returned Saturday to Hansen Park to take her future stepmother, Dawn Buskevice, for a ride. Hyleighs father, Michael Robinson, wanted it noted that Daddy was scared. He stood on a dock to take photos as the canoe went past. Hyleigh Robinson recounted some of what she learned Wednesday when her class visited the park on a field trip. She was impressed by the story of a longtime lighthouse keeper who eventually retired after climbing the steps became too burdensome and a map the educators used. They had this big map thingy that was dry erase board map, she said. She also offered one of the most important safety lessons: Dont stand up. When getting aboard, its smartest to sit on the dock, swing your feet into the canoe and then scoot across, she advised. The Canoemobile guides offered the same pointer. Jessica Reason, of Baroda, Michigan, paddled alongside her mother, Deb Reason, of Michigan City. I was a bit apprehensive, at first, but I liked it, Jessica said. I played by the creek, but not used a canoe, Deb said. I just think its a great opportunity. Backstrom said Wilderness Inquirys aim is for people to not only see the water but also have a chance to touch it. The point at the end is to have a person have a positive outdoor experience, she said. WEST LAFAYETTE During the closing minutes of a podcast with The Bulwarks Mona Charen last week, Mitch Daniels once again speculated on his tombstone epitaph: He raised four wonderful daughters and reformed the BMV. By Sunday, the Frugal Hoosiers for Mitch Twitter feed appeared to revise its intent: #runmitchrun for Governor or President would be great too. Thats in President as the one living at 1600 Pennsylvania Ave., in the District of Columbia, and not at Purdue Universitys Westwood. With the federal debt and the earths oceans swelling to unprecedented levels, with the nation reeling from the Jan. 6 insurrection and FBI searches at Mar-a-Lago, and with the Grand Old Party on a troubling and doomed authoritarian no, fascist trajectory, it is time to dust off those green Run, Mitch, Run signs 11 years after they were unceremoniously stuffed into the nether reaches of the closet. This came after Gov. Daniels suffered his only electoral defeat (in the Daniels Family Female Caucus). If there is a draft Mitch movement percolating here in Indiana, it should be for the 49th governor of Indiana to become the 47th president of the United States. His daughters are older now. Former First Lady Cheri wouldnt face the kind of scrutiny she did in the pre-Trump era. Or as Washington Post columnist George Will put it on MSNBCs Morning Joe when host Joe Scarborough asked him who might be the best post-Trump Republican to run in 2024, he responded, Mitch Daniels was the president we should have had. Watching President Daniels do a Fireside Chat with U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, Sen. Todd Young and Gov. Eric Holcomb Tuesday morning after touring Purdues emerging semi-conductor ecosystem was seeing this executive in his proper element, talking big picture horizons with the worlds biggest players. After the tour, Secretary Raimondo pronounced herself blown away by what she saw while Secretary Blinken unabashedly predicted that America is back. If you need a jolt of optimism, its all right here, Blinken said. The day after President Biden warned that the nation was in danger of being subverted by election-denying MAGA Republicans, Charen asked Daniels to comment on the former, noting that Donald Trump was also pledging second term pardons for the insurrectionists. Ive spent 10 years ducking questions like this, Daniels responded. He then said, Ill just make no objections to the statements the president made. These are things that needed to be said. I think there are anti-democratic tendencies on both ends of the spectrum. But Charen countered, saying that only the MAGA Republicans are currently subverting democracy. Completely agree, Daniels responded. Charen asked, Whats your next move? after he departs Purdue in December. I dont have a clue, he responded. Ive never been much of a planner. I havent one right now. He went on to call a 2024 candidacy unlikely. When he returned to Indiana to seek the governorship in 2003, he coined the phrase and successful campaign slogan, Aiming higher. Mitch Daniels needs to heed that admonition, look beyond a third Indiana gubernatorial term and focus his prescient mind toward his political party and his nation. He finds the vast majority of the GOP either publicly silent, or sullied when it comes to the disastrous impacts of Donald Trump. The silence of those Republicans who havent denounced Trumpism is deafening; a stunning abdication of political leadership. In 2011, he warned CPAC of the growing red menace of uncontrolled national spending. He urged the GOP to take a truce on social issues. CPAC is now the debased territory of Trump and Viktor Orban. What has happened since? According to the Congressional Budget Office, in fiscal year 2021, the federal deficit totaled nearly $2.8 trillion. President Trump was no fiscal conservative. And social issues? The Republican Party is poised to botch the historic midterm trends this November in a way they havent since 1998. And its worth restating that since Donald Trump hit the scene in 2015, he lost the popular vote in both the 2016 and 2020 elections, the Senate in 2018 and again in 2020 when he helped kick away two Georgia seats, and lost the House in 2020. Its an unparalleled legacy by a Republican since ... President Herbert Hoover. Because of candidate quality in Trump-endorsed Senate candidates, the former president risks losing a Senate majority in three consecutive elections this Nov. 8. Mitch Daniels first political job was with Bill Ruckelshaus, whose career pinnacle occurred in 1973 when he valiantly stood up to a flagging President Nixon during the infamous Watergate era Saturday Night Massacre. American needs such courage today. Daniels has played key roles with mayor and U.S. Sen. Richard Lugar, led the National Republican Senatorial Committee, and was President Reagans White House political director and Bush43s White House budget director. He is a self-described acolyte of the legendary L. Keith Bulen. If Mitch Daniels could summon the spirit of Keith Bulen tonight, and relate to him the atrophy staring down todays GOP and the nation, I can just imagine the advice he would receive from the legendary chairman. Run, Mitch, run. If not now, then when? If not you, then who? Aim higher, Mitch. Aim higher. WHEN ALDO BUSINARO acquired Il Palazzetto in 1964, the proud Palladian-style villa outside Monselice, an ancient town a 30-minute drive south of Padua in northeast Italy, was all but unlivable. Purchased by Businaros grandfather in 1924, when it was already near derelict, the house was used for agricultural storage, its only residents farm tools, surplus grain and dormice for decades, except for a brief stint during World War II. Still, determined to transform it into a family home, Businaro uprooted his wife, Lucia, and their three sons from Padua, and moved in the following year. Federico, the middle child, now 58, remembers that initially they slept all together in the one room whose ceiling didnt leak; Lucia cooked their meals on a camping stove. Built in 1627 for Francesco Giovanni Tassello, a prosperous doctor, Il Palazzetto stands at the center of a 50-acre estate of fertile farmland. An 8,600-square-foot cube with a red clay-tile roof and ivy-covered tan plaster facade, the house is a so-called minor villa, yet Tassello clearly had major ambitions: Above the trompe loeil columns and doorways that decorate the 20-foot-high walls of the salon on the second floor, a ribbon of frescoes depict scenes from Virgils Aeneid. But Tassello became ill with bubonic plague before he could finish the sweeping entrance hed almost certainly planned for the house, which meant the villa the Businaros inherited was in disrepair and incomplete. A sales consultant to furniture manufacturers such as Bernini, Knoll and Cassina, Businaro wanted not just to restore the three-story villa but to make it a family seat worthy of his profile as a promoter of contemporary Italian design. In the late 60s, the prodigious architect and furniture designer Tobia Scarpa, whom Businaro knew professionally, helped with the earliest significant improvements, converting a former storeroom into a dark, minimalist kitchen and building a simple iron-rimmed stucco fireplace in the dining room and a dramatic chimney, covered in off-white plaster, for the hearth in Businaros first-floor study the room in which the entire family had once slept. Around the same time, the British architect Colin Glennie, another friend of Businaros, transformed part of the third floor into a spare living area with a pair of adjoining bedrooms. But it wasnt until Businaro met Tobias father, the renowned architect Carlo Scarpa, on a work trip to Japan in 1969 that he found a collaborator who would respond to, rather than rewrite, the villas 17th-century vernacular. Their lasting friendship was one of the few constants in the last decade of the elder Scarpas life and forever altered the spirit of Businaros home. Over a period of nearly 40 years, the villas remaking would weave together the lives of not just two generations of the Businaro family but also two generations of Scarpas. NEW DELHI On the margins of a summit meant as a show of force for a Russian leader seeking a turnaround on the battlefield, Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India leaned in with a different message. Democracy, diplomacy and dialogue not war is the answer, he told Vladimir V. Putin as the cameras rolled this month, before declaring that the two would speak more about how to bring peace in Ukraine. That assured interaction in Uzbekistan was the latest display of Indias rise under Mr. Modi. An ambitious and assertive power, India has become increasingly indispensable in the search for answers to some of the worlds most pressing challenges, from diplomacy to climate change to technology and trade to efforts at diversifying supply chains to counter China. It is Indias credentials as the worlds largest democracy that Mr. Modi rides on the global stage. But at home, diplomats, analysts and activists say, Mr. Modis government is undertaking a project to remake Indias democracy unlike any in its 75 years of independence stifling dissent, sidelining civilian institutions and making minorities second-class citizens. North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile off its east coast on Sunday in its first ballistic missile test in nearly four months, the South Korean military said. The missile test came days after the United States aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan arrived at Busan, a port on the southeast of South Korea, on Friday to participate in a joint exercise with the South Korean military. The North has traditionally conducted military exercises, including weapons tests, to counter joint drills by South Korea and the United States, which it has called rehearsals for invasion. The missile was fired from Taechon in North Koreas northwest at 6:53 a.m., and flew 373 miles before falling off the countrys east coast, South Korean defense officials said. The South Korean military condemned the launch as a grave provocation that undermined the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and a clear violation of resolutions of the United Nations Security Council. This was North Koreas first ballistic missile test since June 5, when it launched a volley of eight short-range ballistic missiles. The country has conducted 17 weapons tests this year that involved ballistic missiles, as well as two that involved cruise missiles. In the last such test, on Aug. 17, North Korea launched two cruise missiles. WASHINGTON President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia has thrust himself more directly into strategic planning for the war in Ukraine in recent weeks, American officials said, including rejecting requests from his commanders on the ground that they be allowed to retreat from the vital southern city of Kherson. A withdrawal from Kherson would allow the Russian military to pull back across the Dnipro River in an orderly way, preserving its equipment and saving the lives of soldiers. But such a retreat would be another humiliating public acknowledgment of Mr. Putins failure in the war, and would hand a second major victory to Ukraine in one month. Kherson was the first major city to fall to the Russians in the initial invasion, and remains the only regional capital under Moscows control. Retaking it would be a major accomplishment for President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. Focused on victory at all costs, Mr. Putin has become a more public face of the war as the Russian military appears increasingly in turmoil, forcing him to announce a call-up this week that could sweep 300,000 Russian civilians into military service. This month, Moscow has demonstrated it has too few troops to continue its offensive, suffers from shortages of high-tech precision weaponry and has been unable to gain dominance of Ukraines skies. When Joseph Stalin gives your opera a scathing review in Pravda, history is bound to find a spot for you. Such was the case for Dmitri Shostakovich, whose Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk has certainly taken its place in the history books as a classic modern opera, but also as an infamous moment in opera history. In 1934, it was the toast of Leningrad, as St. Petersburg was known then, before setting off on a tour of the Soviet Union for nearly two years. But it was turned into a reviled piece of music after Stalin, wanting to see what all the fuss was about, attended a performance in January 1936 in Moscow. The Soviet leader called it muddle instead of music, an ugly flood of confusing sound and a pandemonium of creaking, shrieking and crashes in a review attributed to him in Pravda, then the official newspaper of the Communist Party. The opera was banned for decades in the Soviet Union, and Shostakovich feared being arrested. It returned to Russian stages, in a revised version, in 1962 under Nikita S. Khrushchev (though Shostakovichs original opera is the standard now). As Lady Macbeth of Mtsensk returns after eight years to the Metropolitan Opera on Sept. 29 (for six performances through Oct. 21), the timing feels suddenly urgent against the backdrop of Russias war in Ukraine. This production, which premiered in 1994, was first directed by Graham Vick, who died in 2021, with sets and costumes by Paul Brown in a vaguely 1950s setting. For some, the opera stands as testament to one composers patriotism, but also to his disdain for the ruling party, all wrapped up in dissonant, volatile music and a raw depiction of lust, violence and the struggle for truth and freedom. Much of the novel is taken up with the making of this rather odd film, about a washed-up Hollywood producer who tracks a famous but reclusive star to her home on the island, in order to persuade her to come out of retirement. Calista ends up working as a personal assistant to Wilders longtime scriptwriter and collaborator, Iz Diamond, and follows the production to Munich (which allows us to witness Wilders complicated relationship to his Austrian roots), and then to Paris. After that we return to the present-day frame, where it emerges that Calistas real worries have less to do with the daughter flying to Australia than with her other daughter, who was set to go to Oxford until she got pregnant. Coe positions Calista cleverly to contrast her with the two Hollywood big shots at the heart of her memoir: Wilder and Diamond. She shows herself to be a sensible, rather conventional woman, and part of the purpose of her reminiscences is to explain how someone like her ended up writing film scores for a living. But in spite of the finely calibrated plausibility of her contact with fame, Coe isnt really aiming at modest realism here. Some of the dialogue feels straightforwardly informational: Refresh my memory, what was the problem again? Diamond asks Wilder about a scene in Fedora, for our sake more than his. And at the heart of the book is a 50-page screenplay, written by Calista herself, as a shorthand account of Wilders life story his beginnings in the Berlin film industry, eventual escape to Paris before the war, and breakthrough in Hollywood. Its based on a story that Wilder himself is supposed to have told at the end of a dinner party. All of these games allow for a certain amount of meta-reflection on the nature of art writing and filmmaking and the way that even great artists have to come to terms with their diminishing relevance. Wilder complains about the kids with beards, the Spielbergs and Coppolas who have taken over Hollywood and have made it harder and harder for him to attract funding. Thats why he turns to German producers for Fedora, and why he says at a news conference in Munich (one of the many lines in the novel borrowed from real life theres a useful index at the end): If its a huge success, its my revenge on Hollywood. If its a flop, its my revenge for Auschwitz. His mother died in the Holocaust and one of his first jobs after the war was in London at the Office of War Information, going over the many reels of footage from the concentration camps to see if they could be turned into a documentary. But really he was just looking for his mother. In its own quiet way, the novel is as odd as the movie it describes: part Hollywood biopic, part Holocaust memoir, part middle-class domestic drama. What holds it together is the hard kernel of historical fact at its core. Wilder and Diamond did make such a movie, as their careers tailed off. Fading relevance is perhaps the major theme of the book from that producer trying to get his Kingsley Amis adaptation off the ground, to Calista herself, whose TV and film commissions have begun to dry up as she gets older. A minor and related theme involves the lessons even ordinary people can learn from their contact with greatness. Wilder, for all his charm, could be professionally ruthless and personally unfaithful. Calistas encounter with him changed her life, almost entirely for the better, even if along the way she tended to exhibit the opposite qualities. But as she faces this new trouble with her daughter, she reverts to memories of Wilder to see if theres something more she can learn from him: Take your relevance where you can get it. Today, one out of five Venezuelans lives outside their home country. I am one of those one in five. My entire family has left Venezuela over the past three decades. But not everyone is so fortunate to have the money or the legal means to do that. Right. Millions of these migrants first went to nearby countries like Colombia, Ecuador, Chile and Peru. But because the economies of those countries began to sputter, they said that they could no longer make as much money to send home. The United States, they heard, was allowing Venezuelans who made it to the border to stay in the country, and jobs were plentiful. So these migrants were willing to basically risk their lives to reach the United States. They braved the lawless jungle out of Venezuela and passed through seven countries to ultimately reach the United States out of despair, out of a desire to make a living and support their families. What happens once they get to the U.S.? Once they cross the Rio Grande to Texas, they turn themselves in to the Border Patrol and often request asylum. They will later claim in court that they need asylum because the Maduro regime retaliates against people who do not support his party. Its an uphill battle, but their cases take years to be adjudicated, and, meanwhile, they can remain in the United States. Back to the border: After they have been processed, the Border Patrol releases them for example, at a church in a border town, such as Eagle Pass, Texas. There, they are offered two options: They can buy a bus ticket to get to San Antonio and beyond. If they dont have any money, they are encouraged to board a free bus to Washington, D.C., New York or Chicago. Closing the Sale For a direct sale, the final steps involve receiving payment and shipping the watch to its new owner. Mr. Heileson said he preferred to conduct transactions through PayPal and advised sellers to wait until the money arrives in their accounts before shipping watches. (Venmo also may work for some transactions.) You need to be clear in your listing that the buyer will need to cover the fees, he said. The same goes for shipping, particularly for lower price ranges. When it comes to pricier watches, a wire transfer is the way to go, Mr. Heileson said, because it affords the seller some protection. If I take PayPal for a $1,000 watch and the deal goes south for some reason (buyer says they didnt receive it or that it was damaged or didnt match description), my day to day wont change much while that $1,000 is in limbo, he wrote in a follow-up email. On the other hand, as some people are doing now, if youre liquidating the collection to buy a house, and the watch is in the $30,000 range, youd want the certainty of a wire to make sure that money is something you can count on not getting tangled up in drama. Sometimes, though, transactions happen under much less formal conditions. In 2015, for example, Mr. Heileson bought some Marine Nationale Tudor watches from a seller and paid for them in cash at Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport. I had the cash in a bag and handed it to the guy, and said, Do you want to count it? Mr. Heileson recalled. And he said No, if its not all there, well never do business again. It was old school, your word is your bond, and I love that, Mr. Heileson added. When you buy, they say youre buying the seller. But youre also buying the buyer. Always trust your gut. Apogee View In this 'Apogee View' I want to highlight two important topics: this year's AMSAT Symposium; and volunteers' significant role in AMSAT's accomplishments. AMSAT Symposium Three years after we were last able to get together in person at an AMSAT Symposium, I feel excited for the opportunity to meet up in Minnesota next month. AMSAT symposia are not only an excellent opportunity to celebrate amateur radio in space and share what everyone is working on, but they also provide us with unique opportunities to formulate new directions, ideas, and projects. Some of AMSAT's most innovative accomplishments started with a discussion that began at a symposium. I hope that you can attend and be part of this experience. The 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting will be held on Friday through Saturday, October 21-22, 2022, in Bloomington, Minnesota. Highlights of all scheduled events include: AMSAT Board of Directors Meeting, October 20-21 40th AMSAT Space Symposium and Annual General Meeting, October 21-22 Friday Night Social and Auction, October 21 AMSAT Banquet and Reception, October 22 AMSAT Ambassador Breakfast, October 23 The 40th AMSAT Space Symposium is open to anyone interested in advancing the art and science of amateur radio in space. To register, please visit https://launch.amsat.org/Events. Crowne Plaza is located adjacent to the Minneapolis / St. Paul International Airport and provides a complimentary, scheduled shuttle to and from the airport. Nearby attractions include Mall of America, Target Field, Minnesota Zoo, and the Nickelodeon Universe theme park. You can make reservations by calling the hotel at (952) 854-9000. The group code is ASG (Amateur Satellite Group). Alternatively, you can make reservations online at: https://tinyurl.com/ANS-219-Symposium-Rooms. We are AMSAT Conversations on the AMSAT Bulletin Board start with "AMSAT should" or AMSAT needs to." While these often express great suggestions, the proposals quickly fade into the ether when proponents are asked if they are volunteering. Asking if someone is volunteering is not meant to slight anyone in any way or discount their ideas; rather, it is a product of who we are and where we are. AMSAT is an all-volunteer membership organization, and, as such, it draws its strength and accomplishments from its membership. Out of 4,000 members, AMSAT currently has approximately 40 core volunteer engineers, builders, programmers, educators and administrators, who are all fully engaged with the current projects. Thus, taking on any additional work requires additional volunteers. Think about this for a minute: 40 volunteers out of 4,000 members represent only one percent of our membership. Since we have already achieved so much with that one percent, how much more could we accomplish if we had more of our members volunteer? The potential to advance the art of radio science in space and reach farther is unlimited. Please help us get there! If you are ready to answer the call, please get in touch with me at rbankston at amsat.org. Until next time, Onward & Upward! Thanks to Robert Bankston, KE4AL AMSAT President for the above information Nancy Hiller never planned on becoming one of Americas most renowned cabinetmakers and among just a handful of women in that male-dominated trade. She just needed a decent chair. After studying at the University of Cambridge, Ms. Hiller, a native of Miami Beach, dropped out in 1978 and moved with her boyfriend to a small town in central England in search of work. She toiled in a metal-casting factory, but all they could afford was an unfurnished apartment. To save money, she decided to fill it herself, building her first tables and chairs from scavenged wood and scraps. Her D.I.Y. period led her to trade school and later to a series of jobs with bespoke furniture workshops around England. After returning to the United States, she took similar positions in Vermont and Montana before settling down in Bloomington, Ind., where she opened her one-woman workshop, NR Hiller Design, in 1995. From there, she steadily built a quiet but forceful reputation as one of the best woodworkers in the country, turning out custom, precisely built cabinets, side tables and whole kitchens for clients as far as New York and Chicago. The actor Nick Offerman, himself an accomplished woodworker and a member of Ms. Hillers legion of admirers, called her an Obi-Wan Kenobi level master. Comfort sure sounds nice. The problem is for many people, its no more comfortable dragging the whole kit and caboodle into the workplace than it is showing up every day on a relentless basis. Nor is it necessarily productive. Not all people want their romantic life, their politics, their values or their identity viewed by their colleagues as pertinent to their performance. For some people, a private life is actually best when its private. So heres an alternative: Lets all bring only or at least primarily the worky parts. You remember those fragments: the part that angsted over every resume punctuation mark and put a suit on for the first interview, the part whose mom urged her to put her best face forward in the workplace? Its that old-fashioned thing we used to call being professional. Heck, its the you you were for your entire corporate history, until the prevailing H.R. doctrine abandoned buttoning things up. But bringing your whole self to work is a cheap benefit easier for employers to provide than, say, a raise and one vague enough to be largely meaningless. Nor is it available to the majority of the American work force. Nobody is asking a line worker or customer service representative to add more personal vulnerability to the enterprise. For most gainfully employed people, its not works job to provide self-fulfillment or self-actualization. Its to put food on the table. After all, the office isnt the only place you exist why should they get to have all of you? If you only bring the best parts of you or at the very least, the part of you that does the actual work, youre more likely to get rewarded for it. One friend and former manager of boomer vintage told me she credited her own success to religiously bringing her best self to work and making sure the crabbiest, most critical part of her personality stayed home. Why deprive people of the ability to complain about work to their husband or roommate the moment they walk through the door? Thats where it generally belongs, despite the current misguided effort. Nor is it fair to ask the workplace to deal with all your hopes, dreams and problems. A lot of staff that work for me, they expect the organization to be all the things: a movement, OK, get out the vote, OK, healing, OK, take care of you when youre sick, OK. Its all the things, an executive director for an advocacy organization recently told The Intercept. Can you get your love and healing at home, please? Look, its understandable that things have gotten blurred. During the pandemic, many of us inadvertently shared a lot more of ourselves than we might have otherwise partners yammering in the background, the occasional toddler, that weird wallpaper in the kitchen. Why are all your plants dead? But not all people are comfortable having their co-workers know so much about them. As a co-author of a recent paper out of Wharton (OMG! My Boss Just Friended Me: How Evaluations of Colleagues Disclosure, Gender, and Rank Shape Personal/Professional Boundary Blurring Online) noted, Theres a tension that people have between this exhortation to bring your whole self to work, to connect, to be a part of things, but also to keep a separation between your personal and your professional life. To the Editor: Re Democracy Challenged, by David Leonhardt (front page, Sept. 18): Your excellent, and frightening, article suggests that our democracy is facing two simultaneous crises: Republicans who refuse to accept defeat in an election, and a growing disconnect between political power and public opinion. But there is a third, equally serious danger. While it is critical to get rid of dark money (reversing Citizens United) and gerrymandering, and to set term limits on the Supreme Court, an equally significant element of the current nightmare is coming from social media. Indeed, the degree to which social media has not only ginned up but actually created some or much of the current social-cultural-political zeitgeist is not well understood or acknowledged. For all the positives it provides, social media has become a cancer on society one that has metastasized and continues to do so, often with the full knowledge (and even complicity) of social media companies. If we are going to begin arresting, and then (hopefully) reversing, the crisis described in the article, we need to address the social media issue as urgently as we need to address the overtly political ones. Addressing the latter without the former simply will not do the job. Follow live updates on NASAs DART mission to crash into an asteroid. An asteroid minding its own business not too far from Earth is about to get knocked about by a visitor from our planet. On Monday, NASAs Double Asteroid Redirection Test spacecraft, or DART, is set to collide with Dimorphos, a small asteroid that is the moon of a larger space rock, Didymos. While these two near-Earth objects pose no immediate threat to our world, NASA launched DART last year to test a technique that could one day be used for planetary defense. Heres what you need to know about the mission. When is the collision and how can I watch it? DART is set to crash into Dimorphos at 14,000 miles per hour at 7:14 p.m. Eastern time on Monday. NASA Television will broadcast coverage of the end of this mission beginning at 6 p.m. Or you can watch it in the video player embedded above. If all you want to watch is a stream of photos from the spacecraft as it closes in on the asteroid, NASAs media channel will begin broadcasting those at 5:30 p.m. The fashion circus may have moved on to Europe, but there was still plenty of glamour to go around. The Kering Foundation held its first Caring for Women Dinner at the Pool on Sept. 15, raising more than $3 million to combat violence against women. The black-tie affair had an impressive guest list, including Salma Hayek Pinault, Francois-Henri Pinault, Emma Watson and Leonardo DiCaprio, many of them dressed in the luxury groups brands. The Natural Resources Defense Council honored Anna Scott Carter at its annual comedy benefit on Sept. 21 at Cipriani South Street. And on the arts front, Creative Capital, which funds groundbreaking artists, held an inaugural banquet at Hutong on Sept. 20, while the IRL Gallery, a scrappy start-up from Brooklyn, celebrated its new home at the edge of Manhattans Chinatown on Sept. 16. The Belgian theater collective FC Bergman was still young when it landed an invitation to a prestigious festival in its town, Antwerp, in 2011. They said, You have one evening do something, Marie Vinck, a company member, recalled in a recent video conversation. The troupe members, who were finishing drama school, were thrilled except that they had no money and no time. Still, in just a month, they hatched the sprawling 300 el x 50 el x 30 el, an ambitious hybrid of theater, installation and live video, with an elaborate set that recreated a rural settlement onstage. It was around Christmas time and we thought we could take the Christmas trees out of the streets to create this forest in the back of the theater, Thomas Verstraeten, another member, said during the same Zoom conversation. It was a very crazy experience, actually. We invited our friends to be onstage but also our parents, the father of a technician of ours, he continued. Maries old babysitter was in it. Because it was only once, they said, OK, well do it for free. A white police officer who shot and killed a 31-year-old Black man in Texas two years ago and whose response was deemed not objectively reasonable by a preliminary investigation was acquitted of murder by a jury on Thursday. The officer, Shaun Lucas, shot the man, Jonathan Price, four times in the torso on Oct. 3, 2020, after responding to reports of a fight at a gas station in Wolfe City, a small town northeast of Dallas. Mr. Price had tried to break up the quarrel, his lawyer said. The officer arrived after the fight and tried to detain Mr. Price after he came to believe Mr. Price might have been involved in the altercation, according to the authorities. When Mr. Price told the officer he would not be detained, Mr. Lucas tried to use a Taser on Mr. Price, who reached out and grabbed the Taser, according to an initial affidavit. Mr. Prices lawyer said he was only extending his hand. Mr. Lucas then pulled out his gun and shot him, the affidavit said. Mr. Price died shortly after being taken to Hunt Regional Hospital. He had not been armed. Many Arab and Muslim filmmakers who like others in the industry struggle for money and recognition denounced Jihad Rehab as offering an all too familiar take. They say Ms. Smaker is the latest white documentarian to tell the story of Muslims through a lens of the war on terror. These documentary makers, they say, take their white, Western gaze and claim to film victims with empathy. Assia Boundaoui, a filmmaker, critiqued it for Documentary magazine. To see my language and the homelands of folks in my community used as backdrops for white savior tendencies is nauseating, she wrote. The talk is all empathy, but the energy is Indiana Jones. She called on festivals to allow Muslims to create films that concern themselves not with war, but with life. The argument over whether artists should share racial or ethnic identity and sympathy with their subjects is long running in literature and film with many artists and writers, like the documentarians Ken Burns and Nanfu Wang, arguing it would be suffocating to tell the story of only their own culture and that the challenge is to inhabit worlds different from their own. In the case of Jihad Rehab, the identity critique is married to the view that the film must function as political art and examine the historic and cultural oppressions that led to the imprisonment of these men at Guantanamo. Some critics and documentary filmmakers say that mandate is reductive and numbing. What I admired about Jihad Rehab is that it allowed a viewer to make their own decisions, said Chris Metzler, who helps select films for San Francisco Documentary Festival. I was not watching a piece of propaganda. MANILA Super Typhoon Noru was on course to slam into the densely populated main island of Luzon in the Philippines on Sunday night, with forecasters warning of heavy rains and winds that could cause devastating flooding and landslides. Noru, which is called Karding locally, is likely to make landfall Sunday night east of Manila, in Quezon or Aurora Provinces, with peak winds of about 120 miles per hour, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. Noru reached super typhoon category after a period of explosive intensification, the agency said. Low-lying, exposed areas along the countrys eastern seaboard were warned of a very high risk of storm surge as high as nine feet. By Sunday afternoon the storms eye was about 70 miles east of the coastal city of Infanta in Quezon Province, the state weather bureau said. As the typhoon moves over Luzon overnight, some parts of the province home to some 64 million people, including in metropolitan Manila and outlying suburbs were expected to experience heavy to intense rains. Luzon makes up the northern third of the country. Russias foreign minister, Sergey V. Lavrov, used his speech at the United Nations General Assembly on Saturday to lash out at the United States and its Western allies and divert attention from recent developments in the war in Ukraine. He laid out Russias case for invading Ukraine, flipping the narrative of the war and repeating what the Kremlin has said before: that his country was left with no choice seven months ago but to start a special military operation to protect Russians in the eastern regions, where many of the battles are currently raging, because Ukraine had trampled on the rights of ethnic Russians living there. He also framed the United States and its allies as being the ones ignoring international law in order to realize their own selfish interests. The future of the world order is being decided today, he said, adding: The question is whether or not this is going to be the kind of order with one hegemon at the head of it, making everyone else live according to their notorious rules, of benefit to that hegemon only. Or are we going to have a democratic, fair world. So far, seven months into the war, Berlin has pledged over 700 million euros worth of military aid, or about $678 million, to Ukraine, including a modern air defense system. It has also sent multiple rocket launchers, sophisticated artillery and dozens of antiaircraft guns, which contributed to Ukraines stunning recent advance on the battlefield when in the space of six days its forces took back more territory than Russia had grabbed in six months. But Mr. Scholz has refused to provide Ukraine with Leopard battle tanks or Marder infantry fighting vehicles, which Ukrainian officials have repeatedly asked for. As they pivot from a defensive posture to an offensive one in the south, Ukrainian forces need tanks to break through defensive lines and recapture more territory before winter and, as Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, put it, liberate people and save them from genocide. Mr. Scholzs refusal which goes against the will of many even inside his own governing coalition has earned him noisy and near-unanimous criticism among Germanys Eastern European neighbors, not least in Ukraine. Commanders along the front say the Germans reluctance to provide battle tanks points to a policy of seeking a negotiated settlement along existing lines, rather than a Ukrainian success in pushing out the Russians. Not a single rational argument on why these weapons can not be supplied, only abstract fears and excuses, Mr. Kuleba said recently on Twitter. What is Berlin afraid of that Kyiv is not? Pressed on that question in the interview with The Times, Mr. Scholz bristled. Leadership does not mean you do what people ask you, he said. Leadership is about taking the right decisions and to be very strong. And this is what Im doing. We are cooperating and we are doing it together with our allies, and we are never doing something by ourselves alone, Mr. Scholz added. And this is the way we react to a very dangerous war. One of Polands biggest music venues has canceled a concert by Roger Waters, the co-founder of the rock band Pink Floyd, after he was roundly criticized there for his view that Ukraine should pursue peace with Russia. Live Nation Polska and Tauron Arena Krakow gave no reason for the decision to cancel the appearance by Mr. Waters, set for next year, in a brief statement on the venues website. But the announcement followed an exchange on social media this month between Mr. Waters, 79, and Olena Zelenska, the wife of President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine. On Sept. 5, Mr. Waters posted an open letter to Ms. Zelenska on Facebook in which he lamented the deaths of Ukrainians and Russians in the war and said that the best way to prevent more killing was for the West to stop supplying arms to the Ukrainian side. Ms. Zelenska responded the next day on Twitter, tagging the musician in a post that defended the countrys war effort, saying that Russia has destroyed cities and killed civilians. If we give up we will not exist tomorrow, she wrote. KYIV, Ukraine In the occupied city of Kherson, some Ukrainian men believe that if they break their own arms, maybe the Russians will not force them into military service. Others are hiding in basements. Some are trying to run even though they are forbidden to leave the city, residents said, and virtually everyone is afraid. People are panicking, said Katerina, 30. First they were searching our houses, and now the Russians will conscript our men to their army. This is all unlawful but very real for us. As the Kremlins conscription drive faced protests across Russia for a fifth day, new signs of resistance, and fear, emerged on Sunday in the territories it occupies in Ukraine as well. The drive to compel Ukrainians to battle other Ukrainians is part of a broader, if risky, effort by Moscow to mobilize hundreds of thousands of new fighters as its forces suffer huge casualties and struggle to hold off Ukrainian advances in the east and south. Russias Defense Ministry announced a high-level leadership shake-up on Saturday after an embarrassing rout of its forces in northeast Ukraine. In a statement, it said Col. Gen. Mikhail Y. Mizintsev whom Western officials have dubbed the butcher of Mariupol has been appointed deputy defense minister for overseeing logistics, replacing four-star Gen. Dmitri V. Bulgakov, 67, who had held the post since 2008. Mr. Bulgakov was relieved of his position and would be moving on to another job, the Defense Ministry statement said. General Mizintsev, 60, was put on international sanctions lists and accused of atrocities for his role in the brutal siege of the southern city of Mariupol. The change in leadership comes after the ouster of Russian forces from Ukraines northeastern Kharkiv region two weeks ago, a retreat that underscored the extent of their logistical failures, according to Western military experts. Bulgakovs replacement is perhaps indicative of the problems with logistics, combat service support, and provision of supplies for the Russian armed forces, said Michael Kofman, director of Russia studies at CNA, a defense research institute in Arlington, Va. If anything it may have been overdue. But Russia has itself turned World War II into a political cult and touchstone of loyalty to the Kremlin. Instead of showing solemn reverence for those killed fighting the Nazis, Mr. Putin has exploited their memory to fortify his grip on power and demonize his foes as traitors and fascists. A law adopted in June by Latvias Parliament prohibited the public display of objects glorifying the Soviet and Nazi regimes and ordered their removal by Nov. 15. The ban does not apply to cemeteries or war graves, only monuments to Soviet power, which first reached Latvia in 1940 with the arrival of the Red Army after a 1939 nonaggression pact between Stalin and Hitler that included a secret protocol carving up Poland and the Baltic States between Moscow and Berlin. That occupation resulted in the arrest of Dr. Vidinss father, also a doctor, and the deportation to Siberia of the rest of the family. More than 15,000 Latvians, including 2,400 children, were deported in 1941. Soviet rule ended with the Nazi invasion of June 1941, which some Latvians greeted with relief. Many people could not imagine that life could be worse under the Nazis than the Soviets, said Gints Apals, the head of the history department at Latvias Occupation Museum, a national shrine to the countrys suffering under Soviet and Nazi rule. There were more than 90,000 Jews in Latvia before World War II, but only a few hundred were left at the end of the Nazi occupation; most were killed, and many others fled. The Red Army returned to Latvia in 1944 as it swept west toward Germany, and it rounded up thousands more for deportation. By 1949, around 42,000 people more than 2 percent of the countrys population had been sent to Siberia, with thousands more executed and jailed as suspected fascists and Nazi collaborators. This second period of Soviet occupation continued until 1991. Biden administration officials have expressed concern that President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia could detonate a tactical nuclear weapon perhaps in a demonstration blast over the Black Sea or Arctic Ocean, or in Ukrainian territory but on Saturday said there is no evidence yet that he is moving those weapons or preparing such a strike. In a videotaped speech to the Russian people on Wednesday announcing plans to call up an additional 300,000 reservists, Mr. Putin said: If the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal to protect Russia and our people. This is not a bluff. At the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday, President Biden said Mr. Putin was making irresponsible nuclear threats. Some U.S. officials said they noted a change in the tone, scope and seriousness of Mr. Putins latest threats, compared with similar ones he made after Russias withdrawal from Kyiv and northern Ukraine earlier this year. Two senior officials said they do not believe Mr. Putin is poised to use nuclear weapons now, given the response it would draw from the West as well as from Moscows allies like China and India, who last week voiced their sternest criticism to date of the war. Italian politicians are on a virtual hunt for undecided voters. Over the summer, as polls suggested that most of those who had not yet picked a side were under 30, party elders took it to the next level: TikTok. This month, Silvio Berlusconi, 85, who served four times as Italys prime minister, landed on the social media platform that is mostly popular among the young, explaining why he was there at his age. On this platform, you guys are over five million, and 60 percent of you are less than 30. I am a little envious, Mr. Berlusconi said, raising and lowering his voice for dramatic effect. We will talk about your future. The video had 9.6 million views, raising eyebrows among some users. You are not so stupid that a video on TikTok is enough to vote for you, said Emma Galeotti, a young TikTok content creator. You send the message that we, young people, are so malleable and bonkers. KYIV, Ukraine Drone strikes hit a military target in the southern port city of Odesa on Monday, the third day in a row that unmanned aerial vehicles have attacked there, the Ukrainian military said. Two drones struck a military infrastructure object, the Ukrainian militarys southern command said in a statement, causing a large fire and the detonation of ammunition. Civilians were evacuated but no casualties were immediately reported, the statement said. A third drone was destroyed by air defenses, the Ukrainian military said. The flurry of drone attacks comes as Ukrainian officials warn of a new menace in the skies: kamikaze drones supplied to Russia by Iran, so named because they explode on impact, carrying a warhead of about 80 pounds. On Saturday, an attack by an Iranian-made drone in Odesa killed one person, officials said. Throughout the weekend drones buzzed above the city, antiaircraft guns boomed and videos of frightened residents staring up at the sky circulating on social media. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine said last week that seven Iranian-made drones had been shot down in recent days over cities from the eastern front to the southern coast. President Volodymyr Zelensky of Ukraine encouraged Russians to resist their countrys conscription drive on Saturday, his latest effort to blunt President Vladimir V. Putins attempts to broaden the war. It is better to surrender to Ukrainian captivity than to be killed by the strikes of our weapons, absolutely fair strikes, as Ukraine defends itself in this war, he said in Russian-language comments on his Telegram account. We defend the brightest we defend our lives, our children, our freedom. What is Russia fighting for? President Putin ordered the call-up on Wednesday of 300,000 civilians to bolster Russias forces in Ukraine, where they have faced sharp setbacks in recent weeks, losing large areas they had captured over the summer as a Ukrainian counterattack in the northeast set off a rapid retreat. Some Russian news outlets have reported that the mobilization could be even larger than officials first disclosed. Mr. Putins surprise draft has met with resistance at home. Russians have protested across the country, and residents of rural regions, particularly those with large ethnic minority populations, have complained they are being disproportionately targeted. ERBIL, Iraq The protests that have thrust Iran into turmoil since the death of a young woman in police custody have been striking for the way they have cut across ethnic and social class divides, but there is one group that has risen up with particular fury. The woman who died after being swept up by Irans notorious morality police was a member of Irans Kurdish minority, which has long suffered discrimination, and the groups rage in recent days reflects its longstanding grievances. This is not all about the head scarf, said Hana Yazdanpana, a spokeswoman for the Kurdistan Freedom Party, an Iranian paramilitary group based in Iraq. The Kurds want freedom. The protests have been especially intense in northwest Iran, where Kurds, who make up about 10 percent of the Iranian population, are concentrated. On Sunday, Iranian troops appeared to have retaken a Kurdish city in the region, Oshnavieh, that had been briefly seized by protesters. Why We Take Animal Voyages What Ive learned from a lifetime of voyaging with animals. By Sam Anderson. Photographs by Matthew Pillsbury. I have a ridiculous dog named Walnut. He is as domesticated as a beast can be: a purebred longhaired miniature dachshund with fur so thick it feels rich and creamy, like pudding. His tail is a huge spreading golden fan, a clutch of sunbeams. He looks less like a dog than like a tropical fish. People see him and gasp. Sometimes I tell Walnut right out loud that he is my precious little teddy bear pudding cup sweet boy snuggle-stinker. Read More In my daily life, Walnut is omnipresent. He shadows me all over the house. When I sit, he gallops up into my lap. When I go to bed, he stretches out his long warm body against my body or he tucks himself under my chin like a soft violin. Walnut is so relentlessly present that sometimes, paradoxically, he disappears. If I am stressed or tired, I can go a whole day without noticing him. I will pet him idly; I will yell at him absent-mindedly for barking at the mailman; I will nuzzle him with my foot. But I will not really see him. He will ask for my attention, but I will have no attention to give. Humans are notorious for this: for our ability to become blind to our surroundings even a fluffy little jewel of a mammal like Walnut. John Berger, the brilliant British artist-critic, could have been writing about all this when he lamented, 45 years ago, modern humanitys impoverished relationship to animals. In the last two centuries, he wrote, animals have gradually disappeared. Today we live without them. The snow leopards Malaya and Buck at the Brookfield Zoo outside Chicago. On its face, this claim is ridiculous. Animals are everywhere in modern life. More of us own pets than at any other time in human history. We can drive to zoos, cat cafes, national parks, wildlife sanctuaries. We can lie in bed and share viral TikToks of buffaloes grunting, puppies howling, parrots taunting hungry cats. We can watch live feeds on our tiny phones of eagles incubating eggs or drone footage of polar bears hunting seals on 50-foot IMAX screens. But Berger would argue that these things are all just symptoms of our lost intimacy with animals. None of them represent meaningful old-fashioned contact. Since the primordial beginnings of our species, he writes, animals have been integral to human life: Animals constituted the first circle of what surrounded man. Perhaps that already suggests too great a distance. They were with man at the center of his world. Animals were not only predators and prey they were myths, symbols, companions, peers, teachers, guides. The patterns of their movement defined the edges of the human world. Their shapes defined the stars. They made human life possible. A few ostrich eggs could sustain hunter-gatherers for days first as food, then as water carriers that enabled them to cross vast, parched distances. Listen to the Introduction To hear more audio stories from publishers like The New York Times, download Audm for iPhone or Android We all know what happened next: capitalism, industrialization, urbanization, the internal combustion engine, suburban sprawl, fast food, chicken nuggets, factory farms. Animals our sharp, loud, restless, dangerous, inconvenient planetary roommates were pushed to the margins. For Berger, this was a profound loss, not only for the subjugated animals but also for the humans who did the subjugating. The animal has secrets which, unlike the secrets of caves, mountains, seas, are specifically addressed to man, he writes. With their parallel lives, animals offer man a companionship which is different from any offered by human exchange. Different because it is a companionship offered to the loneliness of man as a species. Our lost closeness with animals ushered in a sharp existential pain a state of beastly alienation. Modern humans can try to rationalize that loss in infinite ways. (Is it such a bad thing that most of us no longer have to worry about wolf packs stealing our leftover caribou meat?) We can concoct all kinds of synthetic replacements: ant farms, sea monkeys, pet rocks, chia pets, Tamagotchis. (Growing up, I fell in love with a battery-powered robot owl named Hootbot.) We can sit at home with our pets in our laps, clicking on animal videos, laughing and crying and forwarding them to our friends. But none of these will fill the creaturely hole at the center of human life. Theyre not even close to the same shape. We will continue to feel that loss, to yearn for those parallel lives, for the ancient strangeness of animal familiarity. If necessary, we will search the world for it. And so, sometimes, we head out on an animal voyage. We take ourselves off to a place that is still wild, or where wildness has been carefully curated or simulated or reintroduced. We can visit squirrel monkeys, for instance, at an abandoned penal colony in French Guiana. We can watch strange hairy horses galloping around near Icelandic volcanoes. We can climb up into the lush tree canopies of Ghana to stare at the rosy bee-eaters. Wherever we go, our goal will be roughly the same: to put our own animal bodies near the bodies of the creatures we have pushed away. To effect an existential reunion. If that sounds mystical well, it is. Its hard to put into words exactly what we are looking for when we go out to meet a distant animal. The need, probably, goes deeper than language. On some level, I think we are looking to orient ourselves, to locate ourselves on an accurate map of the universe. Not using the coordinates weve been handed by human culture: the self-flattering, narcissistic, anthropocentric fantasies of a world made for us, in our image. Something in us yearns for accuracy, even if it comes at the price of a demotion. It is liberating to be decentered. And animals, always, are happy to perform this service. Yuki, whose name means snow in Japanese, at the Philadelphia Zoo. An animal voyage is special because it requires us to make many journeys all at once. To really connect with another creature, you have to cross multiple kinds of distance: physical, spiritual, temporal. You have to leave our daily sense of clock time and reach into something like evolutionary time. You have to stare across vast chasms of consciousness. Look into the eye of a bison, a marlin, a parrot, an iguana. What is the gulf between your mind and theirs? That space cant be measured in miles or light years or any other unit we can name. It will probably never be definitively crossed. What kind of bridge would ever even begin to work? And so an animal voyage is, on some level, always destined to fail. This, too, is part of its appeal. My favorite record of an animal voyage is a book thats fluent in failure. Peter Matthiessens nonfiction masterpiece, The Snow Leopard, chronicles a truly extreme animal quest. In 1973, Matthiessen spent two months trekking into the Himalayas with his biologist friend George Schaller. They were hoping to glimpse one of the worlds most impressive and elusive animals, a powerful cat so rare that Schaller knew of only one Westerner aside from himself who had seen one in the past quarter-century. According to Matthiessen, the snow leopard is a near-mythic beast that has the power to watch its watchers while remaining nearly invisible. One can stare straight at it from yards away, he writes, and fail to see it. Matthiessens journey is brutal, dangerous and disorienting emotionally and physically exhausting. He hikes along perilous ledges; his guides suffer bouts of snow blindness. Matthiessen weathers freezing temperatures in a tent so small he cant even sit up. All along, he has much more on his mind than wildlife. Early in the book, we learn that Matthiessens wife has recently died of cancer and that he has left his young son at home to make this pilgrimage. He later told an interviewer that he drafted the book by hand, on the trek itself, day by day, as a Zen practice of close observation. (Matthiessen and his wife were both serious students of Buddhism.) This gives the writing a strange, elevated, living quality that few books ever approach. Matthiessen was a devoted environmentalist, prone to raging at human excesses, and his voyage begins in a fallen world a region already devastated by overpopulation and pollution, where animals that used to be common (elephants, tigers, rhinos, cheetahs) have all been driven away. We have outsmarted ourselves like greedy monkeys, and now we are full of dread, he writes. He climbs higher and higher, away from civilization, toward an ancient Tibetan sacred site known as Crystal Mountain. Along the way, he sits and meditates; he stops at Buddhist shrines; he is overwhelmed by feelings. As the altitude rises, Matthiessens style burns itself down to stark poetry: There is no wisp of cloud clear, clear, clear, clear. He begins to merge with the landscape (I grow into these mountains like a moss) and to detach from linear time: Simultaneously, I am myself, the child I was, the old man I will be. He has visions, hallucinatory epiphanies. Sometimes when I meditate, he writes, the big rocks dance. On his voyage, Matthiessen encounters all kinds of animals: yaks, goats, lizards, frogs, roosters, horses. He sees a lone red panda and many clusters of blue sheep and even a pack of wolves. In a tiny village, he is attacked by a dog. He beats it off with a stick. To return home from an animal voyage is to become, yourself, a new animal living in your old habitat. But where is the snow leopard? Nowhere and everywhere. Up near Crystal Mountain, as time stretches toward eternity, Matthiessen sees tantalizing traces of the great creature: scat, scratch marks. The blue sheep huddle nervously, suggesting the presence of an apex predator. Matthiessen speaks with a lama who claims to see snow leopards frequently. He finds snow leopard paw prints fresh as petals on the trail. He strains his attention so hard that it inflects everything around him: It is wonderful how the presence of this creature draws the whole landscape to a point, from the glint of light on the old horns of a sheep to the ring of a pebble on the frozen ground. Toward the end of his trip, Matthiessen finds that a leopard has made its scrape right in my boot print, as if in sign that I am not to leave. In the wild, the elusive snow leopard has the power to watch its watchers while remaining nearly invisible. And yet he has to leave. Down below, his life waits for him. The great perfect shock of The Snow Leopard and look away if you have to, because here comes a spoiler is that Matthiessen never actually sees a snow leopard. The animal in the books title, the whole reason for the journey, refuses to put itself on display. This failure becomes a powerful lesson in loss, a chance to meditate on the tangled nature of visibility and invisibility. If the snow leopard should manifest itself, then I am ready to see the snow leopard, Matthiessen writes. If not, then somehow (and I dont understand this instinct, even now) I am not ready to perceive it, in the same way that I am not ready to resolve my koan; and in the not-seeing, I am content. I think I must be disappointed, having come so far, and yet I do not feel that way. I am disappointed, and also, I am not disappointed. That the snow leopard is, that it is here, that its frosty eyes watch us from the mountain that is enough. Even Schaller, the hardened scientist, summons a bit of poetry. You know something? he says to Matthiessen. Weve seen so much, maybe its better if there are some things that we dont see. Today, nearly 50 years later, if you are so inclined, you can go see a snow leopard at the zoo. According to the Snow Leopard Conservancy, approximately 600 of them live at accredited zoos worldwide. Biologically, it is the same animal that Matthiessen was seeking. And yet its hard to imagine a more different kind of encounter. Or one that Matthiessen, with his cynical tendencies, might have been less interested in. (I long to see the snow leopard, he wrote, yet to glimpse it by camera flash, at night, crouched on a bait, is not to see it.) John Berger, too, was dismissive of zoos. They were, for him, the apex of our alienation. (You are looking at something that has been rendered absolutely marginal; and all the concentration you can muster will never be enough to centralize it.) Zoo animals, Berger wrote, represented the living monument to their own disappearance. And its true that there is something uncanny about seeing a snow leopard sprawled behind glass, in an artificial habitat, in full view of families pushing strollers. But in a world where mass extinction is advancing exponentially, where the snow leopards natural habitat is being thawed and polluted in a world like that, where else are these animals supposed to survive? And how else are we supposed to see them? Or should we simply surrender ourselves, forever, to the fate of nonseeing? I have loved animals since I was a child. My first word was bird. I ate dog food out of solidarity with my first pet. I wanted to grow up to be a veterinarian or a zoologist. (Writing derailed me.) As an adult, I have been lucky to be able to take animal voyages all over the world. I have swum with manatees in Florida and sat on an Icelandic cliffside among thousands of puffins. I have watched the famous tree-climbing goats of Morocco have seen them perched, absurdly, 20 feet above the ground, in the branches, like huge hairy white fruit. I once got to spend a whole week with the last two northern white rhinos on earth. The best trips, like Peter Matthiessens search for the snow leopard, find a way to make themselves permanent. A northern white rhinoceros will not come home with you. But your awe at the rhinoceros, your amazement and respect and appreciation that is portable. You can apply it to your goldfish, to your children, to the chipmunk that lives under the stairs, to the citizens around you. To return home from an animal voyage is to become, yourself, a new animal living in your old habitat. It is to find yourself voyaging in your own home, waking up to the other creatures that were there all along, inching them from the margins back toward the center of your life, where they belong. It is to remind yourself that being with an animal any kind of animal, anywhere at all is its own kind of voyage. When I come home from a trip, Walnut gets very excited. He prances and hops and barks and sniffs me at the door. And the consciousnesses of all the wild creatures Ive seen the puffins, rhinos, manatees, ferrets, the weird hairy wet horses come to life for me inside of my domestic dog. He is, suddenly, one of these unfamiliar animals. I can pet him with my full attention, with a full union of our two attentions. He is new to me and I am new to him. We are new again together. Even when he is horrible. The most annoying thing Walnut does, even worse than barking at the mailman, is the ritual of his evening drink. Every night, when I am settled in bed, when I am on the brink of sleep, Walnut will suddenly get very thirsty. If I go to bed at 10:30, Walnut will get thirsty at 11. If I go to bed at midnight, hell wake me up at 1. Ive found that the only way I cannot be mad about this is to treat this ritual as its own special kind of voyage to try to experience it as if for the first time. If I am open to it, my upstairs hallway contains an astonishing amount of life. Maya getting a treat at the Philadelphia Zoo. The evening drink goes something like this: First, Walnut will stand on the edge of the bed, in a muscular, stout little stance, and he will wave his big ridiculous fan tail in my face, creating enough of a breeze that I cant ignore it. I will roll over and try to go back to sleep, but he wont let me: Hell stamp his hairy front paws and wag harder, then add expressive noises from his snout half-whine, half-breath, hardly audible except to me. And so I give up. I sit up and pivot and plant my feet on the floor I am hardly even awake yet and I make a little basket of my arms, like a running back preparing to take a handoff, and Walnut pops his body right into that pocket, entrusting the long length of his vulnerable spine (a hazard of the dachshund breed) to the stretch of my right arm, and then he hangs his furry front legs over my left. From this point on we function as a unit, a fusion of man and dog. As I lift my weight from the bed Walnut does a little hop, just to help me with gravity, and we set off down the narrow hall. We are Odysseus on the wine-dark sea. (Walnut is Odysseus; I am the ship.) All of evolution, all of the births and deaths since caveman times, since wolf times, that produced my ancestors and his all the firelight and sneak attacks and tenderly offered scraps of meat, the cages and houses, the secret stretchy coils of German DNA it has all come, finally, to this: a fully grown exhausted human man, a tiny panting goofy harmless dog, walking down the hall together. Even in the dark, Walnut will tilt his snout up at me, throw me a deep happy look from his big black eyes I can feel this happening even when I cant see it and he will snuffle the air until I say nice words to him (OK you fuzzy stinker, lets go get your evening drink), and then, always, I will lower my face and he will lick my nose, and his breath is so bad, his fetid snout-wind, it smells like a scoop of the primordial soup. It is not good in any way. And yet I love it. Walnut and I move down the hall together, step by bipedal step, one two three four, tired man and thirsty friend, and together we pass the wildlife of the hallway a moth, a spider on the ceiling, both of which my children will yell at me later to move outside, and of course each of these creatures could be its own voyage, its own portal to millions of years of history, but we cant stop to study them now; we are passing my sons room. We can hear him murmuring words to his friends in a voice that sounds disturbingly like my own voice, deep sound waves rumbling over deep mammalian cords and now we are passing my daughters room, my sweet nearly grown-up girl, who was so tiny when we brought Walnut home, as a golden puppy, but now she is moving off to college. In her room she has a hamster she calls Acorn, another consciousness, another portal to millions of years, to ancient ancestors in China, nighttime scampering over deserts. But we move on. Behind us, in the hallway, comes a sudden galumphing. It is yet another animal: our other dog, Pistachio, he is getting up to see whats happening; he was sleeping, too, but now he is following us. Pistachio is the opposite of Walnut, a huge mutt we adopted from a shelter, a gangly scraggly garbage muppet, his body welded together out of old mops and sandpaper, with legs like stilts and an enormous block head and a tail so long that when he whips it in joy, constantly, he beats himself in the face. Pistachio unfolds himself from his sleepy curl, stands, trots, huffs and stares after us with big human eyes. Walnut ignores him, because with every step he is sniffing the dark air ahead of us, like a car probing a night road with headlights, and he knows we are approaching his water dish now, he knows I am about to bend my body in half to set his four paws simultaneously down on the floor, he knows that he will slap the cool water with his tongue for 15 seconds before I pick him up again and we journey back down the hall. And I find myself wondering, although of course it doesnt matter, if Walnut was even thirsty, or if we are just playing out a mutual script. Or maybe, and who could blame him, he just felt like taking a trip. The weather is set to turn cooler this week according to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland. According to Met Eireann, the weather will be changeable this week with outbreaks of rain at times and feeling quite cool in a west to northwest airflow. According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, the weather will be largely dry on MOnday with a mix of cloud and sunny spells. Just occasional showers, mainly in Leinster and Ulster. Cool and breezy with a moderate to fresh and gusty northwesterly wind and highest temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees. Generally dry with some clear spells on Monday night and just a few showers in the northeast. Rain will move into the far southwest towards morning. Lowest temperatures of 9 to 13 degrees in a moderate northwesterly wind. The latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland states that Tuesday will be cloudy with rain at times in the west and south, but in the north and east there will be sunny spells and showers. Rather cool and breezy with a moderate to fresh northwesterly breeze and highest temperatures of 11 to 16 degrees. Cloud and scattered outbreaks of rain will extend across the rest of the country on Tuesday night. Lowest temperatures of 7 to 11 degrees in a mainly light northwesterly wind. According to Met Eireann, cloud will break up during Wednesday, leaving sunny spells and scattered showers. Highest temperatures of 12 to 15 degrees in light northwesterly breezes. Generally dry and clear on Wednesday night. Minimum temperatures of 6 to 10 degrees in light west to northwest breezes. According to Met Eireann, the weather will be largely dry on Thursday with a mix of cloud and sunny spells. Just a few isolated showers, especially towards the northeast of the country. Highest temperatures of 13 to 16 degrees in light westerly winds, gradually backing southerly. According to the latest Met Eireann weather forecast for Ireland, considerable uncertainty remains for the weather forecast for Friday but early indications are that Friday and the weekend will be very unsettled with wet and windy conditions possible. Irelands ambassador to the UK has stressed the need to find a negotiated solution to the problems surrounding Northern Irelands post-Brexit arrangements. Martin Fraser said he was an optimist about the chances of resolving the issues around the Northern Ireland Protocol but the situation was currently in the words phase and had to move to the actions phase. The UK Government is legislating to effectively tear up parts of the agreement, which sets out how goods flowing from Great Britain to Northern Ireland are treated. Mr Fraser, speaking at a fringe event at the Labour Party conference in Liverpool, said the protocol was the only way to resolve the problems caused by Brexit. The agreement, signed by then prime minister Boris Johnsons government, effectively keeps Northern Ireland aligned with many EU single market rules to avoid a hard border with Ireland, therefore requiring some checks on goods crossing the Irish Sea. Devolution in the region has been in flux since February when the DUP withdrew its first minister from the governing executive in protest at the economic border created in the Irish Sea by the protocol. Mr Fraser acknowledged there were legitimate concerns but said: How do we solve it? We solve it by negotiating through the issues that are there. From our point of view, from the European Union, we solve it by implementing the protocol that was agreed with the British government, which the British government signed and fought an election, passed through Parliament. We think its the best and only solution. But of course we recognise that people have legitimate issues and we do definitely recognise that the Unionist community in Northern Ireland has legitimate concerns which we have to try and address. But we address them by negotiating. Asked if he was optimistic about the situation, he said: I think we have to solve this problem, I think we can, I think we should. He added: I couldnt have worked on Northern Ireland politics for the best part of 20 years without being optimistic and I think we should all be optimistic. 2008-2022 One News Page Ltd. All rights reserved. One News is a registered trademark of One News Page Ltd. Russia has been accused of holding its referendum of eastern Ukraine residents under the muzzle of an automatic rifle. The mobilisation has prompted both sides to trade a fresh round of insults; a Kremlin spokesman said fake statements were partly to blame for the ridicule. Investors will be parsing over a slew of results from top retailers for signs of a slowdown in consumer spending in response to an economic slump. Londons premier FTSE 100 index notched a poor performance last week, shedding 3.62 per cent to close at 7,018.60 points, mainly driven by a sharp sell off on Friday [...] Roger Waters needs to know his audience better ... he had scheduled concerts in Poland after essentially blaming Ukraine for the Russian invasion, so now he's decided to pull the plug on the whole thing. Waters was set to perform at the Tauron Ukraine launched a successful counteroffensive to retake the Kharkiv region in September. Two residents from the recently liberated city of Balakliya recount the horrors of living under Russian occupation. Day two of his visit to the Gulf region has seen Scholz discuss LNG supplies in Abu Dhabi. Germany is desperate to replace Russia with a myriad of different gas suppliers. The Ukrainian president has promised to protect Russian soldiers who voluntarily surrender. Meanwhile, pro-Russian authorities have accused Ukraine of targeting a hotel in Kherson. DW has the latest. stereogum 26 Sep 2022 Over the weekend, a pair of Roger Waters concerts that were scheduled to take place in Poland next year were canceled by Polish.. It came after a US military ship arrived in South Korea, and before a visit by the US vice president. Oneindia 28 Sep 2022 Days after the internet was abuzz with the alleged coup by the army in China and the rumored house arrest of President Xi Jinping... Liz Truss is considering plans to increase the number of migrants coming to the UK in a bid to boost economic growth. The Prime.. City A.M. 25 Sep 2022 Many people have fled the war in Ukraine and headed to Germany, while more asylum-seekers are arriving from other regions via southeastern Europe. Local authorities are feeling overwhelmed and are sounding the alarm. As Germany discusses sending its tanks to Ukraine, a debate is developing in the capital, Berlin, over tanks from a different era. The issues involved span history and two wars. Day two of his visit to the Gulf region has seen Scholz discuss LNG supplies in Abu Dhabi. Germany is looking to replace Russia with a myriad of different gas suppliers. Ukraine, Taiwan and Iran on one side and the Western Balkans, Turkey and the Middle East on the other, form the two triangles of.. Eurasia Review 30 Sep 2022 Iran has summoned Britian's ambassador to protest what it says is a hostile atmosphere created by London-based Farsi language media, amid international outcry over the death of Mahsa Amini in police custody. When Shinzo Abe's family held a funeral service a week after the former prime minister's assassination in July, mourners crowded streets near the temple where it took place. But more than two months later, support in Japan for a larger public ceremony has significantly eroded. Mahsa Amini, the young woman whose death in police custody has prompted mass protests in Iran, was "tortured and insulted" before she died, her cousin has said. A freed British prisoner of war who was held by Russian-backed separatists has told Sky News how he was tortured over several days. Thousands of orthodox Jews have travelled to a city in Ukraine for their traditional pilgrimage to mark Jewish new year, despite the danger of Russian rocket attacks and warnings to stay away. In the southern Russian region of Dagestan, police clashed with people who were protesting against Russia's partial mobilization. Protesters have clashed with police outside the Iranian embassy in London as they call for an end to the Islamic Republic of Iran. Belfast Telegraph 25 Sep 2022 McLEAN, Virginia (AP) The CIA has revealed a model of Ayman al-Zawahris safe house, used to brief President Joe Biden about the al-Qaida leaders whereabouts before the agency killed him in a drone strike in Afghanistan. Shortly after al-Zawahri's death, White House officials released a photo showing Biden talking to CIA Director William Burns with a closed wooden box on the table in front of them. Now, the contents of the box a model depicting a white-walled home with at least five stories and three partially obscured balconies are on display at the CIA Museum inside the agency's Virginia headquarters. The museum is closed to the public and access is generally limited to the agency's employees and guests. The CIA allowed journalists to tour the museum, newly refurbished in time for the agency's 75th anniversary, as part of a broader effort to showcase its history and achievements. Most of the exhibits took years or decades to declassify. The al-Zawahri model home is the rare artifact that had been used by intelligence officers just weeks beforehand. Al-Zawahri was killed in late July, nearly a year after the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan ending a two-decade war in which the CIA had a central role. The agency sent the first American forces two weeks after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. Two decades later, it pulled out intelligence assets and assisted in the chaotic evacuation of thousands of Americans and Afghan allies. The Biden administration has said the strike shows it retains what it calls an over-the-horizon counterterrorism capacity in Afghanistan. Opponents of the administration and some analysts question whether al-Zawahri's presence in a Kabul neighborhood suggests extremist groups like al-Qaida or the Islamic State are growing stronger... As the conflict in Ukraine continues with no clear end in sight, more nations are speaking out against Russia's actions. Texas Democrat candidate for governor Beto ORourke blamed Biden and other Democrats for disregarding the Latino vote and pushing the demographic to the right. Ian formed Friday in the eastern Caribbean Sea. Forecasters say it may strengthen into a hurricane with the potential to hit.. USATODAY.com 24 Sep 2022 A former decile 1 high school is set to lose about $100,000 in annual funding - more than $100 a student - under the Government's new education scheme.The Government was warned about this precise outcome and told by Treasury to... The inquiry was launched after Portuguese police failed to find out what happened to Madeleine, three, when she went missing on holiday in the Algarve in May 2007. A retired Humberside Police dog who survived being shot three times in the face while on duty has been honoured with a lifetime achievement award. In speech after speech, world leaders dwelled on the topic consuming this year's UN General Assembly meeting: Russia's war in Ukraine.A few, like Nigerian President Muhammadu Buhari, prodded the world not to forget everything else.He,... euronews (in English) 25 Sep 2022 Roger Waters has reportedly cancelled concerts in Poland next year amid outrage over his stance on Russia's war against Ukraine and.. Figures: Key Acquisition Snaitech and Expansion in the Americas Spurs Sterling Playtech H1 Performance Published September 24, 2022 by Lee R Playtech has shown robust H1 growth from effective expansion and the key Snaitech acquisition. Leading gaming group Playtech is pleased to report it has outperformed all targets for 2022 H1. Exceeding Expectations Spurred by B2B growth as well as holding Snaitechs record performance, Playtech achieved gains in revenue and acquisitions which outshined all projections. Revenue and EBITDA Playtechs H1 report through June 30 of this year showed year-on-year gains in revenue of up 73% (792.3m). Adjusted earnings before interest, tax, depreciation, and amortisation (EBITDA) were up a robust 64% year-on-year (203.8m), and adjusted post-tax profit was up 73% (94.3m). Profits Estonia-based Playtechs reported tax profit of 71.4m was robust, though it represented a drop from 2021s H1 spiking total of 401.9m when growth was spurred by the once-in-a-lifetime expansion into recently opened North American territories. Playtech Chief Speaks Playtech Chief Executive Mor Weizer expressed his delight with the results, calling the numbers a positive start that the group has made in the first half of 2022, delivering a financial performance ahead of our expectations with significant strategic and operational progress made against our objectives. Strategic Growth Weizer acknowledged the power of B2B business in both the US and Europe contributing to these results as well as the Snaitech acquisition. Expansion Initiatives Weizer further credited the expansion in the US, where progress bolstering the H1 numbers included strategic launches in jurisdictions such as Pennsylvania with Parx Casinos, and more deals inked with leading global and US brands and progressing additional licence applications. Progress in the Americas Weizer cited progress made overall in the Americas, where both South America and North America have recently started to legislate and regulate iGaming en masse: The Americas remain one of the groups biggest growth drivers, with continued strong revenue growth in Mexico as well as Brazil complemented by new launches and partnerships in the US, Canada, and Peru. Snaitechs Contribution The encouraging expansion was supplemented by the amazing rise of Italy-based Snaitech to provide a two-pronged dragon of growth driving. Snaitech turned in a whopping 182% year-on-year revenue jump to 446.0m, a total whose robustness surpassed the last pre-Covid year of 2019 as well. B2C Snaitechs white-label B2C offering including Sun Bingo drove total B2C gaming revenue up 148% year-on-year to 487.3m and EBITDA up 143% to 126.6m. B2B B2B revenue at Playtech was also up in H1 2022, garnering 312.0m in the first half of the year for growth of 17% (13% at constant currency). Outlook Opalesque Industry Update, for New Managers - Arquant Capital, an independent French asset management company specialised in crypto-assets has just launched Arquant Bitcoin Dynamic and Arquant Ethereum Dynamic, its first two funds geared towards professional investors. These funds offer a really innovative structuring; they are directly invested in Bitcoin and Ethereum and are actively managed by Arquant Capital's investment team, making them the first of their kind in France. Professional and institutional investors are able to tap into the potential for value creation offered by cryptocurrencies while enjoying the highest standards of investment management and compliance. Arquant Capital got the Asset Management registration by the AMF (Autorite des Marches Financiers) in May 2022 and is France's first asset manager to have received authorisation to offer professional investors (institutional investors, private banks, family offices and corporate clients) a range of specialised professional funds that are actively managed and directly invested in cryptocurrencies. The company has today announced that is launching its first two specialised professional funds, Arquant Bitcoin Dynamic and Arquant Ethereum Dynamic, the latter is the only fund currently operating under French law to be entirely dedicated to Ethereum. Both funds seek to offer professional investors the possibility to diversify their asset allocation by gaining direct exposure to Bitcoin and Ethereum through investment vehicles that meet their compliance requirements and operate under the same tax regime as mutual funds. The investment process applied by the Paris-based asset manager to its Arquant Bitcoin Dynamic and Arquant Ethereum Dynamic funds combines the use of algorithms with discretionary oversight by the fund managers. The funds' investment strategy draws on both the expertise of a proprietary quantitative management model and a management committee, who together boast over 40 years of experience in the world of traditional finance (Goldman Sachs, La Banque Postale AM, Citibank, etc.), that optimise market timing and money management. This investment process has been deployed by Arquant Capital since January 2020 to manage mandates for professional investors and has enabled it to deliver returns above and beyond those of the underlying assets while significantly reducing the level of volatility inherent in digital assets. Arquant Capital is working alongside various leading groups to launch its fund range, including Societe Generale Securities Services as the FIAT custodian and liability manager and PwC France as the auditor for its funds. The asset management company lies at the crossroads between traditional finance and blockchain, and offers investors a particularly innovative form of structuring that provides maximum security for digital assets. About Arquant Capital Arquant Capital is an asset manager specialized in digital assets and was founded in 2019 by three partners (Antoine Paris, Eron Angjele, Gautier Chauvin,) from the worlds of asset management and technology. The company offers to professional and institutional investor-clients a range of unique strategies geared towards this new asset class and spanning both passive and active management. In May 2022, Arquant Capital received registration from the AMF (Autorite des Marches Financiers) to operate as an alternative investment fund manager (AIFM) under licence number GP-202214. Press release Bg Article source - Opalesque is not responsible for the content of external internet sites Photo: (Photo : Davis Turner/Getty Images) Authorities in the state of Georgia announced on Wednesday, September 21, that there is no evidence suggesting a missing mom who was found dead this month had been kidnapped. They arrived at those findings despite Deborrah Collier sending a chilling text message to her daughter, indicating that the 59-year-old was possibly being held against her will, according to 11Alive. In a news release, the Habersham County Sheriff's Office said that investigators have also found no evidence linking her death to suicide. Collier found naked and partly burned in the woods An incident report showed that Collier's partly burned naked body was found in the woods off the side of a road in north Georgia on September 11. The place where she was found is roughly an hour away from her home in the city of Athens, according to NBC News. Per the report, her last known communication was a text message to her daughter. She said they wouldn't let her go, and there was a key to the house underneath a flower pot. The release said that apart from the text message, the victim had also sent $2,385 to her daughter through Venmo. Neither Collier's daughter nor the sheriff's office immediately responded to media outlets' requests for comment. The report stated that authorities in Habersham County were alerted on September 11 that Collier's vehicle, a late model van, was linked to a missing person report filed in Clarke County. The report said that deputies found the van a short time later on the side of a state road in Clarkesville. A cop from a nearby department told a deputy that he had seen Collier's van in the same spot the day before. The police officer described the area as a place where vehicles often pull over. Read Also: Single Mom Credits Maternity Home for Saving Her Life During Pregnancy Crisis SiriusXM helped track Collier's rented van Her rented SUV was equipped with SiriusXM satellite radio, and the company tracked the SUV on Sunday to U.S. 441 near Victory Home Lane, located 60 miles north of Collier's home in Athens. They contacted the Habersham County Sheriff's Office to share the van's location, according to People Magazine. The van was empty and unlocked when found by police. After the police conducted a K-9 search in nearby woods, the officers found a red tote bag on its side that was near an uprooted tree. The police officers saw what appeared to be the remains of a fire as well as a partly burned blue tarp, according to the report. They then found a naked woman on her back nearby. She was grasping a small tree with her right hand, and her abdomen appeared to have been burned. According to the sheriff's office, an autopsy was being conducted on Collier by a state crime lab. The news release said that the investigation is ongoing and that authorities have executed search warrants at locations directly tied to the victim. Investigators have also talked with people close to Collier. Related Article: Missing Georgia Mom Found Dead After Sending Daughter Chilling Text and Money Photo: (Photo : freestocks-photos) Caroline Chirichella told Parents that the common advice "respect your elders" is not only outdated but also teaches children to accept elders' inappropriate and rude behavior that gradually establishes weak boundaries. Recently, Caroline's child, a 4-year-old daughter, was blatantly disrespected by someone almost 80 years her senior. The elder one made an insulting remark about her daughter's appearance, to which she immediately fired back as that's how her great-grandfather, an Italian immigrant in his 60s at the time, told her mother. "You don't respect people just because of their age; you respect them because they've earned your respect," is something Chirichella's mom passed on to her and has remained with her since. The elder who insulted her daughter quickly responded that her child should respect an older person simply because they are older and got the mother thinking about how parents commonly teach kids to respect elders and how harmful that can be. For the mother, it is an outdated practice that forces young ones to condone behavior that should not be tolerated. Dr. Jaclyn Gulotta, a licensed mental health counselor in private practice in Orlando, Florida, agreed that the common phrase is harmful, particularly to children, as some elders believe that they can behave in any manner without any consequences due to their age. Read Also: How Does Brain Tumor Affect Children and Adolescents Annually? Not allowing her daughter to accept negative behavior from elders The mom clarified that respect itself is beautiful, but sometimes the real meaning of it is neglected by so many people, especially elders, as they consider themselves excluded from any consequences of their negative behavior, which Chirichella doesn't want her daughter to witness. She doesn't want to raise her daughter to accept negative behavior from elders. Instead, she wants her daughter to be kind and treat others how she'd like to be treated and teach her that age alone does not define who deserves respect. Dr. Robin Hornstein, a psychotherapist based in Narbeth, Pennsylvania, said that the command to respect elders should not be precisely the nuanced admonition we need to give children as "blanketing any advice makes very little sense." However, an older person who is almost rude to everyone and displays negative and inappropriate behavior should not be a role model or someone who has garnered respect. Parents should teach children what real respect is and show respect when they are respected. Young ones must know the big difference between respect and disrespect at an early age. According to Kids Helpline, respect in a certain relationship helps children to establish trust, safety, and well-being. Respect means to feel heard and valued Dr. Gulotta advises parents not to teach children to just respect elders, especially the rude ones, as it makes children feel that their feelings don't matter. Normally, parents teach kids to be respectful but don't apply to anyone, especially those who are not kind to them. We want to teach children to be kind and respectful, but if someone is not giving the same energy, kids must learn that they don't need to overstep healthy boundaries just because they are older. Dr. Hornstein added that respect means allowing all constituents to feel heard and valued regardless of age. Dr. Gulotta points out that forcing children to be respectful teaches them that allowing someone to treat them poorly is okay. Being respectful means being accountable for your actions, per Des Moines Register. Related Article: Middle Child Syndrome: How Middle Children Feel Excluded and Ignored Due to Birth Order? Photo: (Photo : SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images) Ivan Chaban's life changed forever six months ago. The 16-year-old was on his way home from the grocery store in the Ukrainian town of Sumy with his mother and stepfather, one month into the Russian invasion of his country. That was when the war's brutality turned his family's world upside down. Chaban told KPBS that a column of enemy Russian vehicles caught up to them, and one of the tanks veered away from the queue and came directly toward them. Chaban was pulled under the tank and lost part of his leg while his stepfather died in the attack. His mom was able to survive the incident. Despite the horrific nature of the attack, Chaban still smiles when recounting it all as he said he wants to live and be fully mobile again. Chaban gets a prosthetic leg in San Diego He took his first steps toward achieving that goal as he got a new prosthetic leg with the help of prosthetist Peter Harsch. On Tuesday, he received the leg a world away in San Diego, California. The Ukrainian Embassy in Washington D.C. made Chaban's trip possible, partnering with the San Diego-based Right to Walk Foundation to bring him to the United States. Family friend Olena Herenko, who came with Ivan to the U.S., said that he wants to provide for his family, consisting of his two brothers, two sisters, and mom. Herenko said that life up to this point was not easy for her friend as Ivan grew up in a large family without a father. That being said, he does what he can to help his family, and he is not in any way sorry for himself as he always charges forward. Read Also: Grieving Mom of American Who Died Fighting in Ukraine Wants His Remains To Be Brought Home Harsch impressed with teen's rehabilitation That is the precise attitude Chaban will need for what lies ahead, as his rehabilitation journey will not be easy. He will stay in San Diego for the next three months, with the teen set to spend much of his time at Peter Harsch Prosthetics. The work there for people, who have lost their limbs, is not exclusively physical. Harsch explained that it is also the emotional stuff as they are sitting here waiting, thinking about the family they left back home and what happened to them. He said they pick them back up so they can go to the next level again. He noted that anybody could make Ivan walk, but can they take him to the next level, the level he needs to go back and do his life? Harsch was impressed with the teen's first day on his prosthetic leg. He had only been measured for it the day before, but he was already walking on the second day. Harsch was proud of his patient that he decided to send a cell phone video of Chaban walking to his mom. Related Article: Mom Goes to the ER for Postpartum Depression but Was Told She Had Nothing To Be Depressed About Photo: (Photo : Pexel/Andrea Piacquadio) Students enrolling in Texan public schools have recently dropped while the number of homeschooled students is growing. The pandemic was the main reason why many families made the switch. However, now that the pandemic is over, the transition isn't stopping but increasing. According to new data from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) requested by the Texas Home School Coalition (THSC), there was a 40 percent increase in the number of students who withdrew from public school to pursue homeschool in the school year 2020-2021. TEA, an organization tasked with overseeing public education, was able to track the withdrawal of students from grades 7 to 12. THSC revealed that, most likely, the younger ages have the highest withdrawal rates. They also stated that the measured increase in percentage is "undoubtedly lower than reality." Assistant manager of public policy for THSC, Stephen Howsley, declared that this had been the "biggest jump" to homeschooling they have officially recorded so far. He expects to see an even bigger jump once the numbers for the school year 2021-2022 are released. Reasons for the switch There are three reasons for the switch. First is the pandemic. It started the increase since homeschooling became a necessity because of the lockdown. When parents began homeschooling their children, they realized that homeschooling gave them control over their kid's curriculum. This is the second reason. The third reason is a matter of safety. Due to mass shootings, though no clear data shows if the Uvalde tragedy triggered the increase in switch, the THSC observed a spike in interest in homeschooling. KVUE spoke to one of the mothers who has been homeschooling her kids for the past four years. Susan Shuffield shared that safety is always a concern, and so is cultural influence and socialization in this day and age. However, her main reason for the switch is that she has seen how her son "just blossomed" when homeschooled. Their story is proof that children do well when learning from home. Read Also: Homeschooling: Celebrity Parents Share How They Dealt With Their Children's Education During Lockdown Why shift to homeschool? THSC agrees with Shuffield. Many kids did "blossom" when they switched to homeschooling. "Homeschooled students significantly outperform their public school peers on standardized tests. This remains true regardless of the education level of the parent, the income level of the family or the level of state regulation on homeschooling," Howsley revealed. This is one of the promises of homeschooling. Aside from that, it also offers the benefits of freedom, flexibility, individualized education, and stronger relationships between child and parent. Yet, homeschooling also has its cons as it has its pros. Very Well Family reminds parents who are thinking of switching that homeschooling is a lot of work. Because of that, it means having a lesser time for themselves and even choosing the kids over their career altogether, which can result in missing out on certain opportunities. Too much togetherness might also be a problem along the way, and facing judgment and bias from other people who think you are doing too much as a parent. Thus, to parents, before deciding to switch, it is advisable to do some soul searching first to determine whether it's the right choice for the children and whether it is what the family needs. Make sure that both parents agree. Most importantly, knowing and listening to what the children feel and think about homeschooling is a must. Related Article: On Homeschooling Her Daughter Mullingar Woman Says, ' It's The Right Decision ' The Conference of Heads of Basic Schools (COHBS) in the Bawku municipality in the Upper East Region has called for the immediate closure of basic schools in the area. This follows the recent ban on the riding of tricycles, popularly referred to as yellow yellow, a common means of transportation in the area, by the Upper East Regional Security Council (REGSEC). Decision The REGSEC, at its emergency meeting held on Monday, September 19, 2022, reviewed the security situation in the Bawku municipality and introduced additional measures. A release signed on behalf of the Regional Minister, Stephen Yakubu, by the Chief Director of the Regional Coordinating Council, Alhaji Abubakari Inusah, said only personnel of the Ghana Police Service, the Ghana Immigration Service and the military were allowed to use official motorbikes between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. Additionally, it announced a ban on tricycle operations until further notice and the extension of curfew hours to cover the Nayoka, Kpalgu and Manga communities. COHBSs position In response to the REGSEC's additional security measures, the COHBS, in a letter dated September 22, 2022, signed by its Municipal Chairman, Abugri Busia, and addressed to the Municipal Director of Education, said members of the association were saddened by the security challenges in the area. Following the insecurity and the subsequent ban on tricycles, we wish to appeal to you to close down basic schools in the municipality, pending improvement in the security situation," it said. The release added that the lives of school pupils and teachers could not be guaranteed in the wake of the renewed conflict in the area. "We wish to appeal to both factions to put their guns down for peace to prevail for the sake of school pupils and their future, it added. The letter was copied to the Municipal Chief Executive, the Municipal Secretary of the Ghana National Association of Teachers (GNAT), the Zonal Chairman of the National Association of Graduate Teachers (NAGRAT), as well as the Secretary of the Coalition of Concerned Teachers (CCT). When contacted yesterday, the Bawku Municipal Director of the Ghana Education Service (GES), Azeriya Ayeriga, told the Daily Graphic that although he had received the letter, he did not have the power to close down the schools. I do not have the power to close down public basic schools in Bawku due to insecurity; it is only the Municipal Security Committee (MUSEC) that has the power to do so," he said. Recall In January this year, the REGSEC placed a ban on the use of motorbikes in the Bawku municipality and its environs, describing security in the area as volatile. The Ministry of the Interior, on September 5, 2022, reviewed the curfew due to increased insecurity. The government further announced a total ban on the carrying of arms, ammunition or any offensive weapon within the area. Source: graphic.com.gh 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 Ambassador of Ghana to China, Dr Winfred Nii Okai Hammond, on Thursday stated that the Embassy of Ghana in Beijing has nothing to do with En Huan, also known as Aisha Huans return to Ghana. He said the Chinese national who was deported from Ghana to China in December 2018 for allegedly engaging in illegal mining activities in the Ashanti Region did not take any visa from us. Dr Hammond made these remarks here when two Chinese investors paid him a visit in his office, to among others, discuss issues of common interest and mutual benefit, including investment in Ghana, job creation for Ghanaians and transfer of technology to spur economic growth. Dr Hammond told the Ghanaian Times that it was necessary to respond to some unfounded allegations made against the Ghana Embassy for facilitating the return of Miss Huan to Ghana by issuing her a visa. While saying that the law should be applied to the letter, he noted that En Huangs case ought to be handled with utmost caution so as not to jeopardise the healthy relationship built by Ghana and China. Dr Hammond noted there were many genuine Chinese businesses in Ghana contributing to the growth of the Ghanaian economy but said that those who flouted Ghanas laws must be dealt with in accordance with law. En Huang had already made two court appearances following her arrest, first at the Circuit Court on September 6, and at the Accra High Court on September 16 in respect of different offences. At the Accra Circuit Court, En Huang and three others, Jong Li Hua; Huang Jei and Huiad Hiahu had been charged with engaging in illegal mining in Ghana as well as engaging in sale and purchase of minerals without licence. On September 16, the Accra High Court presided over by Justice Lydia OseiMarfo remanded the accused until October 11. The prosecutor, Mr Godfred Yeboah Dame, the Attorney-General and Minister of Justice charged En Huang with undertaking mining operation without licence, facilitating the participation of persons engaged in mining operation, illegal employment of foreign nationals contrary to section 24 of the Immigration Act, 2000 (Act 573) and entering Ghana while prohibited from re-entry contrary to section 20(4) of the Immigration Act, 2000, Act 573. Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video Every dog must be vaccinated once every one or two years to help Ghana achieve immunity by 2030. The critical proportion of all dogs that ought to be vaccinated is 70 per cent in order to break the dog-to-dog transmission of rabies. Dr Franklin Asiedu-Bekoe, Director of Public Health at Ghana Health Service, disclosed these ahead of this years World Rabies Day celebration at a press briefing in Accra yesterday. He said mass vaccination of dogs should be preceded by evidence-based research of the dog ecology, population numbers and transmission in Ghana. After this, adequate planning in strategy and logistics informed by policy is needed. All these must be done as quickly as necessary, considering the exigencies of the times. Community engagement and participation is key in assuring success of set targets in mass dog vaccination, he stated Dr Bekoe said this years celebration would be held on the theme One Health, Zero Deaths to coincide with a recent record of cases of human rabies in the Ashanti Region of Ghana, saying the one health approach is an intersectoral collaboration between institutions concerned with human health, animal health and environmental health. Rabies is considered a proxy for One Health because it has human, animal and environmental components. This year, we want to remind ourselves of the One Health strategies and approaches, the systems, institutions and other resources we will fall on, and what our objectives ought to be from now till the next celebration he stated. He said from May 21 to 25, 2018, relevant stakeholders met to develop the current Ghana Rabies Control and Prevention Action Plan (2018-2030) whose goal was to use the One Health Approach to control rabies in Ghana. The plan he said highlighted prevention and control of rabies, data collection and analysis, laboratory diagnosis, dog population management, information, education and communication, intersectoral collaboration and legislation. Dr Bekoe pleaded with all relevant stakeholders to collaborate to drive progress towards Zero human deaths from dog-mediated rabies by 2030. Dr Patrick Abakeh, Acting Chief Veterinary Officer said human vaccines were expensive and that it was currently estimated to cost USD$4,087,970 annually. For him, every exposed person who received a PEP vaccine, 50 dogs could have been vaccinated at the same cost, adding that in the hierarchy of importance of control of rabies, vaccinating dogs came first, followed by vaccinating exposed humans. Dr Abakeh called for the resource of the Veterinary Service Directorate (VSD) to be able to deal with zoonotic diseases as Ghana, together with other countries in the sub region, were endemic to rabies which is a Neglected Tropical Zoonosis. Dr Guyo Guracha, a representative from World Health Organisation, said his outfit regularly updated and disseminated technical guidance on rabies, for example, epidemiology, surveillance, diagnostics, vaccines, safe and cost-effective immunization, control and prevention strategies for human and animal rabies, operational programme implementation and palliative care for human rabies patients. Benjamin M.Adjei, Assistant Food and Agriculture Organisation Representative of the United Nations, added that Rabies had a significant impact on lives and livelihoods, particularly in developing countries in Africa, Asia and Latin America and that the poor and marginalised communities were most heavily impacted as they often could not afford treatment or transport for care. Source: ghanaiantimes.com.gh 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 Dr Edward Ampratwum, Head of Governance and Peacebuilding Cluster, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Ghana, on Friday urged Ghanaian market women, commercial drivers and artisans to exercise peace and tolerance in their daily activities. He said tolerance for pluralism was an essential component of the culture of peace and for building sustainable and resilient societies. I wish to remind all and sundry that it behoves us to collectively promote positive social relations for a peaceful society, Dr Ampratwum stated in his keynote address at a Community Engagement on peaceful coexistence in Accra. The workshop, which was organised by the National Peace Council (NPC) in collaboration with the United Nations (UN) in Ghana on the theme: Managing Ethnic Diversity in Ghana for Sustainable Peace, was attended by market women, commercial drivers and artisans. It forms part of activities marking the week-long celebration of the 2022 International Peace Day on the theme: End Racism. Build Peace. The International Day of Peace was established in 1981 by the UN General Assembly to commemorate and strengthen the ideals of peace both within and among all nations and peoples as a period of non-violence and cease-fire. Dr Ampratwum said discriminatory attitudes and behaviours were learned and not a characteristic of human beings; declaring that therefore, it is imperative that as early as possible, and most importantly in the home environment and continued in the school environment, children learn the value of diversity and respect for and appreciation of difference. He said Ghana had rightly been described as the oasis of peace in Africa, and this was something that was not achieved on a silver platter but under its strong national institutions and commitment to peace and democratic values, they were optimistic that Ghana would continue to be peaceful for development to thrive. He said the theme for this years International Peace Day celebration was very important to remind all of us of the need to acknowledge our differences but respect our common humanity. He reiterated that millions of people continue to be the victims of varied forms of racism, racial discrimination, anti-Semitism, xenophobia and related intolerance, adding that these threats to human existence were not only persisting but are continually assuming new forms. He said the International Convention on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (ICERD) committed all State parties to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination and to promote understanding amongst all races. Dr Ampratwum appealed to all market women to eliminate all forms of racial discrimination at the marketplace, saying the market is a space of cultural expression. Source: GNA Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) is refuting claim that the country has lost GH3.26 billion as reported in the 2021 Auditor Generals report. According to the GRA, the said amount, which was Energy Sector Levies, was not inculcated in the assessment conducted by the Audit Service in May 2022. A statement signed by Florence Asante, Assistant Commissioner, Communication and Public Affairs, GRA, clarified the circumstances leading to the money being tagged unaccounted. She explained further that the GRA furnished the Controller and Accountant General Department (CAGD) with provisional revenue figures for 2021 of GH60.69 billion in March 2022, including Energy Sector Levies totaling GH3.2 billion. In May 2022, the Audit Service conducted an audit of revenue collected by GRA in 2021 and arrived at a figure of GH57.43 billion, excerpts of the statement said, noting that but the aforementioned figure did not take into consideration the Energy Sector Levies that GRA reports on such as Energy Debt Service, Energy Debt Recovery, Power Generation and Sanitation and Pollution levy. These levies totaling GH3.2 billion were omitted from the Audit report even though the figures were provided, she mentioned. Mrs. Asante stressed further that at GRA, no revenue was missing. Per an earlier explanation given by Dr John Kumah, the Deputy Minister of Finance, she indicated that the differences in data generated by different agencies did not necessarily show a loss of revenue to the Government. Per the Auditor General in its 2021 report, the GRA and the Ministry of Finance reported a total tax revenue of GH57.43 billion, the records of Controller and Accountant General Department showed a total tax revenue of GH60 billion. It, therefore, said that GH3.26 billion was unaccounted for between the three institutions. Providing details, the Auditor General noted that Direct and Indirect taxes reported by CAGD amounted to GH27.7 billion (GH27,709,806,120) and GH32.9 billion (GH32,979,232,570) respectively in the Government Accounts. It said that the amount, compared with GRA reported tax revenue of GH27.6 billion and GH29.8 billion for direct and indirect taxes respectively, resulted in an overstatement of tax revenue of GH3.26 billion. Source: dailyguidenetwork.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 MBABANE The Multi-Stakeholder Forum (MSF) has decided to hold its own national dialogue. The decision was communicated by the Chairman of the organisation Thulani Maseko after a meeting held by stakeholders in South Africa two weeks ago. Maseko said all the organisations under MSF agreed that the participation of the Mass Democratic Movement (MDM) in the fight for democracy should focus on community dialogues throughout the country. He said they agreed to start engaging with the people in readiness of the political dialogue. He said their aim was not to focus on election as they took a decision to boycott it. He stated that they were invested on the issue of a national dialogue and they wanted it to happen before the election. He said the community dialogues were a build up to a bigger national dialogue they would host on September 30, 2022. He explained that the details of how the dialogues would be carried out were yet to be released. elaborated He elaborated that their position was that they were not going to entertain anything that would promote the current system of governance. Maseko stated that the national dialogue was not just for the political parties or about government but its was about the people. Unless the oppressed through mass formations acquire a critical consciousness of their condition and direct their principled united struggle at the structures of their oppression in order to build a transformed society in unity, there will always be space for the dominant class to make in roads, divide, co-opt and drive oppressed and constrained forms of participation that mesmerise, give false hope and mislead the masses manipulating their pain and hope. Our principle position means that we do not entertain the touted Tinkhundla elections, instead focus on our programme of action to ensure that whatever elections that are to be conducted are a product of an all-inclusive national political dialogue. We are mindful that at the end of the day the national dialogue is neither in the interest of the incumbent Tinkhundla system of government nor about the pro-democracy movement. In essence it is about the people of Eswatini, he said. genuinely Maseko said the people must genuinely be involved in the process and not used as pawns to rubber stamp a process that was pre-designed to protect and entrench power and interests of a few. Our sector structures in the form of the women, youth and students, community leader and organisers, the church, business, the LGBTIW community, labour, political parties are all geared up for rolling community dialogues. We are mapping out these community dialogues and are working on a big one on or about September 31. Preparations and logistics are underway, and we will announce this pretty soon. We understand that different organisations may have different views on the elections. We are nevertheless together that our focus must be on ensuring that elections that are to be conducted must be informed by our five point principle, one of which is the call for multiparty democratic elections. Anything less than that is a non-starter, said Maseko. emphasised He emphasised that they were not going to wait for His Majesty King Mswati III and government to announce the dialogue. He said the traditional activities proved that the climate was now conducive for the dialogue to be held and therefore MSF was going ahead with planning and preparations. He added that they all agreed that it was time for the community dialogues to begin. We will continue with our programme on community dialogues. We will not allow the traditional ceremonies to derail our plans. Anything that does not benefit the nation in terms of the dialogue will have to wait. We will do what we have to do to demand our freedom from the shackles system, he added. Maseko further noted the formation of other organisations similar to the MSF and said they were not worried but were focusing on achieving their goals. He said they were committed to the freedom of the people and were not going to engage on petty fights or try to justify their organisation. protection We stand for the protection and promotion of all human rights and at the heart of democratic practices are the rights to freedom of association and assembly as well as freedom of expression, which are at the very heart of democracy. We note the formation of another organisation. The MSF took a position that it will not allow double membership. Leaders of organisations will or have made the conscientious decision to join either. We are focused on why the MSF was founded upon and what it seeks to achieve. We will not, and it is not for us to prescribe what and which independent organisations we must join up with. We are all expected to behave responsible in line with the decisions we make, said Maseko. Suspended founding member of the Peoples United Democratic Movement (PUDEMO) Bonginkosi IB Dlamini founded a new political organisation with the same functions as the MSF. Some member organisations that were a part of the MSF joined the new organisation. The new organisation is called the United Front for Democracy in Swaziland (The Front). In a prior interview, Dlamini said The Front was a platform for all emaSwati from different persuasions and different ideologies who were bound together by a common purpose of wanting to fight for a liberated Eswatini. That is why in the Front we are together, despite our different ideologies and different tactics since we come from different organisations with different tactics to employ in the fight for a common course, we have one common goal and that is the freedom of the people of this country. "The other reason why The Front was formed was that we realised the need to open up the political landscape because in the past it was preserved for only political parties but we observed the need that we should also open it up so that it highlights issues faced by communities without the expectation that the people should be members of or be tied to a political party. That is why last week we had a programme where our approach was to call for the communities to highlight major issues that we need to attend to. We were trying to announce that we are available for everyone to bring their issues to us. Registration to The Front is also open to individuals and communities in general. The public is also encouraged to register any community issue that they think will need the attention of The Front, he said. Members of different political movements, parties and groups form part of the conglomerate. Regulators and operators of electricity in West Africa will meet in Accra to review some developments in the regional market. The three-day meeting will start on Monday, September 26 and end on Wednesday, September 28, 2022, a statement issued by the Department of Communication, ECOWAS Regional Electricity Regulatory Authority (ERERA) said. With the imminent launch of the second phase of the regional electricity market, ERERA is expected to put in place the enabling regulatory framework which will help in fast-tracking the development of the regional electricity market. The experts would, among others, consider the Detailed Rules and Procedures for Market Surveillance as a guide to provide transparent procedures and processes to monitor the regional electricity market. The Market Surveillance Rules would specify the roles to be played by national regulatory authorities, Transmission Service Operators and System and Market Operators. This is to ease effective monitoring of the market and prevent abuse and distortions and sanction defaulters, the statement noted. The draft Market Surveillance Rules include draft Guidelines for Market Surveillance of ECOWAS Regional Electricity Market, analysis of Existing Bi-lateral Contracts for Conformity with Model Bi-lateral Agreement. The draft also has the ECOWAS Market Documents, as well as the Report on Definition and Revision of the Detailed Rules and Procedures for Market Surveillance. It said the meeting would also review the Gap Analysis Report of a recent study, which was related to the Functional Model on System Reliability and Electricity Market for the ECOWAS Electricity Market. Again, the regional experts would review the draft rules for the Harmonisation of Licensing Criteria for the Regional Electricity Market, the statement noted. The harmonized framework for granting of licenses and authorizations for participation in the power market includes guidelines for grant of export and import licenses for cross-border power trading in ECOWAS countries and a model export and import licenses for adoption by Member States. According to ERERAs documents, a harmonized licensing framework would provide the regulatory tools that will help regulators keep an oversight of the market and help ensure that licensing does not restrict entry by players into the regional electricity market. The participants at the meeting would be updated on the ECOWAS Directive on the Organization of the Regional Electricity Market, with emphasis on the drafting of national roadmaps. 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 Intriguing details are beginning to emerge about the murder of Munira Moro, which sad incident occurred recently at Abeka, Accra. Detectives are said to have reached a stage in their investigations where the body can be buried. Earlier, her elder brother Samba, a resident of Mamobi in the Ayawaso North Constituency in the Greater Accra Region, had refused to have the body of the deceased buried immediately. He wanted a thorough investigation to precede the procedure. When DAILY GUIDE spoke to him, he was managing to subdue the trauma he suffered after seeing the gruesome spectacle of the body of his sister. Two theories have been bandied around following the murder, one being that her former boyfriend who had spent a lot of money in her education was behind the murder. This, however, soon evaporated into thin air as the allegation lacked substance and therefore, dropped by detectives in their search for clues in the dastardly murder. DAILY GUIDE has learnt from an audio by a certain Hajara Burkina, a social commentator which has gained currency in the Zongo communities that on the fateful day the first wife was said to have asked her mother-in-law to accompany her to go and visit her premature baby at a hospital. The two made the trip in a taxi even when she has a personal car. It has also been said that the dumping of the dead body in the room of the first wife was intended to be a ruse. The remains of her rival in her room would remove any doubts that she was the source of the murder and would indeed attract sympathy for her rather. Until this latest information, she did attract such sympathy anyway. Hajara Burkina, in Hausa, speaks volumes about the murder of Munira who met her death ten days after her wedding. The woman was not killed by a gang to which she belongs as being speculated by some persons. The killing was done by the first wife and her brother, she alleged in the audio. She alleged the first wife had a premature baby and on the fateful day she did not use her own car as she proceeded to the hospital to visit the premature baby with her mother-in-law and kids, leaving nobody in the house, she said, adding that she went by a taxi. Upon reaching the said hospital, Hajara Burkina continued that the first wife asked her mother-in-law to wait in the hospital as she returned to the house with the same taxi driver, stopping briefly on the way to pick her brother. Upon reaching the house where the bride was, Hajara Burkina said the first wife and her brother entered as she asked the cabbie to wait. After waiting for too long the cabbie went into the house to find out why his client was still not coming out. She queried him saying that after all she was going to pay him for the service so he returned to the car and waited. Armed with a metal and with the support of her brother, they hit the woman on her head, killing her instantly. They pulled the dead body to the suspected murderers room to serve as a convincing ruse. After the crime, she changed her dress and with her brother who dropped on the way, she returned to the hospital not before locking the room. From the hospital, she and the mother-in-law returned to the house as if nothing had happened, the narration continued. The mobile phone of the suspect is said to have provided important clues with which detectives are working with. Hajara Burkina concluded in Hausa in the audio: I wish to state that the first wife and her brother murdered the customs officer aged 32, a resident of Mamobi in Accra but relocated to Abeka when she got married. The husband, Hajara Burkina added, had a Mamprusi woman as a wife before marrying the suspect with whom they have five kids. As a result of endless issues in the marriage, the woman left the marriage and returned to the North following which the man married the suspect, she said in the audio. She added that the husband has developed a mental challenge following the murder of Munira Moro. Source: dailyguidenetwork.com Disclaimer : Opinions expressed here are those of the writers and do not reflect those of Peacefmonline.com. Peacefmonline.com accepts no responsibility legal or otherwise for their accuracy of content. Please report any inappropriate content to us, and we will evaluate it as a matter of priority. Featured Video The Tema Traditional Council (TTC) has banned social activities within the Tema Traditional area for the month of October to honour the memory of the late Nii Adjei Kraku II, the Paramount Chief of Tema. Nii Kraku II passed on in February 2020. A copy of a letter signed by the Registrar of TTC available to the Ghana News Agency stated that "As part of activities lined up for the funeral, the month of October has been set aside by the Traditional Council to honour the memory of the late Paramount Chief". The Traditional Council urged the public, particularly residents in Tema, to take note that, all funerals and related activities are suspended in the month of October 2022, as well as activities such as engagements, weddings, outdoor crusades/conventions, and other merrymaking events, are also proscribed for the period". It further announced that while the ban on these activities would be strictly enforced in Tema Manhean (Newtown), residents of the other communities of Tema (communities I to 12) and the various divisional areas are encouraged to support honour the directives. The associated communities, including Ashaiman, Zeenu, Kubekro, Adigon, Saasabi, Adjei-Kojo, Klangon, Sakumono and Adjeiman, are encouraged to mourn with the Chief's and people of Tema by abiding by the measure put in place to honour the memory of the late Chief. The Tema Traditional Council said activities lined up for the funeral would be announced later. 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 We're always interested in hearing about news in our community. Let us know what's going on! Go to form Rear Adm. Michael Donnelly, commander of the carrier strike group, second from right, listens to a reporter's question during a news conference on the deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in Busan, South Korea, Friday, Sept. 23, 2022. The nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan arrived in the South Korean port of Busan on Friday ahead of the two countries' joint military exercise that aims to show their strength against growing North Korean threats. (AP Photo/Lee Jin-man) Looking back at this summer's 2022 PokerStars EPT Barcelona, most will remember Giuliano Bendinelli as the big winner for taking down the 5,300 buy-in Main Event for 1.5 million. But there was no one more dominant during the European Poker Tour festival in Spain than Uruguay's Francisco Benitez. Benitez, a 16-year poker veteran who primarily plays online, started off the series on the Spanish coast by taking down two high-roller events, an already impressive feat (he was the only player to win multiple events at the festival) that he followed up by making two additional high-roller final tables. All said and done, the 31-year-old Uruguayan cashed for $1.1 million at EPT Barcelona and picked up the four largest live cashes of his career, according to The Hendon Mob. PokerNews spoke with Benitez during EPT Barcelona about his background as a professional poker player in South America and his breakout year on the European live circuit. Check out more from our interview with francisco benitez MBABANE Some young people in the country have resolved that His Majesty the King should form part of the proposed political reforms. During their three-day conference in May 2022, at Esibayeni Lodge, Matsapha, 65 young people drawn from various stakeholders voted against social media talk that undermined allegiance to the King. The 65 young people came from 10 communities three in the Lubombo Region, three in Manzini, two in the Shiselweni Region and two in the Hhohho Region. The remaining delegates came from churches, students, NGOs, and several others. The Times SUNDAY has established that the youth invited Professor Arthur Mutambara from Zimbabwe to be their guest speaker. Professor Mutambara is a Zimbabwean politician, who assumed the position of president of the Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) in February 2006. He has worked as a director and chief executive officer of Africa Technology and Business Institute since September 2003. power-sharing agreement Under a September 2008 power-sharing agreement, Mutambara served in the government of the late former Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe as one of the two deputy prime ministers from 2009 to 2013. Known as Luvatsi, the Swaziland Youth Empowerment Organisation received financial assistance to the tune of US$20 000, the equivalent of E352 000 at yesterdays current exchange rate. It received the money from the National Endowment for Democracy (NED), a private, non-profit foundation dedicated to the growth and strengthening of democratic institutions around the world. Each year, NED makes more than 2 000 grants to support the projects of non-governmental groups abroad that are working for democratic goals in more than 100 countries. The money is to finance a project themed: Supporting grassroots action for accountable governance. According to the project scope published by NED, the Swaziland Youth Empowerment Organisation should strengthen the capacity of grassroots activists to demand more accountable and responsive governance in Eswatini. The organisation is expected to train and mentor five community-based organisations, which will work with local leaders to improve their communities and carry out joint advocacy campaigns promoting womens rights, youth political participation, and freedom of assembly. The project seeks to strengthen and coordinate youth leadership in the call for democratic reforms as it will host a coordination platform for youth activists and lead strategy sessions, trainings, and campaigns. hold the dialogue Drawn from various stakeholders that included churches, communities, civil society, the youth said it was not possible to hold the dialogue in the absence of the King. Who do we dialogue with if the King isnt there? that is the question the young men reportedly asked before reaching consensus that they needed the King. Sizwe Bhomo Vilakati, the Coordinator of the Swaziland Youth Empowerment Organisation, confirmed that they had a meeting attended by Professor Mutambara at Esibayeni Lodge. He said they felt as young people that the nation should not rush into an undefined constitutional democracy but emaSwati should be given the opportunity to first look at the form of democracy they wanted. He said they addressed the issue of transitional authority wherein they could use this period to get views from the people on what democratic philosophy was suitable for Eswatini. Vilakati said the meeting enlightened them on the fact that there was no winner-takes-all during a dialogue. He put it this way: we realised that we cant get it all, and we cant give all. Vilakati made it clear that young people expressed the need for political reforms because the current regime appeared reluctant to adhere to the dictates of the Constitution of the Kingdom of Swaziland (Eswatini). The coordinator disclosed that the youth conference had different views on the Tinkhundla System of Government. He said they felt that the nation should decide on whether they still wanted the current political system, and why they want it? He said these were genuine questions which should be asked and answered in a free political environment. oppressive to the people Pertaining to the question on politics, he mentioned that some of them were of the idea that the political system was oppressive to the people. He said they expressed disgruntlement about the charges preferred against the MPs, who were advocating the election of the prime minister as opposed to the premier being appointed by the King. He was referring to exiled former Siphofaneni MP Mduduzi Gawzela Simelane, Hosea MP Mduduzi Bacede Mabuza and Ngwemphisi MP Mthandeni Dube. The coordinator disclosed that they also addressed the issue of political parties, which they likened to a car parked in a garage but was not driven out to provide transport to the people. He said political parties existed in the country, but did not exercise their rights to contest in the election and formation of a government or Cabinet. On another note, he said they raised concern over lack of transparent structures to address youth challenges. He said Luvatsi had been to the communities to handle those youth challenges such as teenage pregnancy and also engaged traditional leaders in community issues. We engage students in what is actually driving them to boycott classes. We ask this question so that we can create a conducive environment for dialogue, Vilakati said. He said they hadnt been successful in holding talks with people in high authority to address national issues. However, he mentioned the fact that they, at some point, made attempts to address the issue of scholarship, with both Ministry of Labour and Social Security and Ministry of Education and Training shifting blame for certain discrepancies to each other. provide solutions He said they wanted to provide solutions to the high youth unemployment rate in Eswatini, and they could only be useful and helpful when given the opportunity and recognition to contribute to nation-building programmes. He said they also raised concern over the youths perceived unfair representation at the Swaziland Multi-Stakeholders Forum (MSF). Meanwhile, Professor Mutambara presented a paper titled: Politics of transition in Africa; contemporary study of democratic transitions in Africa lessons, experiences, challenges and opportunities for the Kingdom of Eswatini on the verge of the proposed SADC facilitated dialogue. In his presentation seen by this newspaper, the Zimbabwean politician looked at the following topics; * Lessons and experiences for Eswatini from these democratic transitions (e.g. Zimbabwe 2008). * Challenges and opportunities in Eswatini for democratic transitions while maintaining its rich cultural traditions. * What is the role of SADC/AU (as an independent facilitator/mediator) in making sure that genuine and credible dialogue takes place in Eswatini to resolve the political crisis engulfing the country? * The possible scenarios/route for democratic transition for Eswatini. He said the youth should always strive to entertain negotiations that would lead to a settlement and enduring peace. On the other hand, he said the protagonists choice was the number of deaths and the extent of infrastructure damage they wanted to occur before smoking a peace pipe. The sooner the citizens of Eswatini talk, the better, he said. He advised them that they shouldnt expect to dialogue and make peace with their friends but their enemies. reached new heights He said he was aware that pro-democracy protests in the country reached new heights in 2021, and escalated on June 28, 2021 in Manzini and Mbabane. Professor Mutambara said the demonstrations were against the monarchys rule over the country; hence they were met with police brutality and deadly force from security forces. He fixed the number of deaths at 46. He pointed out though that some protesters responded with violence, and SADC has had to intervene, however, the intervention yielded little. The former deputy prime minister of Zimbabwe said His Majesty King Mswati III has not shown genuine interest to engage with his aggrieved citizens. He said he had discovered that pro-democracy forces were yet to consolidate and present a unified voice. Regarding Cyril Ramaphosas visit to the country in November 2021 in his capacity as chairperson of the SADC Organ on Politics, Defence and Security, he said there were expectations that the King would have made clear concessions pointing to his national dialogue. Professor Mutambara said it appeared the King agreed that the SADC secretariat would work closely with the Government of Eswatini to draft the terms of reference for the national dialogue. He said it was imperative that the tone of the dialogue was not set by the Head of State. He suggested that it should be broadened to include the Parliament. The Kings stance on the national dialogue has not really moved since, the politician said. setting the tone He said it looked as though he was still bent on setting the tone and character of the dialogue, and this did not engender trust and confidence in the dialogue process on the part of the various pro-democracy movements in Eswatini. Given civil unrest for the past 20 years, he said SADC should be taking a clear, assertive stance to resolve the impasse between the King and citizens. He told the youth that they should not allow the King to set his own timelines without questioning, urging SADC to insist on all-inclusive dialogue immediately. He listed key things that should be done in Eswatini in order to have a meaningful and peaceful dialogue * Identification of stakeholders * Identification of the issues * Identification of facilitator * Definition of success * Negotiate a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) * Carry out the dialogue * Global political agreement. In a recent statement, Alpheous Nxumalo, the Government Spokesperson, alluded to the fact that the country was committed to the dialogue, but violent acts such as the attack on security officers delayed the process. The communique of the 42nd Ordinary Summit of SADC Heads of State and Government held in Kinshasa, DRC, on August 17, 2022, states that they welcomed a brief report presented by the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini regarding the security situation in the country. condemned the violence While the summit condemned the violence, it mandated the chairperson of the organ to convene an extra-ordinary summit of the Organ Troika plus Eswatini, at a date to be determined, aimed at finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the security challenges facing the country. Young people are the ones who began the petitioning of MPs about social and political demands. The then acting Prime Minister, Themba Masuku banned the delivery of petitions at the tinkhundla centres on the grounds that the exercise had turned violent. They defied the acting prime ministers ban, resulting in clashes with the police. The clashes culminated in deaths of people and destruction of property. It was not possible to get hold of MSF executives to shed light on the youth representation in its structure. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Going back at least seven years and at least with respect to his business, Trump has been able to control investigations and possible charges, first with money and then in office, along with a brief but inexplicable period at the beginning of the Biden administration. The moment the House Committee began its hearings, it came to a crashing end. One gets the sense that the hearings embarrassed DOJ. Now, DOJ is moving at a shockingly fast pace, so fast that Trumps advisers are in a panicked meltdown. According to a report in The Guardian, the 11th Circuit and Judge Raymond Dearie (Special Master) have made their rulings with almost impossible speed: Attempts by Donald Trump to delay the criminal investigation into his unlawful retention of government secrets have been largely thwarted after the Department of Justice regained access to about 100 documents with classified markings that the FBI seized from the former US presidents Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida. The US appeals court for the 11th circuit this week set aside key parts of an order by a federal judge that barred the department from using the documents in its investigation, and additionally ruled that Trumps lawyers need not review the documents over potential privilege concerns. Yes. Judge Cannon made an absurd ruling, one that only a MAGA judge with less than two years of experience could have made, telling the parties that the DOJ couldnt continue its criminal investigation until a special master ruled. Not only did the 11th Circuit contemptuously reject that argument, but it also did it in less than a week. And then there is Judge Dearie, who has told Trumps lawyers to put up or shut up within a week. Dearie wants all evidence that the documents are classified. There is likely no evidence. Trumps goal in requesting a special master was multi-pronged from the start, according to sources familiar with the matter, and the principal though publicly unstated aim was to apply the brakes on the criminal investigation, after the FBI search of Mar-a-Lago took Trumps lawyers by surprise, he wrote. A second major aim, the sources said, was to use the special master motion as a vehicle to get more insight into what documents the FBI retrieved from the property because they were initially in the dark about the extent of Trumps, as well as their own, potential exposure. Ah, yes, Trumps lawyers cannot trust Trump to remember or be open in telling them what he had. Additionally, one-time Trump attorney Christina Bobb declared and signed a statement saying all documents had been returned. Trumps lawyers have to know that just representing Trump puts them at risk because he has a habit of hanging people out to dry. Trumps attorneys wont know which files Trump had until potential charges are filed. After the FBI raided Mar-a-Lago and, after a year of the National Archives begging for these records and being told that he had given all of them back, the fact that Trump had materials that are not supposed to leave SCIF rooms and only be seen by people with Special Access clearance has every normal person a bit light-headed regarding why he had these documents. No one is in the mood to slow-walk this investigation. National security is at stake. DOJ knows it, the judges know it, and even Trumps lawyers now know it. They are now panicking. Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Donald Trump is one of the few people on earth narcissistic enough and arrogant enough (redundant?) to be comfortable with declarations that hes close to a deity, if not fully worthy of worship. Not only is Trump comfortable with such memes, but Trump also wants more people to see them. It isnt enough to enjoy such comparisons. He has to share them with as many people as possible, as he did this week. From The Insider: Former President Donald Trump shared a post on his Truth Social account on Friday, declaring him as second only to Jesus. The post by Truth Social user @austinnegrete said: Jesus is the Greatest. President @realDonaldTrump is the second greatest. It accompanied an image of a painting of Jesus by artist Dan Wilson. Trump ReTruthed, or reposted, the Jesus comparison to his 4.1 million Truth Social followers. Hes made his own comparisons in the past: Trump has made these grand proclamations himself. In August 2019, Trump told reporters in reference to trade with China: I am the chosen one. He also shared tweets describing him as the King of Israel and the second coming of God. How many times in your life have you told a group of people, I am the chosen one? Not a single person reading this. How many have ever considered any human being as the second coming of God? Never mind yourself. No one. Disturbing but very typical. This is a guy who is reportedly ready to burn the country to the ground if charged. In and of itself, that report serves as evidence that he believes he is on a higher plain: Out of all the QAnon memes Trump posted last night, this might be the craziest. pic.twitter.com/jcdIrZRIJ2 Will Sommer (@willsommer) September 23, 2022 Trump is really stepping his QAnon outreach last night he posted a video filled with overt QAnon memes on TruthSocial. pic.twitter.com/YIG2wFGyMY Will Sommer (@willsommer) September 23, 2022 Trump shares Truth Social photo declaring himself second only to Jesus https://t.co/7QeEpCgTxa Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) September 23, 2022 Facebook Twitter Pinterest Email Print Trump is trying to rationalize his entire life collapsing under the weight of investigations by claiming they are all a conspiracy against him. Trump wrote on Truth Social: This is a giant Scam, a sick continuation of the Greatest Witch Hunt in U.S. History. A complete Weaponization of the Justice Department & FBI, and includes Democrat D.A.s & A.G.s. Controlled by the same people that brought you Russia, Russia, Russia, Mueller, Impeachment Hoax 1, Impeachment Hoax 2, and more. The American people will not stand for Weaponization any longer! The investigations are all separate and independent, but the only that Donald Trump can package them and dismiss them to his followers is to claim that they are all part of a vast conspiracy. It isnt that Trump is a criminal. Its that everyone is out to get Donald Trump. The investigation and lawsuit in New York for financial crimes and fraud have nothing to do with the investigation in Fulton County, which is centered on Trumps potential violations of Georgia election law, which has nothing to do with Trumps potential mishandling of classified documents that are being investigated by the Justice Department, which has nothing to do with Trumps potential crimes when he tried to overthrow the government. The investigations arent a witchhunt. They represent a pattern of criminality. Trump is mentally collapsing because he could be facing financial ruin. Congress is getting set to pass legislation to block his potential avenues to a coup, and the classified documents case could result in criminal charges. Donald Trumps tactics that he has used for a lifetime arent working. The walls are closing in, and he is running out of time. Two former co-workers who bilked a COVID-19 emergency loan program out of nearly $232,000 avoided prison time last week after expressing deep remorse and shame for what they described as a "stupid decision" and "despicable acts." A "tragic lapse of judgment" also comes to mind. Adam Cessna and Suzanne Weintraub, who were romantically involved at the time of the crimes but no longer are, were in U.S. District Court in downtown Charleston on Sept. 22 to learn their fates The Mount Pleasant residents appeared separately before Judge Bruce Howe Hendricks, who accepted their guilty pleas earlier this year to one count each of conspiracy to commit wire fraud. Prosecutor Amy Bowers said the U.S. Attorney's Office didn't oppose reduced sentences in this instance. But the government also felt some amount of incarceration would serve as "appropriate" deterrent for Cessna and Weintraub. Howe sentenced them instead to probation: the maximum five years for Cessna, who's been unable to make any restitution; and 12 months for Weintraub, who's repaid more than what she took in from the fraud. The two unlikely collaborators were charged separately, and they implicated each other when investigators knocked on their doors. Howe said their cooperation was among the mitigating factors she weighed in determining their sentences. In Cessna's case, she felt it would be more beneficial to taxpayers if the first-time offender can earn money to pay back the government rather than serve time. No priors Cessna and Weintraub were among the first Lowcountry residents caught with their hands in the government cookie jar known as the Payroll Protection Program, which the U.S. Small Business Administration created in 2020 to save jobs and stabilize the economy during the early days of the pandemic. Theirs wasn't a sophisticated scheme it was a near replicate of the hundreds if not thousands of PPP frauds that are being investigated and prosecuted across the country. They were able to obtain the free emergency funds by submitting false tax statements and other documents on behalf of an automotive business that he and a bakery that she claimed they owned. One of the more head-scratching details of their conspiracy is that Cessna, 39, and Weintraub, 47, had no past criminal records and were holding down good jobs at Boeing Co. in North Charleston when they decided to test the few-questions-asked PPP honor system. Both were fired after the criminal charges were announced earlier this year. College-educated with a master's degree in business administration, Weintraub, who is from Illinois, pursued an upwardly mobile career in information technology. At Boeing, her last position was business systems manager. She also enjoys tutoring and volunteering for community projects in her free time. Cessna is an Ohio native, Air Force veteran and father of one. He had worked his way up at the 787 Dreamliner plant from maintenance technician to program administrator. Somewhere along the line, the two met. Their boyfriend-girlfriend relationship took a wrong turn in the spring of 2020, according to a 27-page memorandum that Weintraub defense attorney Joe Griffith filed last week. The document, which wasn't discussed at Thursday's sentencings, suggested that Cessna told investigators it was Weintraub who took "charge of the process." It then went on to say that it was he who "hatched a plan to submit fraudulent PPP loan applications to the SBA, and manipulatively urged Suzanne to help him proceed with the plan." It's undisputed that Weintraub received $122,445 and another ill-gotten $10,000 from a different federal aid program. According to the memorandum, she, "at his insistence, gave Cessna approximately $85,500 of the proceeds, primarily used for the purchase of a truck and boat." He also paid off some credit card debt and bought other personal items. The SBA loan that Cessna received was for slightly less than $100,000. The pricey truck he bought has since been traded in for a more modest model, and the boat was sold at a small loss, said Cameron Blazer, his defense attorney. He owns no assets of value that the government can seize. 'Stupid' choice, 'dark path' For her part, Weintraub has put her financial obligations behind her. She borrowed against her home to make restitution and has repaid all of her illicit SBA loan proceeds and more, including the $85,500 she gave Cessna, some $6,000 in bank fees the government incurred and $2,600 in interest. "I didn't deserve a dime of that money," she said. The sentencing proceedings included apologies and emotional pleas for leniency. Cessna and Weintraub each told the judge they take full responsibility for their actions and that they've been affected in ways, both personally and professionally, that they never could have imagined. Cessna testified that he's about lose his home and that his custody rights with his child are in jeopardy. He's also having trouble finding a job. "It was the dumbest decision I ever made in my life," Cessna said. "I'm really not a bad person. It was a stupid decision, and I'm going to lose everything." Weintraub was accompanied by two friends who spoke about her character, as well as her uncharacteristic decision to break the law. She took a deep breath before reading her prepared statement, saying she never "cheated on anything" before the SBA loan scheme and that she's been "vilified" by some of her onetime colleagues and acquaintances. "I allowed myself to go down a very dark path that has about cost me everything," she said. Weintraub and Cessna weren't asked and didn't volunteer in open court exactly what enticed them to cross the line in mid-2020, after leading law-abiding lives. Maybe it can explained away simply as short-term greed. Or short-term needs at the peak of the pandemic. In exchange for the relatively paltry sum they briefly banked, the cost will be steep. Their day-to-day lives as felons include a mess of new rules, restrictions and reporting requirements. The judge drove that point home. Howe warned them that if either violates any probation terms she'll have them hauled off to prison for up to five years. "And I'm serious about that," she said. A North Charleston rail yard that will let the Port of Charleston move cargo containers to and from trains while reducing truck traffic on local roads is moving beyond the planning stages with the State Ports Authority spending nearly $47 million on heavy-lift cranes for the site adjacent to the Leatherman Terminal. The SPA's board of directors voted Sept. 20 to purchase six rail-mounted gantry cranes from Austria-based Kuenz Cranes. It's the first major equipment purchase for the $400 million rail yard at the city's former Navy Base. The contract includes the design, fabrication, transportation, erection and final commissioning of the cranes, with delivery scheduled in 2025. The board also agreed to spend nearly $2.9 million on road improvements near the future rail hub and almost $2 million on a wetlands restoration project in the Kings Grant neighborhood off Dorchester Road, which is being done as compensation for wetlands destruction at the train site. The SPA rail project is officially known as the Navy Base Intermodal Facility. It's part of $550 million in port improvements the S.C. Legislature is funding. The money will also pay for a barge facility at Wando Welch Terminal in Mount Pleasant, which will move containers by water to the Leatherman Terminal and, ultimately, to the rail yard. "These three projects really kick off the Navy Base Intermodal Facility and barge project that the state of South Carolina very confidently invested in for us," Barbara Melvin, the SPA's president and CEO, told board members. Melvin said a near-dock rail yard is necessary for Charleston's port to compete with the Port of Savannah and other sites for cargo. The barge and rail facilities will also reduce the number of trucks hauling containers from Wando Welch to existing Norfolk Southern and CSX Corp. rail yards in North Charleston. Those railroads move cargo from the Port of Charleston to inland ports in Greer and Dillon. About one-fourth of all cargo moving to and from Charleston's port is transported by rail. "This erases our last major competitive disadvantage as a major East Coast port without having on-dock or near-dock rail," Melvin said. "We have a target date for opening of July 1 of 2025, so this project is going to move quickly." Powering up The Nexans factory in the Bushy Park area of Goose Creek has been awarded a second contract for the Revolution Wind Farm being developed off the U.S. coast by Danish power company Orsted and Connecticut-based Eversource, New England's largest power provider. Nexans will produce undersea cable at its Charleston International Manufacturing Center plant to connect the wind farm, located about 15 miles south of the Rhode Island coast and 32 miles east of the Connecticut coast, to an onshore power grid. Nexans, based in Paris, previously won a contract to install the export cable link at the wind farm. Financial terms of the contract weren't disclosed. Nexans recently completed an $80 million expansion at its Berkeley County site to make high-voltage undersea cables the only such factory in the United States. The expansion, which nearly doubled the site to 475,000 square feet, included a new onsite shipping terminal along the Cooper River where miles-long power cords can be loaded onto the Nexans Aurora a custom made cable installation vessel. "Establishing our footprint in the United States and furthering our commitment to the U.S. offshore wind industry is at the core of our business operations," Ragnhild Katteland, Nexans' executive vice president for subsea & land systems, said in a written statement. "We have made several investments to deliver subsea transmission cables that are manufactured and installed in America, and the partnership with Orsted and Eversource is the first step in bolstering supply chains with strong, local partners," Katteland said. "We are committed to pushing the boundaries of what is possible as innovation is crucial to meet the needs of a territory as large as the United States." The 704-megawatt wind farm is expected to produce enough power to bring electricity to more than 350,000 homes. The project will replace close to 1 million metric tons of carbon pollution the equivalent of taking more than 200,000 cars off the road annually. Construction is scheduled to begin in 2023 and the wind farm is expected to be fully operational in 2025. In addition to supplying power cables for U.S. wind farms, Nexans will export cables for use in foreign countries. Trade aid The S.C. Department of Commerce has received a federal grant to help businesses looking to ship their products overseas through Charleston's port system. The $250,000 grant from the Small Business Administration will help fund export programs and services, including assisting new and experienced exporters with on-site counseling, developing market-entry strategies, administering export training and connecting companies with appropriate partners and resources. This is the 10th consecutive year Commerce has awarded a State Trade Expansion Program grant. Export services are key in helping companies grow their business and reach new markets, agency chief Harry Lightsey said in a written statement. He said the grant "will allow us to support South Carolina companies looking to expand their reach around the globe. More than 83 percent of the state's companies that export products are small- and medium-sized businesses, according to Gregg White, district director for the SBA's office in South Carolina. This year's grant will assist between 35 and 40 businesses expand their exports and participate in international trade exhibitions. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Cloudy. High 68F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low 51F. Winds N at 5 to 10 mph. COLUMBIA Kathy Jenkins is the owner of a new business and an apprentice there at the same time. Jenkins is the owner of Watch Repair Station, with opened in August just off Garners Ferry Road at 761 Greenlawn Drive. She talked John Gawronski, a watchmaker with 30 years' experience, out of retirement to join the new venture. Gawronski used to own The Wristwatch Doc, a repair business located in Forest Acres and later in Cayce. Now he's a happy employee, working away at a brightly lit table space with specialized equipment and thousands of parts near to hand. "She is the boss," Gawronski said. He had operated the watch shop, repairing most models of watches dating back to the 1800s, for 18 years. But a long health crisis of cluster migraine headaches shut him down in 2018 and landed him in the hospital. The high-magnification eyewear needed for the work was off-limits suddenly, because it might trigger new headaches. After his health improved, Jenkins got him to help launch the new venture. She talked me out of retirement, Gawronski said. He acts as the in-house watchmaker doing repairs and is training Jenkins to do the same intricate work. Jenkins, whose background is in jewelry-making, already takes care of the more basic tasks at the shop, such as repairing Rolex watchbands and replacing batteries. Within a couple of years, she expects to learn the full services of a watchmaker. That puts her into a trade with a long history, one that has been male-dominated and one with few independent operators. Watch Repair Station is the only business in the state with an in-house watchmaker doing a spectrum of repairs, Gawronski said. Other jewelers and shops will send a watch, even one valued at thousands of dollars, off for repairs to a manufacturer. Gawronski can fix them in his shop, thanks in large part to thousands of pounds of watches and parts that he accumulated over the years. He has bought out more than 100 other watchmakers as they closed their businesses to build a huge inventory of historic parts. The business has more than 10,000 watches that can be used for repair parts, plus about one ton of separate springs, gears and other loose parts. If you bring in your 1940s Elgin thats a windup and it needs to be serviced, not only can we repair it with the original parts from the 1940s, we do it in-house," Jenkins said. There are perhaps 300 independent watchmakers in business in the United States, Gawronski said. Most people in the field are hired at premium pay to work for one company. The huge store of parts on hand is key to keeping an independent business running because many companies will not share their parts. They would rather have the customer send them the watch or just buy a new one, Gawronski said. A customer recently brought them a parent's Bulova watch from the 1940s after taking it to 12 different places seeking repair work. No one had the right parts, Jenkins said, and several of them recommended converting the watch from mechanical to a modern battery-powered quartz watch. Jenkins and Gawronski, however, had on hand a dozen versions of the Bulova movement, the watch's core mechanism. "We could have built them a new one," he said. Is there demand for repair of traditional watches in the age of the fitness tracker and smartwatch? Absolutely, they say. Millions of watches are out in the marketplace still, and still being sold. Many people above the age of 35 still are in the habit of wearing a watch, and some younger people are picking up watches as a collectible item or piece of jewelry they like. They opened their doors in mid-August and already are flooded with repair requests. Any substantial repair beyond replacing a battery is taking about three weeks to complete. They have watches in inventory they want to repair and put up for sale, but they have so many repairs to do that there's no time, Jenkins said. The cases at the front of the store remain empty. Many customers seeking repair work are like the Bulova owner, bringing in a watch that might not be expensive but has value to them because of family connections. Even if they wont wear it every day, they still want them, Gawronski said. The Post and Courier Education Lab has created the Dashboard to help parents, teachers and others navigate South Carolinas educational landscape and understand how schools are performing. Donate to our Investigative Fund to support journalism like this Our public service and investigative reporting is among the most important work we do. Its also the most expensive reporting we do. We cant do it without your support. Donate Now Visitors can use the explorer to learn more about different schools' academics, demographics and other metrics measured by the state during the 2020-21 school year (previous years will be added over the coming months). The site can help people assess and compare school performance, choose where to send their children or find out about programs offered in different school districts that they can request in their local schools. They also can use this tool to compare things like teacher salary ranges and turnover rates in different districts as well as school demographics and classroom atmospheres. The site includes interactive maps, charts, tables and other features covering key metrics chosen by The Post and Courier, in consultation with education experts. The Dashboard uses publicly available data from the South Carolina Department of Education for academic, school environment and demographic statistics for the state, school districts and individual schools. The Dashboard provides information about public, magnet and charter schools from the state's 2020-21 report card and the student enrollment headcount from the same academic year. If a schools information is not included in both data sets, that school is excluded from the Dashboard. Some aspects of school life were limited due to the pandemic. For the 2020-21 school year, state and end of the curriculum assessments were required to be offered to students, but there was no penalty if they werent taken. In regards to the 2020-21 data, the state Department of Education included the following note: On March 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Education waived federal accountability requirements and granted flexibility in administering assessments due to COVID-19. The results displayed within this report card should not be compared to those of other years due to the testing limitations as a result of the pandemic. In addition, these results may be incomplete and may not be representative of the make-up of the state, district or school population. Students also were not required to take the ACT. Sign up for our Education Lab newsletter. Email Sign Up! On the state page of the Dashboard under the school data section, ACT scores and graduation rates are blank for elementary and middle schools. Department of Juvenile Justice schools, Department of Corrections schools, primary schools and early childhood centers also are not included in the Dashboard. Some schools are listed twice if they have more than one school type. Two examples would be a K-8 school that has elementary and middle school components, or a K-12 school that has elementary, middle and high schools. Swansea High School appears twice because there is a freshman academy within the school. HCS Scholars Academy High School also is in the data twice for the same reason. Variables displayed on the Dashboard were determined after consulting with education researchers including Diane Hughes, a professor of Applied Psychology in the Steinhardt School of Culture, Development and Education at New York University, and Marisa Saunders, associate director for research at UCLAs Center for Community Schooling. School location maps were created using addresses from Department of Education data with the open-source Nominatim API to obtain latitude and longitude coordinates. The statewide map uses 2018 district boundaries from the National Center for Education Statistics EDGE tool. District boundaries have changed since then, including the consolidation of three districts into Orangeburg County School District. This Dashboard was created with the help of Dave Sheingold, Vincent Van Buskirk, Kara Newhouse, and Aadit Tambe. Summerville, SC (29483) Today Cloudy skies. High 67F. Winds N at 10 to 15 mph.. Tonight Some clouds early will give way to generally clear conditions overnight. Low near 50F. Winds NNE at 5 to 10 mph. In 2016, there were fewer than 3,000 locations in South Carolina producing solar energy. Now there are more than 30,000. Charleston County leads the state with more than 4,000 of them, followed by Greenville, Spartanburg and Richland counties, according to the state Energy Office. Unlike some rural counties that have vast solar farms producing more power than all the solar panels in the Charleston area, the growth in the state's urban areas has been fueled by silver panels perched atop homes and businesses. Solar prices have fallen more than 50 percent in the last decade in South Carolina, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association, largely because they've become more efficient and less expensive to make. The federal tax credit for solar panels will increase to 30 percent instead of fall to 22 percent next year as part of the federal climate change law, which also offers incentives for other energy-efficient home upgrades to things like doors, windows and insulation. South Carolina offers 25 percent, meaning tax credits in most cases will cut the cost in half. And a 2019 state law known as the Energy Freedom Act encouraged more small-scale solar. Solar power generates about 3 percent of South Carolina's electricity, or enough to power more than 225,000 homes, according to the Solar Energy Industries Association. North Carolina, which has twice South Carolina's population, produces about four times as much solar energy. "We've seen a consistent uptick in people going solar. We're honestly still very much so on the ground floor," said Xavier Veille, owner of Sunshine Saves solar company in Tega Cay. Veille and Jonathan Mason, owner of Charleston-based SCSP Solar, said homeowners should do their research before deciding whether solar is right for them. If you're considering solar panels, here are some of their recommendations to get you started: 1. Check the orientation and condition of your roof. The ideal roof faces toward the south, but shading and tree cover are also factors. Plug your address into Project Sunroof for an estimate of the solar potential of your roof based on its size and how much sunlight it receives. More than 80 percent of buildings in Charleston County are viable for solar panels, according to the website. And since solar panels are meant to stay on your roof for 25 years or longer, the time to make sure your roof doesn't need any maintenance is before you buy them. 2. Find out your electric company's solar policy. The most solar-friendly policies are known as net metering. "Not all utility companies see solar the same way," Mason said. "A lot of the public utilities have good programs. Others, it may not make sense for customers to go solar unless there's some battery storage as well." Dominion still offers net metering after unsuccessfully trying to convince regulators last year to allow a plan that solar advocates said would kill rooftop solar investments in its service area. Santee Cooper's rules give customers full credit for the energy their solar panels produce to power their home but pays a lower rate for electricity sent back to the grid. 3. Make sure you qualify for the tax credits. With the 25 percent state tax credit and 30 percent federal one, a $20,000 solar array would qualify for $11,000 off. But you're only allowed to claim a credit on your taxes up to the amount you paid, so retired people on fixed incomes or those who don't pay much in federal or state taxes may not be able to take advantage of the break. 4. Lease, loan, or pay upfront? A true lease is almost unheard of for homeowners in South Carolina. That's because you're only eligible for the state and federal tax credits if you buy the system. Some people still prefer to save up and pay the full cost, but Mason and Veille said most of their customers are opting for low-interest loans, spreading out payments over up to 20 years. Because of the rebates and length of the loan, the monthly payments are often less than the homeowner's average power bill. In 2020, the average monthly power bill in South Carolina was $138, more than all but three other states Hawaii, Connecticut and Alabama, according to the federal Energy Information Administration. Charleston, SC (29403) Today Sunny, along with a few afternoon clouds. High near 75F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight Partly cloudy during the evening followed by cloudy skies overnight. Low 57F. Winds NNW at 5 to 10 mph. COLUMBIA Joe Cunningham says escalating violence in South Carolina is Gov. Henry McMaster's fault. The Democrat's solution is to elect judges by popular vote as most other states do. Meanwhile, the Republican incumbent accuses Cunningham of being anti-police as he tries to link his challenger to Democrat-led efforts elsewhere to defund law enforcement. Both campaigns say their opponents' accusations are absurd, as they stress their candidates' crime-fighting stances. South Carolina's murder rate is the highest it has been in three decades. The overall rate for all violent crimes has dropped by 45 percent in that span, though there has been an uptick since 2014, according to the latest report from the State Law Enforcement Division, which includes data through 2020. On the campaign trail, Cunningham blames McMaster for a "revolving door" of criminals. "We have the highest crime rate we've ever had," he said Aug. 20 in Orangeburg. "Gov. McMaster owns this crime issue. He's appointed the judges who are letting violent offenders back on the streets." Days later in Florence, he said, "Violent criminals are getting back on the streets, being let out by politically appointed judges that (McMaster's) appointed." But McMaster has a very limited role in who's on the bench. South Carolina is one of two states where legislators choose judges. Technically, the governor appoints local magistrates judges who set bail and have jurisdiction over offenses punishable by up to a $500 fine or 30 days in jail. However, magistrates are actually selected by their local senators. The governor has no ability to fire magistrates, even after their term is up. For all other judges, the governor plays no role at all in their selection. That's why Cunningham wants a complete overhaul, his campaign said when asked by The Post and Courier about the candidate's claim and the governor's lack of authority in judicial selection. "Its about changing the system," said Tyler Jones, Cunningham's senior adviser. "Let the people decide." Cunningham proposes that magistrates and circuit court judges be chosen by voters through nonpartisan elections. That's different from states like Illinois, New York and North Carolina, where judges run as Republican or Democrat. Critics of picking trial court judges like what's done in 20 other states including California, Florida and Georgia say politics would be injected regardless of whether they are technically running under a party banner. Opponents of a popular-vote system also argue the pitfalls of judges taking donations from attorneys with cases in their courtroom. "No system is perfect, thats for sure," Jones said. "But we've got a system in South Carolina where legislators get to appoint their judges and appear in front of them. At the end of the day, McMaster has been governor for six years. The buck stops with him. The system is not working and has to be reformed." But, as with most any gubernatorial proposal, such reform would require the Legislature to change state law. "That has as much a chance of surviving as snow in Phoenix, Arizona, this time of the year," said Sen. Darrell Jackson of Hopkins. The Richland County Democrat added he disagrees with Cunningham entirely on his crime claims. "Not to defend the governor, but he does not have anything to do with that," Jackson said. "I dont think hes responsible for what the judges do." The campaign's examples of suspects recently arrested for murder and other violent crimes while out on bond set by magistrates for a prior arrest include 10 cases in Richland County. Sign up for updates! Get the latest political news from The Post and Courier in your inbox. Email Sign Up! "Should I remind (Cunningham) that all of the senators in Richland County are Democrats?" said Jackson, the delegation's highest-ranking member. "I think Richland County magistrates do what they feel they have to do. I for one, as someone who actually recommends magistrates, Ive never tried to second-guess them. Ive never tried to micromanage what they do. I dont think that is our role either." Jackson said Cunningham is offending Senate Democrats. But Sen. Dick Harpootlian, D-Columbia, said the idea deserves merit, particularly for magistrates who used to be elected by voters until the mid-1970s. "They are the example of justice people see on a day-to-day basis, whether for a simple traffic offense or a bad check," said the former prosecutor. "I think theres tremendous sentiment to have a different way of picking judges. Cunningham is expressing the frustration of most of the folks I talk to every day." Harpootlian doubts there's a direct link between the high crime rate and how judges are picked. A case in Florence County demonstrates how little sway the governor has on judicial picks, said his spokesman, Brian Symmes. In a July 1 letter, McMaster refused to re-appoint a rural Florence County magistrate who granted a personal recognizance bond meaning he didn't have to pay anything to be released to a suspect accused of accidentally killing his 11-year-old nephew while shooting at an alleged trespasser. But the magistrate remains on the bench and will stay there as long as her nominating senator declines to pick someone else. McMaster actually agrees with Cunningham that reform is needed. He, too, prefers a different method of selecting judges, though not the one Cunningham suggests. McMaster has said the more transparent approach would be to emulate the federal system, where the governor picks judges who are screened and approved by the Senate. But with such a switch being a nonstarter in the Legislature, he's made small changes. Last year, he started requiring applicants to disclose whether they had been disciplined by any professional organization, including the South Carolina Bar. "The governor has already made important changes in the less-than-ideal system that's in place now," Symmes said. "He's called on the General Assembly to make the current system more accountable by requiring magistrates to be publicly screened, and he's urged members of the Senate to only appoint those who are trained lawyers and are in good standing with the Bar." Fund the police McMaster's first TV ad of the election cycle, released last month, claims Cunningham "voted against the police." The accusation refers to Cunningham's vote while in Congress for a bill named the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act, which passed the U.S. House in June 2020 along party lines and died in the Senate. In a statement, the National Fraternal Order of Police said it liked parts of the measure but strongly opposed others, particularly ending officers' qualified immunity from civil lawsuits. Jones said Cunningham's vote was far from being anti-police. The bill "was to prohibit barbaric methods like choke holds and no-knock warrants. So, if the McMaster team thinks choke holds and no-knock warrants like the one that killed Breonna Taylor are OK, they should say that," Jones said. "Joe has a strong record of supporting law enforcement." McMaster's campaign notes the governor signed a law in May limiting the use of choke holds and no-knock warrants. The law requires police agencies to abide by minimum standards and threatens hefty penalties if they don't. His signature came two years after video of a Black man dying while pinned to the ground by a white officer in Minneapolis ignited protests and rioting nationwide, as well as calls by some Democrats to "defund the police." Cunningham never backed that idea, Jones said, pointing to Cunningham's support for another bill titled Defund Cities that Defund the Police Act. It would have barred state and local governments that reduce funding to law enforcement from receiving certain federal grants. GOP co-sponsors included Rep. Jeff Duncan of South Carolina's 3rd District. Cunningham signed on in September 2020. That bill never received a vote in the U.S. House. Election Day is Nov. 8. Guam is no longer trying to eradicate the invasive rhinoceros beetle population on island. Instead, efforts have shifted to keeping the rhino beetle from spreading throughout the Micronesia region. And with the recent award of $167,815 from the U.S. Department of the Interior, part of that focus will be on rhino beetles around the islands ports of entry. Glenn Dulla, research affiliate at the University of Guam and coordinator for the Biosecurity Division at the Guam Department of Agriculture, said the investment was provided through the bipartisan infrastructure law. Success! An email has been sent to with a link to confirm list signup. Error! There was an error processing your request. The funding will be used for the universitys Coconut Rhinoceros Beetle Pesticide Tree Injection Program, and will service ports of entry to prevent the beetle from spreading on Guam and throughout the region. Guam is a primary transportation hub for the rest of the islands in Micronesia. A great deal of the cargo that enters Micronesia transfers through Guam before it gets redistributed to smaller planes or boats to the other islands. Because of that, we are considered a high-risk threat to the rest of the islands because we have so many invasive species on Guam that arent on other islands, Dulla said. Guam is no longer in the eradication effort, Dulla said, instead officials are trying to manage the invasive species. "The projects that we guide, at least for the Biosecurity Division, our jurisdiction is the ports of entry for invasive species management. Since the coconut trees became infested with rhino beetle, at least 25% of the coconut trees on Guam have some sort of damage, he said. While managing all the coconut trees is not feasible due to cost, efforts have shifted to keeping the rhino beetle contained on island. So, we will be focusing on, at least for this project, protecting the region. Focused management around the airport, around the seaports, just to reduce the populations of rhino beetle around the loading area so they dont escape to the other Pacific islands, he said. Other Micronesian islands may not have the funds or expertise to handle the invasive rhino beetle, Dulla noted. Really, a lot of the smaller islands, outer islands, dont have the same resources as Guam. If they were to get the rhino beetle, they would be worse off than Guam, he said. To manage the rhino beetles around the ports of entry, the Department of Agriculture will utilize a pesticide method already used to combat termites. There are pesticides that can be injected in different types of trees to control the infected, In Hawaii we are following their protocol, Hawaii Department of Agriculture, he said. "What they found in Hawaii is they did 90% coverage of the trees in the area, they get significant populations of rhino beetle adults and have tree recovery. If you go below that you get no measurable effect. So we are going to try to do 90% of the trees in a specific area and see if we can reproduce whats been seen in Hawaii. If it works, then we move on to the rest of the trees." Any time a pesticide is used around people, there is a natural concern about health and environmental impacts. It's a concern that the Agriculture Department and the university understand. But we are going to safeguard. We are not going to put it in any fruit-bearing trees, coconuts are the primary target, but around the airport there are no fruit-bearing coconut trees. It's a hazard, any tree that we inject, the protocol is to remove any flowers or coconuts that are on these trees. Dulla said. Safeguards including removing fruits and flowers and posting signage around treated tress will be used to warn residents of the pesticide. The government agencies will use Imidacloprid and Acephate chemicals to inject into infected coconut trees. The pesticide tree injections would be administered twice a year, or every six months. Before management begins, Agriculture and UOG need to work with the Guam Airport and the Port Authority of Guam to determine which areas will be targeted and what management strategy will be deployed. The Department of Agriculture is working with the airport to remove all the dead coconut trees around the facility, as they were deemed falling hazards and breeding sites for rhino beetles. Dulla met Friday with airport officials to discuss the next phase in that project tree planting. In collaboration of Guam Forestry, we will try to plant other native trees in the airport area, he said. The goal is to complete the reforestation efforts by the end of the year. MBABANE Is it a security issue? Article 13 of the Communique of the 42nd Ordinary Summit of SADC heads of State and government refers to the Eswatini situation as a security challenge. During the summit held in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) on August 17, 2022, the Government of the Eswatini presented a brief report not on a political issue but a security situation. SADC is said to have resolved on the basis of the report. Security issues fall under Southern African Development Communitys Organ on Politics, Defence and Security. As a result of the report, the chairperson of the organ was mandated by the SADC heads of State to convene an extraordinary summit of the Organ Troika plus Eswatini at a date to be determined. It is stated in the communique that the extraordinary summit is aimed at finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the security challenges facing the country. security challenge It has not been established when the Organ will come to Eswatini to address the security challenge. His Majesty the King goes to seclusion around November. He may be free to attend to dialogue issues in March 2023. This is the time when the country will be making preparations for the general election to set up a new Parliament and Cabinet. It effectively means the country is left with October to welcome SADC to the country to talk about the security challenges as explicitly stated in the communique. Reads Article 13: Summit welcomed a brief report presented by the Government of the Kingdom of Eswatini, regarding the security situation in the country, and while condemning the violence, it mandated the chairperson of the Organ to convene an extraordinary summit of the Organ Troika plus Eswatini, at a date to be determined, aimed at finding a peaceful and lasting solution to the security challenges facing the country. As acknowledgement by SADC leaders in the communique and based on His Majesty King Mswati IIIs presentation to the blocs meeting, Alpheous Nxumalo, the Government Spokesperson, said the challenge that Eswatini faced was a security one. envisaged For all practical reasons, Nxumalo said the security challenge has forestalled the envisaged national dialogue, which was to serve as a forum to help find solutions to any political challenges which emaSwati could have presented during the dialogue. He said the nation witnessed an emerging of a violent insurgency, which used activities of arsonists, intimidation, coercion, threats and random killing of the States security officers in their quest to impose their respective will upon the people. Nxumalo said they used the atmosphere of fear and submission as political weapons to get their way. He further said that they wanted to establish their legitimacy in the hearts and minds of emaSwati without following the constitutional mandate and means. For instance, he said they launched an operation dubbed Kungahlwa kwenile (campaign to commit crime during the night). crude strategy The government Spokesperson said kungahlwa kwenile was a crude strategy to achieve mass action in order to produce a propaganda coup. He said the propaganda coup was meant to hoodwink the international and regional community into believing that emaSwati no longer wanted the obtaining political order in the kingdom. He said it was known the world over that an insurgency sought to overthrow the will and consent of the majority of the people through unconstitutional and unconventional means. This is then why we are faced with a security problem, not a political one, he said. He pointed out that emaSwati had always peacefully solved their political problems in the absence of these new violent political phenomenon invading the political space since June 29, 2022. Another concern is the unleashing of the Swaziland International Solidarity Forces, which has claimed responsibility for the killing of members of the security forces. The underground military force is understood to be revenging the killing of people during last years civil unrest. Secretary General of the Swaziland National Association of Teachers (SNAT) Sikelela Dlamini said they had not taken notice of the wording of the communique, saying Eswatini faced a political issue, not just a security challenge. He said political issues and security challenges were two different things. In a security matter, Dlamini said it meant that somebody was being attacked or someone has been threatened or is being threatened with danger. threatened He explained that the person who was being threatened would, therefore, need some protection. As a result, the secretary general of the teachers association said SADC would then facilitate negotiations for security measures. In fact, the key stakeholder where security is concerned is the Royal Eswatini Police Service (REPS). It is the responsibility of the police to ensure protection of people who are facing a security threat, and the Umbutfo Eswatini Defence Force may also come in to assist if the security measures would require defence mechanisms. This is something that Dlamini believes the country does not need as it faces a political issue. The SNAT secretary general said the institution of the monarchy was not under threat such that the civil unrest, which unfolded last year could be described or viewed as a security issue. In a SADC security meeting, impeccable sources, who happen to be political analysts of note in the region State that political questions are usually treated separately. This is evidenced by the outcome of the meeting of the SADC Ministerial Committee of the Organ (MCO) on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation held on July 19, 2022. The SADC MCO on Politics, Defence and Security Cooperation reiterated the regions commitment to bolster peace, security, stability, integration and development. strategic decisions The commitment was expressed during the 24th Ordinary Meeting of the MCO held on July 19, 2022 in Pretoria, South Africa, which adopted a number of strategic decisions and actions aimed at mitigating emerging threats to peace, security and stability in the region. Dr. Naledi Pandor, Minister of International Relations and Cooperation of the Republic of South Africa, and Chairperson of the MCO commended member States for remaining steadfast in enhancing peace and security. Peace and security were considered as the foundation for the realisation of the SADC Vision 2050 of a peaceful, inclusive, competitive, middle-to-high income industrialised region, where all citizens enjoy sustainable economic well-being, justice and freedom. Dr. Pandor called for concerted efforts to address emerging national, regional and global challenges that threatened peace, security and stability of the SADC region. To this end, the MCO chairperson urged member States to accelerate implementation of the relevant provisions of the SADC strategies, policy and legal instruments. While the region remained peaceful and stable, Mpedi Magosi, the SADC Secretary, highlighted that the bloc remained seized with pockets of security challenges facing some member States. Magosi said prevention and peaceful resolution of conflicts remained the most sustainable method for enhancing peace and security in the region. efficient On this note, he urged member States to make efficient use of and benefit from the wisdom derived from the SADC Mediation, Conflict Prevention and Preventative Diplomacy Structure, led by Dr. Jakaya Mrisho Kikwete, former President of the United Republic of Tanzania in his capacity as the Chairperson of the Panel of Elders (PoE). During the meeting, the MCO urged member States to implement the integrated strategy to prevent and combat transnational organised crime in the SADC region and its action plan. In this regard, the MCO approved the establishment of a regional task force comprising representatives from member States to coordinate the implementation of the strategy. In response to the current threat of terrorism in the region, the MCO endorsed the revised Regional Counter Terrorism Strategy and its plan of action for the period 2021-2025, and urged member States to expedite the development of national counter terrorism strategies, recognising that preventing and combatting terrorism is key to national and regional peace and security. collaborate With regard to the protection of critical infrastructure from acts of theft and vandalism, the MCO urged member States to collaborate and coordinate joint and simultaneous operations aimed at apprehending and disrupting activities of syndicates and individuals responsible for theft and vandalism of electricity and water infrastructure. In recognition of the important role of non-state actors (NSAs) in the implementation of the SADC regional integration agenda, the MCO approved the mechanism for engagement between SADC structures and NSAs. Following the approval of the mechanism, the MCO directed the secretariat to finalise the guidelines for accrediting NSAs for engagement with SADC, taking into account the provisions and context of the SADC Regional Indicative Strategy Development Plan (RISDP) 2020-2030 and SADC Vision 2050. British Prime Minister Liz Truss is going big. Her Chancellor, Kwasi Kwarteng, has unveiled an aggressive program of permanent tax cuts. The Wall Street Journal likes the plan: Mr. Kwarteng axed the 2.5-percentage-point increase in the payroll tax imposed by former Prime Minister Boris Johnson, and canceled a planned increase in the corporate income tax rate to 26% from 19%. Kwarteng also surprised by eliminating the 45% tax rate on incomes above 150,000. The top marginal rate now will be 40%. As a percentage of GDP, it shapes up as the biggest British tax cut since 1972. From the Telegraph: As you would expect, most of Britains establishment reacted with horror, and British markets plunged. In the short term, Trusss plan will increase government debt. But she is betting on growth, as Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan did during the 1980s. Dan Mitchell hails Trusss cuts and quotes a surprising admission from the New York Times: Ms. Trusshas modeled herself on Margaret Thatcher, who was prime minister from 1979 to 1990. Thatchers economic revolution in the 1980s turned the economy around. Mitchell sees Trusss policies as a welcome change from her recent predecessors: I strongly supported Brexit in part because I wanted the United Kingdom to have both the leeway and the incentive to adopt pro-market policies. Imagine my disappointment, then, when subsequent Conservative Prime Ministers did nothing (Theresa May) or expanded the burden of government (Boris Johnson). Where was the reincarnation of Margaret Thatcher? Didnt the Tory Party understand the need to restrain big government? Perhaps my prayers have finally been answered. But, of course, the missing ingredient so far is spending restraint: Tax cuts are good for growth, but their effectiveness and durability will be in question if there is not a concomitant effort to restrain the burden of spending. Truss and Kwarteng also should have announced a spending cap, modeled on either the Swiss Debt Brake or Colorados TABOR. Lower taxes in the U.S. and U.K. ignited the best growth in recent history in the 1980s. Will that formula work again? Happily, the Truss administration should give us an opportunity to find out. The Center of the American Experiment hosted Wilfred McClay this past Friday over lunch in Bloomington to speak on the abomination of Minnesotas social studies standards in process. It was not only a great event, thanks to John Hinderaker letting me join him at the head table, the lunch gave me a chance to catch up briefly with Professor McClay. Professor McClay holds the Victor Davis Hanson Chair in Classical History and Western Civilization at Hillsdale College. He is a member of the U.S. Commission on the Semiquincentennial, which has been charged with planning the celebration of the nations 250th birthday in 2026. Along with Thomas Sowell, Victor Davis Hanson, Charles Kesler, and our own Steve Hayward, Professor McClay is in my view one of our leading lights among conservative intellectuals. He is the author, most recently, of Land of Hope: An Invitation to the Great American Story, published by Encounter Books along with a two-volume young readers edition. In his 2019 Power Line Show discussing the book with Professor McClay, Steve postulated that he is the antidote to Howard Zinn. At the Miami National Conservatism Conference two weeks ago he gave a speech titled On Being a Serious Country. The text of his speech has not yet been published, but I tracked down the video on YouTube (below). It is brilliant and needed. Quotable quote: [H]ere is the question that concerns me most. Would a serious country so completely lose perspective on its own past that it would entertain the idea that the nation was founded on slavery, rather than on the ideals that have made it a beacon to the rest of the world? And would a serious country think it appropriate to teach its children that their nations past is best understood as a parade of horrors, to which the most appropriate response is not pride but lacerating shame? The sights and sounds of Africas largest multi-party democracy will be on full display from Wednesday when six months of campaigns for the 2023 General Election formally begin across Nigeria. All the 18 registered political parties have candidates for the presidential election scheduled for February 25. But the media have earmarked only three of the opposition candidates as serious challengers to the standard bearer of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu. Of the three, Atiku Abubakar of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is grappling with a crack in his own party, while the other two, Peter Obi of the Labour Party and Rabiu Kwankwaso of the New Nigerian Peoples Party (NNPP) are running for the first time and on the tickets of parties that had never made a mark in a presidential poll. Buhari leads Tinubus campaign, Osinbajo absent The APC on Saturday published the list of its 422-member presidential campaign council with President Muhammadu Buhari as chairman, Plateau State Governor Simon Lalong as director-general and a member of the House of Representatives, James Faleke, as secretary. In the council, which will be inaugurated on Monday at the partys secretariat in Abuja, serving and former state governors of the party, ministers, federal lawmakers, former presidential aspirants and almost all other prominent members of the party are assigned various roles, conveying the message that the ruling party is going into the election united. Although the list also contains odd names such as that of a former governor of Enugu State, Chimaroke Nnamani, who is a serving PDP senator, the absence of Vice President Yemi Osinbajo was immediately conspicuous. The spokesperson of the council, Festus Keyamo, later issued a statement explaining that President Buhari asked for the exclusion of Mr Osinbajo and the Secretary to the Government of the Federation, Boss Mustapha, from the campaigns to allow them to concentrate on governance in the six months leading to the elections. But many suspect the two men would not have been comfortable canvassing for Mr Tinubu due to his refusal to pick a Christian as his running mate. Some northern Christian leaders of the party such as a former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara, and Mr Mustaphas predecessor, Babachir Lawal, have launched a rebel campaign against Mr Tinubus election over the issue. Mr Mustapha, who is a Christian from Adamawa State, has not openly associated with that rebellion. But he and the vice president as the most senior Christians in the Buhari administration are thought to be sympathetic to it. The controversy will dog Mr Tinubu throughout the campaigns and beyond as the issue is regarded as one of the biggest odds against his election. But there is more than that to it, in the case of Mr Osinbajo. His relationship with his former boss in Lagos was damaged by their rivalry in the presidential primary of the party earlier this year, with some supporters of Mr Tinubu branding the vice president a Judas for joining the race months after Mr Tinubu had done so. Mr Osinbajo served as the attorney-general and commissioner for justice throughout the eight years that Mr Tinubu was governor of Lagos State. His belonging to Mr Tinubus political family was instrumental to his appointment in 2014 as the running mate to Mr Buhari. Both men met after the primary to mend their fence but the scars of that combat remain fresh. Atiku moving on without Wike Atiku has finally accepted the fate he appeared to dread most after winning the PDP primary at the end of May. He has failed in his effort to unify the party and the opposition behind his presidential bid. This is best captured by his inability to pacify Rivers State Governor Nyesom Wike, whom he had beaten in controversial circumstances at the primary. Since Atiku announced the governor of the neighbouring Delta State, Ifeanyi Okowa, as his running mate, Mr Wike has engaged the candidate and their party leadership in a political chess game. Atiku spent precious weeks trying to pull Mr Wike from his shell while being reluctant to consider the sole condition the governor gave for peace and cooperation. Mr Wike wants the national chairman to step down, ostensibly to allow the party to appoint his replacement from a southern zone but also as a punishment for allegedly bending party rules to help Atiku secure the ticket. The rift between the two men delayed the composition of the presidential campaign council of the main opposition party as Atiku realised the danger of not having the support of the governor of one of the richest and most populous states in the partys stronghold. But after getting weary of waiting for Mr Wike and the dissident group that had coalesced around him to yield to pleas, the party penultimate Thursday released the list of the campaign council, assigning Mr Wike and his supporters fringe roles. The council has Akwa Ibom Governor Udom Emmanuel as chairman and Oyo State Governor Seyi Makinde and Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed as his deputies. But the strategic position of director-general of the council went to Sokoto Governor Aminu Tambuwal, another person who had riled Mr Wike at the primary. Mr Tambuwal announced his withdrawal from the contest and endorsement of Atiku just before voting got underway at the convention, a development believed to have swung the contest for Atiku who went on to beat Mr Wike 371 to 237 votes. Last week, the Wike camp, which includes Governors Makinde of Oyo, Samuel Ortom of Benue, Okezie Ikpeazu of Abia and Enugu Governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi, withdrew from the council. Mr Wike later clarified that they were not leaving the PDP but would not support Atiku in the presidential election. Atiku has made it a campaign slogan to unify Nigeria and bridge the divisions caused by President Buharis alleged clannishness. The events of the last four months in his party must have shown him how arduous that task could be if he succeeds Mr Buhari next year. Obidients eager for action Unlike the APC and PDP, the Labour Party has either not put together a presidential campaign council or has not made a ceremony out of announcing it. But that does not appear to affect the activities of Mr Obis supporters. Although the campaigns are scheduled to begin on Wednesday based on the timetable for the elections published by the electoral commission, the Obidients have for weeks been running their own. They have held so-called million-man marches in several states across Nigeria, drawing large crowds in cities such as Port Harcourt, Jos, Owerri and Abuja. In at least two states, local authorities sent the police to disperse them. The Labour Party is still thin on the ground in terms of the physical structure and party membership. Most of those behind its activities online and in the street marches so far held are volunteers whose interest lies only in the presidential bid of the former Anambra State governor. They have not been campaigning for other candidates of the party down the ballot. Mr Obi has described his partys lack of structure as an asset for his presidential bid, saying people at the grassroots have taken ownership of the bid. Observers are waiting to see how this would help or hurt him on election day. READ ALSO: The seeming spontaneity of the street marches demonstrates the enthusiasm of his supporters. But it is also confounding observers about the form a potential Obi presidency would take. The image that we see of Mr Obi is that of a lone ranger. He joined and pulled out of the PDP almost alone. He also remains the only popular face in the Obi movement. He appears to disdain the company of politicians and stays far above and remote from the rabble of supporters chanting down his opponents. While the major parties candidates will appear at grand rallies organised by the parties, it appears Mr Obis rallies will be organised by the supporters who may not even need his speech or that of any party leader to galvanise them. Weakened opposition A major feature of this election is that the opposition has again weakened through fragmentation, a development that has taken us back to the years before the landmark opposition victory of 2015. This is the main reason the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), the research and analysis division of the London-based Economist Group, cited for its prediction that Mr Tinubu will win this election. In a report published last week, the EIU said the chances of Atiku, who gave President Muhammadu Buhari a stiff challenge in 2019, have been significantly reduced by the internal crisis in his party and the growing popularity of Mr Obi in the South-east, a region that had been a stronghold of the PDP. We expect Tinubu to take the presidency, and recent developments have only reinforced our thinking. It does not appear that a Muslim-Muslim ticket will weigh significantly on Tinubus electoral chances. Atiku has more cause to worry. Not only is Obi eating into the PDPs South-eastern support base, but Governor Wike, who finished second in the primary, does not appear to be interested in endorsing him, the EIU said. Obi, Kwankwaso hurting Atiku The PDP vice presidential candidate, Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State, and a former caretaker chairman of the party, former Kaduna State Governor Ahmed Makarfi, had earlier noted that Messrs Obi and Kwankwaso have no pathway to victory but their voters may inadvertently hand APC the election. Aside from the South-east, Mr Obi is also pitching for the votes of Christians in other parts of the country who are angry with the same-faith ticket of the APC. Speaking at a political meeting two weeks ago, Mr Okowa said, So what will happen automatically is that what Nigerians and the Church are trying to avoid, they may just end up finding themselves in it because they are accidentally creating a pathway for APC. Though jailbreaks are not new in Nigeria, they have worsened under President Muhammadu Buhari. Since he assumed office in 2015, jailbreaks have been recorded in 11 different states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja due to poor security features such as a shortage of armed personnel and weapons required to guard the facilities. Aside from these, poor management of inmates and the high number of those awaiting trial also contribute to overcrowding in Nigerias correctional centres, making them vulnerable to attacks and also putting the countrys criminal justice system on trial. According to data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), at least 65 correctional facilities are overcrowded in south-west Nigeria. This, according to the data, is the same situation in the South-east and South-south regions. While facilities in the Northern regions are not as crowded, at least two inmates are staying in the space intended for one person. Some lawyers and rights activists told PREMIUM TIMES that Nigerias unproductive judicial system contributes to the congestion. Some cases arent meant to be filed at the magistrate court because they lack jurisdiction to hear some matters, Rasaq Alao, a Lagos-based lawyer, said. While waiting for the advice of the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), suspects are remanded for months or years pending the time they (their cases) will be transferred to the high court by the police for the suspects bail. Although Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola had on several occasions asked state governments to work with the federal government on how to end the menace, efforts to lawfully decongest prisons have not yielded positive results. Unlawful decongestion of correctional facilities, through jailbreaks, has become the norm with over 4,000 escapees still in hiding. Unending jailbreaks PREMIUM TIMES reported that 13 inmates escaped during a jailbreak at the Koton/Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State after they brought down a section of the prison on 29 July 2016. Of all the people who escaped, only one person was reportedly rearrested. Weeks after that incident, another jailbreak occurred in Nsukka Correctional Centre in Enugu State. In the 9 August 2016 incident, no fewer than 15 inmates fled their cells. Security operatives only announced the rearrest of two thereafter. In another incident on 27 December 2017, 36 inmates escaped from Ikot Ekpene Correctional Facility in Akwa Ibom State, after they wrested an axe from a kitchen staffer and used it in fighting prison officials. While seven of the inmates were rearrested by security operatives, four others died when trying to escape. Similarly, the Medium Security Correctional Facility in Tunga, Minna, Niger State, was attacked by armed persons on 3 June 2018, leading to the escape of over 200 inmates. Only 28 prisoners were recaptured by security operatives. At the height of the #EndSARS protest on 19 October 2020, hoodlums launched coordinated attacks on the Benin and Oko prisons in Edo State. They freed 1,993 inmates from both prisons in the process. One of the prisoners who escaped went to his village to kill a witness who testified against him in court. Only 207 of the escaped prisoners were rearrested. Another attack was launched on the National Correctional Service Facility in Okitipupa, Ondo State, on 22 October 2020, after armed persons pulled down the walls of the facility and set 58 prisoners free. While efforts were ongoing to account for the ruins in Ondo, armed persons attempted to break into the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos on the same day. They were however repelled by a combined team of correctional officers and the military. More worrisome cases On 5 April 2021, Owerri Custodial Centre in Imo State was attacked with explosives and dynamites, and 1,884 inmates were set free. The operation reportedly lasted for two hours. According to the prison authorities, 600 inmates either returned or were rearrested after the attack. In another incident, 240 inmates were released and two prison officials killed when assailants attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kabba, Kogi State, on 12 September 2021. Security agencies later said they rearrested 114 of the escaped prisoners. Gunmen also attacked the Abologo Custodial Centre in Oyo State, on 22 October 2021, freeing 837 prisoners in the process. As in previous cases, not everyone who escaped was recaptured as security officials only rearrested 252 prisoners. Although four inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Jos, Plateau State, in July 2021, the facility suffered another attack on 28 November 2021, when gunmen launched an attack that led to the release of 262 inmates. A total of 10 inmates and one security official were killed during the attack. The task force is expected to set in motion deliberate strategies to ensure that every fleeing inmate is arrested and their collaborators too are prosecuted, Mr Aregbesola said then, assuring Nigerians that all who ran away will be recaptured. That never occurred. READ ALSO: Arguably, the worst attack on a Nigerian prison was launched several months later on one of Nigerias most secure prisons. The attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja on 5 July led to the escape of more than 600 inmates. Defence Minister Bashir Magashi would later announce that all the 64 members of the Boko Haram terrorists in the prison fled the facility. I think there are about 64 Boko Haram (members) in prison, they have all escaped, he told the press. Lack of intelligence? In a bid to ensure national security and adequate profiling of prison inmates, the Nigerian government last November claimed that it had captured the biometric data of all inmates in Nigerian correctional centres. It said the measure would help in rearresting any who may escape. Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, all that has followed the Kuje jailbreak is a blame game. President Buhari blamed the intelligence gathering system for the security loophole during a visit to the facility. I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organise, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it? I am expecting a comprehensive report on this shocking incident, the Nigerian leader said. Senate President Ahmad Lawan said he was shocked there were no Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) devices at the Kuje prison. How on earth does a centre of this magnitude in the FCT not have any CCTV? It means we can say that all other medium security custodial centres across the country do not have CCTV, Mr Lawan said. On his part, Minister Aregbesola said: we have enough men to protect this facility but unfortunately they couldnt hold their position effectively for defence and that was the reason for the breach. 4,369 inmates escaped A PREMIUM TIMES analysis of the jailbreaks shows that out of a total number of 4,369 inmates who escaped from various prisons between 2020 and December 2021, only 984 were recaptured. This implies that a total of 3,385 prisoners are still at large. Also, a report recently published by the Punch newspapers stated that 546 of the Kuje inmates who escaped were still at large. Abubakar Umar, the spokesperson of the correctional service, did not respond to enquiries about the actual number of those that have been recaptured and efforts in place to rearrest those still at large. Najim Isaac, a security expert, expressed disappointment in the failure of security operatives to recapture inmates that escaped from prisons. Despite saying they have done biometric capturing of all inmates, the majority of those who escaped are still on the run. We have authorities who talk more than they act and this reminds us why it is so easy for Mr A to be sentenced without even being to prison. The fact that many inmates are still at large means all security sectors are complicit in the poor security management of the custodial centres. The federal government must also as a matter of fact ensure that the leadership of the correctional service participate in the security meetings because they know the prisoners more than other security personnel. It is also sad that we lack basic modern security apparatuses such as closed circuit televisions that could capture what is going on outside. All of these, I believe are making rearrest of those who escaped difficult. Adding to this, Chinedu Okoli, a criminologist, said adopting the fire brigade approach wont help. We should not be using analogue approach in a digital age where criminals are specialised in various ways of ensuring they are not caught. He said the failure of the authorities to recapture thousands of escaped inmates means the society is filled with criminals who may perpetuate more atrocities. Speaking on the way forward, Mr Okoli advised that Nigeria should partner with the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) to track escaped prisoners using modern techniques. Some governors of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) have threatened to sabotage the presidential campaign of their party and its candidate, Bola Tinubu, in their respective states. The aggrieved governors, under the aegis of the Progressive Governors Forum (PGF), accused the party and its candidate, Mr Tinubu, of disregarding their nominations to the presidential campaign council. On Saturday, James Faleke, Secretary to the APC campaign council, announced the constitution of the campaign council, listing 422 members, including many who are to work at the regional and state levels for Mr Tinubu and his running mate Kashim Shettimas success in the 2023 presidential election. Before then, the partys leadership had contacted the governors through the PGF secretariat to nominate individuals in their respective states to be members of the presidential campaign council, sources with direct knowledge of the request told PREMIUM TIMES. The governors were requested to nominate five persons each. The governors were however stunned to see that Mr Tinubu and the party ignored their nominations and replaced them with others from their respective states without consulting them. Top officials in the party told PREMIUM TIMES that the governors had been inundating the PGF chairman and governor of Kebbi State, Atiku Bagudu; the APC chairman, Abdullahi Adamu, and the Director-General of the PGF secretariat with complaints over the constitution of the campaign council. In one instance, the officials said Cross River Governor Ben Ayade vowed not to participate in campaigning for the presidential candidate since the party leaders have proven to know more than him in his state. The governor had submitted names of individuals he believed would effectively mobilise voters for the presidential candidate in Cross River but he was surprised that none of the persons he nominated were named by the party. Mr Ayade had contested to be the presidential candidate of the party and lost. The governor of Kwara, Abdulrahman Abdulrazak, is complaining that he submitted five names but he had seen only one appearance on the list, said an insider who asked not to be named because he is not permitted to speak to journalists on this matter. The governor said Kwara has seven persons on the list and all of them are from the same local government. Governor Rotimi Akeredelu of Ondo State, who appeared on the list as the South-west campaign coordinator, also complained to the partys leadership that the names of individuals he nominated were ignored. Mr Akeredolu had been seen rooting for Mr Tinubu before and after he emerged the presidential candidate of the party. If the list is authentic, it means that the party and the candidate are not serious about the campaign, the insider told PREMIUM TIMES. We believe that at the state, electoral influence resides with the governors and If the governors nominated people to the campaign council and they were ignored, it means there is danger. In the northern region, some APC governors are fuming that Mr Tinubu failed to carry them along in the campaign journey so far, those familiar with the matter told PREMIUM TIMES. The fear of the governors is that the APC presidential candidate does not trust anyone of them apart from those around him. The governors, especially in the North-west, believe their political futures are not secured in the hands of Mr Tinubu, whom they had accused of sidelining them. They believe his handling of the campaign council list has suggested he lacks respect for the governors forum. Sources with knowledge of the thinking in the aggrieved governors circle and opposition politics said the disagreement is creating an opportunity for the presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to strategise for the backing of the North-west APC governors. The North-west governors, particularly, are said to be threatening to withdraw their support should they continue to be disregarded. Contacted to know what the campaign council is doing to address the agitations of the governors, Mr Faleke declined calls placed to his line. He also failed to respond to a text message inquiring about efforts being made by the party to stem the looming sabotage. Controversies had trailed the release of the partys campaign council list on Saturday. There were speculations that Vice President Yemi Osinbajo declined membership of the committee due to his opposition to APCs Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket. But Festus Keyamo, the APC campaign spokesperson, said it was President Muhammadu Buhari who advised that Mr Osinbajo be exempted from the campaign council due to his important role in administering the country pending the handover of power. Campaigns for the 2023 national elections will officially kick off on 28 September ahead while that of governorship and state houses of assembly will commence on October 12 this year, according to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Residents of Bakiyawa village of Batagarawa area of Katsina State have been thrown into panic after terrorists who abducted 43 residents of the village demanded N250 million as ransom to release the abductees. The terrorists invaded the community on Wednesday, 14 September, killed four residents, abducted 44, looted shops and rustled cattle. Zaharadden Tukur, whose father Tukur Makeri was one of the four residents killed, said he has now become the breadwinner of a family of 11 children and two wives. When they attacked our community, they went into our house shooting sporadically. My father quickly ran out of his room to talk to them. He pleaded with them to leave us alone but they refused. They asked him to surrender his phone which he did. They asked him for money and he gave them but they said he should add more. He told them he didnt have any money left but they insisted, Mr Tukur said. He said the terrorists eventually killed his father. Speaking to PREMIUM TIMES about ransom demand, Yusuf Laura, a resident of the community said the terrorists called him and told him the amount they wanted as ransom to release the captives. They called me around 07:00 p.m on Thursday and told me that they were holding 43 of our people. Out of that number, 11 are biologically related to me including my wife and daughters. Mr Laura said the leader of the gang holding the residents asked him (Mr Laura) if his immediate family was among those abducted. I told him that my wife, Bilkisu, Ummulsalma, a two-year-old daughter and my eldest daughter, Shafaatu who is a student of the Federal College of Education Katsina and Ibrahim. Theyre all with the bandits and Ive not spoken with them since, he said. Last Monday (19, September) they called me again around 3:17 p.m and asked what we were waiting for (to pay the ransom). Its something that we must do but its not easy, especially because when they came, they took away everything of value in the community. So, in this community, nobody can tell you that we can get half of that amount Mr Laura said. Mr Laura, whose shop was also looted, said there is an air of uncertainty and fear in the community as residents await what the terrorists will do next. The government has not said anything to us not to talk of helping us rescue our people. But weve now resorted to prayers for Gods interventions, he said. Nura Sada, another resident, said it is impossible for residents of the community to raise the random the terrorists want. Nearly every household is affected. In some houses, more than five people were abducted. Were meeting to see how we could talk to the terrorists to reduce the money but how do we even start gathering the such amount of money when we no longer have domestic animals to sell? Itll be difficult, he said. The police spokesperson in Katsina State, Gambo Isa, said he has not been officially briefed about the N250 million ransom the kidnappers are demanding. Ive not been briefed on the matter (ransom demand) so, I dont know but the command is making efforts to rescue those abducted in Bakiyawa and other communities in the state, Mr, Isa told PREMIUM TIMES over that phone. Human rights defenders have called on stakeholders working around conflict and human rights issues across the country to work collaboratively in promoting human rights. The experts made this call during the just-concluded face-to-face roundtable workshop organised by the Centre for Journalism Innovation and Development (CJID) in partnership with the Institute of War and Peace Reporting (IWPR) under its Voices for Change project. The one-day event was organised to chart the way forward on advocacy around key findings from journalists reports on human rights and conflicts in Nigeria. Talking about the importance of the dialogue, Akintunde Babatunde, the Deputy Director of Development at the CJID, said the wave of conflict and human rights abuse in Nigeria is disturbing, and theres an urgent need to document these issues for onward engagement with policymakers. The Director of Civil and Political Rights, National Human Rights Commission, A. A. Yakubu, who was present at the event, said collaboration between journalists and Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) is vital to advancing the discourse. He said: It is important to continue to follow up with CSOs and journalists to ensure we bring light to these types of stories. Journalists need to engage state actors to make them accountable and provide support and remedy to victims and survivors of human rights abuses. Mr Yakubu said the NHRC is ready to support journalists and CSOs through capacity building, especially in their reporting and investigating human rights violations in Nigeria. We can have dialogue sessions to bring CSO and journalists together to highlight critical human rights issues in Nigeria and identify strategies through awareness creation on how to engage stakeholders. A human rights lawyer and a panellist at the event, Inibehe Effiong, noted that the workshop allowed participants to discuss issues prevailing human rights and conflict situation in Nigeria with emphasis on recent events. Going by the presentations from journalists who investigated different aspects of conflicts and human rights violations, ranging from sexual abuse of IDPs to police brutality against citizens, further steps must be taken to address the issues and the violations that have come to light. Mr Effiong said having strategic litigation instituted to defend the rights of those who are victims of police extortion and brutality is vital to human justice. He emphasised the need for practical advocacies to be embarked upon to draw the attention of the government and other relevant stakeholders to the cases and challenges identified during the workshop. Kemi Busari, an editor for Dubawa, and one of the mentors for the journalists on the project, said the partnership between CJID and IWPR is timely and came at a time different parts of the country are currently facing or experiencing crises and their aftermath. He said: I was privileged to review five of the stories, and they are stories that speak directly to some of the challenges we are facing in the country. I am happy the partnership is not stopping at reporting; its good that both CJID and IWPR are taking this conversation forward to make sure that we do some advocacy in ensuring that some of the issues that were identified in these stories are put in the front burner of policymakers, authority and stakeholders such that we get the needed impact and we also try to forestall such vices in the future. READ ALSO: A human rights advocate and Executive Director, Hope Behind Bars Africa, Olufunke Weke, who was also a participant at the event, said the collaboration between CSOs and journalists is critical to advancing the conversations bordering on conflict and human rights issues in Nigeria. She said: I could relate to three of the reports which had to do with the Criminal Justice System and how human rights violations inherent therein are closer to us than we think. It also helped us to see how important it is for us to take our place as active citizens and hold the government accountable. One thing that stood out is that the event and follow-up interventions take us beyond discussing the problems and challenges to create workable solutions with a short-term and long-term impact. I particularly love the collaborative synergy created between media, CSOs and the government. One of the journalists that presented her findings, Caroline Ameh, said it was a great time having stakeholders discuss the issue of human rights abuses in the country. I believe with the roundtable discussion, necessary actions will be taken by stakeholders to address these issues and make government accountable to the citizens, Mrs Ameh stressed. In her closing remarks, Oluwatosin Alagbe, the Director of Operations, CJID, said the need for synergy between journalists, CSOs and all state actors for appropriate engagement on conflict and human rights issues cannot be over-emphasised. She said: Nigeria is currently facing the worst form of human rights abuses, ranging from police brutality, kidnapping, arbitrary killings, sexual and gender-based violence, etc. It is time we all come together as stakeholders to redefine the culture of accountability media through creating awareness and advocating all forms of human rights abuses in Nigeria. Ms Alagbe said she looks forward to the impacts that would be generated from the stories produced by the journalists and the advocacy campaign strategy to take the conversation forward is vital for generating significant impacts. Background The Voices for Change project was constituted by both CJID and IWPR, to build the capacity of journalists and human rights defenders in Nigeria to collaboratively raise public awareness and launch advocacy campaigns focused on human rights violations and crimes under international law remaining uninvestigated. During the projects first phase, CJID and IWPR trained ten journalists across different newsrooms in Nigeria to deepen their understanding of the countrys various conflicts and human rights abuses. The second phase was organised to upskill CSOs capacity to advance conversations around human rights and social justice. The roundtable discussion was, therefore, designed to discuss journalists findings on various human rights and conflict realities in Nigeria and dialogue on what stakeholders can do to act on these reports. The Deputy Director, Development Practice at CJID, Akintunde Babatunde, announced that CJID and IWPR would be releasing a small fund to drive advocacy on the findings by journalists in the hope that the products will galvanise the government to act and uphold the fundamental human rights of citizens. The Peoples Redemption Party (PRP) gubernatorial candidate in Katsina State, Imran Jaafar-Jino, has challenged contestants to present their drug integrity test results to the public. Mr Jaafar-Jino, who gave the challenge while displaying his certificate before journalists on Saturday in Katsina, said it was important for all candidates to subject themselves to the test. He said that he was tested and declared drug-free by the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA). He pointed out that after the NDLEA test, he also tested free at the General Hospital, Katsina. He called on all the other candidates to do likewise, to ensure that drug addicts are not elected. Mr Jaafar-Jino reminded the public that NDLEA has since called on politicians seeking political offices to present themselves for such tests, but many had failed to comply. I wish to inform you that I honoured the call by the people of Katsina that any candidate contesting for any office should be tested for drug abuse. I have done mine and I tested free. I am calling on other contestants to also subject themselves to the drug test. READ ALSO: It is nothing to worry about. If one is found to be addicted, he will go for rehabilitation, he said. According to Mr Jaafar-Jino, a good leader must be free from drugs, saying that it is only when a leader is free from drug abuse that he can focus and do the needful. He assured Katsina people that if elected as the governor of the state in 2023, he would steer the affairs of the state with honesty and sincerity. Mr Jaafar-Jino said that the people of the state could testify to his loyalty, capacity and capability to lead the state to a better and greater position. According to him, if elected as the governor, he has plans to move the state to a level where it can compete with any city in the world in terms of development, empowerment and infrastructure. (NAN) A 21-year-old, Micheal Arigbabuwo, died at a birthday party, after allegedly mixing two hard drugs for maximum effect. The Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) in Lagos State, Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this in his verified Twitter handle monitored by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Sunday. Mr Hundeyin said that the incident happened on Friday in the Ikorodu area of Lagos, stressing that three of his friends who were also at the party had been arrested. The spokesman said that information received by the police in Ikorodu revealed that at about 7.30 p.m. on Friday, a distress call came that some group of Yahoo Yahoo boys brought a corpse to the Igbogbo area of Ikorodu. Based on the information, teams of detectives visited and photographed the scene. Three young men of ages 23 and 24 were arrested. READ ALSO: The suspects claimed that the deceased allegedly smoked loud and drank codeine at a birthday party of one of their friends held at Igbogbo area of Ikorodu. The suspects further claimed that the deceased began gasping for breath. He was rushed to the hospital but died, he said. The PPRO said that the corpse was evacuated and deposited at the General Hospital, Ikorodu, for autopsy. Mr Hundeyin warned youths against drug abuse. Thinking of doing drugs? Have a rethink as nothing fruitful emanates from it. Investigation into the case has commenced, he said. (NAN) A group, Alliance for Social Justice in Nigeria, has urged the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Atiku Abubakar, to prevail on the PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, to resign his position for the sake of the partys stability. The groups position is contained in a communique issued after its congress on Saturday in Abuja. It expressed fear that the leadership crisis in the PDP could weaken the party to the detriment of democracy in Nigeria. A strong opposition party is a foundation for the sustenance of true democracy, and so a crisis-ridden and weakened PDP that may not be able to check the ruling APC is inimical to the growth of Nigerias democracy, the group said. The communique was signed by the groups President, Sylvanus Ukpong; Vice President, Aliyu Oboshi; Secretary General, Aniche Paulina; and the spokesperson, Jesse Bello. We view the PDP crisis as self-inflicted because the party leaders were irrational in the first instance when they threw open the partys presidential ticket to all the zones in Nigeria instead of zoning it to the South since the current President Muhammadu Buhari is from the North. We strongly believe that having a President from the South in 2023 can help reduce ethnic distrust and promote national unity in our dear country. READ ALSO: Since the PDP had already produced the former Vice President Atiku Abubakar as its Presidential Candidate, we consider it not too much a sacrifice if Senator Iyorchia Ayu resigns as the National Chairman of the PDP to placate the South and bring peace and stability to the party before the 2023 elections, the group said in the communique. The group said the Rivers State Governor, Nyesom Wikes position in the PDP crisis is righteous. Governor Nyesom Wike and the South is not the ultimate beneficiary of the cause the Rivers Governor and others are pursuing, it is democracy and Nigeria as a whole that stands to benefit the most from it. They commended Mr Wike for his courage, energy, and focus, and urged him not to give up his demand for Mr Ayus resignation. They also commended members of Mr Wikes group, such as Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State; Governor Samuel Ortom of Benue State; former Governors Olusegun Mimiko of Ondo, Ayo Fayose of Ekiti, Donald Duke of Cross River, Ibrahim Dakwambo of Gombe, and Jonah Jang of Plateau. We advise Governor Udom Emmanuel of Akwa Ibom State, Governor Godwin Obaseki of Edo State, and Governor Ifeanyi Okowa of Delta State to support this worthy cause for the sake of justice and equity. The PDP Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar and other leaders of the PDP should prevail upon Senator Iyorchia Ayu to resign without further delay. We urge other well-meaning Nigerians from North and South to support Governor Nyesom Wike and his group. We may be compelled to approach the court on this matter as Nigerians who are concerned with the negative impacts of the crisis, the group said. PDP crisis The PDP has been enmeshed in a leadership crisis after its presidential primary in May, with Mr Wike and others demanding Mr Ayus resignation to achieve a regional balance since Messrs Ayu and Atiku are both from the north. But Mr Ayu has insisted he would not resign because he was elected for a four-year term. The Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BOT), Walid Jibrin, who is from Nasarawa State in the north, resigned recently, apparently to placate Mr Wike and his group. The Deputy Chairman, Adolphus Wabara, a former president of the Senate, from Abia State in the South-east, is now the acting BOT chairman. However, Mr Wikes camp, not impressed with Mr Jibrins resignation, has insisted Mr Ayu must step down. Mr Wike said Mr Atiku visited him in his Abuja residence shortly after the primary and told him look, governor, Ayu will go because the presidential candidate and the national chairman cannot come from the same zone. Governor Wike at the Friday media chat in Port Harcourt insisted that Mr Ayu must leave office for a southerner to ensure inclusivity in the PDP. The Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari over the failure to publish copy and details of the agreement the Federal Government recently signed with the United States for the repatriation of $23 million stolen by the late dictator Sani Abacha. Joined in the suit as the respondent is the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami. The United States government had, in August, signed an agreement with the federal government to repatriate $23 million Abacha loot to Nigeria. The $23 million adds to the $311.7 million Abacha loot repatriated from the U.S. to Nigeria in 2020. In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1700/2022 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to direct and compel President Buhari and Mr Abubakar Malami to release and widely publish copy of the agreement on the Abacha loot with the U.S. SERAP is also asking the court to direct and compel President Buhari and Mr Abubakar Malami to publish details of the transparency and accountability mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that the repatriated funds are not mismanaged, diverted or re-stolen. In the suit, SERAP is arguing that The Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Freedom of Information Act, and the countrys international obligations impose transparency obligations on the Federal Government to widely publish the agreement on the $23 million Abacha loot. READ ALSO: SERAP is also arguing that Publishing a copy of the agreement with the U.S. would allow Nigerians to scrutinise it, and to monitor the spending of the repatriated loot to ensure that the money is not mismanaged, diverted or re-stolen. According to SERAP, the repatriated $23 million Abacha loot is vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement. Substantial part of the estimated $5 billion returned Abacha loot since 1999 may have been mismanaged, diverted, or re-stolen, and in any case remain unaccounted for. SERAP is also arguing that Publishing a copy of the agreement would ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties including the management of repatriated loot. The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Atinuke Adejuyigbe read in part: The Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the countrys international obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding their governments activities. The Federal Government has a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in how any repatriated stolen funds are spent, to reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement. It is in the public interest, and the interest of justice to grant this application. Nigerians are entitled to their constitutionally and internationally recognized human right to information. The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information, including to a copy of the agreement on the repatriated $23 million Abacha loot. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit. The Commandant General, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, says Nigerians are not ripe to be allowed to bear arms. Mr Audi made the observation when he was featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja. I strongly disapproved of it. Even now that there is no law in existence, you still have proliferation of small arms and light weapons in the hands of people. It has to do with civilisation and education. Even in Europe and America where they have that law where virtually everybody once you can drive can have arms, they are trying to control it now because of how some events unfold. In the world, especially in Europe and America, somebody will just wake up and just go to a school and open fire on kids. You know that is madness. And so for me, I dont think we are there yet to allow citizens carry arms. The CG also spoke on the efforts being made by the NSCDC to address farmers/herders clashes in the country. He said that the corps, in collaboration with the Federal Ministry of Agriculture, had trained over 3,000 Agro Rangers to provide security to farms and other agro-allied investments. He said that the unit was a specialised department, which also helps to reconcile farmers and herders. They are still there and presently we have even trained about 3,000 of them and as you can even see me sitting here, this is their uniform, the uniform of Agro Rangers. They are under a department called Peace and Conflict Resolution, and using Alternative Dispute Resolution, they have settled over 1000 cases between farmers and herders nationwide. You can see them visibly in Borno, Yobe, Kaduna, Adamawa, Enugu and they are there doing their work, he said. (NAN) The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) has confirmed four persons dead and 10 others with varying degrees of injuries in a lone accident in Zanchita village on Bida Kutugi Road, Bida LGA of Niger State Kumar Tsukwam, FRSC sector commander in the state, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Minna on Sunday that the crash involved a commercial bus with registration number BNK 342 XA conveying 14 passengers. Mr Tsukwam said the lone accident occurred on Sunday at about 9:25 a.m., where four of the passengers died at the scene. The injured victims were rescued and taken to the Federal Medical Centre (FMC), Bida for medical attention while the copses were deposited at the mortuary, he said. The commander blamed the accident on speeding, diversion and loss of control. He advised motorists to exercise caution and adhere strictly to speed limits to avoid crashes. The commander said the corps would continue to monitor road users to guard against dangerous driving. (NAN) Seven passengers died on Sunday after a commercial bus went up in flames at Iyana-Oworo, inward Third Mainland bridge area of Lagos. Olufemi Osanyintolu-Oke, permanent secretary, Lagos State Emergency Agency (LASEMA), in a statement said that five out of 12 passengers survived the incident. He said investigation into the incident revealed that it occurred due to recklessness and overspeeding by the driver which resulted in the fire with 12 passengers trapped.. A video shared online showed the vehicle burning and the burnt bodies. Unfortunately seven victims were burnt to death (four female, two male adults and one male child ) in the bus, the statement read. All the remains have been bagged by the Agencys LRT Paramedics, LASAMBUS officials and handed over to SEHMU. Mr Osanyintolu-Oke, said the survivors include the driver, one male and three female adults who have been rushed to Gbagada General Hospital while the male adult was attended to by LASAMBUS at the scene. He said arrangements have been made by officials of the Lagos State Transport Management Agency to evacuate the burnt vehicle from the road. He added that the road had been partially opened for vehicular activities. Boursa Kuwait participated in the recent 16th Annual EFG Hermes One-on-One Conference in Dubai, shedding light on the companys recent developments, milestones, financial information and business outlook to an audience of investors. The exchange met with 20 international asset management funds and investment companies, who showed great interest in learning about the companys latest developments. Representatives from the company showcased its financial data and reviewed the companys plans to develop a transparent and solvent capital market through the implementation of a group of enhancements and regulatory projects as well as the technology to raise the capital markets profile locally and internationally. The EFG Hermes One-on-One Conference is considered the worlds largest conference in frontier emerging markets (FEM), connecting leaders of hundreds of companies from across the region with institutional investors and family offices managing hundreds of millions of dollars in assets. Commenting on the companys participation, Boursa Kuwaits Chief Financial Officer, Naim Azad Din said: During this prestigious conference, we met with 20 international investment companies, shedding light on the companys milestones and financial information. Boursa Kuwait is committed to promoting the Kuwaiti capital market and raising its profile locally and internationally. The company hopes to continue to set an example for listed companies as we aim towards demonstrating our ongoing value and efficiency, proving that we are leading a progressive operation in line with dynamic world-class standards and best practices with ample room for growth and expansion. Boursa Kuwait recorded net profits (attributable to equity holders of the parent company) of KD10.7 million ($34.4 million) for the six-month period ended 30 June 2022, an increase of 36.8% compared to the same period in 2021, when the company recorded net profits of around KD7.8 million. The Groups total assets came in at approximately KD110.8 million, which is an almost 4% increase versus its 2021 total assets for the same period of KD106.5 million, while equity (attributable to equity holders of the parent company) increased from KD52.6 million on 30 June 2021 to KD58.3 million at 30 June 2022, an increase of 10.8%. Meanwhile total operating revenue came in at KD18.4 million, an increase of 21.8% over the same period in 2021, which stood at approximately KD15.1 million. Boursa Kuwait continues to develop its infrastructure and operational framework to attract investments from international investors and highlight the unique investment opportunities that the company has to offer for all market participants. The company is also cognizant of the pivotal role it plays as a key driver of growth and development in the Kuwaiti capital market, Azad Din added. Boursa Kuwaits participation in conferences organized by prominent international organizations comes within the framework of the companys goal of strengthening its position as a leader in the financial markets sector. The company is committed to participating in these events and conferences to gain experience and knowledge. TradeArabia News Service The Commandant-General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, says the corps female squad was set up to provide security to some of the 81,000 schools found to be porous nationwide. Mr Audi said this when he was featured on the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) Forum in Abuja. He said that the female squad was set up after a thorough intelligence analysis of all schools in the country. We conducted a vulnerability analysis test which is a form of research that we commissioned to just have a clue of the numbers of schools we have in this country, how many schools we are going to say are purportedly safe. Safe in the sense that do they have presence of security whether conventional government security or private security? Are the schools fenced? After we did that study, we realized that there is a problem in this country in terms of security of schools and its safety because the data that we got was so shocking and revealing. Where we had over 81,000 schools that are porous, no fencing, no presence of security personnel and so it was serious, he said. Mr Audi said the research gave the NSCDC the impetus to diagnose and marshal out strategies to protect schools. He said that the introduction of the female squad was one of the measures taken, having realised that rape was one of the devastating effects of the kidnapping of children and teachers for ransom. READ ALSO: These bad guys use rape as one of their tactics and you know when a woman hears anything about rape, she takes it very serious and it becomes a great concern. So, we now said, a group that will fight this conflict head-on with all sorts of seriousness and to do it very well is the women. So we created and established a very formidable female squad that were trained by the military, particularly the army, and we charged them to protect these schools. We have the squad virtually nationwide, he added. Mr Audi said that the NSCDC has a nationwide spread and highly trained personnel to confront any security issue. People dont know, but civil defence corps has two very distinct advantages; one, civil defence is spread nationwide. Our presence is noticed and we have our offices in all the 74 local governments in the country including districts. Secondly, civil defence is trained by virtually all security organisations. So we leverage on our antecedents because we are the product of the military, the army specifically. During the Civil War in 1967 to 1970 when we started, we were the ones at their back giving them some form of support, supporting the injured, giving them some sort of succour. That is why most of our trainings we go to the military, the army particularly, to help us. So this group of females squads were trained by the military and after the training, we posted them to various schools nationwide, he said. He said the presence of the female squad in schools had reduced the kidnapping of school children and their teachers. He added that the corps had introduced the School Community Security Vanguard, which engaged teachers, pupils, parent teachers association, traditional rulers and community leaders. In the discussions which are like a campaign and advocacy, we engaged them to know that this is a conflict that all of us will have to come together if we really want to nip the problem in the bud. I want to tell you that it has been yielding very positive results. People are now cautious and aware that this is a conflict that is not supposed to be only left to the security agencies. All hands must be on deck for us to really solve this, he added. (NAN) The family of a slain businessman, Hussaini Usman, whose killing was linked to his wife and son, has accused the police of shielding one of the murder suspects from trial. Aliyu Usman, a son of the murdered businessman, on behalf of the family, sent a petition dated 5 September to the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, calling for his intervention to ensure that his stepmother and step-brother are successfully prosecuted. One of the suspects, Uwani Usman, was the wife of the deceased businessman, who was allegedly strangled at his Abuja residence in 2018. She was charged alongside her son, Huzaifa Usman, over the murder of her husband. The police hunted her for nearly four years until last June when they were able to arrest her in Abuja. They later released her on bail on health grounds. While Huzaifa has been arraigned in court by the police and subsequently remanded in prison, his mother, Mrs Usman, has yet to take her plea. In his petition to the IGP, Aliyu alleged that the police have refused to produce the woman in court to face her charges. He expressed fear that the case may be struck out if the police, again, defy the last warning issued by the trial judge by not producing Mrs Usman in court at the hearing scheduled for Monday (tomorrow). It is with a heavy heart and bleeding soul that I bring to your knowledge the calculated, mischievous ploy of the Homicide Unit, Abuja, to circumvent justice and frustrate the prosecution of Uwani Usman, Aliyus petition read in part. Killing of deceased He narrated how his father was gruesomely killed at his residence at Adisa Estate (Abuja) on 28 October 2018. The deceased accompanied by his son, Huzaifa Usman (1st defendant), prepared to embark on early morning prayer, thereupon he was strangled to death, Aliyu said in the petition. He said, available evidence in the course of investigation revealed the son and mother (Huzaifa and Uwani), who were the only people last seen and close to the deceased, alleged that the deceased (businessman) was unlawfully killed by unknown persons surreptitiously present in the compound prior to the act. But the petitioner said, overwhelming evidence conducted by the police proves otherwise with the duo mother and son indicted. Huzaifa, 25, has denied the charge at his arraignment in court. AGFs legal advice A letter of legal advice from the office of the Attorney-General of the Federation (AGF) indicated there is a prima facie case against the duo Mrs Usman and Huzaifa. Earlier on 13 May, the AGF, through the Director of Public Prosecution of the Federation (DPPF), Mohammed Abubakar, sent a letter to the Inspector-General of Police asking the police to immediately arrest and prosecute the suspects. The office of the Attorney General of the Federation having reviewed the case file is of the view that the duo of Musa Ndanusa and Adamu Umar be used as prosecution witnesses. In view of the above, I am further directed to inform your office to continue with the prosecution of the case, the letter read. It added: The office of the Attorney General of the Federation having reviewed the case file is of the view that the duo of Musa Ndanusa and Adamu Umar be used as prosecution witnesses. In view of the above, I am further directed to inform your office to continue with the prosecution of the case. Hurdles to trial Despite the AGFs legal advice and the charging of the two suspects in court, Aliyu said in his petition to the IGP that high-ranking police officers and politicians have made it impossible for Mrs Usman to be arraigned for the pending criminal charge. When the case came up on 16 June before Angela Otaluka of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) High Court at Apo, the police failed to produce Mrs Uwani, in disobedience to the judges earlier order. Surprised by the conduct of the police, the judge wondered, how can one person overpower the entire Federal Republic of Nigeria? I am giving you the last chance in this matter to produce the defendant for her to take her plea, the angered judge said before adjourning the suit until September 26, 2022. Aliyu accused the commissioner of police in charge of the legal department, Abbas Ochegwu, of consistently withholding the case file from the prosecutor (Godwin Ijioma), adding, this has frustrated the prosecution of the case. The Homicide Unit, Abuja, threw caution to the wind by accepting as a surety, Umaru Dahiru, the first surety for the 2nd defendant earlier before she jumped bail, the petitioner added. He said a principal witness in the case was violently attacked to eliminate evidence. Meanwhile, phone calls and text messages sent to the police spokesperson, Muyiwa Adejobi, seeking his comment over allegations levelled against the police and their officers were not responded to as of the time of filing this report. Petitioners request As the trial is scheduled to come up on Monday, Aliyu expressed fear in his petition that the case may be struck out if the police fail to bring Mrs Usman before the court for arraignment. He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to instruct the Homicide Unit to inform the surety (Mr Dahiru) to produce the 2nd defendant (Uwani Usman) in court. Mr Usman urged the IGP to order superior police officers interfering with the case to desist from doing so. He begged the IGP to provide security for witnesses in the suit. should the court succeed in striking out the case on 26 September 2022, due to the failure of the commissioner of police homicide, to produce the 2nd defendant before the court, it will be a disservice and injustice to the nominal complaint and Nigeria, the petition read. IGP reacts In response to Mr Usmans petition, the IGP in a memo dated 7 September, directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Force Criminal Investigation Department, Abuja, to look into the complaint. I forward herewith a copy of a letter dated September 5, 2022, received from Aliyu Hussaini Usman, a copy of the memo seen by this reporter said. The Inspector-General of Police directs that you look into this and furnish a comment. Background It will be recalled that the case first came up before Samira Bature, a judge of the FCT High Court, where Huzaifa, 25, was first arraigned for murder. He pleaded not guilty and was remanded at Kuje prison in Abuja. Huzaifa has been in detention and was brought to court on 16 June. Daily Trust reported that Mr Usmans murder was initially linked to an armed robbery incident. Huzaifa was said to have told people that after he discovered his father had been killed and the assailants had left, he dragged the corpse to the sitting room from the compound and he went to call his mother before they went to the mosque to call for assistance. The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has warned Nigerians against too much use of bleaching cosmetics, saying it could lead to skin cancer. This was contained in a statement signed by the agencys media consultant, Olusayo Akintola, and made available to newsmen on Sunday in Abuja. The statement disclosed that the Director-General of the agency, Mojisola Adeyeye, a professor, gave the admonition over the weekend at the brainstorming session of a two-day top management meeting of the agency in Lagos. Mrs Adeyeye said an abusive use of cosmetics could even lead to internal damage of body organs as well as cause death. She expressed shock at the proliferation of beauticians engaged in the formulation of unauthorised chemicals with the intention of applying them to their unsuspecting clients. According to the NAFDAC boss, the majority of SPA outlets in the nations cosmopolitan cities are culpable of the unhealthy practice of mixing chemicals and natural products like pawpaw, carrot and others to make creams, for the clients use. Mrs Adeyeye said the formulation was thereafter packaged, labelled, and sold online to clients, adding that SPA owners have gone further to influence some clinics with medical doctors joining to carry out these nefarious activities. She said the practice had advanced to the extent that vitamin C infusion and glutathione were injected into the substances and applied to clients. She explained further that the challenge in the enforcement of the agencys safety regulations on bleaching agents, SPAs and other beauty parlours was that the products were prepared extemporaneously and covertly for individual clients. According to her, rarely can you see the offending products on the shelves of these facilities and warned that the practice must stop as anyone apprehended by the agency would be prosecuted and jailed if convicted. She disclosed that most of the products used in the mixture were smuggled into the country and unregistered, citing formulations containing Kojic Acid, and Hydroquinone above their permissible substance limits. According to her, all these products which have substances above their permissible limits are at risk of causing harm, and it is for the same safety reason that the use of mercury is banned in cosmetics. We dont just ban products because they are bleaching agents but are prohibited because of safety issues surrounding particular ingredients in the products as they could cause skin cancer as well as damage the liver and kidney. The lightening of skin today can be cancer tomorrow, many of the importers smuggle the products into the country under the guise of Global listing to bypass NAFDAC inspection. Bleaching has become a pandemic amongst both women and their male counterparts; the agency is on the heels of some people who engaged in online sales of dangerous unauthorized cosmetics and other products. Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC has been given the directive to apprehend merchants of these dangerous products and bring them to book, she stressed. She, therefore, emphasised that the agency was not against the use of cosmetics, but they must be regulated and confirmed safe for human use. She said the agency would uphold its mandate of citizens protection, by ensuring that the quality and safety of goods produced internally and imported into the country went through processes that met global best practices. (NAN) A former President of Nigeria, Goodluck Jonathan, has urged Nigerians not to elect killers in the 2023 general elections. Mr Johnathan stated this on Sunday in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State during a thanksgiving service to mark the 35th anniversary of the state. Mr Johnathn and his wife, Patience, were the special guests of honour at the service which was also attended by the governor of his home state Bayelsa Douye Diri. In 2023, you must not make the mistake to vote killers. Those who carry knives, guns, and all kinds of gadgets to go and kill people because of politics, are the enemies of society. If you kill to become a leader, you will continue to kill to remain a leader and the people will continue to suffer. The former president said he has monitored the growth of Akwa Ibom, adding that he has been visiting the state at least once a year since he joined the defunct Oil Mineral Producing Areas Development Commission, now Niger Delta Development Commission, in 1994 as an assistant director. While thanking the youth of the state for not vandalising infrastructure, the former president recalled how some people sabotaged his development efforts in the power sector by using arc saws to fell towers because they wanted Nigeria to remain in darkness. Mr Johnathan said the election of the State Governor, Udom Emmanuel, should teach politicians a good lesson, especially those who doubted Mr Emmanuels ability to manage human beings. Governor Emmanuel was an executive director at Zenith Bank before he was appointed Secretary to Akwa Ibom State Government, a position he later resigned from to vie for the governorship of the state which he won in 2015. Akwa Ibom is strong national story Gov Emmanuel Earlier in his speech, Mr Emmanuel thanked the people of the state for their support and described this years state anniversary as his last as the state governor. The governor said Akwa Ibom has become a state with a strong national story and a sparkling destination of choice for Nigerians and others around the world. He appreciated the people for the choice of Moving Forward, as the theme of the celebrations but also reminded them that in moving forward we have to also look back. He referenced Joseph, a Biblical figure who later became the Prime Minister of Egypt and added that the children of Israel suffered because of Josephs mistake. Joseph made a mistake in Egypt when he was about to go, he did not look at the issue of who succeeded him and that is why the children of Israel suffered. If you are a God-sent man you must also learn. Ive learnt from what Joseph did and today we went back to God and I want to appreciate all Akwa Ibomites because a man after Gods heart will come after another man after Gods heart, Mr Emmanuel said. He promised to complete before leaving office next year, the international worship centre that his administration is building in the state. A A10-year-old boy drowned in Buji Local Government Area of Jigawa on Saturday. This was confirmed on Sunday in Dutse by the spokesperson of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) in Jigawa, Adamu Shehu. He told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the boy went swimming in a pond in Lelen Kudu village alongside his friends when he drowned. His body was found two hours after he drowned and was pronounced dead by a doctor, Mr Shehu said. The corpse was immediately handed over to the parents, he said and cautioned parents to warn their children against swimming in flooded ponds and rivers. Mr Shehu also told NAN that the NSCDC recovered the body of an abandoned baby girl at a roadside in the Hadejia Local Government Area of the state. He said residents discovered the body on Sunday at the Kandahar Quarters. ALSO READ: Teenager drowns in Kano pond NSCDC operatives took the baby to Hadejia General Hospital where it was confirmed dead by a doctor, he said, adding that the corpse was handed over to the Ward Head of the area, Malam Afenza for burial. Mr Shehu told NAN that the NSCDC would investigate the incident further to ensure that the culprits were prosecuted. (NAN) Massive flooding on Sunday overran Ajaokuta-Ganaja-Lokoja road in Lokoja, the capital city of Kogi State. The road links the metropolis of the capital city to the eastern part of the state. The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the flooding covered the portion of the road at Ganaja village such that only by canoes that the commuters could cross the flooding. Residents note that the road is strategic to socio-economic activities, linking Kogi to the eastern part of the country which has been made inaccessible now to motorists and commuters by flooding. According to them, canoe operators have cashed in on the development, charging passengers between N50 and N100 to ferry them across the flooded road. We have to charge that high because of the cost of the rigour involved. As you can see, its not easy to ferry passengers across the flooded road, one Jimoh, an operator of a canoe, told NAN. A resident also said the flooding has so far created fear in the minds of residents of Ganaja village and its environs because it has begun to submerge peoples houses within the area. Some of the residents have, therefore, relocated to either their relations or friends in safe communities in the state, the resident said. The Nigeria Metrological Agency (NiMet) had last week issued a warning of a massive surge of flooding in the country, particularly in 13 states, including Kogi. The agency predicted that this would happen within the remaining days in September, following the expected heavy rainfall within the period. Hydro Power Producing Areas Development Commission (HYPPADEC) also on Saturday began the distribution of relief materials to victims of flood in 10 affected local government areas of Kogi. HYPPADEC Managing Director Abubakar Yelwa warned residents against staying in flood-prone areas. Mr Yelwa said the devastating effects of flooding could go beyond anyones imagination and the effects should be avoided. Kogi Commissioner for Environment Victor Omofeye also told NAN by telephone that the state government was aware of the development. According to him, the government is looking for how best to address the situation, particularly the affected residents. He appealed for calm and caution on the side of motorists and commuters not to endanger their lives by undermining the flood and attempt crossing the flooded road. (NAN) the traditional Africas take-away from the allegory of the lion king and the fox/tortoise is that, he is wise who is wary of and alerted by the misfortunes of others. If the PDP claims that its fascination with Aso Rock is to right wrongs of the Buhari years and yet, this same political party wrongs the rights of others within its fold with impunity, it should be a dis-advertisement to the electorate; a red flag, if you like. Traditional Africa had anecdotes and allegories it composed to explain autocracy and how autocrats always met their Waterloo. One of them is the story of the Lion, the king of the jungle and the tortoise. After years of tearing its animal victims into shreds, its mane soaked in their innocent blood, the Lion became too senescent to haunt for games. Stricken by old age, diverse infirmities and unable to put food on his own table, the King decided to get food by subterfuge and trickery. Always by himself and soaked in myriad thoughts and stratagems for many nights and days on what to do, one day a thought sidled into his heart. Excited about its workability, he laughed at himself in a huge roar. His strategy was this: He would pretend to be so infirm that he could not go out hunting, by that courting the attention of other animals. Thus, lying prostrate in his den, and feigning the sickness of old age, he got emissaries to broadcast the state of his infirmity round and about the forest. As the message got to them, the animals debated the prospect of visiting him, despite the debilitating havocs he had wrecked on their peers and forebears. The majority of opinions was however that, being the King of the jungle, and desirous that when they themselves are advanced in age, younger animals would come to pay them obeisance, they should, at their conveniences, pay the King get-well-quick visits. Thus, one after the other, animals of various hues paid the King visits on his supposed infirmary. One after the other, the King made barbecue of them. While the Yoruba version of that cautionary tale of the wickedness of despots and notice of caution in relating with them says that it was the Tortoise, some other African climes say it was the red Fox a specie devoured by lions which, itself an animal full of guile, suddenly borrowed itself brain, as the Nigerian street lingo says. It then decided to satisfy the majority decision to pay the King obeisance and empathetically wish it a quick recovery, but at the same time, chose to be a whiff wiser. As such, the fox/tortoise, sensing that although the entrance of many beasts into the Lions den was all that was seen, while their return was scant, discovered a trick which it decided to explore. It presented itself at a respectful distance of a cave by the hill that led to the den of the King and shouted that it was around. The Lion, in turn, peeped out queasily and bade it to come into the cave. I am not so well, the Lion dragged on the words like an infirm, but why do you stand without? Pray, enter within to talk with me. No, thank you, the fox/tortoise replied, sarcasm lacing his voice. I noticed that there are many prints of feet entering your cave, but I see no trace of any returning. For traditional Africa, the takeaway from that allegory is simply that, he is wise who is wary of and alerted by the misfortunes of others. Southern Nigerian members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) most probably havent heard of this allegory and the note of caution that it contains. Or they think it is absolute bunkum, a cock-and-bull story from the Stone Age era that should not occupy a modern mind. But how wrong they are! The problem is that it is the beginning of autocracy that is known; not many people live to see its twilight. If you have been following the spat in the PDP since the conclusion of the partys presidential primary, it is probably the irritancy of the guttural voice of Rivers State governor, Nyesom Wike, that you will notice. Wike has been shouting from the rooftop since the end of the primary to trumpet his grouses with the emergence of the Turakin Adamawa, Atiku Abubakar, as the partys presidential candidate in the 2023 election. Like a blacksmith vociferously hammering at a hot metal on a singular spot, Wike has drilled down on this allegation of injustice against the South, many times and which now verges on boredom. Critics have accused him of selfishness, asking whether he wasnt the same person who forced his kinsman, Uche Secondus, to scamper off the chairmanship position of the PDP. And that he superintended over the emergence of Iyorchia Ayu a man he jolly well knew of his Siamese twin dalliance with Atiku as his replacement. I think those are genuine queries that are within the orbit of unalloyed criticisms. However, it behooves on true lovers of the place of justice in society and the quest of the Southern part of Nigeria not to play a slavish position in the Nigerian polity to let us collectively, as the Yoruba will say, drive away the fox first and then come back to accuse the poultry farmer of carelessly placing his fowls where the kolokolo fox would readily have the fowls for supper. The kolokolos cognomen is, an animal that devours both the bone and the meat. Where to begin to conduct the interrogation of the spat in the PDP is to look at Nigerias immediate history. By 1998 when General Sani Abacha suddenly expired and Abdulsalami Abubakar took over the mantle of military headship of the country, Southern Nigeria had, sufficiently, and by all means conceivable, alerted the world of Northern Nigerias unfair hegemonic leadership. This, the South said, had been in place since Lord Lugard soldered the Southern and Northern Protectorates together in 1914. If you pore over the literature of pre-colonial Africa, you would see that Britain, egged on by its trade interests, unjustifiably brought the regions together. Alaafin Lamidi Adeyemi III God rests his soul once told me that his great grandfather, who reigned during this time, told the British that what they did with the Amalgamation was comparable to unfairly assembling lions, impala, goats, foxes and buffaloes within the same pen. Through the activities of the National Democratic Coalition (NADECO) and the consistent blackmail of the Northern military hegemons, in 1999, the South was able to get that atypical equation of two Southerners being on the ballot box in the presidential election. Our fathers Nubuisi Kanu, Bola Ige, Abraham Adesanya, Ayo Adebanjo and many others indeed had the opportunity to write the constitutions of the PDP, where they were the first tenants and the Alliance for Democracy (AD), where they eventually settled for. They had earlier fought strenuously to get the clause on the rotation of power between the South and the North enshrined into the 1999 Constitution as a cure for the malady of Northern autocracy. Having failed to get this etched into national law, they effectively got it into the constitutions of the political parties under their watch. That is why, till date, the PDP has as its Aims and Objectives, in Article 7(g) the promot(ion of) an egalitarian society founded on freedom, equality and justice and in 3(c) adhering to the policy of the rotation and zoning of party and public elective offices in pursuance of the principle of equity, justice and fairness. Former Vice President of Nigeria, Atiku Abubakar, was a foundational member of the PDP and was a signatory to this constitution. Last week, the Southern wing of the party, after a meeting in Port Harcourt, announced its pulling out of the presidential campaign team. In a bid to disclaim the move as self-serving, Abubakar issued a release hoisting himself as a firm believer in the rule of law. To my mind, there was no doubting the fact that the PDP presidential candidate was playing the ostrich, simplicita. In a release he entitled, Let us join hands and move on with the task of nation building, Abubakar had said, On the calls for the resignation or removal from office of our National Chairman, however, I must reiterate what I have said severally in public and in private; the decision for Dr. Iyorchia Ayu to resign from office is personal to Dr. Ayu and, neither I nor anyone else can make that decision for him. As to the calls for the removal of Dr. Ayu from office, however, I will state that, as a committed democrat and firm believer in the rule of law and democratic tenets, and our party being one set up, organised and regulated by law and our constitution, it is my absolute belief that everything that we do in our party must be done in accordance with, and conformity to, the law and our constitution. Atiku was dead wrong. First, a decision for Iyorchia Ayu to resign from the chairmanship of PDP isnt personal to the Benue-born ex-Senate president. The decision has as its foundation a moral imperative. It should have been driven by a moral consideration, rather than the meanness of a vulture. Moreover, the PDP as an institution is implicated in that selfish and self-centered decision too. Indeed, it is a slap on the PDPs constitution. Reducing the decision, which the PDP unambiguously worded in its constitution, to a personal decision, is a slap on the face of the party. It is not only simplistic, it manifests as the usual attempt by hegemons to queue behind a finger in their usual play on emotions and to the gallery. With due respect to the PDP candidate, he cannot, in flagrant disobedience to the principle of equity, fairness and justice, on one hand stomp upon the partys constitution by abetting the non-zoning of the office of the chairman, and in another breath, hoist that same disobedience up as reason why he wont abide by it. It reminds me of Robert Thouless Straight And Crooked Thinking, a timeless and classic manual of how to use clear, rational thinking and logic to win arguments, no matter how emotionally charged the topic in question may be. Thouless is also an analysis of fallacies in arguments. Atikus escapism, albeit in a blanket of the kind of reasoning that Thouless disdains, can be likened to a young man accused of killing his father and mother. When the accused was sentenced to death and he entered his allocutus, he pleaded that the court should be merciful on him as he was an orphan! When Wike claimed that the adrenaline of Atikus arrogance is daily pumped up because some characters in Aso Rock are supporting him, a Fulani, to take over the Nigerian presidency from his Fulani kinsman in 2023, arrogance of power is all that you see. It is same arrogance that the All Progressives Congress (APC) is exhibiting by impudently picking its candidate and vice from the same religion. In both instances, the consistent core of justification of the actions of their barons is that the people do not matter. At the roots of the crisis rocking the two big parties is infidelity to Nigerias established codes of unity and fairness. The APCs Muslim-Muslim ticket is violent opportunism, which targets the famed multi-million Muslim votes of the North, in impudent disdain of the Christian community. PDPs Northern concave of a presidential ticket, party chairman, and other key officers from the North, is a subversion of its own constitution and an impunity that damns the consequences of the Southern rejection of marginalisation. If Atiku Abubakar thinks less about subverting his partys own constitution, he will subvert the will of the people he claims fires his zeal for office without batting an eyelid. This was the beginning of the Muhammad Buhari disease that has become a pestilence in Nigeria today. If leaders fail in minuscule matters, it is an indication that faltering in major matters is a fait accompli. As I said earlier, the traditional Africas take-away from the allegory of the lion king and the fox/tortoise is that, he is wise who is wary of and alerted by the misfortunes of others. If the PDP claims that its fascination with Aso Rock is to right wrongs of the Buhari years and yet, this same political party wrongs the rights of others within its fold with impunity, it should be a dis-advertisement to the electorate; a red flag, if you like. The fox/tortoise in that allegory was wise enough to see that beasts who entered the lions den did not return alive. Southern Nigeria should deploy that same wisdom to interrogate why it is difficult for the democrat Atiku Abubakar to respect a common rule of equity and fairness. I can see Ifeanyi Okowa excited that he will serve as anchor for the south once PDP clinches power in 2023. He should spare some time to go receive tutorials from Yemi Osinbajo on how a huge pack of cards of hope can collapse in ones very before under a principal with a shut tribal mind. Osinbajo should be one of the most frustrated human beings in Nigeria today. Okowa and all those who believe that all the injustices against the south in the PDP should be left till 2023 and to be sorted out once Atiku becomes president, will have their hopes shattered once the Fulani assume power again. By then, they will realise that inside Atiku Abubakars vein runs that same blood of clan and tribe that made Buhari what he is. Festus Adedayo is an Ibadan-based journalist. perhaps a more apt description of the strongman of Rivers State, considering the dogged way he has tackled his foes, both within his party and outside it, is that he is more of a honey badger, the most aggressive animal on the planet. Although not bullet proof, honey badgers have a thick skin which shields them against most attacks, including dogs, arrows, spears, and even machetes. Nyesom Wikes day job is to administer the affairs of Rivers State as governor. But in actual fact, he is more than that. He is the bee of Nigerias leading opposition party, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP). The bee makes sweet honey and is loyal to its colony or beehive. The sweetness of the bees honey is only matched by the dreadfulness of the pain it inflicts on intruders or enemies. Bees are valuable because they produce the honey that titillates the palate and gives humans myriad health benefits. They also help in stabilising the environment by pollinating plants and preventing inbreeding. Some analysts mistake Wike for a wasp. They are wrong. Whereas a wasp also stings like a bee, it does not leave a stinger behind after attacking the enemy. But a bee leaves a barbed stinger in your skin which, if not removed quickly, releases more venom, causing greater pain and inflammation. Scientists are unanimous that bees have a more complex venom which guarantees a cocktail of miseries. But perhaps a more apt description of the strongman of Rivers State, considering the dogged way he has tackled his foes, both within his party and outside it, is that he is more of a honey badger, the most aggressive animal on the planet. Although not bullet proof, honey badgers have a thick skin which shields them against most attacks, including dogs, arrows, spears, and even machetes. Only a fool will dismiss the badass honey badger as a mere thick skinned squirrel with an attitude. Even though it weighs between 6 and 14 kilograms and reaches 9 to 11 inches height at the shoulder, it is described by the Guinness Book of World Records as the most fearless animal in the world. It is a strong, vengeful, ferocious, tough and savage creature. Since losing the PDPs presidential primaries to serial aspirant Atiku Abubakar, Wike has appeared inconsolable. To be charitable, he had always advocated that his partys constitution, which stipulates that the presidential slot be rotated between the northern and southern candidates, be respected. It would be inequitable for another candidate from the North to succeed the incumbent Northerner, Muhammadu Buhari in 2023, he argued. His advocacy fell on deaf ears and the party threw the ticket open to all zones. Since then, neither the winner of the primaries, nor Wike, nor the other members of the party, have known peace. Despite various attempts to paper over the cracks, Wike has been consistent in his demand that the Chairman of the party, Iyorchia Ayu, should vacate his seat for a Southerner to make the partys leadership composition more national. At the moment, both the presidential candidate and the Chairman of the party are from the geographical North. Wike is not alone. His camp is populated by some of the leading lights of PDP: Eminent founding members of the party, sitting governors, former ministers and top officials of government agencies. After a recent meeting at which the group announced its decision to renounce the nomination of its members into Atikus presidential campaign council, it became apparent that all the well advertised peace moves had failed Wike scoffs at the political sleight of hand that led to the current impasse: Some people will always think that they are too clever. They came up with zone only the party offices, dont zone the elective offices. How can you only zone party offices? You wont zone elective offices? Some people believe they are too intelligent than others. Some of us say, look, that this at the end of the day will cause crisis for us. Wike is not alone. His camp is populated by some of the leading lights of PDP: Eminent founding members of the party, sitting governors, former ministers and top officials of government agencies. After a recent meeting at which the group announced its decision to renounce the nomination of its members into Atikus presidential campaign council, it became apparent that all the well advertised peace moves had failed and that the battle was entering another gear. The groups resolution read by a former Deputy National Chairman of the party, Olabode George, stated: The published presidential campaign council list translates to putting the cart before the horse Senator Iyorchia Ayu must resign as the National Chairman of the party for an acting Chairman of Southern Nigerian extraction to emerge and lead the party on the national campaign. Consequently, we resolve not to participate in the campaign council in whatever capacity until the resignation of Dr. Iyorchia Ayu. If you didnt know the spelling of TROUBLE before now, it is up there for you! Wike followed up the outing of his group with his own explosive media chat in which he glided between anger, copious narration, possible libel and very effective bombast to make his point. He is an injured man; an angry man who feels betrayed. But it is not a Wike Vs PDP affair. It is now a regional affair in which the geographical imbalance in the party is the issue at stake. The kernel of his argument can be summarised thus: PDPs Presidential ticket ought to have been zoned exclusively to the South. The PDP National Chairman, Iyorchia Ayu, had promised to resign if a Northern presidential candidate emerged, but has refused to do so despite the emergence of Atiku Abubakar as candidate. Ayu abused his office when he convened many meetings to ensure that Wike did not emerge as the flag bearer of the party. He allegedly even vowed to resign if Wike won the partys ticket. Both Ayu and Atiku have reneged on earlier promises made to Wike and cannot be trusted. But for Wikes self-confessed love for the PDP, the party would have since unravelled. The convention that produced Atiku Abubakar as presidential candidate was deeply flawed. PDP needs restructuring. Its present intransigence and inability to manage its crises is making Nigerians doubt its capacity to unite the country. Atiku needs better advisers, not people like his Yobe State supporter, Waziri, who is of little electoral value. The irreducible minimum demand is the resignation of Chairman Ayu, failing which the Wike group will not campaign for Atiku. Wike and his allies have no intention of quitting the party. If they are sanctioned for anti-party activities, they will activate their next (undisclosed) strategy. Ayu is corrupt. Wike is ready to make further exposes if further provoked. PDP should do the right thing and ease Ayu out of office. Dont all these give one a deja vu feeling? The problems of the leading opposition party are self-inflicted. The least the leadership of the party can do is make a bold move to manage the crisis. This is not the time to argue about Wikes cantankerousness. And it has worked in favour of PDP in the past. Wike is not contesting the papacy. Politicians are not necessarily the best specimens of the human species. In August 2013, PDP split into two factions. A new faction comprising seven of the partys 23 governors announced that it had taken over the party. Abubakar Kawu Baraje, a former acting National Chairman of the PDP, was announced as the leader of the new faction. At least seven governors of the party, including those of Kano, Sokoto, Rivers, Jigawa, Kwara, Adamawa, and Niger, attended the briefing. PDPs presidential candidate for 2023, Atiku Abubakar, was also in attendance. The National Secretary of the PDP and former Osun State governor, Olagunsoye Oyinlola, was announced as the National Secretary of the new faction which later merged with other political parties and groups to form the All Progressives Congress (APC). PDP went on to lose the 2015 presidential election. Is history about to repeat itself? Expectedly, APC is over the moon with the news of PDPs troubles. The party in power has been given a chance to help PDP destroy itself and I dont think they are so thick headed as not to recognise it. APC doesnt really have to do anything. Just sidon look. Remember Napoleon Bonapartes words, Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake! The problems of the leading opposition party are self-inflicted. The least the leadership of the party can do is make a bold move to manage the crisis. This is not the time to argue about Wikes cantankerousness. And it has worked in favour of PDP in the past. Wike is not contesting the papacy. Politicians are not necessarily the best specimens of the human species. What Candidate Atiku and the party leadership must do now is weigh their options. Apparently, it will be a tough call to ditch Wike and his allies and expect to win the forthcoming election in February 2023. Which is more desirable for the party Ayus chairmanship or Nigerias presidency? Wike is the fly perching on PDPs unmentionables. Easy does it. Dont take the knee-jerk decision to violently smack the file lest you damage the goods. Doctors will tell you not to pop a pimple in the danger triangle of your face, the triangular region spanning from the bridge of the nose down to the corners of your mouth. Doing so can lead to inflammation, post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation and scarring and, of course, infection and, in extreme cases, death, say the experts. Nyesom Wike, the 54-year-old lawyer and politician from Rumuepirikom in Obio-Akpor, is that pimple. Will the PDP bigwigs pop it and unleash the grandfather of all political inflammation and unforeseen complications? Wole Olaoye is a public relations consultant and veteran journalist. He can be reached through wole.olaoye@gmail.com. Twitter: @wole_olaoye; Instagram: woleola2021. One thing is clear though: Nigerias 2023 elections could well be decided in places where it may be impossible for any human being to vote. To prevent this, we must insist that INEC discloses all those places fully ahead of balloting so that everyone can verify that there will be no results from any such place. When it eventually occurred on 23 February 2019, Nigerias presidential election was not without suspense. North-east Nigeria, home to a counter-civilisational insurgency for over a decade, was a natural location for incidents. In 2019 it did not disappoint a country in which the things that can happen in elections often defy both logic and the laws of physics. Geidam is a settlement about 240 kilometres east of Damaturu, the capital of Yobe State in the North-east. The term-limited governor of the state in 2019, Ibrahim Geidam, derived his surname from the city around which he was registered to vote. On the day, however, Geidam suffered an attack by insurgents, which involved improvised explosive devices (IEDs). On the same day also, less than 30 kilometres from Damaturu, in Gujba Local Government Area (LGA), the insurgents also attacked Buni Yadi, the settlement in which they had destroyed a leading public high school five years earlier and massacred an unspoken number of school children. As a result of the attacks, multiple observers on the day reported that voting turnout appeared to be light as authorities tried to calm panicked, skeptical residents. The attack was so serious that Governor Gaidam did not travel to his Bukarti ward near Gaidam town 230 kilometres away from the state capital to cast his vote. When the votes were in, the national turnout in 2019 was 34.75%. It would have been much worse but for places like Geidam, Yobe State, and the states of the North-east, which recorded an average regional turnout just under 42%. Despite the insurgency and attacks, Geidam helped Yobe State to muster a reported voter turnout of 42.9% in 2019, only marginally lower than the 43.9% in Adamawa, the home state of Atiku Abubakar, presidential candidate of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and 43.3% in Bauchi State. The turnout in Yobe was easily higher than in its more peaceful regional neighbours: Borno, 41.2%; Gombe, 41.9%; and Taraba, 41.7%. It also compared favourably with 45.6% in 2015 and 44% in 2011. Essentially, over three cycles of elections in one decade of a deepening insurgency, the turnout in Yobe State was nearly a constant. By comparison, in the states of South-west, Nigeria, which did not have any exposure to large-scale violence like the North-east, turn out in 2019 was: Ekiti, 43.7%; Lagos, 18.3%; Ogun, 25.9%; Ondo 32.4%; Osun, 43.7%; and Oyo 31.9%. This data presents a conundrum for those interested in understanding the correlation between structural insecurity and the exercise of the right to vote or voter participation. Contrary to the intuition that an insurgency or an election day atrocity would dampen voter turnout, academic, Olalekan Adigun, who has analysed the historical turnout data from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) since 1999, concludes that there is a negative correlation between election-related pre-election violence and the turnouts in Nigeria. So, rising violence has not necessarily affected the numbers of votes declared by INEC in most elections. His study also shows that situational violence may, however, have been used as a mechanism of voter suppression in places or against communities whom powerful incumbents believed to be unfriendly. This appeared to have occurred in 2019. It is now left to citizens to figure out the lay of the land and to hold the feet of INEC to the fire if election manipulators and their enablers, many of whom inhabit the institution, are not to use insecurity as a cover for election rigging. For this purpose, it is essential to disaggregate the country into the six geo-political zones. Unlike in the past, however, the INEC has now acknowledged that chronic insecurity, which now afflicts every geo-political zone in the country, is a major threat to the 2023 elections. The ballot will take place in 176,846 polling units spread across 8,809 electoral wards, 774 local areas, 36 states, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) on 25 February 2023. It seems clear now that there are places in Nigeria where, on current evidence, INEC is unlikely to be able to deploy election workers safely or, indeed, to organise voting. When its suits the leaders and managers of the security sector in Nigeria, they are happy to declare that security is everyones responsibility. But they are usually reluctant to provide citizens with the information they need to make this responsibility count. In connection with the 2023 elections, neither INEC nor the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICESS) has been willing to tell voters who will be the ones paying with their lives in those places where insecurity may affect the election in 2023. These are the kinds of places, usually, where ghosts could show up in vast numbers to vote on election day. It is now left to citizens to figure out the lay of the land and to hold the feet of INEC to the fire if election manipulators and their enablers, many of whom inhabit the institution, are not to use insecurity as a cover for election rigging. For this purpose, it is essential to disaggregate the country into the six geo-political zones. In the North-west, Kano and Jigawa are perhaps the only states that do not have any significant exposure to insecurity, which is serious enough to affect ballot deployment in their territories. The same cannot be said of other states in the zone. The worst affected states in the North-west are Zamfara, Kaduna, and Katsina. In the North-east, Gombe is perhaps the only state immune to this pathology. The worst affected state is Borno. Parts of northern Adamawa and some patches in Yobe and Taraba also harbour places where it will be hard to deploy election workers safely. In the North-central, the worst affected is Niger State. Even Kwara States borders with Niger and Kebbi are not guaranteed to be unaffected and you could potentially have a contagion effect from Niger and Kaduna affecting a rim of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT). Plateau and Nasarawa may also present some locations where it could also be unsafe to deploy election workers. In summary, in somewhere between 18 to 20 states of Nigeria, there are likely to be locations where it will be impossible for voting to occur safely in 2023. It may be difficult at present to list every community likely to be affected or provide a total number of wards to be affected but anyone who has minimally tracked the metastasis of the violence in Nigeria would be able to predict or identify many of these locations with minimal difficulty. In the South-east, Enugu may be able to see elections in every ward in the state. With some luck, Ebonyi could also go the same way, although the traditional antipathies between the Ezza and Ezillo cannot be guaranteed not to flare up enough to preclude balloting. Parts of Anambra South, Imo West, and Abia Central still harbour locations where it may be impossible to organise elections safely. In the South-south, Rivers State could present some locations where there may be a challenging deployment context for election administration. In the week after the Islamic State of West Africa (ISWAP) announced its presence in Ondo State in the South-west, it is possible also that some locations in the state may suffer present challenges with election deployment. If this is so, then Kogi State in the North Central, which shares a border with Ondo, may not be entirely off the radar because it is also known to be host to an active ISWAP cell. In summary, in somewhere between 18 to 20 states of Nigeria, there are likely to be locations where it will be impossible for voting to occur safely in 2023. It may be difficult at present to list every community likely to be affected or provide a total number of wards to be affected but anyone who has minimally tracked the metastasis of the violence in Nigeria would be able to predict or identify many of these locations with minimal difficulty. On a very rough calculation, affected communities in these three states could be above 50. From Zamfara, Kaduna and Katsina, we could be looking at multiples of that number. The major parties know this. INEC does. And the security services certainly do. For different reasons, they are unwilling to confide in the citizens. The leading parties are hoping that they can profit from a harvest of ghost voters from insecure places. INECs public position is that it relies on the guidance of the security services, for whom election-related security operations, however, guarantee money, even if they cannot deliver safety for the ordinary Nigerian. Amidst this pursuit of narrow institutional interests, no one is willing to tell the Nigerian voter and election worker the truth in the detail that they need for the 2023 elections. For their part, civil society have focused for so long on PVCs, they missed the plot on how insecurity can frustrate PVCs and determine the elections. One thing is clear though: Nigerias 2023 elections could well be decided in places where it may be impossible for any human being to vote. To prevent this, we must insist that INEC discloses all those places fully ahead of balloting so that everyone can verify that there will be no results from any such place. Chidi Anselm Odinkalu, a lawyer and teacher, can be reached at chidi.odinkalu@tufts.edu. On Thursday last week, the Nigeria International Economic Partnership Forum was held in Manhattan, New York in the middle of the most important international event of the year: the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). The Forum was enormously popular, attracting some 500 guests and delegates almost double the expected number. While this resulted in a somewhat chaotic atmosphere at times, the Forum was a resounding success: a clear indication of investor confidence in Nigeria. Nigeria is the biggest economy in Africa and seeks to raise GDP to $965 billion almost a trillion dollars by 2027. Under President Muhammadu Buhari, the nation has recorded marked progress in highways construction, bridges, railway, power, electrification and capacity addition in airports and their modernisation. As the President spoke, making the determination of his government to open more and more sectors of the economy to the private sector, a particular participant stunned, not a few when he announced that he manages pension funds of $1.3 trillion, money well in excess Nigerias current GDP, five times over. First, well over a billion dollars worth of deals benefitting Nigeria and her partners were signed at the Forum, including a $1.3 billion investment from Sun Africa for a new solar energy project; $70 million ring-fenced by Adryada and Noblesse Green Energy for a new biodiversity project; strategic financing support for a new refinery on the Niger Delta announced by Honeywell UOP; and a major philanthropic investment in data for Nigerian schools announced by Airtel Africa that would be setting up internet connection for 100 schools each year for five years running. A highlight of the event was the Presidential Luncheon, which saw Guest of Honour President Buhari joined by CEOs and Senior Executives from some of the largest and most prominent American and African companies, including GE, Chevron, Honeywell, Bell Flight, Sun Africa, McGraw Hill, American Tower and many more. The full guest list of participants included the American Tower Corporation, Aveva, Big Sun Holdings, Citi, CrossBoundry Group, Cure Violence Global, Entrust, Educational Testing Service, ExxonMobil, GE Healthcare,Gilead Sciences and Hello Tractor. Also in attendance were Google, McLarty Associates, Medici Land Governance, NBA, Odum Capital, Oracle, Pearson, Rendeavour, Roche, Seed Global Health, Standard Bank, TIAA/Nuveen, UBA America, the AfDB, African EXIM Bank and its US equivalent, Export Import Bank of United States, headed by Reta Jo Lewis, the first ever African-American to lead the organisation, and the Jeddah-based Islamic Development Bank, IDB. We had also in actual participation, the World Food Program (WFP), the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD) and NEPAD agency for Africa. Of course no one could have overlooked the overarching presence and actual participation of the Corporate Council of Africa whose current President, Florie Liser addressed the meeting, saying that the organisation is pushing for a private sector roadmap to support investment in several sectors to aid economic growth in Nigeria. Some of the this countrys biggest corporations were also represented at the highest levels, including, but not limited to the great oil behemoth, the NNPC Limited, the Nigerian Ports Authority, the NIPC, NEXIM Bank, Ndimis Oriental Energy, First Bank, Airtel, Flour Mills Nigeria, the Fertiliser Producers Association of Nigeria, the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and so many others. Interestingly, there were also in attendance, several young Nigerian entrepreneurs who are continually making their mark on the global business landscape. After breakfast and the opening session, we had the first plenary on Nigerias economic outlook and the second one on high level conversations about scaling up international partnerships for Nigeria on the development drive. Thereafter, eight breakout sessions convened simultaneously for the real business that brought everyone here. There was a thematic group seeking answers to important questions about growing Nigerias agriculture for food security and access to export market. It addressed questions of increased investment in fertiliser and urea, opportunities for Nigeria-EU partnerships in view of the Russia-Ukraine war and such issues as the need for technology support and innovative financing mechanisms for agriculture. Nigerias Oil and Gas sector came under discussion with a focus on reforms, results and the road ahead, where international interest was canvassed for the two pipeline projects taking Nigerias gas to Europe through Morocco and Algeria. Awareness was also raised by the NNPC Limited on the dangers of crude oil to Nigeria and the world at large. They called it blood oil. The investment climate in Nigeria including systemic risk issues and the vistas of the African Continental Trade Agreement were also brought under focus. Infrastructure opportunities in power, clean energy, transportation and water came under discussion, as did the ways and means of increasing capital flows into Nigeria, industrial financing, international development financing and the road to greater financial inclusion. Nigeria also brought for international discussion at this forum, the quest for scaling up international resources for financing education in the continent as well the need for innovative deal-making mechanisms to link government, deal sponsors and international pools capital in the health sector. There was also a very comprehensive discussion on the next steps for technology development: emerging technologies, satellite technology, digital communication, financing clean industries and the use of technology to combat insecurity. There have been some of criticisms about the size of the venue and the number of guests; it can only be said that those making those criticisms have never experienced New York during UNGA one of the worlds busiest and most important international events attended yearly by world leaders from around the globe. The President himself pointed to the significance of the representation at the forum when he said, the beauty of this forum is that the Ministers responsible for all of these sectors are here today, as are some of Nigerias premier business leaders who are already excelling in these spaces. There were some who criticised the quality of speakers at the Forum. With a lineup that included the President himself, the countrys most senior ministers and the most senior executives from those prominent companies already mentioned, these claims can only be described as inaccurate. As for those bandying around other names of supposed speakers who did not attend, they are merely misinformed, and taking their information from a dated, draft list of potential invitees not from the final list. Sadly, there are those who will always seek to criticise Nigeria for their own political gain and put her down even in moments of her greatest success. The resoundingly successful Nigeria International Economic Partnership Forum is a clear example. We look forward to an equally successful repeat next year. Nigeria has everyone to thank for this successful programme, and not least in this category is the Chief of Staff to the President, Professor Ibrahim Gambari, a veteran of the UN and global systems who was the linchpin of the entire event. Garba Shehu is Senior Special Assistant, Media and Publicity to President Muhammadu Buhari. RTHK: Dialogue should be prioritised in Ukraine: Beijing Beijing supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the "crisis" in Ukraine, Foreign Minister Wang Yi told the United Nations General Assembly, adding that the pressing priority was to facilitate peace talks. "The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture," Wang said in his address on Saturday. "We call on all parties concerned to keep the crisis from spilling over and protect the legitimate rights and the interests of developing countries." Wangs address comes after an acknowledgement last week when Russian President Vladimir Putin said President Xi Jinping had concerns about Ukraine. Wang also met with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken for 90 minutes in New York on Friday. After the meeting, China accused the United States of sending "very wrong, dangerous signals" on Taiwan after Blinken told Wang that the maintenance of peace and stability of the island was vitally important. Tensions over the island have soared after a visit there in August by US House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi which was followed by large-scale mainland military drills as well as a pledge by US President Joe Biden to defend Taiwan. (Reuters) ______________________________ Last updated: 2022-09-25 HKT 11:55 This story has been published on: 2022-09-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Ericsson, a global networking leader, recently celebrated its presence in Egypt for 125 years with the presence of key industry players including Dr Amr Talaat, Minister of Information and Communications Technology. During the event, Ericsson announced reaffirming its commitment to Egypt as part of its mission to support technology innovation advancement in the country. As part of this commitment, Ericsson established and is operating an Artificial Intelligence (AI) Innovation Lab at Sultan Hussein Kamel Palace in collaboration with Information Technology Industry Development Agency (ITIDA). In addition, the company announced during the celebration its plans to expand its operations in the AI domain and enhance its activities related to stimulating technological innovation, robotics, and the development of interaction between robots and humans using AI technologies. The company also emphasized increasing its efforts in developing young talents while supporting innovative thinking in the emerging technologies. Dr Amr Talaat said: Egypts Telecoms and Information Technology sector has a combination of both modernity and rootedness. Ericsson's celebration of the 125th anniversary of its presence in Egypt is a proof of how solid and stable the Egyptian market is, which contributed in enabling the company to implement its strategy and projects throughout this long period of time and to successfully continue as a partner in this promising sector, which carries with it more promising opportunities for all partners willing to invest and expand in Egypt to participate in building a digital Egypt." Dr Amr Talaat also pointed out to the Egyptian state's interest in developing the communications and information technology sector, under the umbrella of its vision for the sector as a traction engine for development and an essential element to achieve a real renaissance in all sectors. He also noted that the sector's budget increased in the current fiscal year by more than 22.6% compared to the previous one. Amr Mahfouz, CEO of the Information Technology Industry Development Agency - ITIDA, said: It is a real pleasure to witness the celebration of Ericsson's 125th anniversary here in Egypt. Its definitely a long journey of fruitful collaboration and is a great example of successful partnerships between ITIDA and the private sector. We are excited to see Ericsson continues to expand and grow, leveraging Egypts unique capabilities and position as a leading digital, high-end services hub for its customers across the globe." Eva Andren, Country Manager Ericsson Egypt and Vice President Ericsson Middle East and Africa, said: We are proud to have achieved this milestone, along with our partners, as we push forward our unwavering commitment to Egyptian youth and talent. We have been present in Egypt since 1897 when we first connected Cairo to Alexandria and our journey continued over the years offering Egypt the latest technological innovations of the telecom industry. Today, as we announce our plans to expand our AI Innovation lab, we aim to inspire the next generation of innovators as we maintain our commitment to the transformation of Egypt into a digital society in line with Egypt Vision 2030, working with entrepreneurs, professionals, academics, and university students from across Egypt to identify innovative and commercially viable solutions. TradeArabia News Service You cant be a prayerful person and a careless talker at the same time. Prayer tames the tongue An effective prayer life will produce an effective speaking life. Prayer cultures and tames the tongue. Why? Prayer produces so much power that the sin nature in your physical body that often produces carnal stimuli will be subdued by the power and life of God you generate through prayer. One of the signs to look out for in a new person in Christ is the way he talks. How you use your mouth is an indication of the kind of person you are. For the believer in Christ, he is a new creature according to 2 Corinthians 5:17. It is also important for me to explain the nature of man with respect to salvation. Lets not forget that we are spirit beings, with a soul and living in a body. Matthew 10:28 talks about the soul and the body, while Hebrews 4:12 also talks about the soul and the body. But in 1 Thessalonians, the complete picture is painted: Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ (1 Thesallonians 5:23). Your spirit being Is your real you; your soul comprises of your mind, will and emotions and your body is the physical parts we can feel and touch. At the new birth, when you gave your life to Jesus, it was your spirit that was saved. The life of God, zoe, transformed your spirit man and it became a brand new spirit. The sin nature in your spirit man was blotted out completely, but the sin nature in our souls and in our bodies was not blotted out. This explains why we still get tempted and sometimes fall into sin. 1 John 1:8 says, If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. Apostle John is referring to the sins we sometimes commit as a result of the sin nature in our soul and bodies. This also explains why in Romans 12:1-2, the Bible mentions that we should renew our mind (a part of our soul) with the word of God, and we should offer our bodies as living sacrifices. In other words, we must continue to study and do the word to get the sin nature progressively removed from our soul and we must also continue to crucify the flesh through prayer, fasting and other spiritual activities to get the sin nature in our flesh progressively removed. It is the sin nature in our soul and bodies that make the tongue of a saved believer to say bad things. I am talking about people who are genuinely saved. In other words, if you are not saved at all, your spirit and soul and body are in the same dead state and your case is worse. The question now is, why do genuine believers find it hard to work on their soul and bodies? If you refuse to study and do the word, the sin nature in your soul will never be removed. And if you refuse to crucify your body, the sin nature in your body will never be removed. Consequently, your tongue will reflect the state of your soul and you will never be able to use your mouth in gracious manners. Do not be rash with your mouth, And let not your heart utter anything hastily before God. For God is in heaven, and you on earth; Therefore let your words be few (Ecclesiastes 5:2). The question now is: What are the typical things we do that make our souls and bodies to be above our spirit? Dont forget, we want our spirit to be above our souls and bodies. We want our spirit to control our soul and bodies. If this is not the case and our bodies and souls are controlling our spirit, this is exactly what we will experience. To develop a spirit controlled tongue, the believer must ensure that the soul and the body are under the control of the spirit. In other words, your mind, will and emotions must be subjected to continuous study of Gods word. Hear what James 1:21 says: Therefore lay aside all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, and receive with meekness the implanted word, which is able to save your souls. And also, your body must never be allowed to have its way. You must die daily. Paul said, I affirm, by the boasting in you which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die daily (1 Corinthians 15:31). The question now is: What are the typical things we do that make our souls and bodies to be above our spirit? Dont forget, we want our spirit to be above our souls and bodies. We want our spirit to control our soul and bodies. If this is not the case and our bodies and souls are controlling our spirit, this is exactly what we will experience. Such a believer will have no restraint of sin. He will watch porn; go to clubs; listen to bad music; and still claim to be a Christian. Such a believer will be given over to relentless pleasure at all times and will never be willing or able to go through any challenges of life. Such a believer will have no regard or respect for biblical principles. Rather, s/he will be controlled by culture and public opinion. The end result is that this believer will be very carnal and his/her tongue will have no restraint whatsoever. To develop a spirit-controlled tongue, two things must be our focus transformation of our minds through the word and crucifixion of our bodies through prayers. You cant be a prayerful person and a careless talker at the same time. Prayer tames the tongue. I am not talking about religious praying here. No man slanders whom he prays for at the same time. An effective prayer life will produce an effective speaking life. Prayer cultures and tames the tongue. Why? Prayer produces so much power that the sin nature in your physical body that often produces carnal stimuli will be subdued by the power and life of God you generate through prayer. You wouldnt be able to stand negative talk around you. It is because of laziness among Christians that weve been unable to produce large population of believers whose tongues are controlled by the spirit. Rather their spirits are controlled by their tongues. In other words, their tongues dictate for their spirits. They say anything at anytime, curse, yell, insult, boast, slander and say all manners of evil things and they dont feel any remorse. It is because their tongue is the boss. Also, the word purifies the soul. Your soul with its sinful nature cannot survive the power and the life of God from His word. Listen to Hebrew 4:12: For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart. Look at what the word of God is it is living, powerful, sharp, piercing, dividing and discerning. From this scripture, the word of God carries six dynamites of power. You cant be a tireless student of the word reading and meditating and doing it every day for ten years and these six dynamites of power wont clear off the sin nature in your soul. All the negative passions; sinful thoughts, lustful feelings, aggressive emotions and all others cannot survive the living, powerful, sharp, piercing, dividing and discerning power of the word. It is because of laziness among Christians that weve been unable to produce large population of believers whose tongues are controlled by the spirit. Rather their spirits are controlled by their tongues. In other words, their tongues dictate for their spirits. They say anything at anytime, curse, yell, insult, boast, slander and say all manners of evil things and they dont feel any remorse. It is because their tongue is the boss. Your tongue must not be the boss. Your spirit man must be the boss. If you make your spirit the boss, your tongue will be under control and you will experience this blessing: For He who would love life And see good days, Let him refrain his tongue from evil, And his lips from speaking deceit (1 Peter 3:10). Ayo Akerele, a leadership and system development strategist, and minister of the word, writes from Canada and can be reached through ayoakerele2012@gmail.com. The Social Democratic Party (SDP) governorship candidate in Rivers State, Magnus Abe, has named Patricia Ogbonnaya, as his running mate for the 2023 elections. Mr Abe, a former senator, also unveiled members of his campaign committee with Wilson Ake, as the director-general. This was contained in a statement from a media aide to Mr Abe, Parry Benson, in Port Harcourt, on Saturday. Justifying the choice of Mrs Ogbonnaya, a retired permanent secretary in the state as his running mate, Mr Abe said: We were looking for somebody who will add value to the ticket; somebody who can be governor if I am not there. Somebody who can lead the state in the direction we want the state to go. Somebody who has the knowledge and can advise and contribute to the kind of Rivers State we will all like to see. We wanted somebody who will be an asset. We were not necessarily looking for a woman, but with a clear target of what we wanted in mind, we now got to the business of trying to identify who that person should be, Mr Abe said On the director-general of his campaign, Mr Abe described Mr Ake as someone that is approachable and known to the people of the state and can contribute resources to the campaign. Mr Ake is a former senator. He represented Rivers West District from 2007 to 2015. The SDP governorship candidate, Mr Abe, was a member of the All Progressives Congress (APC), a platform where he initially declared to contest the 2023 governorship election in the state. The former senator had been engaged in a battle over the control of the APC structure in the state with a former Minister of Transportation, Rotimi Amaechi. He, however, lost the political battle, with Tonye Cole emerging as the APC governorship candidate in the state on 26 May. Mr Abe later defected to the SDP where he hoped to actualise his governorship ambition in the 2023 election. GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVALS IN ACCRA AND NEW YORK CITY ANNOUNCE OVER $800 MILLION TO EMPOWER GIRLS, DEFEAT POVERTY, DEFEND THE PLANET, PROMOTE HEALTH, PROTECT CIVIC SPACE AND MITIGATE THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS CANADA AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION COMMIT $1.6 BILLION TO THE GLOBAL FUND TO FIGHT AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND MALARIA 10TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL GENERATES RECORD-BREAKING 2 MILLION ACTIONS FROM GLOBAL CITIZENS GOVERNMENTS OF GHANA AND SOUTH AFRICA ANNOUNCE AFRICAN PROSPERITY FUND AT GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: ACCRA FIVE MAJOR CORPORATIONS SET AMBITIOUS CLIMATE GOALS Broadcast and streamed around the world on YouTube, Twitter, ABC, ABC News Live, Amazon Music, Apple Music & the Apple TV app, iHeartRadio, Hulu, FX, Veeps, Albavision, Canal+, Bis, Nine Network, SABC, TimesLive, TV3, Twitch and the Global Citizen app Proudly supported by Global Partners: Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon and YouTube, Campaign Partners World Wide Technology and Live Nation Press Kit: Click here for photo and video assets from Global Citizen Festivals in Accra, Ghana and New York City Click here for video assets highlighting Global Citizen's 10 years of impact NEW YORK and ACCRA, Ghana, Sept. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Citizen is proud to announce the 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign has culminated in over $2.4 billion in commitments to end extreme poverty NOW. Global Citizen Festival 2022 (PRNewsfoto/Global Citizen) The six-week campaign concluded with a nine-hour festival across two stages, beginning in Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, presented by Harith General Partners, and ending in New York City's Central Park, presented by Citi and Cisco. The 2022 campaign saw 2 million actions taken by global citizens as part of Global Citizen's mission to End Extreme Poverty NOW , more than doubling the record previously set by the international advocacy organization. On the Global Citizen Festival: Accra stage, the governments of Ghana and South Africa announced the African Prosperity Fund, a joint initiative by the governments of Ghana and South Africa, which aims to deploy $1 billion to fund projects for economic inclusion and financial participation across the continent. The fund will focus on projects in the African Continental Free Trade Area, including infrastructure development, financial access for the participation of women and youth, education, healthcare, technology, and sustainability, all for the benefit of Africa's 1.3 billion people. Meanwhile, at Global Citizen Festival: NYC, U.S. members of Congress from both sides of the political aisle stood alongside world leaders, philanthropists and trailblazers from the private sector to make announcements worthy of the 10-year history of the Global Citizen Festival. Over a video message, President Macron announced France will reallocate 30 percent of its Special Drawing Rights to the world's poorest countries, specifically in Africa, to fight extreme poverty, pandemics, inequalities and climate change. The days leading into the 10th anniversary Global Citizen Festival saw major commitments from world leaders, including Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada and President von der Leyen of the European Commission, who respectively committed CAD $1.209 billion and 715 million at the seventh replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. During the Festival, Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen thanked global citizens for taking action. The following commitments were pledged at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Accra, Ghana and New York City: FOR GIRLS Investments committed for the future of women and girls include: Governments Belgium committed 2.6 million to the ILO's Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All for its second phase in Senegal and Burkina Faso , extending until 2025. committed 2.6 million to the ILO's Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All for its second phase in and , extending until 2025. Denmark committed $17 million to UNFPA Supplies and $30 million to UNFPA over the next year as part of their broader newly announced three year partnership. committed to UNFPA Supplies and to UNFPA over the next year as part of their broader newly announced three year partnership. The European Commission committed 45 million to UNFPA . committed 45 million to UNFPA Germany , as a champion for global education, committed 10 million to Education Cannot Wait's efforts to respond to the education needs in Ukraine . , as a champion for global education, committed 10 million to Education Cannot Wait's efforts to respond to the education needs in . Luxembourg committed to renew its partnership with the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Program to End Female Genital Mutilation, with a 70 percent increase of its funding based on previous contributions over the next three years, underlining its support for girls and women around the world. Philanthropic foundations and the private sector Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance and Girl Effect announced a $8 million partnership to fight against the gender barriers that limit uptake of HPV and other routine vaccines in Tanzania and Ethiopia . announced a partnership to fight against the gender barriers that limit uptake of HPV and other routine vaccines in and . The Global Menstrual Equity Accelerator was launched with the ambition to advance gender equality for girls and women through a partnership ranging from combating stigmas, increasing the availability of period products, raising public awareness and education around menstrual health and safe disposal, and beyond. was launched with the ambition to advance gender equality for girls and women through a partnership ranging from combating stigmas, increasing the availability of period products, raising public awareness and education around menstrual health and safe disposal, and beyond. LEGO Foundation committed $25 million to Education Cannot Wait in support of its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, including a commitment to playful learning opportunities for children affected by emergencies and protracted crises, that are gender-transformative and reach children in all their diversity. committed to Education Cannot Wait in support of its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, including a commitment to playful learning opportunities for children affected by emergencies and protracted crises, that are gender-transformative and reach children in all their diversity. The United Nation Population Fund announced a $10.5 million contribution from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to drive improved quality service provision for the advancement of women and girls' health and well-being. announced a contribution from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to drive improved quality service provision for the advancement of women and girls' health and well-being. Procter & Gamble committed to advance the Care Agenda by producing and creating advertisements, digital content, and communications messaging that portrays a more equitable division of care work and challenges the gender stereotypes and societal norms that perpetuate the inequity of unpaid care work in the home and societies around the globe. FOR THE PLANET Commitments made to defend the planet include: Governments The Peace Corps committed to launch a new climate initiative to support over 2 million hours of volunteer service in around 50 countries, including up to 1000 volunteers who will work with host country partners to identify and implement actions that contribute to host country climate priorities and national plans. The private sector Five major corporations signed the United Nations-led Race to Zero campaign to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, including American Eagle Outfitters, Betterfly, Harith General Partners, Juan Valdez Cafe, and Global Citizen Festival: NYC campaign partner World Wide Technology. FOR THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS Pledges made to improve food and nutrition security in response to the global food crisis include: Governments The Netherlands committed 25 million towards food and nutrition security in 2023, topping up the 425 million budget announced earlier this year for the next five years. committed 25 million towards food and nutrition security in 2023, topping up the 425 million budget announced earlier this year for the next five years. Norway committed NOK 100 million towards the African Development Bank's Africa Emergency Food Production Facility. committed towards the African Development Bank's Emergency Food Production Facility. Slovenia committed 1.23 million to civil society organizations fighting against hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa. The private sector Citi announced its continued support to No Kid Hungry for the next three years, estimated to be equivalent to the provision of 60 million meals. FOR GLOBAL HEALTH Commitments made to eradicate communicable diseases include: Governments Canada highlighted their CAD $1.209 billion commitment made at the Global Fund replenishment highlighted their CAD commitment made at the Global Fund replenishment The European Commission highlighted their 715 million contribution to the Global Fund highlighted their 715 million contribution to the Global Fund Malta committed 30,000 to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Philanthropic foundations Rotary International committed $150 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative across the next three years. TO DEFEAT POVERTY Additional pledges to act in the interests of the world's most marginalized populations include: Governments The United Nations in Ghana committed $257 million in funding towards the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework by 2025. This convenes more than 24 United Nations agencies, funds, and programmes with the ambition of reaching all regions in Ghana , responding to the needs of the most vulnerable and seeking to leave no one behind. in Ghana committed in funding towards the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework by 2025. This convenes more than 24 United Nations agencies, funds, and programmes with the ambition of reaching all regions in , responding to the needs of the most vulnerable and seeking to leave no one behind. The United States committed $138 million to support human capital development in the areas of health, education, climate, and peacebuilding and $32.5 million committed to deepening partnerships across West Africa in Ghana , Benin , Cote d'Ivoire , Guinea , and Togo . committed to support human capital development in the areas of health, education, climate, and peacebuilding and committed to deepening partnerships across in , , , , and . Lithuania announced they would be committing 11 million in funding towards rebuilding infrastructure including schools, homes and a bridge in Ukraine . Philanthropic foundations and the private sector Dutch Postcode Lottery announced a 1 million contribution to the Legal Empowerment Fund, an initiative of the Fund for Global Human Rights. announced a 1 million contribution to the Legal Empowerment Fund, an initiative of the Fund for Global Human Rights. Ford Foundation announced $30 million towards organizations protecting civic space in the coming year. announced towards organizations protecting civic space in the coming year. Google.org committed $1 million to OutRight Action International in support of its work for LGBTIQ communities around the world. Click here for more details about the 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign impact and outcomes. At the outset of the campaign, Global Citizen called on world leaders, major corporations and philanthropic foundations to End Extreme Poverty NOW and invest $600 million into the future of women and girls; close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall; deliver $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis; reallocate IMF Special Drawing Rights to provide urgent relief from debts unjustly crushing economies, and defend advocacy. Though the campaign's outcomes and commitments represent progress for the most urgent needs facing humanity and the planet, there is still much work to be done ahead of the G20 and COP27 in November. "Amidst all the doomsday messages we hear today, hope lies in the fact that millions of citizens are rising up to take action, more than any other point in history. 10 years ago, Global Citizen was just an idea and 10 years from now we'll see a generation of global citizens running for office, starting companies, and transforming communities. The media is pushing us to the extreme left or to the extreme right, but the solutions lie in the center. Ending extreme poverty is not a partisan issue, and those most in need can not be treated like political pawns. Our job is to not let our leaders forget that. If you are lucky enough to live in a democracy, use your voice!" Hugh Evans, Co-Founder and CEO, Global Citizen "We have a limited window of opportunity to act decisively to lift millions of people out of poverty, promote inclusiveness and equality, and safeguard the health of our planet. Each one of us has a sacred and moral obligation to bequeath to the next generation a healthy planet, free from poverty, conflict, discrimination, hunger and disease. I call on the youth of the world, especially, and, in particular, the youth of Africa, to play an active role in achieving the SDGs. The world needs your creativity, knowledge, reach and energy to help find innovative solutions to the challenges facing our world." H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana "It's great to join you for the 10th year of this festival. Thank you for building this movement and making big things happen. Last month, I signed the biggest climate bill in history the biggest ever: $369 billion to slash emissions by nearly half, improve health, advance justice, build a clean energy economy, and create generations of good paying jobs. And this past week, the Senate ratified historic Kigali amendment to phase down the use of super-polluting hydrofluorocarbons. This is a whole new chapter for America and for the planet. And we have to do a lot more. I pledged $11 billion a year to help poor countries fight climate change. Working with Congress and with your help, we can get this done." Joe Biden, President of the United States of America, via video address. "Global Citizens, I hear you loud and clear! Europe is answering your call. We must put an end to hunger. We need to defeat deadly diseases like AIDS or malaria. We must take care of our girls and women! We must also take care of our planet. I call on all world leaders to step up! And I count on you to drive us forward." Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission "Poor countries [are] paying the price for wealthy nations' errors. So I'm standing here today speaking directly to the leaders of wealthy nations who received billions of dollars from the International Monetary Fund through Special Drawing Rights for COVID-19 relief. Make good on your promise of reallocating some of those funds. Honor your word and provide at the very least the $100 billion promised for adaptation for climate vulnerable countries. I am also here to call on multilateral institutions like the World Bank to act. The only way ahead is a just green energy transition. And my friends, our time is running out." Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados The 2022 Global Citizen Festival was broadcast and streamed worldwide on YouTube, Twitter, Amazon Music, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, Apple Music, and the Apple TV app. Global Citizen Festival will also air on ABC, ABC News Live, iHeartRadio, Hulu, FX and Veeps in the United States, Albavision in Latin America, Canal+ in Africa, Bis in Brazil, Nine Network (9Now) in Australia, SABC in South Africa, TimesLive across Africa, TV3 in Ghana, and more. Global Citizen Festival: Accra featured performances by Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, TEMS, and Uncle Waffles, and was hosted by award-winning actor, playwright and activist Danai Gurira. Presenters included Berla Mundi, Joselyn Dumas, Michaela Coel, Nomzamo Mbatha, and Sabrina Dhowre Elba. Global Citizen Festival: NYC featured performances by Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MANESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton, and Rosalia and special guest performances by Angelique Kidjo and Billy Porter, and was hosted by actor, producer, author, and Global Citizen Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Presenters included Amber Ruffin, Antoni Porowski, Bill Nye, Chris Redd, Connie Britton, Folake Olowofoyeku, Jay Shetty, Katie Couric, Katie Holmes, Misty Copeland, Rachel Brosnahan, Scott Evans, Sofia Carson, Tamron Hall, and Van Jones. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign is supported by governments and world leaders including: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana; Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia; Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA; Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia; Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Frank Bainimara, Prime Minister of Fiji; Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister of Lithuania; Nikenike Vurobaravu, President of Vanuatu; Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Ban Ki-moon, Former UN Secretary General; Borut Pahor, President of Slovenia; Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta; Micheal Martin, Taoiseach of Ireland; Alok Sharma, President of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference; Jeff Radebe, Special Presidential Envoy for President Cyril Ramaphosa; Shamma al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth of the UAE; Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the UN Foundation; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Stanley Kakubo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zambia; Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senate Majority Leader; Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Urban Policy, Belgium; Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico; Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister for International Development, Norway; Kingdom of the Netherlands; Government of Luxembourg; Government of Peru; Peter Sands, Executive Director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait; Erna Solberg, Former Prime Minister of Norway; Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Ambassador to the UN; Ertharin Cousin, Founder, Managing Director and CEO, Food Systems for the Future. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival and the End Extreme Poverty NOW campaign are supported by a coalition of the world's leading brands and companies including: Global Partners, Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon, and YouTube. World Wide Technology, Campaign Partner for Global Citizen Festival: NYC, Live Nation, and Tshepo Mahloele, Founder & Executive, of Harith General Partners, is Patron of Global Citizen's work in Africa. Co-chairs of Global Citizen and of this campaign include: Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture; Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO of Cisco; Jane Fraser, CEO of Citi; Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines; Lorraine Twohill, CMO of Google; Marc Pritchard, CBO of P&G; and Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon. Global Citizen's co-chairs are private sector leaders making commitments in support of the UN's Global Goals. They support Global Citizen's campaigns while helping to drive deeper engagement within the private sector. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival has gratefully received in-kind support from leading media companies, including: AIM GROUP, Alliance Media, Bandsintown, BellaNaija, Billboard, Boo! Media, Branded Cities, Captivate, Citi FM, Clear Channel Outdoor, DDP Outdoor, EIB Network, Global OOH, GSTV, Guide Radio, The Hollywood Reporter, iHeartRadio, Intersection, Interstate Outdoor, JC Decaux, MX, New Tradition, OAAA, Orange Barrel Media, Penske Media, Rolling Stone, Seen Media, Six Flags Theme Parks, Spotify, Variety, VIBE, Volta, The Wall Street Journal and YFM. Visit www.globalcitizen.org to learn more about the 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign issues and continue taking action, and follow @glblctzn on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. About Global Citizen: Global Citizen is the world's largest movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty NOW. We post, tweet, message, vote, sign, and call to inspire those who can make things happen government leaders, businesses, philanthropists, artists, and citizens together improving lives. By downloading our app, Global Citizens learn about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, take action on those issues, and earn rewards, which can be redeemed for tickets to concerts, events, and experiences all over the world. For more information, visit www.globalcitizen.org and follow @GlblCtzn. Press Kit: Click here for photo and video assets from Global Citizen Festivals in Accra, Ghana and New York City Click here for video assets highlighting Global Citizen's 10 years of impact Contact: Global Citizen Inquiries: [email protected] Media Inquiries: Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis for Global Citizen [email protected] SOURCE Global Citizen NEW YORK, Sept. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- In response to a global learning crisis that has left 222 million crisis-impacted children in dire need of education support, The LEGO Foundation, Germany, and the United States announced this week US$42 in new funding to Education Cannot Wait (ECW). Education is our investment in human beings and the human potential. So far we have only seen a glimpse of it, there are 222 million children out there that will allow us to see the full potential of humanity." - Yasmine Sherif, Director, Education Cannot Wait. "These generous new contributions from the LEGO Foundation, Germany and the United States are a global call to action. We must unite to fully fund Education Cannot Wait and our strategic partners in mobilizing US$1.5 billion over the next four years. This new funding will allow us to reach 20 million children caught in some of the world's worst humanitarian crises," said ECW Director Yasmine Sherif. Taking the stage at this weekend's Global Citizen Festival, The LEGO Foundation CEO Anne-Birgitte Albrectsen announced a new US$25 million contribution to ECW, bringing total contributions to approximately US$65 million to date. "Imagine there was a magic lever that could transform the lived experiences of the 222 million children and youth living in crisis contexts into the peacekeepers and builders of tomorrow. Well, there is: Education," said Albrectsen. In response to the crisis in Ukraine, which has severely impacted access to education for close to 7 million children, the Government of Germany also announced 10 million in new funding. Germany is the largest donor to ECW, with approximately 330 million in total funding to date. "The international community urgently needs to increase its investments in education. Global Citizens, thank you for raising your voices to call for more support for Education Cannot Wait, so that all young people everywhere in the world will have access to quality education: this will enable us to end extreme poverty now," said Svenja Schulze, Federal Minister for Economic Cooperation and Development, Germany. The Government of the United States announced US$7 million in new funding from the US State Department's Bureau of Population, Refugees and Migration, bringing total contributions to US$109.3 million to date. "Today at ECW's High-Level Steering Group meeting during the United Nations General Assembly, I was privileged to announce US$7 million in additional assistance from the United States for Education Cannot Wait to bring quality education to refugee, stateless and other displaced children," said Julieta Valls Noyes, Assistant Secretary of State for the Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration. Photo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1906920/Education_Cannot_Wait_1.jpg Logo - https://mma.prnewswire.com/media/1656121/Education_Cannot_Wait_Logo.jpg SOURCE Education Cannot Wait Veraval : , Sep 25 (IANS) The Gir Somnath Police have arrested an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader from Gujarat's Veraval after a woman filed a rape complaint against him. The AAP leader Bhagu Vala will be officially arrested once his Covid-19 report comes out negative. Veraval Police Inspector Sunil Israni told IANS that a 23-year-old woman on Friday filed a criminal complaint against Vala and has alleged that the latter raped her. The medical examination of the victim was conducted on Friday. According to the police complaint, the AAP leader was allegedly running a video-making agency in the name of Vishwa films and lured the victim with a promise to give her work as a model in an advertisement and even in films, for which she will go for a photoshoot. On the pretext of shooting for the advertisement, Vala called the victim at his flat where he raped her. The police officer said the accused will have to undergo a medical examination after which he will be produced before the court and the police will seek his remand for investigating the case. Vala, before joining AAP recently, was part of the Congress for a long time in the Gir Somnath district. Bahrain's Labour Fund Tamkeen will sponsor the Bahrain Pavilion at the upcoming Gitex Exhibition 2022, which kicks off in Dubai on October 10. More than 140 countries are participating in the expo which runs for five days at the Dubai World Trade Centre. The Bahrain Pavilion will host 30 SMEs and startups in the field of Information and Communication Technology (ICT). Additionally, several partners active in Bahrains startup ecosystem will represent the Kingdom at the event this year, with Bahrains participation being organised in collaboration with the Bahrain Technology Companies Society (BTECH). The participation of Bahraini businesses at the exhibition reflects the Kingdoms leading role in global forums, highlighting the Bahrains continuous support for the local startup and entrepreneurship ecosystem, which in turn facilitates the growth of a number of economic sectors, including the high-potential ICT sector, said a statement. Maha Mofeez, Acting Chief Executive of Tamkeen, reiterated Tamkeens continuous efforts to empower Bahraini enterprises and support them by facilitating their participation at this years Gitex exhibition, a key platform for some of the largest global companies in the ICT field. She said: This participation highlights Bahrains position as a tech hub in both the GCC and the Middle East. It will provide local enterprises the opportunity to meet key players in this space, allowing them to view the latest technological developments, while also offering them the chance to showcase their own products and services to potential customers. BTECH Chairman Tareq Fakhroo praised the ongoing partnership with Tamkeen, emphasising the importance of this cooperation to further develop the technology sector in the Kingdom by benchmarking against the latest products and trends of leading international tech companies, while also supporting digital transformation by implementing technologies in response to rapid changes in the global economy. - TradeArabia News Service Tehran, Sep 25 : Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani has expressed regret for the decision of the Ukrainian government to downgrade diplomatic relations with the Islamic republic. On Friday, Ukraine announced to downgrade ties with Iran and remove the Iranian ambassador's accreditation over what it called Tehran's "unfriendly" decision to supply Russia with drones "used against its forces and citizens," the Iranian Foreign Ministry website reported. The decision of the Ukrainian government is based on "unconfirmed reports and caused by the creation of media hype by foreign parties," Kanani said on Saturday. He advised Ukraine not to be influenced by third parties who seek to destroy the relations between the two countries, Xinhua news agency reported. Over the Russia and Ukraine conflict, Iran has adopted the "clear policy of neutrality" and has declared its opposition to war and the need for a political settlement of disputes away from violence, he was quoted as saying. Kanani emphasised that Iran will take proportionate action in response to the Ukrainian government's decision. Islamabad, Sep 25 : Another person has died in the past 24 hours in Pakistan's southern Sindh province due to different diseases following floods, the Provincial Health department said. According to a report released by the Health department on Saturday, the cause of death was a respiratory failure due to suspected measles. The death toll in Sindh from the recent wave of infectious diseases due to floods since July 1 has moved up to 335, Xinhua news agency reported. Additionally, five people have died from waterborne diseases, including diarrhoea and dysentery, in the province so far this month, according to the latest figures released by the Health department. Nearly 431 emergency medical camps were set up in Sindh on Friday, bringing the total number of camps in the province since July 1 to 14,055. Aden : , Sep 25 (IANS) Yemen's pro-government forces continued anti-terror military operations in the southern province of Abyan, a security official told Xinhua. The troops raided the al-Qaida terrorist group's strongholds in various areas of the province in recent days, killing 24 armed al-Qaida members, the local security source said on condition of anonymity on Saturday. "The troops launched on Saturday the fourth phase of the anti-terror campaign aimed at pushing their elements out of the whole province," the source added. He said al-Qaida militants were evicted in four districts following weeks of deadly fighting, adding that 32 soldiers were killed and 40 others wounded in operations in the past several days, Xinhua news agency reported. The pro-government forces backed by Saudi Arabia also continued their operations against al-Qaida militants in other southern areas, according to the official. On Tuesday, military units of the Southern Transitional Council (STC), which are part of Yemen's government, attacked al-Qaida hideouts and positions in various mountainous areas of turbulent Abyan, making headway on the ground. In August, the STC troops launched a major anti-terror operation code-named "Arrows of the East" in Abyan to combat terrorist groups. The Yemen-based al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) network has been responsible for many high-profile attacks against the security forces in the country's southern provinces. The AQAP has exploited years of deadly conflict between the Yemeni government and Houthi militia to expand its presence in the war-ravaged Arab country. United Nations, Sep 25 : "We will liberate ourselves from a colonial mindset," India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar has said, proclaiming India's new agenda and laying out its global implications. "Our rich civilisational heritage will be a source of pride and strength," he added on Saturday at the UN General Assembly. As India celebrates the 75th anniversary of its Independence, he said the Indian people "are rejuvenating a society pillaged by centuries of foreign attacks and colonialism". He attributed the "New India" that "is a confident and resurgent society" to "the visionary and dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi". India's "age-old outlook," he added, "sees the world as one family. We believe that national good and global good can be entirely in harmony". "Even as we meet our own development targets, India offers partnerships to our brothers and sisters in Asia, Africa and Latin America. And we do so based on their needs and priorities," he said. Externally, leaving the colonial mindset means "reformed multilateralism and more contemporary global governance," Jaishankar added. "We believe that multipolarity, rebalancing, fair globalisation and reformed multilateralism cannot be kept in abeyance," the External Affairs Minister said. He added that a reformed multilateralism would have Security Council reforms at its core, pointing out that it has considerable support among UN members. To reform the Council, "our call is to allow serious negotiations on such a critical matter to proceed sincerely. They must not be blocked by procedural tactics. Naysayers cannot hold the IGN process hostage in perpetuity," Jaishankar said. The Intergovernmental Negotiations, or IGN as the reform process is known, has been blocked by a small group of countries led by Italy and includes Pakistan that has prevented the adoption of a negotiating text to allow the process move forward. Pitching India's case for a permanent seat, he added, "In these turbulent times, it is essential that the world listens to more voices of reason. And experiences more acts of goodwill. India is willing and able on both counts." He said, "The world, as we knew it, is poised for transformational changes" having been impacted by a "succession of shocks" -- among them the Covid-19 pandemic, the Ukraine conflict and natural disasters. (Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis) Lucknow, Sep 25 : The principal, who was shot at by a student in Utttar Pradesh's Sitapur, is now out of danger, said doctors attending on him on Sunday. The principal is admitted in the trauma centre of the King George's Medical University (KGMU) in Lucknow. The accused student is absconding and the police are conducting raids at various locations to arrest him. After being reprimanded for indiscipline, a class 12 student shot at his school principal Ram Singh Verma in the campus on Saturday in Sitapur. The incident took place in Adarsh Inter College under Sadarpur police station area. The principal suffered one bullet wound in his stomach and was first taken to local community health centre and later shifted to KGMU Trauma Centre in Lucknow. The doctors said bullet did not damage any of the vital organs and exited the principal's body. The police said the accused, a minor, had entered in a brawl with a fellow student in the campus on Friday. The principal summoned the two at his office and reprimanded both of them. He held the accused responsible for the brawl, saying that repeat of such an incident in future will lead to serious action and also slapped him. On Saturday, the accused came to school and fired at Verma. The boy reportedly carried several bullets with him in his bag. He was overpowered by the students and staff when he was loading the third bullet in the gun. He later fled the scene. Sitapur Superintendent of Police, Ghule Sushil Chandrabhan said that prima facie, a .315 bore country-made pistol was used by the accused. "Two police teams were formed to nab the accused while a case was registered against the miscreant under the charges of attempt to murder," he added. Kolkata, Sep 25 : Besides former West Bengal education minister Partha Chatterjee, two other arrests by the central agencies in connection with the multi-crore West Bengal School Service Commission (WBSSC) recruitment scam have shaken the academic circles of the state. The first arrest is that of the former West Bengal Board of School Education (WBBSE) president, Kalyanmoy Gangopadhyay by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) sleuths. Since the day of his arrest, academicians and opposition parties say that this development has really tainted the rich heritage of West Bengal's academic standards, considering that the marksheets and certificates of the first board examination in the state, Madhyamik, carry the signatures of the WBBSE president. "So, one can well imagine the state of mind of lakhs of Madhyamik students who passed out during the ten-year tenure of Gangopadhyay as the WBBSE president and whose marksheets and certificates carry his signatures," CPI(M) politburo member and the party's state secretary in West Bengal, Md Salim said while pointing out that the education department amended the provisions again and again to accommodate Gangopadhyay in the chair year after year. The second arrest was that of the vice- chancellor of the University of North Bengal, Subiresh Bhattacharya, who is also the former chairman of WBSSC. In fact, at one point of time, Bhattacharya used to hold three parallel posts at the same time namely vice-chancellor of the University of North Bengal, WBSSC chairman and the principal of Shyamaprasad College, which comes under the University of Calcutta. "Bhattacharya was able to hold all the three chairs at the same time violating all norms and protocols, just because he earned the confidence of the ruling party and the then education minister Partha Chatterjee. And chief minister Mamata Banerjee remained silent then since Chatterjee was the milk cow for her party," said BJP spokesman in West Bengal Samik Bhattacharya. While these two arrests are being considered as major blots on the academic legacy of West Bengal, further damage has been done by a recent order from a division bench of the Calcutta High Court dismissing the re-appointment of Sonali Chakrabarti Banerjee as the vice-chancellor of the University of Calcutta. The court held that her re-appointment was done without the consent of the then West Bengal governor and current Indian Vice President, Jagdeep Dhankhar. The opposition parties and even a section of the academics of the state have alleged that Banerjee's re-appointment was a reward for the honorary D.Litt to chief minister Mamata Banerjee by the University of Calcutta during her tenure as the vice-chancellor. While till now, th criticism came only from the opposition parties and a section of the academicians, rumblings of discontent over the academicians' involvement in financial misappropriation and other controversies have started brewing in the ruling Trinamool Congress. The first censure came from veteran Trinamool Congress leader and three-time party Lok Sabha member, Saugata Roy, who is himself a retired professor of physics. Roy has questioned how Subiresh Bhattacharya retained the three positions of vice-chancellor of the University of North Bengal, WBSSC chairman and the principal of Shyamaprasad College at the same time. "It was really a reward of obedience and yesmanship. I do not know whether that obedience or yesmanship was towards any party or towards any individual. But the arrest of a vice- chancellor of a prime state university really does not speak well," Roy said. On Partha Chatterjee, Roy's observation is that the pictures and videos of the recovered cash that went viral in the media has made things worse. "In case of Lalu Prasad Yadav, not a single penny was recovered. In the case of former Union communication minister, Sukh Ram the recovery amount was heard to be around Rs 4 crore. But here the recovery is much higher and the pictures of the recovered amount are viral everywhere. This results in great disquiet," he said. Veteran Trinamool Congress leader and the state agriculture and parliamentary affairs minister, Sovandeb Chattopadhyay, known for his absolutely clean image recently said at a party meeting that those involved in corruption will no longer get the party's protection and they will themselves have to come out clean from the court. Political analyst and former registrar of the University of Calcutta Rajagopal Dhar Chakraborty feels that it is too early to say that this internal discontent over the education sector scam will spread further among the party's rank and file very fast. "In my opinion, Saugata Roy's comments were more reflective of his internal spirit as a former college professor rather than a ruling party leader. So, in my opinion we have to wait for time to see how many more ruling party leaders express similar discontent out of the call of conscience," he said. Political analyst and commentator, Arundhati Mukherjee agrees with Dhar Chakraborty but partially. "From the present situation and past context, it seems that the internal outbursts are short-lived. However, in my opinion as the central agencies will progress further in their probes into the different scams and more influential persons are netted, they will start passing the buck. Then the internal rumblings will automatically increase," added Mukherjee. Gandhinagar, Sep 25 : Murmurs have started among Congress workers in the two districts of Anand and Porbandar against any alliance with the Nationalist Congress Party. The party's district leadership says they are helpless before the decision of the national leadership. The local leaders' reservation is that an alliance with the NCP will damage the party more than benefit it. The first such bugle was blown by the Porbandar District Congress Committee's former president Nathabhai Odedara. On Friday, addressing media persons he announced that he will not allow any alliance with the NCP. If the party goes for the alliance, he will work to damage the party's prospects on at least six to seven assembly seats where the Mer community has dominance. Odedara represents the Mer community. Odedara is reportedly interested in contesting the elections from Kutiyana constituency, which goes to the NCP in the alliance and from where Kandhal Jadeja got elected for the last two terms as the NCP candidate. Jadeja has a criminal history, his mother Santokben Jadeja had got the nickname of 'Godmother'. He has voted in defiance of the party whip in the Rajya Sabha elections for BJP candidates instead of Congress candidates. Porbandar District Committee president Rambhai Odedara told IANS, "We can at the most suggest to the party's state leadership not to ally with the NCP, the final call will be taken by the state or national leadership. The local workers are not in favour of an alliance with the NCP." The problem with the NCP is that it does not have a grassroots presence, yet its state unit president Jayant Patel wants to contest from the Umreth seat falling in Anand district, which is a stronghold of the Congress. By allowing him to contest the Umreth seat, party leaders are discouraging party workers, explained Mahendrasinh Parmar, president of the Anand District Congress Committee. He told IANS that Umreth constituency workers have conveyed their concern to the AICC observer for Central Gujarat, Ush Naidu. Parmar is of the strong opinion that the party should respect the workers' wishes. At the same time they also stated that they and the party workers will respect and abide by the party's state and national leadership's decision on any alliance. New Delhi, Sep 25 : The coming week Congress leaders will be filing nomination papers for the presidential poll. It now seems that apart from Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot and Thiruvananthapuram MP Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tewari will throw his hat into the ring and some others may also join the fray. While the Gandhis are likely to be neutral in the elections, party interim president Sonia Gandhi has asserted that the polls will be fair and she will not endorse any candidate. Sources said that the issue of Rajasthan in the event of Gehlot joining national politics was also discussed, but there is no official word on it yet. This will be the first election since 1998 that a non-Gandhi will be elected as party president. After Sonia Gandhi got elected for the first time defeating Jitendra Prasada, since then she was elected unopposed and in 2017, Rahul Gandhi was elected unopposed. Gehlot said that Rahul Gandhi has refused to contest the party president's election and wants a non-Gandhi to be the party president. Gehlot said, "I will be filing nomination soon and it's the need of the hour that the opposition should be strong." Gehlot will have to relinquish the post of Chief Minister if he gets elected as Rahul Gandhi has hinted that the Congress will adhere to the 'one man one post' formula as per the Udaipur declaration. When asked he said "I think we have made a commitment in Udaipur and I hope that it will be maintained." The Congress had reiterated that anyone can contest the party president's poll as it was a democratic and transparent process and no nod was required from the leadership. Jairam Ramesh, party general secretary said, "It's important to reiterate that any member is welcome to contest for Congress president. This is a democratic and transparent process. Nobody needs anybody's nod to contest, especially that of the party leadership." Jairam has also asked the spokespersons not to comment on any candidate as their duty is to highlight that the Congress is the only party which is conducting an election. The direction comes a day after party spokesperson Gourav Vallabh openly supported the candidature of Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot. "We all have our individual preferences but our job is to highlight ONLY the following," he said in a message to AICC spokespersons, media panellists, office-bearers of the communications department. He said that the Congress is the only political party to have a democratic and transparent system in place for election to the post of its president and this should be highlighted. The Congress is the only political party in India to have an independent Election Authority to conduct organisational elections. A person wanting to contest needs no nod from anybody to do so except from 10 PCC delegates for filing the nomination form, he added. The Congress' central election authority had issued a notification for the AICC president polls on September 22. According to the notification, while the nomination forms will be available from Thursday, the filing of nominations will take place between September 24 and 30. Scrutiny of the nominations will take place on October 1, and the same day, a valid candidate list will be published. The last date of withdrawal is October 8 following which, a final list will be brought out. While the poll will be held on October 17, counting will take place on October 19. Jaipur, Sep 25 : Scotland has garnered fame for its Scotch, Russia for its vodka, France for its wine and so on. India, though, still needs to garner global fame for its drinks and hence "we are working to take our heritage drinks on global map to fill this void," said Surendra Pratap Singh, a scion of the ex-royal Mahansar family, which has been dedicated for generations to mastering the craft of making heritage drinks. The name of the place, in fact, has become synonymous with heritage liquor. Speaking to IANS, he said, "We have our footprints in Rajasthan, Haryana, Goa and will soon be entering Delhi and other states. "In fact, we have plans to put our drinks in duty shops in Delhi and Mumbai airports too," he said, adding, "The response to these heritage drinks is quite strong in different states. However we still wonder that when the Goa government can promote feni, why can't we (Rajasthan govt) promote our heritage liquors which have centuries old pristine history." He informed that the most famous fan of heritage liqueurs of Rajasthan was 'Sir Roger Moore aka James Bond'. When he was shooting the 80s Hollywood blockbuster 'Octopussy' in Rajasthan, he got hooked on the heritage liquor 'Kesar Kasturi' and he was instantly taken by its smoothness and rich flavour. The British actor mentioned that he loved this drink. And First Man on the Moon, Neil Armstrong was the second man. When Armstrong came to Jaipur as a part of the Peace Corps, he enjoyed heritage liquor 'Kesar Kasturi' and he liked the taste of it. At that time, Ganganagar Sugar Mills was producing it. Centuries ago, some rebel liquor alchemists and craftsmen from the royal thikana of Mahansar under the guidance of sages invented a new liquor made up of dry fruits and herbal ingredients as well as mutton, opium and some sort of poison as well. The liquor came out so strong that a drop of heritage liquor can beat a regular alcohol bottle, he added. They used to make it in clay pots over the Bhatti's (local distillery). Eventually, they came up with the liquor of Saunf (Aniseed). In British India the Mahansar family used to supply this liquor on camels to the Nawab of Bahawalpur and royal families of Sindh, Balochistan, Nepal till Attock where Alexander the Great first saw lush vineyards. Mahansar Heritage Liquor, started being produced by the Mahansar royal family since British rule (1768). Thakur Durjan Saal Singh ji of Mahansar started the commercial production of Mahansar liquor for the first time in 1890. These heritage liquors were based on secret formulas so zealously guarded that they could be known by other royal families only through matrimonial alliances.The brewers were also sworn to not share the secret with anyone and never break the liquor code, says Surendra Pratap Singh, adding that people these days are obsessed with single malt. We consume drinks which the Britishers left for us and consider ourselves superior. It is unfortunate that people consider anything from outside to be better, he stated. Anil Singh, DGM, Shri Ganganagar Sugar Mills says, "Ever since the Britishers came here, they ensured that local liquor doesn't gain recognition." In 1950, when monarchy ended this liquor was banned. Heritage liquor rules were then drafted as a part of the Excise Act in 2003 and the Act was enacted later, he informed. Rajendra Singh Shekhawat, scion of the Mahansar family, says, "The high spirit drink was ayurvedic medicine which used to treat cholera and other diseases, it used jaggery and valuable spices." "By the 19th century Mahansar liquor was getting widespread recognition in the royal courts and princely states across the sub-continent." Now, we are trying to bring lost fame to this drink and have launched heritage liquors in rose, somras, narangam and cardamom, he added. For the rose edition, we bring in the best quality roses from Pushkar, for narangam, oranges are brought from Jhalawar and Nagpur and for somras, we mix 21 spices, which include Kashmir kesar among others. It's better if we call it a health tonic. It is good that Mahansar is the first distillery to get a license as far as Rajasthan heritage liquor is concerned, said Jodhpur ex-royal Gaj Singh. Surendra Pratap says, "A bottle of heritage liquor is a lot more than a bottle of alcohol, it reflects tradition, craft, history, royalty and Rajasthan. This drink gives you so much culture. So why not take it to a global platform." United Nations, Sep 25 : Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has endorsed India for a permanent seat on the Security Council calling it a key international actor. "The Council and UN have to be aligned to contemporary realities," he said on Saturday at the high-level meeting of the General Assembly. "We see the prospect of making the Security Council more democratic exclusively, through broadening the representation of the countries from Africa, Asia and Latin America," he said. "We know to add India and Brazil, in particular, as key international actors and worthy candidates for permanent membership within the council," he added. While Russia has indicated willingness to back India's candidacy, this is the first time that it has done so categorically in public. India is the only country to have the endorsement of all three Western permanent members and Russia - which amounts to the backing of all the permanent members except China. Brazil does not have the backing of the US, while Germany and Japan, the other front-runners for permanent seats, don't have Russia's. Lavrov criticised the US Indo-Pacific strategy as an attempt to "subjugate" Asian countries and to undermine ASEAN. India figures in the Indo-Pacific strategy as a member of the Quad, the four-nation group that also includes Japan and Australia. "Under the slogan of Indo-Pacific strategies, closed formats are being created and they undermine what has been built on the ASEAN for decades," he said. NATO has now declared as "indivisible" the security of Euro-Atlantic and Indo-Pacific, he said (although the interpretation said India and Pacific). The US was trying to make the whole world "its backyard", he asserted, and the West "is introducing dividing lines everywhere along the lines of a confrontation between blocs: You're either with us or against us," he said "There is no third option possible, there are no compromises," he added. He reiterated President Vladimir Putin's uncompromising hardline position against Ukraine. Lavrov blamed the West and Ukraine for the invasion, starting with what he called the "Maidan coup" -- the protests at that venue in Kyiv that brought down the elected government of Viktor Yanukovych in 2013. He said the rights of the Russian-speaking minority were restricted in Ukraine and, egged on by the West, President Volodymyr Zelensky began the confrontation to which his country responded with what he euphemistically called "special operations". He said that Russia had compromised at the dissolution of the Soviet Union when the constituent republics were free to leave and allowed the reunification of Germany. After it dissolved the Warsaw Pact, the Soviet bloc's equivalent of NATO, he asserted that there was no need for the Western military alliance, much less for it to encircle his country, he added. He also referred to the interventions by the US in other countries and said, "Name, a country where Washington interfered by force and as a result of that life improved (there)". Lavrov spoke shortly before India's External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar, who appeared to distance New Delhi from Moscow over the invasion saying that India was on "the side that respects the UN Charter and its founding principles". (Arul Louis can be contacted at aru.l@ians.in and followed at @arulouis) Oman will set up its pavilion at Gitex Global for the first time with the aim of demonstrating the development of the sultanates technology sector and showcase its innovation and latest trends. Gitex 2022 will take place from October 10 to 14 at the Dubai World Trade Centre, UAE. eMushrif, an Oman-based IoT and Artificial Intelligence product provider, with a growing presence in the Mena region, will take the opportunity to be part of the Oman Pavilion at Gitex Global 2022. eMushrif is a technology company that aims to change peoples life and make it easier, safer, and smarter by bringing the utmost convenience, safety, and ride experience to school buses, as we aim to provide safe and reliable rides to school. Our participation as technology companies in a single pavilion at Gitex enables us to showcase the steady progress made by the GCC states in the ICT sector and to inform regional and foreign investors about the significant ICT-related projects for the GCCs government and private sectors, said Adnan Al-Shuaili, CEO of eMushrif. Use of IoT We will display eMushrif most recent advancements in the use of IoT to create solutions to monitor the safety of students on school buses. Parents and school administrators can track the buses, know where they are geographically, and receive real-time updates thanks to an innovative mobile application. Additionally, the technology also tracks the conduct of bus drivers to safeguard students. eMushrif was established in Oman in 2016 with the hands of an experienced Omani youth funded by government funds and private investment organisations, it launched its branch in the State of Kuwait in 2019 as a cornerstone toward regional and global expansion. He explained that the company is present in four countries -- Oman, Kuwait, Egypt, and UAE, Al-Shuaili added. Oman Data Park, another Omani ICT company, will also be part of the Oman Pavilion. Established in 2012, Oman Data Park is the sultanates premier IT Managed Services provider, offering Managed IT, Hosting, Cloud Services, Cyber Security, Artificial Intelligence and Virtual Data Center services utilising its own locally hosted TIA 942 rated datacenters, and will take the opportunity to be part of the Oman Pavilion at Gitex Global 2022,said Eng Maqbool AL Wahaibi, CEO of Oman Data Park. Awards galore Oman Data Park has won a number of awards including Best Digital Data Centre in the Middle East at the Telecom World Middle East Awards 2019, the Best Managed Security Services Provider (MSSP) Award 2019, as well as VeeAM VCSP Partner for 2020 and Cisco Partner of the year 2020, Fortinet Cloud MSSP 2020, Best Datacenter and Cyber Security Center awards at COMEX 2021. Oman Data Park has also won the best Middle East Service Provider of the Year award at the Veeam ProPartner Summit 2022, and the sultanates first IT-managed and cloud services provider, has won Comex Award for Excellence in Cyber Security, within its participation in Comex 2022, and wins another award for Cloud Managed Services Partner of the Year 2021 from Logicom. Ahmed Al Hujairy, CEO, WorkSmart for Events Management, the organiser of the Oman Pavilion at Gitex Global, said: "We have been coordinating the participation of Bahraini technology businesses in one national pavilion at Gitex for the past 15 years, and each year it becomes more and more successful. We affirm that we will make the most of all the expertise we have gained over the years to make sure that the GCC technology companies achieve their desired goals from their participation in Gitex, which will have a positive impact on the development and growth. We encourage any GCC business interested in participating to get in touch with WorkSmart to learn more about the opportunities and facilities it provides, and we promise them to grow their markets 10x bigger by joining the National Pavilion at Gitex Global 2022." -- TradeArabia News Service Hubballi : , Sep 25 (IANS) An FIR has been filed against 11 people in connection with forcefully converting a Hindu youth to Islam in Hubballi city, police said on Sunday. According to police, 26-year-old Sridhara Gangadhara, a resident of Yadavanahalli in Maddur taluk of Mandya district was forcefully converted. He has been named as Mohammad Salman. Police said that Sridhara is a private company employee and was going through a financial crisis. He had shared it with one Attaur Rahman who took him to a mosque in May in Bengaluru. Sridhara was locked up in the mosque and 'Khatna' was performed forcefully and was forced to eat cow meat. They also took his signatures on empty papers regarding the religious conversion. After 'Khatna (circumcision)' was performed, Sridhara was taken to Tirupathy, Puttur, Bhuvanagar mosques of Andhra Pradesh and given him training of Islam. They threatened him to convert at least three persons every year to Islam. He was given a pistol and photos were taken. The accused threatened him that he would be projected as a terrorist if he failed to listen to them, police said. They transferred Rs 35,000 in his account and asked him to follow their orders. The incident came to light when he went to the police station after being assaulted by a gang of unknown persons in Bhairidevarkoppa in Hubballi recently. He had come here as his Facebook female friend called him over to meet, police said. Further investigation is on. Bengaluru, Sep 25 : Karnataka has one of the richest and largest forest resources in the country. However, the fast receding forest cover due to urbanization and development has aggravated human-animal conflict to levels not seen before. In the man-animal conflict, it was only the elephant menace which had surfaced in Hassan and Mysuru districts of south Karnataka. Today, leopards are found prowling in cities, foxes are coming out in packs and attacking people, there have been tiger attacks. Elephant attacks have also become common. There have been demands to cull elephant calves to reduce their numbers. Minister for Labour Shivaram Hebbar clarified that there is no such proposal before them and the government would not even think about it. President of the Environmental Protection Committee Bhanu Mohan told IANS that she has taken part in elephant and tiger census exercises. They had gone 20 to 25 kilometres into the jungles for this. "As far as you can see there are only scrubs which cannot support elephants and leopards. Only rabbits and small animals can live there," she explains. Bhanu Mohan says that the population pressure on forests is leading to the loss of forest cover. Encroachments can be seen in the forests of Bandipur, Nagarahole, Biligiriranganabetta, Chamarajanagar in south Karnataka, mostly done by politicians, she adds. Another important factor is that animals are not finding water sources inside the forests, she says. Environmentalist Neeraj Kamath, convenor, Uttishta Bharatha, told IANS that wildlife will flourish only when there is least or no human intervention in the wildlife sanctuaries. Any development which affects the natural habitat of wildlife must not be taken up and the National Green Tribunal (NGT) must strictly turn down any such requests, he says. Kamath says the interests of adivasis who are part of such an ecosystem must be taken care of, they must be first provided with all basic, job and education facilities and then relocated. The traditional pathways of the animals have to be protected areas and illegal activities in such areas must be stopped with an iron hand, he underlines. Another environmentalist Vidyut Shashidhar states that the NGT is handicapped. "We have written many letters, the pressure is such that they respond only to big projects. The head office is located in Chennai city in Tamil Nadu. The NGT must establish its unit here," he says. The central office is located in New Delhi, making it accessible to environmentalists and nature lovers, he adds. The forest cover in the state is receding at an alarming rate. Earlier the forest cover was more, then it came down to 50 per cent and today only 30 per cent is remaining. The destruction of lakhs of trees has also changed rain patterns in Kerala and Karnataka. Hyderabad, Sep 25 : Habitat loss, forest degradation, fragmentation, cattle grazing and human-induced pressures are some of the factors contributing to an increase in man-animal conflict, experts say. According to them, human-induced pressures are not only resulting in reduction of wildlife but also impacting availability of food and water forcing the animals to stray into human habitations. The killing of two persons by suspected maneater tigers in a span of 18 days in November 2020, the deaths of leopards and other animals in road and rail accidents or by electrocution, sighting of big cats, all point to the increasing human-wildlife conflict in parts of Telangana. Incidents of cattle killed by wild animals like tigers and leopards, damage to crops and human habitations are being reported frequently from across the state. A senior forest department official said the department is taking various measures to deal with the problem. The department is working to restore wildlife habitats and is ensuring water availability in the forests all through the year. It is also taking steps like regulating the collection of minor forest produce, introducing rotational grazing by opening certain areas for grazing once in three years, preventing and controlling forest fires and curbing poaching. In December 2020, the department had sought the help of the National Tiger Conservation Authority and the Wildlife Institute of India in dealing with tigers in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district after they mauled two persons to death. In the first incident on November 11, a 20-year-old tribal youth was mauled to death by a tiger in the Girelli forest area of Rebanna Range in Asifabad division. A 15-year-old tribal girl was killed by a tiger on November 29 in Bejjur reserve forest in Asifabad. Following the killings, a 10-member committee was constituted to suggest measures for mitigating man-animal conflict in the state. It was then announced that the committee will propose measures to avoid recurrence of incidents of tigers killing human beings. The government had announced that the panel will also suggest measures to evolve a mechanism for mitigating human-wildlife conflict and review and propose revision, if any, to the existing compensation package. The committee headed by minister for environment and forests, Indrakaran Reddy, is yet to submit its report. Then Principal Chief Conservator of Forests R. Sobha had also constituted a seven-member monitoring committee as per the Standard Operating Procedure of the NTCA to track and deal with the big cats. The deaths of leopards and other wild animals in road and rail accidents and electrocution also point to the growing man-animal conflict. About two weeks ago, a leopard was killed after being hit by an unknown speeding vehicle in Kamareddy district. The leopard, aged about one-and-a-half years, was found dead on National Highway 44 in the Daggi forest area. Kamareddy and adjoining Nizamabad district have reported similar incidents in the past. Pocharam Wildlife Sanctuary spread over the two districts is known for a wide variety of wildlife including more than 60 leopards. In September last year, a leopard was killed in a hit-and-run case in Mahabubnagar district. A speeding vehicle hit the animal on National Highway 167 near Devarakadra town. Animal conservation activists have been demanding that the speed of vehicles on highways passing through forests be controlled to prevent such accidents. They have also suggested construction of underpasses and bridges in forests for animals. Podu lands or the forest lands under cultivation by tribals and other forest-dwellers pose a challenge in the efforts by the forest department to deal with the man-animal conflict. The state government recently embarked on a new exercise to address the long-pending issue of podu lands as is being demanded by tribal communities who have been practicing podu or shifting cultivation on forest land. Under podu cultivation, cultivators raise crops on a piece of land in one season and move to different locations the next season. The conflict over podu lands has been raging in parts of the state for the last few years and on a few occasions led to clashes between tribals claiming right over such land and forest officials, who wanted to take up plantation as part of the state government's plantation programme 'Haritha Haram' aimed at improving the state's green cover. Under 'Haritha Haram' the state government has planted over 220 crore saplings in the last seven years. The government claims it to be the third largest effort of its kind in human history. The tribals claim that plantations on podu lands violate their rights, guaranteed under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act, 2006. The Adivasi Joint Action Committee has alleged that adivasis cultivating podu lands for decades are being driven out by the forest department. It claims that forest officials are taking away their land every year. The forest officials, however, argued that they are taking up plantation on forest lands. According to them, the Forest Rights Act applies only to those lands which were under cultivation before December 2005. Some places in agency areas witnessed clashes during the last couple of years. Tribals claiming rights over podu lands tried to stop forest officials who went there to plant saplings. A tribal legislator belonging to ruling party Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) had gone to the extent of threatening a war. Rega Kantha Rao, who represents Pinapaka Assembly constituency in Khammam district, had asked the tribals not to allow forest officials to enter their villages and if they do detain them. The government recently decided to receive claims from tribals and others to settle the podu lands issue. Village committees have been formed as per Recognition of Forest Rights (ROFR) Act to receive the claims. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has suggested that all those tribals involved in podu cultivation within the forest should be provided with an alternative government land nearby for cultivation. If there is no government land available, they should be provided with land on the outer periphery of the forestland. He said they will also be provided with free water, power and houses. Kagaznagar Tiger corridor of Komaram Bheem district which connects Kawal Tiger Reserve with the tiger-inhabited forests of Maharashtra has become the hotbed of man-animal conflict. It was estimated last year that the tiger corridor has around eight tigers that are spillovers from Maharashtra and unable to return to their habitat. Encroachment of 17,000 hectares of forest land in Kagaznagar division due to podu cultivation is said to be a key reason for the conflict. Around 95 per cent of them are reported to be post-2006 encroachments making them ineligible for regularization under the Scheduled Tribes and Other Traditional Forest Dwellers (Recognition of Forest Rights) Act. Tigers also made Kagaznagar area their habitat as it has numerous streams out of which Peddavagu is one. It was on the banks of Peddavagu that a suspected maneater tiger mauled a tribal girl to death when she was picking up cotton a few meters away from it. Patna, Sep 25 : Ram Prasad Uraon, a native of Barwa village in Bihar's West Champaran district, died after he was attacked by a tiger on September 20 while he was working at an agriculture field. Till the time the other workers tried to rescue him from the clutches of the big cat, Uraon passed away due to grave injuries on his neck. Just 10 days prior to Uraon's killing, 40-year-old Gulbadan Devi lost her life after she was attacked by a tiger in a paddy field. On July 16, a skeleton with a few clothes was found in an agricultural field. The victim, Dharam Raj Kaji, was identified with the pieces of clothing. These attacks took place in areas adjoining the Valmiki Tiger Reserve (VTR), the natural habitat of the Royal Bengal Tiger in West Champaran district. Due to the frequent attacks on humans, residents of over two dozen villages are living under constant panic and fear. Now the big question is why such attacks are taking place in the region? The simple answer to this is man-animal conflict and officials have not done enough to address the issue. The officials of VTR also admit that there are huge man-animal conflicts in the region. Dr Niraj Narayan, Divisional Forest Officer (DFO) of the West Champaran range, told IANS: "The man-animal conflicts are always looming in VTR as the area is surrounded by dense human populations. There are a number of villages adjoining to the VTR and wild animals may stray towards the human population in search of water and food." Narayan further said that shifting of villagers from the region is not possible neither can the VTR be barricaded. "Every time any untoward incidents take place in the region, we have our standard operating procedures to tackle the situation. We have directed the forest and wildlife officials to alert people to stay indoors in the evening and night, as well in the early morning hours. "Besides, we have also directed the officials for patrolling in the adjoining villages to avoid wild animal attack on humans," he added. Meanwhile, another officer pointed out that Uraon's killing was the fifth such incident of this year. The VTR, which is the only national park in Bihar, covers an area of 898.45 km -- 17.4 per cent of the total geographical area of the West Champaran district. In the north, the protected areas are bordered by Nepal's Chitwan National Park while the Indian state Uttar Pradesh bounds the sanctuary from western side. According to the 2018 census, there were a total of 40 tigers in the Reserve. Wildlife experts believe that the big cats are straying into human settlements could also be due to their growing population in the VTR. "The increasing population of tigers could be one of the reasons of the man-animal conflict but there is another theory of territorial fight among the animals that may also be the reason for them to stray into the settlements. A tigress giving birth in a sugarcane field was an example of animal territorial fight in their natural habitat inside the VTR," said an officer who requested anonymity. Besides the Royal Bengal Tigers, VTR is also a natural habitat for leopards, hyenas, sloth bears, wild dogs, deer, fishing cats, wild boars, civets, serow, antelopes, elephants, among others. VTR is considered as fifth best tiger reserve and wildlife sanctuary in the country. But it has the perpetual man-animal conflict with only the humans on the receiving end. Cases of animal poaching are extremely rare. In fact no cases of poaching have taken place in recent times in VTR. The officer pointed out that the conflict due to human encroachment is also not there in VTR. Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 25 : Rahul Gandhi, who is in the midst of the Bharat Jodo Yatra on Sunday condoled the passing away of senior Congress leader, Aryadan Mohammed. Rahul while speaking to the media persons at Thrissur during the yatra said, "Aryadan Mohammed was a Congress leader who has come to the top Congress leadership from the grassroots. He was a kind-hearted person and was a major presence for the Congress party in the Kerala legislative Assembly. He was personally close to me and my deep condolences on the passing away of the senior leader." Rahul Gandhi, however, said that the Bharat Jodo Yatra would continue with grief over the passing away of Aryadan Mohammed as many people were involved in the yatra as well as logistics were involved. Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister of Kerala, A.K. Antony while speaking to the media persons at his Thiruvananthapuram residence said, "His passing away is a very personal loss. We were closely working together in the Congress party for the past several decades. He was a towering leader of the Congress party who has come his way up as a grass root leader. An able administrator and a people's leader, Aryadan Mohammed will always be remembered." Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the passing away of Aryadan Mohammed. Pinarayi said that Aryadan will always be remembered as a leader who stood for the secular credentials of the country. Aryadan Mohammed (87), a senior Congress leader and three-time minister from Kerala, passed away at Kozhikode after a brief illness. Aryadan was considered as the 'Chanakya' of Kerala's Congress politics. He was a minister in the A.K. Antony cabinet and the Oomen Chandy government. Aryadan was a tourism and labour minister in the Antony government and was Electricity minister in the Oomen Chandy government. He was also a member of the CPI-M leader E.K. Nayanar-led LDF government in 1980 when the Congress party of Kerala split and the faction owing allegiance to A.K. Antony joined the Left government. However, the government fell in 1982. While his academic qualification was only a matriculation pass, Aryadan Mohammed was a voracious reader and used to quote profusely from all the international and national publications. In the debates in the Kerala Assembly, Aryadan Mohammed was always the firefighter for the Congress party. An eight-term MLA from Nilambur Assembly constituency since 1970, he was a member of the Kerala legislative Assembly till 2016 on the Congress ticket. Even during his last days, he was busy scheming political strategies for the Congress party. Aryadan Mohammed had a black mark when he was accused and jailed in the murder of CPI-M leader from Nilambur, Kunhali. He was arrested and jailed in 1969, but later he was acquitted. Aryadan Mohammed is always remembered as a Congress leader who never budged to the one upmanship of the Congress ally Indian Muslim League in its fort of Malappuram district. The senior Congress leader has always had a warm relationship with political leaders cutting across party lines. A staunch nationalist and a Congress leader, Aryadan always believed that Congress was the party of India that caters to all sections of the population. Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee President (KPCC), K. Sudhakaran said that Aryadan Mohammed's death was a major loss for the Congress party. The KPCC president said that while Aryadan was suffering from illness, the death was unexpected. Indian Muslim League leader and MLA, KPA Majeed while speaking to media persons in remembering Aryadan Mohammed said, "Aryadan was basically opposed to the Muslim League's politics, but he was always in the forefront in Malappuram district for the United Democratic Front alliance. He was the flag-bearer of the UDF in Nilambur which was a CPI-M bastion for years and he had wrested that constituency from them. Myself and the Indian Union Muslim League deeply condole the passing away of the senior leader." Seoul, Sep 25 : North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile into the East Sea on Sunday, South Korea's military said, two days after a nuclear-powered US aircraft carrier arrived here for allied drills. The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said it detected the launch from an area in or around Taechon, North Pyongan Province, at 6:53 a.m., and that it flew some 600 kilometers at an apogee of around 60 km at a top speed of Mach 5. The intelligence authorities of the South and the United States are conducting a detailed analysis for other details, Yonhap news agency reported quoting the JCS. The launch came as US Vice President Kamala Harris plans to visit Seoul later this week and the allies are set to hold a joint maritime exercise in the East Sea, involving the USS Ronald Reagan carrier strike group. Soon after the launch, JCS Chairman Gen. Kim Seung-kyum and Gen. Paul LaCamera, the commander of the South Korea-US Combined Forces Command, had discussions on security coordination. "They reaffirmed that through the planned South Korea-US maritime exercise and other efforts, they would further solidify a combined defense posture against any North Korean threats and provocations," the JCS said in a text message sent to reporters. It strongly urged the North to immediately stop all ballistic missile tests, saying such a launch is an act of "significant provocation that undermines peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula as well as in the international community," and a "clear" breach of UN Security Council resolutions. "While monitoring and tracking North Korean movements to prepare against any additional provocation in close cooperation with the US, our military will maintain a firm readiness posture based on the capability to respond overwhelmingly to any North Korean provocation," the JCS said. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command stressed Washington's security commitment to South Korea and Japan. "While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to US personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRK's unlawful WMD and ballistic missile programs," the command said in a press release. DPRK stands for the North's official name, Democratic People's Republic of Korea. The launch followed reports that Pyongyang seems to be preparing to fire a submarine launched ballistic missile (SLBM). It marked the North's fifth missile launch since the Yoon Suk-yeol administration took office in May. Pyongyang last fired eight short-range ballistic missiles in June. Harris plans to visit Seoul on Thursday after attending the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe in Tokyo -- a trip that the White House said is designed to highlight the "strength" of America's alliances with both nations. It marks her first formal visits to the Asian allies since taking office last year. The USS Ronald Reagan, a centerpiece of the US' naval might, arrived in the southeastern port city of Busan on Friday to stage its first combined drills with the South Korean Navy in five years. Chennai, Sep 25 : The Coimbatore police have shifted Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Police (ADC- Crime against Women and Children), S. Murugavel, who was also holding additional charge of Intelligence of Coimbatore city. This, according to sources, was due to the failure in giving proper inputs on the attacks the Popular Front of India (PFI) cadres unleashed on Thursday and Friday after the arrest of the senior PFI leaders in a mid-night swoop by the National Investigation Agency (NIA). Assistant Commissioner Parthiban, who had earlier held the post of Special Intelligence Cell (SIC), will now be in-charge of the intelligence of Coimbatore city. Coimbatore district Collector G.S. Sameeran in a statement said that the district administration has held meetings with the Muslim leadership and Hindu leadership in the district and said that the leadership was cooperating with the administration. A heavy police posse has been deployed in Coimbatore urban areas and rural areas following lighting attacks conducted allegedly by the Popular Front of India (PFI) after the arrest of senior PFI leaders, including its national executive member, A.M. Ismail. The cars of BJP leaders were damaged in petrol bomb attacks in Coimbatore city and some parts of Pollachi and rural Coimbatore. Over 4,500 police personnel have been deployed across the Coimbatore district. About 100 personnel from Special Task Force (STF) and 58 commando police have also been deployed. A senior police officer told IANS that in addition to the 11 checkpoints present already, 28 temporary checkpoints have been set up. 45 patrol vehicles have also deployed in the district to immediately act against the offenders. Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary, V. Irai Anbu held a video conferencing on Saturday with Coimbatore district collector, G.S. Sameeran on the actions taken in the district against PFI violence. Coimbatore city police commissioner, V. Balakrishnan, and Coimbatore rural Superintendent of Police, V. Badarinarayanan were also present in the video conferencing. Hyderabad, Sep 25 : YSR Telangana Party (YSRTP) leader Y.S. Sharmila has disputed the claim by Telangana Minister K.T. Rama Rao that the government provides insurance to all farmers in the state. The daughter of former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy termed Rama Rao's claims as 'blatant lies'. Rama Rao, who is the son of Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao, had earlier taken to Twitter to claim that the TRS government is the only state government in the country that has insured all farmers. He claimed that Rythu Bhima has provided succour to over 85,000 farmers with Rs 5 lakh assistance. KTR, as the minister is popularly known, also highlighted that Rs 1,450 crore has been paid as premium this year again to cover over 34 lakh farmer families. Sharmila, who is currently on a padyatra in the state, alleged that the state government has ignored 8 lakh tenant farmers. The state government claims to provide help to 67 lakh farmers under Rythu Bandhu, but why only 34 lakh farmers are insured, she asked. She also slammed KTR over suicide of 8,000 farmers in Telangana in the past eight years. "Wonder if it's the lies you are proud of or the suicides of 8k farmers in your 8 years regime," she tweeted. Sharmila is currently undertaking 'Praja Prasthanam' padayatra and has to date covered 2,250 kilometers, covering more than 40 Assembly constituencies across Telangana. During her padayatra, Sharmila is targeting KCR's governance and the inability of each of the local MLA or minister. She is also trying to garner traction from people of Telangana, using the legacy of her late father, who is still remembered for various welfare schemes he introduced in the region as chief minister of united Andhra Pradesh. Her padayatra entered Sangareddy district on Saturday, after a groundswell public response saw her pass through Vikarabad district, where she targeted the TRS government for overall failure in implementing promises and addressing the burning problems. She alleged that Chief Minister KCR deceived people's hopes on all fronts and blamed him for all the problems from farmers' difficulties to the unemployed youth's growing distress. In this regard, she assured people of her unflinching commitment towards their upliftment and welfare and vowed to fight for Palamuru Rangareddy project. YSRTP leaders have also taken up the issue of repeated food poisoning incidents in Telangana. The party leaders marched to the Telangana State Commission for Protection of Child Rights office and demanded action against culprits. YSRTP highlighted that 1,184 food poisoning cases were reported from 18 districts in 2022 alone, and alleged that the KCR-led government has failed to take measures to stop this. San Francisco, Sep 25 : Non-fungible token (NFT) trading startups do not want to sell their offerings through Apple App Store because 30 per cent commission on in-app purchases, and other tough rules, will bleed them out. According to a report in The Information, Apple is insisting that its regular 30 per cent commission from in-app purchases should also be paid on all trades. This stopped NFT startup Magic Eden from offering trading on its app, even after Apple reduced its commission to 15 per cent for firms earning under $1 million annually. "So far, though, most see some obstacles, including the up to 30 per cent commission Apple charges on in-app purchases, as well as pricing conventions that are difficult to apply to volatile digital assets,a the report mentioned. A typical NFT marketplace charges just 2-3 per cent of the transaction. However, under Apple's App Store policies, NFT startups will lose heavily on every deal. Also, since App Store in-app purchasing must be done in dollars o r other currencies, it does not accept cryptocurrency. Arthur Sabintsev from Blockchain firm Pocket Network was quoted as saying that this "makes it really hard to price it because you have to program all these values in dynamically." "It feels like the position is that Apple doesn't really want (App Store) users to be able to purchase or sell NFTs," said Alexei Falin, CEO of NFT startup marketplace Rarible. Apple said that its 500 reviewers check 90 per cent of apps within 24 hours. The company, however, did not comment on NFT startups' criticisms of the App Store. According to Juniper Research, the global number of NFTs transactions is likely to rise from 24 million in 2022 to 40 million by 2027. The report said that metaverse-linked NFTs will be the fastest-growing NFT segment over the next five years, increasing from 600,000 transactions in 2022 to 9.8 million by 2027. Chandigarh, Sep 25 : Paddy grower Gurdev Singh of Zira in Punjab's Ferozepur district was happy as the crop yield in the kharif season was healthy. Suddenly, his desire to have a profitable crop, with an almost failure of wheat crop in the previous season, was washed away by unseasonal heavy rain in the northern food-bowl states in the past two days. His fields were almost waterlogged with cultivators and experts saying on Sunday the downpour will be stalling harvesting with chances of crop damage and risks of pest attacks. The damage is no different in neighbouring Haryana, a leading basmati rice exporter. Both Punjab and Haryana are among the major contributors of paddy to the Central pool. Worried paddy growers, who were looking towards a great harvest, but the rain played spoilsport, have been demanding adequate compensation for the loss. In the past rabi season, Punjab and Haryana wheat yields dipped by 49-45 quintals per hectare, a 20-year low. On an average, the yield fell by 20 per cent a hectare, say experts. They say the heavy rainfall and waterlogging in fields will lead to higher moisture content in the paddy grains that could lead to lower remuneration to farmers due to the deterioration of quality of the grain. Farmers in both the states rued the untimely rain and strong winds have flattened the standing wheat crop at most places. The unseasonal rain also caught those farmers unawares who were unable to sell the paddy. Many farmers in Haryana stored their stocks at different mandis. They opted for early maturing paddy varieties, which had been recommended by the government as they required comparatively less water for cultivation. "We have harvested the paddy crop well in time. Now the produce has been lying in the open in the market for the past four days owing to a strike by 'arhtiyas' (commission agents). After the heavy rain, most of the crop has been damaged. Owing to high moisture, there are chances of discolouring and deterioration of the grain quality," basmati grower Jagtar Bhullar told IANS over phone from the grain market in Karnal, the home constituency of Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar. He said he planted an early mature variety that was immune to humidity too. "With the poor drainage and proper infrastructure to store the produce, the market yard has literally turned into a puddle with the produce submerged under rainwater." At several market yards in Haryana, hundreds of gunny bags filled with paddy have been lying in the open due to the strike by the 'arhtiyas'. The Haryana State Arhtiyas' Association has been on an indefinite strike since September 19. They have been demanding 2.5 per cent commission on the produce instead of Rs 46 per quintal, waiving off a four per cent market fee on the crop, besides allowing farmers from neighbouring states to sell their produce in Haryana. A scientist at the Punjab Agricultural University in Ludhiana told IANS that heavy rain has damaged the harvested and affected the standing paddy. "The unexpected heavy rain has not only damaged paddy but will delay cultivation of rabi crops due to waterlogging and high moisture in fields," he added. The procurement of paddy in Punjab will start on October 1. "We are wishing the skies clear up and it stops raining. The unseasonal rain and thunderstorms lashing in the past two days have battered our paddy crop that is all ready to be harvested," said Amrik Singh standing in his fields of Samrala in Punjab. Experts fear that if the rain continues for another day or two, the farmers will be hit really hard as their standing kharif, or summer crops, would be damaged, aggravating the food crisis. "The crop is ready to be harvested and rain at this time has damaged plants," said agriculturalist Ram Naresh, while pointing towards the flattened crop on the outskirts of Sonipat. Officials said the losses could run into hundreds of crores, though the exact damage would be known only after assessment by the revenue officials across the states. The Opposition in Punjab said the damage was widespread in Ropar, Jalandhar, Patiala, Kapurthala, and Bhatinda areas and sought compensation for the affected farmers within a stipulated time. Highlighting the plight of farmers, Congress leader and former Haryana Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has demanded compensation for the farmers. He sought a girdawari (harvest inspection) for assessment of crop damage. "Every farmer has suffered a loss due to the damage to the standing paddy crop. Waterlogging in the fields has affected the paddy crop. The government should get the 'girdawari' done and give compensation to the affected farmers," he said. The Leader of Opposition said earlier too the farmers faced the brunt of weather. "So far the farmers have not been compensated for the damage caused due to heavy rain, hailstorm and waterlogging. Neither the government nor insurance companies come forward to help the farmers in times of distress," he said. With several parts witnessing flood-like situation, Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar on Saturday directed the deputy commissioners to ensure drainage of water from the waterlogged areas at the earliest. Punjab covered 30.84 lakh hectares, comprising 4.65 lakh hectares of highly remunerative basmati rice, under paddy sowing this season, while in Haryana the area under paddy cultivation was around 10 lakh hectares, about 23 per cent less than the previous year. Most parts of Punjab and Haryana experienced widespread rainfall in the past two days. The MeT officials said the widespread moderate to heavy rain could continue in the region in the next 24 hours. (Vishal Gulati can be contacted at vishal.g@ians.in) Qatar Museums has announced a collaboration encompassing the exchange of exhibitions, programs, and scholarly cooperation with New York City's Metropolitan Museum of Art. The move comes on the occasion of the reopening of Doha's reinstalled and reimagined Museum of Islamic Art, and in celebration of the tenth anniversary of the opening of The Met's Galleries for the Art of the Arab Lands, Turkey, Iran, Central Asia and Later South Asia. Qatar Museums has provided a generous gift to The Metropolitan Museum of Art, and in recognition of Qatar's support, a gallery at The Met presenting art from the Umayyad and Abbasid Periods (7th13th centuries) has been named the Qatar Gallery. The collaboration serves as a legacy project of Qatar Museums' 2021 Year of Culture programme, which celebrated the strong ties between Qatar and the United States. As part of the institutions' collaboration, Qatar Museums has lent works from its renowned collections to The Met for exhibitions including Jerusalem in the Middle Ages (2016), Sultans of Deccan India, 1500-1700: Opulence and Fantasy (2015), The Great Age of the Seljuks (2016) and Monumental Journey: The Daguerreotypes of Girault de Prangey (2019) and works from The Met's collection will go on view in Doha on October 26 in the inaugural special exhibition Baghdad: Eye's Delight at the Museum of Islamic Art. Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, Chairperson of Qatar Museums, said: "The establishment of the Qatar Gallery at The Metropolitan Museum of Art highlights the collegiality between our institutions and our desire to advance a crucial goal we hold in common, to heighten appreciation everywhere for the art of the Islamic world. We are proud to come together with The Met to honour the beauty, depth, and variety of a global tradition that spans fourteen centuries." Max Hollein, Marina Kellen French Director of The Met, commented: "The Met is deeply grateful to Qatar Museums for this extraordinary act of generosity. This gift is the latest instance of the longstanding relationship between our institutions and marks the start of a broad collaboration encompassing the exchange of exhibitions, programs, and scholarly cooperation. This critical support is especially meaningful as we mark the 10th anniversary of the opening of The Met's renovated galleries, which continue to be a source of great interest and inspiration for our millions of yearly visitors." TradeArabia News Service Islamabad, Sep 25 : An escalation between India and Pakistan is highly unlikely, but the upcoming change of command in the Pakistan Army and general elections in both neighbouring countries would not allow for any major progress towards normalisation of bilateral ties either, at least for another couple of years, Dawn reported. This was the crux of a discussion between the current and former senior Pakistani and Indian diplomats and security officials, including those from the intelligence agencies of the two countries, and politicians at an event hosted by the International Institute for Strategic Studies, an international think tank, in Muscat. A Pakistani participant, while emphasising that Indians were not serious about normalisation and used terrorism allegations as a coverup for avoiding engagement, reminded that Pakistan had recently provided intelligence to India that led to the arrest of militants in Ahmedabad, but still there was no reciprocation from Delhi, Dawn reported. Held last weekend, the meeting, which was a sort of Track 1.5 engagemAent, covered a wide range of topics that keep influencing the India-Pakistan relationship, fraught with mutual mistrust and antagonism. Besides the usual topics like Kashmir, terrorism and trade, the two sides also exchaAnAged views on developments related to China and Afghanistan, as these could potentially alter the regional calculus. One participant said the objective of the meeting was to talk about the potential risks of escalation and possibilities of normalisation between the two nuclear-armed neighbours, Dawn reported. "No major steps are likely as the Indians seem comfortable that there is no crisis and LoC ceasefire is holding," one of the dialogue participants told Dawn while sharing a sense of the discussion. The strategists in India, according to what some Indian participants said duAAring the Muscat meeting, now believe that Pakistan is in a transition phase with a new army chief set to take command towards the end of November and elections likely in 2023. Therefore, they think now is not the right time to make any peace overtures, Dawn reported. Moreover, India will be holding elections in 2024. Contrary to public perception of PM Shehbaz Sharif being soft on India, the Indian participants said they see little difference in Pakistan's India policy under the incumbent and former premiers. Talking about the possible outcomes of the 2023 elections, they felt if Imran Khan returned to the office, he would be better positioned for a meaningful dialogue with India. The Indian focus during this period would, therefore, be on maintaining the status quo rather than going for normalisation, Dawn reported. At the same time, they believe resumption of trade could be helpful for improving the environment for an eventual normalisation, whenever it takes place. San Francisco, Sep 25 : Google-owned wearable brand Fitbit is planning to make Google Accounts mandatory on new Fitbit devices from next year. According to Fitbit, Google will not use Fitbit health and wellness data for Google Ads. "After we launch Google accounts on Fitbit in 2023, some uses of Fitbit will require a Google account, including to sign up for Fitbit or activate newly released Fitbit devices and features, "the wearable brand said on a support page. "If you have a Fitbit account, after the launch of Google accounts on Fitbit, you'll have the option to move Fitbit to your Google account or to continue to use your existing Fitbit devices and services with your Fitbit account for as long as it's supported," it added. The company said Google accounts on Fitbit will support several benefits for Fitbit users, including a single login for Fitbit and other Google services, account security, centralised privacy controls for Fitbit user data, and more features from Google on Fitbit. After the launch of Google accounts on Fitbit, if you want to move from your Fitbit account to your Google account, you will need to consent to transfer your Fitbit user data from Fitbit to Google. Once you complete the move, you will log into Fitbit with your Google account and no longer with your Fitbit account. Google will then provide you with Fitbit under Google's Terms of Service, Privacy Policy, and binding commitments for Fitbit. New York, Sep 25 : Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has said that Pakistan could import wheat from Russia in the aftermath of the destruction of farmland caused by the recent floods, local media reported. Pakistan may have to import about a million tonnes of wheat after the floods submerged one-third of Pakistan's territory and left 33 million of its people scrambling to survive, The News reported. In an interview, the prime minister said the wheat could come from Russia, but the country is open to other offers. The country also needs fertiliser because factories involved in their production are closed, he said, The News reported. Even before the floods began in mid-June, Pakistan was facing serious challenges from grain shortages and skyrocketing crude oil prices sparked mainly by Russia's February 24 invasion of Ukraine and the war that has followed. Sharif said skyrocketing prices have put the import of oil "beyond our capacity", and -- with the damage and destruction from the massive flooding -- solutions have become "extremely difficult". Sharif said the country has "a very robust, transparent mechanism already in place" to ensure that all aid items are delivered to people in need. In addition, he said, "I will ensure third-party audit of every penny through international well-reputed companies". Prime Minister Sharif said he came to the United Nations this year to tell the world that "tomorrow, this tragedy can fall on some other country." In the wide-ranging interview, Sharif exhorted world leaders gathered for their annual meeting at the General Assembly to stand together and raise resources "to build resilient infrastructure, to build adaptation, so that our future generations are saved". Chennai, Sep 25 : Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department will install a new shutter to replace the damaged one at the Parambikulam dam in Kerala's Palakkad at a cost of Rs 7 crore. Sources in the Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department told IANS that the shutter will be replaced by the end of October. The department officials said that raw material for building a new shutter would be bought from the Salem steel plant or from other plants in north states where these products are being sold. The old shutter was 42 feet wide and 27 feet high and weighed 35,000 tonnes. It was washed off on September 21 at 2 a.m. This is one of the three shutters of Parambikulam dam in Palakkad district of Kerala which is maintained by the Tamil Nadu water resources department. Sources in the Water Resources Department of Tamil Nadu told IANS that the breakage in the counterweight chain was the reason for the destruction of the shutter. After the shutter was damaged, the water level in the Chalakkudi river rose and hundreds of tribal families near the Parambikulam reservoir were shifted to safe locations. The damage to the Parambikulam shutter is not an isolated incident in Tamil Nadu with the KRP dam in Krishnagiri and Mukkomdu being damaged a few years ago. Tamil Nadu Water Resources Department officials apprehend that after this damage to the shutter the Kerala government may demand the take over of the maintenance of the dam as well as the maintenance of the controversial Mullaperiyar dam. Noida, Sep 25 : The 2041 Master Plan for New Noida is ready and promises a hi-tech wonderland, which will be a unique place not only for Delhi / National Capital Region but also for Uttar Pradesh. Recently, Noida stakeholder meet was held at the FICCI auditorium which was attended by Noida Authority CEO Ritu Maheshwari, FICCI UP state council chairman Manoj Gupta, businessmen and representatives of the planning department. During the meet, the Master Plan was presented and suggestions were sought. "Whatever was left while making Noida will be completed in New Noida," Ritu Maheshwari said. In New Noida, 20 villages of Noida's Gautam Buddha Nagar and 60 villages of Bulandshahr will be included. New Noida will be build by taking land of 84 villages and as main focus will be industrial development, 41 per cent of the total land has been kept aside for industrial use. Ritu Maheshwari said that every company wants to invest in Noida either it is Adani or Microsoft which will develop nearby districts of Noida and increase employment opportunities as well. Attractions of New Noida Responsibility of preparing a master plan for Noida was given to School of Planning and Architecture (SPA) for which an MoU was signed in July 2021. The SPA has given the plan to the Noida authority. The authorities claim that the plan leaves no scope for encroachment. As per Master Plan prepared by the SPA, the New Noida will be spread over 20,000 ha and house 41 per cent industrial units, 11.5 per cent housing plans, 17 per cent for greenery, 15.5 per cent for road, nine per cent institutional buildings and 4.5 per cent for commercial property. New Noida will be divided into four zones: for example South, East, West, North zone and each zone will have a different industry hub. Most important point is construction for the news zone will be started once the previous one is developed. This Master Plan is based on Geographical Information System (GIS) that is satellite based system. With it, the investors wil be able to get information about all zones, sector and plots sitting in the comfort of their homes. Better connectivity New Nodia will have better connectivity via road, rail and air routes. Proximity to Jewar airport will provide better air traffic while increasing rail projects will provide better rail connectivity. Road connectivity in New Noida will be good as the National Highway 91, Eastern Peripheral way and Yamuna Expressway are also close to the area. New Noida will be developed into Multi modal transport and transit hub. All sort of wiring will be kept underground in New Noida. State-of the art waste management plant State of the art waste material plants will be introduced as the area is bound to have waste released largely from the industrial units that would be set up. Chennai, Sep 25 : The Tamil Nadu government constituted an expert committee on August 22 to study the increasing conflict between humans and elephants, especially in the Gudalur area, and to come up with practical solutions to the issue. The committee headed by Conservator of Forests and Madhumalai Tiger Reserve Field Director, D. Venkatesh has commenced the study on the basic reasons behind the man-elephant conflict. In May two people lost their lives on successive days. A 40-year-old woman who had gone to attend to nature's call in the early hours was trampled to death by a wild elephant. The woman Malu (42) was killed on May 27, On May 26, Anandan (51) was killed by a wild elephant when he was going to open his tea stall at Gudalur at around 5.30 a.m. In August before the committee was constituted, Murugan (46), a forest watcher, was trampled to death by a wild elephant when he had gone to the forest border to relieve himself. People losing their lives in areas close to the forest borders has been reported regularly in Tamil Nadu with an average of 35 to 40 being killed in a year. The forest department had to resort to bringing in two Kumki elephants to drive the wild elephant into the deep forest. The expert committee is studying all the possibilities to solve the vexed issue. While the stories of elephants killing humans have been reported widely, many wild elephants also lost their lives due to human intervention in their habitats. Three wild elephants were mowed down by the speeding Mangalore- Chennai Express on November 26, 2021. After this incident, the forest department and Southern Railway planned to jointly operate a wireless system to prevent the elephants from reaching the railway lines running through deep forests. A 20-year-old male elephant was also hit by a moving train prior to this in March 2021; in the past five years eight elephants have been killed by trains. After the mowing down of three elephants on November 26, the forest department of Tamil Nadu and Southern Railways took several measures to discourage elephants from coming near the tracks. The expert committee is of the view that most of the elephant attacks on human habitations was in search of food. The Kerala forest department has recently taken a policy decision to plant jack fruit trees inside forests as jack fruit is like a magnet to the elephants. The department also envisages planting wild mango trees and wild gooseberry trees. According to the Kerala forest officials this will help in stopping elephants, monkeys and other wild animals from entering human habitations in search of food. A recent study by the Wildlife Institute of India, Dehradun, and the Periyar Tiger Conservation Foundation has revealed that the major reason for the human-elephant conflict is the reduced availability of fodder in the forests. The study also revealed the reduction in fodder was mainly due to the presence of invasive plants that shrink the fodder. However, some senior officials of the Tamil Nadu forest department told IANS that human-elephant conflict has always been there but the increased reporting has led to bringing such issues before society in large numbers. New Delhi, Sep 25 : Days after the NIA and the ED raided several locations linked to the Popular Front of India (PFI) across the country, the Union Home Ministry is planning to ban the extremist group on the basis of the evidences gathered by the investigating agencies, sources said. However, before imposing the ban, the officials of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) want to make full preparations, so that if the ban is challenged, then their side is not weakened. In the raids conducted in 15 states of the country on September 22, the investigating agencies have found strong evidence of PFI's involvement in terrorist activities, based on which, it can soon be banned. Soon after the raid, Union Home Minister Amit Shah also held a meeting with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the NIA Chief. In this, instructions have been issued to review the facts gathered against PFI and take further action. According to sources, the MHA is also taking legal advice before banning PFI, so that when the party concerned in this matter approaches court, the government remains ready with its move. This is also being done because the central government had to withdraw the ban on SIMI in 2008. However, later it was again banned after the Supreme Court order. This time, the government donesn't seem to be in a hurry and leave any stone unturned. And that's why, it is making its case strong, besides weighing all the legal asepcts before imposing ban on PFI. According to the information, different agencies were engaged in gathering strong evidence against PFI for many years as instructions were given by the MHA that no link of PFI should be left out. While the NIA's investigation was focussed on the illegal activities of the criminal organisation, the ED has now been completely successful in tracing the source of their finances. A source close to the ED said that during the investigation, suspicious transactions of about Rs 60 crore have been detected in the bank accounts of PFI. It has also been learnt that money was being sent to PFI through hawala. For this, bank accounts of labourers working in Gulf countries were used to send money to India. On the other hand, apart from gathering evidence against the terror camp run by PFI members, the NIA has also collected strong evidences in five different registered cases, from making explosives to sending youth to organization like ISIS. In 2017, the NIA, in its detailed report submitted to the MHA, had demanded a ban on PFI for its involvement in terrorist activities. Several states have also demanded the ban from time to time. While talking to IANS about why there was a delay, former Uttar Pradesh DGP Vikram Singh explained many things in detail. Former DGP Vikram Singh said that PFI should have been banned 5 years ago. He said, "Indulging in anti-national activities, preparing explosives, conspiring to assassinate the elected Prime Minister and money laundering of crores of rupees for anti-national activities. These are the grounds on which PFI can now be banned. It takes a long time to gather solid evidence in all these cases." "One of the reasons behind the PFI not being banned so far is the political support they get. Leaders of some parties, even MPs, have described PFI as a social service organization. Its supporters are present in many states," Vikram Singh stated. "Not only this, PFI's ally SDPI has also contested elections in many states. This is the reason why so much preparation has to be done to take action against PFI," he said. Vikram Singh said that according to his information, the link of funding of PFI has also been found from Turkey's agency and Pakistan's ISI. The boys were also tricked and sent to ISIS. The ED and NIA made full preparations to connect these links, so that strict action could be taken. At present, the Jharkhand government has banned PFI. At the same time, according to the official website of the MHA, about 39 organizations have been banned by the government under Section 35 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act 1967. These include Lashkar-e-Taiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Jammu and Kashmir Islamic Front, United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB), Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI), Al Badr, Al-Qaeda, Communist Party of India (Maoist), Indian Mujahideen, Islamic State/ISIS, as well as UN-listed terrorist organizations are also involved. New Delhi, Sep 25 : Delhi High Court has restrained Axis Bank from substituting PS Toll Road Pvt Ltd (PSTR) as the concessionaire of the Pune-Satara Toll Road Project. Delhi HC has found Axis Bank in breach of its own undertaking given before the court. The court in its order has said that Axis Bank is bound by its undertaking given to the court in February 2021 and then in March 2021 that it will not go ahead with the substitution of the concessionaire in the PS Toll Road project, without the court's nod. According to the court, Axis Bank's undertaking was unconditional, and therefore it cannot rely upon any event under the Concession Agreement or the Substitution Agreement, to appoint a new concessionaire in the project. PS Toll Road Pvt Ltd (PSTR), the concessionaire of the Pune-Satara Toll Road project, had challenged the appointment of a new concessionaire in the project by the Axis Bank despite a stay on the process by the Delhi High Court in March 2021. PS Toll Road Pvt Ltd, in its appeal before the high court, contended that Axis Bank was in breach of its own undertaking given before the court in 2021, that it will not finalise the bids or award the contract to a third party, thereby substituting the PS Toll Road Pvt Ltd. The court has issued notice to Axis Bank and the matter will be heard on September 28. PS Toll Road Pvt Ltd is a subsidiary of Reliance Infrastructure Ltd. and was awarded the contract for six laning of 140 KM of stretch between Pune and Satara in Maharashtra on BOT basis. The project is now complete. Mumbai, Sep 25 : Piramal Financial and Zurich Insurance, who have submitted separate bids for the general insurance business of Reliance Capital, have decided to form an equal partnership to bid for the Reliance General Insurance. According to sources, both Piramal and Zurich will hold 50 per cent each in the proposed joint venture company. If this proposed JV succeeds in emerging as the successful resolution applicant for RGIC, then it will mark the entry of Zurich Insurance in India's general insurance business. In the independent bids submitted at the end of August, Piramal had valued Reliance Capital's general insurance business at Rs 3,600 crore, while Zurich had quoted Rs 3,700 crore for the same. The third bidder, Advent had submitted a Rs 7,000 crore resolution plan for RGIC. By partnering, Zurich and Piramal will not compete with each other, and thus for RGIC, it will only be a two horse race between Advent and Zurich-Piramal consortium. The RCAP Administrator and Committee of Creditors (COC) had appointed a global expert - Tower Watson, to do the actual valuation of RGIC. This valuation is available to all the bidders and the actuarial valuation for 100 per cent of RGIC is Rs 9,450 crore. The last date for the submission of binding bids for Reliance Capital and its multiple subsidiaries is October 30. Earlier, it was September 29, but the COC granted a four week extension, as the majority of bidders had sought more time to complete the due diligence process. Reliance Capital had received 14 non-binding bids for its multiple businesses. Six companies had submitted bids for the entire company, while the rest of the bidders had submitted bids for its multiple subsidiaries. Lucknow, Sep 25 : The Class 12 student, who shot his principal in Sitapur on Saturday, was arrested from Lucknow on Sunday. The country-made pistol, he used to shoot the principal, has also been recovered from his possession. Circle Officer Mehmoodabad, Ravi Shankar Prasad, said that the student has been arrested from Lucknow and is being taken to Sitapur. The principal, Ram Singh Verma, had reprimanded the boy for indiscipline and the boy shot at him on the campus in Sitapur on Saturday. The incident took place in Adarsh Inter College in Sadarpur police station area. The principal suffered one bullet wound in his stomach and was first taken to local Community Health Centre and later shifted to King George's Medical University (KGMU) Trauma Centre in Lucknow. The doctors said bullet did not damage any of the vital organs and was taken out from the principal's body. Radisson Hotel Group has launched its first ultra-fast Electric Charging Hub and expanded its network of 510+ electric car-charging stations across the EMEA region, in partnership with pan-European EV charging solutions provider Allego. Since the start of the partnership, Radisson Hotel Group has exponentially grown its Green Mobility network of ultra-fast and regular (AC) charging solutions for electric vehicles to over 220 Radisson Hotel Group locations and over 510 chargers across Europe. In India, the Group has partnered with Sunfuel to install EV chargers in its national portfolio of over 100 hotels. The first ultra-fast Electric Charging Hub was unveiled today in Frankfurt, Germany as part of the Groups new, revamped automotive value proposition to meet the evolving needs of automotive clients for their events and those of their eco-minded consumers. At the ultra-fast charging point, it takes approximately 20 minutes to charge a car, during which time, customers attend a business meeting at the hotel, or just have a snack at the hotel. Research shows that nearly two-thirds of consumers are now sustainability-minded drivers. As a result, automakers must focus on what customers demand and integrate sustainable practices in the design and manufacturing of their vehicles, but also put sustainability at the heart of their branding and events marketing strategy. From ground-breaking auto exhibitions to thrilling car launches, from luxurious celebrations to exciting experiences, Radisson Hotel Group properties are powerful partners in sustainable automotive mobility, delivering successful events for some of the worlds largest automotive brands. Inge Huijbrechts, Global Senior Vice President Sustainability, Security and Corporate Communications at Radisson Hotel Group said: With consumer demand for Electric Vehicles (EV) expected to grow fourfold by 2025, electric vehicles will become the dominant powertrain in the next decade. At Radisson Hotel Group, we support this shift by providing green mobility solutions at our hotels. Today, we already have more than 510 electric car charging posts at 141 hotels in EMEA, and we set an ambitious target of bringing EV charging solutions to all eligible European properties by 2025. In India, we aim to equip all 100+ Radisson Hotel Group properties with EV charging stations. Almost 25% of our hotels offer exclusively green taxi solutions with hybrid or electric vehicles for guests traveling to events and meetings. We can help drive the e-mobility movement forward by providing automotive brands with everything they need for sustainable events, starting with the right EV charging solution for each location. Ulf Schulte, Managing Director DACH at Allego said: We are very pleased to offer ultra-fast charging at Radisson Blu Hotel, Frankfurt. Charging infrastructure is a true asset and boosts attractiveness of each single hotel. Overall, Radisson Hotel Group is leading the way in offering charging solutions to all guests and visitors, and we are proud to be their partner. In addition to the existing overnight AC charging points, the 150 kW Hyper Charger or HPC is also accessible 24/7 and using 100% green energy. All chargers will of course be integrated into the pan European Allego charging network offering access to all EV drivers without compromise. Whether you are there for a business meeting, a short break, or an overnight stay, your car will be fully charged when you hit the road again. Radisson Hotel Group is a pioneer in sustainability and played a leading role in the establishment of a new globally recognized set of sustainability indicators, the Hotel Sustainability Basics, in partnership with the World Travel and Tourism Council (WTTC). TradeArabia News Service Srinagar, Sep 25 : A body of local Muslim scholars has demanded that the Jammu and Kashmir administration should ban the singing of Hindu 'bhajans' and 'Surya Namaskar' in schools of the Valley. The Islamic scholars are part of the 'Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema' (United body of religious scholars) which is a body of around 30 Islamic and educational institutions in the Valley. The religious leaders have sought a ban on the singing of bhajans and Suriya Namaskar in schools of Kashmir division saying that the practice hurts the religious sentiments of the local Muslims. The leaders met on Saturday at the Jamia Masjid in old Srinagar city Nowhatta area and passed a resolution alleging that "The practice of asking school children to sing bhajans and do Surya Namaskar has created anguish among the local Muslims". The body of Muslim scholars have also said that the practice is aimed at undermining the identity of Kashmir. "We strongly resent the practice of furthering the Hindutva agenda through schools and educational institutions," the resolution said. Former chief minister and president of the People's Democratic Party (PDP), Mehbooba Mufti triggered the row by posting a video of school children singing bhajans and doing Surya Namaskar at the behest of the teachers in a government school in south Kashmir Kulgam district. In contrast to this, another former chief minister, Omar Abdullah, who is the vice president of the National Conference (NC) was quoted as saying, "We didn't believe in the Two Nation Theory. India is not communal, India is secular. If I am chanting Bhajan, is it wrong?" Chennai, Sep 25 : Tension gripped the Ammapet area in Tamil Nadu's Salem district after police detained five Muslim youths following an attack on the residence of an RSS functionary. The incident occurred at 1.45 a.m. on Sunday when a burning kerosene-filled bottle was thrown at the residence of V.K. Rajan, a functionary of the RSS. The Ammapet police told IANS that immediately after the incident, Rajan filed a complaint, and a police team reached the spot and conducted inquiries. N. Madasamy, Deputy Commissioner of Police, Salem reached the residence of Rajan and conducted preliminary inquiries. The situation in the area became tense after police took into custody five Muslim youths. According to RSS sources, the attack at Rajan's residence was a retaliation to the arrest of Popular Front of India (PFI) leaders and cadres from the different parts of the country in an NIA raid on Thursday morning. Police, however, refused to comment on the reasons behind the incident and called upon the people of the area not to indulge in any violence. R.P. Gopinath, BJP Tamil Nadu state committee member while speaking to reporters at Ammapet called upon the police to immediately arrest the culprits behind the incident. He said that not many people knew of Rajan's association with the RSS, and added that the anti-social elements had garnered information on him and threw kerosene-laden lit bottle at his residence. Gopinath called upon the police to prevent any untoward incidents in the future and to take stringent action. Srinagar, Sep 25 : The J&K Police on Sunday attached a residential house in Kashmir's Bandipora district for wilful sheltering of militants. Police said, "The residential house of one person, namely Bashir Ahmad Mir, son of Abdul Sattar Mir of Wanpora Gurez at present Watrina Bandipora, was attached after obtaining legal sanction from the competent authorities." Police added that the said house was linked to case FIR in which two hardcore terrorists were neutralised, who were involved in different terror crimes in Bandipora. "The investigation proved beyond doubt that the said house was used for the purpose of terrorism, sheltering, harbouring terrorists, and such shelter was voluntarily/ knowingly given by the member of the family/house. "Many attacks on civilians/ protected persons were carried/ conspired/planned by terrorists while using this house as hideout," police said. The Bandipora police has requested citizens once again not to harbour or give shelter to terrorists failing which they will be liable to action under law, including property attachment (movable/immovable) proceedings. Kolkata, Sep 25 : West Bengal Bidhannagar City Police on Sunday busted an international kidnapping racket near the Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International (NSCBI) Airport in Kolkata and arrested three masterminds. The police in a joint operation with the Central Industrial Security Force (CISF) personnel rescued 20 youths from NSCBI Airport, before being trafficked out. The three arrested persons have been identified as Suresh Sinha, Rakesh Prasad Sinha and Dhiraj Das. It is learnt that on September 16, one Naresh Kumar, an original resident of Haryana, filed a complaint at the NSCBI Airport police station that his son, Rahul Kumar, was missing since August 28 after reaching Kolkata. Kumar informed the police that his son was trapped by a fake international employment agency, who lured him with a lucrative job offer in the US. Rahul was asked to come to Kolkata to complete the formalities on this count and thereafter he was kidnapped, his father claimed. Bidhannagar City Police sources said that thereafter the kidnappers asked a ransom of Rs 49 lakh from Naresh Kumar, out of which he also paid Rs 40 lakh. The sleuths of Bidhannagar City Police started investigating and were informed by sources that three masterminds of the kidnapping racket were attempting to escape out of the country through NSCBI Airport along with 20 youths, including Rahul Kumar. The Bidhannagar City Police immediately contacted the commandant of the CISF battalion deputed at the NSCBI airport. A joint operation was launched in which three kingpins of the kidnapping racket were arrested and 20 youths rescued. It is learnt that the kidnappers secured ransom from the families of all these youths rescued. "The accused used to earn money in two ways. First by demanding ransom for kidnapped youths. They used to collect huge amounts from the family members. And second, by trafficking the youths abroad and earning handsome amounts through that as well. We are trying to find out the past cases where they have been successful in trafficking the youths abroad," said a Bidhannagar City Police official. Patna, Sep 25 : Union Home Minister and former BJP president Amit Shah has sounded the poll bugle in Bihar not only for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections but also Assembly election in the state in 2025, and given the party mantra for poll victory. At a time when the ruling Mahgathbandhan is searching to field candidates for the poll battle, Shah, during his two-day visit to the state recently, has given the Bihar BJP mantra for win. Shah, who is disappointed with JD(U) chief and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar for severing the alliance with the BJP, attacked him while addressing the 'Jan Bhavna Mahasabha'. Importance of Shah's Seemanchal visit can be gauged from the fact that all big leaders of the BJP attended the mahasabha. Besides, Shah, all other BJP leaders made it clear that the party's focus will be on Muslim-dominated Seemanchal which is considered "weak spot" for the saffron party. It is being said that the BJP has made the strategy to counter Mahagathbandhan's caste equation with religious polarisation. Zeroing in on figures, Seemanchal's four Lok Sabha seats -- Kishanganj, Araria, Katihar, Purnia, have 30-70 per cent Musim population. In Purnia division, of the 24 Assembly seats, the BJP has four. In Purnia, two seats Purnia East and Banmankhi are with the BJP. In Araria district, Forbesganj, Narpatganj and Sikti seats are with the BJP. Of the four Lok Sabha seats of Seemanchal, the BJP has only one --Araria. In the previous elections when the BJP and JD(U) fought the elections together, the NDA had bagged three seats. Katihar and Purnia were bagged by the JD (U). But now, the JD(U) has joined the Mahagathbandhan. During the Mahasabha, besides targetting Lalu Prasad and Nitish Kumar, issues of infiltration and Rohingyas were also raked up. After the Mahasabha, Shah, during a meeting with party MLAs and MPs, asked them to flag up issues of Rohingya Muslims, anti national activities of few organisation. "The BJP will contest all the 40 seats in the state and is aiming to win 35 of them," a saffron party leader quoted Shah as saying. Shah asked all MLAs to visit their areas and strengthen booth-level cadre. A BJP leader said that though the party is "weak" in Seemanchal but strengthening it here is not so difficult. Shah has also told Bihar leaders that he himself will monitor party's work, for which he will be frequently visiting the state. Bengaluru, Sep 25 : Veteran politician and former Karnataka Chief Minister S.M. Krishna was hospitalised on Saturday night after being diagnosed with acute respiratory tract infection. According to Manipal Hospital authorities, S.M. Krishna who has been put on minimal respiratory support, is in "a cheerful frame of mind". The former Karnataka Chief Minister's health is being treated by a team comprising Dr Satyanarayan Mysore, and Dr Sunil Karanth, hospital authorities said. Karnataka Health Minister Dr Sudhakar is monitoring Krishna's health status. S.M. Krishna had led the Congress party to victory in the 1998 Karnataka Assembly elections and served as the Chief Minister of the state from 1999 to 2004. He is also a former Union External Affairs Minister, and had served as Maharashtra Governor during the UPA regime at the Centre. After a long stint in the Congress, S.M. Krishna joined the BJP in 2017. Jaipur, Sep 25 : Rajasthan Minister Subhash Garg, a staunch supporter of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, on Sunday seemed worried about the issue of the change of CM, and in a veiled threat said that the government could fall in case the CM is made from the other 'camp'. As the name of Sachin Pilot remains at the top, he said, "When the government was in crisis, 102 MLAs stood with Gehlot. Now, if any of the MLAs who went to Manesar is made the CM, then the government may topple. The high command should decide according to the public sentiments," he added. Meanwhile, the party's senior leader, Ajay Maken and observer Mallikarjun Kharge, arrived in Jaipur on Sunday. Both the leaders have been made observers for the meeting of Congress Legislature Party scheduled to be held at 7 p.m. on Sunday at the chief minister's residence. Speaking to the media, Maken refused to spill the facts and said, "The meeting will be held at 7 pm...can't tell anything now...after the meeting in the evening, I will be able to say something more...Sonia Gandhi has sent me and Mallikarjun Kharge for taking the opinion of the MLAs...will share updates with the media after the meeting," he added. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is preparing to file his nomination for the post of national president of the Congress. And accordingly, the process of selecting a new CM has started. Sources said that the opinion of MLAs will be collected on the name of the next Chief Minister in the Sunday's legislature party meeting. Maken further said, "Me and Kharge have been sent by Congress President Sonia Gandhi as observers. The CLP meeting will proceed at the Chief Minister's residence at 7 p.m. today in our presence. Legislators will be consulted. When asked who will become the Chief Minister, Maken avoided it and said, "I cannot say anything about this right now. All I can say is that a meeting of the Legislature Party has been called in the evening. After that something can be said." Meanwhile, speculations are rife that Pilot is the front-runner for the post as till date, it has been the call of the Congress high command to choose the new CM face. There is a similar possibility in Jaipur as well, he added. A picture seems clear as the exercise for selection of the new CM has been started much before the nomination for the Congress president post is made, which suggests that it wants to take an early decision with regards to the replacement to Gehlot. It is being said that the Congress high command has decided on the new CM of Rajasthan. Islamabad, Sep 25 : Two security forces personnel have been killed in an explosion in North Waziristan district of Pakistan's northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, the military said on Sunday. According to a statement released by the military's media wing Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the incident took place Saturday after an improvised explosive device exploded in Esham area of the district resulting in the death of two soldiers. Both the deceased soldiers were from the country's eastern Punjab province, Xinhua news agency reported quoting the ISPR. "Clearance of the area is being carried out to eliminate any terrorists' presence in the area," according to the ISPR. Chennai, Sep 25 : Founder leader of the PMK, Dr. S. Ramadoss said that the petrol bomb attacks being carried out at the residences of the functionaries of the BJP and RSS was a blot on the image of Tamil Nadu as it is a peaceful state. He called upon the government to put an end to the culture of petrol bomb attacks on homes, properties and offices of the BJP and the RSS functionaries. The PMK senior leader said that there have been more than 20 such attacks in Tamil Nadu, but the police have been able to nab only three to four people. Dr. Ramadoss said that the attacks began at Coimbatore but spread to Tiruppur, Erode, Ramanathapuram, Salem, Chitlapakam, and Kanniyakumari and called upon the state police to immediately bring an end to these attacks. He also said called upon the police to take tough measures against those involved in the petrol bomb attacks Jaipur, Sep 25 : Amid the suspense over the CM face, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Sunday gave a stunning statement and said that the new generation should get a chance to lead the show. Gehlot, who is in Jaisalmer to offer his prayers at Tanot Mata Temple, made the statement while speaking to the media. Meanwhile, as Gehlot was in Jaisalmer on Sunday, a few MLAs from his camp are reportedly attending a meeting called by state minister Shanti Dhariwal. Sources said that the meeting has been convened to decide the next course of action which Gehlot camp needs to take if Pilot becomes the CM. Those present at Dhariwal's residence include State ministers Mahesh Joshi, Shakuntala Rawat and MLAs Danish Abrar, Mahendra Choudhary, Alok Beniwal. Sources said tents have been ordered at Dhariwal's residence. However, Gehlot, from his statement, has proved that he stands different from this group and wants to promote the young leadership. He shall return to Jaipur in the evening when a CLP meeting has been scheduled at his residence at 7 p.m. Meanwhile, another candidate CP Joshi has maintained a silence in the entire matter. Shillong, Sep 25 (UNI) Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday emphasised that oneness is the strength of India, the diversity of which is to be proud of. The oneness of India is its strength. The diversity that India boasts is something to be proud of. The invaders saw this differently. The world thinks that we are different and hence we are separate, whereas India says Unity in Diversity. This is the specialty of India which has been there since ages, Bhagwat said in the course of his address at a public meeting at the U Soso Tham Auditorium in Meghalayas state capital Shillong. He added : We have been one always. When we forgot this, we lost our independence. Hence, we must make sure that we become one and make our country stronger and more self-reliant. We all have to work for this unity. Labour Minister Sanbor Shullai, veteran BJP legislator, Alexander Laloo Hek, Trinamool Congress legislator Himalaya Muktan Shangpliang, National Peoples Party legislator Wailadmiki Shylla, State Director General of Police L.R.Bishnoi were among those who attended the public meeting. Underscoring the importance of the ancient Indian philosophy of Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam, meaning the world is a family, the RSS chief said, We are an ancient nation since time immemorial, but due to forgetting our civilizational motto and values, we lost our freedom. Our binding force among one another is our inherent faith in our age-old value which lies in spirituality. These values of this country's eternal civilization had been named as Hindutva by people outside our country. We are Hindus, but there is no particular definition of Hindu, although it's our identity. Both the terms Bharatiya and Hindu are synonyms. It is a geo-cultural identity in fact, Bhagwat maintained. Allaying fear that the RSS would try to convert people, the RSS chief said that people should not believe in propaganda about the RSS and should visit some of its camps and see for themselves what the organisation is striving for. The RSS objective is to mould the youth to shape the destiny of the nation into a better future. In the one hour Sangh shakhas, people learn about these benevolent values and duty to the motherland, Bhagwat said. The Sangh teaches to do sacrifice for the country by giving up one's individual selfish ends.. The RSS draws this tradition of sacrifice from this country's ancient history. Our ancestors had visited different lands beyond and had departed the same values to Japan, Korea, Indonesia and many other countries. We are following the same tradition today even, he said. Stating that RSS cadres are being trained to help fellow Indians, Bhagwat cited the examples of Indias sending vaccines to different countries during the Covid crisis and how the country recently stood with Sri Lanka during its worst ever economic crisis. Citing the example of North East students exodus from Bangalore a few years back, Bhagwat said it was the RSS cadres who provided them every necessary support. He further said that he would not like to take credit for anything, but was narrating that incident as an example of how Indians help each other. Meanwhile, Bhagwat would be leaving the state on Monday after being here for two days. UNI RRK SSP Chennai, Sep 25 : Prasanna, who has wowed Tamil audiences with sterling performances in several critically acclaimed Tamil superhits, said that his role in his next project, an upcoming web series called 'Mad Company' is his second most favourite ever and that he actually felt bad when the shooting of the web series came to an end. Prasanna said: "I play a man named AK in the web series. He is a very complex person. He is an actor who is highly skilled. He is also straightforward to the point of coming across as arrogant. He is someone who has dumped the film industry to start his own firm that enables actors to act in real life." "AK is a role that has become very dear to me. In fact, I loved working on this so much that I felt bad when shooting of this series came to an end. It is only the second time after director Mysskin's 'Anjaathey' that I have felt so." Director Balaji Mohan, who has delivered several superhits including the Siddharth-starrer 'Kadhalil Sodhapuvadu Eppadi' and the Dhanush-starrer 'Maari' and 'Maari 2', is the creative producer of this web series which has been directed by his close associate Vignesh. Prasanna explains: "This eight-episode web series is based on a whacky idea but one which is strongly rooted in reality. The series is about a firm that allows people to hire actors to play characters they want in their real lives. I play the founder and CEO of this firm that offers acting services of such actors." Pointing out that there are some parts of the world where individuals actually go to the extent of hiring people just to listen to what they have to say, Prasanna hopes fervently that the situation does not come to that stage in India. "However, we are exploring the funny side of this idea and not looking at it from a serious angle," he said. The web series is to release on the OTT platform Aha Tamil September 30 and will feature apart from Prasanna, actors S. P. Charan, Kaniha, and Danya Balakrishna in crucial roles. Chennai, Sep 25 : Observing the Sarva Pitru Amavasya, the day one honours one's ancestors and performs certain rituals for them, actress Shilpa Shetty on Sunday put out a post on Instagram explaining the significance of the day. She wrote: "Today is Sarva Pitru Amavasya, the day we honor our ancestors and perform certain rituals for them. According to vedic scriptures, we, as individuals, are born with three debts that we have to pay off during this lifetime." "Firstly, the debt to the divine (Devas power), the rishis and the pitras (ancestors). They have the power to help us in our life journey, through remembrance, prayer and gratitude." "The Magha Nakshatra is one of the most powerful nakshatras that has a special connection with the ancestral lineage as it is ruled by the Pitras(ancestors)." The spiritual practices that you do help your ancestors to find Mukti, or liberation, and in return, they send you blessings in abundance." "Our ancestors watch us from the other side with the awareness that life is just a game. And whilst they may usually play the role of a spectator, if we request them for help, then they are absolutely willing to do so." "So, let's remember our ancestors prayerfully and with gratitude, knowing that they have the power to help us progress on our journey - we just have to remember them." Bengaluru, Sep 25 : Six Indian Air Force officials have been booked for murder following the suspicious death of a trainee cadet at the Air Force Technical College (AFTC) here, police said. The deceased youth, identified as 27-year-old Ankit Kumar Jha, was training at the AFTC in Jalahalli campus for one and half years, according to police. He had allegedly committed suicide by hanging after being discharged from service following a court of inquiry. However, the youth's family have claimed that their son had been killed. In his suicide note, the deceased had mentioned the names of six IAF officers - including an Air Commodore, a Group Captain and two Wing Commanders - among others, police sources said. Aman, brother of the deceased, has alleged that training officer had killed his brother and sought to make the death look like a suicide. Gangammamgudi police have taken up the case and are investigating both the angles. Hyderabad, Sep 25 : A married woman was been allegedly gang raped by unidentified men near Zaheerabad town in Telangana's Sangareddy district, police said on Sunday. The 24-year-old was sexually assaulted at Didgi village near Zaheerabad town on the night of September 23 but the incident came to light on Sunday. The woman, said to be a resident of Hyderabad, was allegedly brought in an auto-rickshaw by the accused who left her there after the gang rape. Locals found her lying unconscious on Saturday morning and alerted the police. She was later shifted to Sakhi centre in Sangareddy and subsequently sent for medical examination. Police are likely to launch an investigation after recording her statement. The victim is said to be a resident of an area near Secunderabad. She was forcibly taken to Zaheerabad in an autorickshaw from KPHB Colony. The accused had allegedly given her some sedatives before taking her to Sangareddy district and sexually assaulting her. The victim is said to be a mother of two children and was not living with husband due to some dispute between them. Police were tightlipped about the incident. Chandigarh, Sep 25 : The deadlock between the AAP government in Punjab and the Governor over convening the Assembly session ended on Sunday with the latter agreeing to call the session on September 27. A letter from Governor Banwarilal Purohit read that in exercise of powers conferred upon him by virtue of Clause (1) of Article 174 of Constitution, he is summoning the session on September 27 at 11 am. A day earlier, Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said it was condemnable that the Governor had sought details of legislative business for the proposed Assembly session. Cheema, who was the Leader of Opposition in the previous state government, had said the Governor's office is constantly interfering in the work of Punjab and not allowing the elected AAP government to work freely. "I want to ask the Governor to check the record of his office and tell the people how many Governors have asked the ruling government to provide information about the purpose of summoning an assembly session. Till today, no Governor did it. Only he is doing so, because he is working at the behest of the BJP." Responding to the purported "war of words", the Governor, in a missive to Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann on Saturday, said: "After reading your statements in today's newspapers, it appears to me that perhaps you are 'too much' angry with me. I think your legal advisors are not briefing you adequately. "Perhaps your opinion about me will definitely change after reading the provisions of Article 167 and 168 of the Constitution, which I'm quoting for your ready reference." While Article 167 relates to "Duties of Chief Minister as respects the furnishing of information to Governor", 168 is on "Constitution of Legislatures in States" Dhaka, Sep 25 : At least 16 people were killed and 30 others still missing after a boat capsized in the Karatoya river in Bangladesh's Panchagarh district, 468 km away from the capital Dhaka, on Sunday afternoon. "The bodies of 16 people including women and children have so far been retrieved," Sujoy Kumar Roy, an officer of Panchagarh's Boda Police station, told Xinhua news agency. According to the officer, the boat carrying some 100 people capsized at about 1:30 p.m. local time. Most of the passengers managed to swim ashore after the incident. Some 30 passengers of the vessel were still missing, said the officer, adding that a rescue operation was underway and the cause of the accident was not immediately known. Amritsar, Sep 25 : A Pakistani drone has dropped four packets of heroin weighing around 3.29 kg in the border village of Dhanoe Khurd in Punjab's Amritsar district, officials said. According to Border Security Force (BSF) officials, a BSF's patrolling party heard buzzing sound of a drone on the intervening night of September 24 and 25 following which the troopers fired in the direction of that drone that eventually flew back towards Pakistan. The BSF carried out a search operation in the fields of Dhanoe Khurd village in the morning and found four packets containing narcotics. No arrest, however, has been made yet in connection with the incident. Srinagar, Sep 25 : Two infiltrating terrorists were killed by the security forces in J&K's Kupwara district on Sunday, a defence statement said. "Based on specific intelligence inputs received from AJ&K police and other intelligence agencies about likely infiltration attempt in Macchal Sector of Kupwara district, troops were put on high alert and joint ambushes of J&K Police and army were laid on likely routes of infiltration," a defence spokesman said in a statement. It said that at around 7.30 a.m. in prevailing poor weather conditions, alert troops observed two armed infiltrators crossing the LoC near Tekri Nar, Macchal, and engaged them. A firefight ensued, resulting in both terrorists getting neutralised, it said. It said that weapons and other items recovered from the slain terrorists include 2 AK-47 rifles, six AK magazines, 53 AK rounds, four hand grenades, two pistols, 35 pistol rounds, Pakistan currency, comprising three notes of Rs 1,000 two notes of Rs 500, seven Rs 50 notes, and food items. Thiruvananthapuram, Sep 25 : Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) president J.P. Nadda who is a two-day visit to Kerala on Sunday said "corruption has made its way even to the office of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan". Nadda was referring to the gold smuggling scam that had rocked the state. Speaking at the Kottayam district committee office of the BJP in Nagambadam, he said that the CPI-M government in Kerala was creating a debt trap, claiming the debt has almost doubled in Kerala. Nadda during the speech also said that he "salutes the BJP workers of Kerala who have been murdered", adding lawlessness has been rampant in the state. "There is no place for violence in politics," the senior BJP leader said. He also said the drug menace is on a high in Kerala, and called upon the people of the state to support the programmes and policies of the BJP for the all-round development. The BJP leader said that several programmes of Prime Minister Narendra Modi has benefited the people of the country. "The people of Kerala must support the BJP for a total change," he said. Earlier on Sunday, Nadda arrived in Kochi to a rousing welcome. BJP's Kerala unit president K. Surendran, and state in-charge and former Union Minister Prakash Javadekar received him at the airport. Nadda is scheduled to travel to Thiruvananthapuram on Monday to attend various party programmes. Rumours are making the rounds regarding a change in the state leadership and according to sources, Nadda's arrival has increased the possibilities of such a move. Fatehabad : , Sep 25 (IANS) Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar on Sunday gave a clarion call for a "main front", comprising the Congress, to oust the BJP in 2024 parliamentary polls, He was among political regional bigwigs who took part in a rally to mark the 109th birth anniversary of former Deputy Prime Minister and tallest farmer leader Devi Lal in Haryana's Fatehabad. NCP's Sharad Pawar, Bihar Chief Minister and JD-U leader Nitish Kumar and Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) chief Sukhbir Badal, among several Opposition leaders, shared the dais at the rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal, and gave a united call to out the BJP government in the Centre. RJD leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and CPM's Sitaram Yechury also attended the rally to mark the birth anniversary of the INLD founder Devi Lal. At the rally, Nitish Kumar even called for the inclusion of the Congress as the main Opposition party. However, the rally organiser INLD and its ally SAD do not share cordial relations with the Congress. Nitish Kumar reiterated that he is not a Prime Minister candidate. "There is no question of a third front now and what is needed is the main front of opposition to ensure that BJP loses badly. I will urge all parties including the Congress to come together. My only wish is that we all need to come together at the national level. We need to bring together more parties." He said there was an attempt to create dispute between the Hindus and the Muslims in the country. "There is no dispute between the Hindus and the Muslims. India had more Muslims than Pakistan at the time of Partition," he said. Tejashwi Yadav said Kumar's "fearless" decision to part ways with the BJP would prove to be the last nail in the party's coffin. "Nitish Kumar had no vested interests, but his only ambition was to uproot the communal forces," he said. Sukhbir Badal joined the call for like-minded parties to form a united front. He said his party, along with the Shiv Sena and the JD-U, "are the real NDA as they had founded the alliance". Political observers told IANS that the INLD through this rally tried to project the beginning of formation of a third front to take on the BJP in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls. However, INLD splinter group, the Jannayak Janata Party (JJP) headed by Devi Lal's great grandson Dushyant Chautala, is the Deputy Chief Minister in the Manohar Lal Khattar-led BJP government in the state. Dushyant Chautala was expelled from the INLD when party patriarch O.P. Chautala, his grandfather, chose his younger son Abhay Chautala as his political heir. Ottawa, Sep 25 (UNI) Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said that his government would deploy armed forces to assist in the recovery of the storm-hit eastern region. After making landfall on Saturday morning, post-tropical storm Fiona brought intense, hurricane-strength winds and torrential rains to Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Quebec's Magdalen Islands in eastern Canada, leaving half a million homes and businesses without power and prompting municipalities to declare a local state of emergency. The prime minister told reporters in a press conference on Saturday that he had spoken to the premiers of the five affected provinces. Trudeau said he canceled the trip to Japan for the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, and he would visit affected communities if needed. Defence Minister Anita Anand said the troops would assist with the tree and debris removal, the restoring of transportation links and whatever else is required. Canada's environment ministry said the highest wind gust reported has been 179 km per hour, and rainfall exceeded 100 millimetres in some locations. Potentially damaging winds will develop this evening over the eastern Lower Quebec North Shore and southeastern Labrador, and diminish Sunday afternoon or evening, according to the ministry. UNI/XINHUA PRT Chandigarh, Sep 25 : Former Punjab Chief Minister Capt. Amarinder Singh on Sunday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for naming the Chandigarh airport after Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh. In a statement, Capt. Amarinder said it was his government that had pursued the matter with the Centre since 2017 when he took over as the Chief Minister. He said it was a long-pending demand of the Punjabis that the airport must be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who is an outstanding symbol of valour, courage and sacrifice for the country. "Bhagat Singh is an inspiration for millions of youth of the country and it will be a befitting tribute to his great and glorious memory", the former Chief Minister remarked. London, Sep 25 : Felix Auger-Aliassime and Jack Sock delivered for Team World at the Laver Cup, edging Team Europe's Matteo Berrettini and Andy Murray 2-6, 6-3, 10-8, here on Sunday. Team Europe now leads Team World 8-7 with three matches to go. Each clash on Sunday is worth three points. In an entertaining battle at the O2 in London, Auger-Aliassime and Sock held their nerve when it mattered, finding first serves and deep returns in the Match Tie-break to triumph after one hour and 37 minutes. The American Sock has now won four points for his side, having teamed with Frances Tiafoe to defeat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the Swiss star's final tour-level match on Friday night. Auger-Aliassime will look to move Team World into the lead when he takes on former World No. 1 Novak Djokovic in the second match. Captain Bjorn Borg is aiming to guide Team Europe to its fifth consecutive Laver Cup title against John McEnroe's Team World Sunday in the UK capital. The three-day event started on Friday. Mumbai, Sep 25 : After playing important characters in 'Udann' and 'Pavitra Bhagya', Pratiksha Rai is now seen as the antagonist in 'Nath - Zewar Ya Zanjeer'. She talks how demanding televisions soaps are, the kind of response she is getting from the audience, and how different she is from the negative character she plays. Shooting for a daily soap, Pratiksha said, can be quite challenging. Long hours at work leave an actor with hardly any time for personal chores. "You don't get time to focus on your personal life. Recently, I shot for a heavy-duty track because of which I didn't get time for my workout or even to call my parents. When you work for a daily soap, you don't get time to groom yourself, you don't get holidays and you end up shooting for more than 12 hours every day. "But you also get a lot in return, especially recognition. So, it is indeed difficult and one must learn to balance work with one's personal life," Pratiksha pointed out. Delving into her character, she shared the audience response: "I get both good and negative comments. People write that I am extremely bad, as I have come between the lead couple (Chahat Pandey and Avinash Mishra) and torture their children. I want to tell them that I am nothing like Kaajal. I dote on kids." She added: "I am glad that people take the character so seriously and appreciate my acting. But I still have a long way to go. I am proud that people know me from my character and wonder whether I am like the character in real life. I am grateful for the opportunity," she adds. So, is she anything like her character? Pratiksha replies: "Everyone has a dark side. I am not jealous like Kaajal. My father always taught me not to compete with others and hence, I don't feel the emotion of jealousy ever. Kaajal can go to any extent to achieve what she has set out for. While I can never be mean, I relate to her junoon (craziness) of accomplishing her goals." New Delhi, Sep 25 : Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad on Sunday met Congress President Sonia Gandhi to discuss matters pertaining to opposition unity. The two leaders briefed the Congress chief about the initiatives taken to unite the opposition parties against the BJP for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. After the meeting, Nitish Kumar, who had met Rahul Gandhi, Sharad Pawar, Arvind Kejriwal, and Sitaram Yechury on his previous Delhi visit, said: "Talks are on with all like-minded parties and since Congress is into organisational elections, we will take a view on it." Lalu Prasad said: "The prime agenda is to remove BJP as it has been done in Bihar." The meeting came soon after several opposition leaders had come together to pay tribute to former Deputy Prime Minister Devi Lal in Haryana. At the event in Haryana's Fatehabad, Nitish Kumar gave a call for a "main front", comprising the Congress, to oust the BJP in 2024 parliamentary polls. NCP's Sharad Pawar, Nitish Kumar and Shiromani Akali Dal chief Sukhbir Badal, among several Opposition leaders, shared the dais at the rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal, and gave a united call to out the BJP government in the Centre. RJD leader and Bihar Deputy Chief Minister Tejashwi Yadav and CPI-M's Yechury also attended the rally to mark the birth anniversary of the INLD founder Devi Lal. However, the rally organiser INLD and its ally SAD do not share cordial relations with the Congress. Nitish Kumar, who reiterated that he is not a Prime Minister candidate, said: "There is no question of a third front now and what is needed is the main front of opposition to ensure that BJP loses badly. I will urge all parties including the Congress to come together. My only wish is that we all need to come together at the national level. We need to bring together more parties." Tejashwi Yadav said Kumar's "fearless" decision to part ways with the BJP would prove to be the last nail in the party's coffin. "Nitish Kumar had no vested interests, but his only ambition was to uproot the communal forces," he said. Sukhbir Badal joined the call for like-minded parties to form a united front. He said his party, along with the Shiv Sena and the JD-U, "are the real NDA as they had founded the alliance". For the past five years, the Supreme Court has rejected three petitions of Kashmiri Pandits seeking justice for the killings and forced exodus. Each time a rejection came, the community's hope for justice took a hit to the point that today the victims are finding it difficult to comprehend whether the perpetration of crime was more painful or the denial of justice. Back in July 2017, a bench presided over by the then Chief Justice of India, J.S. Khehar, and comprising Justice D.Y. Chandrachud dismissed a public interest petition filed by Roots in Kashmir (RIK), an organisation of Kashmiri Pandits. The bench said the instances referred to in the petition pertained to 1989-90, and more than 27 years had passed. "Where will the evidence come from? Such a plea should have been moved a long time ago," the Supreme Court observed. RIK filed a review petition challenging this order. That too was dismissed without an open court hearing in October 2017. On September 2 this year, another Supreme Court bench consisting of Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice C.T. Ravikumar refused to entertain a plea seeking a Special Investigation Team (SIT) probe to identify and prosecute the perpetrators who were involved in and who aided and abetted the killing of Hindus and Sikhs in Kashmir in 1989-2003. The court asked the petitioner, the NGO We the Citizens, to approach the Central government and raise its grievances there. On September 19, the Supreme Court refused to hear a petition seeking investigation into the murder of advocate Tika Lal Taploo in the Kashmir valley in 1989. A bench, again consisting of Justice Gavai and Justice Ravikumar, declined to entertain the plea filed by Ashutosh Taploo, the son of Tika Lal, who was shot dead by Pakistan-backed terrorists in September 1990. The court noted it had not entertained a similar petition, thus forcing the petitioner to withdraw it. The decision came as a shock to Ashutosh as much as it did to the rest of the community. It is baffling that the courts not taken cognizance of the mass exodus of the Kashmiri Pandits and Sikhs from the valley. Equally dismaying is the bitter fact that successive governments at the Centre, or in the erstwhile state of J&K, never considered setting up an SIT probe or an inquiry commission to investigate the crimes committed against the minorities in the valley. The Supreme Court says that such a plea should have been moved a long time ago, but it needs to be reminded that in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots case, the Punjab and Haryana High Court and the Delhi High Court ordered the revival of investigations into some cases even after the lapse of several years. Why cannot in the Kashmir anti-minority violence case? The apex court has asked the petitioners to go to the Centre for justice. If it was not keen to take up the case, the court could have directed the Centre to do so, instead of telling the petitioner to go to the Centre. For upwards of three decades successive governments at the Centre have not heeded to the Kashmiri Pandit (KP) demand for a probe commission. They have failed to come up with a plan for the return and rehabilitation of the displaced members of the community. Even the present government, despite making promises, has failed to help the community get justice. The Narendra Modi government actively promoted the movie 'The Kashmir Files', which depicted the horrific crimes committed against the minuscule minority in the valley. Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself took the lead and asked everyone to watch the movie. Addressing BJP MPs on March 15, four days after the movie was released, he said: "It is good for the country if the truth comes out... Those who think this is not a good film can make their own movie -- who's stopping them? But these people are just shocked that the truth that has been suppressed for so long is finally coming out. And someone is working hard to do that." The truth that Modi referred to has unfortunately not been found out and no efforts have been made even by the present government to bring the perpetrators to justice and expose those behind the genocide and the exodus of the Pandits. The Prime Minister asked everyone to watch the movie following which almost all BJP-ruled states made it tax-free. When the PM himself said that the movie was about truth, then what stops his government from investigating at least the 1989-1991 period when the maximum killings and other crimes took place, leading to the exodus of a 500,000-strong community. If 'The Kashmir Files' was about the truth, then why not investigate the truth and expose the plot and bring justice? After eight years of the Modi-led BJP government at the Centre, the KPs, who had been hoping that justice will be done to them, have started losing faith in the system. In late 1980s and '90s, the community suffered gravely because the then governments at the Centre and the state failed to protect them from the terror onslaught. Then, the police, the administration and the entire political and civil society also failed them. Three decades on, the situation does not seem to be any different. By dismissing the cases the Apex Court and the Centre have completely failed to appreciate that more than 700 Kashmiri Pandits were murdered and FIRs were lodged in more than 200 cases, but not one of them has reached the stage of filing the chargesheet, leave alone conviction. One of the pleas before the Supreme Court did say that the dismissal of the petition would also impact the ongoing trials. Apart from murders, there were hundreds of cases of kidnappings, gang-rapes, arson and loot, desecration of temples and encroachments into properties, and forcible selling of land and houses. The State and court now seem to be washing their hands off a tragedy that does not have any parallel in recent history. The community is neither a vote bank, nor financially strong, and after the exodus, it has scattered all over the country for survival, thus making it difficult for them to put up a united fight. Rejection by the courts, the continued apathy of the political system and the disdain of civil society has demoralised the community, which has lost its homeland and is on the verge of losing its culture, language and its unique identity. More than this, it is fast losing hope in the system. (Deepika Bhan can be contacted at deepika.b@ians.in) Chennai, Sep 25 : AIADMK's interim General Secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, K. Palaniswami on Sunday came out strongly against the Andhra Pradesh government's move to raise the capacity of Pullur check dam near the inter-state border. The AIADMK leader, in a statement, called upon the Tamil Nadu government under M.K. Stalin to "wake up from its slumber" and to take appropriate action to prevent the move of Andhra Pradesh to raise the capacity of the Pullur check dam by 2 TMC. He said that the agreement between Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu is to get 20 TMC, 20 TMC, and 40 TMC, respectively from the inter-state river, and the move of the Andhra Pradesh government to raise the capacity by 2 TMC would adversely affect the farmers of Tamil Nadu. Coming out heavily against the Stalin government and the Tamil Nadu water resources department, in particular, the AIADMK leader called upon the government to stop diverting people in the name of the Dravidian Model. Palaniswami also called upon the Tamil Nadu government to approach the courts to find a solution to this issue. Panaji, Sep 25 : Warning house owners of strict action for failing police verification of tenants, Goa Chief Minister Pramod Sawant on Sunday said that a number of Bangladeshis found staying illegally in the coastal state will be deported. During the tenant and foreigners verification drive in the last two months, the Goa Police's Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) identified 22 Bangladeshi nationals staying illegally in the state, and are looking out for more such illegal migrants. "While doing tenant verification, police found many staying here without proper address from our country. They are into illegal scrap business and into other illegal businesses. They are staying in rented rooms and carrying out business," Sawant said. "I appeal to people to have verification done of their tenants. Those who avoid giving their identity are involved in various crimes. Hence people who rent out rooms should do police verification," he said. "More than 20 Bangladeshi are arrested (identified) and police are identifying many more staying here illegally. People should cooperate with police. We will take action against them (Bangladeshis) and deport them to Bangladesh," Sawant said. He said that government will not allow illegal stay in Goa. "We have sent report of these Bangladeshis to Home Ministry," he said. Superintendent of Police, ATS, Shobhit Saxena on Friday told reporters here that 22 Bangladeshi nationals were staying illegally using fake documents. "They have been staying here for the last 4 to 5 years. Some of them have their families here," he had said. "We have found fake documents from them, which were made in other states and also Bangladesh cards. They have been produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and it has passed a restriction order on their movement. We are making a report and sending it to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to check if there is any suspicious angle," Saxena said. Jaipur, Sep 25 : Ahead of the Congress Legislature Party meeting scheduled for taking decisions on the next Chief Minister, a rift is clearly visible among the Congress MLAs as MLAs from Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's faction gathered at the bungalow of Urban Development Minister Shanti Dhariwal. Around 50 MLAs are present in this meeting and were to go to the CLP meeting together in a luxury bus. Independent MLA Sanyam Lodha, who reached Dhariwal's bungalow, said Gehlot, who is set to contest the Congress President's election, should remain the Chief Minuster. If someone other than Gehlot is made the CM, then independent MLAs will withdraw their support, he said. Minister Mahendrajit Singh Malviya said that Gehlot should remain the Chief Minister, and should not be replaced. Minister Govindram Meghwal said: "We want Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot to remain, Sanyam Lodha is a seasoned person, whatever he has said, he has said it after thinking." Meanwhile, MLAs, supporting former Deputy Chief Minister Sachin Pilot, met at his house to negotiating their next strategy. Gehlot, who will file nomination for the post of Congress President, is likely to step down as Chief Minister and the CLP meeting was to decide his successor. Earlier, the meeting was scheduled to begin at 7 p.m. but was postponed till 7.30 pm. State in-charge Ajay Maken and senior leader Mallikarjun Kharge had reached Jaipur to serve as observers in the meeting. Meanwhile, Gehlot said in Jaisalmer this afternoon that the next Chief Minister should be the leader who can get the government repeated in the state. He said that it has been a tradition to call a meeting of the legislature party for the selection of the Chief Minister and leave the decision to the high command. "This has been the strength of Congress. I have held many positions, now the new generation should get a chance. Even today you will get to see glimpses of the same faith. You will not need to think much here and there." Further, in the CLP meeting, pro-Congress independent MLAs have also been called in for a consultation on the new CM face. Guwahati, Sep 25 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Sunday carried out raids in Assam's Guwahati and Dhemaji in search of a few people who are allegedly involved in uploading child pornographic content, a police officer said. As per the police, a number of child porn movies were uploaded using IP addresses located in those areas. Inputs were received by the CBI that miscreants used mobile phones and other electronic gadgets in Guwahati and Dhemaji to upload child pornographic content. The CBI has also launched raids in few locations of Agartala and Itanagar. However, it could not be known if any arrests were made. Notably, the CBI has launched operation "Megh Chakra" across the country to mitigate crimes against children. The premier investigation agency has raided 59 locations in the country in 21 states including Assam. New Delhi, Sep 25 : The All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on Sunday observed its 67th Foundation Day. While presiding over the celebration, Union Minister of State for Health, Bharati Pawar expressed happiness over AIIMS ranking among top 10 educational institutions in the research category. She also said it is the only institution with patient care service component in addition to research. Pawar appreciated that it is a matter of immense pride that for the fifth consecutive year, AIIMS, has been ranked as number one among medical institutions as per National Institute Ranking Framework (NIRF) issued by the Ministry of Education, and urged the authorities to maintain the ranking in coming years too. "India's health care system has shown great efficiency not only in providing diagnostic and management facilities but also in minimising mortality and maximising recovery," said MoS Health Pawar. Pawar added: "Being successful is more of a journey, not a destination. We have to work hard to not only maintain high standards but also set newer milestones and put efforts to achieve the same." Speaking on the occasion, Pawar said: "When we talk about holistic health and inclusiveness of accessibility, we are including three factors in it. Firstly, expansion of infrastructure and human resources related to modern medical science. Secondly, promotion of research in traditional Indian system of medicine and its active engagement in the healthcare system and thirdly providing better and affordable healthcare facilities to every person and every part of the country through modern and futuristic technology." "Under the dynamic leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the efforts of the Central government are to work holistically with emphasis on preventive care, while giving priority to tertiary healthcare. The efforts are to reduce the cost of treating for the poor and at the same time, on increasing the number of doctors rapidly," she added. M. Srinivas, Director, AIIMS, New Delhi and faculty members were present on the occasion. SIA carried out raids at multiple locations in terror funding case in Kashmir Srinagar, Sep 24 (UNI) State Investigation Agency (SIA) carried out raids at multiple locations in Srinagar, Budgam and Kupwara districts on Saturday as part of investigations against the narco financing in terror activities in Jammu and Kashmir, officials said. They said SIA of J&K Police conducted extensive searches at different locations in the districts of Srinagar, Budgam & Kupwara today against narcotics dealers. These searches were part of an investigation against Narcro-terrorists who are financing terror through smuggling hard drugs from Pakistan and selling it in J&K and in other parts of the country. London, Sep 25 : Felix Auger-Aliassime moved Team World to within one win of capturing its first Laver Cup title on Sunday, when he upset Team Europe's Novak Djokovic 6-3, 7-6(3) to give his side a 10-8 lead, here. The Canadian played aggressively throughout the one-hour, 35-minute clash to earn his first win against the Serbian. The 22-year-old hit his spots on serve, while he opened his shoulders to push the former World No. 1 back and triumph. "I've been close a few times and in recent times to win against these great champions, so it feels great to get the win.Especially in front of the fans in this arena and for Team World," Auger-Aliassime said in his on-court interview. If American Frances Tiafoe defeats Greek Stefanos Tsitsipas in the third match of the day, Team World will capture the title for the first time, with each clash on Sunday worth three points. In the first match of the day, Auger-Aliassime and Sock edged Matteo Berrettini and Andy Murray 2-6, 6-3, 10-8. In an entertaining battle at the O2 in London, the Canadian and American held their nerve when it mattered, finding first serves and deep returns in the Match Tie-break to secure their victory after one hour and 37 minutes. Sock has now won four points for his side, having teamed with Tiafoe to defeat Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal in the Swiss star's final tour-level match on Friday night. Captain Bjorn Borg is aiming to guide Team Europe to its fifth consecutive Laver Cup title against John McEnroe's Team World Sunday in the UK capital. Berlin, Sep 25 : As protests continue to erupt in Iran and around the world because of the death of Mahsa Amini -- the 22-year-old Iranian woman who died last week while being held in custody by the morality police for allegedly wearing a loose headscarf -- the country's film community is intensely engaged and keenly aware that their voices are now even more at risk of being quashed, reports 'Variety'. Two-time Oscar-winning Iranian director Asghar Farhadi, who is presiding over the Zurich Film Festival jury, has issued a statement and a video appeal urging artistes around the world to proclaim their solidarity with the Iranian people who are protesting against the death of Amini. In an unprecedented wave of street protests in Iran, women have torn off their hijabs, twirled them in the air and thrown them into bonfires, online videos show. "I saw them closely these nights," Farhadi said in his appeal quoted by 'Variety'. "Most of them are very young -- 17 years old, 20 years old. I saw outrage and hope in their faces and in the way they marched in the streets," he noted, and added: "I invite all artistes, filmmakers, intellectuals, civil rights activists from all over the world and all countries, and everyone who believes in human dignity and freedom, to stand in solidarity with the powerful and brave women and men of Iran by making videos, in writing or any other way." Iranian actor and film director Pegah Ahangarani, who on Friday in Berlin attended one of many demonstrations around the world prompted by Amini's death, pointed out that "after years of oppression Iranian women are now saying 'enough is enough' and showing unprecedented courage." But Iran's filmmakers are also aware that this last development, which was prompted by the hard-line Iranian government's ongoing crackdown, can worsen the tough conditions in which they already operate. Orwa Nyrabia, chair of the Berlin-based International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk (ICFR), who is in close contact with detained Iranian film directors Jafar Panahi and Mohammad Rasoulof, said "the polarisation in Iran is reaching new heights. This will mean a more aggressive regime, and this will put political filmmaking at a very high risk." Islamabad, Sep 25 : PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that 100 hours-long conversations of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have been put up for sale on the dark web for $3.5 million and criticised security agencies for overlooking the "sensitive" matter of audio leaks, media reports said. Expressing shock over purported leaked audio clips of government officials, he said: "Even the office of the prime minister of the nuclear-armed country is not safe," Express Tribune reported. Commenting on one of the leaked audio clips featuring a conversation between the Premier and a government official, Fawad said the conversation showed that decisions were being made in London. "(In the audio clip) Maryam Nawaz is demanding Shehbaz Sharif to clear the way for her son-in-law's machinery import from India," he remarked. Separately in a tweet, Chaudhry criticised the country's security agencies, saying: "They would have cared about this sensitive matter if they had got time from political matters." He also expressed surprise over the silence of the government officials on the matter, Express Tribune reported. Another PTI leader Mirza Shahzad Akbar said the audio leak scandal was not a hacking but definitely an inside job, aimed at influencing the government's decision-making ahead of crucial appointments. "First it's not a hack into the system (and) hacker (and) dark web seems cover story, our systems are based on analogue and not digital, in fact, that's one way of Pak cyber security," he said while sharing his sources-based information on the matter. Akbar, who served as PM's aide on accountability during PTI's tenure in power, added that timing of the leak was important "as it's just before crucial appointment, target seems clearly to influence the decision, which way though only time will tell!". Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday said the audio leak has proved that neither an illegal act was committed nor any undue advantage was given to anyone. In a statement, she claimed that the power plant was imported from India under a policy and law formulated during Imran Khan's tenure, Samaa TV reported. "There is a high court order on installation of grid station on 18 July 2022," she said while clarifying the two issues discussed in the audio leak of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Samaa TV reported. An alleged telephonic conversation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with a Prime Minister House's official is making rounds on social media in which the latter could be heard talking with the Prime Minister regarding Maryam Nawaz's alleged influence in government affairs. In the audio tape, the government official is talking with PM Shehbaz Sharif about importing a power plant from India on behalf of the son-in-law of Maryam Nawaz Sharif. During the conversation, the PM House official could be heard advising the premier to not import a plant from India as the step will harm the reputation of government. "The problem is that that matter will first go to AC and then to the cabinet and importing machinery from India on the instructions of the Prime Minister won't be easy as it can become an issue," the official could be heard replying to PM, Samaa TV reported. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that Maryam Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif's audio leaks prove that the Sharif family can illegally import machinery from India for their personal benefit, Samaa TV reported. About the alleged audio leak, he said that Maryam wanted to illegally import machinery from India for her son-in-law's factory. He added that Pakistan cut off all trade ties with India after it abolished Kashmiris' right to self-determination and violated the UN charter. But, this government is trying to restore ties with India, they are ready to neglect the struggle of Kashmiris for their personal benefit, he added, Samaa TV reported. Imran Khan said that the audio leak proves that the Sharif family's only purpose is to hoard money and nothing else, adding that 60 per cent of the federal cabinet was facing corruption charges and that it had derailed the accountability process by amending the NAB laws. Washington, Sep 25 : Most Democrats don't want President Joe Biden to run again in 2024 but appear eager for someone other than him to be the nominee as his new approval ratings hit another new low among liberals. Vice President Kamala Harris appears to be the top contender against Governor Gavin Newsom of California as she is Biden's trusted loyal and rides high on abortion rights and black voters besides being connected to the wealthiest families in New York. Harris' fund raising capacity against other candidates is way ahead of others though some of them can match up to her if not exceed her, political analysts say. John Paul Getty's family (net worth $6 billion - Abigail, Mark and Ivy) and Apple founder Steve Jobs' wife Laureen Powell Jobs (net worth $7 billion) have funded her throughout her campaigns from California's AG to the presidential primaries in 2019. Her toughest rival is Newsom who projects a much stronger image than her to stave off the Republicans if they were to choose either former President Donald Trump or Florida Governor Ron De Santis as their candidate. Newsom can fight better and take the battle into the Republicans camp while Hariss musters huge support from Black, Asian and Latino voters. Democrats appear eager for someone other than Biden to be the party's 2024 presidential nominee, a poll from ABC News and the Washington Post said. The poll found 56 per cent of Democratic-registered voters and Democratic-leaning voters want another candidate to top the ticket. It found only 35 per cent prefer Biden as the Democratic Party's 2024 nominee. The President hit new lows in approval among liberals (68 per cent), southerners (33 per cent), and people in the middle- to upper-middle income range (34 per cent). Biden also hit a record low on approval from black adults at 31 per cent. Already there are predictions from various Gallup polls that the Democrats could succeed in holding onto only one of the Congress's houses, the Senate or the house. House seems to be the one that they can hold onto. Majority of the people report feeling less safe under a Biden presidency, the polls indicated, the Washington Examiner reported. In an interview that aired last weekend, Biden said he will decide whether to seek a second term after November's midterm elections. "Look, my intention, as I said to begin with, is that I would run again. But it's just an intention," Biden told CBS's 60 Minutes. "Is it a firm decision that I run again? That remains to be seen." This ambiguous reply has left the field open for other democrats to throw in their hats if Biden chooses not to run. And there are some seven hopefuls that fit the bill. The new poll also found Biden's overall job approval at 39 per cent, while 53 per cent disapprove. Historically, when a President has had an approval rating of more than 50 per cent, his party has lost an average of 14 seats in midterm elections since 1946, according to ABC. When the President's approval dips lower than 50 per cent, his party has lost an average of 37 seats, the Examiner said. For the first time since 1982 among more than 100 of these ABC/Washington Post surveys, Americans are split 42 per cent to 42 per cent on which party they trust to solve national issues. Traditionally, the Democratic Party has had an average 5 per cent advantage on this question. Trump split Republican-registered voters and Republican-leaning voters, notching 47 per cent and 46 per cent, respectively, on his likability as the party's 2024 nominee. This is 20 points lower than a poll taken during his 2020 nomination. The poll was conducted among 1,006 people, including 908 registered voters, from September 18-21. The margin of error was 3.5 percentage points. Majority of Trump's funders are wary of supporting him with his legal baggage of tax frauds in Manhattan, the Jan 6 Capitol Hill insurrection, lies of stolen election, aligning with extremists like the conspirators QAnon group. But Trump has built his own war chest through the Save America campaign. If Biden doesn't run again, a number of Democrats are expected to wade into the presidential waters. But even Vice President Harris isn't seen as a definitive leading contender in such a situation, Democrats acknowledge privately. "There's not one clear candidate and there's not a rising star," said one top Democratic donor. Shillong, Sep 25 : Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat on Sunday said all people living in India are Hindus in terms of identity. Elaborating the RSS' philosophy, Bhagwat said that Hinduism is not a religion but a way of life. Addressing a gathering in Shillong, the RSS chief said all are Hindus as all Indians are the inhabitants of Hindustan, which, he said is in the south of the Himalayas, north of Indian Ocean, on the bank of the Indus river. "The habitants of this area are traditionally called Hindus. This is also called Bharat," said Bhagwat, who arrived here on Saturday on a two-day visit. He said that even before the Mughals who have spread Islam and the British rulers who spread Christianity, Hindus were already in existence. Highlighting the ideology of RSS, Bhagwat said the term 'Hindu' covers all those who are the sons of 'Bharat Mata', descendants of Indian ancestors and who live in accordance with Indian culture. Ruling out the fear of religious conversion, the RSS supremo said to become Hindu one does not have to change since everyone here is Hindu. "India is not a country with a western concept. It has been a cultural country since time immemorial; in fact, it is such a country, which has taught the world the lesson of humanity." Since Saturday, he has attended a series of events, including the meeting of RSS functionaries and workers across the hill state. Several BJP leaders, members of Hindu organisations attended the events organised by the Meghalaya unit of RSS. Bhagwat's visit to Meghalaya -- a Christian majority state, assumes significance as Assembly elections are scheduled to be held there in February next year. Elaborate security arrangements were made in the state in view of the visit of Bhagwat, who has a 'Z Plus' security cover. New Delhi, Sep 25 : As drana unfolded in Jaipur on Sunday, the Congress top leadership seems committed the same mistake as it did in Punjab, but did not anticipate that MLAs will go against high command unlike in Punjab where a majority of legislators went with its wishes. The reason of the Rajasthan MLAs revolting is that unlike Amarinder Singh in Punjab, Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot has been with the MLAs and had held them together since the 2020 crisis. In Punjab the change of guard was smooth as Amarinder Singh did not resist and resigned, but in Jaipur, the veterans have checkmated the rival camp, who thought MLAs will go as the wish of high command. Politics in Rajasthan took a new twist on Sunday with around 70 MLAs, who are staunch supporters of Gehlot, gathered at the residence of state minister Shanti Dhariwal, to chalk out a strategy to eliminate Sachin Pilot from the race to select his successor. State minister Pratap Khachriyawas said: "We have all the right to choose our leader and we will decide our leader." These MLAs reached the residence of Assembly Speaker C.P. Joshi to submit their resignation. Khachriyawas said that their only demand is that the new Chief Minister should be from those 101 MLAs who helped in saving the government during the rebellion and not from those who were a part of the rebels. Jaipur, Sep 25 : The Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting called on Sunday at Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence has been cancelled as more than 90 Congress MLAs loyal to the veteran party leader threatened to resign, while demanding the new CM face be picked from their group. "The MLAs want either Gehlot or his pick to be Chief Minister instead of Sachin Pilot," Rajasthan minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told the media. Gehlot reportedly received a call from Rajya Sabha MP K.C. Venugopal who asked him to "handle the situation" but the Chief Minister told the Congress' central leadership that it was "not in his hands". Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Pilot, meanwhile, is believed to be the central leaders' choice for the chief ministerial position. A delegation from the Gehlot camp has went to meet senior Congress leader Ajay Maken who is in Jaipur as observer for the CLP meeting. These include state Urban Development and Housing Minister Shanti Dhariwal, Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and Mahesh Joshi. Maken, speaking to the media, said: "We are not going to Delhi as of now. We have been asked to take feedback from each and every single MLA." Meanwhile, sources said that the Congress high command has called both Gehlot and Pilot to Delhi. Washington, Sep 25 : The US and its NATO allies will act "decisively" if Russia uses a tactical nuclear weapon in Ukraine, US National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said on Sunday, reaffirming President Joe Biden's previous response to mounting concerns that Russian President Vladimir Putin's threats are in increased danger of being realised. "We have communicated directly, privately and at very high levels to the Kremlin that any use of nuclear weapons will be met with catastrophic consequences for Russia, that the US and our allies will respond decisively, and we have been clear and specific about what that will entail," Sullivan told CBS's Face the Nation. Putin has been "waving around the nuclear card at various points through this conflict", and it was a matter that Biden's administration has "to take deadly seriously because it is a matter of paramount seriousness - the possible use of nuclear weapons for the first time since the Second World War", he said. In a separate interview with CBS, Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was not certain that Putin was bluffing with nuclear threats. "Maybe yesterday it was a bluff. Now, it could be a reality," he said. "He wants to scare the whole world." Sullivan said Russia's nuclear threat against Ukraine, including extending its nuclear umbrella over eastern parts of the country that are still being contested seven months after its invasion, would not deflect the US and its allies. "We will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend its country and defend its democracy," he said, pointing to more than $15bn in weapons, including air defense systems, hundreds of artillery pieces and rounds of artillery, which the US has supplied to Ukraine. Moscow's mobilisation of troops or "sham referendum in the occupied regions" would not deter the US. "What Putin has done is not exactly a sign of strength or confidence - frankly, it's a sign that they're struggling badly on the Russian side," Sullivan was quoted by the CBS saying. But, Sullivan added, it is "too soon to make comprehensive predictions" about a collapse of Russian forces. "I think what we are seeing are signs of unbelievable struggle among the Russians - you've got low morale, where the soldiers don't want to fight. And who can blame them because they want no part of Putin's war of conquest in their neighboring country?" "Russia is struggling, but it still remains a dangerous foe, and capable of great brutality." Alluding to mass burial sites containing hundreds of graves that Ukrainian forces found after recapturing Izium from Russia, he said: "We continue to take that threat seriously." The US, the International Atomic Agency and Ukraine nuclear regulators are working together to ensure there is no "meltdown" at the Zaporizhzhia nuclear plant in eastern Ukraine. The Russians, he said, had been "consistently implying that there may be some kind of accident at this plant". Reactors at the plant, Sullivan said, had been put into "cold storage" to "try to make sure there is no threat posed by a melt-down or something else at the plant. But it's something we all have to keep a close eye on". Sullivan said US criticism of a crackdown on mounting protests in Iran after the death in police custody of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini would not affect the administration's offer to lift sanctions on Iran as part of the effort to reach a deal on nuclear enrichment. "The fact that we are in negotiations with Iran on its nuclear programme is in no way impacting our willingness and our vehemence in speaking out about what has been happening on the streets of Iran," he said. Last week, Biden told the General Assembly of the United Nations in New York that "we stand with the brave citizens and the brave women of Iran who right now are demonstrating to secure their basic rights". The US President's remarks came shortly after a defiant speech by Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi. In his remarks on Sunday, Sullivan said the US had taken "tangible steps" to sanction the morality police who reportedly caused the death of Mahsa Amini. "We've taken steps to make it easier for Iranians to be able to get access to the internet and communications technologies to talk to one another and talk to the world and we will do all that we can to support the brave people, the brave women, of Iran." But Sullivan refused to be drawn out on whether the US would change its policy on lifting sanctions in exchange for a nuclear deal in light of the protests. "We're talking about diplomacy to prevent Iran from ever getting a nuclear weapon," he said. "If we... succeed, the world, America and its allies will be safer." Washington, Sep 25 : US President Joe Biden's statement this week that it "remains to be seen" if he'll run for re-election and his low approval ratings among the American people that voted him in 2020 has prompted Democrats to think if they should have a different candidate in the White House in 2024 irrespective of whether Donald Trump or Ron DeSantis emerge as the Republican candidate. Democrats want a strong candidate who is a fighter and yet young. According to the list drawn up by Democratic funders and Democratic Party hardliners privately, there seem to be seven Democrats fit to run for the White House in 2024. But only three of them appear to be top contenders -- Vice-President Kamala Harris, Governor Gavin Newsom and Senator Elizabeth Warren. If Biden doesn't run again, a number of Democrats are expected to wade into the Presidential waters. But even Harris isn't seen as a definitive leading contender in such a situation, Democrats acknowledge privately. "There's not one clear candidate and there's not a rising star," said one top Democratic donor. But a section of Democrats and funders believe that Kamala Harris, who lost to Biden in the primaries and who was picked by him to be his running mate, has the President's ears and trust to take his Build Back Better (BBB) initiatives forward. Others feel she is not strong enough to take on the "Make America Great Again" (MAGA) Republicans like Trump or Ron DeSantis. Here's who is generating the most talk and the most confidence, says the Hill in a special report based on the new approval ratings of the incumbent President Joe Biden which appears to be sliding again. Though his legislative successes and EO on abortion rights propped him up from last September's ratings that saw a historic low for an incumbent president at 33 per cent. The November midterms could be a game changer for both parties ahead of 2024. Kamala Harris While Harris, 57, has seen her own approval ratings fall at times during an up-and-down tenure as vice president, she remains the top non-Biden possibility for 2024. Strategists say it would be difficult to convince Black women - who helped catapult Biden to the White House - to vote for anyone else as the party's torch-bearer. And as one strategist pointed out, "No one is going to win the nomination without winning in the South. She has settled into the role. She has also made women's rights one of her issues out on the trail, an issue that can only help her political prospects with the Democratic base as the Supreme Court decision overturning the Roe v. Wade ruling on abortion rights continues to reverberate." Pete Buttigieg Just last month, Buttigieg, 40, the Transportation Secretary appeared in the swing states of Florida, New Hampshire, Nevada and Ohio. Buttigieg's stature with voters could have taken a beating with the railway strike earlier this month but after Biden's late-hour intervention, it never amounted, solidifying his standing with Democratic voters. And he has a young face at 40 years. But he's not a top contender. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer The two Biden administration fixtures are the top two non-Biden Democrats on our list, says the Hill. At a recent event she highlighted her role in the Abortions rights fight. "The only reason Michigan continues to be pro-choice state is because of my veto and my lawsuit," she said, according to CNN. The remarks refer to a lawsuit Whitmer filed to prevent a Michigan abortion ban from happening. Gov. Gavin Newsom At a time when Democrats have been craving for a leader who would get in the faces of Republicans, Newsom, the California governor, appears to do the battle, capable of taking it right into the MAGA Republicans camp. He's tough as Ron DeSantis, the latter has however taken a beating with his planeload exports of illegal immigrants seeking asylum to blue state Michigan's Martha's Vineyard. They were relocated to New York. Newsom, 54, made headlines in July when he took the fight directly to Ron DeSantis (R), running an ad in the Sunshine State blasting the Florida governor and the conservative culture there. Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-Mass.) The one-time presidential hopeful has made it clear she has one race on her mind in 2024: her own re-election to the Senate. She doesn't appear keen on the 2024 presidential run, except saving her seat in Massachusetts against the powerful campaign of MAGA Republicans. Warren, 73, has continued to be a top advocate on Capitol Hill for issues important to Democrats including climate change, abortion rights and gun safety. Again she is old, she will be 75 in 2024. Nevertheless a top contender given her experience. Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) It's tough for some Democrats to see the senator from Vermont launching another presidential campaign. After all, he is 81 years old and - if elected - would be nearing 90 by the end of his term. But Sanders has become such a staple of the Democratic Party since his first White House bid in 2016 that it's hard to rule out a run. And if he did compete, he'd definitely have support. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (N.Y.) Almost no one in the Democratic Party has had the meteoric rise of "AOC", as she's known. And while most strategist's doubt that the congresswoman from New York will run for president just yet, her name is constantly bandied about when Democrats complain that their bench is weak. She turns 35 a month before the 2024 election. She's a young face which electors want but may yet lack the experience for the high office. New Delhi, Sep 26 : After the action taken by the various central investigating agencies against the extremist organisation -- Popular Front of India (PFI), the demand for banning the latter has started growing louder with each passing day. The Muslim Rashtriya Manch, an affiliate of the right wing organisation Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), has demanded an immediate ban on the PFI from the Central government after holding a meeting with other nationalist organisations. The RSS Muslim wing has asked the Union government: "If the PFI has become so dangerous, then why is it not being banned at the earliest? Why are the organisation's bank accounts not being frozen yet? Why are its properties not being attached? Why strict action is not being taken against the leaders, office-bearers and representatives of the PFI on the basis of their involvement in violence-related incidents?" However, a few days ago the Union government told the Supreme Court that PFI is being banned in several states and it is going to impose a ban on the extremist organisation. After a meeting with other nationalist organisations, Mohammad Afzal and Shahid Akhtar, the National Convenor of Muslim Rashtriya Manch, described PFI as a more dangerous terrorist organisation than SIMI and said that the evidences recovered during the raids conducted by the central investigating agencies are enough proof to ban this organisation. Hence, the government should immediately ban the PFI by taking strictest action against it. The Rashtriya Muslim Manch Media In-charge Shahid Saeed said that all the evidences found against the PFI clearly shows that it is a terrorist organisation which receives funding from foreign countries and slogans of 'Pakistan Zindabad' are raised in the rallies conducted by it. A full council meeting in Nsanje has agreed to veto central government decision to remove district commissioner Dr. Medson Matchaya. Ward councillors, traditional leaders and members of parliament who sit on the council meeting have since agreed to write the ministry of Local Government to rescind its decisions of removing Dr Medson Matchaya as the district commissioner. Recently, Media was awash with reports that the Ministry has transferred some DCs including Nsanje DC. According to members of the council, the decision by the Local Government, threatens acceleration of development and it is against the resolution by the Malawi Local Government Association (MALGA) that no controlling officer of a council shall be transferred or deployed to a council without the consent of the council as such an action will be rejected. Former Deputy Minister and Councilor for Dinde ward Bonface Chimpokosera said the district has registered positive things during Matchaya leadership hence they will not accept him to go anywhere. Senior Chief Chimombo said President Lazarus Chakwera assured the Chiefs during Nsanje Chiefs visit to State House that the DC will remain as requested by the chiefs after noticing his hardworking sprit. Dr. Medson Matchaya has been redeployed to the Ministry of Healthy. United Democratic Front Ruo Ward Councillor Marko Molotali was against Matchaya's redeployment; arguing most developments that stalled for a long time have been completed during Matchaya's reign Meanwhile, Senior Chief Chimombo said he was shocked with news of Matchaya's redeployment. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Malawi Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "During the recent meeting of Nsanje Chiefs and President Dr LazarusChakwera, the president assured us that the Nsanje District Commissioner would not be redeployed," the chief claimed. He added that before Matchaya, the district was embroiled in massive corruption. However, another DPP Councillor for Mlonda Ward, Cassam Useni Ngwali felt it was too early for the members to debate this without official confirmation from the Ministry of Local Government. Reacting to the issue, Nsanje District Council Chairperson Rose Makiyi said the members have agreed to write to government expressing their dissatisfaction on Matchaya's redeployment. But drama ensued later when a group of women stormed the Council campus chanting songs of protest against the DC's transfer. Authorities at the Local Government Ministry said the redeployment of the DC's was meant to revamp work. Faizabad : , Sep 26 (IANS) One person was killed and three others injured as a blast rocked Faizabad city, the capital of Afghanistan's northern Badakhshan province, Provincial Head of Information and Culture Department Qari Maazudin Ahmadi said. The blast took place in front of Faizabad Municipality at 4 p.m. local time, killing one civilian and injuring three others, the official added on Sunday. Ahmadi said an investigation was underway, Xinhua news agency reported. No group or individual has claimed responsibility for the blast. On Friday, a deadly blast outside a mosque in the Afghanistan capital Kabul claimed seven lives and injured more than 40 others. Sanaa, Sep 26 : Yemen's Houthi rebel group has rejected the accusation that its recent military parade in the Yemeni Red Sea port city of Hodeidah has threatened the truce in Yemen, Houthi-run al-Masirah TV reported. The Houthi group reiterated that it would remain in support of a "just and honourable peace". On September 20, ministers and representatives of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Britain, and the US held a meeting to discuss the situation in Yemen, after which they issued a joint statement to condemn the recent Houthi military parade. The countries pledged full support to the ongoing efforts of UN Special Envoy Hans Grundberg to extend and expand the truce which is due for renewal on October 2, and that all terms of the truce must be fully implemented, Xinhua news agency reported. Earlier this month, the Houthi group held a large public military parade in Hodeidah. The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen said the rebel group violated the UN-brokered 2018 Hodeidah Agreement that stipulated the full withdrawal of the group from the port city. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia stormed several northern provinces and forced the Yemeni government out of the capital Sanaa. In 2015, Saudi Arabia led a coalition that includes the UAE, Sudan, and others to intervene in the Yemeni conflict to support the Yemeni government. Baghdad, Sep 26 : A soldier and two Islamic State (IS) militants were killed in clashes in a rugged area in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, the Iraqi military said. An army force clashed with IS militants during an operation to hunt down the extremist militants near Himreen Lake, nearly 80 km northeast of the provincial capital Baquba, killing a soldier and two IS militants while injuring another two soldiers, Captain Mohammed al-Timimi from the Iraqi army told Xinhua news agency on Sunday. The clashes ended after the Iraqi helicopter gunships were called in to carry out airstrikes on IS positions, al-Timimi added. Despite repeated military operations in the Diyala province, remnants of IS militants are still hiding in some rugged areas near the border with Iran and the sprawling area extending from the western part of the province to the Himreen mountain range, including Himreen Lake northern of Baquba, which itself located nearly 65 km northeast of Baghdad, Xinhua news agency reported. The security situation in Iraq has been improving since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, its remnants have since melted into urban centres, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. Today, digital equity is fundamental to access education, healthcare, employment, political participation, and other basic rights, said Phillip J. Kim, CEO of the Michelson 20MM Foundation. These projects will help ensure underserved communities are central to these conversations. Three social change organizations are partnering on a new and unique approach to philanthropy by funding and advancing digital equity advocacy in California through the Digital Equity Pooled Fund. The inaugural recipients of the Funds $100,000 grants are The Utility Reform Network (TURN) and the Center for Accessible Technology (CforAT), two organizations leading digital equity efforts in California. The new collaboration is coordinated by the Michelson 20MM Foundation in partnership with the Silicon Valley Community Foundation (SVCF) and California Community Foundation (CCF). It will position equity at the forefront of how broadband infrastructure dollars are spent in California. It will ensure digital equity advocates and communities most affected by the digital divide can make their voices heard in critical regulatory processes at the state and federal levels. The challenges facing underserved populations are exacerbated by digital inequity gaps which impact their ability to access education, healthcare, employment, civic participation, and more. The invite-only grants provide technical assistance and training for digital equity advocates, local municipalities, and counties. They also institutionalize support for sustained community engagement at the California Public Utilities Commission (CPUC) on broadband, digital literacy, and beyond; build the capacity of local grassroots organizations to engage on digital equity issues; and foster philanthropic affinity groups, creating space to educate philanthropy on opportunities to support systems change strategies. "By pooling our funds to support ongoing, hands-on technical support for community-based organizations and local governments to participate in the state's critical regulatory processes, we are making a shared investment in leveling the playing field for the people and communities most affected by the digital divide, said Shayna Englin, Director of CCF's Digital Equity Initiative. In the coming year, we anticipate a significant shift in the balance of voices heard at the California Public Utilities Commission in favor of community and equity." As the only independent statewide utility consumer advocacy organization in California, TURNs work centers on advocating for affordable and dependable utility services, and standing up for consumers across the state as an independent and unbiased voice. TURNs Voice for Broadband Equity Project, directly supported by the fund, will provide training and technical assistance to BIPOC-led and BIPOC- and low-income-serving organizations who want to participate in proceedings at CPUC. "Support from the Digital Equity Pooled Fund is critical to enabling TURN to bring diverse community voices from Los Angeles, the Central Valley, and throughout California to impact policy making at CPUC, to ensure that telecom carriers are held accountable to reaching state residents without affordable, high-speed internet service," stated Mark W. Toney, Executive Director of TURN. Concurrently, CforAT represents people with disabilities before the CPUC for both telecommunications policy and energy policy. They are working to ensure that telecommunications services are accessible, wireless access is expanded, utility services are affordable, and changes in these arenas are effectively communicated among individuals with access and functional needs. "For decades, the profit motives of large incumbent internet service providers like AT&T and Comcast have deprived people with disabilities, households of color, and low-income households of the broadband services that are critical to success in todays economy, said Paul Goodman, Legal Counsel for CforAT. CforAT has always believed that decisions about communities needs and solutions are best made by communities themselves. CforAT is honored to have the opportunity to help communities build capacity to advocate for broadband policies that place the needs of community members above shareholder dividends." Through their Digital Equity Technical Assistance Project, CforAT will house a technical assistance center to support sustained community engagement concerning broadband, digital literacy, and beyond. The center will also provide additional resources, including office hours and a review of community comments. Today, digital equity is fundamental to access education, healthcare, employment, political participation, and other basic rights. For too long, policy development and decision-making has been monopolized by corporate interests, said Phillip J. Kim, CEO of the Michelson 20MM Foundation. These projects will help ensure underserved communities are central to these conversations. To learn more about the funds grantmaking priorities and the growing list of philanthropic partners, visit the Digital Equity Pooled Fund page. Contact: Cristal Mojica, cristal@20mm.org About Michelson 20MM Foundation Based in Los Angeles, the Michelson 20MM Foundation is a private, nonprofit foundation seeking to accelerate progress towards a more just world through grantmaking, operating programs, and impact investing. Co-chaired and funded by Alya and Gary Michelson, Michelson 20MM is part of the Michelson Philanthropies network of foundations. To learn more, visit 20mm.org. About Silicon Valley Community Foundation Silicon Valley Community Foundation helps build and strengthen the community by bringing together people and organizations who want to strengthen the common good. SVCF is a regional catalyst, connector, and collaborator. Through advocacy, research, policy, and grantmaking, SVCF seeks systemic solutions to drive enduring community change. About California Community Foundation California Community Foundation is driven to find long-term, systemic solutions addressing the root causes of the most pressing issues facing Los Angeles County. Since 2000, CCF has given more than $200 million in discretionary grants, impacting hundreds of thousands of lives and helping to transform entire communities. Every one of those grants represented the legacy of a donor who was dedicated to creating a healthier, more prosperous and empowered LA. Sustainable fashion can be edgy, beautiful and boundless, -Lexy Silverstein With explosions of color mimicking Mother Nature herself, the sustainably fashioned creations of Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising (FIDM) student Andres Guerra were brought to life by multimedia influencer Lexy Silverstein, who wore the designs during New York Fashion Week. Silverstein attended the worlds biggest fashion event for emerging designers to feature brands investing in sustainability. Silverstein attracted much of the lens time herself with Guerras creations, which were sourced from some materials that would have otherwise gone into a landfill. My favorite design from my capsule collection, Las Chamas is the multi-colored set made from scraps from my other creations,'' said Andres Guerra. What better place than NYFW to show that sustainability can and must be a core value in fashion? A passionate and innovative sustainable fashion advocate, Silverstein collaborated with Guerra on the designs to show how every scrap, shred and thread can be used and reused to create memorable fashion statements. The outfits she wore during NYFW included: 7 yards of heavy 100% cotton denim sourced from Michael Levine, fashioned into a circle skirt featuring dramatic sleeves with flat welt seams, raw frayed edges and an attached hood. 7 yards of orange tulle and 7 yards of purple polyester gabardine, both sourced at Michael Levine, fashioned into a multi-layer dress of which one layer was horse hair. The gabardine was hand sewn into a puffy purple skirt floating over a loose-fitting tulle leg wrap. Hand-ripped scraps of multi-hued recycled polyester gabardine were sewn onto sky-blue base fabric to create a skirt and top that rippled down in hot-lava colors over long leaves of bright green. Sustainable fashion can be edgy, beautiful and boundless, says Silverstein. Theres no excuse for waste. Young designers like Andres and others are showing that creativity and sustainability go hand in hand. About @Lexy Silverstein: Lexy Silverstein is a sustainable fashion blogger, Instagram advocate and influencer. Lexy is currently studying fashion merchandising and marketing at Fashion Institute of Design and Merchandising FIDM) in Los Angeles. Shes a brand ambassador for Remake, Nordstrom, Nuuly and several other sustainable brands. Lexy is also a Social Media Marketer for Red Carpet Green Dress. Lexy writes about sustainable fashion on her blog, eLEXYfy.com and interviews influencers, designers and advocates about this important topic on her podcast, eLEXYfy, The Place for Fashion. You can follow her on her socials: Instagram: @lexysilverstein Youtube: Lexy Silverstein Twitter:@eLEXYfy TikTok: @lexysilverstein Facebook: Lexy Silverstein Liketoknow.it/lexysilverstein About Andres Guerra Guerra (Instagram: @_andreswar_) is a first-generation Venezuelan-American who sees fashion as a way to express his individuality through the art perspective of the avant garde world. His capsule collection, which is known as Las Chamas, is a colorful celebration and homage to his culture. It plays with the use of layers, raw edges and dramatic silhouettes. I got into fashion just two years ago, he notes. I realized fashion was the path I needed to take to grow artistically. There have been many trials and errors, not only in my samples but in life as well. But nothing can stop my constant passion that is in every stitch you see in every design I make. In this journey, I will continue to forge my own path. Monster Energys Leah McCourt Defeats Dayana Silva at Bellator 285 in Dublin, Ireland "I pushed for a win here in Dublin tonight. It really shows the progression in my game and what I worked for over the last 16 weeks." - Leah McCourt Back in the winners bracket! Monster Energy congratulates Leah McCourt on defeating Dayana Silva at Bellator 285 in Dublin, Ireland, on Friday night. In the main card bout contested in the womens featherweight division, the 30-year-old from Saintfield, Northern Ireland, earned a unanimous decision victory after three rounds (29-28, 30-27, 30-27). Bellator 285: Henderson vs. Queally was contested in front of a high-energy audience at 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland. The main card was broadcast on Showtime, and the Monster Energy Prelims streamed live on YouTube. Monster Energys Leah The Curse McCourt (7-2) came to Dublin looking to get back into the win column after suffering a decision loss against Sinead Kavanagh at Bellator 275 in February 2022. Her opponent, Brazilian Dayana Silva (10-8), had previously defeated Janay Harding at Bellator 279 in April. From the start, McCourt looked sharp and brought the pressure with controlled low kicks and a dangerous high kick that put her opponent on notice. When both fighters engaged in a clinch, Silva felt the full impact of McCourts grappling ability. After landing a heavy combo, McCourt closed the round with a quick takedown that left Silva hanging on until the bell. Round two started with fast footwork from McCourt and a precise left hook that shook Silva. But the Brazilian fired back, visibly damaging McCourt above the eye with a cut that would spell trouble later in the bout. Although the facial bleeding intensified in round three, McCourt kept defending against a reinvigorated Silva. The Brazilian was swinging wildly, trying to cause maximum damage, but McCourt interfered with well-timed takedown attempts and landed punishing knees to the body. Right before the end of the fight, McCourt landed a series of impactful shots and was pronounced the winner by unanimous decision (29-28, 30-27, 30-27). I pushed for a win here in Dublin tonight. It really shows the progression in my game and what I worked for over the last 16 weeks, said Leah McCourt after her victory at Bellator 285. Asked about her next fight, McCourt said: February in Dublin! I dont care who. As long as I get to fight here in Dublin. Stay tuned for more now that McCourt is back in the winners circle! Now holding a professional MMA record of seven wins and two losses, McCourt is a Judo Black Belt as well as a Black Belt in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. Before making her pro MMA debut on the Cage Warriors promotion in 2017, she earned titles as an International Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu Federation gold medalist and IMMAF World and European Amateur champion. Leah McCourt counts amongst Monster Energys elite MMA athletes along with Sergio Pettis, Aaron Pico, Gaston Bolanos, Phil Davis, Valerie Loureda, Kamaru Usman, A.J. McKee, Juan Archuleta, Joey Davis, Douglas Lima, Erik Perez, James Gallagher, Austin Vanderford, Jon Bones Jones, Donald Cowboy Cerrone, Jorge Gamebred Masvidal, Chris The All American Weidman, Paulo The Eraser Costa, Stipe Stone Cold Miocic, Michael Chandler, Justin Gaethje, Jessica-Rose Clark, Valentina Shevchenko, Sean Suga OMalley, Brandon Moreno, Daniel Rodriguez, and Giga Ninja Chikadze. For more on Monster Energys MMA athletes visit http://www.monsterenergy.com. Follow Monster Energy on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. About Monster Energy Based in Corona, California, Monster Energy is the leading marketer of energy drinks and alternative beverages. Refusing to acknowledge the traditional, Monster Energy supports the scene and sport. Whether motocross, off-road, NASCAR, MMA, BMX, surf, snowboard, ski, skateboard, or the rock and roll lifestyle, Monster Energy is a brand that believes in authenticity and the core of what its sports, athletes and musicians represent. More than a drink, its the way of life lived by athletes, sports, bands, believers, and fans. See more about Monster Energy including all of its drinks at http://www.monsterenergy.com. Click here for old website Nairobi Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) Governor Patrick Njoroge and Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani have publicly differed on the impact of Gross Domestic Product, GDP, on the economy and livelihoods. Njoroge who spoke on Monday during the induction of Members of the National Assembly lamented that citizens are not interested in the county's GDP but instead, are interested with how those monetary values measured by the government through the Treasury helps them. "You cannot eat GDP. It is not GDP that people are interested in. The issue is, the incomes that we are measuring, are they helping people?" he posed. Njoroge said while GDP is a key indicator of economic performance it cannot be the overring mechanism to gauge the overall economic wellbeing of the nation's citizens. "GDP is a means to an end, not an end in itself, but the ultimate goal remains improving quality of life, especially for those who are the worst off," he said. But in an apparent response, outgoing Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani told newly-elected senators during the Senate induction on Thursday that former President Uhuru Kenyatta's government had delivered economic prosperity to Kenyans citing the county's GDP. "In the last one year, we realized a GDP growth of 7.5 per cent unheard of in the last 15 years," he remarked. CBK had in 2020 reported a decline of 0.3 per cent in the country's economic growth before a rebound at 7.4 per cent in 2021. The country further experienced of 6.8 per cent in the first quarter of 2022. Yatani also dismissed claims that the government only had Sh92 million as a discretionary income left in the Treasury saying government is funded on a daily basis in fulfillment of the competing needs such as payment of salaries, allocations to counties, parliament, judiciary and settling debts. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Kenya Business Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "You hear some people saying Treasury has Sh92 million left. That is ignorance. Government doesn't collect money and keep it. We collect money on a daily basis and distribute it based on competing needs." Yatani argued counties have over the past years relied so much on equitable sharing and completely ignored their own sources of revenue generation. "The county governments fully functional, with all the professionals and the infrastructure cannot create revenue on their own," he claimed. Treasury CS pointed fingers on the laxity in the county governments on remitting collected revenue to the national government saying the growth of the economy had been hindered by the thriving rate of corruption within county governments. "Corruption has thrived in the county governments to the extent that I am not even sure whether the dream of the constitution making organs is fully realized," he said. Photo taken on Sept. 3, 2022 shows the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua) People visit the Registan Square in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua) People visit the Registan Square in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua) Vehicles run on a street in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua) People ride bicycles in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua) People visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua) People visit the Ulugh Beg Observatory in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Sept. 3, 2022. Samarkand is the second largest city of Uzbekistan. It is an ancient city on the Silk Road and a melting port of the world's cultures. (Xinhua) Minister for Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Togolese Abroad for Togo, Robert Dussey, said that Africa has become the sanctuary of terrorist groups, as threats long confined to the Sahel spilled over into the western part of the continent. That is why his country's President continues to invest and mediate for peace, especially to end the crisis between Cote d'Ivoire and Mali. Pointing to the recent terrorist attacks in the north of Togo, he added that the use of sophisticated means by the jihadists was a great concern to his delegation, welcoming the consensual adoption of the annual progress report of the Working Group on Digitalization in the context on international and national security and reaffirming its determination to drive criminals out of Togo's borders. Highlighting his country's commitment to address cyberthreats, he welcomed efforts by the ad hoc committee for elaborating a comprehensive convention on countering the use of information and communications technology for criminal purposes and encouraged all stakeholders to establish this legal instrument. Also on security, he affirmed the "important need to fully revise our Organization and spare no effort to achieve reform of the Security Council". On Security Council reform, he asked States to work to make the body more reflective of present-day realities, which have changed profoundly since 1945. Reiterating the need for the continent to secure two permanent seats in addition to two non-permanent seats for African States, he noted the reluctance of certain permanent Council members, indicating that some countries see Africa as "a purely instrumental entity for the services of their causes". When a resolution is under discussion, then Africa is "subject to pressure by both sides". As the continent increasingly speaks in a single voice, he emphasized that many African countries were no longer bound by colonial history and were keen to work with new partners, which should shift their approach. "Africa expects more equality, respect, equity and justice in its relations and partnerships with other powers, regardless of who they may be," he stressed. Monkeypox is spread through close contact with an infected person. The most common symptoms are rashes that may initially look like pimples or blisters, which can occur on various parts of the body. (Courtesy/Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) Spread This News BULAWAYO residents have written a petition to city councillors and management expressing concern over the local authority's billing system. Residents have been complaining about the system which has seen some receiving huge service charges bills. The Bulawayo Residents Association (BPRA) petitioned council last Friday, calling for the system to be abolished. "Residents are concerned about the faulty billing system which has seen (many) receiving exorbitant rates on inaccurate estimates," said BPRA. "The undersigned residents hereby implore Bulawayo city councillors and Bulawayo City Council management to revisit their figures and billing methodology." The petition was delivered to the local authority's revenue offices throughout the city. Chairperson of Tshabalala Resident Association (TRA) Gilbert Ndlovu accused the city council of taking residents for granted. "Most of the residents in my ward have been receiving shocking water bills," he said. "It seems council is now depending on estimating water meter readings. There is now very serious inconsistency in council 's water billing system." Last month residents also wrote a petition to the local authority expressing displeasure over the local authority's recent decision to levy residents in US dollars. You are the owner of this article. Pixiv users succeeded in getting the cloned Chinese site blocked with a reference to the 1989 Tiananmen massacre. Illustrators on the Japanese website Pixiv peppered their works with keywords and terms, such as Free Hong Kong and "June 4, Tiananmen Square," that are forbidden in China so CCP censors were forced to shut down the copied and pirated site vpixiv. A Japanese art and manga website that was cloned by Chinese pirates has hit back by encoding forbidden keywords and hashtags banned by Chinese censors into its code, prompting the authorities to shut the pirated version down. Pixiv, which describes itself as "an online community for artists," is headquartered in Tokyo, and offers a showcase for artists' works, as well as a rating system with feedback and user comments. It has been phenomenally successful, garnering more than 3.7 billion page views a month. Then, the entire site was cloned by Chinese pirates, who copied the site's content almost verbatim, translating tags and titles into simplified Chinese, and offering the pirated site vpixiv to users in mainland China. Pixiv fought back, however, with some of the site's users adding "sensitive" keywords to their artworks, including "Tiananmen massacre," which alerted the ruling Chinese Communist Party (CCP)'s massive, government-backed censorship system. Other sensitive and forbidden keywords included "Free Hong Kong," "Independence for Taiwan," and "June 4, Tiananmen Square," all of which are heavily censored terms behind China's Great Firewall. Germany-based university lecturer Zhu Rui said the move had deliberately and ingeniously manipulated government censors in China. "The Japanese artists being pirated on Pixiv were forced to take this action as a last resort to defend their rights," Zhu told RFA. "The pirated website was then shut down by the iron fist of the CCP, which was great to see." The Chinese pirate site vpixiv was shut down by authorities after illustrators used banned words. Credit: Screenshot of vpixiv website Piracy and plagiarism Zhu said Chinese pirates have a long history of cloning platforms invented elsewhere. "Some [people] plagiarize other people's creations or steal technology overseas, and then put their name on it back in China, and make a lot of money when it gets famous," Zhu said. "The vast majority of Chinese Internet users love it." One comment on a Chinese social media platform joked about Pixiv's move, saying "insulting China has become the best defense against theft," while another bemoaned the effect on the country's overseas image: "Counterfeit China is adding to our international humiliation," the user wrote. France-based cultural commentator Wang Longmeng blamed authoritarian rule by the CCP for stifling innovation. "This sort of surveillance leads to a lack of freedom and creativity, so China, which has lost the ability to innovate, has become the champion of intellectual property theft," Wang said. "China's reputation as a copycat nation is well-deserved." "Everything, it seems, is stolen, from high-tech to art ... I just never expected the magic weapon that would defeat them would be their own sensitive keywords," he said. "It's another real-world example of how they shoot themselves in the foot." Pixiv isn't the first platform to use this method. Taiwanese YouTubers have been known to add keywords like #WinnieThePooh to their videos to prevent them from being reposted without permission to video-sharing sites in China like Bilibili. All mention of Winnie the Pooh has been banned from China's tightly controlled internet after users made memes and jokes on social media suggesting that the fictional bear resembled CCP leader Xi Jinping. Translated and edited by Luisetta Mudie. Prof Owojecho Omoha, Director General of the Obidient Movement, Nigeria, says the movement is overwhelmed by the mammoth crowd witnessed at its rally in Abuja. Omoha made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on the sideline of the Obidient Mega Rally held on Saturday in Abuja. NAN reports that supporters of the Labour Party (LP)'s Presidential Candidate, Peter Obi, popularly known as 'Obidients' held a rally in Abuja, marching en masse from the Unity Fountain to City Gate in solidarity with Obi's presidency. "The rally in the FCT is a microcosm of entire Nigeria and the mammoth crowd that we witnessed here today is unprecedented of any other rally that has taken place. "This gives the indication that people from all walks of life that are in Abuja have actually taken their decision for good governance and a better Nigeria. "Peter Obi is just the symbol of that agreement and as we move on to the flag off of campaigns across the country on September 28, that is when Nigerians even at the grassroots will get to know that really, Nigerians are yearning for a change. "This actually concretises everybody's resolution; you must not know Peter Obi, the ideal of which we are fighting is that of Nigeria and it belongs to all of us," he said. Some of them who spoke to NAN vowed to drive the "obedient" to victory come the 2023 General Elections. They said the rally was a test run of what they would be doing as the campaign begins on September 28. Mr Victor Tunde, a member of the group, said the support for Labour Party was support for youths to take over the affairs of the nation to drive the desired change and development they had been crazing for. "This massive crowd here today shows that youths are ready, we are ready to take over in every area especially politically. We have our voter cards and we will use it to decide our leader," he said. Mrs Ngozi Uzor, a trader and supporter of the Obidient movement, said she closed her shop to come out in solidarity of the movement, adding that market women were ready to work for obi. "I have been a trader for some time now. I watched how the price of a bag of rice rose from N7,500 to N16,000 and now it is N30,000 and above. "This is too much, prices of things are so high now in the market and people are suffering; it is time we changed this for the good of the nation." Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Mr Usman Abdulahi, a teacher and a supporter of the movement, said supporting Obi was natural because of the numerous plans he has for the nation. "Nigeria is faced with many challenges from insecurity to unemployment and many other things. Previous leaders have tried to solve the problems but they are still there. "So, it is high time we tried a younger person with the technological and economic know-how to drive sustainable economic development in Nigeria." NAN reports that Peter Obi on his Twitter handle wrote: "From Kano, I am watching the OBIdients gathered in Abuja and exercising their Constitutional rights to peaceful assembly. I salute you all. "I appreciate you all. God bless you all and God bless the Federal Republic of Nigeria. - PO". One of the highlights of the rally was the wedding ceremony of a couple who joined the movement as a way of showing their solidarity for Obi. -NAN Politicians in Bulgaria are crisscrossing the Balkan country of nearly 7 million to convince voters to cast ballots for them in snap parliamentary elections scheduled for October 2. But one candidate, Ivan Kalchev, is not on the campaign trail, but the battlefield in Ukraine. Kalchev traveled to Ukraine in early March to join up with the foreign legion organized by Kyiv, shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered his troops into Ukraine on February 24. In fact, Kalchev told RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service that he is now taking part in the Ukrainian counteroffensive. "Everything was very well prepared and organized and there is nothing accidental about the successes," Kalchev stated, adding that life on the battlefield is nothing like in the movies. Ukraine's much-anticipated counterattack launched early this month has dealt not only a blow to Russia's military but provided Ukrainians with hope amid what has been a dramatic change in momentum. Kalchev has been awed by the reaction of overjoyed Ukrainians in freed towns and villages. "With joy, with pride, with tears in my eyes, I just see how these people are happy to be freed," Kalchev told RFE/RL from an undisclosed location. Shortly after Russian forces invaded Ukraine in February, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy appealed to foreigners willing to help defend Ukraine and join the fight. WATCH: Soldiers from around the world continue to join Ukraine's foreign legion, motivated by the need to help with "the most important conflict in the last 50 years," as one American volunteer put it. The government even set up a website for them to join the international brigade, which is now thought to number in the thousands, with one recent estimate putting the figure at some 20,000. Fighting For Reform As Kalchev helps Ukraine reclaim its land from invading Russian forces, back at home politicians are battling for ballots. Bulgaria -- a member of the European Union and NATO -- is holding early parliamentary elections on October 2, the fourth such poll in less than two years amid much political instability. The reformist government led by Kiril Petkov collapsed in June, six months after one of its coalition partners quit. Petkov, who heads the We Continue the Change (PP) party, which came to power in November 2021, has struggled to deliver on his pledge to stamp out corruption. He has also backed Ukraine in its fight against Russia in a country traditionally friendly toward Moscow. Petkov fired Defense Minister Stefan Yanev for his reluctance to describe the Russian invasion as a war. In June, Petkov expelled 70 Russian diplomatic staff, accusing them of working against Sofia's interests. From Star Student To Soldier Kalchev was a star student in Sofia, graduating from the National High School of Natural Sciences with honors, before studying physics and information technology at university. As a kid, his schoolmates called him "Gligi" for the necklace he wore adorned with the teeth of wild boars -- gligi in Bulgarian. In eighth grade, he befriended Vladimir Yonchev, the founder and editor in chief of the OffNews website, https://offnews.bg/ who told RFE/RL that Kalchev was "one of the smartest people he knows." Yonchev said he also studied physics, computer science, and politics, while spending his remaining free time riding his motorcycle or melding metal in the special furnace he built himself. Yonchev also recalls how Kalchev's political passion led to his joining the Green Movement party in 2013, rising through its leadership ranks over the years. Members of the environmentally friendly Green Movement were at the vanguard of anti-government protests that swept Bulgaria in 2020-21. But despite his rich and impressive background, there was one thing Kalchev lacked, especially given his current location and vocation: military training. In fact, just a week before he set off for Ukraine, Kalchev said he got his first training. In the early months of the war, Kalchev didn't see any military action. Instead, he carried out multiple tasks, from translating -- he speaks English -- to troubleshooting -- making sure the Starlink Internet satellite connection was working -- to even evacuating the wounded, he recounted in an interview with OffNews in late June. That all changed, Kalchev told RFE/RL, shortly after Ukraine's military launched its counteroffensive, largely in the northeastern corner of the country. Russian forces suffered a stunning reversal this month after Ukrainian troops made a rapid armored thrust with special forces in the northeastern region of Kharkiv, forcing a sometimes rushed and chaotic Russian withdrawal. Zelenskiy said on September 14 that his army had liberated around 8,000 square kilometers. It's been the swiftest advance by Ukrainian forces since driving Russian forces away from the capital of Kyiv in March, and some analysts say it has turned the tide of the seven-month invasion. For Kalchev, modern warfare has little in common with its portrayal in Hollywood films, with lots of time spent doing nothing, just waiting. That all changed abruptly when the counteroffensive started and sleep became much shorter, sometimes just two hours a night, Kalchev said. He was awed at the array of military might the Ukrainians had at their disposal. "Even in a computer game, I have never seen so many tanks and APCs (armored personnel carriers) as I saw there," Kalchev said. Despite the horrors of war, the reaction of those in freed towns and villages has buoyed his spirits. "In all the villages we have liberated, people have taken to the streets, usually one main street that runs through the village. They come outside, with flags, with balloons, waving the flags, smiling at us and waving at every military vehicle that passes by," Kalchev said. Certain hazards remain in liberated territories, Kalchev points out, such as mines or unexploded artillery shells. It's unclear how many Bulgarians are in Ukraine fighting on the side of Kyiv's forces. In the early days of the invasion, news emerged of a Bulgarian battalion in Ukraine. However, that later appeared to be nothing more than a social-media hoax, even though it was taken seriously enough to be debated in parliament. With campaigning for the upcoming poll under way back home, Kalchev says he is reaching out to potential voters through a Facebook page that is maintained by his election team. Kalchev is unsure whether he will return to Bulgaria by voting day on October 2, explaining that circumstances on the battlefield will probably conspire to make that impossible. Kalchev is a candidate for the Green Movement, a member of the Democratic Bulgarian coalition, a grouping formed in 2018 that unites reform forces. "The votes for us will be a test of how important geopolitics is to our voters," Kalchev explained. The coalition has a pro-Western orientation and is demanding Bulgaria take a stronger stance in supporting Ukraine. Taking his cue from Ukraine, Kalchev said in a recent Facebook post that "the counteroffensive in Bulgaria begins on October 2. Vote!" Written by Tony Wesolowsky based on reporting by Dilyana Teoharova of RFE/RL's Bulgarian Service Anti-government protests have erupted in Tehran and other cities for a 10th night over the death of a young Iranian woman after a reported beating at the hands of morality police, despite official warnings that an already deadly crackdown would toughen. The simmering anger over 22-year-old Mahsa Amini's death this month has also sparked demonstrations outside Iranian embassies around the world, including in Paris, where French police used tear gas and anti-riot tactics to thwart a march by hundreds of people on Iran's diplomatic compound. In Iran's capital, students gathered at Tehran University late on September 25 to chant slogans including "Freedom, freedom, freedom!" and "We will fight, we will die, we will take back Iran!" They also chanted for the release of jailed students. In the city of Ekbatan, in western Iran, where Amini is from and where much of the resulting unrest has taken place, demonstrators chanted, "Death to Basiji!" in a cry targeting the volunteer militia full of hard-liners who frequently dispense some of the harshest treatment of demonstrators. Details of many of the protests are piecemeal, as Iranian officials have blocked Internet and other digital connections as they frequently do in areas of intense unrest. The head of Iran's powerful judiciary earlier in the day pledged to act "without leniency" in the deadly crackdown on protests. Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei's comments on the judiciary's official Mizan Online on September 25 followed a warning the previous day by hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi that the country must "deal decisively with those who oppose the country's security and tranquility." Mizan Online said Mohseni-Ejei had "emphasized the need for decisive action without leniency" against the primary instigators of what he described as "riots." An official toll said 41 people have so far died in the unrest, but rights groups and other observers suggest the number is likely higher as protests have spread to at least 80 cities and towns. In the French capital, protesters gathered for a second day to express outrage at Amini's death and express solidarity with Iranians risking their freedom to speak out against the country's hard-line religious leadership. The French protest began at Trocadero Square in downtown Paris but was met by police in full riot gear and police vans as it approached the Iranian Embassy a short distance away. Police fired tear gas to disperse the crowd. Josep Borrell, the European Union's high representative for foreign policy, hours earlier called Iran's crackdown "unjustifiable" and "unacceptable." Officials in Tehran have blamed foreign governments and other outside elements for fomenting the protests. Iran's Foreign Ministry said on September 25 that it summoned both the British and Norwegian ambassadors over alleged actions and comments related to the unrest. It said the British envoy was summoned over Persian-speaking media in London's "invitation to riots" among Iranians. Tehran summoned Oslo's envoy over what it said were "unconstructive comments" by the Norwegian parliament's Tehran-born speaker, Masud Gharahkhani. The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini on September 16 after she fell into a coma following her detention by Iran's morality police for an allegedly loose head covering triggered protests and rallies across Iran. The public outrage increased after officials suggested the police did not mistreat her despite eyewitness accounts of a beating. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi said that "we must wait for the final opinion of the medical examiner, which takes time." Defiant protesters have mostly come out at night -- many of them women frustrated at decades of discrimination embodied by the harsh dress code mandating the wearing of a headscarf, or hijab, in public. On September 23, state-organized counterdemonstrations took place in several Iranian cities, paying tribute to security forces who have moved to quell a week of protests by what media called "conspirators." WhatsApp, Instagram, and Skype have been blocked and Internet access restricted beyond normal levels, according to web monitor NetBlocks, following older bans on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Telegram. Amnesty International has cited "a harrowing pattern of Iranian security forces deliberately and unlawfully firing live ammunition at protesters." It blamed Iranian security forces for shootings on one night alone, September 21, that left three children and 16 other people dead. The group urged the international community to take "meaningful action" to force an end to the crackdown. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres met with President Raisi in New York on September 22 and expressed concern "about reports of peaceful protests being met with excessive use of force leading to dozens of deaths and injuries," according to a spokesman. He called on Iran's security forces to avoid "unnecessary or disproportionate force" and appealed for "restraint to avoid further escalation." With reporting by Reuters and AFP Iran's top diplomat says Tehran received a new signal from the United States that the "will and goodwill" exist in Washington to reach an agreement to replace the nuclear deal that fell apart after a U.S. pullout four years ago. The official IRNA news agency quoted Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian on September 25 as saying he responded by urging the U.S. side to demonstrate "realism" so the sides could finalize a deal. Amir-Abdollahian didn't detail how or at what level any exchange had taken place. U.S. officials have not confirmed any exchange of messages, although diplomats are said to be working on the Iran nuclear issue during the ongoing UN General Assembly in New York. IRNA quoted Amir-Abdollahian as saying he had met in New York with EU and other envoys whose countries are party to the so-called Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) but not providing details. After 16 months of international negotiations in Vienna and indirect talks between Tehran and Washington, the European Union last month put forward a final offer to overcome an impasse for the revival of the JCPOA from 2015. Tehran responded publicly by saying it wanted stronger "guarantees" that the U.S. side wouldn't again abandon the deal, and Washington signaled it thought the Iranian response "takes us backwards." The last official meeting in the EU-facilitated negotiations to replace the JCPOA took place two months ago. Hard-line Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi -- whose country has been convulsed by deadly protests in dozens of cities since the death in custody of a young student for reportedly breaking Iran's strict Islamic dress code -- was in New York last week to deliver a speech to the UN gathering. Vahid Jalalzadeh, who heads Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Commission and accompanied Raisi on his trip, suggested a meeting was sought via Swiss diplomats but did not take place. Washington has not confirmed any such initiative. The JCPOA began to collapse when former U.S. President Donald Trump withdrew the United States unilaterally in 2018 and reimposed crippling sanctions on Iran, and Tehran has since strayed from compliance with the deal. The head of Iran's nuclear agency, Mohammad Eslami, was quoted by state television as saying he would travel to Vienna next week for a meeting with the head of the UN's atomic agency, the IAEA. "I will go to Austria to take part in the annual general conference of the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna, where I will meet with Director-General Rafael Grossi," Eslami said. The IAEA's annual conference is scheduled for September 26-30. With reporting by AFP War broke out between Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan on September 14-17 and that follows the war the two countries fought in late April 2021. There have been reports about the tensions along the Kyrgyz-Tajik border for years now, and the damage done to lives and property. In this week's Majlis Podcast, we look at the people who live in this area, how they make a living, and how the outbreaks of violence have been changing their communities. More than 800 people have been detained in Russia as protests against the country's partial military mobilization continue in cities across the country. At least 842 people were confirmed detained in 35 cities on September 25, nearly half of them in the capital, Moscow, according to OVD-Info. The highest one-day number of detentions came on September 21, when protests were held in 43 cities immediately after the draft was announced. In total, more than 2,000 people have been detained over a five-day period. The human rights group, which monitors political arrests and detentions in Russia, said that some of those detained in the crackdown on dissent following this week's military call-up were minors. But reports of crackdowns on anti-mobilization protests including in the capital of the southern Russian region of Daghestan, suggest the arrest numbers are continuing to rise. The demonstrations erupted within hours after President Vladimir Putin on September 21 announced the partial military mobilization, which is intended to buttress Russian military forces fighting in Ukraine. Russian police have been mobilized in cities where protests were called for by the opposition group Vesna and supporters of opposition politician Aleksei Navalny. Images on Russian media have shown scenes of police using force against demonstrators, and eyewitnesses have said that the number of protesters have diminished since the first rallies. Many young men detained during the protests have reportedly been summoned to register for military service. In Makhachkala, the Daghestani capital, on September 25, police dispersed an unknown number of protesters after a gathering formed to express anger over the call-up, according to Caucasus.Realities. WATCH: A spontaneous protest rally took place in the local capital, Makhachkala, where hundreds of protesters, mostly women, chanted "No to war!" In one of multiple videos shared on Telegram capturing the confrontation, a police officer is shown beating a protester as two other officers hold the man down. In Crimea, the Ukrainian peninsula that Russia occupied and annexed in 2014, the Russian-installed leadership said their mobilization would be complete by the end of the day, a claim that could increase fears of forced mobilization, particularly of minority Crimean Tatars under occupation. The call-up came as Russian forces suffered significant losses of occupied territories in Ukraine's east owing to a counteroffensive launched by the Ukrainian military. Putin followed up on his mobilization order on September 24 by imposing harsher penalties against Russians who willingly surrendered to Ukrainian forces or refused orders to mobilize. Russian officials have said that up to 300,000 reserve forces will be called up and that only those with relevant combat and service experience will be drafted to fight. However, Russian media reports have surfaced that men who have never been in the military or who are past draft age are being called up, and foreign media have reported that the real goal is to mobilize more than 1 million soldiers, which the Kremlin denies. Western officials say that Russia has suffered 70,000 to 80,000 casualties, accounting for both deaths and injuries, since it launched its unprovoked war in Ukraine in February. The mobilization to replenish those losses has seen men across Russia sent to register, reports of Russian citizens attempting to flee the country, and even rare complaints by pro-Kremlin voices. Margarita Simonyan, the editor in chief of the state-backed media outlet RT, wrote on her Telegram channel on September 24 that while it had been announced that only people up to the age of 35 would be recruited, "summonses are going to 40-year-olds." "They're infuriating people, as if on purpose, as if out of spite," Simonyan said of the authorities behind the draft. The same day, the head of the president's Human Rights Council, Valery Fadeyev, called on Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to put a halt to the manner with which many draft boards in the country were proceeding. On September 25, two of Russia's most senior lawmakers weighed in on the growing controversy. In a Telegram post, Valentina Matviyenko, chairwoman of the Federation Council, said that she was aware of reports that men who should be ineligible for the draft are being called up. "Such excesses are absolutely unacceptable. And, I consider it absolutely right that they are triggering a sharp reaction in society," she wrote. Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, wrote in a separate post that "complaints are being received." "If a mistake is made, it is necessary to correct it," he said. "Authorities at every level should understand their responsibilities." Ever since Russian President Vladimir Putin launched his invasion of Ukraine in February, businessman Dmitry Skurikhin has covered the facade of his store in a village near St. Petersburg with anti-war messages to protest the Kremlin aggression. Skurikhin has already been hit with fines for his anti-war activism since Russia's invasion of Ukraine for allegedly "discrediting" the Russian military. "I think about my safety every day. But it's more important that people come around to my point of view. I'll do all I can to achieve that. What can happen to me? I might go to prison. That's OK," Skurikhin, who lives in the Leningrad region village of Russko-Vysotskoye, told Current Time in August. Now, Skurikhin has been detained and had his apartment raided after he hung a sign on his storefront critical of the partial military mobilization that Putin announced on September 21 that read: "Go to hell with your mobilization. That's where the road leads for such management of the country." Skurikhin is facing criminal charges that could result in up to five years in prison, according to the Russian rights group Setevyye Svobody (Network Freedoms). Russian authorities raided Skurikhin's home on September 23, an operation that his family said left the house trashed, and detained him pending a court hearing. The Leningrad region's Lomonosov district court on September 25 released Skurikhin from custody but ordered him not to speak with witnesses or use messaging services or e-mail, Setevyye Svobody said in a Telegram post. Skurikhin's attorney, Dmitry Gerasimov, was unable to provide details about the case against his client due to a gag order. Skurikhin posted on his Facebook page on September 23 that the Russian Investigative Committee was raiding his home, posting several photographs from the scene. The following day, rights activist Dinar Idrisov posted on Facebook that the raid had lasted 11 hours, and that officials had turned Skurikhin's home, where he lives with his wife and three underage children, upside down. Idrisov wrote that officials had also confiscated all cash in his home, as well as all telephones, computers, and tablets, including those of his children. "They left a family with several children completely without money," Idrisov told RFE/RL, adding that windows in the family's two-story home were broken during the raid as well. Idrisov told RFE/RL that he and other activists suspected that an officer with Russia's powerful Federal Security Service (FSB), a successor agency to the Soviet KGB, was present during the raid but that nobody saw this person's documents. According to Idrisov, the criminal case is linked to the sign denouncing Putin's military mobilization that Skurikhin hung on the facade of his store on September 21. Skurikhin said in a Facebook post that his wife had asked him not to hang the sign and had refused to help him do so. Hundreds came out in the North Caucasus region of Daghestan on September 25 to protest against the partial mobilization announced by Russian President Vladimir Putin on September 21 in an effort to step up the ongoing war against Ukraine. The police fired shots in the air to disperse about a 100-strong crowd blocking a road in the town of Endirei. A spontaneous protest rally took place in the local capital, Makhachkala, where hundreds of protesters, mostly women, chanted "No to war!" and some argued with police, saying it was Russia that attacked Ukraine. BELGRADE -- Staunch religious and political conservatives have teamed up to challenge Serbia's recently revamped school curriculum over descriptions of gender and sexual identity, sparking a formal review that could result in a textbook ban. From biology to history and sociology, the Serbian Orthodox Church and a fringe right-wing party have demanded the replacement of textbooks they say "promote LGBT ideology." As a result, Serbia's education minister is awaiting a recommendation from the National Education Council on the scientific soundness of the materials but also on whether it serves the "national interest" to present such ideas to schoolchildren. Educators and members of Serbia's beleaguered lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community warn that it's part of an accelerating trend of official surrender to the clergy and nationalists seeking to censor and "dehumanize" entire segments of the population. Moreover, they question what "LGBT ideology" even means. "They want to dehumanize us with that phrase," Ana Petrovic, a queer woman who lives in Belgrade, told RFE/RL's Balkan Service. "It's loud right-wing propaganda that causes us great harm and behind which there's no genuine argument hidden," said Petrovic, who works for the Da Se Zna NGO, which provides psychological and legal support to the LGBT community. "In reality, we are how we are, and we're citizens of this country." Other critics say the textbook challenge is part of a battle to preserve a church-state divide in the face of an "increasingly extensive clericalization" that threatens to leave whole generations ill-prepared for life in a rapidly changing world. 'Not Propagated By God' The textbook controversy gained steam as Serbian opposition arose this summer to an international parade to express LGBT pride that was scheduled to take place in Belgrade as part of EuroPride week on September 12-18. On September 11, with members of his clergy in lockstep with the anti-Pride protests, Serbian Orthodox Patriarch Porfirije appealed publicly for the withdrawal of an eighth-grade biology textbook. He said the book, introduced a year earlier under sweeping curricular reforms mandated in 2017, "imposes an unacceptable LGBT ideology." Porfirije said Orthodox Christians "cannot accept the imposition of new social norms that were not propagated by God." A week later, the leader of a right-wing party rooted in Christianity and nationalism that returned to parliament in April thanks in part to a coalition with monarchists, expanded the complaint, adding seven other textbooks approved by the Education Ministry for primary- and secondary-school students. Doors party leader Bosko Obradovic cited "controversial LGBT content" in five biology textbooks for eighth-graders, an eighth-grade history book, a fourth-grade sociology textbook, and a high-school manual on civic education. He alleged that "the LGBT movement is trying to impose its ideology on the education system, even though that ideology is completely unscientific and unconstitutional." Moreover, Obradovic said, its efforts were targeting students "in the most sensitive period of maturation." He requested an urgent session of parliament's Education Committee and pledged to introduce legislation banning "promotion of homosexual propaganda and transgenderism to minors." One of the biology textbooks in question explains the difference between sex and gender, and describes sexual orientation and gender identity. Gender "can be independent of the sex assigned to [a person] at birth," the book says, adding, "An individual alone can determine [their] gender identity." The history textbook describes LGBT social movements as activists seeking the improvement of the situation for LGBT individuals "who are often socially exposed to widespread discrimination." Whose 'National Interest'? Education Minister Branko Ruzic responded to Porfirije's initiative by citing "public controversy" to order a new assessment of the syllabus involving the eighth-grade biology textbook. He tasked the National Education Council with evaluating "whether the program is in accordance with scientific theories" and "whether the national interest is reflected in them, and whether this is in the best interest of education" for Serbia's children. The council is currently seeking expert opinion ahead of an extraordinary session to agree on nonbinding conclusions for the minister. Ruzic unfortunately "succumbed to the influence of those who should not question the curriculum, especially when it comes to natural, exact sciences that are based on data and research," Biljana Stojkovic, a professor of biology at the University of Belgrade who participated in the development of the new biology curriculum, told RFE/RL's Balkan Service. She says the syllabus sticks to facts and that "national interest" has no place in scientific education since there's no "Serbian biology, physics, or chemistry." Stojkovic, who was a presidential candidate for a green coalition in this year's presidential election won by incumbent Aleksandar Vucic and has publicly opposed religion in public education, says she regards the attacks on the syllabus as "censorship." Forcing biology teachers "not to talk about what scientific knowledge is...will be met with great resistance from the biological profession," she said. Serbia's 2018 law on textbooks prescribes that textbook publishers present a curriculum adopted by the education minister. The curriculum is recommended by the National Education Council based on a proposal from the Institute for the Improvement of Education, which operates under the ministry. The curriculums and textbooks currently under attack by conservatives were introduced ahead of the 2021-22 academic year. The Education Ministry declined to respond to RFE/RL queries on the textbook issue. The Institute for the Improvement of Education told RFE/RL's Balkan Service that the curriculum it proposed in 2019 was in line with accepted theories and facts, as well as with the legislatively mandated goals of education. There were no problems in the approval process for the related textbooks and the biology textbook in question has been in use for a year, the institute added. "It wasn't done 'overnight,' it was a team of experts" who created the curriculum, Stojkovic said. "Schoolteachers were involved, too. The plan and program were fundamentally changed with the aim of modernizing them so you can apply the knowledge from biology in understanding the world around you." She blamed the current criticisms on "retrograde structures whose goal is to hide this scientific knowledge" and "deny children the knowledge that certain minority groups exist in our society at all." Bowing to the calls for banning the textbooks would be tantamount to "the capitulation of the state to increasingly strong clerical and nationalist currents," she said. 'Used To It Since We Were Little' Critics, including the European Parliament, earlier this year expressed alarm over perceived Serbian concessions to Orthodox Church efforts emanating from Moscow to portray Russia as a guardian of traditional family values in the Balkans, thus strengthening ties there as Moscow faces increased isolation over its ongoing invasion of Ukraine. In a resolution warning of "foreign interference" in EU democratic processes in March, European lawmakers expressed concern about alleged "attempts by the Orthodox Church in countries such as Serbia, Montenegro, and Bosnia-Herzegovina, especially in its entity Republika Srpska, to promote Russia as a protector of traditional family values and fortify relations between state and church." Around 85 percent of Serbia's population described itself as Christian Orthodox in the country's last census, in 2011. President Vucic has done little to discourage the Serbian Orthodox Church's frequent forays into politics at home and in neighboring Montenegro and Bosnia. He has maintained close ties to Moscow and endorsed a "Slavic brotherhood" uniting Russians and Serbs throughout the region. In an online Appeal For A Secular State, published on September 19, 200 prominent Serbs called for official pushback against an "increasingly extensive clericalization of the state." Organized by longtime opposition leader Zoran Vuletic and his liberal Civic Democratic Forum (GDF) party, it blames the imposition of religious notions in education for the spread of "denial of science, conspiracy theories, and mythomania" that risks "raising whole generations in the spirit of the most conservative obscurantism, unable to live in the modern world and keep pace with their surroundings." There are also fears that a Serbian ban on the teaching of issues around sexual orientation, gender identity, and LGBT activism could foreshadow prohibitions on gay "propaganda" like those introduced in Russia nearly a decade ago and in Hungary last year. Lawmakers in Romania are currently considering similar legislation. Serbia's record on LGBT rights is mixed, at best, in a region where protections for sexual or gender minorities lag well behind the European Union. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in areas like employment, trade, and education is prohibited in Serbia. Same-sex marriage was banned by a constitutional amendment in 2006 that defined a marriage as between a consenting "man and woman." Subsequent bills to grant health care, property, and other rights to same-sex partners have all stalled despite international pressure. Serbian NGOs record dozens of incidents of anti-LGBT violence every year. Last week's European-wide celebration of LGBT pride in Belgrade marked the first time in EuroPride's two-decade history that it's come to the Balkans. Pressured by some of the same groups that are behind the textbooks initiative, Serbian officials allowed many of the week's events to go ahead but banned the culminating EuroPride parade on September 17 over fears of violence. Thousands of LGBT supporters marched anyway, outnumbered by police deployed to protect them from counterdemonstrators, including right-wing thugs and church leaders. Uros Tanackovic, who worked as a EuroPride volunteer, told RFE/RL's Balkan Service that it was a chance for LGBT people to "come out one day a year and be who they are." "Don't even ask gay people in Serbia if they've ever felt discriminated against -- we feel it every day," he said. "We've been used to it since we were little." Written by Andy Heil based on reporting by Nevena Bogdanovic of RFE/RL's Balkan Service in Belgrade Russia and Ukraine have traded accusations of shelling in southern Ukraine as four Ukrainian territories partially occupied by Russian forces continued to vote in so-called referendums on joining the Russian Federation Ukraine's military said early on September 25 that dozens of missile attacks and air strikes had been launched against military and civilian targets in Ukraine's south, including 35 "settlements," over the previous 24 hours. The same day, Russian-backed officials in the southern city of Kherson said that two people had been killed in a missile strike on a hotel the same day. Authorities in the city of Alchevsk in the eastern Luhansk region, meanwhile, announced that voting in the mostly Russian-occupied territory could take place in bomb shelters. Live Briefing: Russia's Invasion Of Ukraine RFE/RL's Live Briefing gives you all of the latest developments on Russia's ongoing invasion, Kyiv's counteroffensive, Western military aid, global reaction, Russian protests, and the plight of civilians. For all of RFE/RL's coverage of the war, click here. The reports came as the referendums, which have been dismissed as a sham by Ukraine, the West, and the United Nations because they are illegal under international law, entered their third day on September 25. The voting is taking place in Russian-held areas of Ukraine's Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhya regions. The voting is widely seen as a way for Moscow to justify the formal annexation of the areas under Russian occupation. Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week announced a partial military mobilization that could send hundreds of thousands of fresh troops into the war against Ukraine that was launched by Moscow in February. The call-up came after Russian forces suffered major territorial losses in Ukraine's east as Kyiv launched a major counteroffensive. Putin has also announced harsher penalties for Russians who dodge the draft or who willingly surrender to Ukrainian forces, making such actions punishable by 10 years in prison. Ukrainian officials have said that people in Russian-occupied territories have been banned from leaving until the voting finishes on September 27, and that armed groups were entering homes to force people to vote. Residents of the southern Kherson region told RFE/RL's News Of Azov project reported that people were being offered monetary compensation for a "yes" vote on joining the Russian Federation. Those who agree and fill out a ballot are then given 40,000 rubles (about $690). RFE/RL was not able to independently verify the claims. There are no independent observers monitoring the polls, and many of the inhabitants who lived in areas of Ukraine occupied after Russia's unprovoked invasion seven months ago have fled. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on September 24 that regions of Ukraine where the votes are being held would be under Russia's "full protection" if they were annexed by Moscow. Russia's state-run TASS news agency has reported that the State Duma, Russia's lower house of parliament, could debate legislation to annex the four Ukrainian regions as early as September 29. With reporting by Reuters and dpa Operatives of Ikorodu Division of the Lagos State Police Command have intercepted two commercial buses loaded with large quantity of live cartridges, three dismantled motorcycles and some personal effects. The interception was done at Poromope Estate, Ijede Road, Ikorodu, Lagos State with three suspects arrested. They included Tukur Abdullah 'm' aged 35, Muazu Telim 'm' aged 50 and Dahiru Idris 'm' aged 36. According to the police, preliminary investigations indicated that the suspects were on their way to Katsina State. The suspects, recovered exhibits as well as the vehicles, with registration numbers KMC 438 YK and KMC 394 XF have been transferred to the Lagos State Command Headquarters, Ikeja. The Police Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Police Command, SP Benjamin Hundeyin who confirmed the report in a statement said further investigations have commenced. In this review of Russias role in the global market of coloured jewellery stones, the talk is about the rough semi-precious stones. According to the customs nomenclature, this is code 710310 - Precious stones (other than diamonds) and semi-precious stones, unworked or just cut, crushed or semi-worked (code HS6 ID 710310). To simplify this text, these gems are called rough semi-precious stones. For an expert assessment, as before, we use the data on the international trade in rough semi-precious stones given by the Observatory of Economic Complexity, OEC (https://oec.world/en/profile/hs/precious-semi-precious-stones-unworked-partly-worke), and publicly available data for 2019-2021 given by the Federal Customs Service, FCS (http://stat.customs.gov.ru/analysis) . According to the OEC, the global exports of rough semi-precious stones in 2020 dropped by 48.3% compared to 2019 to $0.41 bn, which accounted for 9.39% of the entire coloured gemstone market*. * - other market shares of coloured gemstones are grouped under code HS6 ID 710391 Rubies, sapphires and emeralds, worked ($ 2.83 bn, or 64.7% of the entire coloured gemstone market and under code HS6 ID 710399 Precious stones and semi-precious stones, worked ($1.13 bn, or 25.9% of the entire coloured gemstone market). The share of Russia in the global turnover of worked rough semi-precious stones, according to the OEC, was small, and in 2020, it amounted to $8.48 mn in exports (2.07% of world exports in this subgroup) and just to $473 thousand in imports (0.12% of world imports in this subgroup). In 2020, the top global exporters of rough semi-precious stones were Hong Kong ($59.3 mn), Singapore ($45.3 mn), Thailand ($44.1 mn), the USA ($31.2 mn) and Brazil ($31.1 mn). The shares of countries of the world in the exports of rough semi-precious stones According to the OEC, Russia ranks 15th in the world by value of its exports of rough semi-precious stones. According to https://oec.world, the Russias exports of rough semi-precious stones over the last 25 years have been unstable, with spikes and troughs, and only in the last decade, the exports have gradually increased, but plummeted in 2020: The dynamics of Russias exports of rough semi-precious stones, code 710310 (data from https://oec.world) All these years, the Russias exports of rough semi-precious stones have been relatively stable to China, Hong Kong and India, according to the OEC. Moreover, China turned out to be the only country to which Russias annual exports exceeded $10 mn (in 2018, $14.9 mn) at least once. Russias annual exports to the rest of theses top three buyers have never reached even $5 mn; the record year of Russias exports of rough semi-precious stones to Hong Kong was 2018 ($4.82 mn), and to India - 2015 ($4.34 mn). However, Russias exports of rough semi-precious stones to the United States soared ($5.13 mn in 1995, but in other years, it was maximum $475 thousand) as well as to Cyprus ($8.31 mn in 1999, with zero deliveries in other years). The peak of Russias exports of rough semi-precious stones are as follows: - Australia ($1.51 mn, 1998), - Switzerland ($1.17 mn, 2006), - Belarus ($730 thousand, 2017), - Kazakhstan ($561 thousand, 2014), - United Arab Emirates ($502 thousand, 2017), - Germany ($369 thousand, 1995), - Thailand ($386 thousand, 2019), - Belgium ($327 thousand, 2017), - Poland ($291 thousand, 2013), - South Korea ($234 thousand, 1996), - Israel ($213 thousand, 1995), - Canada ($182 thousand, 2007), - Great Britain ($195 thousand, 2013), - Malaysia ($155 thousand, 2017), - Taiwan ($131 thousand, 2003), - Mongolia ($126 thousand, 2013). The Russias exports of rough semi-precious stones to a dozen more countries were under $100,000 per year. In 2020, the Federal Customs Services data on the Russias exports of rough semi-precious stones under code 710310 practically coincided with the OECs data: It is not possible to find out the type of stones exported under code 710310 using Cargo customs declarations, therefore, only assumptions can be made (column 6 of the Table). However, it is clear that the share of rough semi-precious stones, such as emeralds, accounted for maximum $1.595 mn. The Russias exports of rough semi-precious stones can be characterized as unstable, irregular and multidirectional - to more than 20 countries, each of them purchased rough semi-precious stones irregularly and for relatively small amounts of money. Only China looks like a stable buyer of the Russias rough semi-precious stones, but not precious ones, it purchases semi-precious and ornamental stones. The volumes of the Russias imports of rough semi-precious stones are very insignificant due to the poorly developed cutting and polishing industry. In Russia, there are no large- or medium-scale cutting and polishing enterprises working with semi-precious stones. And the number of small-scale units cutting and polishing semi-precious stones in Russia as of September 2022, according to the Unified Register of Small and Medium-Sized Business Entities (https://rmsp.nalog.ru/search.html?mode=extended#), is only 112 units, 110 of them are micro-units, and only 2 are small-scale ones. Moreover, the number of units involved in the cutting and polishing of semi-precious stones has been consistently decreasing in recent years. Three years ago, there were 180 of such units in Russia (60% more than now), including 4 small-scale enterprises. And in 2005, there were 12 small-scale enterprises cutting and polishing semi-precious stones in the industry, six times more than today. The obvious reason for such a dire state and degradation of the semi-precious stone cutting and polishing sector lies in the excessive, completely terrible level of regulation of the precious stones circulation, which is based on the norms of the Federal Law On Precious Metals and Precious Stones that came into effect in 1998. According to https://oec.world, the dynamics of the Russias imports of rough semi-precious stones under code 710310 for 25 years is as follows: The dynamics of Russias imports of rough semi-precious stones under code 710310 (data from https://oec.world) The most stable, albeit very weak, flow of the Russias imports of rough semi-precious stones is from Germany. At its peak (in 2003), it reached $1.04 mn, but in recent years, it has fluctuated around $20,000 a year. And the maximum Russias imports of rough semi-precious stones from a single country for all years was from Italy in 2010 and it totaled $3.22 mn. As in the case of the export of rough semi-precious stones, the volumes of deliveries from other countries were far behind. Thus, the peak values of the Russias imports of rough semi-precious stones from various countries are as follows: - Switzerland ($757 thousand, 2009), - Great Britain ($583 thousand, 2010), - Thailand ($347 thousand, 2011), - Poland ($331 thousand, 2019), - Armenia ($277 thousand, 2019), - Lithuania ($274 thousand, 2017), - Zambia ($244 thousand, 2002), - Hong Kong ($234 thousand, 2019), - Tanzania ($118 thousand, 2013), - Brazil ($109 thousand, 2013), - Madagascar ($101 thousand, 2006). More or less serious Russias total imports of rough semi-precious stones were seen only once, in 2010, when the total imports under code 310710 made about $4.3 mn. But in other years, it did not rise above $1 mn. And these figures were obtained despite the fact that Russia does not have its own commercial deposits of such important rough semi-precious stones as ruby and sapphire. However, as noted earlier in Part 1 of the review, very small quantities of these gemstones were brought to Russia as cut and polished ones. Vladimir Zboykov for Rough&Polished A support group angling for the presidential candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Ahmed Tinubu, BAT Vanguard, has implored aspirants to engage in issue-based campaigns instead of dwelling on inanities ahead of the 2023 poll. According to the timetable released by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), September 28, 2022 has been slated for the official commencement of campaigns by political parties and their candidates. In a statement issued at the weekend, the Convener of the group, Olofin Olusola, BAT said it is committed to inspiring Nigerians to the polls to vote and strategically influence the emergence of Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as the winner of the presidential election. It urged presidential candidates to be forthcoming and present a clear blueprint for the next four years that would address the security, political and socio-economic challenges bedevilling the nation. The group tasked candidates to resolve to take Nigeria to prosperity and place her high amongst the committee of nations, adding that it would work assiduously to deliver 5 million votes to the APC in the election. Olusola said, "All candidates in the forthcoming 2023 general election are to engage on an issue-based campaign, mindful of their utterances, and to preach peace at all time as they go about campaigning. "We call on the youths of Nigeria to eschew violence and be tolerant with others with diverse opinion or choice of candidate or political party. The electoral body should further act proactive and in a responsive manner by making sure that Nigerians experience a satisfactory, free, fair and peaceful election. "We call on all the security agencies in the country to gear up for the increased activities in the forthcoming general election towards safeguarding our hard-earned democracy; ensuring the protection of lives and property, safety of electorates and the foreign observers before, during and after the election process". Dr M'zee Fula Ngenge, the Chairman of the African Diamond Council (ADC), a Mining Engineer and highly respected Senior Strategy Advisor celebrated 40 years in the global diamond industry this year. He acts as a professional liaison within the international diamond trade and is well-positioned to influence, both, the public and private sectors. In 1986, Dr Mzee was instrumental in introducing the Ideal & Super-Ideal Cut diamonds to the global diamond supply chain. These highly sought-after Hearts & Arrow diamonds have rapidly increased in popularity since the 1990s. He also served as Chief Administrative Developer in 2000 and became Project Launch Team Coordinator in 2001 for Kimberley Process (KP), a diamond certification scheme to eradicate blood/conflict diamonds. In 2001, Dr M'zee was a principal trustee and decisive proponent to establish Dubai as a major diamond and jewellery manufacturing centre, laying the foundation for the successful launch of Dubai Multi Commodities Centre (DMCC) in 2002. In early 2017, M'zee drafted a bold and assertive revenue recovery proposal that urged the Republic of Angola to implement "Operation Transparency; and in late 2018 an internationally lauded campaign that was effective in combatting illegal immigration, unlawful exploration of diamonds as well as environmental crimes related to the plundering of natural resources, such as diamond smuggling. At the beginning of 2019, Dr M'zee was assigned as Chairman and Managing Director of the African International Diamond Exchange (AIDEX), Africa's most transparent rough diamond supplier for four diamond exchanges in Antwerp, the Diamond Exchange District in Ramat Gan, the world's largest diamond bourse in Mumbai as well as the largest Free Zone in the United Arab Emirates. At the end of 2019, he was entrusted as Chairman of the Board of Trustees for the African Diamond Trust Fund (ADTF), a fully integrated, autonomous financial depository and vault operator for ethically mined rough diamonds originating in Africa. Here, in an exclusive interview with Rough&Polished, Dr M'zee Fula Ngenge speaks about various issues impacting the global diamond industry currently, but not before touching on crucial matters concerning Africas diamond industry and his perception of his countrys future. Some excerpts The definition change of blood/conflict diamonds and the principles of responsible sourcing has been discussed by KP with no conclusions reached to date. Your comments? While I continue to place a great deal of conviction and credence in upstanding and constructive dialogue between key industry players representing the diamond trade worldwide, I still believe that it is imperative to bear an assiduous and conclusive plan of action which confronts industry setbacks that continue to haunt diamond proceedings, particularly in Africa. Without fail, I shall seek to continue encouraging industry leaders to boldly look in the mirror and come to grips with how negligent, timorous and mute we all have become when it comes to a possible collapse as well as the ineffectiveness of the Kimberley Process Certification Scheme (KPCS). Woefully, our global diamond industry is not absent or removed from narcissistic behaviour at the top of the public and private sector, many of whom fail to realize that there is no room whatsoever in this industry for superficial and anti-social behaviour. I am referring primarily to those executives who have continually exposed themselves as risk-averse, and censorious and those decrepit decision-makers who have made a habit of falling victim to self-inflicted insecurity. Diamond industry leaders possessing a history of sitting mute as well as those who result to retreating to a safe zone while turning a blind eye to existing problems that plague our industry, end up being more of a liability to this industry, than an asset. To be more specific, whenever an industry player refuses to engage in solution-driven discussions that confront or deals with one of the trades longest-standing hindrances, then they are doing a grave disservice to others in this industry. As the global diamond trade gathered at the Kimberley Process (KP) Intersessional Meeting in Kasane, Botswana earlier this year, it became apparent on the first day that insensibility and indifference had successfully prevailed to unmask the shortcomings of our diamond industrys certification scheme to a greater extent. The mindless scepticism that dominated those KP meetings and the lack of consensus that was witnessed over those four days, not only exposed the fact that definition reform is not a bona fide priority. But this gathering of diamond officials exposed the internal industry conflicts that usually go unnoticed. Much of the constructive criticism I have bestowed in the past regarding the Kimberley Process has not only proved to be useful in adding value to the certification schemes survival but has finally been deemed by the industry as nothing other than well-founded. For those who have resulted in incognizance, allow me to clarify. Blood or Conflict diamonds under the Kimberley Process Diamond Certification Scheme (KP) are loosely outlined as gemstones sold to finance rebel movements possessing an aim to overthrow or undermine legitimate governments. This terse definition is what is exactly what is being viewed as easy to elude. The global diamond industry must now learn to steer clear of this obstructive and outdated blood/conflict diamond terminology. If KPs definition is not broadened or updated soon, I shall continue to exhibit a recurring and professional level of intrepidness in each of my industry undertakings. The global diamond industry has made numerous efforts to convince the world that the KP is not only relevant but necessary and if the definition was broadened and revised to include diamonds mined as a result of human suffering, I would be the first to jump back on the currently putrid and unavailing bandwagon. With that being said, the time has arrived for me to draw the inference that Russian diamonds should be included in KPs present and distorted interpretation. The certification scheme currently boasts that it has 59 participants, representing 85 countries, but these participants have yet to realize that they are not only contributing to the problem, but they are finding problems for every solution that has been presented. The World Diamond Councils (WDC) highly touted System of Warranties appears to be essential in its initial undertaking, however, the system appears to possess more appeal as a catchy soundbite than it does as an effective initiative. Only time - whatever that may be - will tell. The global diamond industry possesses a reputation for being notoriously opaque, which is often plagued and accompanied by organizational misrepresentation, suspicion at the administrative level, labour abuses, systemic weaknesses, conflicting information, outright deception and numerous allegations of unethical practices. On the other hand, the African diamond industry has been blessed with an abundance of opportunities that the sanctions on Russian diamonds left. Our industry has progressively been improving and the African Diamond Council (ADC) has shown a great deal of success in attracting investment to the sector. As luck would have it, the labours of those investments are now producing the expected fruits. The ADC has worked relentlessly to shift and eliminate the negative stigma that all African diamonds are produced unethically. At the same time, credibility continues to build with the presence of each discovery as well as with every new commitment from international diamond companies. If such objectives can be attained, why does our global diamond industry struggle to update a KP definition that would deter diamonds from being produced through human rights abuses? In closing, it should be known that the African Diamond Council (ADC) is fully committed to assisting consumers as well as major diamond centres to attain a level of assurance that African diamonds are not only ethical but shall become an example of compliance for the entire industry. To successfully engage, transform and mobilize industry players, the entire diamond industry must focus more on the execution of effective initiatives. Only then, will we all reach satisfactory conclusions... Pink diamond Lulo Rose mined in Angola was sensational news... but sceptics think extra efforts are not put into mining more such stones to retain the rarity/exclusivity of pink diamonds. Your thoughts! With the November 2020 closing of the Argyle mine in Western Australia, where 90% of coloured diamonds have originated from in the last 39 years, pink diamonds have become exceedingly rarer and much more valuable. Pink diamond supplies have been somewhat reduced in the last 5 years and this slight decline is what caused prices to gradually increase. In many cases, pink diamond prices have doubled and even tripled in some instances. The 170-carat Lulo Rose discovery in Angola is a historic achievement that the entire industry was thrilled about and the unearthing of this specific stone could not have come at a better time. The Lulo Rose is a diamond that eluded detection during colonization and with the advancement of technology, Angola will finally have a bona fide opportunity to demonstrate its full potential as a major diamond contributor. Not only is this pink find the desire of the three mining partners, Lucapa, Endiama and Rosas & Petalas, but their combined success has much to do with their cooperative commitment to provide further evidence that Angola was previously under-explored. The timing of this discovery could not have come at a better time and all the data is there that Angola will produce more fancy coloured diamonds. The void that most believe the Argyle deposit in Australia left should not diminish the hopes of those placing a concentrated emphasis on fancy-coloured diamonds in Africa but should provide promise that Angola will prove to be a major contributor to the global fancy-coloured diamond supply chain. The Republic of Angola possesses a great upswing and potential for further sectoral development and the Lulo Rose discovery is a clear indication that Angola is the new and perhaps final frontier in Africa to be truly blessed with exceptional natural diamond deposits. If managed properly, Angola will certainly leave a positive impact on the entire global diamond industry for years to come. Post the Jagersfontein tailing dam failure that resulted in a tragedy in South Africa, the owners claim full due diligence was conducted for safety. Whats the true story? The mining sector in general is classified as the most dangerous work in the world. The sector customarily ranks within the top three occupations for related diseases and fatal accidents. The diamond mining trade often suffers from non-compliance with health and safety standards. The dam collapse in Jagersfontein resulted from the structural failure of a mine tailings dam in the Free State province of South Africa and home to one of the worlds oldest diamond mines. If I remember correctly, De Beers operated this mine back in the 1970s and retained the prospecting rights on the property until 2002. Ownership of the mine has changed hands several times after that, beginning with Jagersfontein Development (formerly SonOp Group), who took control of the mine in 2010 and Luxembourg-based Reinet Investments got involved a year later before turning the assets over to Stargems, who eventually took over earlier this year. A significant amount of waste had been piling up and it was just a matter of time before a section of the dam disintegrates, resulting in a mudslide. What we saw taking place there could have been avoided if the mine followed the developed global standards that are in place. Just because Jagersfontein Development may believe that it followed all the requirements set by South African regulators, it does not mean that it would pass an inspection based on global requirements. The fact that there was also a lack of resources and the level of expertise to manage tailings dams simply did not exist. The involved parties could be prosecuted and forced to pay compensation for violating South Africas environmental and water laws. Government officials in the mining department could also be held liable for the mishap, particularly since there were deaths and more than 300 people injured. The warning signs were initially there, however, in the end, there may be no consequences at all for the companies involved in the disaster at Jagersfontein, given that this is big business. We at the African Diamond Council (ADC) are fully aware that in some cases, diamond mining contributes to climate change, labour exploitation and environmental destruction without any distinct social value. One of the ADC's primary objectives is and has always been to change that. How have sanctions on Russia impacted the diamond industry; and is it business as usual" in terms of the supply of rough diamonds from South Africa? Russia accounted for 31% of the world production last year and even though the USA and UK have now imposed sanctions on Alrosa, which is the worlds largest producer of state-owned Russian rough diamonds, the company has demonstrated creative ways to escape the consequences of being globally penalized, disciplined or punished for utilizing revenue generated by Alrosa to fund an invasion in Ukraine. This is why we saw countries such as Belarus, Central African Republic, Kyrgyzstan and Mali stand up to support Russia. To be completely truthful, no one knows how U.S. sanctions are affecting Russia. Given that there are still several loopholes that can be easily taken advantage of and this is exactly why I can conclude that there has been minimal impact on Alrosa, the Russian mining giant. I shall admit that the deceptive appearance of sanctions did spur vast opportunities for African diamond-producing nations to highlight their importance as well as their level of global authority. If an industry insider were to pose the (off-record) question: In my opinion, should Russian diamonds be considered blood or conflict diamonds? My most rational response would be yes, of course. Despite that, those who would fail to agree with me could and would make a powerful argument that their viewpoint is solely based on the existing KP definition. Admissibly, the respected exchange of views becomes immaterial, given that Russias military undertakings are not considered a proscribed breach of the Kimberley Process protocols. Concerning South Africa, this African nation has been a major producer of diamonds since the 19th century and it is one of Africas most resilient members of the African Diamond Council (ADC). Despite that, I cannot fail to mention Botswana, Namibia, Zimbabwe, Lesotho, Democratic Republic of Congo, Angola, Tanzania, Guinea and Sierra Leone, who now possess greater opportunities to move up in ranking, especially if widespread blockchain and X-Ray transmission technology is implemented in those countries on a national level. While Botswanas bid to be the KP Permanent Secretary is still in cold storage, how do you think this move will be constructive if it materialises in favour of Botswana? Your views... This particular aspect would be fascinating, much needed and well-deserved for a country such as Botswana, which has been successful in terms of establishing recognizable and mutually beneficial partnerships with leading private sector companies such as De Beers, in particular. Seeing that Botswana has learned to master the art of deepening relationships with private sector mining companies is what positions them to have favourable outcomes as they lobby to be the Permanent Secretary of the Kimberley Process. Their positive result is a clear indication that Africas top diamond-producing nation possesses several compelling solutions for the setbacks that currently exist within the African diamond industry. Botswanas President Mokgweetsi Masisis KP blueprint may prove to be more effective than any other producing nation on earth, particularly since he has not only been hands-on but has been fully engaged with the current issues surrounding the certification scheme. Having Botswana as the Permanent Secretary provides African diamond-producing countries with an unforeseen level of confidence, compliance and orderliness that is necessary for the African diamond industry to continue thriving. It is also the best course of action to highlight the success story between Botswana and the De Beers Group of Companies. Whats the current situation in South Africas diamond industry? Should the global diamond industry focus on clear communication and collaboration among themselves? Any suggestions? South Africa is still an African powerhouse in the eyes of global diamond-producing countries. Their diamond mines have aged and unfortunately, we no longer see large deposits being discovered in a country that possesses a robust reputation for producing diamonds from alluvial deposits and pipes. Nonetheless, many distractions prevent this modern nation from exceeding its full pecuniary potential. Much of what has to do with rising unemployment, profiteering, xenophobia and political misconduct. One of the keys to enjoying success for a major global diamond centre begins with those working in communications & industry relations, particularly since this is where the first impression becomes most apparent and is typically a reflection of those who make up the diamond centre. The African Diamond Council (ADC) is open to cooperating as well as collaborating with each major diamond centre, given that there should be a stronger emphasis on the absence of diversity and inclusion within the global diamond industry. South Africa is now asking Britain for the Great Star of Africa (Cullinan). Do you expect it to be returned anytime shortly? What are your views on this? The African Diamond Council (ADC) is fully committed to defending as well as globally promoting natural diamonds of African origin. In addition, the ADC has always been rather assertive in the area of revenue recovery, whether it is through misappropriation or illegal transport. We also work to return African diamonds that have been confiscated on foreign soil as a result of attempted smuggling operations. The fact that many of the significant diamonds mined in Africa exit the continent without ever returning makes a very strong case to have looted jewels returned to their country of extraction. The case with the Great Star of Africa (or Cullinan I), should not be up for debate in my opinion. Great Britains voluntary return of the diamond would prove to be the right decision and this gesture would also urge African diamond-producing nations to collaborate on the construction of an African Diamond Museum, where the diamond could be displayed. If returned, it would be the first significant diamond of its kind to find its way back home. Unfortunately, diamonds such as the 170-carat Lulo Rose will not ever tour Africa and will not be featured in any exhibits or roadshows anywhere on African soil. With that being said, I would certainly be in favour of having the 530-carat, clear-cut Great Star of Africa diamond returned to South Africa in the most ceremonial manner and with the intent of having the diamond permanently displayed in a museum that securely establishes and encourages diamond tourism on the African continent. Aruna Gaitonde, Editor in Chief of the Asian Bureau, Rough&Polished Health Why is Newsom getting into a fight between states over abortion access? Through billboards, ballot initiatives and a new state-run website, Gov. Gavin Newsom is digging a trench between himself and political opponents when it comes to abortion access. This month, the former San Francisco mayor launched a new statewide website, Abortion.CA.gov, which offers basic information on how to access an abortion in California and links to external funds and child care services for out-of-state abortion travel. Hes advertising the website with provocative billboards in Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, South Carolina, South Dakota and Oklahoma all states that have sought to restrict abortions after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which had guaranteed a constitutional right to an abortion for nearly 50 years. But bigger questions remain: Can Newsoms plea to potential voters help more people access abortion? And why is the governor getting into a fight between states over abortion access? Hes very focused on being part of the political conversation. Whether or not he is going to run for president, there is nothing worse than for a politician to be forgotten, said political consultant Jim Ross. Power comes from the ability to persuade, and youre more persuasive if you have the ability to drive the narrative. Next year, ahead of the 2024 election, people will start talking about who will be the next governor, and he needs to stay politically relevant. If he is driving the conversation on issues of abortion, then it makes it easier for him to govern because people take him seriously still, Ross said. Others see Newsoms move as the result of an increasingly hostile war between states on the issue of abortion. In a post-Trump political world, moderation is hardly the best response to the extremism we have seen because Democratic voters, especially the young, want someone to fight for them, said James Taylor, political analyst and professor at University of San Francisco. He is trolling conservatives in America. Hes acting as the California governor but also a national Democratic leader. Those on the front lines of the abortion issue, however, say the advertisements impact on people who seek abortions is questionable. It might generate some influx of patients who dont have resources into the state. But to think we can take care of all people who need this care from these restricted states is not realistic. A lot of patients need care immediately, said Dr. Tania Basu Serna, an associate clinical professor and abortion provider at UCSF. Gov. Newsom is advertising a website through provocative billboards in Indiana, Mississippi, Ohio, Texas, South Carolina, South Dakota and Oklahoma all states that have sought to restrict abortion access Support for Proposition 1 The majority of state voters are already on board with Proposition 1, a ballot measure that would amend the California Constitution to include the right to have an abortion and choose or refuse contraceptives. (Currently, the right to an abortion is protected under Californias privacy laws, but abortion itself is not explicitly included in the constitution.) About 69% of California voters would likely vote yes and 25% would vote no, with 6% unsure, according to a recent poll by the Public Policy Institute of California. Newsom has largely downplayed rumors around his presidential aspirations. But the stark contrast hes defining between himself and governors who have passed abortion restrictions, such as Greg Abbott of Texas, signal an appeal to a wider set of voters. And abortion could easily be an issue that paves the way for Newsom to the national stage. Nearly 62% of Americans continue to say abortion should be legal in all or most cases even after the overturn of Roe, according to a recent national poll by Pew Research. All politicians do better with contrast. By doing these ads, hes contrasting California versus these other states, Ross said. When you say a candidate is pro-choice or anti-abortion, it defines them in voters minds. Era of abortion bans & restrictionsSince Roe was overturned, most abortions are now banned in 13 states, including Idaho, Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Alabama, Tennessee and Wisconsin. Other states such as Georgia ban abortions after six weeks of pregnancy, which is often sooner than many people know they are pregnant. Outcomes of abortion restrictions, which can be a life-saving procedure and can be necessary in certain miscarriages or other medical circumstances, are already well understood by researchers. Abortions continue, often in much more dangerous settings, and harms disproportionately fall on low-income women and women of color. Rich Pedroncelli/associated press James Taylor, political analyst and professor at University of San Francisco: He is trolling conservatives in America. Hes acting as the California governor but also a national Democratic leader. Between 2005 and 2015, while Roe was still the law, states passed seven abortion restrictions. During that time, Black people in states that restricted abortion were more likely to experience a preterm birth than non-Black people, a 2021 study in BMC Health Services Research shows. Those with less than a college degree similarly were more likely to have a child with low birthweight compared with those with higher educational attainment in states restricting abortion access. For all analyses, inequities worsened as state environments grew increasingly restrictive, the study reads. Website can only do so much Abortion providers like Basu Serna see the governors latest efforts as a small step in a positive direction. Those of us who provide this care, we have been wanting a website like this for years. Its difficult to navigate and figure out where to go to receive evidence-based care and not a crisis pregnancy center unknowingly, she said, referring to anti-abortion pregnancy centers. This website is a great start as far as just providing that information on where clinicians are located. It helps people in our state. But in terms of supporting pregnant people who lack resources to travel and live in states with abortion restrictions, billboards and lists of links to travel stipends can only do so much. We cant expect everyone to call an abortion fund and make all those arrangements that are needed. The time it takes to coordinate all that is a huge feat, said Basu Serna. Many abortions occur due to medical circumstances and those now no longer legal in some states. Thats what concerns me the most as an OBGYN. But there is more conversation around it, which I welcome. We need more conversations; that reduces the stigma. Political experts like Taylor of USF said there is nevertheless significance with Newsom essentially trolling conservatives on their own policies and beliefs. He is fighting and letting people know the left reads the Bible. And hes letting people know the abortion issue is one he cares about. He has decided to go to war. Hes saying we need to be loud on these issues, Taylor said, referring to one of the abortion billboards that references the Bible verse Mark 12:31, Love thy neighbor as yourself. Abortion.CA.gov, offers basic information on how to access an abortion in California and links to external funds and child care services for out-of-state abortion travel. An uptick of patients in S.F. San Francisco has relatively robust access to abortion services compared with other parts of the state and country, but opposition is alive and well even in the local liberal bubble. The Archdiocese of San Francisco, for example, recently donated $13,500 to California Together, a campaign led by anti-abortion groups that oppose Proposition 1. There has already been an increase in patients Basu Serna sees traveling from out of state for abortions. Shes also noticed that many of them had resources that allowed them to travel for a short period for the procedure, such as the ability to take time off work, child care, travel funds or a place to stay in the pricey Bay Area. We are seeing an uptick in patients coming from outside of the state, but generally they are patients who have resources. Of course, we welcome anybody, but knowing this brings a little sense of sadness for us as clinicians, she said. We know those who really need this care will likely never be able to. This will never be a choice for them. It is not a reality in their lives to be able to buy a plane ticket, pay for gas, cross state lines in order to receive care. Basu Serna also pointed to neglected parts of California that lack abortion services. Treating this as a public health emergency is vital. We are struggling to care for people just within our state. There are abortion deserts, she said. This will affect us for years to come. Related As 2022 flood continues to sack communities, Save the Children International, SCI, disclosed how flood crisis has affected 75,000 children in Nigeria and Niger Republic. This was contained in a statement issued by SCI, which also made it known that heavy downpours will pound southern Niger and northern Nigeria until end of September 2022. The statement reads in part, "More than 150,000 people, of which about half are children, have been severely affected by floods in Niger and Nigeria in recent weeks. "The torrential rain is expected to continue in southern Niger and northern Nigeria until end of September, which could lead to further loss of homes, crops and livestock." SCI recalled that, "Since early July, intense rainfall has affected communities along the Niger-Nigeria border, triggering flooding which has washed away or damaged at least 14,900 homes. "Most of the displaced families have been forced to shelter in schools, abandoned buildings, makeshift tents, or with distant family members, some leaving all of their belongings behind. "The flooding has wreaked havoc in Niger's Maradi, Zinder, Tillaberi and Tahoua regions, and in Borno, Yobe, and Adamawa states in Nigeria. More than 100,000 people have been affected in Niger alone. "Floods in the Sahel region are becoming more frequent and widespread. More than 300 people have died from flooding in Nigeria this year, and at least 75 people died in Niger this summer." SCI lamented also that decades of conflict and insecurity, along with drought and poor rainfall, have already damaged food sources and livelihoods across Niger and Nigeria, leading to soaring levels of hunger. "The same areas hit hardest by the torrential rains have some of the highest levels of hunger in the region. "In Yobe State, Nigeria, an estimated 1.6 million people - nearly 40 per cent of the population - don't know where their next meal will come from. "In Niger, children in the east and south of the country, particularly in Maradi and Zinder - two regions severely devastated by the flooding - are the most affected by hunger. Meanwhile, according to SCI, "An estimated 6.3 million children under five were already predicted to suffer from malnutrition across the Sahel this year. "Now with flooding damaging crops and other food sources, hunger levels in Niger and Nigeria are likely to worsen. "Cholera is creating an added danger for children, with cases of the waterborne disease spiking in Maradi, Zinder and Borno States, all areas severely affected by flooding. "More than 90 cases of cholera have been reported in Borno state, Nigeria, alone, with the majority of suspected cases affecting children under five years old. The statement also quoted Country Director, Save the Children, Famari Barro, Nigeria, "It is important that assistance is provided to those affected people and particularly to children, who are always most vulnerable at times of crisis. "Children need a stable environment, and we need to ensure that children can return to school in the coming days. "It is important that classrooms are available and safe for children and that families can return safely to their homes. "Without immediate support, the situation could deteriorate in the coming weeks as people could face multiple crises with the peak of the lean season and significant displacement could still occur with negative coping mechanisms such as child begging or sex for money. "To date, the humanitarian response plan for Nigeria for 2022 has only been 37 per cent funded. The worst is probably not over, we must act and develop prevention measures." Also the Country Director, Save the Children, Ilaria Manunza, Niger Republic, said, "Families are overwhelmed by the severe flooding. "Many of them have never seen such devastation from the rain before. "In the middle of the planting season, their already reduced food rations, livelihood assets, livestock, and farmland have been damaged. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria West Africa Children By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. "Families who have been forced to leave their usual living, have to change their habits, their environment and adapt to new living conditions. "Flooded areas or lack of clean water can lead to the development of diseases such as cholera, malaria, or dengue fever. Niger has many children affected by malnutrition. "It is also known that malnourished children are already very fragile and likely to easily catch these diseases, which weaken them and contribute to an increase in under-five deaths." According to UN climate experts, regions of Africa including the Sahel are likely to experience an increase in the frequency, intensity, and/or quantity of heavy rainfall as the result of climate change. The risk of these heavy rainfall events increases as temperatures rise. Save the Children in Niger and Nigeria is providing families with shelter, hygiene products, dignity kits, cooking utensils, drinking water containers, enriched flour for children aged six months to two years old, and cash transfers to assist with their most basic needs. Yet as the dust settles this week, opinion remains divided as to whether a successful High Court appeal would set a precedent for US platforms campaigning either to keep their parent companies out of trouble or to have any claim heard by a court in California. Those sceptical of Metas legal tactics argue that the High Court appeal is a stunt designed to wear down Australias notoriously underfunded Office of the Australian Information Commissioner, or OAIC, which brought the lawsuit against the platform. The High Court of Australia in Canberra. Credit:Andrew Meares Then there are privacy-law experts that believe a case so narrowly focused on the wording of Australias ageing 1988 Privacy Act is unlikely to haemorrhage into competition and consumer law the main arenas in which Big Tech jurisdictional challenges are playing out in Australia. There may be substance to both those interpretations, as Australias highest court prepares to hear the case. Nonetheless, the fact that Canberra-based judges are now set to answer a key question relating to the legal exposure of a tech giant remains significant. When the ruling is handed down, companies and individuals planning to take action against a global platform in an Australian court will know whether they can aim high up the corporate ladder and target parent companies, or whether they need to temper their enthusiasm and be more selective. As reported by MLex at the time, there were two clusters of arguments underpinning Metas move to appeal a Federal Court of Australias decision to push ahead with the lawsuit, despite the social-media platforms insistence that Facebook Inc shouldnt be included. The first cluster dealt with the jurisdictional issue and the inclusion of Facebook Inc. as it was called when the OAIC probe began in the lawsuit. The second cluster dealt with whether a lawsuit should be allowed to get underway without evidence pointing to a clear violation. The High Courts special leave to appeal was granted for both arguments. At the centre of the drama is Section 5B of the 1988 Privacy Act, which refers to the extra-territorial application of the legislation. For a foreign company to be caught under the provisions of the law, it needs to have an Australian link a definition the High Court judges will need to examine. The legislation lists six criteria for an organisation to meet this threshold: Australian citizenship; a person with permanent residency in Australia; a partnership formed in Australia; a trust created in Australia; a body corporate incorporated in Australia; an unincorporated association that has its central management and control in Australia. But its the next limb of 5B, which was updated in 2014, thats expected to be hotly contested in the High Court. An organisation or a small-business operator has an Australian link if all three of the following criteria apply: The company isnt caught by the previous six criteria; the company carries on business in Australia; the personal information was collected or held by the company in Australia either before or at the time of the impugned behaviour. This leaves no wiggle-room for what was then Facebook Ireland, the company that owns the social-media platforms Australian operations and can be linked directly to the collection of Australian users personal information and its sale to Cambridge Analytica. While the High Court appeal will be based exclusively on legal arguments, the political backdrop of this challenge remains charged in Australia, with lawmakers already poised to review Section 5B in a way that would more readily capture platforms global parent companies. Firstly, theres no shortage of political will to act against Meta, as demonstrated by the bipartisan support for the worlds most draconian pieces of legislation targeting Facebook: The 2019 abhorrent violent material legislation and the 2018 encryption legislation. The abhorrent violent material law could land Metas Australian employees in jail for up to three years if the company doesnt expeditiously remove terrorist content from Australian feeds; while critics warn encryption laws could compromise the security and, arguably, the very business model of Facebooks WhatsApp. Its in this political context that, in 2020, parliamentarians began their long-awaited review of the Privacy Act. As part of the revamp, in 2021 federal lawmakers also began to work on a bill specifically designed to protect online privacy and increase penalties for privacy-law violations. The High Court has given the thumbs up to Metas appeal over a jurisdictional issue. Credit:Bloomberg The first draft of the online bill has yet to be presented to parliament. Yet documents published so far by the government as part of the review contain enough detail to suggest that Section 5Bs second limb the three additional provisions that determine when a company may have a link to Australia could be scrapped entirely. In its explanatory notes, the Attorney Generals Department said that the proposed changes were required because, when a breach of the Privacy Act occurs, it may be difficult to establish that these foreign organisations collect or hold personal information from a source in Australia. The reason for this difficulty, the notes say, is because large multinational companies may collect personal information from Australian customers from an entity that is not incorporated in Australia and transfer it to other entities overseas for processing and storage. Foreign organisations may collect personal information about Australians but do not collect Australians information directly from Australia and instead collect the information from a digital platform that does not have servers in Australia and may therefore not be considered in Australia, the notes say. Some observers argue that, with Australian lawmakers ready to strike down a key element of Section 5B, Metas High Court challenges will ultimately be counterproductive because its likely to focus public attention on the laws extraterritorial shortcomings. The argument is that Meta should cherish the moment if it wins this appeal because all digital-platform parent companies will be fair game once the law changes. The government is preparing to take action to allow Optus to share data about customers affected by a massive cyberattack with banks amid warnings the breach could spark an increase in fraud and scams. With millions of customers potentially exposed to a cyberattack on Optus last week, Home Affairs Minister Clare ONeil on Saturday signalled the government was working on a policy response to the hack. Banks are on the lookout for any increase in fraud following the Optus hack. Credit:The Age It is expected that the first step of this response will be to find a way to enable Optus to share data about the affected customers with banks so precautions could be taken to guard against potential fraud. Australian companies must do all they can to protect their customers data. I will have much more to say in coming days about the Optus cyberattack and what steps need to be taken in the future, ONeil wrote on Twitter on Saturday. Optus customers are frustrated with a lack of information from the telco and getting the run-around when trying to change their drivers licence number and other personal information to prevent identity theft. In what was one of the largest cyberattacks in Australian history, Optus reported on Thursday that hackers had accessed the personal details of millions of Optus customers. Chrisy Lekkas, a customer with Optus for about 10 years who lives in the Blue Mountains, said on Sunday that she had not yet received any notification from Optus about the security breach, other than what she had seen in media reports on Thursday. Optus customer Chrisy Lekkas is concerned about the risk of identity theft as a result of the Optus cybersecurity breach. Credit:Edwina Pickles With plans to travel overseas next year, Lekkas is among customers with concerns about the potential for identity theft, having provided Optus with details including credit card numbers, home address, phone number, drivers licence, passport and Medicare numbers. Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry discussed on Saturday 24/09/2022 with Mauritanian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation Mohamed Salem Ould Merzouk boosting relations and issues of common interest, Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ahmed Abu Zeid said. The two ministers expressed their interest in holding the joint higher committee at the level of the foreign ministers. The two sides tackled the developments in Libya. Also, Shoukry asserted the importance of economic cooperation, increasing the volume of trade exchange and investments, especially in the sectors of fishing, poultry, agriculture, and the pharmaceutical industry. Police have found the body of a man believed to have fled into a Sydney lake after being struck by a car. The male pedestrian was hit by a car on James Ruse Drive at North Parramatta just after 9.30pm on Saturday. The man disappeared after being spotted at Lake Parramatta on Saturday evening. Police were told the sedans driver stopped to help but the injured man ran from the scene. While police were still at the scene of the crash, officers were dispatched to Lake Parramatta Reserve after reports of a person in distress in the water. There are no cheap seats at an AFL grand final, but just look at the spot $4.5 billion buys you. Seven boss Kerry Stokes and News Corp co-chair Lachlan Murdoch got prime position either side of AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan to watch the game, after Stokes Channel Seven and the Murdochs Foxtel recently agreed to pay the big bucks in return for seven years of AFL TV rights. Kerry Stokes, Gillon McLachlan and Lachlan Murdoch at the AFL Grand Final on Saturday. Credit: CBD does feel, though, that Sevens commentary team could have been a teeny bit more gracious to Murdoch. When the cameras picked up the trio, the men behind the microphones gushed about their own boss, Stokes, while if Murdoch jnr got a mention at all, it was decidedly muted. Maybe they were afraid of legal action from the increasingly litigious heir apparent. Brisbanes CBD is now connected to the Gabba by train tracks beneath Brisbane River, marking the latest milestone for the Cross River Rail project. Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey announced on Sunday more than 3 kilometres of tracks had been laid in each direction between the future Albert Street and Woolloongabba stations. This is a huge milestone for the project and for south-east Queensland as we continue to make progress on Queenslands biggest rail project, he said. What were seeing here today is the track that will move our growing population, footy fans and future Games goers once Cross River Rail is operational. Rail to Melbourne Airport was planned by Sir Henry Bolte in 1963 before the new airport at Tullamarine even opened. A 1990 Melbourne Airport Strategy identified the need for a rail link from the CBD. In February 2000, the Bracks government instituted studies of alternative routes to the Airport resulting in land being reserved in 2005 for an airport rail link via Albion. In April 2014, the Napthine Coalition government committed to build the line if re-elected later that year, however it lost the election to Labor. With Labor re-elected in late 2014, Airport Rail was initially said to be a low priority. In October 2017, Labors Victorian Infrastructure Plan suggested a timeframe of 15 to 30 years. However, community and institutional pressure had built steadily and barely a month later, Premier Andrews announced that,by the time the Metro tunnel is completed in 2026, construction will be well underway on an airport rail link. An artists impression of a new elevated station to connect the $13 billion airport rail link to Melbourne Airport. Significantly, the Premier added, it can create the extra capacity that we need in the congested rail corridor between Melbourne and Sunshine which means we can untangle the regional and metropolitan network on the Geelong and Ballarat lines. It can give Melbournes booming west access to electrified metro rail services. These additions became the governments Western Rail Plan, firmly committed to in October 2018, just prior to the last state election. In May 2019, Minister Jacinta Allan said, The Western Rail Plan is one of the vital projects our growing city and state needs ... its part of our suburban rail and road blitz Sadly, that blitz is yet to see the light of day and may be a long time coming. A woman in her 20s is in a critical condition after being struck by a rollercoaster carriage at the Melbourne Royal Show in an accident that police say occurred while she was attempting to retrieve a dropped mobile phone. A Victoria Police spokeswoman said officers were still working to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident at the Rebel Coaster, where a crime scene had been established. However, they said their initial investigations had appeared to show that the woman was retrieving a phone when she was hit by a roller-coaster about 5.45pm on Sunday. Sadly the woman was then found injured on the ground, the police statement said. The woman suffered head injuries in the incident and was taken to the Royal Melbourne Hospital. Were back. Despite a little criticism, the Australian Republic Movement (ARM) is certain we were right to make no comment during the mourning period after the death of her majesty Queen Elizabeth II. In the face of the record tidal wave of high emotion and grief sweeping across the nation, the idea that we should stand on the shore waving the ARM flag to try and turn it or divert it, was as absurd as it would have been jarring and counter-productive. As to the three polls taken in the very depths of that mourning period showing a drop in support for the idea of an Australian republic, I am both amazed and heartened that on average, it was less than five per cent. In our strong view the significance of such polling at such a time is closer to zero per cent. Australian Republican Movement chair Peter FitzSimons launches the new Australian republic model in January. Credit:Kate Geraghty The charge that the ARM is not diverse enough? I will take that from those with a background of pushing diversity on all fronts, and we are addressing it. (Big news to come shortly.) But Ill be damned if Ill take it from critics with a track record of fawning and cooing to all of the English royal family bar its one actually diverse member, who they incessantly criticise for everything: Meghan. Youre the ones who value diversity? Australians overwhelmingly want the Voice to succeed. They want First Nations people to have a say on government decisions that shape their future. They want a new federal body to make this happen, and are willing to amend the Constitution. These are essential findings at the start of a tortured journey to a successful referendum that is now within sight after years of argument about fairness for Indigenous Australians. The Resolve Political Monitor asked voters their views on the exact wording of the Voice proposal aired by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in July and found 64 per cent support to a yes or no question. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the annual Garma festival in East Arnhem in July. Credit:Getty It should also send a message to two other political leaders who could make or break this reform: Opposition Leader Peter Dutton and Greens leader Adam Bandt. The Resolve Political Monitor surveyed 3618 eligible voters in two stages, one in August and one in September, during a period of widespread media debate on the government proposal. The second track was held from September 14 to 18, when national news was dominated by the death of Queen Elizabeth and there was debate over a referendum on becoming a republic. Asked which issue should take priority, 45 per cent of voters named the Indigenous Voice and 27 per cent named the republic, while 28 per cent were undecided. The stronger support for the Voice matches the priority Albanese has set out in remarks since the death of the Queen. Indigenous Australians Minister Linda Burney said on Sunday the Voice would not weigh in on taxation or defence but would stick to issues that directly affected Aboriginal people. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton accused the government on Friday of making a lot of this up on the run but Burney said this was nonsense because the government was working through the process. Albanese aired his plan for the Voice at the Garma Festival in the Northern Territory at the end of July when he said the referendum would ask approval to set up a body to be called the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. He said the amendment would say: The Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice may make representations to parliament and the executive government on matters relating to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples. The next sentence in the amendment would be: The parliament shall, subject to this Constitution, have power to make laws with respect to the composition, functions, powers and procedures of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Voice. The central questions in the Resolve Political Monitor put the prime ministers precise wording to all respondents, in the first published survey of his specific proposal. The use of two survey tracks over two months produced a higher survey sample to provide more confidence in the estimates for majorities in each state. The margin of error for the national results was 1.6 per cent and ranged in size for each state, with a margin of error of 2.9 per cent for NSW and 8.9 per cent for Tasmania. In each state, the majority support for the Voice was greater than the margin of error. Loading A challenging campaign lies ahead for advocates of the Voice when Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is questioning Labors process and a leading figure within the Coalition, Northern Territory Senator Jacinta Nampijinpa Price, does not support the change. With the Greens arguing for a treaty with First Australians as a priority, Victorian Greens Senator Lidia Thorpe has described the Voice as a waste of money and is seeking negotiation with the government on the potential amendment. A key issue in dispute is the scope of the Voice to shape federal laws on all issues or only specific laws about First Australians, along with a dispute over whether the Voice should have a say on executive decisions or only on draft legislation in parliament. On this question, 24 per cent said the Voice should only be about issues relating to Indigenous Australians, 26 per cent said it should be about all issues and policy areas, 22 per cent said they did not support a Voice at all and 27 per cent were undecided. (This adds up to 99 due to rounding.) Voters appear to have a high awareness of the campaign for Indigenous recognition in the Constitution, with 85 per cent saying they were definitely aware or knew at least some detail. Asked about their awareness of the Indigenous Voice, 75 per cent said they were aware of the campaign for the change and 65 per cent said they were aware of the idea for a referendum to enshrine the Voice in the Constitution. Australians were divided on what the change could achieve, with 27 per cent saying it would deliver practical outcomes as well as symbolic recognition but 15 per cent saying it would be symbolic only and 17 per cent saying it would not achieve either symbolic or practical benefits. North Shore Liberal MP Felicity Wilson is the next confirmed target of a burgeoning grassroots movement to unseat sitting government members and make way for teal candidates at the March state election. Discontent over government integrity, environmental issues and urban planning has ignited the push to install an independent voice to represent one of Sydneys wealthiest and most highly educated electorates on Macquarie Street. Community volunteer group North Sydneys Independent has fired the starting gun on its search for a candidate to seize Wilsons seat of North Shore, which includes suburbs such as Mosman, Kirribilli, North Sydney and parts of Crows Nest. North Shore MP Felicity Wilson will be a target of the teal movement. Credit:James Alcock The organisation, which was behind North Sydney independent Kylea Tinks successful Canberra bid, last month declared it was also hunting for a candidate to oust Planning Minister Anthony Roberts from his neighbouring seat of Lane Cove. YOUNG Africans have coined 'Iwe Jua, Iwe Mvua' slogan ahead of their decisive CAF Champions League match against Al Hilal of Sudan at Benjamin Mkapa Stadium in Dar es Salaam on October 8th this year. This will be the first leg meeting before the two sides meet again in the return leg at Al Hilal Stadium in Sudan on October 15th this year. However, revealing the slogan in the city was Yanga's suspended Spokesperson Haji Manara who said he has made the declaration in his capacity as a top supporter of the club and not a spokesperson. "I am sure that many Yanga supporters wanted us to conduct massive promotion of this match but unfortunately, I am suspended hence not allowed to do official spokesperson's responsibilities. "As such; I am here as one of the passionate fans of Yanga bearing in mind that this is more than a Do or Die match and our destiny in this contest will be known during the first leg fixture. "Putting this in mind, we have come up with the slogan 'Iwe Jua, Iwe Mvua' which should settle in the mind of players and fans while focusing on stepping into the group stage as our top priority," Manara said. He also used the platform to encourage Yanga fans to throng at the venue in big number to rally behind their team since their support is needed to make the team reach the desired goal. In a related development, Yanga's top striker Fiston Mayele has insisted that they do not have pressure of facing Al Hilal saying they will have ample preparations to ink good results. "As players, we have no pressure at all of playing Al Hilal because we have great players like Bernard Morrison, Stephanie Aziz Ki, Juma Shabani, Yannick Bangala and many others who have vast experience in CAF Interclub games. "We will try to get good results here and in Sudan, we will also work hard in order to penetrate into the group stage," reiterated Mayele. To reach this far, Yanga defeated Zalan FC courtesy of a 9-0 aggregate triumph which saw them booking a space against the Sudan's giants. Mayele was a hero in both legs against Zalan after netting two back to back hat-tricks thereby contributing six out of nine goals they scored and people are anxious to see if he is going to replicate the same performance in the upcoming round. He was quite an influential person. He stepped up Japans presence on the international stage and helped the economy through Abenomics. But even Niwa finds it difficult to justify the links with the Unification Church. Of course, its quite important to cut off the relationship with an organisation that damages other people, he says. Tetsuya Yamagami, accused of killing Shinzo Abe, is escorted by police in Nara. Credit:Japan News-Yomiuri Even Abes harshest critics say Yamagamis actions were abhorrent. But Yamagami and his family were damaged by a church that has spent decades building its empire in Japan. The Yamagami family home in the comfortable middle-class suburb of Hiramatsu was once surrounded by streets filled with manicured hedges and roses. By the time Yamagami shot Abe in July, he was living in an 18-square metre flat not far from Yamato-Saidaiji station, where he built homemade guns and bombs after midnight. The first his neighbours heard of him was when police barged into his room, leaving behind dents on the door that are visible today. It was a shocking thing, said one neighbour, who asked not to be identified. A series of dents can be seen on the front door of where assassin Tetsuya Yamagami used to live in Nara, Japan. Credit: Yamagamis family is typical of victims of the Unification Church. His mother donated more than a million dollars to the church from insurance payouts and land sales for the promise of salvation. That left her family in poverty and her son unable to afford to go to university. He then descended further into mental illness after the suicide of his older brother. Tokyo lawyer Hiroshi Yamaguchi, who has been following the church for 35 years, has found more than 34,537 victims in Japan so far who have donated the equivalent of more than $1.3 billion. Eighty per cent of them are older wealthy or middle-income women, a generation that has retained traditional gender roles. Targeted by the church during the day when their husbands are at work, they have handed over fortunes to a church with its headquarters in South Korea that warns they and their families face eternal damnation if they dont pay for Japans sins. The church had a compelling message to sell Japan committed war crimes during its occupation of Korea and World War II. Its congregation now had to atone through donations. It found a gap in Japan a country with a dwindling number of devout religious followers where the local saying goes Japanese are born Shinto, married Christian, die Buddhist. Japan is the South Korean churchs largest market and biggest source of income. Loading For the believers in Japan it is like the gods ask them for money, so they have to do it, says Yamaguchi. They say if you dont have the key to open the door of the cage then your families will suffer. They thought they were doing the right thing. Then they ask their families and their friends to do it. When they find out it is just a lie, they have breakdowns. The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age this week visited the church in Nara where Yamagami practised his shooting, but its doors were closed. In a sign that the commercial fallout from the assassination may be more significant than the political, the Unification Church is abandoning the premises. Inside a yellow poster says, the mother of peace will wipe out the tears of human beings. But fewer humans are coming here now. One neighbour who lives next to one of its larger churches says only two to three people visit every few days. Tokyo lawyer Hiroshi Yamaguchi, a member of the National Network of Lawyers Against Spiritual Sales. Credit:Viola Kam They have stopped gaining followers, says Yamaguchi. But they still need money to finance their mass weddings in Korea and hundreds of premises around Japan. They are asking the Japanese church to give them more money, says Yamaguchi. Loading The church has denied any wrongdoing. Hideyuki Teshigawara, a church executive, said on Thursday that the church would now take into consideration the financial situation of followers and ensure that donations are not excessive. Rome: Italian voters rewarded Giorgia Melonis eurosceptic party with neo-fascist roots, propelling the country toward what likely would be its first far-right-led government since World War II, based on partial results on Monday from parliamentary elections. In a victory speech, far-right Italian leader Giorgia Meloni struck a moderate tone after projections based on votes counted from some two-thirds of polling stations showed her Brothers of Italy party ahead of other contenders in Sundays balloting. Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy party, reacts at the partys general election night event in Rome, Italy, on Monday, September 26. Credit:Bloomberg If we are called to govern this nation, we will do it for everyone, we will do it for all Italians and we will do it with the aim of uniting the people [of this country], Meloni said at her partys Rome headquarters. Italy chose us, she said. We will not betray [the country] as we never have. Vladimir Putin is fighting a war on two fronts. The one on our TV screens is an old-style shooting war of the kind we never thought we would see in Europe again, against the people of Ukraine. Its weapons are bullets and missiles. Its objective is the most ancient of all war aims: territorial conquest. Despite the encouraging recent military success of Ukrainian forces in the north-east, the massive disparity in force numbers makes recent predictions of Russias defeat premature. The other is a more modern form of warfare an economic war against the other nations of Europe. Its weapon is energy, in particular gas. Its objective is not conquest but disruption. In the coming northern winter, as he tries to blast the people of Ukraine into submission, Putin will attempt to freeze the people of wider Europe into acquiescence. Russian President Vladimir Putin is waging an economic war against the nations of Europe. Credit:Kremlin via AP Just as we overestimated Russias military capability Western intelligence anticipated a quick and dirty war in which Ukrainian arms would be swiftly overwhelmed we must not make the mistake of underestimating the impact of massive energy shortages across Europe, as temperatures plummet and the demand for heating drives energy costs sharply upwards. So far, most of the discussion of the economic dimension of the Ukraine war has focused on sanctions against Russia. Although the West has imposed sweeping economic sanctions including Magnitsky-style sanctions which personally target the Putin high command and oligarchs close to him so far, they have failed to blunt Russias will. Their impact was weakened because European nations dependent upon Russian gas kept pouring money into Putins coffers. Kyiv: The Ukrainian Defence Ministry on Sunday ridiculed Moscows partial mobilisation to bolster its forces in Ukraine, posting on Twitter a mash-up of social media videos of Russian police beating and arresting men protesting the call-up. The mockery came as Russias two top lawmakers expressed concern about the drive, ordering regional officials to resolve excesses that have ignited public anger, triggered demonstrations and prompted military-age men to make for border crossings. A Russian man speaks out about defending Russia in a video posted by Ukraines military. Russia still has remnants of a professional army that the Ukrainian army hasnt yet destroyed, the Ukrainian defence ministry said in an English-language tweet, referring to this months rout of Russian forces from much of the northeastern Kharkiv region. Looks like well be de-mobilsing these Russians ahead of schedule. The mobilisation has prompted both sides to trade a fresh round of insults. In Moscow, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters on Friday that fake statements on social media were in part to blame for the reaction to the announcement. PHILIPSBURG:--- The Interparliamentary Kingdom Consultation (IPKO) will take place in The Hague, the Netherlands from Tuesday, September 27, to Friday, September 30, 2022. During the IPKO, delegations of the Parliaments of Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten and of the States General, under the leadership of the chairlady of the permanent committee for Kingdom Relations of the Second Chamber, Ms. Marielle Paul (VVD), will meet on topics that affect the countries of the Kingdom. The topics in this IPKO are the unsolicited advice of the Council of State of the Kingdom on the Kingdom, treaties, and Union law, consensus kingdom laws, a proposed Kingdom Law on Kingdom disputes, cooperation within the Kingdom and democratic deficit, and colonialism and the history of slavery. Agenda The consultation will start on September 27 with an opening meeting in the plenary room of the First Chamber. Here the delegation leaders of the Caribbean Parliaments and the leader of the States General delegation, Mr. Paul Rosenmoller (Groen Links).h++, will give a presentation on recent developments in the four countries. In the afternoon the meeting will be continued in the Second Chamber, with discussions on the unsolicited advice of the Council of State of the Kingdom and the subject of Consensus Kingdom Laws. On September 28, a presentation is planned by the delegates of the Caribbean Parliaments, on a new proposal for the Kingdom Disputes Regulation. After that presentation, the topics of cooperation within the Kingdom and the democratic deficit, as well as colonialism and the history of slavery are on the agenda. On Thursday, IPKO will make working visits to the Floriade and the Farm of the Future (WUR) on the theme of food safety and sustainability. The interparliamentary consultations will end on Friday, September 30, with the adoption and signing of the agreements list and a joint press conference by the chairpersons of the four delegations. The deliberations between the delegations are largely public and can be followed live via a live stream depending on the location on the website of the First Chamber and the Second Chamber. Links Links to the daily sessions are: For the part in the First Chamber on Tuesday morning, this link can be used: https://www.eerstekamer.nl/plenaire_vergadering/20220927/live For the part in the Second Chamber on Tuesday afternoon, Wednesday and Friday, this link can be used: https://www.tweedekamer.nl/vergaderingen/livedebat/troelstrazaal These links will also be available on the FB page of the Parliament of Sint Maarten. President Abdel Fattah El Sisi on Saturday 24/09/2022 affirmed Egypt's keenness to provide all means of support to achieve political, security and economic stability in Sudan, based on Cairo's full support for Khartoum in all fields and at various levels, as well as the close link between the Egyptian and Sudanese national security, as well as their deeply-tooted ties that unite the peoples of the Nile Valley. Receiving Chairman of the Sudanese Sovereign Council Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, Sisi praised strong and eternal brotherly relations between Egypt and Sudan, expressing Cairo's aspiration to boost them in a way that contributes to achieving the interests of the two brotherly countries and peoples, especially in the security, military, economic and commercial levels. In turn, Burhan expressed Sudan's deep appreciation for Egypt at the official and popular levels, the extended ties between the two brotherly countries, as well as the firm popular and governmental rapprochement between Egypt and Sudan. He hailed unlimited Egyptian support through various forums to preserve the safety and stability of Sudan. The two leaders emphasized the importance of boosting economic relations and increasing trade exchange in a way that amounts to the existing momentum in political and military relations, and the historical ties that unite the two brotherly peoples. They also reviewed the latest developments in regional files of mutual concern, including the Ethiopian Renaissance Dam, where it was agreed to continue intensive consultation and mutual coordination in this context during the coming period for the common interest of the two brotherly countries and peoples. Bir Lehlou (Saharawi Republic) 23 September 2022 (SPS)- In a landmark ruling of 22 September 2022, the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights denounced the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara as a serious violation of the Saharawi peoples right to self-determination. The Court ruled that both the UN and the AU recognise the situation of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic as one of occupation and consider its territory as one of those territories whose decolonisation process is not yet fully completed. Below the Press Release of the Ministry of Information of the SADR on this rulling: MINISTRY OF INFORMATION OF THE SAHARAWI ARAB DEMOCRATIC REPUBLIC PRESS RELEASE African Court upholds the right to self-determination and independence of the Saharawi people, and underlines the obligation of African States to assist it In a landmark ruling of 22 September 2022, the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights denounced the Moroccan occupation of Western Sahara as a serious violation of the right to self-determination. It recalls the obligation of all states not to recognise this occupation and to assist the Sahrawi people in the full realisation of their right to self-determination and independence. On 22 September 2022, the African Court on Human and Peoples Rights issued a landmark ruling, unprecedented on the African continent, condemning the illegal presence of Moroccan forces in Western Sahara as a military occupation, in violation of international law. This was the first time that the Court had dealt with a case dealing with the right to self-determination and independence, and the Court gave full importance to this principle which has been a constituent part of states in Africa, as part of the vast decolonisation movement. The Court considers that this right, enshrined in Article 20 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights, constitutes a peremptory norm of international law, falling within the scope of jus cogens, which does not tolerate any derogation. This entails an obligation erga omnes for all states not to recognise a situation created in violation of this right. Similarly, States must assist oppressed peoples. In this regard, they must refrain from any act incompatible with the nature of the right to self-determination or the full enjoyment of this right by the peoples concerned. Having established this principle, the Court ruled that both the UN and the AU recognise the situation of the SADR as one of occupation and consider its territory as one of those territories whose decolonisation process is not yet fully completed. This is why direct negotiations between the two AU members SADR and Morocco should be concluded, with the sole purpose of organising a referendum to guarantee the right to self-determination of the people of Western Sahara. From this reality, which is obvious to all, the Court finds that the Moroccan occupation of part of the territory of the SADR seriously violates the right to self-determination and independence of the Sahrawi people. Consequently, the Court finds, AU Member States have an obligation to assist the Saharawi people in the realisation of their right to self-determination and not to recognise the situation and violations resulting from this illegal occupation. Indeed, the right to self-determination and independence imposes an international obligation on all States Parties to take positive steps to realise this right, including assisting oppressed peoples in their struggle for freedom and refraining from actions incompatible with the nature or the full enjoyment of this right. The Court emphasises that in view of the fact that part of the territory of SADR is still occupied by Morocco, there is no doubt that the States Parties to the Charter have an obligation, individually and collectively, towards the people of SADR to protect their right to self-determination, in particular by assisting them in their struggle for freedom and by not recognising the Moroccan occupation and any violation of human rights which may have resulted from that occupation. The Court concludes that the admission of the Kingdom of Morocco to the African Union does not confer any legality on the occupation of Western Sahara, and on the serious violations of fundamental rights required by its maintenance. Indeed, the Kingdom of Morocco made no reservation in Article 4(b) of the Constitutive Act as to respect for the inherited borders existing at the time of accession to independence. Consequently, having been admitted within its internationally recognised borders, excluding Sahrawi territory, the Kingdom of Morocco sits in the continental organisation alongside the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic, which is a founding member of the African Union. The Court concludes, all AU member states have a responsibility under international law to find a permanent solution to the occupation and to ensure the enjoyment of the right to self-determination of the Sahrawi people and to do nothing that would recognise such occupation as legitimate or impede the enjoyment of that right. With this judgment of capital importance, the African Court is in line with the International Court of Justice and the Court of Justice of the European Union, but goes further, underlining in exemplary terms what the right to self-determination has been in the history of African peoples, in order to better stigmatise the military occupation of Western Sahara by Morocco. Thus Mohamed Mbarek, Saharawi Minister for Justice, observes: The doors of law are closed to the occupier: the coherence and the international judicial consensus are complete to say that the Kingdom of Morocco, which has never had the slightest sovereignty over Western Sahara, is illegally occupying this territory, in serious breach of international law. The serious disruption of international public order that is Moroccos military occupation and colonisation of the territory must now cease. Mohamed Mbarek made the link with the proceedings under way before the Court of Justice of the European Union: Peoples have a future only if they respect the law, and respect for the law is the guarantee of peace. The Kingdom of Morocco must break its denial and face reality, and allow the UN and the AU to decolonise the territory. African states must take advantage of this decision of the Court to unite around the right to self-determination and independence, which is at the heart of their history. Bir lehlu, 22 September 2022. (SPS) 090/500/60 (SPS) NESQUEHONING Macalusos is long known for its classic Italian cuisine. Jamesie Macaluso started the restaurant in 1971 and his daughter, Toni Marie, eventually took over. Now a new owner plans to preserve the history and memories of the destination restaurant located at the front door of the Pocono Mountains, just minutes from historic Jim Thorpe. I wasnt necessarily looking for a restaurant, but once I met Toni Marie and tried the food, I fell in love with the restaurant and the employees, said Brian Cianchetti. Cianchetti originally intended to purchase only the hotel portion of the property, but that changed after he tried the food. I cant remember the last time Ive eaten that good, he said to himself. Thats when he decided to invest in the restaurant also. His plans for Macalusos include a facelift on the hotel, a Sunday brunch, community-based events and possibly the addition of a conference events center, along with rental cabins on an adjacent property that came with the sale. The traditional menu wont change. An assistant professor of military science at the University of Scranton, Cianchetti served in the Army Reserve and is a combat veteran. He is also a full-time real estate investor and sells residential real estate for Keller Williams. Cianchetti and his girlfriend, Stephanie Blahoski, manager of Macalusos, have a great passion for the Jim Thorpe area, especially history and outdoor activities. Stephanie and I are very excited to be a part of the community and are looking forward to making new friends and having a positive, meaningful impact. We want to thank our employees and customers as the support they have shown us has been so much more than we could have ever hoped for, Cianchetti said in a news release. The restaurant did not close during the ownership transition and employees have stayed on. Theres no need for us to come in and make changes, Cianchetti said. Hours of operation are Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 8 p.m. and Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Macalusos typically closes with the closing of the kitchen, but may stay open later in the future to allow more time on the patio. The Government will continue through its actions to improve the lives of people living in the countryside, Prime Minister Nicolae Ciuca said on Sunday, on the Romanian Village Day. "The fact that today we celebrate the Day of the Romanian Village, as a result of a legislative initiative of the National Liberal Party, is not only a symbol of respect, but also an implicit commitment that we will continue through our governmental actions to improve the lives of the people who live in your communities. The funded programs from national and European funds intended for projects to modernize transport infrastructure, schools, sanitary networks, water supply and connecting citizens to energy networks are important opportunities that we capitalize on for the development of rural communities and to reduce the differences between the village and the city", reads the message posted on the Facebook page of the Government. Prime Minister Ciuca urges young people to remain open to the knowledge of perennial values, crafts and national traditions. The "lesson of wisdom, modesty and balance" represents a "guide" to successfully pass the current difficult period, being more supportive, he added. "With wisdom, modesty and balance, the Romanians from the village knew, from generation to generation, to arrange their lives in accordance with ancestral traditions, with the rules of morality, remaining open to learning and knowledge. If today the young people enjoy the heritage of Romanian spirituality is grateful to the village communities, who have consolidated our national identity. I encourage the young generation, regardless of where they choose to live, to remain open to the knowledge of perennial values, crafts and national traditions. And today, as always, the Romanian village illustrates the deep history of countries and it is the identity mark that makes Romania shine through diversity in the great European family", the prime minister emphasized. promises to surrender to SA police to clear his name insists he did not kill 16 people in Soweto 'Marafaele Mohloboli CONTROVERSIAL Famo gang leader, Sarele 'Lehlanya' Sello, wanted in South Africa for allegedly killing 16 tavern patrons and seriously wounding seven others, says he and his fellow gang members will surrender themselves to South African police and challenge all the charges preferred against them. In the end, Sello is adamant that he and his gang will be vindicated. He insists they did not commit the dastardly 10 July 2022 crime which dumbfounded the world and left the South African Police Service (SAPS) scrambling to unravel its motive. Though he did not explain why the SAPS could just bolt from the blue and link him to the crime, the Famo gang leader is pleading his "full innocence". He spoke exclusively to the Lesotho Times this week in the wake of the SAPS's recent announcement that they had launched a manhunt for him and four of his gang members. Besides Sello, the SAPS has also issued arrest warrants for Tsepiso Elliot Radebe, Thabang Radikatara, Tseliso Moleko and Keletso Rabasotho, all Lesotho nationals. Sello did not say when he will surrender. All Basotho Convention (ABC) leader, Nkaku Kabi, whose political campaign Sello has been spearheading, has since urged the Famo boss to hand himself over to the SAPS and clear his name if indeed he did not mastermind the crime. Sello and other Famo music groups have been accused of committing a spate of violent crimes in both Lesotho and South Africa, in turf wars for control of lucrative criminal networks in illegal mining as well as dominance in their music genre. Prime Minister Moeketsi Majoro's government has since branded them "internal terrorists". Of all their alleged crimes, the allegation that they stormed Mdlalose's Tavern in Soweto on the night of 10 July 2022 and opened fire at joyful patrons, killing 16 instantly and seriously wounding seven others is particularly galling. After more than two months of investigations, the SAPS finally splashed Sello and his co-accused's faces in police stations and in newspapers last week after linking them to the heinous crime. Sello in turn said this week their decision to hand themselves over was because they were "innocent and have nothing to hide". News of the SAPS manhunt against Sello and his alleged co-conspirators had prompted ABC leader, Mr Kabi, who has been routinely hobnobbing with the Famo gangsters, to address a hastily arranged press conference last Wednesday at which he publicly exhorted Sello and his cohorts to surrender themselves and clear their names if they did not commit the crime. Mr Kabi has been hobnobbing with Sello and members of his Terene faction despite the designation of the Famo artists as "terrorists". The ABC leader's decision to hastily convene the presser appears to have been part of a damage limitation exercise in the wake of the SAPS's announcement linking the Terene gang, so central to his campaign, to the heinous crime. Before the announcement, the SAPS had allegedly tried to work with the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS) to get the Famo boss and his acolytes arrested and handed over seemingly to no avail. The LMPS has since denied that allegation. Sello has been a regular feature at ABC campaign rallies where he is often given the platform to address and even berate Mr Kabi's detractors, including Prime Minister Majoro. At one such rally, Sello vowed to deal severely with Dr Majoro - for not attending ABC rallies despite having been catapulted to the premiership by the party - a threat that must have dispatched a cold shiver down the premier's spine. Normally, the issuance of arrest warrants would either cause suspects to immediately hand themselves over to the police or go into hiding - but not Sello and his associates. They still made a grand appearance at an ABC rally in Kolonyama, Leribe, on Sunday as if nothing was happening. Clad in the black and gold coloured blankets, which have become synonymous with the Terene faction of the Famo gangs, Sello cut an expressionless figure at the rally, seemingly unworried that his face has been gracing front pages of newspapers and notice boards of police stations across South Africa. Amid all the pomp and fanfare at the rally, he and his gang members even escorted Mr Kabi to the main podium. The only act of restraint was that Sello did not address the crowd as has become his routine at ABC rallies. But he subsequently poured his heart out in an exclusive interview with the Lesotho Times. He said they would heed Mr Kabi's advice to hand themselves over to SAPS because they were 'innocent' of the charges levelled against them. He however, did not say when they would surrender to the SAPS. "We are going to do as the (ABC) party leader has asked us to do," Sello said in the interview. "We are all innocent. Even those (SAPS) who have called us know that we have nothing to do with what we are being accused of. We have nothing to hide and we are willing to co-operate with them (SAPS) to clear our names. Even if we were to be arrested, we would still be released because we did nothing wrong," Sello added. The linking of Sello and his gang members to the dastardly crime remains a huge embarrassment to some in the ABC nonetheless. They question why the party should continue fraternising with alleged criminals yet fighting rampant crime in Lesotho is one of its core manifesto issues in the upcoming 7 October 2022 general elections. Sello and his gang have sided with Mr Kabi in his power struggle with Dr Majoro. Two months ago, Sello took to the podium at an ABC rally in Mohale's Hoek and threatened to "deal" with Dr Majoro for snubbing ABC rallies. He did not specify what action he was contemplating against the premier but that mere warning should have been chilling for Dr Majoro. Sello issued the chilling threat after Mr Kabi had claimed he had smoked the peace pipe with Dr Majoro, whom he had beaten in the race for the ABC leadership in January this year, before his unsuccessful acrimonious bid to then oust him as prime minister. The ABC leader had vowed that he and Dr Majoro would be addressing joint rallies as a show of their newly found unity. The prime minister has nonetheless been a no show at all the ABC rallies held since Mr Kabi's pledge. That seems to have incensed Sello, prompting his threat against the premier. Mr Kabi has nonetheless urged Sello to surrender himself to the SAPS and clear himself in the South African courts in the wake of the damning allegations against him and his cohorts. If need be, Mr Kabi said he would himself arrange for Sello and his four acolytes to be picked up at the border by the South African police. He had warned them against delaying their surrender as that could be construed to mean they were indeed guilty of the 16 murder and seven attempted murder crimes they were being accused of. But Sello and his co-accused have still not surrendered to the SAPS, prompting Mr Kabi to reiterate his appeal to them at the Sunday rally in Kolonyama at which they were all present. "I have called out to these men, my fellow men, to go and report themselves as a warrant of arrest has been issued against them," Mr Kabi said. Sello and his associates cut expressionless figures as Mr Kabi reiterated his call. Despite exhorting them to surrender, the ABC leader is nevertheless standing by his men. He has hinted he believes in their innocence. Instead, he has alleged a plot to kill Sello and his men in Lesotho to deprive the ABC of crucial political support. He sensationally claimed to have received "intelligence" of a conspiracy by the Majoro government to assassinate Sello and his followers using the security agencies. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Lesotho Governance Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. The conspiracy, he said, was primarily meant to disrupt efforts by Sello and his faction to campaign for the ABC. Mr Kabi has previously credited Sello with recruiting what he claimed were more than 40 000 new supporters to the ABC in recent months. He however did not say exactly who in the ABC-led coalition was behind the alleged plot to "assassinate" Sello. "I've received intelligence of a plan within this government- the very government that is led by the ABC, to have Ntate Lehlanya and his group killed so that their supporters won't vote for the ABC in large numbers," a visibly irate Mr Kabi charged at the rally without elaborating. He urged Police Commissioner Holomo Molibeli and Lesotho Defence Force (LDF) Commander, Lieutenant General Mojalefa Letsoela, to arrest Sello and his gang if they had any tangible evidence against them for any alleged crimes. "Ntate Compol and the army commander, I respect you very much. If there is anything tangible against these men, please take them in. I urge you to involve other security agencies in that as well. "There is no need for you to and taint your relations with us as we will be in government after the elections. With or without the Terene, we are still going to get votes," Mr Kabi said. Contacted for comment over the alleged plot to assassinate Sello and his fellow gangsters, LDF public relations officer, Captain Sakeng Lekola, simply retorted; "There is no way we are going to respond to utterances made by politicians". Commissioner Molibeli could not be reached for comment as his mobile phone rang unanswered. At the outset of the Covid-19 pandemic, we endured one of the deepest and quickest corrections in history (some might call it a crash, but both terms would be accurate). The S&P 500 lost 30% in a matter of weeksand then regained it all inside of five months. The Covid Correction offers a key lesson: When stocks go through a correction, avoid overcorrecting. Panic moves only lock in losses and forfeit future gains. Just more than 12 months after the bottom of the correction, the S&P 500 had doubled in value. Investors who ran for cover probably missed out on some or even all of those gains. During the heat of a correction, it can be almost impossible to stay cool and collected. Heres a guide to keeping your sanity and your money during a stock market correction, when it feels like everyone around you is losing theirs. What Is a Stock Market Correction? A stock market correction is a broad decline in major market indexes of 10% to 20%, although there is no formal definition for the term. Corrections are unavoidable facts of life for investors. In fact, one occurs on average about once every two years. Its called a correction because the stock market decline tends t0 correct the market after a period of irrational exuberance, returning prices to their longer-term trend. Sometimes corrections turn into a bear marketwhen market indexes decline 20% or more. But the vast majority of corrections have not become bear markets. How Long Do Market Corrections Last? Data from Yardeni Research shows that since 1950, there have been 39 S&P 500 correctionsincluding the current ongoing correction. Thats an average of one correction every 1.9 years. Only seven of those corrections have taken more than a year to resolve themselves. Meanwhile, 24 of them lasted three and a half months or less. All in all, the S&P 500 spent 7,168 days correcting from peak to trough in the 38 corrections before the current one. That means the average correction lasted 189 days, or about six months. The First Rule of Corrections: Get Perspective! Its normal to be nervous when a stock market correction arrives. But the first rule to follow during any correction is to get some perspective on whats happening. During the dark days of the Great Recession of 2007 to 2009, investors lost more than half their money as the housing bubble burst and global markets melted down. Outside of a global pandemic, its hard to imagine a more frightening time for markets. Investors who suffered through the worst of the Great Recession did have to be patient to get their money backbut if they held on, they got it back. The S&P 500 hit its recession bottom in early 2009. By early 2013, the index was right back at all-time highs. Avoid the News, Dont Talk Stocks with Friends Hate to say it, but news programs that follow markets minute by minute are not very helpful when you are trying to keep perspective. How much you lost or gained today will never inform sound decision making, warns Liz Weston, author of financial books like Deal With Your Debt. Once a correction happens, limit your exposure to news about it and avoid checking your balances, says Weston. Fear can trigger impulsive reactions, like selling into a downturn and locking in your losses. Remember: If you havent sold it, you havent lost it. This coping strategy might also mean you want to avoid hanging out with market-obsessed friends, too. This is a good time to take a break from constant chatter about Wall Street. When a Market Correction Gets Hot, Stay Cool Youve spent a lot of time making a financial plan. Youve read the blogs, perhaps worked with a professional, and youve made the best decisions you could. Now is the moment to be confident in your strategy and stick with it. Dont change directions just because a correction is blowing your way. Behavioral scientists talk about hot and cold cognition. Cold cognition involves formulating ideas and making rational choices based on facts. But when we are agitated, hot cognition kicks in and our emotions rule the day. One trick to success in a correction is to recognize when you enter a state of hot cognition. Thats the moment you need to stop acting and trust the decisions you made when you were cold. Consider Making Minor Adjustments During a Correction Theres no reason you cant reevaluate your old choices based on new information during a stock market correction. Maybe you really believed in technology stocks five years ago when you built your portfolio, but now you are starting to think they are too risky or government regulators are about to change the profit equation for the industry. Never let a crisis go to waste, and a market downturn could be an occasion to reexamine and adjust your plans. Thats cold ideation in action, and its quite different from an emotional impulse to sell because of a bad day in the stock market. Corrections can be a good time to examine your overall investment strategy and consider rebalancing your portfolio. Maybe one investment held up well as the others fell, and now its an outsized part of your portfolio. Just dont make your move at 3:45 p.m. ET after watching another late-afternoon market selloff. Sketch out a new plan with a pencil and paper on Saturday morning at your local coffee shop instead. Your Correction Superpower: Dollar Cost Averaging Seeing markets fall day after day can really get inside your head, but dont let them. Most critically, dont be tempted to sit on the sidelines with your available cash. The thing about stock market corrections is that you never know when they might turn aroundand studies show that missing out on a big market turnaround can be a portfolio killer. Research from J.P Morgan finds that investors who missed the top 10 trading days during a recent 20-year stretch wouldve seen their returns fall by almost half, compared to those who stayed invested the whole time. When did those top 10 days happen? Often after some of the worst trading days, in the depths of a correction. Never try to time the marketsthis advice cant be repeated often enough. That also means Its impossible to time when a stock market correction might turn around. All this makes dollar cost averaging your best friend during a market correctioneven if you already implement the strategy with regular contributions to a workplace 401(k) plan. If youre dollar cost averaging into a retirement plan or another account, keep goingbuying in a downturn essentially means youre buying stocks on sale, says Weston. Nearing Retirement? Dont Panic. Market corrections shouldnt alarm long-term investors who are decades away from retirement. Youll have forgotten the downturn by the time you need the money that you are socking away in your retirement plan, after all. But investors who are close to retirement might have something to worry about. Workers who planned to retire in 2008 or 2009 really suffered from bad luck. Or was it luck? Trying to squeeze every last dollar out of investments right before you need the moneyto retire, to buy a home, to pay for collegeis a losing proposition. Ideally, soon-to-be-retirees should be planning for their cash needs years in advance. They should slowly be exchanging risky investments for safe ones when it makes sense, well before retirement. If this describes your retirement planning process, dont let the correction derail you. Like portfolio balancing, a stock market correction could be the right time to re-evaluate your retirement plan. Hanging up your spurs during a market correction or bear market is a risky choice. Perhaps you should consider working a couple of more years, rather than diving into full retirement. The longer your investments stay in the market, the more time compounding has to work its magic. Forget the Regret So maybe this all sounds good to youbut still, youre losing money! Right now! Look at all that red! At a time like this, its hard to resist the urge to do something. Take that energy and put it into researching your next five or 10 years. Whatever has happened has already happened. You cant fix a market mistake after the fact; its a sunk cost. Now is the time to take all that regret and turn it into something useful. Dont overcorrect by pulling the trigger on trades inspired by todays bad news. If you are 35, talk to 45-year-old you and make a plan for her. Make an appointment to talk with a financial advisor. Read some investment books and devour all of the resources you can. The goal is to avoid having to feel any regret the next time a correction arrives. Because even as this one is ending, the clock is already ticking on the next one. Stock Market Correction FAQs When was the last stock market correction? The S&P 500 is currently in a stock market correction. The last all-time closing high in the index was 4,796.56 on January 3, 2022. Since then, the benchmark index has declined around 17% (as of writing), placing it firmly in correction. What happens after a stock market correction? Two things can happen after a stock market correction. It can either turn into a bear market, which is a 20% or more decline, or it can return to growth and trade higher. Bear markets are much less common than corrections, and more often than not a correction is followed by a return to positive stock market gains. Whats the difference between a correction and a bear market? While there arent formal definitions for these phenomena, a stock market correction is generally understood to be a sustained decline in the price of a major market index (or a particular security) of 10% to 20%. Meanwhile, a bear market is a decline of 20% or more. How frequent are stock market corrections? Data from Yardeni Research shows that since 1950, there have been 39 S&P 500 correctionsincluding the current ongoing correction. Thats an average of one correction every 1.9 years. How long do stock market corrections last? The Yardeni data shows that since 1950, the S&P 500 spent 7,168 days correcting from peak to trough in the 38 corrections before the current one. That means the average correction lasted 189 days, or about six months. More from Forbes Advisor Just when you think you cant stand one more day of simmering on summers griddle, fall arrives. Ah, fall so welcome. Of course along with it come shorter days and cooler temperatures. Then before long, the trees abandon their summer greens for showier hues, and woods become tapestries of vibrant color Missouri is famous for. It may seem like Mother Natures alchemy, but science tells us that fewer daylight hours and longer, cooler nights work in concert to achieve the change, by slowing and eventually stopping production of the chlorophyll in leaves (its what keeps them green). The lack of chlorophyll allows other pigments to be revealed: carotinoids that display the yellow, orange and brown shades, and anthocyanins for the stunning reds and purples. Missouri is laced with interesting drives and many become technicolor tunnels in fall, so there are plenty to choose from for a scenic road trip. One of our favorites is Missouri Highway 79, which begins at Interstate 70 in St. Peters and, paralleling the Mississippi River, runs north 90 miles, ending at Highway 36/Interstate 72 in Hannibal. Our mid-September trip was too early for much fall color though the scenery along the route is spectacular any time of year. And within a few weeks, there will be color. For the most part its a rural landscape, the road bordered by seemingly endless fields of corn and beans and a handful of small towns. But historically important river towns Clarksville and Louisiana, in addition to Hannibal, are also on the route, and offer a variety of attractions. Along the way, rolling hills become near-mountains, and towering limestone bluffs line the road. Signs direct you to pull-offs for dramatic scenic overlooks. A few miles north of I-70, the road runs through quaint Winfield. Here, County Road N runs east to the river at Lock and Dam 25. In winter it becomes the areas most popular attraction, as eagle enthusiasts gather to watch the dozens of the birds that have fled the frozen north, and fish at the dam. Ahead on Highway 79, County Road M (north of Foley) leads three miles east to BK Leach Memorial Conservation Area, our first stop. The conservation area, 4,300-acres of wetlands, marshes and sloughs, is home to a variety of marsh birds and other wildlife, and also provides food for thousands of migrating waterfowl. In fall its richly decorated with acres of bright yellow black-eyed Susans on 6-foot stems (a small parking area amid the flowers offers fine views of distant blue hills to the north). Antique Clarksville, 20 miles ahead on Highway 79, is home to Lock and Dam 24. A viewing platform (handicap accessible) offers an excellent vantage of the dam, and placards provide information. One reads that storage space on one 15-barge tow is equal to that of 225 railroad hopper cars or 870 tractor trailers. Another states that although its nearly 28 miles north to tiny Saverton, and Lock and Dam 22, there is no Lock and Dam 23. One was planned years ago, but the pool created by Lock and Dam 24 made it unnecessary. Thus, Lock and Dam 23 has been lost to history, but the numbering stuck. The stretch of highway that strings together Clarksville, Louisiana and Hannibal is nicknamed Little Dixie Highway of the Great River Road, and is also a designated National Scenic Byway. As to a reason for the nickname, there is some debate. One source says its because early settlers were from Kentucky and Tennessee. Another, that the numerous Victorian and Italianate mansions in the towns give them a southern flavor. The road there has also been dubbed Fifty Miles of Art for the many artists, crafters and art galleries in the towns. By chance we met one of the artists in Louisiana. The town, also called Mural City, for its two dozen outdoor murals commemorating historic events, is a jewel in the crown of Missouri towns for a number of reasons. High on the limestone bluffs along the Mississippi, the historic town offers superb views of the river, such as those at Riverview Park. On this day, workers were building a memorial at the overlook, clearly under the direction of a distinguished-looking, white-haired gentleman. Nearby is a bronze bust of John Brooks Henderson (1826-1913), with a placard explaining he was a local teacher, lawyer, state legislator and a brigadier general in the Union Army. In 1862 he was appointed a U.S. senator, and within six weeks, was holding regular meetings with President Lincoln. As I was reading it, the white-haired gentleman walked over and asked if he could be of help. He introduced himself as John Stoeckley, 79, a local artist who said he had designed the bronze as part of the 2018 celebration of Louisianas bicentennial. He also designed the memorial in the works. Henderson, he said, had helped keep Missouri in the Union, and in 1864, wrote the immortal words of the constitutional amendment outlawing slavery that Congress approved a year later (the 13th Amendment). Other Louisiana attractions include two historic districts and numerous historic homes, many of which are on the National Register of Historic Places. Self-guided walking tours are available at the Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau. Wed planned to visit the Louisiana Area Historical Museum but found it closed for renovation. It will reopen, according to a sign on the door, for the 36th annual Louisiana Colorfest, Oct. 15-16. Wed read that the highest point on the Mississippi, 850 feet above sea level is the Pinnacle, at Louisiana. But we didnt know where it was, and the first three local people we asked didnt know anything about it. But the (closed) museum is in a historic area, and nearby Third Street is lined with elegant 19th century homes. There, walking, we passed a man carrying antiques to a table on the sidewalk. We wondered if he knew how to get to the Pinnacle. He did. Pinnacle is off Cemetery Road in Louisiana Cemetery, he said, and gave us directions. Nondescript Cemetery Road watch carefully or youll miss it runs north several blocks off the quarter-mile stretch where Highways 79 and 54 run together in town. Inside the gates of the cemetery, you see two narrow, symmetrical roads that arc steeply to the top (limited parking there). The view from that high-up vantage is one of the most spectacular anywhere. You can see virtually 360 degrees of the surrounding countryside, the town, the incredibly huge cemetery that blankets these grassy hills, and far below, the arcs of the deeply blue river appearing between lushly green banks. It was a pleasantly warm afternoon, a gentle breeze was wafting and oh, the view. If there is a more peaceful, beautiful place anywhere, I cant imagine what it would be. At the very top of Pinnacle, which you reach on foot, is a 10-foot obelisk marking the grave of Lloyd Crow Stark, Missouri governor from 1937 to 1941. His family founded Stark Brothers Nursery and Orchards Co. in Louisiana in 1816. Its been in business ever since. Starks monument reads: We gave the world the golden delicious apple. On to lovely Hannibal, a town rich with fine historic homes Victorian, Queen Anne, Italianate. Along thriving Main Street, just one block west of the river, ornate 19th century buildings now house dozens of inviting shops and eateries. (We chose at random and recommend Java & Jive, the first coffee shop west of the Mississippi. The menu is varied and features elegant pastries.) Nicknamed Americas Home Town, Hannibal was once a thriving port for steamboats, flat boats and pocket steamers. Today, its popular among tourists, with many of its attractions centered around favorite son, Samuel Clemens, aka Mark Twain. (Mark Twain Museum, Mark Twain Cave, Cave Hollow Winery, Mark Twain Riverboat, which offers cruises, Plantation Theater for performances by actor Richard Garey of Mark Twain Himself, and others.) Born in Florida, Missouri, in 1835, Twain lived in Hannibal from 1839 until 1853, and set two of the worlds favorite novels The Adventures of Tom Sawyer (1876) and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn (1885) in fictional St. Petersburg, but based on Hannibal. Twain died in 1910, and two years later his boyhood home opened for tours. Nearby, Cardiff Hill towers over the north end of Main Street. A lighthouse high on the hill was built in 1935 to shine a beacon on festivities at the celebration of Twains 100th birthday. Bronze statues of two carefree-looking boys, Tom and Huck, stand at the foot of the hill. IF YOU GO Louisiana: For information about dining, lodging and attractions, visit Louisiana Convention and Visitors Bureau, 202 South Third Street, 573-754-5921, visitlouisianamo.com Hannibal: For information about dining, lodging and attractions, visit Hannibal Convention and Visitors Bureau, 925 Grand Avenue, 573-221-2477, visithannibal.com Other locations: visitmo.com ST. LOUIS A man was found dead in the Baden neighborhood Saturday night after being hit on the head by an unknown object. St. Louis police said they responded to a call at 21 Gast Place. They found Ryan Thompson, 33, unconscious in the alley between Gast and the 8600 block of Church Drive. EMS pronounced Thompson dead at the scene. Police do not believe it was a shooting and said Thompson appears to be have been hit in the head with something. The incident appears to have happened to the south, closer to McLaran Avenue, in the 8500 block of Church Drive. Homicide detectives are investigating and ask people with information to call 314-444-5371. Anyone with a tip can remain anonymous and possibly receive a reward if they call CrimeStoppers at 866-371-TIPS. UNITED NATIONS (AP) Russia made its case to the world Saturday for its war in Ukraine, repeating a series of grievances about its neighbor and the West to tell the U.N. General Assembly meeting of leaders that Moscow had no choice but to take military action. After days of denunciations of Russia at the prominent diplomatic gathering, Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov sought to shift the focus to Washington. His speech centered on a claim that the United States and its allies not Russia, as the West maintains are aggressively undermining the international system that the U.N. represents. Invoking history ranging from the U.S. war in Iraq in the early 2000s to the 20th-century Cold War to a 19th-century U.S. policy that essentially proclaimed American influence over the Western Hemisphere, Lavrov portrayed the U.S. as a bully that tries to afford itself the sacred right to act with impunity wherever and wherever they want and can't accept a world where others also advance their national interests. The United States and allies want to stop the march of history, he maintained. The U.S. and Ukraine didn't retort at the assembly on Saturday but can still offer formal responses later in the meeting. Both countries' presidents have already given their own speeches describing Russia as a dangerous aggressor that must be stopped. Lavrov, for his part, accused the West of aiming to destroy and fracture Russia" in order to remove from the global map a geopolitical entity that has become all too independent. The Ukraine war has largely dominated the discussion at the assembly's big annual meeting, and many countries have laid into Russia for its Feb. 24 invasion denouncing its nuclear threats, alleging it has committed atrocities and war crimes, and lambasting its decision to mobilize call up some of its reserves even as the assembly met. Neither partial mobilization, nuclear saber-rattling, nor any other escalation will deter us from supporting Ukraine, Swedish Foreign Minister Ann Linde declared Saturday. Russia does have some friends in the sprawling chamber, and one Belarus offered a full-throated defense Saturday of its big neighbor. Echoing Russia's talking points, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei said it was precisely the West that made this conflict inevitable in Ukraine. The speeches came amid voting in Russian-occupied parts of eastern and southern Ukraine on whether to join Russia. Moscow characterizes the referendums as self-determination, but Kyiv and its Western allies view them as Kremlin-orchestrated shams with a foregone conclusion. Some observers think the expected outcome could serve as a pretext for Russian President Vladimir Putin eventually to escalate the war further. We can expect President Putin will claim any Ukrainian effort to liberate this land as an attack on so-called Russian territory," U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken warned the U.N. Security Council on Thursday. Lavrov dismissed the complaints as the West throwing a fit about people making a choice on where they feel they belong. Russia has offered a number of explanations for what it calls its special military operation in Ukraine. Lavrov recapped a couple: risks to Russia from what it considers a hostile government in Kyiv and a NATO alliance that has expanded eastward over the years and relieving Russians living in Ukraine especially its eastern region of the Donbas of what Moscow views as the Ukrainian governments oppression. The incapacity of Western countries to negotiate and the continued war by the Kyiv regime against their own people left us with no choice but to recognize the two regions that make up the Donbas as independent and then to send troops in, Lavrov said. The aim was to remove the threats against our security, which NATO has been consistently creating in Ukraine, he explained. While Ukraine has recently driven Russian troops from some areas in the northeast, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy earlier this week warned the assembly that he believes Moscow wants to spend the winter getting ready for a new offensive, or at least preparing fortifications while mobilizing more troops. Regardless, he declared that his forces will ultimately oust Russian troops from all of Ukraine. We can do it with the force of arms. But we need time, said Zelenskyy, the only leader who was allowed to address the assembly by video this year. The war has disrupted the trade of Ukrainian and Russian grain and Russian fertilizer, touching off a global food crisis. A deal recently brokered by the U.N. and Turkey has helped get Ukrainian grain moving, but fertilizer shipments have proved more difficult. At a news conference after his speech, Lavrov said he discussed problems with the deal at a meeting this week with U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. Although international sanctions against Russia did not target food and fertilizer exports, shipping and insurance companies and banks have been loath to deal with Moscow and the Kremlin has frequently pointed to that in alleging that Western sanctions have exacerbated the crisis. Lavrov told reporters Saturday that Russia wants fertilizer stuck in European ports to be given to needy countries quickly. At the Security Council on Thursday, Ukraine and Russia faced off, in a rare moment when Lavrov and his Ukrainian counterpart, Dmytro Kuleba, were in the same room though they kept their distance. Associated Press writer Edith M. Lederer contributed to this report. For more AP coverage of the U.N. General Assembly, visit https://apnews.com/hub/united-nations-general-assembly Regarding Larry Spickard's guest column "Lessons learned from Loy-Lange" (Sept. 5): The 2017 explosion at the Loy-Lange Box Company, which sent a boiler flying into the Faultless Linen Facility, has been thoroughly investigated by Spickard, a chemical engineer. Once again, multiple human errors led to the explosion. Sadly, four were killed. After reading his opinion, I recalled a similar event just few blocks west of Cardinal Glennon Children's Hospital, also in 2017: the massive Reedy Press warehouse fire at 3937 Park Avenue. It also burned to the ground, taking 200,000 books with it. I remember standing outside St. Louis University Hospital watching the St. Louis Fire Department douse the smoldering Reedy Press ruins, thinking how fortunate those sick children were that the fire did not spread east to them. In my opinion, the most important lesson in both these events is there was potential for them to have taken many more lives. Robert G. Levitt, M.D. University City Born and raised in Washington, Pennsylvania, Paige Spara currently lives in Vancouver, where she films the ABC medical series The Good Doctor. Her character, Lea Dilallo, is the head of a hospitals Information Technology department and is married to Shaun Murphy an autistic doctor played by Freddie Highmore. Shes the kind of person who strives to do good in the world and be there for the people she loves, said Spara, 33. Lea would make an excellent travel partner, if you enjoy impulsive adventures and are down to do anything and everything in a day. Id travel with her. UNITED NATIONS The United States called on other nations to tell Russia to stop making nuclear threats and end "the horror" of its war in Ukraine as all three countries' top diplomats spoke but didn't quite meet at a high-profile U.N. Security Council meeting Thursday. Held alongside the annual U.N. General Assembly gathering of world leaders, the session followed a striking development this week: Russia called up a portion of its reserves for the first time since World War II. President Vladimir Putin also said his nuclear-armed country will "use all means available to us" to defend itself. U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken saw Putin's remark as particularly menacing given plans for referendums in Russian-controlled parts of eastern and southern Ukraine on whether to become part of Russia. Western nations condemned those votes as illegitimate and nonbinding. But, in their wake, Moscow might see any Ukrainian attempt to retake those areas as an attack on "Russian territory," Blinken warned. "Every council member should send a clear message that these reckless nuclear threats must stop immediately," he said. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov didn't mention his country's nuclear capacity or the new troop mobilization during his own remarks at the council meeting, which France called to discuss alleged abuses and atrocities during the nearly seven-month-long war. Instead, Lavrov repeated his country's claims that Kyiv has long oppressed Russian speakers in Ukraine's east an explanation Moscow has offered for the invasion and that Western support for Ukraine is a menace to Russia. "What's particularly cynical is the position of states that are pumping Ukraine full of weapons and training their soldiers," he said, maintaining that their goal is to prolong fighting "to wear down and weaken Russia." "That policy means the direct involvement of the West in the conflict," Lavrov said. He added that Ukraine had become "an anti-Russia staging ground to create threats against Russian security" and his country wouldn't accept it. The Security Council has held several meetings on Ukraine since the war began in February, but Thursday's session had special stature. "That President Putin picked this week, as most of the world gathers at the United Nations, to add fuel to the fire he started shows his utter contempt and disdain for the U.N. Charter, the U.N. General Assembly and this council," Blinken told foreign ministers around the council's horseshoe-shaped table. "Tell President Putin to stop the horror he started. Tell President Putin to stop the horror he started," Blinken added. Regardless, no one expects the council to act against Russia, since Moscow has veto power as a permanent member. The meeting was still a rare moment for top diplomats from Ukraine and Russia to appear in the same room all the more extraordinary due to the fact that Lavrov is under U.S. sanctions. In a sign of the charged atmosphere, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba apparently objected as council staffers prepared to put a placard marking Ukraine's seat next to Russia's. It was moved to another spot. Ahead of the meeting, Kuleba wryly told reporters that he planned to keep a "social distance" from Lavrov. But the Russian appeared only just before speaking and left right after, prompting Kuleba to quip in his own speech that "Russian diplomats flee almost as quickly as Russian soldiers." Blinken argued that Russia should face further censure and isolation for its invasion, pressing other countries to join in Washington's forceful condemnations of the conflict. He cited the discovery of mass graves in Ukraine and allegations from Ukrainians that they were tortured by Russian soldiers, while suggesting that more could come. The International Criminal Court opened an investigation in March into possible war crimes and sent teams to gather evidence. Prosecutor Karim Khan told the council Thursday that he's dispatching more staffers next week to eastern Ukraine. Khan hasn't yet announced any charges linked to the conflict but reiterated to the council that he believes there are reasonable grounds to think crimes were committed. Ukraine also wants a special tribunal to be created to prosecute alleged war crimes. The meeting came less than a week after Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced the discovery of a mass burial site near a northeastern city, Izium, that had been recaptured from Russian forces. He said investigators found evidence of torture. That prompted France to send more investigators to join others who have been in Ukraine since hundreds of civilians were found dead in another city, Bucha, after a Russian withdrawal in late March, French Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna told the council. There are "so many violations of the laws of war and so many actions for which Russia must be held accountable," she said. Other council members called for accountability, but in varying tones. "Investigations into violations of international humanitarian law should be objective and fair, based on fair facts, rather than an assumption of guilt, and without being politicized," said Foreign Minister Wang Yi of China, which has maintained strong ties with Russia. Tangier A medium-term roadmap has been developed to boost co-production and film production between Morocco and Cote d'Ivoire, Acting Director of the Moroccan Film Center (CCM), Khalid Saidi, said on Friday in Tangier. In a statement to MAP on the occasion of the closing of the 4th edition of the Ivorian film week in Morocco Saidi stressed the fruitful cooperation between the CCM and the National Film Office of Cote d'Ivoire (ONAC-CI). "Very fruitful meetings have been held between Moroccan directors and their Ivorian counterparts, the objective being to develop the film industry in both countries," he added. The 4th Ivorian Film Week in Morocco took place on Sept. 18-24 September in Tangier. The event is part of the action led by Morocco in favor of South-South cooperation in the field of cinema and its commitment to support African cinema in general. Director General of the ONAC-CI, Diomande Lison Fall Johnson noted that this fourth edition commemorates the 60 years of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Kingdom and Cote d'Ivoire. The Moroccan directors and their Ivorian counterparts "have given us satisfaction through the discussion and meetings they have had, the official added. At the closing ceremony, the two officials announced that a "Moroccan Film Week" will be held next year in Cote d'Ivoire. Paid press release content from The Financial Capital. The StreetInsider.com news staff was not involved in its creation. An all-in-one, modular educational unit for children ages 2+ and above, creating meaningful learning and playing experiences anywhere. Out Of The Box Education, a startup founded in MIT, is pleased to announce the launch of the world's first Classroom-in-a-Box with Digital Platform, an innovative all-in-one educational unit for children ages two and above. The award-winning, patent-pending product is developed as part of the MIT DesignX program. Throughout the past two years, parents and educators have been facing immense challenges transitioning to remote or hybrid work, while concurrently facilitating their childrens learning a problem exacerbated by the pandemic. Out Of The Box was founded with the philosophy that meaningful learning and play can (and should) take place everywhere, not just in traditional schools. The classroom-in-a-box transforms any space with different configurations that provide endless experiences. The Kickstarter launch will be live on 27 September 2022. For more information, visit: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/outoftheboxeducation/out-of-the- box-classroom-in-a-box-for-learn-and-play The components in the classroom-in-a-box are modular and mobile, giving children the freedom to explore different configurations and usage modalities. The unit also comes with an artificial intelligence-enabled digital platform that provides personalized learning journeys catered to each child's unique learning needs and a learning library with expandable content. According to research conducted at Cambridge University, a guided play-focused approach where children can explore at their own pace is as effective as a traditional classroom environment in teaching literacy, critical thinking, and numeracy. "Children learn differently, and we should encourage them to explore, learn and play the way they do best," says Out Of The Box Cofounder Yu Qian Ang whose mother was a preschool teacher for over 20 years on the inspiration behind the project. "For children, every interaction is an opportunity to learn, and a traditional, asymmetric instructional approach may discourage them." Out Of The Box has won multiple international awards, including the audience choice award at the World Bank Youth Summit, and was also honored in Fast Company's World Changing Ideas and Innovation by Design. Through the Kickstarter campaign, the cofounders hope to build a community of enthusiastic early adopters who will provide feedback, ideas and grow with the product. Backers also have the option to support efforts to bring these experiences to underprivileged children. About Us: Out Of The Box Education, founded at MIT, aims to bring meaningful learning and playing experiences to children everywhere. The company's first product is a patent-pending classroom-in-a-box (hardware) with an AI-enabled learning platform (software) that transforms any space into a learning and play environment for children. Contact Info: Name: Kloe Ng Email: Send Email Organization: Out Of The Box Education, Inc. Website: http://www.ootb.education Release ID: 89082047 If you detect any issues, problems, or errors in this press release content, kindly contact [email protected] to notify us. We will respond and rectify the situation in the next 8 hours. GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVALS IN ACCRA AND NEW YORK CITY ANNOUNCE OVER $800 MILLION TO EMPOWER GIRLS, DEFEAT POVERTY, DEFEND THE PLANET, PROMOTE HEALTH, PROTECT CIVIC SPACE AND MITIGATE THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS CANADA AND THE EUROPEAN COMMISSION COMMIT $1.6 BILLION TO THE GLOBAL FUND TO FIGHT AIDS, TUBERCULOSIS AND MALARIA 10TH ANNIVERSARY FESTIVAL GENERATES RECORD-BREAKING 2 MILLION ACTIONS FROM GLOBAL CITIZENS GOVERNMENTS OF GHANA AND SOUTH AFRICA ANNOUNCE AFRICAN PROSPERITY FUND AT GLOBAL CITIZEN FESTIVAL: ACCRA FIVE MAJOR CORPORATIONS SET AMBITIOUS CLIMATE GOALS Broadcast and streamed around the world on YouTube, Twitter, ABC, ABC News Live, Amazon Music, Apple Music & the Apple TV app, iHeartRadio, Hulu, FX, Veeps, Albavision, Canal+, Bis, Nine Network, SABC, TimesLive, TV3, Twitch and the Global Citizen app Proudly supported by Global Partners: Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon and YouTube, Campaign Partners World Wide Technology and Live Nation Press Kit: Click here for photo and video assets from Global Citizen Festivals in Accra, Ghana and New York City Click here for video assets highlighting Global Citizen's 10 years of impact NEW YORK and ACCRA, Ghana, Sept. 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Global Citizen is proud to announce the 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign has culminated in over $2.4 billion in commitments to end extreme poverty NOW. The six-week campaign concluded with a nine-hour festival across two stages, beginning in Black Star Square in Accra, Ghana, presented by Harith General Partners, and ending in New York City's Central Park, presented by Citi and Cisco. The 2022 campaign saw 2 million actions taken by global citizens as part of Global Citizen's mission to End Extreme Poverty NOW, more than doubling the record previously set by the international advocacy organization. On the Global Citizen Festival: Accra stage, the governments of Ghana and South Africa announced the African Prosperity Fund, a joint initiative by the governments of Ghana and South Africa, which aims to deploy $1 billion to fund projects for economic inclusion and financial participation across the continent. The fund will focus on projects in the African Continental Free Trade Area, including infrastructure development, financial access for the participation of women and youth, education, healthcare, technology, and sustainability, all for the benefit of Africa's 1.3 billion people. Meanwhile, at Global Citizen Festival: NYC, U.S. members of Congress from both sides of the political aisle stood alongside world leaders, philanthropists and trailblazers from the private sector to make announcements worthy of the 10-year history of the Global Citizen Festival. Over a video message, President Macron announced France will reallocate 30 percent of its Special Drawing Rights to the world's poorest countries, specifically in Africa, to fight extreme poverty, pandemics, inequalities and climate change. The days leading into the 10th anniversary Global Citizen Festival saw major commitments from world leaders, including Prime Minister Trudeau of Canada and President von der Leyen of the European Commission, who respectively committed CAD $1.209 billion and 715 million at the seventh replenishment of the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria. During the Festival, Prime Minister Trudeau and President von der Leyen thanked global citizens for taking action. The following commitments were pledged at the 2022 Global Citizen Festival in Accra, Ghana and New York City: FOR GIRLS Investments committed for the future of women and girls include:Governments Belgium committed 2.6 million to the ILO's Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All for its second phase in Senegal and Burkina Faso, extending until 2025. committed 2.6 million to the ILO's Global Flagship Programme on Building Social Protection Floors for All for its second phase in Senegal and Burkina Faso, extending until 2025. Denmark committed $17 million to UNFPA Supplies and $30 million to UNFPA over the next year as part of their broader newly announced three year partnership. committed $17 million to UNFPA Supplies and $30 million to UNFPA over the next year as part of their broader newly announced three year partnership. The European Commission committed 45 million to UNFPA . committed 45 million to UNFPA Germany , as a champion for global education, committed 10 million to Education Cannot Wait's efforts to respond to the education needs in Ukraine. , as a champion for global education, committed 10 million to Education Cannot Wait's efforts to respond to the education needs in Ukraine. Luxembourg committed to renew its partnership with the UNFPA-UNICEF Joint Program to End Female Genital Mutilation, with a 70 percent increase of its funding based on previous contributions over the next three years, underlining its support for girls and women around the world. Philanthropic foundations and the private sector Gavi, The Vaccine Alliance and Girl Effect announced a $8 million partnership to fight against the gender barriers that limit uptake of HPV and other routine vaccines in Tanzania and Ethiopia. announced a $8 million partnership to fight against the gender barriers that limit uptake of HPV and other routine vaccines in Tanzania and Ethiopia. The Global Menstrual Equity Accelerator was launched with the ambition to advance gender equality for girls and women through a partnership ranging from combating stigmas, increasing the availability of period products, raising public awareness and education around menstrual health and safe disposal, and beyond. was launched with the ambition to advance gender equality for girls and women through a partnership ranging from combating stigmas, increasing the availability of period products, raising public awareness and education around menstrual health and safe disposal, and beyond. LEGO Foundation committed $25 million to Education Cannot Wait in support of its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, including a commitment to playful learning opportunities for children affected by emergencies and protracted crises, that are gender-transformative and reach children in all their diversity. committed $25 million to Education Cannot Wait in support of its 2023-2026 Strategic Plan, including a commitment to playful learning opportunities for children affected by emergencies and protracted crises, that are gender-transformative and reach children in all their diversity. The United Nation Population Fund announced a $10.5 million contribution from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to drive improved quality service provision for the advancement of women and girls' health and well-being. announced a $10.5 million contribution from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation to drive improved quality service provision for the advancement of women and girls' health and well-being. Procter & Gamble committed to advance the Care Agenda by producing and creating advertisements, digital content, and communications messaging that portrays a more equitable division of care work and challenges the gender stereotypes and societal norms that perpetuate the inequity of unpaid care work in the home and societies around the globe. FOR THE PLANET Commitments made to defend the planet include:Governments The Peace Corps committed to launch a new climate initiative to support over 2 million hours of volunteer service in around 50 countries, including up to 1000 volunteers who will work with host country partners to identify and implement actions that contribute to host country climate priorities and national plans. The private sector Five major corporations signed the United Nations-led Race to Zero campaign to achieve net zero carbon emissions by 2050, including American Eagle Outfitters, Betterfly, Harith General Partners, Juan Valdez Cafe, and Global Citizen Festival: NYC campaign partner World Wide Technology. FOR THE GLOBAL FOOD CRISIS Pledges made to improve food and nutrition security in response to the global food crisis include:Governments The Netherlands committed 25 million towards food and nutrition security in 2023, topping up the 425 million budget announced earlier this year for the next five years. committed 25 million towards food and nutrition security in 2023, topping up the 425 million budget announced earlier this year for the next five years. Norway committed NOK 100 million towards the African Development Bank's Africa Emergency Food Production Facility. committed NOK 100 million towards the African Development Bank's Africa Emergency Food Production Facility. Slovenia committed 1.23 million to civil society organizations fighting against hunger in Sub-Saharan Africa. The private sector Citi announced its continued support to No Kid Hungry for the next three years, estimated to be equivalent to the provision of 60 million meals. FOR GLOBAL HEALTHCommitments made to eradicate communicable diseases include:Governments Canada highlighted their CAD $1.209 billion commitment made at the Global Fund replenishment highlighted their CAD $1.209 billion commitment made at the Global Fund replenishment The European Commission highlighted their 715 million contribution to the Global Fund highlighted their 715 million contribution to the Global Fund Malta committed 30,000 to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative. Philanthropic foundations Rotary International committed $150 million to the Global Polio Eradication Initiative across the next three years. TO DEFEAT POVERTYAdditional pledges to act in the interests of the world's most marginalized populations include:Governments The United Nations in Ghana committed $257 million in funding towards the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework by 2025. This convenes more than 24 United Nations agencies, funds, and programmes with the ambition of reaching all regions in Ghana, responding to the needs of the most vulnerable and seeking to leave no one behind. in Ghana committed $257 million in funding towards the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework by 2025. This convenes more than 24 United Nations agencies, funds, and programmes with the ambition of reaching all regions in Ghana, responding to the needs of the most vulnerable and seeking to leave no one behind. The United States committed $138 million to support human capital development in the areas of health, education, climate, and peacebuilding and $32.5 million committed to deepening partnerships across West Africa in Ghana, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Togo. committed $138 million to support human capital development in the areas of health, education, climate, and peacebuilding and $32.5 million committed to deepening partnerships across West Africa in Ghana, Benin, Cote d'Ivoire, Guinea, and Togo. Lithuania announced they would be committing 11 million in funding towards rebuilding infrastructure including schools, homes and a bridge in Ukraine. Philanthropic foundations and the private sector Dutch Postcode Lottery announced a 1 million contribution to the Legal Empowerment Fund, an initiative of the Fund for Global Human Rights. announced a 1 million contribution to the Legal Empowerment Fund, an initiative of the Fund for Global Human Rights. Ford Foundation announced $30 million towards organizations protecting civic space in the coming year. announced $30 million towards organizations protecting civic space in the coming year. Google.org committed $1 million to OutRight Action International in support of its work for LGBTIQ communities around the world. Click here for more details about the 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign impact and outcomes. At the outset of the campaign, Global Citizen called on world leaders, major corporations and philanthropic foundations to End Extreme Poverty NOW and invest $600 million into the future of women and girls; close the annual $10 billion climate financing shortfall; deliver $500 million to help African farmers respond to the global food crisis; reallocate IMF Special Drawing Rights to provide urgent relief from debts unjustly crushing economies, and defend advocacy. Though the campaign's outcomes and commitments represent progress for the most urgent needs facing humanity and the planet, there is still much work to be done ahead of the G20 and COP27 in November. "Amidst all the doomsday messages we hear today, hope lies in the fact that millions of citizens are rising up to take action, more than any other point in history. 10 years ago, Global Citizen was just an idea and 10 years from now we'll see a generation of global citizens running for office, starting companies, and transforming communities. The media is pushing us to the extreme left or to the extreme right, but the solutions lie in the center. Ending extreme poverty is not a partisan issue, and those most in need can not be treated like political pawns. Our job is to not let our leaders forget that. If you are lucky enough to live in a democracy, use your voice!" Hugh Evans, Co-Founder and CEO, Global Citizen "We have a limited window of opportunity to act decisively to lift millions of people out of poverty, promote inclusiveness and equality, and safeguard the health of our planet. Each one of us has a sacred and moral obligation to bequeath to the next generation a healthy planet, free from poverty, conflict, discrimination, hunger and disease. I call on the youth of the world, especially, and, in particular, the youth of Africa, to play an active role in achieving the SDGs. The world needs your creativity, knowledge, reach and energy to help find innovative solutions to the challenges facing our world." H.E. Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana "It's great to join you for the 10th year of this festival. Thank you for building this movement and making big things happen. Last month, I signed the biggest climate bill in history the biggest ever: $369 billion to slash emissions by nearly half, improve health, advance justice, build a clean energy economy, and create generations of good paying jobs. And this past week, the Senate ratified historic Kigali amendment to phase down the use of super-polluting hydrofluorocarbons. This is a whole new chapter for America and for the planet. And we have to do a lot more. I pledged $11 billion a year to help poor countries fight climate change. Working with Congress and with your help, we can get this done." Joe Biden, President of the United States of America, via video address. "Global Citizens, I hear you loud and clear! Europe is answering your call. We must put an end to hunger. We need to defeat deadly diseases like AIDS or malaria. We must take care of our girls and women! We must also take care of our planet. I call on all world leaders to step up! And I count on you to drive us forward." Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission "Poor countries [are] paying the price for wealthy nations' errors. So I'm standing here today speaking directly to the leaders of wealthy nations who received billions of dollars from the International Monetary Fund through Special Drawing Rights for COVID-19 relief. Make good on your promise of reallocating some of those funds. Honor your word and provide at the very least the $100 billion promised for adaptation for climate vulnerable countries. I am also here to call on multilateral institutions like the World Bank to act. The only way ahead is a just green energy transition. And my friends, our time is running out." Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados The 2022 Global Citizen Festival was broadcast and streamed worldwide on YouTube, Twitter, Amazon Music, the Amazon Music channel on Twitch, Apple Music, and the Apple TV app. Global Citizen Festival will also air on ABC, ABC News Live, iHeartRadio, Hulu, FX and Veeps in the United States, Albavision in Latin America, Canal+ in Africa, Bis in Brazil, Nine Network (9Now) in Australia, SABC in South Africa, TimesLive across Africa, TV3 in Ghana, and more. Global Citizen Festival: Accra featured performances by Usher, SZA, Stormzy, Gyakie, Sarkodie, Stonebwoy, TEMS, and Uncle Waffles, and was hosted by award-winning actor, playwright and activist Danai Gurira. Presenters included Berla Mundi, Joselyn Dumas, Michaela Coel, Nomzamo Mbatha, and Sabrina Dhowre Elba. Global Citizen Festival: NYC featured performances by Metallica, Charlie Puth, Jonas Brothers, MANESKIN, Mariah Carey, Mickey Guyton, and Rosalia and special guest performances by Angelique Kidjo and Billy Porter, and was hosted by actor, producer, author, and Global Citizen Ambassador Priyanka Chopra Jonas. Presenters included Amber Ruffin, Antoni Porowski, Bill Nye, Chris Redd, Connie Britton, Folake Olowofoyeku, Jay Shetty, Katie Couric, Katie Holmes, Misty Copeland, Rachel Brosnahan, Scott Evans, Sofia Carson, Tamron Hall, and Van Jones. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign is supported by governments and world leaders including: Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission; Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of Barbados; Nana Akufo-Addo, President of Ghana; Hakainde Hichilema, President of Zambia; Amina Mohammed, Deputy Secretary General of the United Nations; Dr. Natalia Kanem, Executive Director of UNFPA; Andrej Plenkovic, Prime Minister of Croatia; Pedro Sanchez, Prime Minister of Spain; Frank Bainimara, Prime Minister of Fiji; Ingrida Simonyte, Prime Minister of Lithuania; Nikenike Vurobaravu, President of Vanuatu; Gaston Browne, Prime Minister of Antigua and Barbuda; Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director-General of the World Health Organization; Ban Ki-moon, Former UN Secretary General; Borut Pahor, President of Slovenia; Robert Abela, Prime Minister of Malta; Micheal Martin, Taoiseach of Ireland; Alok Sharma, President of the 26th United Nations Climate Change Conference; Jeff Radebe, Special Presidential Envoy for President Cyril Ramaphosa; Shamma al Mazrui, Minister of State for Youth of the UAE; Elizabeth Cousens, President and CEO of the UN Foundation; Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; Stanley Kakubo, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Zambia; Chuck Schumer, U.S. Senate Majority Leader; Meryame Kitir, Minister of Development Cooperation and Urban Policy, Belgium; Marcelo Ebrard Casaubon, Secretary of Foreign Affairs of Mexico; Anne Beathe Tvinnereim, Minister for International Development, Norway; Kingdom of the Netherlands; Government of Luxembourg; Government of Peru; Peter Sands, Executive Director of The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria; Yasmine Sherif, Executive Director, Education Cannot Wait; Erna Solberg, Former Prime Minister of Norway; Linda Thomas-Greenfield, US Ambassador to the UN; Ertharin Cousin, Founder, Managing Director and CEO, Food Systems for the Future. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival and the End Extreme Poverty NOW campaign are supported by a coalition of the world's leading brands and companies including: Global Partners, Accenture, Cisco, Citi, Delta Air Lines, Harith General Partners, P&G, Verizon, and YouTube. World Wide Technology, Campaign Partner for Global Citizen Festival: NYC, Live Nation, and Tshepo Mahloele, Founder & Executive, of Harith General Partners, is Patron of Global Citizen's work in Africa. Co-chairs of Global Citizen and of this campaign include: Julie Sweet, Chair and CEO of Accenture; Chuck Robbins, Chair and CEO of Cisco; Jane Fraser, CEO of Citi; Ed Bastian, CEO of Delta Air Lines; Lorraine Twohill, CMO of Google; Marc Pritchard, CBO of P&G; and Hans Vestberg, Chairman and CEO of Verizon. Global Citizen's co-chairs are private sector leaders making commitments in support of the UN's Global Goals. They support Global Citizen's campaigns while helping to drive deeper engagement within the private sector. The 2022 Global Citizen Festival has gratefully received in-kind support from leading media companies, including: AIM GROUP, Alliance Media, Bandsintown, BellaNaija, Billboard, Boo! Media, Branded Cities, Captivate, Citi FM, Clear Channel Outdoor, DDP Outdoor, EIB Network, Global OOH, GSTV, Guide Radio, The Hollywood Reporter, iHeartRadio, Intersection, Interstate Outdoor, JC Decaux, MX, New Tradition, OAAA, Orange Barrel Media, Penske Media, Rolling Stone, Seen Media, Six Flags Theme Parks, Spotify, Variety, VIBE, Volta, The Wall Street Journal and YFM. Visit www.globalcitizen.org to learn more about the 2022 Global Citizen Festival campaign issues and continue taking action, and follow @glblctzn on Instagram, TikTok, Twitter, and YouTube. About Global Citizen: Global Citizen is the world's largest movement of action takers and impact makers dedicated to ending extreme poverty NOW. We post, tweet, message, vote, sign, and call to inspire those who can make things happen government leaders, businesses, philanthropists, artists, and citizens together improving lives. By downloading our app, Global Citizens learn about the systemic causes of extreme poverty, take action on those issues, and earn rewards, which can be redeemed for tickets to concerts, events, and experiences all over the world. For more information, visit www.globalcitizen.org and follow @GlblCtzn. Press Kit: Click here for photo and video assets from Global Citizen Festivals in Accra, Ghana and New York City Click here for video assets highlighting Global Citizen's 10 years of impact Contact: Global Citizen Inquiries: [email protected] Media Inquiries: Sunshine Sachs Morgan & Lylis for Global Citizen [email protected] View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/2022-global-citizen-festival-campaign-culminates-in-2-4-billion-to-end-extreme-poverty-301632607.html SOURCE Global Citizen MEXICO CITY The Mexican army's role in the disappearance of 43 college students, its participation in covering up the facts and its alleged links to organized crime are now at the center of a case that has shaken the nation. The government's Truth Commission declared the incident a "state crime" in August. Three members of the military and a former federal attorney general were recently arrested in the case, and few now believe the government's initial claim that a local drug gang and allied local officials were wholly to blame for seizing and killing the students on July 26, 2014, then burning their bodies most of which have never been found. Crucial details remain unclear despite years of investigation. But the newspaper Reforma, which obtained portions of a Truth Commission report shared with the Attorney General's Office, has published details of messages between drug gang members and the military that appear to show at least some of the students' bodies were taken to a local army base. Advocates for the students' families fear the leak of sensitive details about suspects could jeopardize prosecutions. Here are some questions and answers about the abductions. WHAT HAPPENED? The president of the Truth Commission, Alejandro Encinas, says that the false, official version announced at the time by Attorney General Jesus Murillo Karam "was designed at the highest levels of the federal government" after meetings in the presidency, then in the hands of Enrique Pena Nieto. According to that version, Iguala officials thought the students were going to disrupt a local political event. It says police rounded up the 43 students and turned them over to a local drug gang, which killed the youths, burned their bodies at a dump and threw the remains into a river. Although all the students apparently were murdered, it has since been proven that they were taken in groups to different places. Some apparently were kept alive for days. The students had hijacked buses to get to a protest in Mexico City and were intercepted in Iguala possibly because one of the buses contained a drug shipment. WHO HAS BEEN ARRESTED RECENTLY? Three members of the military were arrested this month, among them Jose Rodriguez Perez, who as a colonel commanded the local army base in Iguala at the time of the students' disappearance. The Truth Commission report alleges he ordered the killing of six students days after their abduction. Rodriguez Perez was later promoted to general. Now retired, he faces organized crime charges. A fourth member of the military, Capt. Jose Martinez Crespo was arrested in 2020. On Saturday, the Spanish newspaper El Pais published documents showing that the Attorney General's Office had asked a judge to drop arrest orders against 16 other members of the military. The office did not respond to requests for comment. The most politically significant arrest took place last month when former Attorney General Murillo Karam was detained. He has been charged with forced disappearance, not reporting torture of suspects and official misconduct. He is accused of announcing a false version of events that he called "the historical truth." WHAT WAS THE MILITARY'S ROLE? It was known from the beginning that the army had real-time knowledge of events in Iguala on that night because soldiers were in key locations, including a police coordination center. The Truth Commission report says at least one soldier was infiltrated among the kidnapped students. In 2015, then-Army chief Gen. Salvador Cienfuegos guaranteed that the army had no responsibility in the events either by action or omission. Communications collected by the Truth Commission, however, contradict that assertion. They suggest military personnel were in contact with the criminals at key moments. WERE THERE ARMY INFILTRATORS? The Truth Commission report says at least one of the disappeared students was a soldier sent to spy on the college and an attorney for parents has contended there was another. Separately, relatives of Julio Cesar Mondragon, one of six students killed after surviving the initial attack and then being tortured, have asked for an investigation of two other students now politicians who were the leaders who sent the group of protesters to Iguala despite threats the school had received. WHERE DO THINGS STAND IN THE JUDICIAL PROCESS? The Ayotzinapa case is a tangle of 28 criminal cases spread over seven states. Eight years later, no one has been convicted. Santiago Aguirre, a human rights attorney for relatives of the victims, said around 50 people are imprisoned awaiting trial. In August, the Attorney General's Office issued 80 new warrants, but Aguirre said most just opened new cases involving people already in custody. Still being sought is the man who headed the early investigation into the abductions, Tomas Zeron, who is in Israel. Mexico is seeking his extradition. Due to the torture of witnesses and other irregularities, dozens of defendants have been acquitted of some charges. However, many of them remain imprisoned on other charges. WHY IS THE MEXICAN ARMY'S RECORD CONTROVERSIAL? President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador has increasingly used the military to build major infrastructure projects and to replace police in the fight against crime, arguing it is less corrupted than other agencies. Accusations of human rights abuses against the military were common during the "dirty war" of the 1970s and '80s. They were especially harsh in the poor, opium poppy-growing state of Guerrero. Some abuses have continued as well as allegations of officers linked to drug cartels. In the last 25 years, three generals have faced charges in Mexico, although only one has been convicted. The defense secretary at the time of the abductions, Cienfuegos, was arrested in the U.S. in 2020 and accused of links to drug cartels. But under pressure from the Mexican government, the charges against him were later dropped and he was returned to Mexico, which released him. In the Iguala area where the students were abducted, ties between the military and criminals go back at least to 2013. According to a court document to which The Associated Press had access, members of the military helped a local cartel with weapons and training for its hitmen. The testimony of an imprisoned criminal suspect said Capt. Jose Martinez Crespo, who was arrested in 2020, received money from a leader of local drug gang, Guerreros Unidos, to help them move weapons. "He used his vehicles so he could move freely through the region," the witness said. BANGKOK A retired high-ranking officer in Myanmar's military was shot dead at his home in the country's biggest city, Yangon, in the latest such killing attributed to militants opposed to army rule. Ohn Thwin is believed to be the highest-ranking active or retired military officer assassinated since February last year, when the army seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, triggering widespread public opposition. An urban guerrilla group called Inya Urban Force claimed responsibility for the attack on Ohn Thwin, 72, who also had served as Myanmar's ambassador to Maldives, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Africa. His son-in-law was also killed. The military government's spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, confirmed their deaths to the Myanmar-language service of the U.S. government-backed broadcaster Voice of America on Saturday evening. He condemned it for being an attack on veterans. The takeover prompted peaceful protests that security forces suppressed with bloody violence, leading to armed resistance that has escalated into what some U.N. experts characterize as a civil war. Ohn Thwin was shot in the head by two men about 3 p.m when he opened the door to his house in Hlaing township in Yangon, said two residents, who spoke Sunday on condition of anonymity because they fear retribution from the authorities. They said his son-in-law, Ye Tay Za, a retired captain in the military, was also shot when he resisted the attack and tried to help Ohn Thwin. The residents said the victims were taken to Kan Thar Yar Hospital, which is reportedly owned by a holding company controlled by the military. In a Facebook post, the Inya Urban Force declared "today's mission is accomplished." It claimed that Ohn Thwin encouraged the military to commit brutal actions against civilians and had advised the army to seize power from Suu Kyi's civilian government. Most of the fighting between the military and it opponents takes place in the countryside, where the army has carried out major offensives to try to quash the armed wing of the pro-democracy movement and discourage its supporters. The government forces are credibly reported to have used brutal tactics including deliberately burning down villages, a charge denied by the government. The army also has tried to clamp down on opponents in the cities, arresting thousands and using lethal force. According to a detailed list by the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights monitoring organization, at least 2,316 civilians have been killed by security forces since the army seized power last year. Urban guerrillas opposed to army rule have carried out targeted killings, sabotage, arson and small bombings. Officials and members of the military have been victims, as well as people believed to be informers or military collaborators. Last year, Thein Aung, a former navy lieutenant commander who was chief finance officer of Myanmar's military-linked Mytel Telecommunications Co., was fatally shot by three men in front of his house in Yangon, but no clear claims of responsibility were made. Than Than Swe, then a deputy governor of Myanmar's Central Bank, was shot at her home in Yangon in April. A militant group that pledges allegiance to the National Unity Government, the main opposition organization, claimed responsibility for the attack, which Than Than Swe survived. She was promoted in August to chair the bank. MOSCOW Russian police moved quickly Saturday to disperse peaceful protests against President Vladimir Putin's military mobilization order, arresting hundreds, including some children, in scores of cities across the vast country. Police detained nearly 750 people, including over 370 in Moscow and some 150 in St. Petersburg, according to OVD-Info, an independent website that monitors political arrests in Russia. Some of the arrested individuals were minors, OVD-Info said. The demonstrations followed protests that erupted within hours Wednesday after Putin, in a move to beef up his volunteer forces fighting in Ukraine, announced a call-up of experienced and skilled army reservists. The Defense Ministry said about 300,000 people would be summoned to active duty, but the order left a door open to many more getting called into service. Most Russian men ages 18-65 are automatically counted as reservists. On Saturday, police deployed in force in the cities where protests were scheduled by opposition group Vesna and supporters of jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny. They moved quickly to arrest demonstrators, most of them young people, before they could hold protests. In Moscow, a heavy contingent of police roamed a downtown area where a protest was planned under pouring rain and checked the IDs of passersby. Officers rounded up those they deemed suspicious and later distributed call-up summons to the men who were arrested. A young woman climbed on a bench and shouted "We aren't cannon fodder!" before police took her away. Police detained a man in a park just outside Red Square and whisked him away as others shouted "Shame!" Before being rounded up in St. Petersburg, a small group of demonstrators managed to briefly march along the main Nevsky avenue shouting "Putin into the trenches!" In the city of Novosibirsk in eastern Siberia, over 70 people were detained after singing an innocuous Soviet-era song praising peace. People who tried to hold individual pickets that are allowed under Russian law also were detained. The quick police action followed the dispersal of Wednesday's protests, when over 1,300 people were detained on Wednesday in Moscow, St. Petersburg and other cities. Putin on Saturday signed a hastily approved bill that toughens the punishment for soldiers who disobey officers' orders, desert or surrender to the enemy. Furious residents blocked a highway on Sunday in Russia, where scuffles with police and other protests broke out as residents bristled against the Kremlins draft to replenish its military that has struggled in Ukraine. At least 2,200 people have been detained across Russia since midweek, when President Vladimir Putin announced the partial mobilization that would bring hundreds of thousands of people into active duty. Kremlin-staged referendums to annex occupied areas of Ukraine are underway, and Russias foreign minister insisted that regions would be under the full protection of the state if they are added to his nation despite widespread condemnation. Some residents called it a vote under a gun barrel, with the outcome predetermined by the Kremlin. The impoverished Russian region of Dagestan, which has borne a disproportionate share of military casualties in Ukraine, emerged as a hot spot for protests on Sunday. Women in the regional capital, Makhachkala, struggled with police Sunday and tried to keep them from dragging male protesters to vans. At least 800 people across the country were detained by Russian authorities during protests of mobilizations this weekend, according to the human rights group OVD-Info. Since Wednesday, more than 2,200 had been detained. Amid the protests, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed Russian citizens, in Russian, during his nightly address Saturday: Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians they just need to replenish the empty spaces left by the dead, wounded, those who fled or the Russian soldiers that were captured. Zelensky says Russian-backed troops will retaliate against people who dont vote in the sham referendum. Those people who dont come to referendum, you know, Russians can turn off their electricity and wont give them an opportunity to live a normal human life, Zelensky said Sunday on CBS Newss Face the Nation. They force people. They throw them in prisons. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, despite global criticism, said any new annexed Ukrainian territory would be under Russias full protection in a news conference at the United Nations. He also did not rule out using nuclear weapons to defend them. All of the laws, doctrines, concepts and strategies of the Russian Federation apply to all of its territory, he said Saturday. Serbias foreign minister reportedly said his country would not accept the results of staged referendums in eastern Ukraine a significant statement, coming from a government that has maintained stable relations with Moscow throughout the war and signed a cooperation agreement with Russia just two days ago. According to Serbian news outlets, Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic said Sunday that the referendums violate international law and Serbias national interest. Russian strikes targeting the city of Zaporizhzhia wounded at least three people, authorities there said. Moscows partial control of the Zaporizhzhia region is key because it provides a land bridge, linking Crimea, which Russia annexed in 2014, to Russia itself. Russia also accused Ukraine of attacks in areas where voting is underway, with state news outlets and the leader of the Kremlin-backed separatist Donetsk Peoples Republic saying a pro-Russia former Ukrainian lawmaker was killed in a Ukrainian strike against a hotel in Kherson. The Washington Post could not independently verify the assertions. Russian forces struck 35 settlements across Ukraines south and east in the past 24 hours, including Zaporizhzhia and Mykolaiv, the General Staff of Ukraines Armed Forces said early Sunday. At least three people died and 19 were injured in strikes Saturday. Kamikaze drones were used to strike the southern Ukrainian city of Odessa overnight into Sunday, Ukrainian officials said. The drones, which explode when colliding with a target, damaged government and residential buildings in the city center, but no one was hurt, according to Odessas mayor, Gennadiy Trukhanov. Odessa is a crucial port for grain shipments out of Ukraine. Putins partial military mobilization could put further pressure on Russias national guard, Britains Defense Ministry said. The Guard, known in Russian as Rosgvardia, is highly likely under particular strain as the Kremlin has called on it to facilitate staged referendums in the east of Ukraine and to deal with protests inside Russia, the ministry said. There is a realistic possibility that mobilisation will be used to reinforce Rosgvardia units with additional manpower, it added. Russian forces may be preparing to forcibly mobilize Ukrainian prisoners of war to fight for Moscow, state media reported, which ISW analysts said would constitute a violation of the Geneva Conventions. Zelensky said he believes Putin is serious when he threatens to use nuclear power in Ukraine. I dont think hes bluffing, Zelensky said on Face the Nation. I think the world is deterring it and containing this threat. White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan told ABC Newss This Week that the United States has communicated directly to top Russian officials that there will be catastrophic consequences for Russia if they use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. The Post previously reported that the United States has been privately warning Russia for months that there will be grave consequences if Russia uses a nuclear weapon. Traffic at the border between Russia and Finland one of the last European Union member states with a land border open to Russians was high on Saturday, according to Finnish border officials, amid reports of Russians fleeing the country to avoid being called up. Finland on Saturday announced it would restrict entry and visas for Russian citizens. Britons who were released as part of a prisoner exchange between Russia and Ukraine said they were tortured while in captivity, in interviews with British media outlets. They said they were told Russian oligarch Roman Abramovich played a role in securing their release. The Post could not independently verify the claims. BELGRADE, Serbia Serbia's foreign minister on Sunday sought to play down the importance of an agreement with Russia after the Balkan state that is seeking European Union membership faced criticism for signing it. Nikola Selakovic signed the agreement Friday along with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly meeting in New York, where most Western delegations shunned Russia's top diplomat over the country's invasion of Ukraine. Selakovic said at a news conference Sunday that the agreement is a "technical" one and relates to bilateral ties, but not security issues. Serbia has been signing similar documents with Russia since 1996, Selakovic insisted. "The government could have rejected such a plan but there is nothing contentious in it," he added. "It is being criticized by those who haven't seen it." The consultation plan covered by the agreement is expected to last for two years, Serbia's foreign ministry said in a Friday statement. Serbia officially is a candidate for European Union membership, but the government maintains good relations with Russia. The news of the deal triggered harsh criticism from the pro-EU opposition at home and some EU politicians. A member of the European Parliament from Germany, Viola von Cramon, suggested the possible suspension of EU accession talks with Serbia. "This is a serious scandal," von Cramon said on Twitter. "In the midst of raging war, (Ministry of Foreign Affairs) Serbia signs the plan on future collaboration with the aggressor." Von Cramon added that "maybe it's just a signal for us to freeze the EU accession talks as entering the EU does not go through Moscow." Another European Parliament member, Vladimir Bilcik from Slovakia, described the agreement with Russia as a "serious blow" to the accession process in the Western Balkans. KHARKIV, Ukraine Yuliia Sirenko spent the summer alone in her apartment in the bombed-out city of Kharkiv, her heart pulled in two directions. September loomed, and she had a decision to make: Stay to keep supporting her husband, Yurii, as he battled Russian troops in the east. Or go west, joining the young daughter shed taken to safety several months earlier. Millions of women with children have faced similarly wrenching scenarios since Russia invaded. Many have left the country, becoming refugees with all the immense challenges that entails. Yet for those who stayed put in Ukraine as their husbands or partners fought, there are separate struggles and dangers. Some mothers have thrown themselves into volunteering and fundraising for their loved ones units. Others are consumed by child care, financial worries and family expectations. Its very difficult, because when everyone is scattered around Ukraine, I have to be here and there, Sirenko, 28, said in early August, sitting in the familys eerily quiet apartment, where a 6-year-olds bedroom was still filled with toys. Their building had escaped Russias indiscriminate shelling, but most neighbors had fled and hadnt yet returned. You live one day at a time. After more than half a year of fighting, the social services and networks that once helped to sustain the prewar country of more than 40 million people have largely broken down. NGOs are trying to house and assist newly single, displaced and widowed mothers. Their needs are daunting. And the start of the school year in September brought little respite: Just over half of schools reopened for in-person learning. They feel guilty. They feel they cannot complain, said Kateryna Cherepkha, the president of La Strada Ukraine, a Kyiv-based womens organization. Iryna Arziaieva, 42, and her two children now subsist on takeout something her husband, a health food enthusiast, would never have allowed. But hes been gone since March. The engineer turned platoon commander was sent east from the capital. At her lowest point before Oleksandr departed, Arziaieva silently screamed into a rolled-up towel, promising herself the family would escape this nightmare. I thought it would be hard for me to stay here, she said. But after her husband left, she realized the alternative would be worse. So she, 13-year-old Mariia and 15-year-old Illia stayed put in their small apartment in the Kyiv suburb of Vyshneve. I felt that he needs support when we are here, when we are always in touch, when we can do something for Ukraine, she explained. That something has been sewing and selling Ukrainian flags using a machine sent by a stranger on Facebook. Through such small projects and online donations, she says she raised 15,000 euros, enough to buy Oleksandrs platoon an anti-drone from Lithuania. Her bedroom is still filled with spools of thread and blue and yellow cloth. She and the children spent the summer with other volunteers sewing course camouflage nets and covers for soldiers in the field. The trio has also volunteered at pop-up donation sites for Ukrainians who are displaced or no longer have a home. At one warehouse, Arziaieva and Mariia sorted clothing as recipients hollow expressions signaling their hardship started to line up. An air raid siren wailed. No one headed to a shelter, but the volunteers stopped sorting until they were sure there were no nearby hits. In the lull, Arziaieva described missing her husband whenever I have a free time ... when I see his things, when I am going to bed all by myself. She started to tear up. Her daughter went in for a hug. Other mothers, such as 31-year-old Tamara Bivalina, have decided they cannot feel safe even far from the fighting. Bivalinas child was born by Caesarean section in early March, and the next day Russian shelling hit close to the hospital in her hometown of Dnipro. Her husband, Maxim, was with Artem and took him down to the shelter. But, as Bivalina recounted this summer, she was alone and had to drag herself there from the recovery room, leaving behind a trail of blood. She and Maxim had known from the start of the war that he would see combat; in 2016, he had fought pro-Russian separatist forces in the eastern Donbas region. Still, after he was deployed in May, the new mother felt scared and overwhelmed. She had little breastmilk, which she blamed on stress, and the fear of losing access to formula started to consume her. After another Russian rocket attack in mid-July, this time near the familys home, she panicked: What if she and the baby had to live underground and he went hungry? She decided to head west. A friend recommended a mothers shelter in Lviv, almost at the Polish border. It welcomed her with open hearts, she said and some sedatives so she could sleep soundly for the first time in months, albeit on a mattress in a group room. Im afraid this will go on for a long time, Bivalina said in late July, Artem tucked in a black baby carrier on her chest. She feared for her husband, for her friends, for everyone, she added. By mid-August, that fear was no less consuming. She left to stay with friends in Poland, unsure of what would come next. Sirenkos family is among the displaced who are bent on staying. The family first fled their home a week into Russias invasion. Everyone but Yurii who, like other men his age, was barred from leaving the country then went on to Berlin. No one was happy there. They returned to Ukraine. Granddaughter and grandmother settled in Lviv into a tiny apartment with a single bed, the best they could find while Sirenko went back to the apartment in Kharkiv. There, barely 25 miles from the Russian border, she spent her days fundraising for her husbands unit and buying them everything from chargers and cords to thermal imaging cameras and jeeps. When she called Vasylyna, the once-carefree girl would often cry. She tried to put aside the pain, exacerbated when her pro-Russian mother bombarded her with messages calling Sirenko a bad parent. By early September, she couldnt bear Vasylynas tears any longer. She packed up and headed to Lviv so she could be with her daughter just before she started first grade. Sirenko still hopes they will go back to Kharkiv and the little girls room full of toys to await Yuriis homecoming. As soon as it becomes clear that the city will no longer be bombarded, she said, we will return. Maria Avdeeva in Kharkiv; Kostiantyn Khudov in Kyiv and Vyshneve, Ukraine; and Serhii Korolchuk in Lviv contributed to this report. KYIV, Ukraine Russias rush to mobilize hundreds of thousands of recruits to staunch stinging losses in Ukraine is a tacit acknowledgement that its army is not able to fight, Ukraines president said Sunday, as splits sharpened in Europe over whether to welcome or turn away Russians fleeing the call-up. Speaking to U.S. broadcaster CBS, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also said hes bracing for more Russian strikes on Ukraines electrical infrastructure, as the Kremlin seeks to ramp up the pressure on Ukraine and its Western backers as the weather gets colder. Zelenskyy warned that this winter will be very difficult. They will shoot missiles, and they will target our electric grid. This is a challenge, but we are not afraid of that. he said on Face the Nation. He portrayed the Russian mobilization its first such call-up since World War II as a signal of weakness, not strength, saying: They admitted that their army is not able to fight with Ukraine anymore. Zelenskyy also said Ukraine has received NASAMS air defense systems from the U.S. NASAMS uses surface-to-air missiles to track and shoot down incoming missiles or aircraft. Zelenskyy did not say how many Ukraine received. Although the European Union is now largely off limits to most Russians, with direct flights stopped and its land borders increasingly closed to them, an exodus of Russian men fleeing military service is creating divisions among European officials over whether they should be granted safe haven. The partial mobilization is also triggering protests in Russia, with new anti-war demonstrations on Sunday. In Dagestan, one of Russias poorer regions in the North Caucasus, police fired warning shots to try to disperse more than 100 people who blocked a highway while protesting Russian President Vladimir Putins military call-up, Russian media reported. Dozens of women chanted No to war! in the Dagestani capital of Makhachkala on Sunday. Videos of the protests showed women in head scarves chasing police away from the rally and standing in front of police cars carrying detained protesters, demanding their release. Women also protested in the Siberian city of Yakutsk, chanting No to genocide! and marching in a circle around police, who later dragged some away or forced them into police vans, according to videos shared by Russian media. At least 2,000 people have been arrested in recent days for similar demonstrations around Russia. Many of those taken away have immediately received a call-up summons. Unconfirmed Russian media reports that the Kremlin might soon close Russian borders to men of fighting age are fuelling panic and prompting more to flee. Zelenskyy in his nightly address on Sunday described Russias mobilization as criminal and reiterated his call for Russians to stand up to it. Fight so that they dont send your children to die, all of those who they can take in this criminal Russian mobilization, Zelenskyy said, switching to Russian for a brief portion of his speech. Because if you come to take the lives of our children, I will tell you as a father we will not let you go alive. German officials have voiced a desire to help Russian men deserting military service and have called for a European-wide solution. Germany has held out the possibility of granting asylum to deserters and those refusing the draft. In France, senators are arguing that Europe has a duty to help and warned that not granting refuge to fleeing Russians could play into Putins hands, feeding his narrative of Western hostility to Russia. Closing our frontiers would fit neither with our values nor our interests, a group of more than 40 French senators said. Turning away fleeing Russians would be a mistake by Europe in the war of communication and influence that is playing out. Yet other EU countries are adamant that asylum shouldnt be offered to Russian men fleeing now when the war has moved into its eighth month. They include Lithuania, which borders Kaliningrad, a Russian Baltic Sea exclave. Its foreign minister, Gabrielius Landsbergis, tweeted: Russians should stay and fight. Against Putin. His counterpart in Latvia, also an EU member bordering Russia, said the exodus poses considerable security risks for the 27-nation bloc and that those fleeing now cant be considered conscientious objectors since they did not act when Russia invaded Ukraine in February. Many were fine with killing Ukrainians, they did not protest then, the Latvian foreign minister, Edgars Rinkevics, tweeted. He added that they still have plenty of countries outside EU to go. Finland also said it intends to significantly restrict entry to Russians entering the EU through its border with Russia. A Finnish opposition leader, Petteri Orpo, said fleeing Russian military reservists were an obvious security risk and we must put our national security first. Russia is pressing on with its call-up of hundreds of thousands of men, seeking to reverse recent losses. Without control of the skies over Ukraine, Russia is also making increasing use of suicide drones from Iran, with more strikes reported Sunday in the Black Sea port city of Odesa. For Ukrainian and Russian military planners, the clock is ticking, with the approach of winter expected to make fighting much more complicated. Already, rainy weather is bringing muddy conditions that are starting to limit the mobility of tanks and other heavy weapons, the Washington-based Institute for the Study of War said Sunday. But the think-tank said Ukrainian forces are still gaining ground in their counteroffensive, launched in late August, that has rolled back the Russian occupation across large areas of the northeast and which also prompted Putins new drive for reinforcements. The Kremlin said its initial aim is to add about 300,000 troops to its invasion force, which is struggling with equipment losses, mounting casualties and weakening morale. The mobilization marks a sharp shift from Putins previous efforts to portray the war as a limited military operation that wouldnt interfere with most Russians lives. The mobilization is running hand-in-hand with Kremlin-orchestrated votes in four occupied regions of Ukraine that could pave the way for their imminent annexation by Russia. Ukraine and its Western allies say the referendums in Kherson and Zaporizhzhia regions in the south and the eastern Luhansk and Donetsk regions have no legal validity, not least because many tens of thousands of their people have fled. They also call them a sham. Some footage has shown armed Russian troops going door-to-door to pressure Ukrainians into voting. The voting ends Tuesday and theres little doubt it will be declared a success by the Russian occupiers. The main questions then will be how soon Putins regime will annex the four regions and how that will complicate the war. AP journalists Jari Tanner in Helsinki and John Leicester in Le Pecq, France, contributed. WASHINGTON (Tribune News Service) President Joe Bidens administration has privately told the Kremlin that any use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine would have catastrophic consequences for Russia, White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan said. Russian President Vladimir Putin renewed his warnings of a nuclear threat last week as he mobilized hundreds of thousands of reservists after Ukrainian forces recaptured a swath of Russian-occupied territory. Those nuclear threats are a matter that we have to take deadly seriously, Sullivan said on CBS Face the Nation on Sunday. We have communicated directly, privately at very high levels to the Kremlin that any use of nuclear weapons will be met with catastrophic consequences for Russia, that the United States and our allies will respond decisively, and we have been clear and specific about what that will entail, Sullivan said. U.K. Prime Minister Liz Truss said Putins warnings shouldnt deter Ukraines allies from supporting the Ukrainians and continuing to put sanctions on Russia. I think he didnt anticipate the strength of reaction from the free world, Truss said in an interview with CNNs State of the Union broadcast Sunday. And we should not be listening to his saber-rattling and his bogus threats. Biden labeled Putins latest nuclear threat irresponsible during a speech to the United Nations General Assembly on Wednesday. Sullivan said the U.S. also has made it clear in public that it would respond decisively if Russia uses nuclear weapons and that we will continue to support Ukraine in in its efforts to defend its country and defend its democracy. He said that includes support for Ukraines drive to retake Russian-occupied areas. The White House and the Russian government retain the ability to speak directly at senior levels, which has happened frequently in recent months and even in just the last few days, Sullivan said on NBCs Meet the Press. He said the U.S. hasnt revealed specifics of those channels to ensure that they remain open, allowing the U.S. to tell Russia about the consequences if it went down the dark road of nuclear weapons use. 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Visit bloomberg.com . Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. Public Enterprises Minister Pravin Gordhan has briefed Cabinet on the capacity of Eskom to mitigate the intermittent load shedding. This comes after President Cyril Ramaphosa and his Cabinet met to follow up on interventions to end load shedding and several other issues. According to a Cabinet statement following its virtual meeting on Wednesday, Cabinet said it also received a progress report from the newly-appointed Technical Committee of the National Energy Crisis Committee. "Further announcements will be made following the conclusion of the intensive deliberations of these reports," the statement read. South Africa has been experiencing high levels of load shedding for the past two weeks as the State power utility Eskom battles to keep the lights due to numerous plant breakdowns. "Cabinet expressed regret at the disruption and inconvenience caused by load shedding to businesses and households, particularly happening at the time when government is engaged with the interventions announced by the President in July 2022." Delivering his Heritage Day message, President Ramaphosa said in the recent two weeks, the country has been seeing a rise in load shedding, which is disrupting lives and the economy and causing havoc from a social and health point. However, he told citizens that government was dealing with the crisis head-on. "Even as we face these challenges as South Africans as we have done in the past. We have persevered and I ask once again, let us persevere," he said. "The challenge is being addressed. It's a complex one and we will be speaking soon about the various measures that we are taking to make sure that we address this challenge." Only glimpses of videos that make it online show the protests convulsing Iran over the death of a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by the nation's morality police. But those flashes show that public anger across the country, once only simmering, is now boiling. The demonstrations surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini and the government crackdown emerging to stifle them represent just the latest cycle of unrest to grip Iran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution. It likely won't be the last as the Islamic Republic lurches between crises at home and abroad. The window through which the wider world can view them only will become more dim as authorities restrict internet access, detain journalists and tightly control all levers of the government's power. Protests over Amini's death have spread across at least 46 Iranian cities, towns and villages. State TV has suggested that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the protests began Sept. 17. An Associated Press count of official statements by authorities puts the death toll at at least 13, with more than 1,200 demonstrators arrested. But the tightening crackdown doesn't come as a surprise given Iran's modern history. Iran's theocracy has viewed itself as under threat from the moment the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Tehran in 1979. Bombings in 1981 blamed on dissidents killed dozens of top officials. One even paralyzed the right arm of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched a bloody eight-year war on Iran in which 1 million people were killed. In Tehran, enmity toward the United States began with the American-backed 1953 coup that cemented the shah's reign. For Washington, the 1979 U.S. Embassy hostage crisis stoked hostility toward Iran. And the mutual distrust continues today. After the collapse of a deal in 2015 intended to curtail Tehran's nuclear ambitions, Iran amassed enough highly enriched uranium to produce an atomic bomb if it chose. The Iranian government has dismissed the latest protests as a foreign plot, rather than an expression of public outrage over the death of a woman detained only because her mandatory headscarf, or hijab, wasn't to the morality police's liking. Pro-government marches in Tehran and other cities echoed the official line, with some marchers chanting "American mercenaries are fighting the religion." The government's decision to restrict Instagram, LinkedIn and WhatsApp three of the last Western social media apps working in the country has limited the ability for protesters to organize and share their videos with the outside world. Instead, only short clips find their way out, including those of security forces firing at protesters and women defiantly cutting off their hair and burning their hijabs. Security forces, including motorcycle-riding volunteers with Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, have attacked peaceful demonstrators. There's also been footage of apparent demonstrators setting fires, flipping over police cars and fighting back against riot police. These scenes are similar to those that occurred in 2019 after the government dropped fuel subsidies, prompting demonstrators to set gas stations ablaze and ransack banks. Rights groups say that the unrest across more than 100 cities and towns and the government crackdown that followed killed over 300 people and led to thousands of arrests. Because of the internet restrictions, it remains unclear if the latest protests have eclipsed those of 2019. Exiled opposition groups and Iranian hard-liners have both used the short clips online to paint their own pictures of the unrest as the government largely remains silent. Independent observers such as human rights activists face threats, intimidation and arrest in Iran. Text messages from the government to the public warn of criminal charges for joining demonstrations. At least 18 reporters are known to have been arrested so far in the crackdown, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Like other rounds of unrest since 2009, when millions took to the streets as part of the so-called Green Movement to protest a disputed presidential election, the latest demonstrations appear spontaneous and leaderless. Even if a government crackdown eventually quells the protests, it likely won't eradicate the deep-seated rage. Iran's economy has cratered, and Western sanctions have destroyed the savings of a generation. The value of the currency has plummeted, from 32,000 rials for a dollar in 2015 to 315,000 rials for a dollar in 2022. Iranian youth increasingly try to find new livelihoods abroad at whatever cost. Those left behind struggle to make ends meet. Iranian politics have grown insular and uncompromising. In the 2021 presidential election, all serious contenders were disqualified to allow Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Khamenei, to take the presidency in the lowest turnout vote in the Islamic Republic's history. The economic challenges and hardline political positions are only likely to solidify. Even if Iran agreed to a road map to restore the nuclear deal, it likely will face new U.S. sanctions over selling so-called suicide drones to Russia to use in its ongoing war in Ukraine. A battle over leadership could turn Iran's focus further inward. There is no designated successor for the 83-year-old Khamenei, though some analysts suggest his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, might be considered by clerics to become the next supreme leader. Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to the supreme leader, has grown increasingly powerful both militarily and economically during the recent tensions with the West. The U.S. Treasury said the Guard has smuggled "hundreds of millions of dollars" worth of sanctioned oil into the international market. Both the theocracy and the Guard have financial and political incentive to continue the status quo. And with no other outlets, mass protests by the Iranian public seem likely to continue. DUBAI, United Arab Emirates Iran's Foreign Ministry said Sunday it summoned Britain's ambassador to protest what it described as a hostile atmosphere created by London-based Farsi language media outlets. The move comes amid violent unrest in Iran triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody. The state-run IRNA news agency reported the ministry also summoned Norway's ambassador to Iran and strongly protested recent remarks by the president of the Norwegian parliament, Masud Gharahkhani. The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody after being detained by Iranian morality police launched unrest across Iran's provinces and the capital of Tehran. Protests over Amini's death have spread across at least 46 cities, towns and villages in Iran. State TV has suggested that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the protests began Sept. 17. An Associated Press count of official statements by authorities tallied at least 13 dead, with more than 1,200 demonstrators arrested. Running clashes between demonstrators and security forces have continued to erupt. A member of the Basij, a volunteer force with Iran's Guards, was killed by protesters last night in Tehran, semi-official Fars news agency reported Sunday. Another Basij member, who was in a comma since Thursday after street clashes, died in Urmia, West Azerbaijan province on Sunday, IRNA reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry's website said it summoned Simon Shercliff, the U.K.'s ambassador to Iran, on Saturday and protested the hosting of critical Farsi-language media outlets. The ministry alleges the news outlets have provoked disturbances and the spread of riots in Iran at the top of their programs. Iran said it considers the news agencies' reporting to be interference in Iran's internal affairs and acts against its sovereignty. The crisis in Iran began as a public outpouring of anger over the the death of Amini, who was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly wearing her Islamic headscarf too loosely. The police said she died of a heart attack and was not mistreated, but her family has cast doubt on that account. Amini's death has sparked sharp condemnation from Western countries and the United Nations. Pro-government rallies were also held on Sunday in several cities across Iran. Thousands attended a rally in the capital's Enghelab, or Revolution Square, waving Iranian flags. Some officials, including cabinet spokesman, Ali Bahadori Jahromi, attended to the rally in Tehran. NEW YORK Out of public safety concerns, Mayor Eric Adams' administration is likely to surge more cops into the Bronx neighborhood where it plans to soon start housing hundreds of Latin American migrants in tent camps, according to the local Council member. Councilwoman Marjorie Velazquez, D-Bronx, whose district includes the Orchard Beach parking lots where the tents will be erected, told the Daily News she asked Deputy Mayor of Public Safety Phil Banks' team in a Thursday phone call to beef up the officer headcount at nearby precincts in anticipation of the tents going up. Velazquez said she told the officials that three local precincts in the area are already dealing with staffing problems. As a result, there should be a proportional police presence increase if hundreds of asylum seekers are going to move in, Velazquez said she told Banks' advisers. "They were very receptive to the idea," the Democratic Council member said. Adams spokeswoman Kate Smart declined to comment directly on Velazquez's request, but said "safety is our top priority and we'll take all necessary steps to ensure people staying temporarily at the humanitarian relief centers are kept safe and secure." Adams' office announced the plan to house migrants in tents at Orchard Beach on Thursday. In a briefing unveiling the initiative, Adams administration officials who spoke only on condition that they not be identified by name said the tents are going to serve as intake centers where migrants will spend upward of 96 hours before being assigned beds in shelters or other permanent housing. The tents are expected to be operational within two weeks and have capacity for roughly 1,000 people, the officials said. The officials said the city will facilitate food, medical care, legal aid and other services on-site, but did not mention anything about larger police patrols. In speaking with Adams officials, Velazquez said she also raised the issue of making sure the tents are sturdy and improving sanitation, noting that the public bathrooms at Orchard Beach have long been in dire need of repairs. "My priority is and will always be providing folks with a decent, humane way of living. I don't need folks staying in tents that are not constructed safely, that are not warm, that are not insulated," she said. "These are the things that they need to address to me, because I'm okay with using that site, because it's a site that's not being used in the fall and the winter, anyway. But I need to be assured that the families that are coming in are truly welcome here. Let's make sure people are not freezing to death in the winter months." Smart said the city will "also be adding additional sanitation services at these sites." The Orchard Beach center will only house single adults, but City Hall said the administration plans to open up at least one more tent site for migrant families. Adams' tent plan comes as the city shelter system remains near a breaking point due to an enormous influx of South and Central American migrants in recent months. As of Thursday, more than 13,600 migrants had arrived in the city and at least 10,300 of them are staying in the shelter system, according to administration officials. The migrants are hoping to secure asylum in the U.S. after fleeing economic devastation and violence in their home countries. Many of them ended up in New York because Republican Texas Gov. Greg Abbott sent them to the city on buses as part of a political feud with President Biden over border policies a stunt Adams has labeled "un-American" and "inhumane." Amid the crisis, Adams' administration failed on at least two occasions this summer to house dozens of migrants and homeless people in apparent violation of the decades-old right-to-shelter law, which requires the city to provide a bed to anyone who needs one. The tent camps could be a way for the administration to alleviate burden on the shelter system. In a Friday morning radio interview, Adams said his administration may end up having to house more than 50,000 migrants before all is said and done. He compared the tent plan to the city being forced to put COVID-19 patients on a military ship during the early days of the pandemic. "We used whatever we had to get through this," he said on Caribbean Power Jam Radio. But homeless advocates say the tent plan could violate the right-to-shelter law, too. The law, they've noted, requires the city to provide people with "safe and adequate" shelter, and tent cities may not pass muster. The Family Homelessness Coalition, an umbrella organization for advocacy groups that includes the Citizens' Committee for Children of New York, said in a statement that Adams' tent plan is "alarming." "Not only is there a question of legality, but we are deeply concerned about whether these shelters will provide families the housing services, transportation, and supplies they need," the coalition said. "Asylum seekers already have experienced tremendous trauma, and we urge Mayor Adams not to place thousands of children and their family members in a potentially dangerous environment." 2022 New York Daily News. Visit at nydailynews.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (Tribune News Service) Gov. Ron DeSantis has pursued an expansive view of his executive authority, ordering high-profile removals of local elected officials who haven't been charged with crimes. Governors routinely have used their power under the Florida Constitution to suspend elected officials from office when they've been charged with crimes. Though there is precedent for the DeSantis approach of removing elected officials who haven't been criminally charged including controversial, high-profile suspensions of two successive Broward supervisors of elections it had been highly unusual. That is, until DeSantis became governor. In his nearly four years in office, he has removed eight county elected officials who weren't charged with crimes, using his power more expansively than his predecessor, the South Florida Sun Sentinel's review of state suspension orders shows. DeSantis' most recent actions came in August, when he suspended and replaced four members of the Broward School Board and the Hillsborough County state attorney. None of the five has been charged with crimes. These types of suspensions have bookended his time as governor, so far. Within his first 10 days of taking office in January 2019, DeSantis removed the elected Broward County sheriff, the elected Palm Beach County supervisor of elections, and the elected Okaloosa County schools superintendent, alleging incompetence or poor performance for events that took place on their parts for events that took place before he was governor. None of those three ousted officials Sheriff Scott Israel, Elections Supervisor Susan Booker or Schools Superintendent Mary Beth Jackson was ever charged with a crime. A different approach DeSantis' actions are a notable departure from his immediate predecessor, former Gov. Rick Scott, now the state's junior senator. During his eight years a total of 96 months as governor, Scott suspended one elected official who hadn't been criminally charged. The DeSantis suspensions of elected officials who weren't charged with crimes affected seven Democrats and one Republican. The one such Scott suspension was of a Democrat. Both DeSantis and Scott are Republicans. "All Florida governors in the modern era have suspended local officials at times. But to my knowledge, it's almost always been after someone was charged with a crime or indicted, and that's the difference," said Aubrey Jewett, a political scientist at the University of Central Florida. "It's not that it's never happened," Jewett said about a governor suspending an elected official who hasn't been criminally charged. "But it's been very infrequent for governors to do that. We certainly have never had the number" ordered by DeSantis. "It's in the Constitution, and it is an executive power. But I think the thought was that it would be used sparingly, and only in the most egregious or glaring cases. It's happened so often now with this governor that it's really opened him up to charges of partisan political behavior," Jewett said. The recently suspended Hillsborough County state attorney, Andrew Warren, has filed a federal lawsuit arguing that DeSantis exceeded his authority and violated his First Amendment right to free speech. On Monday, a U.S. District Court judge said he wanted to hear evidence and testimony at a full trial and denied Warren's motion for immediate reinstatement. Speed DeSantis typically acts quickly to suspend elected officials. He suspended the four Broward School Board members, all Democrats, seven days after the release of a damning August grand jury report condemning their performances. His January 2019 suspension of Democrat Israel and Republican Jackson came three days after DeSantis was inaugurated. By contrast, he didn't act as expeditiously in the case of Joe Martinez, a Republican Miami-Dade County commissioner, who turned himself in Aug. 30 on felony counts of unlawful compensation and conspiracy to commit unlawful compensation. DeSantis suspended Martinez on Tuesday, 21 days later. Of the 17 other county and municipal elected officials who have been charged with crimes since DeSantis took office, the average time between charging and suspension is 6.2 days. It has also been almost nine months since DeSantis said his staff was considering what to do about the current Broward sheriff, Gregory Tony, appointed by DeSantis and since elected to a full term by voters. On Feb. 1, the day after the Florida Department of Law Enforcement found Tony repeatedly lied on law enforcement applications, DeSantis at a news conference said that, "We are going to review everything, take a look. We saw the initial report. It will be something we will be reviewing in the coming days." Authority The Florida Constitution allows the governor to suspend "any county officer, for malfeasance, misfeasance, neglect of duty, drunkenness, incompetence, permanent inability to perform official duties, or commission of a felony." The governor gets to appoint someone to fill the office as long as the person is suspended. In his January 2019 inaugural address, DeSantis hinted at what might be coming: "So let there be no misunderstanding: As governor, I will lead with purpose and conviction on behalf of the people of Florida," he said. "If a local official is neglectful of required duties, I will remove the official." Previous governors "have taken a much more strict interpretation" of the Constitution's suspension power than DeSantis. Authority to suspend city, town or village elected officials is more limited. "(A)ny elected municipal officer indicted for crime may be suspended from office until acquitted," the Constitution states. In most cases the municipal government fills the vacancy in whatever method other vacancies are filled, usually by the city, town or village council or commission. Political reaction The DeSantis approach has alarmed Democrats, citing it as evidence of their view that the Republican governor has authoritarian tendencies. "When somebody gets arrested or indicted, other governors have suspended people. This governor, if you look at him sideways, he'll suspend you if you're a Democrat," said Broward County Commissioner Steve Geller, a former Florida Senate Democratic leader. "How much of a democracy is it when you have an opinion contrary to the supreme leader he removes you?" Geller said. "It's mostly in Democratic areas. If you're going to say that seems a bit extreme, look at what he did to the state attorney in Hillsborough. The guy had not taken any official government action whatsoever at all, and he was suspended. And why was he suspended? Because he voiced an opinion that was different from the governor's." The moves win plaudits from Republicans. "If incompetence or neglect of duty is demonstrated or documented, then the governor not only has the right but the obligation to make sure that the public is being well served by the people who are doing those jobs," said Michael Barnett, chairman of the Palm Beach County Republican Party. "Maybe in the past governors have been more cautious and have taken more political calculations, not wanting to upset the apple cart by making a bold step such as removing a publicly elected official," Barnett said. "Governor DeSantis has proven his entire term he's not afraid to take bold action, regardless of what anyone might think whether the Democrats, or people in the press, or even people in his own party. "I think that's why he has so much popularity is because he's willing to do what's right or what he perceives as right regardless of the perceived political consequences." DeSantis' moves always generate enormous attention. It's an approach that has been a hallmark of most of his administration, dating to the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic. "Most Republicans seem to support Gov. DeSantis doing this. This is great," Jewett said. "Most Democrats just look at this as a partisan power play and one more example of Gov. DeSantis trying to make headlines for his presidential run." Jewett said DeSantis' "suspensions and replacements look very political, partisan political." He said it would lessen the political impact of those actions if he picked Democrats to replace suspended Democrats the way then-Gov. Jeb Bush, a Republican, did in 2003 when he suspended Miriam Oliphant, the Democratic supervisor of elections in Broward County. He said DeSantis opens himself up to criticism by picking four Republicans to replace the four Democratic Broward School Board members he suspended last month in the county with the largest number of registered Democrats in the state. "It really just looks like a partisan coup," he said. DeSantis' media representatives didn't respond to emails last week and this week about his approach to suspensions of elected officials who haven't been charged with crimes. The campaign of Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist who was the state's Republican governor from 2007 to 2011 also didn't respond to an inquiry. A check on power? There is a way to challenge the governor's power: Someone like a sheriff, supervisor of elections or school board member who is suspended can appeal to the Florida Senate. Senators have power to remove the person from the office or reinstate the suspended official. That's a significant safeguard, Barnett said, for anyone concerned about a governor's actions. "He can suspend, but the Senate has to uphold." But it may be more theoretical than practical. A Senate trial is a complex, drawn out and expensive undertaking for a suspended official, who has to pay for their own legal representation. And there are many reasons, largely political, that a suspended official has little chance of prevailing. In the 2019 Israel case, the Senate used a special master Dudley Goodlette, a highly respected former Republican state legislator and lawyer to investigate. After a lengthy inquiry, Goodlette found there weren't grounds to remove Israel, and recommended that the Senate reinstate him. The Senate voted almost entirely along party lines with the Republican majority supporting the Republican governor to uphold DeSantis' suspension of the Democratic sheriff and remove him from office. Geller said the rejection of the Republican special master's recommendation signaled that the Senate would go along with such DeSantis moves. "If they had overturned the governor's position, I don't think he would have kept doing it," he said, which "meant he could keep doing it with complete impunity." Since then, DeSantis' sway with the Legislature has increased. As he's become more popular with Republican voters and seen as a likely candidate for his party's 2024 presidential nomination, lawmakers are loath to cross him. The Florida Senate historically displayed an independent streak, sometimes defying the wishes of a governor in the same party as the governor. "I have never seen a Legislature as subservient as this one is to a governor," said Geller, most of whose time in the Legislature was as a member of the minority party under Republican governors. He doesn't see the Republican Senate majority overturning a DeSantis suspension decision. "Not gonna happen," Geller said. "The result is a foregone conclusion." Senate records show the last elected official to be reinstated was former Leon County Supervisor of Elections Jan Pietrzyk. Then-Gov. Bob Graham, a Democrat, suspended Republican Pietrzyk in 1986 over a botched primary election, but senators voted overwhelmingly to reinstate him after concluding his failures didn't reach the threshold for removal from office outlined in the state Constitution. "As elected public officials, we find it difficult to remove people from office for, perhaps, being stupid," said John Vogt, the state Senate president at the time. Other suspended officials, including Warren, have turned to the courts. Suspended former Sheriff Scott Israel unsuccessfully sought state and federal court rulings reinstating him. The Okaloosa County case ended with DeSantis lifting his suspension of Jackson, at which point she immediately resigned. Former Broward supervisor of elections Brenda Snipes went to court after Scott suspended her. (She had earlier resigned, then Scott suspended her and she withdrew her resignation). Snipes challenged the suspension in court. A federal judge ruled that Snipes could not be reinstated, but he rebuked Scott, saying he "vilified" her and didn't provide enough specific reasons backing up the suspension. After DeSantis took office, he reached a deal with Snipes in which he lifted her suspension and she resigned. 2022 South Florida Sun-Sentinel. Visit sun-sentinel.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Two U.S. military veterans who disappeared three months ago while fighting with Ukrainian forces against Russia arrived home to Alabama on Saturday, greeted by hugs, cheers and tears of joy at the state's main airport. Alex Drueke, 40, and Andy Huynh, 27, had gone missing June 9 in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border. The Alabama residents were released as part of a prisoner exchange. The pair had traveled to Ukraine on their own and bonded over their shared home state. "It's them!" a family member shouted as the pair appeared at the top of an escalator at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, one of Alabama's largest cities. Smiling but looking tired, the two were pulled into long emotional hugs by family members after their connecting flight home. Then they were whisked to a waiting car. "Surreal. I still have chill bumps. I always imagined this day. I always held not just hope but belief in this day. But I thought it was going to be two or three years from now at best," said Drueke's aunt, Dianna Shaw. "There are prisoners of war who have been held for months and years. There are people who have been detained wrongfully for years and for this to come about in three months is, just, unimaginable to me," she added. "Even though I'm living it, it feels unimaginable, and I don't want people to forget all the Ukrainians who are still being held." The families of the two men announced their release on Wednesday. The men were among 10 prisoners released by Russian-backed separatists as part of a prisoner exchange mediated by Saudi Arabia. The Saudi embassy said five British nationals and others from Morocco, Sweden and Croatia also were freed. Darla Black, whose daughter is engaged to Huynh, said she thought, "there he is. There he is" as Huynh came into view. "I had to get my hands on him to actually believe it. I'm just overwhelmed with gratitude. We got our miracle," Black said. The men had arrived Friday at New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport. "We're looking forward to spending time with family and we'll be in touch with the media soon," Drueke said shortly after arriving in New York with Huynh. "Happy to be home." TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Authorities and residents in Florida were keeping a cautious eye on Tropical Storm Ian as it rumbled ominously through the Caribbean on Sunday, likely to become a major hurricane on its path toward the state. Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency throughout Florida and urged residents to prepare for the storm to lash large swaths of the state with heavy rains, high winds and rising seas. Forecasters are still unsure of exactly where Ian could make landfall, with current models plotting it toward Floridas west coast or panhandle regions, he said. Were going to keep monitoring the track of this storm. But it really is important to stress the degree of uncertainty that still exists, DeSantis said at a news conference Sunday, cautioning that even if youre not necessarily right in the eye of the path of the storm, theres going to be pretty broad impacts throughout the state. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is expected to become a hurricane on Monday and reach major hurricane strength Tuesday. Flash and urban flooding is possible in the Florida Keys and Florida peninsula through midweek, and then heavy rainfall was possible for north Florida, the Florida panhandle and the southeast United States later this week. The agency placed a tropical storm watch over the lower Florida Keys on Sunday evening and has advised Floridians to have hurricane plans in place and monitor updates of the storms evolving path. A hurricane warning was in effect Sunday for Grand Cayman and the Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Rio and Artemisa. Cuban state media said emergency authorities have met to plan for the storms arrival and prepare for evacuations, though none had been ordered as of Sunday. The track forecast by the National Hurricane Center shows a major storm striking the far-western part of the island early Tuesday, close to the countrys most famed tobacco fields. President Joe Biden also declared an emergency, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to coordinate disaster relief and provide assistance to protect lives and property. The president postponed a scheduled Sept. 27 trip to Florida because of the storm. John Cangialosi, a senior hurricane specialist at the Miami-based center, said in an interview Sunday that it is not clear exactly where Ian will hit hardest in Florida. Residents should begin preparations, including gathering supplies for potential power outages, he said. Its a hard thing to say stay tuned, but thats the right message right now, Cangialosi said But for those in Florida, its still time to prepare. Im not telling you to put up your shutters yet or do anything like that, but its still time to get your supplies. Local media in Florida have reported a consumer rush on water, generators and other supplies in some areas where residents moved to stock up on goods ahead of the storm. Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said the state has begun loading trailers with more than 2 million meals and more than 1 million gallons of water to be ready to be sent into impacted areas. He said the state has had frequent communication with local governments and is processing requests for resources. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Sunday moved to activate the State Operations Center to respond to any potential storm damage. He told residents to monitor the weather and calmly take precautions if necessary. At the Kennedy Space Center, NASA kept close watch on Ians projected path while debating whether to move its new moon rocket off the launch pad and into shelter. Managers already have bumped the test flight from this week to next because of the storm. Elsewhere, powerful post-tropical cyclone Fiona crashed ashore Saturday in Nova Scotia in the Atlantic Canada region, washing houses into the sea, tearing off rooftops and knocking out power to more than 500,000 customers in two provinces. Associated Press writer Julie Walker contributed to this report from New York. Stolen car rammed Garda vehicle before speeding off and later crashing into roundabout and landing on its roof, court is told Five men arrested after a crashing a high-powered Audi SQ5 in a supermarket car park have appeared in court charged with being part of an organised criminal gang. The men, including a father and son, were originally arrested by gardai last April after the vehicle they were travelling in collided with a roundabout and landed upside down in a car park. There was tight security at Naas District Court on Thursday where William Connors (47) and his son Larry (19) appeared along with members of the same extended family Larry OReilly (20), James Connors (23) and Michael Connors (23). James Connors It was alleged in court that the crash happened when the black Audi was driven at speeds of 200kmh in a bid to escape gardai, and forced members of the public to take evasive action to avoid head-on collisions. It was also heard how the men are accused of being part of an organised crime group that targets elderly and Asian people in burglaries in both Ireland and other jurisdictions. A member of the Garda National Drugs and Organised Crime Unit, objecting to bail being given to William Connors, outlined details of the allegations against the men. The charges stem from an incident on 26 April when the Audi, alleged to have been stolen in London the previous month and fitted with stolen plates, rammed a Garda vehicle in Rathmoylan, Co. Meath. William Connors Detective Garda Donal Donoghue said the car was suspected to have been used in 17 burglaries in Northern Ireland, including one in which 250,000 of jewellery was stolen from an antiques dealer. He said a Garda operation had been set up at national level to target an organised crime gang involved in burglaries. By mid-March, the gang were suspected of being involved in robberies across Ireland, including in counties Louth, Meath, Kildare, Monaghan and Carlow among others. Michael Connors On April 26, the vehicle was spotted by officers and, after a Garda car was rammed, a managed containment operation was set up involving several units, including the air support division. At 8pm, the Audi hit a roundabout near Naas, Co. Kildare, causing the vehicle to crash. The detective told Judge Desmond Zaidan that house-breaking tools were found in the vehicle along with bleach, screwdrivers, burner phones, snoods and a rock. He said the items found suggested an awareness of Garda forensic techniques and the men also wore a particular brand of gloves. Larry O'Reilly Objecting to bail, Detective Donoghue said it is alleged William Connors is a vital cog in the organised crime gang and would be likely to engage in serious crime if released. He added no stolen property has been recovered and there are concerns it could be disposed of if Connors is given bail. The officer also cited the seriousness of new charges against Connors, including endangerment as well as the section 72 charge. Connors is facing 14 separate criminal charges. He also said in evidence that the accused man and the criminal gang pose a threat to society and not just in this jurisdiction. Larry Connors Section 72 is the offence of taking part or helping the activities of a criminal organisation in order to enhance a gangs ability to commit a serious offence or to facilitate a gang in committing serious offences. Sergeant Brian Jacob pointed out that bail for a Section 72 charge can only be given at High Court level. His solicitor Tim Kennelly said that William Connors had not made any admissions and had been on bail from the High Court on other charges relating to the same incident and had not missed any court appearances. He said his client denies entirely that he is part of criminal gang and he says there is no gang and doesnt accept he is a Tony Soprano figure. In reply to Judge Zaidan, Detective Donoghue said the new charges which were not part of the High Court bail conditions include the section 72 charge as well as three counts of endangerment. In refusing bail on the new charge, Judge Zaidan said the only similarity between the charges for which he had already got bail was the defendant himself. The other four men were charged with participating or helping a criminal organising and possession of the stolen Audi. All four were remanded in custody to Cloverhill District Court on September 28. The US government alleges that Morrissey handed ownership stake in Nero Drinks to Daniel Kinahan as compensation for failed drug shipments US sanctioned Nero Drinks, the company allegedly used by Johnny Morrissey and his wife Nicola to fund their Rolls Royce lifestyle in Spain, was broke - drowning in debt to the tune of 310,000. Financial statements obtained by this newspaper show that, as of February 2021, Nero Drinks was surviving on six figure loans from the bank and company director Nicola Morrissey while it had cash reserves of just 3,522. A trawl of the companys financial documents has also uncovered links between Nero Drinks and an offshore company based in Gibraltar, Emperor Una Limited, which again counts among its directors Nicola Morrissey. Kinahan cartel money launderer Johnny Morrissey, who was arrested in Spain last week, is not linked through company documents to either Nero Drinks or Emperor Una Limited. However, the US government has alleged that he handed a significant ownership stake in Nero Drinks to cartel head Daniel Kinahan as compensation for failed drug shipments. In a raft of sanctions announced by the US Department of Treasury in April, the DOT alleged Nero Drinks was designated (sanctioned) for being owned or controlled by, directly or indirectly, John Morrissey. John Morrissey, it continued, who outwardly serves as the Nero Drinks brand ambassador, is heavily invested in Nero Drinks and has given a significant portion of the business to Daniel Kinahan to compensate for loads of drugs seized by law enforcement. John Morrissey controls and operates Nero Drinks through his wife, the primary shareholder, who is used as a frontperson for his interests. The value of Nero Drinks to the Kinahan cartel is not apparent from the documents filed by Nicola Morrisey with the UK companys office. But, according to an investigation funded by the European Union, the Kinahan cartel used dozens of front companies, stretching across the globe, to help move heroin, cocaine and other drugs and launder the proceeds from their sale. Operating out of a listed address at 9 Newton Place, Glasgow, Nero Drinks most recent accounts were filed on February 28th, 2021. The accounts how the company had debts to the tune of UK272,180 (311,711). These debts included a bank loan of UK172,861 (197,967) and a further loan of UK99,319 (113,744) from company director Nicola Morrissey. Meanwhile, the companys cash-flow provided little in the way of hope that such debts would ever be repaid. Cash at the hand and in the bank held by Nero Drinks had increased by just UK1,805 (2,067) in the previous twelve months. Emperor Una meanwhile has fared little better. The company was set up in Gibraltar on March 2nd of 2018, with an address at 292 Main St and was initially listed as the sole shareholder in Nero Drinks. Although an annual return for the company was filed in 2020, no financial details were contained therein. The company was struck off by the Gibraltar company office on April 29th of 2022, less than three weeks after Nero Drinks and Johnny Morrissey were sanctioned, for failing to file annual returns. Despite, these documents revealing the perilous state of Nero Drinks finances, only last year Nicola Morrissey held it out as a highly successful venture so successful in fact she planned on expanding its activities into the US. In the interview, she boasted that 2022 would see Nero Drinks adding more to our client list as well as launching in Mallorca, Tenerife, the UK and we are finalising plans to launch in America. She added: We are also opening an exclusive 5-star wellness retreat overlooking the sea in La Cala due to open in April 2022. This was to be the same month husband Johnny Morrissey and Nero Drinks were sanctioned leaving her ambitious and financially inexplicable plans in tatters. Socialites and D-list celebrities, chefs and private club owners are all expected to be swept up in the biggest financial investigation into drug money ever conducted in Europe the secrets of which are being untangled from Morrisseys black books. The Kinahan organisation has been financially pulverised after a raid on properties connected to money launderer Johnny Morrissey uncovered what police believe to be the mobs internal accounts including, payroll, lists of assets, associated companies and names of debtors and creditors. A number of charities based on the Costa Del Sol are now suspected of being part of the Kinahan money-laundering machine along with a string of nightclubs, bars and restaurants. Socialites and D-list celebrities, chefs and private club owners are all expected to be swept up in the biggest financial investigation into drug money ever conducted in Europe the secrets of which are being untangled from Morrisseys black books. Many codenames used within the ledgers have already been deciphered, while others will be tallied with information garnered during the Encrochat phone hack. Books of detailed accounts taken from Morrissey are currently being examined in Madrid in an investigation conducted by Europol and in conjunction with the US Drug Enforcement Agency (DEA). The ledgers are understood to contain details of financial transactions between underworld figures and seemingly legitimate businesses and individuals and are being described as the beating heart of the mobs vast trans-global empire. A number of charities are now suspected of having been funded with their drug money as the cartel tried to ingratiate themselves with the Marbella society and high-ranking officials and facilities, who were then targeted for corruption. Kinahan money man Johnny Morrissey and his wife Nicola The Costa Del Sol has been key to the vast Kinahan fortune, despite the fact that the family are now based in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). It was there that the mob was first established around 2000 and where they have laundered the majority of their funds. The black books are expected to untangle deals between the Kinahan organisation and a network of seemingly legitimate business owners, laundering methods and cash-flow routes. The money network was hidden under the guise of accounts for Nero Vodka, the fake company set up to launder Kinahan funds. Headed up by Nicola Morrissey, the Scots wife of balding thug Johnny, the company had been hosting events, sponsoring charities and had even become the darling of the Marbella-based Euro Weekly News, an English language newspaper on the Costa. Owner Michel Euesden, who hails from Rochdale in the UK, has said she had no idea of Morrisseys criminal background or the couples involvement with the Kinahan organisation when she launched their Nero Vodka company at the Puento Romano Hotel and gushed about their business prowess in numerous postings. She once described Nicola Morrissey as: sharp-witted and sharp eyed she always goes out of her way to ensure everyone is taken care of. She really is absolutely fabulous. She has manifested, visualised, eagerly sought out her tools to succeed, no obstacle has ever been too big for her to overcome to achieve her dream and she has sacrificed like only a winner can..Ladies...She is our hope for the future. Newspaper owner Michel Euesden Daniel and Christopher Kinahan Jnr left Marbella in February 2016 shortly after the Regency Hotel shooting and moved to Dubai, where their father, Christopher Snr, was already settled. They left their business interests in Spain in the hands of Morrissey a trusted enforcer and former armed robber Kevin Lynch as their main operative on the ground. While money moved around the globe, the organisations financial HQ remained on Spains Costa, where it had been established and built up over two decades. Sources say that while much of the funds were laundered through traditional food companies, import-and-export businesses, property and crypto currency, Nero Vodka became the central accounts system for the mob, and its books hold the keys to the empire. The vodka brand was first mentioned by Morrissey in 2018, when he announced on social media that it was under development and design. With offices in Scotland, it was officially launched by Eusden in December 2020. Accounts relating to Nero and its activities are being examined for any evidence of corrupt payments to police or business organisations. Those who owe money to the mob are likely to be the only winners as no other records are believed to exist detailing their debts. The family are over. This is the final straw for Christy Snr and the sons, Daniel and Christopher Jnr. It is inevitable now that those around them will be looking to save their own skin and that many will be eyeing up the business that they have left behind. Its only a matter of time that they are replaced and that everything they built over such a long time is gone, a source said. Police suspect that the Kinahan organisation has laundered hundreds of millions of euro through a vast network of businesses on the Costa Del Sol. Malian Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga said the country had been "stabbed in the back" by Paris following the withdrawal of French troops. He also slammed UN chief Antonio Guterres over a spat with the Ivory Coast. Malian colonel and interim Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga lashed out at France on Saturday in comments made in a speech to the UN General Assembly. Maiga said Bamako had been "stabbed in the back" by France's military withdrawal early this year. Paris maintained a military presence in the country between 2013 and 2022 in a bid to assist Mali in its fight with an Islamist insurgency. Last month, Mali accused France of arming Islamist militants without providing evidence. Maiga slams 'French junta' Maiga condemned Paris for what he called a "unilateral decision" to transfer remaining forces to neighboring Niger, which is also grappling with Islamist militants, as is the case of much of the Sahel region that divides Northern and Sub-Saharan Africa. France aborted the mission amid rapidly deteriorating ties with Mali's military government -- which took power in 2020 and does not plan to hold elections until 2024, based on its current timetable -- and as Mali's military called in Russian mercenary support. Mali's prime minister tried to turn the tables, however, repeatedly referring to France's government as "the French junta." Maiga, an army colonel, was appointed interim prime minister by Assimi Goita, who took power in a military takeover in 2020, and then in another coup in 2021. "The French junta has damaged universal values and betrayed its long tradition of humanistic thought," Mali's prime minister claimed, arguing that Paris had acted "in service of obscurantism" and engaged in "neocolonial, condescending, paternalistic and revanchist" politics. "Move on from the colonial past and hear the anger, the frustration, the rejection that is coming up from the African cities and countryside, and understand that this movement is inexorable," Maiga said, addressing France. The territory that now encompasses Mali was part of the colony of French West Africa until its independence in 1960. "Your intimidations and subversive actions have only swelled the ranks of Africans concerned with preserving their dignity," he said. Maiga also praised the "exemplary and fruitful cooperation between Mali and Russia." Western states have raised concerns around the presence in Mali of Russian Wagner Group mercenaries, who have been accused of human rights violations. Ivorian soldier row 'not within remit' of UN The interim prime minister also criticized UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres over his position on a row between Mali and the Ivory Coast. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Mali Governance Conflict By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Guterres said 46 Ivorian soldiers detained in Mali were not "mercenaries," contrary to the claims from Bamako's military government. Maiga snapped back at Guterres in his speech, arguing that the issue did not "fall within the remit of the secretary-general of the United Nations." He went on to threaten "legal consequences" for Guterres' statements, and reiterated Bamako's demand that the UN peacekeeping force in Mali be reformed. Mali's prime minister accused Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) acting president Umaro Sissoco Embalo of "mimicking" the UN's stance and "banalizing" ECOWAS. "It is important to stress to him that the secretary-general of the United Nations is not a head of state and the acting president of ECOWAS is not a state official." ECOWAS has sanctioned and repeatedly criticized Mali in the aftermath of the 2020 coups, as the junta has made almost no progress in overseeing a transition back toward civilian government. It lifted the sanctions in July following the latest promise for an election in 2024. Maiga also slammed a number of African leaders, including Nigerien President Mohamed Bazoum, who he accused of not really being Nigerien, and Ivorian President Alassane Ouattara, who he said had "preserved power for himself and his clan" by changing the constitution and allowing himself to govern for a third mandate. Coup leader and interim President Assimi Goita sent Maiga to the UN General Assembly in his stead, staying home to attend an event commemorating Mali's independence from France. sdi/msh (AFP, AP, dpa) Youd walk into a room and find Mum on the floor building Lego with the lads, or doing something with Carla, or reading stories. She adored them all. Andrew McGinley yesterday spoke for the first time about the death last week of his beloved mother Marie, and said he is consoled by the fact that she had a long and happy life. The grieving father said Marie had idolised her grandchildren, including his own three children, Conor (9), Darragh (7) and Carla (3), who were killed in January 2020 by their mother, Deirdre Morley. She was later found not guilty of murder by reason of insanity. In an exclusive interview with the Sunday World, Andrew says: Mum lived a life full of happiness alongside my father, Brendan, and was so good-natured that she was a joy to be around. She would have been 82 next week and she had a good, long, fulfilling life when you compare the childrens short lives. Andrew, who is originally from Donegal town and lives in Newcastle, Co Dublin, recalled happier times when he would visit his parents, Marie and Brendan, at their family home in Donegal with his children. Mum adored all her grandchildren, including Conor, Darragh and Carla. We were up and down to her and Dad all the time, and as soon as we walked in the door she was off with the kids, he says. Youd walk into a room and find Mum on the floor building Lego with the lads, or doing something with Carla, or reading stories. She adored them all. Andrew, pictured with Conor, Carla and Darragh, has set up a charity called As Darragh Did It was Granny Marie who bought the two lads (Conor and Darragh) their first guitars, and sure then the lads spent the whole weekend writing songs. They called their band The String Tigers, and Ive since put up a few clips of them on Conors Clips on YouTube. So Granny Marie can lay claim to inspiring the two lads to set up their band. She absolutely loved being a grandmother. Marie developed Alzheimers and her health deteriorated in the last two years. At the time of the childrens funeral I could see that she was devastated we all were, Andrew says. I dont know what impact the tragedy had on her. I suppose none of us will ever know. The decline at the end came fairly rapidly, but when the kids died she would have been aware of everything. Since losing his children, Andrew has set up a charity, As Darragh Did, and posts videos of them on Conors Clips on YouTube to keep their memories alive. Andrew at his childrens funeral mass This year, Irish superstar Daniel ODonnell performed a concert in Newcastle for the As Darragh Did charity and raised a phenomenal 100,000. Before Alzheimers took its grip on her, mum was aware of the projects in their memory when I started them, and she was very proud of them, Andrew says. As a mum to myself and my siblings growing up, she was just fantastic. She worked all her life in the hospitality trade. My two brothers and my sister and myself all, at various stages, followed her into hospitality and I stayed in the business. She worked in St Ernans Hotel outside Donegal town for quite a few years. Letters used to come from America from people that had stayed in the hotel telling her how much they enjoyed meeting her. If the hospitality industry was suited to anybody it was really suited to Mum. She worked mainly as a waitress and its the job that a lot of young people fall into. The amount of young people who knew her from having worked alongside her was just phenomenal. I met so many people at her funeral that I didnt know and they told me, I worked with your mother, she was lovely and she really took me under her wing. It was my first ever job. She was a genuinely very loving and friendly person. It was in her blood that sort of friendliness and hospitality. So many people knew her because she loved being involved in everything. She was still making friends into her late 70s and early 80s. She was just that sort of a woman. Maries loving husband, Brendan, had been caring for her right to the end. Dad had looked after Mum with great support from the Alzheimers Society, and friends and family in Donegal, and we are very grateful to all of them, Andrew says. Mum and Dad had been 60-odd years together. Mums funeral Mass was in the same church where they had got married some 60 years previously. Their wedding anniversary was at the start of September. I often think about the excitement of Conor, Darragh and Carla at seeing Granny Marie again, and it gives me comfort. I imagine that she was met by them with a pile of storybooks and that the hugs and cuddles havent stopped since. People affected by hidden homelessness are not counted in Government homeless figures released every month so it is difficult to measure how many people are impacted. One in four people knows someone who has experienced hidden homelessness in the past 12 months, Simon Communities Ireland research shows. The charity said the findings meant about 290,000 adults have experienced hidden homelessness in the past 12 months where people stay with family or friends, couch surf or live in unsuitable overcrowded accommodation. People affected by hidden homelessness are not counted in Government homeless figures released every month so it is difficult to measure how many people are impacted. Simon Communities Ireland head of policy Wayne Stanley said polling the charity conducted as part of its annual Simon Week, to increase awareness of the issue, suggested a huge number of people relied on others for accommodation. The one-in-four figure highlights the breadth of the crisis. So many of us know somebody in that situation, he said. This poll suggests there are 290,000 adults affected. That is the shocking minimum scale of the depth of the crisis. It is massive, it is an extraordinarily high number. The poll findings show 26pc of people said they, a family member, friend or acquaintance had to stay temporarily with another household in the past 12 months because they did not have a regular address of their own. The poll of 1,015 adults was carried out by Red C between July 22 and 27. Findings show 9pc of people had friends affected by hidden homelessness in the past 12 months. Another 9pc of people said an acquaintance was affected, while 8pc said family members stayed with someone in the past year because they did not have an address of their own. And 5pc of people said they had suffered hidden homelessness. Greater ambition is needed to bring former homes back into use The poll shows young people and those from lower socio-economic groups are most likely to be affected by hidden homelessness. Of the 259 people polled who were affected or knew someone else without a regular address, 73pc said the situation was forced or unintended. Less than a quarter of people (24pc) said they had a clear leaving date. Mr Stanley said this underlined an uncertainty in the lives of those impacted by the housing crisis. He urged the Government to address the issue rapidly and he suggested greater urgency in bringing back more than 166,000 vacant homes into use would help. Over and above what the state is already doing with vacancy, we have called on them to do an additional 5,000 units per year. Our strategy is they would do that for 2023 and 2024. Afterwards they could start looking at derelict properties, he said. Simon Week starts tomorrow with a conference in Dublin. Director of services for housing at Mayo County Council Tom Gilligan, the founder of VacantHomes.ie, will be one of the speakers. Mr Gilligan said it was welcome to see vacancy as one of the pillars of the Governments Housing For All plan but said greater ambition was needed to bring former homes back into use. Initiatives such as the repair-and-lease scheme could be used to better effect, he said. That aims to bring 120 units back into use this year but Mr Gilligan would like to see a more ambitious target. There is also a target of 2,500 properties for CPO [compulsory purchase] and resale onto the private market that is compared to 166,000 vacant properties around the country. We need to do more and engage more with owners, he said. When you know where vacant units are, and what condition they are in, you can do something about them' Mr Gilligan said property owners also needed to take action. He acknowledged there would be issues around probate the process by which a persons assets are distributed after death and questions over ownership in some cases, but not all. In the midst of a housing crisis, hoarding or holding on to vacant properties is wrong. It is immoral at this moment in time, he said. VacantHomes.ie has been notified of more than 7,000 empty and unused homes since 2018. Munster and Leinster, where the greatest housing need is, each account for 40pc of these but Mr Gilligan feels more information is needed to enable authorities to target vacant homes and get them into use efficiently. There is no national database of vacant units. Ali Harvey from the Heritage Council is the founding coordinator of the Collaborative Town Centre Health Check (CTCHC) programme. She said this could be used to generate data to help tackle high vacancy rates around the country as her reports map and measure vacancy. It has conducted studies in 15 towns already and wants to research 50 other towns. She said a national building stock management programme like those in many European countries would help district renovation. When you know where vacant units are, and what condition they are in, you can do something about them, Ms Harvey said. The Government needs to support the CTCHC programme. It is in the Programme for Government but we dont have a team to do the work. We know young people want to live in these towns and cities because we engage and work with them as part of the programme. If hes anything like the person I met and he rules the country like that, therell be no problem The Belfast bombshell met the future King Charles III at the official reopening of the Grand Opera House in March when the monarch proved to be game for a laugh. For funny man John Linehan, whos been performing as May for 35 years it was the latest in a long line of royal engagements after meeting Princess Anne, Prince Philip and being presented with his MBE by the Queen at Buckingham Palace. And if the new monarch follows in his mothers footsteps, hell do well says John. The fruit doesnt fall far from the tree, and his mother was a good woman. If hes anything like the person I met and he rules the country like that, therell be no problem. John, whos about to celebrate 32 years as Belfasts panto queen knew the Opera House was expecting a special visitor for its re-launch earlier this year but only found out at the last minute it was the future king. Decked out as May in layers of shocking pink chiffon he reveals the then Prince was up for a bit of banter. John Linehan at home He told me I was looking well and asked if it was hard missing a years work because of the pandemic. I told him it was a nightmare for my wife whos not used to having me home over Christmas and kept telling me to go out for a drink. He was having a bit of craic and he asked, does your wife wear mens clothes at the weekend? I said, you obviously know her, says John. Im not a big one for the monarchy but he took time for everyone and you could see he loved the couple of yarns I told on the stage at the start and asked me if Id be doing any more. In his years on the showbiz circuit John also met Prince Philip, when Mays motherly ways nearly ended badly. Read more Northern Ireland census shows more Catholics than Protestants for first time He was working at the Ulster Motor Show with Downtown Radio and John Daly when a policeman told them the Duke of Edinburghs arrival was imminent. I asked if I could speak to him and the policeman said that was no problem, so as soon as Prince Philip came through the door I went straight over as May and asked him if he wanted something to eat. As soon as I put my hand out the policeman with him opened his coat and pulled his Uzi out. Someone took a picture over my shoulder and all you could see was my hat and Prince Philips face. He was loving it. At a meeting with Princess Anne in Belfast the pair discussed a portrait of John with an image of May in the background. She asked who was the scary one on my left shoulder and I explained that was me as well. John Linehan as May McFettridge But the most memorable royal moment was Johns visit to Buckingham Palace in 2007 when he was presented with an MBE for his charity work. Hes worked with international development charity Children in Crossfire for two decades. The rule is that the recipient of the honour can bring three guests, but John was keen that none of his nearest and dearest should be left out and asked if he could bring wife Brenda, daughters Donna and Kerry and grandson Johnny. I said to a friend of mine could you not get four guests and then I got a phone call from Buckingham Palace. This man said, I dont know who you know or what you know but you have four guests coming on the day. I explained its not about who you know or what you know, its about what you know about who you know. When John and the family arrived, he was taken aside, and an aide explained the procedure. The Queen would take his hand, speak to him, and when shed finished, she would push his hand away. She was unbelievable, a really lovely woman. She said I was getting this for the charity work I do and asked if I did that at home, so I told her I did cross-border stuff and Id also been out in Africa with Children in Crossfire, and she told me to keep up the good work. I had asked the aide before we started if I should start the conversation, says John. He said I didnt need to worry about it because shed done this before. John, 70, wholl be appearing in Cinderella this year, says he was shocked to hear of the Queens death just days after shed had meetings with former Prime Minister Boris Johnson and new PM Liz Truss. It was the last thing you expected to hear. She worked right up until the end, he says. roisin.gorman@sundayworld.com Ferry Dangerous | Stena Line sailings cancelled after firefighters attend blaze on Belfast ferry The ferry operator has confirmed the fire broke out in the exhaust system of their Superfast VII vessel and said the fire was brought under control by the crew itself before emergency services were called as a precaution. Stena Line. Stock image (PA) (Stock image) Christopher Leebody Belfast Telegraph Sun 25 Sep 2022 at 15:19 Two sailings on the Stena Line service between Belfast to Cairnryan have been cancelled after a fire on board a ship in Belfast in the early hours of Sunday morning. Bishop said he didnt want to worry about how our wedding is put out while wife-to-be Hannah Berner argued that media outlets were going to cover it anyway. Des Bishop (46) and his wife Hannah Berner (30) had a fight about their weddings photographs appearing in The New York Times. The two comedians tied the knot back in May and Bishop spoke about the clash on The Des Bishop Podcast. "There was options to have some like presence at the wedding, and we said no to that, Bishop told his podcast guest Stephen Mullan who attended the big day as wedding guest. The couple even refused to invite The New York Times a decision they ending up having a fight about. "They have a section and they wanted to feature our wedding. Bishop explained, but to do that, they have their own photographer at the wedding and like you have to do like an interview. "Each of you have to do an interview and they like talk to like your parents. Bishop said he didnt want to worry about how our wedding is put out while wife-to-be Hannah argued that media outlets were going to cover it anyway. The bride thought the couple might as well be in charge. Bishop, who has been in stand-up comedy since the 1990s and is well used to the spotlight, said he didnt want his own wedding to feel like work. The Irish-American also revealed how he stayed off his phone on the big day. "I sort of made a conscious decision of just like, Im going to just experience this in its entirety without any concern for my phone, he said, "I didnt take a single photo the entire night because, first of all, people were employed to take photos and other people were taking photos. The podcast episode is the first time Bishop has opened up about his wedding day to Hannah, who shot to fame on American reality show Summer House. Hannah told ELLE Magazine that people sometimes asked if Bishop is her dad when they first met but that she didnt care. I was 29 and he was 45, and it felt just right. The couple met during the pandemic and announced their engagement just seven months later. Ballymena beauty Rebecca Lightbody to cash in on newfound fame as she sets up new Insta account Bake Off beauty Rebecca Rebs Lightbody is a showstopper in real life and these glamorous pictures are the proof in the pudding. Viewers are used to seeing the Ballymena baker donned in an apron and covered in flour as she battles to be Northern Irelands first winner of the hit Channel 4 series. But away from the cameras and the pressure of the famous Great British Bake Off tent, Rebs has shown she likes to enjoy an active social life by sharing a sprinkling of stunning snaps. Bake Off star Rebecca Lightbody The globe-trotting 23-year-old has posted pics on her social media of trips to far-flung places such as Turkey, Greece, Italy, Morocco, Spain and Florida as well as the city of love, Paris. Her boyfriend Jack is from Turkey and the keen cook has said she most recently started to play around with Middle Eastern ingredients in a nod to his heritage. Its all a world away from her rural roots in Co Antrim in week one of the reality show she saved herself from elimination by recreating a cake version of her remote family home. Rebs, who can Irish dance and play the tin whistle, revealed her earliest baking memory is of being a child, aged only three years old, helping her mum in the kitchen, as well as eating her grannys renowned lemon meringue pies. Rebecca Lightbody Her day job is as a tech worker but it looks like she might be hoping Bake Off will provide a platform for a career change shes set up a new social media account on Instagram called @rebsbakes. While the gorgeous dresses shown here will be the icing on the cake for Rebs fans, she faces stiff competition if she is going to impress judges Prue Leith and Paul Hollywood in the famous tent. Rebs, who has a degree in economics and finance from Leeds University as well as a masters in business from Ulster University, did just enough in bread week in the debut episode. Bake Off star Rebecca Lightbody Prue loved the flavour of her pina colada-flavoured showstopper, with Paul adding: It looks great and the flavours came through beautifully. Last week she took the biscuit in the signature challenge by making identical macarons modelled on her 15-year-old pet cat, Branston. The black and red Wee Branstons were filled with chocolate ganache and raspberry coulis which also won praise for how they tasted. This weeks episode of the Channel 4 show will be pizza week a dish she clearly enjoys, as she showed off a selfie of her tucking into a slice among her photos which she captioned: Pizza love story. See how Rebs fares in Week Three of the Great British Bake Off on Tuesday, Channel 4 at 8pm Another 47,000 students will be able to access additional support through the school donations scheme, and a further 3,000 kids will be able to get free and healthy school lunches as a result of the Equity Index. Thats on top of nearly 90 per cent of schools that will also see a bump in funding when schools start receiving equity funding based on the Equity Index rather than the old decile system. The Government is delivering on its promise to introduce an Equity Index, which makes sure the right support is going to the schools and students who need it, says Education Minister Chris Hipkins. Education Minister Chris Hipkins. Photo: RNZ. Alongside the resulting changes to the school donations scheme and healthy school lunches, up to $90 million in additional funding and support is going directly to schools and kura next year. What the Equity Index does is give us a much better picture based on much better data of which students need extra resources, and because of that were able to invest more in the right places. Schools and kura in Te Tai Tokerau have the biggest average increase of around $223.11 per pupil. At the other end schools and kura in Auckland will receive an average increase of $6.25 extra per pupil, an increase that reflects the incredible diversity in the city. Schools in South Auckland for example will receive on average $525.47 per pupil after the changes, representing an average increase of $70.47. This compares to schools in the north of Auckland wholl receive on average $60.77 per pupil for an average increase of $16.60, says Hipkins. We are also increasing the amount of money the Government contributes through the school donations policy, as well as expanding the number of schools that are eligible, says Associate Education Minister Jan Tinetti. School donations will increase from $150 to $154.13 per student in 2023. Combined with the expansion in eligibility, this will result in up to in $9.3 million in extra funding provided directly to schools next year. If those schools and kura join the scheme the families and whanau of around 47,000 young people at 155 schools will no longer be asked for donations. The changes will also see a further 24 schools and kura invited to join the Ka Ora, Ka Ako Healthy School Lunches programme. Meaning approximately 3,000 additional children will be eligible to receive free, healthy lunches at school. The aims of the Equity Index and the extension of support through these two programmes are further evidence that this Government is putting the wellbeing of children and families at the heart of our work, and are helping to make everyday life more affordable for parents, says Tinetti. Road renewals commence throughout the Waikato and Bay of Plenty region next week, with a number of contractors looking to make a head start on their programmes, weather permitting. With over 700 lane kilometres of the network to be rebuilt or resealed this season, every dry, warm day needs to be well utilised to keep on track with delivery goals, says Waka Kotahi NZ Transport Agency Bay of Plenty system manager Roger Brady. Its going to be a busy summer, and we are being up front about the fact that we will be consistently causing disruption for road users across the region. However, this is for the long-term benefit of road users, as it means we are delivering on our commitment to provide a safe, accessible and reliable state highway network. Key focus areas for the coming months include the Coromandel (SH25), Waihi to Omokoroa (SH2) and the eastern Bay of Plenty (SH35). Asphalt programmes will be commencing in towns such as Whakatane, Te Awamutu and Putaruru. We appreciate that there are going to be multiple worksites on some corridors, especially corridors such as Waihi to Omokoroa, which has a long-term safety improvement project underway as well. Our advice is plan ahead by using the Waka Kotahi Journey Planner (www.journeys.nzta.govt.nz) which provides real-time updates. This level of activity will continue right through until April or May next year. However, we always look to minimise disruption during holiday periods and around large events such as Beach Hop and Fieldays, which draw in people from outside the region. Bay of Plenty Tauranga Takitimu North Link Stage One: A range of construction activities are taking place between Te Puna and Bethlehem. This includes stop/go traffic management in place at Wairoa Road and Minden Road, and a number of shoulder closures and temporary speed limits. More information. SH2 Hewletts Road: As part of the Tauranga City Council Totara Street cycleway project, work at the intersection of SH2 Hewletts Road and Totara Street has commenced, and will be completed in November. Construction works will include signalising the existing slip lane and upgrading the island to provide a fully signalised crossing for shared path users. These works will take place between Tasman Quay and Totara Street each night between 8pm and 5am. Eastbound traffic along Hewletts Road will be reduced to one lane during this time. Minimal delays are expected. More information. SH2 Bay Link: The first vehicle entrance to Bayfair Shopping Centre on Girven Road after the Bayfair roundabout has reopened, and Girven Road eastbound between the Bayfair roundabout and Gloucester Road has been restored to two lanes. There will be a single lane closure on SH2/Maunganui Road from Concord Avenue to Exeter Street from approximately 7pm to 6am each night from Monday 26 September to Thursday 29 September. During this time, temporary barriers will be removed, and work areas prepared around the base of the northern ramp of the Bayfair flyover. This scheduled work is weather-dependent. If it is delayed due to weather or other unforeseen issues, it will be carried out during the next suitable shift. Drivers are reminded of the new layout at the Bayfair roundabout. For people approaching the roundabout from Matapihi, the left lane is now a left turn only and the right lane is for traffic going straight through and turning right. More information. SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road: A section of the Kopurererua Valley cycleway is temporarily closed while services are relocated alongside SH29 Takitimu Drive Toll Road. There is an alternate track parallel to the closed section and signposted for track users. This work is expected to be completed in September. In early to mid-October a reduced speed limit of 50km/h will be in place while contractor crews install barriers. This is expected to take place over two days. More information. SH36 Pyes Pa: The Tauranga City Council watermain and wastewater pipe installations have progressed ahead of schedule. Traffic diversions have now been removed; shoulder closures remain in place while works continue outside the carriageway. SH2 Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road (TELTR): For the Tauranga City Council led Papamoa East Interchange project, traffic on the Tauranga Eastern Link Toll Road, just north of the Kaituna River Bridge continues to be down to one lane in either direction. Traffic lanes will be modified overnight on Monday 26 September, weather permitting; this will see both eastbound lanes and one westbound lane operational, with the temporary speed through the worksite increased to 70km/h. This layout will remain in place until April 2023. More information. Western Bay of Plenty SH2 Waihi to Omokoroa: Safety improvement works continue at five active sites: between Athenree Road and Tanners Point Road, Tanners Point Road to Tuapiro Road, Rea Road / Tetley Road intersection, Morton Road intersection and Apata Station Road to Esdaile Road. Minor delays are expected. More information. Chipsealing commences near Athenree on Sunday 16 October. Work will take place at night, between the hours of 7pm and 6am, Sunday to Thursday nights. When works are taking place stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit will be in place. The majority of this work is expected to be complete by late-November. SH2 Athenree to Pahoia: Road surface repairs will take place in multiple locations. Work will be undertaken between 7pm and 6am each night, from Sunday 25 to Thursday 29 September. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place. SH2 Te Puna: SH2 will be closed between the SH2/Te Puna Road/Minden Road and SH2/Clarke Road intersections on both Saturday 1 and Sunday 2 October, between the hours of 5am and 4pm, to allow tree removal to take place. A detour via Te Puna Road, Te Puna Station Road and Clarke Road will be in place. Delays are expected. More information. SH30 Eastern Corridor Stage Two: Multiple worksites are active between Iles Road and Puketawhero Park to excavate the shared service trench for the relocation of underground services and installation of the new watermain. Temporary traffic management will be in place with an intermittent lane closure on Basley Road, with no left turn lane out of Basley Road to SH30/Te Ngae Road. A detour will be in place for local traffic via Owhatiura Drive and Iles Road. Minor delays are expected. The upgraded footpath on the lakeside between Iles Road to Basley Road, heading east on SH30/Te Ngae Road, is now open, including the installation of a temporary pedestrian crossing on SH30/Te Ngae Road adjacent to Lynmore Rise Village. Works continue in the area and pedestrians are asked to take care. More information. SH30/SH33 Te Ngae Junction: Intersection safety improvement works are ongoing. Traffic will be maintained in both directions however works may cause minor traffic delays and people are asked to take extra care while traveling through the site. More information. SH33 Te Ngae Junction to Paengaroa: Safety improvement upgrade work continues near Pareteiro - Sun Valley Curves passing lane. During the day and when the crew are on site, either two lanes will be open or stop/go will be in place depending on the works. A temporary speed limit of 30km/h applies. Outside of work hours and when the site is unattended, the worksite will have a shoulder closure and a temporary speed limit of 50km/h. There are also ongoing shared path works between Mourea Bridge and Okere Falls. Traffic management will be a combination of shoulder closures and stop/go as required to carry out the works safely. Allow extra time. More information. Eastern Bay of Plenty SH35 Motu River: 24/7 single lane access has been reinstated, with traffic signal control in place, along with a 30km/h temporary speed limit. There will be periods where traffic is stopped at each end to allow works to take place across the full road width. Works will continue until late-September. More information. October Chipsealing commences near Whangaparaoa on Monday 3 October. Work will take place during the day, between the hours of 7am and 7pm, Monday to Friday. When works are taking place stop/go traffic management and a reduced speed limit will be in place. The majority of this work is expected to be complete by early-November. SH30 Whakatane: Resurfacing work between SH2/Gateway Drive/Phoenix Drive and Whakatane Landing Bridge commences Sunday 2 October, taking up to three weeks to complete. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place between 6pm and 6am Sunday to Thursday; during this time Coastlands residents will have a signposted single direction detour. Temporary speed limits will remain in place during the day when there are uneven surfaces. SH2 Waimana Gorge: Road rehabilitation commences Monday 3 October just south of Fraser Road. Stop/go traffic management and a temporary speed limit will be in place until late-October. SH2 Wainui Road to Opotiki: Service relocation work between Pohutukawa Drive and Paerata Ridge Road continues. Stop/go traffic management will be in place during the day when this work is taking place. This work is expected to be complete by the end of the month. More information. SH2 Waioeka Gorge: A section of the Waioeka River is in close proximity to the road edge. Traffic management is in place, and remedial works will commence in the near future. Te Puke woman Donna Dinsdales love of fashion was fostered from an early age, thanks to both of her grandmothers and mother who were all highly-skilled dressmakers. I was taught by the very best, which was my mum, says Donna. She now passes those skills and passion on to students at Toi Ohomai, where she teaches the fashion design major within the Bachelor of Creative Industries. Incorporating her fascination with textiles, Donna also designs and creates pieces that could best be described as fashion as art. It was in her 2018 exhibition Aroha Atu, held at The Historic Village, that Donna first began using blankets 60 of them as the main material in her designs. It is also a blanket that features heavily in her upcoming creation selected for inclusion at this years World of Wearable Art Competition in Wellington from September 29-October 16. Wow is a leading international design competition in New Zealand offering a space for artists to push the boundaries of wearable art design. There is a reason blanket is her material of choice. The blanket is part of our cultural history. Some of the blankets I use are more special than others because theyve been gifted to me by my whanau. Some are ones my mums kept. This is Donnas third entry to the World of Wearable Art, and her second successful selection into the competition. Wahine Toa is the name of her entry and is a celebration of the strength, unity, empowerment and beauty of the women of Aotearoa. Part of the enjoyment for Donna in working with wool is the imperfections the worn edges and the mended parts appeal to her. She has a deep respect for the craftsmanship, and the direct relation to the person or people who once owned them. The narrative behind a lot of the blankets is very personal and so I value and respect that. I want to do them justice, says Donna. Catherine Sylvester. Dozens of shoppers watched on in horror as a group of robbers smashed their way into display cases in a jewellery store display at a shopping centre in Hamilton. The group of about eight men took part in the dramatic daylight robbery at Michael Hill at Te Awa, The Base shortly after 11am on Sunday, jumping on counters and breaking into display cabinets with hammers and at least one axe. The robbery followed an earlier, similar incident at the Chartwell Shopping Centre earlier in the day, in which a security guard was bashed. Te Awa shopping centre, Hamilton. Photo: Mark Taylor/Stuff. A bystander, who asked not to be named, happened to be nearby in Te Awa at the time of the second robbery and captured dramatic video of it as it was happening. He and his children aged 13, 12, 9 and 3 were making their way to the downstairs car park when he spotted the group heading their way. And first I thought it was a bunch of kids, but then I realised they were adults and I just thought Nah. These guys had hoods on and masks up, and they were running with hammers. They went straight to Michael Hill. They knew exactly what they were doing, said the witness. There were about eight of them. Id say they were all aged in their mid to late 20s ... one guy did not have a mask on, he just had a cap. Holding his youngest child in one arm, the witness whipped out his phone and began filming. My kids were all freaking out. Fortunately someone from North Beach took them inside and they closed the doors. The staff who were in Michael Hill were also freaked out. They just went straight out the back. [the robbers] would only have been there a minute. Within 60 seconds the group had grabbed handfuls of jewels and were running off to where a getaway car was parked at the rear of the shopping complex. A group of about a dozen shoppers and store staff chased after them the witness included. The presence of other nearby children had incensed him. I just thought f... you and chased after them. One of the robbers who was slow to flee fell as he reached him and he flew into some bollards. I thought about restraining him, but I let him go after he called out to others in the group for assistance. You cant gauge what these guys will do to you. You can grab one, but it only takes one hit with a hammer and its game over. Bastards. Five or so of them jumped into the one car. The others must have run to another car somewhere ... I was opening the car doors and trying to stop them from getting away by getting the keys. Other people were throwing rocks at the windows. One of the masked robbers holds an axe as he flees from the scene of the robbery through the Te Awa shopping centre. Photo: Supplied. Being mindful his own children were still inside the mall, the witness said he stepped back. He had to do a three-point turn to get out of there. I could have stepped in front of the car, but he would have just run me over. Acting Inspector Michael Henwood said the police were following strong lines of inquiry, including viewing CCTV footage to establish the damage caused and what was taken. The community can be assured our staff are working hard to identify the offenders and hold them to account. We acknowledge this type of offending causes concern and harm in our community and it will not be tolerated. Anyone with information was asked to contact Police by calling 105, quoting job number 220925/6221. Information can also be provided anonymously via Crime Stoppers on 0800 555 111. Members of possibly the same group were involved at a similar robbery at the Chartwell Shopping Centre earlier in the day, during which a security guard was assaulted. At around 5.45am, a group of offenders arrived in a vehicle outside the complex on Hukanui Road, Detective Senior Sergeant Kristine Clarke said. It's understood the group have smashed their way into the premises, entering multiple stores and taking numerous items. A security guard was parked in a vehicle nearby at the time.The group have approached the vehicle and assaulted the security guard before leaving the scene. The guard was taken to hospital to get treatment for facial injuries. This is a really nasty, gratuitous violence directed at the security guard who had not approached or challenged the offenders. We believe the offenders were travelling in a gold, 2005 Nissan Tiida. If you area able to help us identify this vehicle, or have any information which could assist us in identifying those responsible, please get in touch with police as soon as possible. The Te Awa incident has already been seized on by politicians eager to make political capital. ACT leader David Seymour rushed out a press statement in which he decried the robbery as the result of the Labour Partys justice policies. Criminals are escalating their attacks on innocent people and Labour's silence is deafening. Its hard to imagine how terrifying it must have been for the shopkeepers in Hamilton today, and people who were out shopping. The Prime Ministers made much of her time in New York, but charity begins at home. How can the Prime Minister get tough on dictators with nuclear weapons when she cant even stop thugs with hammers knocking over jewellery stores? Mike Mather/Stuff Thousands of Angolans have taken to the streets of the country's capital to protest against alleged electoral fraud. The demonstrations were called by the main opposition party, UNITA. Thousand of the opposition supporters took to the streets of the Angola's capital on Saturday to protest against alleged electoral fraud in divisive elections last month. The demonstrations were called by the opposition National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (UNITA) -- the main opposition party and former rebel movement that fought a 27-year civil war against the ruling People's Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA) government that ended in 2002. The formerly Marxist MPLA won a razor-thin majority of 51.17% of the vote, earning a second term in office for President Joao Lourenco, the 68-year-old ex-general. It was the MPLA's worst electoral showing since independence from Portugal in 1975. UNITA got about 44%, its best result yet. UNITA's leader, Adalberto Costa Junior, had called for the protests after losing to Lourenco. The party challenged the results of the August 24 vote in court, but the country's top court dismissed the petition and UNITA then called for national rallies to begin one month after the vote. Opposition parties and civic groups said the vote was marred by irregularities. However, UNITA has not yet released any evidence of fraud. Observers from elsewhere in Africa hailed the peaceful nature of the polls, but raised questions on issues including press freedom and the accuracy of the electoral roll. Young people demand change More than 2,000 protesters took to the streets of downtown Luanda, some brandishing placards inscribed with slogans such as "respect for the people's vote" and waving UNITA flags. "The citizens are not with the MPLA. We want them out!", demonstrators chanted in unison. Many of them are among the young and unemployed who feel abandoned by the MPLA, whose leading members have been made billionaires by Angola's oil wealth while most Angolans live in poverty. The protesters took over Independence Square, where the MPLA traditionally holds rallies and victory parties. The protests have been peaceful, although analysts fear there is enough anger and frustration among youth for them to quickly turn violent. Costa Junior, who is credited with reviving the opposition in Angola, told young protesters that "your presence here is an example of courage and this is the beginning of a march for the future." dh/msh (AFP, Reuters) As poorer countries suffer the most from extreme weather, the charity has slammed major polluting countries in the West over a "stark demonstration of global inequality." The number of people facing acute hunger has more than doubled in the world's climate change hot spots, according to an Oxfam report released on Friday. The report found that extreme hunger has risen by 123% over the past six years in Afghanistan, Burkina Faso, Djibouti, Guatemala, Haiti, Kenya, Madagascar, Niger, Somalia and Zimbabwe - the 10 countries with the highest number of United Nations aid appeals driven by extreme weather events. Across these countries, 48 million people are estimated to suffer from acute hunger, which is defined as hunger resulting from a shock and causing risks to lives and livelihoods. In 2018, that figure was 21 million people. "Climate change is no longer a ticking bomb, it is exploding before our eyes," Oxfam's international chief Gabriela Bucher said. "It is making extreme weather such as droughts, cyclones, and floods - which have increased five-fold over the past 50 years - more frequent and more deadly." Appeal for international action to combat climate-related hunger Oxfam said climate-fueled hunger is a "stark demonstration of global inequality" because the least-polluting countries are the most affected by droughts, floods and other extreme weather events. Bucher said Western countries could forgive debt to free up resources in affected countries, and should also help pay to tackle climate-fueled hunger globally. "They must pay for adaptation measures and loss-and-damage in low-income countries, as well as immediately inject lifesaving funds to meet the UN appeal to respond to the most impacted countries," Bucher said. The UN humanitarian appeal for 2022 comes to $49 billion, which Oxfam noted was equivalent to less than 18 days of profit for fossil fuel companies, when looking at average daily profits over the last 50 years. zc/rt (AFP, dpa) Current Print Subscribers will be prompted to either login to their current site user account or to create a new one. A confirmation email will be sent when a new user account is created, which must be confirmed within three days in order to provide uninterrupted online access through your Print Subscription. Once the email address is confirmed please provide your Account Number to activate your Print Subscription Service. analysis Imagine the Monopoly Man. Is he wearing a monocle or not? If you pictured the character from the popular board game wearing one, you'd be wrong. In fact, he has never worn one. If you're surprised by this, you're not alone. Many people possess the same false memory of this character. This phenomenon takes place for other characters, logos and quotes, too. For example, Pikachu from Pokemon is often thought to have a black tip on his tail, which he doesn't have. And many people are convinced that the Fruit of the Loom logo includes a cornucopia. It doesn't. We call this phenomenon of shared false memories for certain cultural icons the "visual Mandela Effect." People tend to be puzzled when they learn that they share the same false memories with other people. That's partly because they assume that what they remember and forget ought to be subjective and based on their own personal experiences. However, research we have conducted shows that people tend to remember and forget the same images as one another, regardless of the diversity of their individual experiences. Recently, we have shown these similarities in our memories even extend to our false memories. What is the Mandela Effect? The term "Mandela Effect" was coined by Fiona Broome, a self-described paranormal researcher, to describe her false memory of former South African president Nelson Mandela dying in prison in the 1980s. She realized that many other people also shared this same false memory and wrote an article about her experience on her website. The concept of shared false memories spread to other forums and websites, including Reddit. Since then, examples of the Mandela Effect have been widely shared on the internet. These include names like "the Berenstain Bears," a children's book series that is falsely remembered as spelled "-ein" instead of "-ain," and characters like Star Wars' C-3PO, who is falsely remembered with two gold legs instead of one gold and one silver leg. The Mandela Effect became fodder for conspiracists - the false memories so strong and so specific that some people see them as evidence of an alternate dimension. Because of that, scientific research has only studied the Mandela Effect as an example of how conspiracy theories spread on the internet. There has been very little research looking into the Mandela Effect as a memory phenomenon. But understanding why these icons trigger such specific false memories might give us more insight into how false memories form. The visual Mandela Effect, which affects icons specifically, was a perfect way to study this. A robust false memory phenomenon To see whether the visual Mandela Effect really exists, we ran an experiment in which we presented people with three versions of the same icon. One was correct and two were manipulated, and we asked them to select the correct one. There were 40 sets of icons, and they included C-3PO from the Star Wars franchise, the Fruit of the Loom logo and the Monopoly Man from the board game. In the results, which have been accepted for publication in the journal Psychological Sciences, we found that people fared very poorly on seven of them, only choosing the correct one around or less than 33% of the time. For these seven images, people consistently identified the same incorrect version, not just randomly choosing one of the two incorrect versions. In addition, participants reported being very confident in their choices and having high familiarity with these icons despite being wrong. Put together, it's clear evidence of the phenomenon that people on the internet have talked about for years: The visual Mandela Effect is a real and consistent memory error. We found that this false memory effect was incredibly strong, across multiple different ways of testing memory. Even when people saw the correct version of the icon, they still chose the incorrect version just a few minutes later. And when asked to freely draw the icons from their memory, people also included the same incorrect features. No universal cause What causes this shared false memory for specific icons? We found that visual features like color and brightness could not explain the effect. We also tracked participants' mouse movements as they viewed the images on a computer screen to see if they simply didn't scan over a particular part, such as Pikachu's tail. But even when people directly viewed the correct part of the image, they still chose the false version immediately afterward. We also found that for most icons, it was unlikely people had seen the false version beforehand and were just remembering that version, rather than the correct version. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. It may be that there is no one universal cause. Different images may elicit the visual Mandela Effect for different reasons. Some could be related to prior expectations for an image, some might be related to prior visual experience with an image and others could have to do with something entirely different than the images themselves. For example, we found that, for the most part, people only see C-3PO's upper body depicted in media. The falsely remembered gold leg might be a result of them using prior knowledge - bodies are usually only one color - to fill in this gap. But the fact that we can demonstrate consistencies in false memories for certain icons suggests that part of what drives false memories is dependent on our environment - and independent of our subjective experiences with the world. Deepasri Prasad, Ph.D. Student in Cognitive Neuroscience, Dartmouth College Wilma Bainbridge, Assistant Professor of Psychology, University of Chicago The Taos News delivered to your Taos County address every week for a full year! We offer our lowest mail rates to zip codes in the county. Click Here to See if you Qualify. Plan includes unlimited website access and e-edition print replica online. Your auto pay plan will be conveniently renewed at the end of the subscription period. You may cancel at anytime. analysis In a landmark speech to the United Nations (UN), the Ukrainian president, Volodymyr Zelensky, demanded that Russia and other aggressors should be stripped of their veto power in the UN security council. Echoing his calls for UN reform earlier this year, Zelensky lamented that much talk about UN reform in the past has led nowhere. He called for an expansion of representation to those who remain unheard. Also speaking before the UN general assembly yesterday, the US president, Joe Biden reaffirmed the US commitment to UN reforms. He said: "The time has come for this institution to become more inclusive so that it can better respond to the needs of today's world." Vetoes in the UN security council should only be used "in rare, extraordinary situations, to ensure that the council remains credible and effective". He went on to suggest that permanent and non-permanent seats in the council should be given to "countries in Africa, Latin America, and the Caribbean", among others. International survey on UN reform In a recent article, published in International Studies Quarterly, my colleagues and I explored what citizens around the world thought about such proposals for UN reform as have been made by Zelensky, Biden, and others for decades. My co-authors Mathias Koenig-Archibugi (London School of Economics), Luis Cabrera (Griffith University) and I surveyed people in six countries: Argentina, China, India, Russia, Spain, and the United States. We found widespread public support for increasing - or at least maintaining - UN authority over member states and for making its structures more directly representative of citizens around the world. Our findings thus show that citizens support decades-old calls for a more powerful and democratic UN. In our survey, we asked respondents to choose between different combinations of UN design features. These include decision-making procedures, the question of how binding UN resolutions should be, and to what extent the UN should be able to enforce them. We also asked about sources of funding, if member states should be free to pay, obliged to pay, or if the UN should even be allowed to tax multinational corporations. As in this example, we gave respondents different options that would expand the UN's powers or make it more representative, reduce powers or representativeness, or maintain the status quo. We found that respondents tended to support strengthening or at least maintaining the current authority level of the UN, and making its structures more representative of the world population. Here's one example. At the moment, UN decisions are binding on every UN member state only on matters of international peace and security. Our survey shows that respondents support making decisions on important environmental and economic matters binding as well. In contrast, the option of decisions applying only to those states that voluntarily accept them is the most unpopular proposal across all survey countries. On the issue of delegates, we gave respondents three options. Either the highest decision-making body of the UN would include only representatives of national executives. Or representatives of national executives meeting in one chamber and representatives elected directly by citizens of member countries to serve in a second chamber. Or representatives of national executives meeting in one chamber and members of national parliaments (or congress) meeting in a second chamber. The latter two suggestions tally with a proposal of the international Campaign for a UN parliament. They were favoured by our respondents over the first option, which represents the status quo where the highest decision-making bodies of the UN include only diplomats who work for the foreign ministries. What's more, our respondents clearly preferred a second chamber with directly elected representatives to one with national parliamentarians. We found that diverging views on UN reforms are associated with personal political values such as cultural libertarianism versus traditionalism (which we proxied by asking for respondents' views on homosexuality). Responses also differed between citizens of countries that have permanent seats on the UN security council and those that do not. For instance, citizens of the permanent five member states of the security council (in our survey, China, Russia, and the United States) on average preferred to maintain their governments' veto in the council. But citizens of other countries (in our survey, Argentina, India, and Spain) tended to be significantly less supportive of maintaining the veto of the current permanent members. But citizens of both groups of countries agreed on extending veto powers in the security council to other important UN member states. This is a highly relevant finding for the proposals made by Biden and Zelensky. The world wants UN reform Our survey showed that often the most popular option was not the one represented by the current UN. On the whole, we found that public opinion leaned toward the positions of those reform advocates who have called for the UN and related global institutions to move closer to the ideals of cosmopolitanism and supernationalism (broadly speaking, the idea of governing the world as a whole through institutions above the level of nation states). Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Africa Governance Conflict By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Our findings are consistent with recent research that highlights the importance of institutional design features to public perceptions of the legitimacy of international institutions. People around the world are often portrayed as hostile to international institutions and keen to loosen constraints on national leaders. Our survey disproves that perception. Far from supporting attempts to weaken and undermine the UN, they want this global organisation to have more power to address today's security, environmental, and economic challenges. But they also want to choose who represents them at the centre of the UN, rather than relying entirely on their governments for that. UN secretary-general Antonio Guterres wants this year's plenary session to be "a moment of transformation". Zelensky, meanwhile, has called on member states "to do everything in our power to pass on to the next generations an effective UN" with the ability to prevent security challenges and thus guarantee peace. Our research shows that such reform calls are supported by people around the world - including citizens from some of the most powerful UN member states. Farsan Ghassim, Post-doctoral researcher, Department of Politics and International Relations, University of Oxford ASHUJNMC BHPian Join Date: Dec 2021 Location: Bangalore Posts: 53 Thanked: 146 Times Infractions: 0/1 (5) My horror story with Fixcraft, Bangalore | Multi-brand workshop Background: Tata closed down Concorde showrooms and service centres, and their ASS points have gone lesser in number and at the same time, their sales have gone up like a rocket. On top of that, Tiago onwards all cars have to be brought in every 6 months to service centres instead of the typical 1 year. This crappy decision has made their service centres hopelessly crowded and overloaded. Hence, typical of a Tata vehicle owner in current times, it takes weeks to get an appointment and then a week to get service, and if you add body work to that, the Lord alone knows when you will get your car back, and how far ahead you have to plan. I bought a Tata Zest in Dec 2015 and have been by and large happy with it. Earlier, same day service was a reality. Now, it's only in dreams if you stick to authorised service centres. Prelude: I own a Tata Zest XT diesel. I was to shift out of Karnataka for a job change by 17th September 2022, and would not have a back-up car over there, so wanted to finish some body denting and painting work as well as the overdue timing chain kit change and clutch work, because the clutch was worn out badly. Also, the AC evaporator coil was icing up. So that had to be addressed. Tried KHT, but could not get timely appointment. Tried Aadishakti motors, but it was getting renovated and there was no chance for an appointment before 10th September 2022. So I started looking at 3rd party options, and a Google ad about Fixcraft popped up. My Horror Story with Fixcraft Bangalore: Idecided to get it done from fixcraft because Aadishakti motors service cente was under renovation and KHT needs 1 week's time for even an appointment. Since many issues were to be addressed, I asked for a call.back from customer care, since I needed to talk to a human being. Mr. Mukul called me and arranged a pick-up. They picked up the car on 2nd September 2022 from my work place through a DriveU driver, and it was delivered to their service centre. The biggest mistake committed by me was not reading reviews on Google before handing over the car to them. I had shared the list of jobs to be done and complaints to be addressed with the SA - Mr. Sharukh, and also with Mr. Mukul. They said they will test drive and share with me a job card. That never happened. Mr. Sharukh said that they have ordered parts, and meanwhile cleaning etc will be done. I told them to finish the body work in the mean time. The EDD was 6th September. It came and went, and Onam happened in between. On 10th or 11th, and he said parts have just come and they will fix and deliver tomorrow. With frustration, I asked him to complete the denting and painting work on the left door and roof, and after re-replacing the central AC vent, it was finally delivered to me at approximately 7.30 PM on 15th September (13 days at Fixcraft). There was no way to check body work in detail. I took a brief TD and accepted the vehicle from the chauffeur. I did feel that it was more noisy than I could remember and felt way less powerful, but I shrugged it off as the effect of driving around in a Crysta for the last 12 days. He had told that after timing kit change there was an oil spray, so the packing was changed. Over the next day, I noticed that the radio was not catching any signals. Initially I thought that the stations may be down (had happed in past), but when by evening I noticed that my mobile was able to tune into FM, bit not my car radio, I complained. I also noticed in day light that there was a new dent on the roof which was not there when I had handed over the car. I got it to the local shop at closing hours on 16th September as urgent matter because on 17th morning, I was to shift out driving for 1500 km+. On close inspection, I could see some wire peeping from under the left A pillar cover. The electrician checked and showed me the broken antenna wire and part of the male -female socket was missing. Same night, I fell ill, so the plan to travel got delayed. The next day I also noticed there was a hairline crack in the lower instrument bezel. I had fixed it with Feviquick and it was barely noticeable. When I got it back it was re-fixed as if a 2 year old had done it. I took the car to Lalbagh to get the radio issue fixed and to attempt to get headlight restored / projector swap. Ended up getting a projector fog lamp fitted. When they opened the bonnet, I saw something was missing, because one tab was vacant, but didn't realise what it was. I sent a pic to Sharukh, but he said nothing was fitted at that place, but that worm stayed in my head. Finally, got back home from Lalbagh road at that night with Radio antenna wire joined directly and fogs done. I had also seen an oil spray in the engine bay, but ignored it as an old spray and took it as fixed. 18th and 19th went by and on 20th I just did a Google search of "Tata Zest engine bay pics" and matched it with what was in front of me in engine bay, and realised that the whole snorkel assembly was missing. When I called, they started searching, but could not find it on their workshop floor. I complained to Mr. Mukul and was advised to talk to his manager Mr. Sujai and was provided his mobile number. When i spoke, he was like, "No, that part was not there" (the fact is that it's fixed at both ends and bolted in the middle, and can't go flying out of car on its own). It's extremely extremely likely that the so called Senior Mechanic who did the timing chain and clutch work simply forgot to fit it back, and didn't even realise it. I got really upset and shouted at him, told him I will now have to pay 1k from my pocket and spend time to get it done, and not to insult customers' intelligence and "not to do this to your customers." I realised that there is no point in taking my car to Fixcraft workshop 24 km away when they don't even have my part with them. I went to KHT Motors and got all the parts and took the car to a local guy who also said there is an oil leak and spray happening even now and there was oil dropped on the floor where my car was parked for just half an hour. I don't trust these incompetent people any more, so left the car at a local 3rd party service shop in the evening on 20th and walked home. Last 18 days have been a horror story, because I made a wrong decision to give car to Fixcraft, which was so far that I couldn't go daily and keep an eye on the work done. My advice is: If you want to keep your car well, avoid Fixcraft Bangalore like plague. In my opinion, they are full of irresponsible and incompetent people who try to cover up when caught instead of taking responsibility and fixing their wrongdoing. Also, it's better to give your car to a place you can periodically visit and check on the progress in person, or you know very well, if not getting done at authorised ASS. I wasted my time, money and also lost my peace of mind. Do yourself and favour and learn from my experience. I feel like including WhatsApp conversation pics too, but I will avoid doing that. I am going to include pics though. In short following issues created / left by them: 1. Vehicle interior not cleaned properly 2. New greasy dirty palm print on ceiling 3. They broke radio antenna wire 4. Oil spraying in engine bay perhaps from faulty work on timing kit or clutch 5. New dent in roof (which they say was not there before delivery) and poorly done tinkering and painting job on roof 6. Possible oil leakage 7. Panel crack made worst and poorly re-done 8. Missing snorkel assembly 9. Broken plastic part of bonnet support rod On 21st September, I reviewed pics shared by them before delivery and lo - behold that roof dent was there, which they now (22nd September) claim that the picture was taken before roof was fixed, and it's not new. Now I wonder what they did when checking the roof for dents and scratches before tinkering and painting? My 2 bits for Tata Motors: P.S: I didn't have to go through all this horror if Tata Motors service centres were not so hopelessly overcrowded and overburdened. TM has to rapidly increase the number of service centres atleast 4 times to cater to its customers in reasonable time frames and to their satisfaction. Attached Thumbnails Last edited by Aditya : 25th September 2022 at 21:02 . Reason: Edited for better readability Expanded data privacy laws in India drove a slew of VPN companies out. This follows recent Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) rulings requiring VPN companies and other online platforms to collect critical information from clients under the pretext of a cyber security procedure. Heightened Data Guidelines Drive Out VPN Companies VPN providers in India did not bother to wheel and deal with the country's information technology agencies because doing so would be a direct violation of their own privacy protection standards. Based on a Wired report, VPN companies are now intending to unplug their servers in the South Asian country. Concerning the country's heightened data privacy legislation, a contingency team has been formed to ensure that online platforms dealing with client information log critical information such as names, email addresses, and IP addresses for at least five years. This new registration law even applies to data from users who have opted out of specific subscriptions. Read Also: VPN Companies In India Ordered To Collect, Store, Hand Over User Data The Indian Computer Emergency Response Team (CERT) explained in an April directive that the said measures must be obtained because the government requires them in various investigations. That said, critical information is required "in order to coordinate response activities and emergency measures in relation to cyber security incidents." This new legislation is effective today, Sept. 25, said CERT. In accordance with the Indian government's new data privacy guidelines, all service providers, intermediaries, data centers, corporate bodies, and governments must enable logs of all their ICT systems and keep them secure for a rolling period of 180 days, and the logs must be kept within Indian jurisdiction. Platforms Concerned Over Massive Data Seize In a report, courtesy of the Wall Street Journal, a Nord Security spokesperson said that such rulings are "typically introduced by authoritarian governments in order to gain more control over their citizens." NordVPN is one of the VPN firms affected by the harsh government-backed data law. In 2020, New Delhi also started a crackdown on China-based apps, shutting down various apps and online games. The VPN platform is also concerned that a government seizing control of a massive database of user data could affect not only users but the entire user base in general. To put it another way, this new regulation will seize critical data from hundreds to thousands of web companies. As reported by the Hindustan Times, ExpressVPN, one of the leading cloud service providers in India, has already announced that it is going to shut down its servers in the country, making it one of the first companies to scale back operations in the country after CERT issued directives requiring extensive user data logs. The Indian government may portray its latest data rules as advantageous to India's "sovereignty or integrity," but they can possibly impact some of its online industries and economy. According to Atlas VPN, India had 342 million VPN users in the first half of 2021. As VPN companies plug out their servers, it will be interesting to see how the data privacy concern in India plays out. Related Article: Major VPN Firms to Discontinue Servers in India as Country Launches its New VPN Guidelines 2022 TECHTIMES.com All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission. analysis The pro-democracy movement in Zimbabwe is trapped between a rock and a hard surface. The rock is the repressive ZANU PF regime who continue to use violence, intimidation and weaponize the legal and security system to punish and persecute legitimate political dissenters. The hard surface is the populistic, autocratic and weak leadership of Nelson Chamisa, as demonstrated by the manner in which he is running the main opposition party - Citizen Coalition for Change (CCC). Many of us have thoroughly and consistently scrutinized ZANU PF's autocratic rule and we must continue to do so as a way of holding the government of the day accountable. However, we must admit that we have (to some extent) abdicated from openly and objectively scrutinizing the manner in which Nelson Chamisa is managing the CCC. The manner in which Nelson Chamisa manages the CCC is a matter of public concern and public interest, which we cannot afford to ignore as scholars and citizens. There are two fundamental reasons for this. First is that the CCC and Nelson Chamisa are the main opposition and a potential government-in-waiting. If we are to build a genuinely democratic society, we must be courageous enough to subject the CCC and Nelson Chamisa to democratic accountability now, so that they get accustomed to a culture of democratic accountability before they are in government. Secondly, scrutinizing and subjecting the CCC and Nelson Chamisa to democratic accountability will strengthen them as a party or a movement and ensure that Zimbabwe has a strong opposition. No democracy can survive without a strong and vibrant democratic opposition. It is from this premise that I offer this instalment. I can only hope that the CCC and its leader, my brother-in-Christ Nelson Chamisa will treat and receive this as advice from a Zimbabwean who is passionate about building genuine democracy. I also hope that my colleagues in the academia and other public intellectuals will react to this instalment by publishing their joinders and replies to contest (rather than just agree with) the views I express in this instalment. Our prospects for a democratic society can only be enriched as a result of such robust contestation of ideas. Before I offer a critique of my dear brother Nelson Chamisa, it is important to state certain realities which constitute the context within which the CCC exists. I believe that my brother Nelson Chamisa is both a product and a victim of some of these contextual realities. It is impossible to understand and critique him without looking at the context which has both formed and victimized him, politically. First is that Zimbabwe is a two-party state, as has been rightly observed by other scholars, including my friend Philani Zamchiya. At any given moment in the history of elections, the country has been dominated by two parties. Since the early 2000s, the county's electoral politics has been dominated by ZANU PF and MDC. Currently, it is dominated by ZANU PF and CCC. Outside of these two parties, it has proven quite difficult for any person to gain political traction. Out of fear of being pushed into political obscurity, many inside ZANU PF and CCC tend to avoid being critical of the leaders of their respective political parties. The existence of a two-party system in Zimbabwe has created a situation where party leaders, including opposition leaders end up operating as demi-gods under whose wings everyone is desperate to congregate, because there seems to be no political life outside of these two parties. The second reality is that currently, the conditions for a free and fair election do not exist in Zimbabwe and it is highly unlikely that there will be any substantial positive reforms which will be undertaken to improve these conditions ahead of the 2023 elections. Under the ZANU PF (mis)rule, government corruption and economic mismanagement is rife and has resulted in a debilitating socio-economic crisis. This tragic state of affairs is taken advantage of by the opposition to deflect attention and public scrutiny of their internal processes and election strategies. Whenever one criticizes the opposition for its internal weaknesses, their reaction is to quickly remind those criticizing them that the problem is not the opposition but is ZANU PF misrule. "People must always remember that the CCC is a solution to the problem. We are not the problem. The problem is ZANU PF and citizens must not allow to be distracted from that": This has become a common statement uttered by CCC leaders and their associates whenever the CCC is called to account for its own blunders, own goals and shortcomings. This is a strategy of diversion and deflection, carefully employed to hide from being held accountable for the own-goals which the party so frequently scores. This culture did not start with the current crop of CCC functionaries. They may have perfected it, but this culture can be traced back to ZANU PF. Whenever they are called to account for the socio-economic crisis, ZANU PF politicians blame sanctions and everyone else but will never accept responsibility for their part. Similarly, the opposition is not prepared to accept that whilst ZANU PF's autocratic rule is a serious problem, it is not the only problem. The manner in which the opposition mismanages its internal processes is also a serious problem which, if left unaddressed further weakens their capacity to survive and challenge ZANU PF's autocratic rule. The third reality is that generally, as Zimbabweans, we are not tolerant of divergent views, including on politics. Whenever one expresses a divergent view, that person is targeted for harassment including through vicious cyber bullying. This culture of intolerance may be a result of living under a repressive political regime for more than 42 years. As a result, many amongst us may have now begun (subconsciously) to mimic the intolerance of those who have been suppressing us for the past 42 years. The culture of intolerance may also be a result of desperation for political change, which causes people not to be receptive to any views that challenge the dominant thinking, or which exposes the weaknesses of "their best foot forward" in the quest for political change. This phenomenon is not new. There is a story in the Book of Jeremiah similar to our situation. When faced with an invasion by the Babylonians, the only message which the Israelites wanted to hear were prophecies which confirmed that God would give them victory over the Babylonians. They were not prepared to hear anything different. When Jeremiah, the real Prophet of God, was sent with the word from God to tell them that they were surely going to be conquered by the Babylonians because of their sinful nature and disobedience to God, they arrested and even attempted to kill Jeremiah. He was called all sorts of names, including being labelled a traitor. Similarly, this is how generally Zimbabweans from across the political divide treat those who critique their political leaders. There is a serious lack of a democratic culture, not just amongst those in government but the general population too. The fourth reality is that Zimbabweans generally are attracted to political leaders who maintain a messianic outlook. Since colonialism, a significant part of the population has been trapped in a perpetual search for a political messiah. They seem to be searching for someone to "save" them rather than to "serve" them. This is why in ZANU PF they refer to their leaders as "chefs"- a terminology which at some point had also creeped into the MDC circles. When Robert Mugabe took over and led the country into independence, he was generally perceived as the messiah who had come to save and redeem Zimbabwe from the shackles of British colonialism. For this reason, the majority of the population were not prepared to hear of Mugabe's evil Gukurahundi massacres in Matebeleland and Midlands provinces. Their messiah could not do any wrong! They only realised much later that "their messiah" was now the albatross hanging around their necks. By that time, Mugabe had completely captured all the organs of the ZANU PF party and institutions of the State. When Morgan Tsvangirai rose to fame in the early 2000s as the leader of the then opposition MDC, he was largely perceived as the Moses who had been sent to rescue the country and lead it to its promised land of Canaan. Various songs were composed by artists to assert and reinforce this perception. Many were not prepared to entertain any views which critiqued Morgan Tsvangirai's style of leadership. When Nelson Chamisa took over the MDC reigns in 2018, he was (and still) is perceived as "the Joshua of our time", who is taking over from Moses to lead the people to the promised democratic society. Interestingly, Emmerson Mnangagwa is perceived the same way by his supporters, after taking over from Mugabe in 2017. To some extent, these perceptions also nudge and encourage political leaders to behave as demi-gods. In both ZANU PF and CCC, there is always a legion of politicians who are eagerly waiting to worship the ground that Emmerson Mnangagwa and Nelson Chamisa walk on. These perceptions shape the extent to which the people are prepared to be honest in the way they engage with their political leaders. The problematic nature of Chamisa's leadership style It is in this context that Nelson Chamisa has emerged as the main opposition leader, enjoying support from across the country and across generations. His populistic and autocratic style of leadership is shaped and encouraged by these contextual realities namely: the enormous power he enjoys over his colleagues as a result of the two-party state, intolerance and the lack of a democratic culture amongst the general population, and the electorate's affinity for messianic politicians and individual cantered politics. My brother Nelson Chamisa is an astute political scientist and a highly skilled orator with exceptional ability to speak in ways which capture the imaginations of a population that is in search of a political messiah. Yet, Chamisa might have now become the albatross hanging around the pro-democracy movement, and a potential stumbling block against progress towards the attainment of a genuine democratic change yearned by many in Zimbabwe. Less than 9 months towards the 2023 election, Nelson Chamisa is still running the CCC without any formal structures and without a constitution. The party is financially broke and does not have an organizationally driven fundraising strategy. He operates and runs the movement through unelected secret structures. There are no formally recognised national leadership positions, except his role as the President of CCC and those he has appointed into positions such as the party spokesperson and other functionaries. There are no internal procedures for decision making. He holds meetings with his lieutenants only when he wants. He makes party decisions without consulting anyone outside of his inner circle. Members of his inner circle know that they serve at his pleasure and therefore they are unable to engage with him critically. In fact, they are so insecure in their positions that they feel that they must outshine each other to demonstrate their loyalty to Nelson. Sometimes when they describe Nelson Chamisa, you may be excused if you confuse them for ZANU PF supporters describing their dear leader Emmerson Mnangagwa. This state of affairs undermines not only CCC's prospects of winning the 2023 elections but prospects for a genuine substantive democratic change even if CCC wins the 2023 elections. Operating a party or a movement in this manner will only create and promote internal fissures, disgruntlement and demobilization as other leaders, at both the national and community levels feel that the party has become Chamisa's personal fiefdom. CCC needs everyone to put their hands on deck to prepare for an election that is going to be held under very tough conditions in less than 9 months. Given the way Chamisa is running and leading the party, it will be very difficult to get everyone to put their hands on deck as some of the leaders, especially those who genuinely believe in democracy may have already started to take a back seat. It is not because these leaders do not aspire for political change or because they are selfishly seeking positions. They simply do not want to be used as "forks and knives" in what appears to be Chamisa's personal kitchen where he single handedly decides what is on the menu. My good brother Nelson Chamisa often says "toda hugaro not zvigaro mantra" which loosely translates to "CCC is a movement which is not focused on creating positions for individuals but creating a vehicle to deliver change which will result in better livelihoods for all". But what Nelson Chamisa forgets is that a political party or a movement is essentially an organisation. For any organisation to be effective, competent people must be appointed into various positions of responsibility. The manner in which those people are appointed must incorporate certain minimum democratic principles such as transparency, accountability, fairness, rationality and stakeholder consultation. It is not possible to achieve these without a clear constitution and formal structures adopted and endorsed by the membership through a democratic process. Some have argued that Chamisa must single handedly appoint structures or avoid appointing structures in order to protect the party from infiltration by ZANU PF. These people have not cared to explain how the CCC can still remain a democratic movement when its structures, organs, leadership and internal rules are determined by one person or a clique. They have also ignored the fact that already Chamisa's inner circle is heavily infiltrated by people whose history in and connection to ZANU PF is not a matter of guess work. Proposals have been made on ways of protecting the party from infiltration without undermining the democratic nature and outlook of the organisation. But these have deliberately been ignored because the clique that has captured Chamisa (possibly on behalf of ZANU PF) would like to retain control over the party. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Zimbabwe Governance By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. My brother Nelson Chamisa favours the status quo as it gives him the unrestrained leeway to organize and run the party the way he feels like and without anyone questioning him. The doomed prospects for a genuine substantive democratic change even if CCC wins the 2023 elections Without elected structures at national and local levels which hold the party leaders accountable and make collective decisions with the leaders, and without a constitution adopted by party members, the CCC is not a democratic collective. A coalition of people or organisations cannot be described as a democratic collective when all of them have been appointed by a single person and their rules of engagement are determined by one person and not in terms of a rules book that is adopted by the membership. This spells doom for genuine democratic change in Zimbabwe even if Chamisa were to win elections and take over from ZANU PF in 2023. He would have won the elections without a democratic collective, and it would be very difficult to expect him to be democratic as a head of government. A politician who obtains power through individual effort rather than a democratic collective effort is unlikely to respect and honour the significance of collective governance when inside government. Similarly, a politician who does not respect institutions when they are outside of government is unlikely to start doing so when they get into power. If Nelson Chamisa is not subjected to democratic collectivism and democratic accountability while outside of government, it is highly unlikely that he will accept to be subjected to those principles when he wields governmental power. Fear and Denialism Many are not prepared to critique Chamisa's leadership style and political approach because doing so is quite risky in a two-party context and where the man is perceived by the large section of the masses as their political messiah. Those close to him in the party would rather suffer quietly because to speak out against Chamisa will surely result in one being shunted into the political dustbin. Several have already been pushed out of the cock pit. Some argue that criticizing Chamisa's leadership style at this point and holding him accountable would undermine prospects for democratic change in 2023. The assumption made by those who argue like this is that there are prospects for a democratic political change in 2023, without addressing certain of Chamisa's leadership deficiencies and stopping him from scoring own goals. Others argue that Chamisa is the best foot forward and therefore he must be supported blindly. But what if the best foot forward is broken? Will it still take you to your desired destination without fixing it? Others argue that all that is need is to defeat ZANU PF in the 2023 elections and then the rest of the issues can be sorted out. As I mentioned above, I do not think that a politician who does not respect democracy while outside of government will become a champion of democracy as a government leader. This article has been written by Justice Alfred Mavedzenge, in his personal capacity. He is a constitutional law academic committed to the building of democracy in Zimbabwe and Africa. analysis Of the 4,369 inmates who escaped from various prisons in Nigeria between January 2020 and December 2021, only 984 were recaptured. Though jailbreaks are not new in Nigeria, they have worsened under President Muhammadu Buhari. Since he assumed office in 2015, jailbreaks have been recorded in 11 different states of the country and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Abuja due to poor security features such as a shortage of armed personnel and weapons required to guard the facilities. Aside from these, poor management of inmates and the high number of those awaiting trial also contribute to overcrowding in Nigeria's correctional centres, making them vulnerable to attacks and also putting the country's criminal justice system on trial. According to data by the National Bureau of Statistics (NBS), at least 65 correctional facilities are overcrowded in south-west Nigeria. This, according to the data, is the same situation in the South-east and South-south regions. While facilities in the Northern regions are not as crowded, at least two inmates are staying in the space intended for one person. Some lawyers and rights activists told PREMIUM TIMES that Nigeria's unproductive judicial system contributes to the congestion. "Some cases aren't meant to be filed at the magistrate court because they lack jurisdiction to hear some matters," Rasaq Alao, a Lagos-based lawyer, said. "While waiting for the advice of the Department of Public Prosecution (DPP), suspects are remanded for months or years pending the time they (their cases) will be transferred to the high court by the police for the suspect's bail." Although Interior Minister Rauf Aregbesola had on several occasions asked state governments to work with the federal government on how to end the menace, efforts to lawfully decongest prisons have not yielded positive results. Unlawful decongestion of correctional facilities, through jailbreaks, has become the norm with over 4,000 escapees still in hiding. Unending jailbreaks PREMIUM TIMES reported that 13 inmates escaped during a jailbreak at the Koton/Karfe Correctional Centre in Kogi State after they brought down a section of the prison on 29 July 2016. Of all the people who escaped, only one person was reportedly rearrested. Weeks after that incident, another jailbreak occurred in Nsukka Correctional Centre in Enugu State. In the 9 August 2016 incident, no fewer than 15 inmates fled their cells. Security operatives only announced the rearrest of two thereafter. In another incident on 27 December 2017, 36 inmates escaped from Ikot Ekpene Correctional Facility in Akwa Ibom State, after they wrested an axe from a kitchen staffer and used it in fighting prison officials. While seven of the inmates were rearrested by security operatives, four others died when trying to escape. Similarly, the Medium Security Correctional Facility in Tunga, Minna, Niger State, was attacked by armed persons on 3 June 2018, leading to the escape of over 200 inmates. Only 28 prisoners were recaptured by security operatives. At the height of the #EndSARS protest on 19 October 2020, hoodlums launched coordinated attacks on the Benin and Oko prisons in Edo State. They freed 1,993 inmates from both prisons in the process. One of the prisoners who escaped went to his village to kill a witness who testified against him in court. Only 207 of the escaped prisoners were rearrested. Another attack was launched on the National Correctional Service Facility in Okitipupa, Ondo State, on 22 October 2020, after armed persons pulled down the walls of the facility and set 58 prisoners free. While efforts were ongoing to account for the ruins in Ondo, armed persons attempted to break into the Ikoyi Correctional Centre in Lagos on the same day. They were however repelled by a combined team of correctional officers and the military. More worrisome cases On 5 April 2021, Owerri Custodial Centre in Imo State was attacked with explosives and dynamites, and 1,884 inmates were set free. The operation reportedly lasted for two hours. According to the prison authorities, 600 inmates either returned or were rearrested after the attack. In another incident, 240 inmates were released and two prison officials killed when assailants attacked the Medium Security Custodial Centre in Kabba, Kogi State, on 12 September 2021. Security agencies later said they rearrested 114 of the escaped prisoners. Gunmen also attacked the Abologo Custodial Centre in Oyo State, on 22 October 2021, freeing 837 prisoners in the process. As in previous cases, not everyone who escaped was recaptured as security officials only rearrested 252 prisoners. Although four inmates escaped from the Medium Security Custodial Centre, Jos, Plateau State, in July 2021, the facility suffered another attack on 28 November 2021, when gunmen launched an attack that led to the release of 262 inmates. A total of 10 inmates and one security official were killed during the attack. "The task force is expected to set in motion deliberate strategies to ensure that every fleeing inmate is arrested and their collaborators too are prosecuted," Mr Aregbesola said then, assuring Nigerians that all who ran away will be recaptured. That never occurred. Arguably, the worst attack on a Nigerian prison was launched several months later on one of Nigeria's 'most secure' prisons. The attack on the Kuje Correctional Centre in Abuja on 5 July led to the escape of more than 600 inmates. Defence Minister Bashir Magashi would later announce that all the 64 members of the Boko Haram terrorists in the prison fled the facility. "I think there are about 64 Boko Haram (members) in prison, they have all escaped," he told the press. Lack of intelligence? In a bid to ensure national security and adequate profiling of prison inmates, the Nigerian government last November claimed that it had captured the biometric data of all inmates in Nigerian correctional centres. It said the measure would help in rearresting any who may escape. Meanwhile, as of the time of filing this report, all that has followed the Kuje jailbreak is a blame game. President Buhari blamed the intelligence gathering system for the security loophole during a visit to the facility. "I am disappointed with the intelligence system. How can terrorists organise, have weapons, attack a security installation and get away with it? I am expecting a comprehensive report on this shocking incident," the Nigerian leader said. Senate President Ahmad Lawan said he was shocked there were no Closed-Circuit Television (CCTV) devices at the Kuje prison. "How on earth does a centre of this magnitude in the FCT not have any CCTV? It means we can say that all other medium security custodial centres across the country do not have CCTV," Mr Lawan said. On his part, Minister Aregbesola said: "we have enough men to protect this facility but unfortunately they couldn't hold their position effectively for defence and that was the reason for the breach." 4,369 inmates escaped A PREMIUM TIMES analysis of the jailbreaks shows that out of a total number of 4,369 inmates who escaped from various prisons between 2020 and December 2021, only 984 were recaptured. This implies that a total of 3,385 prisoners are still at large. Also, a report recently published by the Punch newspapers stated that 546 of the Kuje inmates who escaped were still at large. Close Sign up for free AllAfrica Newsletters Get the latest in African news delivered straight to your inbox Top Headlines Nigeria Legal Affairs By submitting above, you agree to our privacy policy. Success! Almost finished... We need to confirm your email address. To complete the process, please follow the instructions in the email we just sent you. Error! Error! There was a problem processing your submission. Please try again later. Abubakar Umar, the spokesperson of the correctional service, did not respond to enquiries about the actual number of those that have been recaptured and efforts in place to rearrest those still at large. Najim Isaac, a security expert, expressed disappointment in the failure of security operatives to recapture inmates that escaped from prisons. "Despite saying they have done biometric capturing of all inmates, the majority of those who escaped are still on the run. We have authorities who talk more than they act and this reminds us why it is so easy for Mr A to be sentenced without even being to prison. "The fact that many inmates are still at large means all security sectors are complicit in the poor security management of the custodial centres. The federal government must also as a matter of fact ensure that the leadership of the correctional service participate in the security meetings because they know the prisoners more than other security personnel. It is also sad that we lack basic modern security apparatuses such as closed circuit televisions that could capture what is going on outside. All of these, I believe are making rearrest of those who escaped difficult." Adding to this, Chinedu Okoli, a criminologist, said "adopting the fire brigade approach won't help. We should not be using analogue approach in a digital age where criminals are specialised in various ways of ensuring they are not caught." He said the failure of the authorities to recapture thousands of escaped inmates means the society is filled with criminals who may perpetuate more atrocities. Speaking on the way forward, Mr Okoli advised that Nigeria should partner with the International Criminal Police Organisation (INTERPOL) to track escaped prisoners using modern techniques. Second-generation Covid vaccines: "The more adapted and up-to-date it is, it will include parts of the virus against which we have not been immunized" ?? El Ministerio de Salud informa que 1850 personas han sido dadas de alta por #ViruelaDelMono y se han detectado 46 casos nuevos. Todos vienen recibiendo asistencia medica y se viene realizando seguimiento a sus contactos. pic.twitter.com/vKIy2fZ3EQ Zubiri: Marcos US Visit is a Home Run Senate President Juan Miguel "Migz" Zubiri has praised the success of President Ferdinand "Bongbong" Marcos Jr.'s working trip to the United States, to attend the United Nations General Assembly and a host of other engagements with the business sector and the Filipino community. "To borrow a term from America's favorite pastime, the President has hit a home run," said Zubiri. "His message that the Philippines is back in business resonated well, whether in his meetings with business movers or his one-on-one with Biden, either in the stock exchange or in the United Nations. "This is the kind of face-to-face diplomacy which yields tremendous dividends for our nation, from job-creating investments to agreements that promote the social good. "As the world emerges from the pandemic, there is keen competition for products, the need to boost trade and to expand markets. Luckily for us, we have a great salesman in the person of the President." In a statement, LinkedIn said that during the study it had acted consistently with the companys user agreement, privacy policy and member settings. The privacy policy notes that LinkedIn uses members personal data for research purposes. The statement added that the company used the latest, noninvasive social science techniques to answer important research questions without any experimentation on members. LinkedIn, which is owned by Microsoft, did not directly answer a question about how the company had considered the potential long-term consequences of its experiments on users employment and economic status. But the company said the research had not disproportionately advantaged some users. The goal of the research was to help people at scale, said Karthik Rajkumar, an applied research scientist at LinkedIn who was one of the studys co-authors. No one was put at a disadvantage to find a job. Sinan Aral, a management and data science professor at MIT who was the lead author of the study, said LinkedIns experiments were an effort to ensure that users had equal access to employment opportunities. To do an experiment on 20 million people and to then roll out a better algorithm for everyones jobs prospects as a result of the knowledge that you learn from that is what they are trying to do, Aral said, rather than anointing some people to have social mobility and others to not. (Aral has conducted data analysis for The New York Times, and he received a research fellowship grant from Microsoft in 2010.) No one was put at a disadvantage to find a job. Karthik Rajkumar, an applied research scientist at LinkedIn Experiments on users by big internet companies have a checkered history. Eight years ago, a Facebook study describing how the social network had quietly manipulated what posts appeared in users News Feeds in order to analyse the spread of negative and positive emotions on its platform was published. The weeklong experiment, conducted on 689,003 users, quickly generated a backlash. The LinkedIn professional networking experiments were different in intent, scope and scale. They were designed by LinkedIn as part of the companys continuing efforts to improve the relevance of its People You May Know algorithm, which suggests new connections to members. The algorithm analyses data like members employment history, job titles and ties to other users. Then it tries to gauge the likelihood that a LinkedIn member will send a friend invite to a suggested new connection as well as the likelihood of that new connection accepting the invite. For the experiments, LinkedIn adjusted its algorithm to randomly vary the prevalence of strong and weak ties that the system recommended. The first wave of tests, conducted in 2015, had over 4 million experimental subjects, the study reported. The second wave of tests, conducted in 2019, involved more than 16 million people. During the tests, people who clicked on the People You May Know tool and looked at recommendations were assigned to different algorithmic paths. Some of those treatment variants, as the study called them, caused LinkedIn users to form more connections to people with whom they had only weak social ties. Other tweaks caused people to form fewer connections with weak ties. Facebook has also brushed up against its users over its deployment of its algorithm. Credit:Shutterstock Whether most LinkedIn members understand that they could be subject to experiments that may affect their job opportunities is unknown. LinkedIns privacy policy says the company may use the personal data available to us to research workplace trends, such as jobs availability and skills needed for these jobs. Its policy for outside researchers seeking to analyse company data clearly states that those researchers will not be able to experiment or perform tests on our members. But neither policy explicitly informs consumers that LinkedIn itself may experiment or perform tests on its members. In a statement, LinkedIn said, We are transparent with our members through our research section of our user agreement. In an editorial statement, Science said, It was our understanding, and that of the reviewers, that the experiments undertaken by LinkedIn operated under the guidelines of their user agreements. Loading After the first wave of algorithmic testing, researchers at LinkedIn and MIT hit upon the idea of analysing the outcomes from those experiments to test the theory of the strength of weak ties. Although the decades-old theory had become a cornerstone of social science, it had not been rigorously proved in a large-scale prospective trial that randomly assigned people to social connections of different strengths. The outside researchers analysed aggregate data from LinkedIn. The study reported that people who received more recommendations for moderately weak contacts generally applied for and accepted more jobs results that dovetailed with the weak-tie theory. The 20 million users involved in LinkedIns experiments created more than 2 billion new social connections and completed more than 70 million job applications that led to 600,000 new jobs, the study reported. Weak-tie connections proved most useful for job seekers in digital fields like artificial intelligence, while strong ties proved more useful for employment in industries that relied less on software, the study said. LinkedIn said it had applied the findings about weak ties to several features, including a new tool that notifies members when a first- or second-degree connection is hiring. But the company has not made study-related changes to its People You May Know feature. Aral of MIT said the deeper significance of the study was that it showed the importance of powerful social networking algorithms not just in amplifying problems like misinformation but also as fundamental indicators of economic conditions like employment and unemployment. Catherine Flick, a senior researcher in computing and social responsibility at De Montfort University in Leicester, England, described the study as more of a corporate marketing exercise. The study has an inherent bias, Flick said. It shows that, if you want to get more jobs, you should be on LinkedIn more. This story is part of the September 24 Edition of Good Weekend See all 18 stories . Do inanimate objects have a memory? Can they store experiential information in some metaphysical form? Im not posing this cosmological head-scratcher for my own benefit, you understand. Its more for the mystery buyer who bought Adolf Hitlers wristwatch last month for $US1.1 million. From left to right: JFKs Omega Slimline, Paul Newman and his Rolex Daytona, Adolf Hitlers Huber wristwatch. Credit:Getty Images Made by the Swiss brand Huber, with a swivelling caseback similar to a Jaeger-LeCoultre Reverso, the watch isnt shy about its ownership. The case is engraved with a bold swastika lacquered in red, white and black. Stamped directly below this are the initials of the man responsible for orchestrating the systematic murder of six million Jews. Alexander Historical Auctions in Maryland in the US, which sanctioned the sale of Hitlers watch, has refused to disclose the buyers identity. All it has revealed is that it was bought by a European Jew info presumably shared to reassure people that it wasnt snapped up by some goose-stepping loon. The sale of Hitlers watch is hardly surprising given the crazed market for watches with famous provenance. Over the years, auctioneers have hammered off everything from Albert Einsteins Longines ($US596,000 in 2008) to JFKs Omega Slimline ($US350,000). Prospective buyers of celebrity wristwear do tend to need deep pockets, though. The Rolex Daytona belonging to Paul Newman sold in 2017 for $US17.8 million. Decade after decade of wrong-headed, and in some cases evil, policies by Australian governments and institutions has inflicted grave generational trauma on Indigenous peoples. Over more than 200 years, many have been stripped of access to their traditional lands, cut off from their way of life and culture, and denied even so much as their family support structures. At this point in Australias history, it is past time to make good. To do so requires abandoning the authoritarian and patronising approaches of the past. It requires genuine co-operation and local community insights to develop policies that can improve health, education, economic opportunity and justice, as well as the emotional wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. Which is why so much hinges on the success of the proposed Voice to federal parliament. The national apology to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in February 2008 was a start, but it was never intended to be a supreme salve. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese at the annual Garma festival in East Arnhem Land in July. Credit:Getty Images Practical change is essential. What form it takes and how it is implemented are issues that First Nations people need, and want, to influence. That is achievable through the Voice structure preferred by the federal government. The Voice to parliament would be an advisory body, comprising First Nations representatives, that could make recommendations to parliament about laws and policies affecting Indigenous people. While parliament would not be bound to accept the advice, it could at least no longer feign institutional deafness. Implementing the Voice, by amending the Constitution as opposed to legislating the proposed body, was one of Labors top election promises. That would require a referendum, which Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said would not happen before mid-2023. There are only two reasons I handwrite these days. One is impersonal, the other personal: to fill in forms and to write long and heartfelt messages in cards. If I write any longer than a few minutes my hand more or less stops working. I dont write many cards, but when I do there is a sense of ritual, the writing by hand an inviolable part of it. This sense of significance is surprising because for most of my life my loyalty has been to fonts and typefaces. I have no real knowledge of such things, but I had a little, once, back when I spent hours painstakingly laying out pages for the student newspaper. I remember being very worried about choosing the right font for my printed Honours thesis, too. And I remember, as a young child, adoring a book that allowed me to trace different styles of lettering onto paper. Illustration: Jim Pavlidis. Credit: Perhaps all kids did this (do they still?), but I wonder if part of the reason I loved that book so much was the depth of my hatred for handwriting. We spent so much time, at school, learning how to write neatly, learning block-letters and then, my hatred growing, running-writing. I was awful at handwriting, it never looked good, and this made me feel terrible. When I started high school an optometrist suggested asking the school for permission to write with crayons, which may have been a good suggestion but made me feel worse still. Last week, I watched what will certainly be the most elaborate ritual I see in my life the Queens funeral. Despite the pomp, or because of it, I was most struck by its similarity to other funerals, the same two things at its centre: the person who had lived and the reminder of the solid fact of death. Mourners and ceremony were spread across the country, but my mind kept returning to the one small person at their centre, a woman, dead now, who had once worn that small purple crown that lay atop the box that now contained her. Next to that crown were flowers, and nestled among them was a plain white card, on which King Charles had written, In loving and devoted memory Charles R. During the service, a spider ran across the top of the white card. Both the handwriting and the spider seemed out of place, incongruously unregimented: two protesting signs of life in a formal ceremony marking death. The streetscapes of Sydney and Melbourne may become unlivable as climate change kills off trees, as experts warn more than 90 per cent of tree species in Australias two biggest cities are at risk. Research led by Dr Manuel Esperon-Rodriguez from Western Sydney Universitys Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment found two-thirds of species found in cities around the world will be at risk by 2050, but climate change posed a threat to more than 90 per cent of tree species in Sydney and Melbourne. Sydneys iconic jacarandas are one of the tree species at risk from climate change. Credit:Steven Siewert Other cities faced an even greater threat from climate change, with all tree species at risk in Darwin, Barcelona, New Delhi and Singapore, he said. A surprising finding was that about half of the tree species in each city examined are already experiencing climate changes that put them at risk, he said. In one email exchange seen by The Age, Valk told another customer earlier this year to remove every word you have written online about the company or swift legal proceedings will commence. He cautioned the man against talking to the media and added he would seek costs exceeding $100,000 in court. Note the last person who told me I am speaking to A Current Affair has subsequently been forced to sell her home to raise the funds to settle a defamation writ brought against her in the Victoria County Court [sic]. Amy Horan at her home in Koo Wee Rup. Credit:Paul Jeffers Consumer Affairs Victoria issued a public warning about Valks company in August after receiving more than 70 complaints. Valk is disputing the allegations and wants an investigation into the watchdog. Former employees and customers told The Age that Valks pattern was to stall the process as the date to start work drew closer by failing to answer calls and emails and then ignoring requests for refunds. Horan said she took to social media to vent her frustration and warn others against doing business with the company after months of back and forth with Valk to get a refund. I wanted my house completed, so I could enjoy it before my times over, Horan said. Now were stuck with a spa. We still havent got a cover over it, and hes got our money. Some customers The Age spoke to asked not to be named because they feared legal repercussions or that their payments would not be refunded. The Age spoke to Valk at length about the contents of this article, but he declined to speak on the record, citing ongoing defamation proceedings. Our company has successfully supplied and installed awnings and shade products to hundreds of happy homeowners across Victoria and continues to do so regardless of your false and misleading posts, Valk wrote in response to criticism online. Valk has repeatedly blamed COVID-related disruptions to supply chains for the delays, but online correspondence shows customers were experiencing similar issues getting their orders in 2019. When a customer complained about delays that year, Valk referred to our commitment to quality. Its a long story, and we dont want to waste your time with a long-winded explanation, he wrote. Those who took the company to civil and administrative tribunals in Victoria and NSW said Valk did not attend the hearing or repay the money when ordered by the tribunal to do so. Some said they had recouped the funds after lengthy delays, while others gave up on getting a refund. Tim Gambin, who paid $7000 for an awning, said he only got refunded after confronting Valk. Im not a scary guy or a big guy but I was prepared to do anything that day to get my money back. Former Shade Solutions construction manager Andrio Torcasio said Valk would tell customers that products were in stock when shelves were bare and use their deposits to place an order overseas without warning them of potential delays. Former Shade Solutions worker Andrio Torcasio said he would often face disgruntled customers. Credit:Paul Jeffers Then when the delays came it was a stalling process, he said. He would just completely lie and then block people and not respond to anyones calls. He would just say: Just block him. Torcasio, whose employment was terminated earlier this year, said he would often face disgruntled customers. He said some had paid thousands for products only to receive the wrong item months later. In response to negative feedback online, Valk accused complainants of being a troll and a Karen. He suggested they suffered from mental health issues and referred them to support service Beyond Blue. In a submission to the consumer affairs watchdog, another ex-employee said Valk had also dismissed the complaints as being from vindictive ex-girlfriends, jealous competitors and bitter ex-wives who were out to destroy him. The owner of a pub on Victorias south coast who paid Valk almost $20,000 for a roof that was never installed said he had resigned himself to the fact he would never get repaid: Ive got five kids, Ive got family members close to dying, how much do you need on your plate? Consumer Affairs Victoria director Nicole Rich told people to beware when entering into a contract with the company and advised current customers to refrain from making further payments until the works had been carried out. Volunteers who run a charity that has occupied an unusual building on Catholic Church land for 50 years say they feel let down after the church successfully argued against heritage protection for its CBD base. The Stella Maris Seafarers Centre at 600 Little Collins Street was one of only a handful of buildings that did not make the final cut for heritage protection despite initially being put forward by Melbourne City Council under its sweeping review of buildings in the Hoddle Grid. Paul Kucera, Lee-Anne Diano and Seamus Quinn outside their 50-year-old Stella Maris Seafarers Centre. Credit:Scott McNaughton A report from Planning Panels Victoria showed that the Roman Catholic Trusts Corporation for the Diocese of Melbourne was the key objector to the building receiving protection, claiming it was not of heritage significance architecturally, historically or socially. The two-storey post-war structure, known for its teal facade and decorative concrete panels, was purpose-built in 1972 on land owned by the Catholic Church behind the 155-year-old Saint Augustines parish. Young Australians are more anxious than ever as they navigate technological change and the fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic. Thats the conclusion of National Mental Health Commission chief executive Christine Morgan as a national listening tour near its end. National Mental Health Commission chief executive Christine Morgan said Australians are less able to cope with everyday stress after the pandemic. Credit:Alex Ellinghausen More than 1200 Australians have taken part in the community conversations held in metropolitan and regional areas during the last three months. Ms Morgan said a recurring theme during the Connections2022 tour was rising concern about the well-being of young people. Defence Minister Richard Marles has warned the war between Ukraine and Russia shows increasing signs of being a protracted one that will require Australia to provide long-term support to Ukrainians. The deputy prime minister said on Sunday the recent efforts by Ukraine to secure the Oskil River in the countrys east suggested the war was going to go on for longer than expected, and that would require more commitments from countries such as Australia. Defence Minister Richard Marles says there are growing signs the war in Ukraine will be protracted. Credit:AP I think what that says to us is that we need to prepare ourselves for this to turn into a protracted conflict, he told Sky News. The point is we need to stand with Ukraine over the long term. Less than a week after Election Day in 2021, Cayuga County Democratic Chairwoman Dia Carabajal emailed Colleen Deacon, an aide to Gov. Kathy Hochul. "Attached please find the resume for Ben Susman," Carabajal wrote. The email began a three-month-long campaign, led by Cayuga County Democrats, to encourage the Democratic governor to appoint Susman as acting district attorney. The vacancy was created after Jon Budelmann, the county's longtime top prosecutor, was elected Cayuga County Surrogate Court judge. Budelmann defeated Susman, an Auburn attorney, in that race. The Citizen, through a Freedom of Information Law request, obtained 56 pages of emails and other documents exchanged between Hochul's office and local Democrats. The emails reveal Susman's strong interest in the position, the backing he had from the Cayuga County Democratic Committee and that the governor's office seriously considered his resume. He was interviewed twice in a three-week span, first on Dec. 22, 2021, and again in early January. The fast-moving process ended without a gubernatorial appointment. In a Feb. 2 email to Marty Mack, Hochul's appointments secretary, Susman thanked him for his consideration. A significant portion of the email was redacted by the governor's office, which said its disclosure "would constitute an unwarranted invasion of personal privacy." The Citizen unsuccessfully appealed the redaction. Susman's email continues, "I really only wanted the best for Cayuga County and our Governor in this upcoming election. It's a shame that I won't get the opportunity to make the necessary changes here and help the (Democratic) ticket this fall." The pitch Budelmann's election to serve as a Cayuga County Surrogate Court judge meant there would be an opening once he resigned as district attorney. Under the state Public Officers Law, the governor has the authority to appoint an acting district attorney when a vacancy occurs. Hochul's predecessor, former Gov. Andrew Cuomo, did not use this power. Whenever a district attorney resigned, he declined to appoint an acting DA. The offices were filled at the next general election. Cayuga County Democrats hoped Hochul, who became governor in August 2021 after Cuomo's resignation, would take a different approach. Carabajal told The Citizen in December 2021 that there were conversations with the governor's office about the vacancy. She did not identify any potential candidates for the appointment. However, the emails show that Susman was already the top contender for acting district attorney if Hochul was willing to appoint him. In her email to Deacon on Nov. 7, Carabajal endorsed Susman for the job. "His first time showing in the political arena has been impressive," Carabajal wrote. "I know he knows what it takes to run in future elections. That is why I strongly recommend him for consideration by Governor Hochul to fill the Cayuga County District Attorney position that will become vacant in January." She continued, "A strong candidate for this position will help all Democrats running in this county. The DA position will be elected in November 2022 by a special election." Carabajal also attached a photo of Hochul and Susman from when the then-lieutenant governor visited Auburn in July 2021, shortly before she became governor. The governor's office did not include the photo in its response to The Citizen's FOIL request. Eight days after Carabajal contacted Deacon, records show Susman sent his first email to the governor's office. He attached his cover letter, resume and included "request for interview" in the subject line. He criticized Budelmann and noted that Brittany Grome Antonacci, who became acting district attorney in December, was Budelmann's "hand-picked successor." Susman believed he could win a countywide election if he was appointed as acting district attorney. And in what proved to be an accurate prediction, he wrote that "there will likely be a (Republican) candidate running unopposed in 2022" if the governor did not make an appointment. The process Susman's first interview was conducted via Zoom on Dec. 22. According to an email, six members of Hochul's staff were included on the invitation to join the virtual meeting. Prior to the interview, top Cayuga County Democrats sent letters of recommendation in support of Susman. Carabajal formalized her earlier endorsement with a letter touting Susman's ability to help other candidates on the Democratic ticket. She pledged that her committee would endorse and support him "as an incumbent DA candidate." Aileen McNabb-Coleman, who was then chair of the Cayuga County Legislature and continues to serve as a lawmaker, urged Hochul to appoint Susman as acting district attorney. "My work as chair of the Cayuga County Legislature and work as the acting Administrator for the county gives me a rate perspective on what is needed to propel the office of the DA forward," McNabb-Coleman wrote. "The culture in the District Attorney's office could benefit from restructuring. Mr. Susman's appointment will afford us that opportunity." Keith Batman, a former Cayuga County legislator, and Katie Lacey, a past chair of the Cayuga County Democratic Committee, also sent emails recommending Susman for the post. While Susman garnered the most attention, there were others who expressed interest in the appointment. Grome Antonacci, who launched her campaign for a full term as the county's top prosecutor on Dec. 16, sent her resume to Mack on Dec. 17. She interviewed with the governor's staff on Dec. 23, one day after Susman's initial interview. Former Auburn City Court Judge Michael McKeon submitted a cover letter and resume but quickly withdrew from consideration. In an email, he informed Mack that he had lunch with Susman and learned that Susman intended to seek the appointment. McKeon confirmed in a phone interview with The Citizen that he "briefly considered" pursuing the gubernatorial appointment, but bowed out after his conversation with Susman. After Susman's first interview, he followed up on Dec. 28 with an email to Charlene Cordero, another Hochul aide, and Mack. He notified them that Budelmann would be sworn in as Cayuga County Surrogate Court judge on Dec. 30 and thanked them for the interview. "I understand that an appointment would be a bold move," he wrote. "However, we need boldness in this current political climate. We need to change the status quo in this County, and this is a rare opportunity to do so." He then criticized Grome Antonacci's lack of Cayuga County ties she is an Onondaga County native and the support she received from the Cayuga County Conservative Party. On Dec. 30, Mack replied to Susman and informed him that they wanted to schedule another interview. The second interview took place during the first week of January. A week later, Susman sent an email thanking Mack for the conversation. The end When The Citizen first contacted Hochul's office about the Cayuga County district attorney vacancy in December, a spokesperson said the governor was "reviewing her options and will have more to share in the future." For a follow-up story in late January, a spokesperson referred The Citizen to the same statement. At that time, Grome Antonacci shared an email she sent to the governor's office expressing concern about the inability to fill vacant positions within her office due to the uncertainty of whether Hochul would appoint a new DA. "I have several candidates that are willing to accept the positions under my leadership, but understandably want to make an informed decision before they relocate and/or leave their current employment," Grome Antonacci wrote. "Given that it is longstanding precedent in New York state for the governor to not disrupt the vital work of the district attorney's office for such a short period of time, it would be helpful to advise my staff and potential employees on the status of this determination." Mack replied to Grome Antonacci's email, sent on Jan. 21, and told her that he would call her with an answer the following week. Grome Antonacci told The Citizen she never received a call from Mack. But Mack did have a phone conversation with Susman that week. On Jan. 29, he sent an email to Susman asking him to call. The reason for the call was not disclosed. Four days after the call, on Feb. 2, Susman emailed Mack to thank him "for the consideration for the position." Between that and Susman expressing regret he "won't get the opportunity to make the necessary changes here and help the (Democratic) ticket this fall" is the redacted passage. Susman declined to comment in an email to The Citizen on Wednesday. There was at least one other local attorney who considered seeking the appointment. Records show Nate Garland, the city of Auburn's assistant corporation counsel, emailed his resume to Mack on Feb. 1. Garland has experience working in the Cayuga County District Attorney's Office. Before taking the position with the city, he was an assistant district attorney. "I thought I have more experience as an assistant district attorney than anyone outside of the DA's office and more than some people in the DA's office, so why not throw my hat in the ring?" he told The Citizen. But after Garland went on vacation and weighed the demands of the job, he said it "didn't make sense for me and my family." He never interviewed for the position. On Feb. 6, Grome Antonacci wrote on her Facebook page that there was a "backroom deal" between Hochul's office and Cayuga County Democrats to appoint an acting district attorney. However, Susman was no longer being considered and no one else interviewed for the job. Hochul did not have to appoint an acting district attorney for local Democrats to nominate a candidate for the upcoming election. But when the petition filing deadline passed in early April, it was official: Grome Antonacci would run unopposed for a full four-year term as district attorney. A Hochul spokesperson told The Citizen on Thursday that "multiple candidates expressed interest and were interviewed for this position, and a decision was made not to proceed with an appointment." Batavia, NY (14020) Today Sunny along with a few clouds. High 58F. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph.. Tonight A few clouds from time to time. Low 36F. Winds light and variable. 2 Suspects Arrested in Anaheim Hills Big Lots Robbery ANAHEIM HILLS, Calif.Anaheim police arrested a man and a woman Sept. 24 who allegedly took a shopping cart full of merchandise from an Anaheim Hills Big Lots store and flashed a handgun at an employee. The robbery occurred around 10 a.m. Saturday at 6336 E. Santa Ana Canyon Road, Sgt. Shane Carringer of the Anaheim Police Department told City News Service. The suspects, who are both 18 years old, walked past the register with a cart full of merchandise and made no attempt to pay, Carringer said. When the employee confronted them, the male suspect flashed a handgun from his waistband, he said. The employee backed away and called the police. An officer located the suspects a few minutes later at a church across the street from the store but they ran when the officer tried to approach them, leaving the stolen property behind, Carringer said. Officers established a perimeter and used a K9 team to search for the suspects, he said. They were found hiding under a dumpster behind a nearby restaurant, Carringer said. They were taken into custody without any use of force. A replica firearm was located among the stolen merchandise. The mugshots of the 21 suspects arrested during a child sex trafficking operation in Arizona in September 2022. (Surprise Police Department) 21 Arrested in Child Sex Trafficking Operation in Arizona Local and federal law enforcement recently rounded up 21 suspects in Arizona who solicited and/or brokered deals for various sex acts with children. The children were undercover detectives who placed ads on websites commonly sought out by suspects seeking illegal sex acts, according to the Surprise Police Department, located in Maricopa County, Arizona. Operations of this type are a part of the Surprise Police Departments continuous effort to reduce the demand that fuels child sex trafficking and exploitation of children in our community, the department stated in a Facebook post on Sept. 22. All 21 suspects have been charged with attempted sex conduct with a minor and child sex trafficking. One has additional drug charges. The suspects range in age from 23 to 63 years. Earlier this month, the sheriffs office in Floridas Polk County arrested 160 peopleincluding a police officer, a Disney employee, and school teachersas part of a seven-day multiagency undercover prostitution investigation. The online prostitution industry enables traffickers and allows for the continued victimization of those who are being trafficked, Polk County Sheriff Grady Judd said in a Sept. 9 press release. Our goal is to identify victims, offer them help, and arrest those who are fueling the exploitation of human beings and those profiting from the exploitation of human beings. The ages of those arrested ranged from 19 to 64 years old, and their criminal histories included 419 previous felonies and 619 previous misdemeanors, including charges for kidnapping, robbery, and sex offenses. Polk County detectives charged the 160 suspects with a total of 52 felonies and 216 misdemeanors. During a multistate operation in May, 70 children were rescued from sex traffickers, most of whom were based in West Texas. The missing children and teens ranged in age from 10 to 17 years old and were victims of sex trafficking and physical and sexual abuse. Missing children are usually reported as runaways, according to the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC). Of the more than 25,000 cases of children reported missing to NCMEC in 2021 who had run away, 1 in 6 were likely victims of child sex trafficking, the organizations website states. The statistic rises to 1 in 5 for children who run away from social services. Children who have run away are disproportionately targeted by traffickers and buyers, who prey upon vulnerabilities and a childs need for basic resources like food and a place to live, NCMEC states. The average age of girls forced into the commercial sex trade is between 12 and 14; and for boys, its 11 to 13, according to the Department of Homeland Security. The top five states for sex trafficking in the United States are California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, and New York, according to the National human Trafficking Hotline. For Help National Human Trafficking Hotline 1-888-373-7888 or text HELP or INFO to BeFree (233733) Report suspected human trafficking to federal law enforcement 1-866-347-2423 An ultrasound machine sits next to an exam table in an examination room at Whole Woman's Health of South Bend in South Bend, Ind., on June 19, 2019. (Scott Olson/Getty Images) Abortion Clinics Reopening in Indiana After Judge Blocks States Ban a Week After It Took Effect Indiana abortion clinics are preparing to resume the procedure after a judge blocked the states near-total abortion ban just a week after the ban had gone into effect. Owen County Judge Kelsey Hanlon on Sept. 22 issued a preliminary injunction (pdf) against Indianas new law banning abortion, putting it on hold temporarily amid ongoing litigation. Abortion clinic operators had argued in the lawsuit challenging the states abortion ban that it violates the state constitution, and that the states constitution protects access to abortion. The lawsuit was filed on Aug. 31 (pdf) by the American Civil Liberties Union of Indiana, which is representing the abortion clinic operators. [T]here is a reasonable likelihood that this significant restriction of personal autonomy offends the liberty guarantees of the Indiana Constitution and the Plaintiffs will prevail on the merits as to their claim that S.B. l violates Article I, 1 of the Indiana Constitution, Hanlon wrote in his order. Hanlon wrote that Indianas constitution is more explicit in its affirmation of individual rights and its limitation of legislative power to intrude into personal affairs than the U.S. Constitution. He also wrote that there is a reasonable likelihood that decisions about family planning, which includes decisions about whether to carry pregnancy to term are protected by the state constitution. The order means that abortion is legal in Indiana up to 20 weeks for now, subject to other pre-existing regulations such as requirements for two separate trips to an abortion provider, an ultrasound, informed consent, and more. Indianas abortion banalso referred to as SB1had taken effect on Sept. 15. The legislation was approved by Indianas Republican-majority Legislature and signed into law by Gov. Eric Holcomb on Aug. 5. The move made Indiana the first state to introduce a tighter ban on abortions since the U.S. Supreme Court on June 24 repealed Roe v. Wade. SB1 bans all abortions, except in the case of incest, rape, a diagnosis of a lethal fetal anomaly, or in circumstances where abortion is determined necessary to protect the life and physical health of the mother. The rape and incest exceptions are limited to 10 weeks after fertilization; and in such cases, victims would not be required to sign a notarized affidavit attesting to an attack. The legislation also prohibited abortion clinics from providing any other abortion-related services and only allowed hospitals or outpatient surgical centers owned by the hospitals to offer such services. As such, Indianas seven abortion clinics were set to lose their state licenses under the new abortion ban before Hanlons order on Sept. 22. State Plans to Appeal Decision In a joint statement, the abortion clinic operators, including Planned Parenthood and Whole Womans Health, said they were grateful for the judges decision, but noted that this fight is far from over. Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita responded to Hanlons order in a statement. We plan to appeal and continue to make the case for life in Indiana. Our office remains determined to fight for the lives of the unborn, and this law provides a reasonable way to begin doing that. Rokitas office had argued that the judge should uphold the states abortion ban. He said that arguments against the ban were based on a novel, unwritten, historically unsupported right to abortion in the state constitution. The constitutional text nowhere mentions abortion, and Indiana has prohibited or heavily regulated abortion by statute since 1835before, during, and after the time when the 1851 Indiana Constitution was drafted, debated, and ratified, his office said in a court filing. Antonio Marchi, the executive director of Right to Life of Michiana, said in a statement that the group is disappointed knowing that approximately 23 unborn lives will be lost every day that this injunction remains in effect, and we hope it will be temporary and brief, reported WNDU. With Indiana now on hold, bans on abortion at any point in pregnancy are in place in 12 Republican-led states. The Associated Press contributed to this report. A worker, wearing protective suits and masks, takes notes in front of storage tanks for radioactive water at Tokyo Electric Power Co's (TEPCO) tsunami-crippled Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in Okuma town, Fukushima prefecture, Japan, on Feb. 10, 2016. (Toru Hanai/Reuters) At UN, Micronesia Denounces Japans Plan to Release Fukushima Water Into Pacific UNITED NATIONSThe president of the Pacific island state of Micronesia has denounced Japans decision to discharge what he called nuclear-contaminated water from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power station into the Pacific Ocean. In an address to the U.N. General Assembly in New York on Sept. 22, Micronesian President David Panuelo said his country has the gravest concern about Japans decision to release the so-called Advanced Liquid Processing System (ALPS) water into the ocean. We cannot close our eyes to the unimaginable threats of nuclear contamination, marine pollution, and eventual destruction of the Blue Pacific Continent, Panuelo said. The impacts of this decision are both transboundary and intergenerational in nature. As Micronesias head of state, I cannot allow for the destruction of our ocean resources that support the livelihood of our people. Japan stated in July that its nuclear regulators had approved a plan to release water that was used to cool reactors in the aftermath of the March 2011 Fukushima disaster into the Pacific Ocean. The more than 1.3 million metric tons of water have been stored in huge tanks at the plant. Japans Foreign Ministry stated in July that regulators deemed it safe to release the water, which will still contain traces of the radioactive isotope tritium after treatment. Asked about Panuelos statement, Yukiko Okano, the ministrys deputy press secretary, said in reference to Fukushima that Japan would try its best to gain understanding from the international community about the safety of our activities there. The plant operator, Tokyo Electric Power Co., plans to filter the contaminated water to remove harmful isotopes apart from tritium, which is hard to remove. Then, it will be diluted and released to free up plant space to allow the decommissioning of Fukushima to continue. The plan has encountered stiff resistance from regional fishing unions, which fear its effects on their livelihoods. Japans neighbors, including China, South Korea, and Taiwan, have also expressed concern. Panuelos remarks coincided with a meeting hosted by U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken of the Partners in the Blue Pacific countries, which include Japan, with the aim of better coordinating assistance to the region in the face of competition from China. GENEVA People in the Smith Opera House rocketed from their seats and burst into thunderous applause when two people took their seats in the auditorium. Those two were 2016 presidential candidate and former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul, who were at the opera house Saturday for the 2022 National Women's Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony. The hall of fame, based in Seneca Falls, has over 300 inductees and acknowledges distinguished women and their achievements and impact. The inductees for this year are Octavia E. Butler, Judy Chicago, Rebecca Halstead, Mia Hamm, Joy Harjo, Emily Howland, Katherine Johnson, Indra Nooyi and Michelle Obama. Before the event started, people flocked to where Clinton and Hochul were seating, talking to them and snapping selfies. As Clinton, who was inducted into the hall in 2005, later spoke at the podium, a couple people in the audience could be seen becoming visibly emotional, with tears in their eyes as they leaned forward in their seats. She said it was "a thrill" to be back in the auditorium, in Geneva and in upstate New York. "I congratulate each and every one of today's exceptional inductees, and their stories strike a deep cord with me because I know none of us is here on our own. We are bound together by history, by shared struggle, by hope, by overcoming disappointments and setbacks, by resilience and setbacks," she said. Clinton acknowledged the 300 people who gathered in Seneca Falls for the first women's rights convention in 1848, "in a time where what they were doing had absolutely no precedent anywhere in the world." "I always used to say as I traveled the state as senator, 'There was just something in the water here in the Finger Lakes region that inspired these women and the men who supported them,'" she continued. "All over the world, and yes, right here in the United States, there is a growing pushback against women's advancement and progress, and sadly, it is often amplified by social media, it has a tendency to attract attention by being controversial and dramatic, and that includes going after women who are in the public sphere," Clinton said. "Attacking them, undermining them and frankly, launching all kinds of misogynistic and sexist assaults on them. So as the tide has shifted toward more authoritarianism in a number of places more nationalism, more populism, very often the first targets are leaders who are promoting women's full equality." Later, Clinton referenced the U.S Supreme Court overturning the landmark Roe v. Wade ruling earlier this year, as that 1973 decision gave Americans a constitutional right to abortion services. "I'm deeply worried about the impact of that decision on women's lives, and I'm also concerned that we are retreating as a nation from trying to figure out how to have the big, inclusive, pluralistic democracy that was at the core of what Seneca Falls was about, Clinton said. "It saddens, and yes, it angers me, that my granddaughter, Charlotte, may grow up in a world where she has fewer rights than my daughter, Chelsea. But that also motivates me to keep going, keep fighting, keep speaking out and keep standing up. And I know I'm in good company, not only with the inductees, but with all of you." Hochul, the first women governor for the state, lauded the 2022 inductees for making a difference in people's lives and praised those who founded the hall, saying they had "a vision that people felt was maybe a little bit bold, a little audacious, but isn't that what New York women do?" she said, which garnered applause form the audience. "The women here, who had the vision, who brought us here all these years later." One of this year's inductees, artist and educator Judy Chicago, gave her remarks via video. She said she was honored to be "included in this stellar group of women" being inducted into the hall. "However, being honored these days sometimes brings with it close scrutiny of one's life, beliefs and actions. The results being that (if) one is found wanting, one can be canceled, something I want to discuss today," she continued. "Because it raises the uncomfortable question, Does a woman have to be perfect in order to be honored? Moreover, is cancel culture the same for women as for men?" Chicago said that when she was doing research for her 1974 multimedia installation on the history of women in Western civilization, "The Dinner Party," she was inspired by the courage of Margaret Sanger, who founded the organization that later became Planned Parenthood, and learned about "the 19th century feminists like the tower figures of Susan B. Anthony and Elizabeth Cady Stanton, whose theories sparked decades of agitation for women's rights." "Should new discoveries of their imperfections cancel our tremendous debt to them for their contributions? If so, to whom are we to turn for inspiration and for knowledge, if not to our foremothers or who other women who were, like most of us, flawed human beings. And young women need to learn from our histories if they are to stand up to the reversals of the slow and difficult gains we have made over the century." The Los Angeles-class submarine USS San Francisco from a five-month deployment in Apra Harbor, Guam, on June 4, 2004. (Mark A. Leonesio/U.S. Navy via Getty Images) Australia Seeks Expedited Defence Capability in US-Built Nuclear Subs Australia is in discussions with the United States to speed up its acquisition of nuclear submarines in a bid to sooner have the defense vessels on hand amid the Chinese Communist Partys (CCPs) increasing military aggression in the Indo-Pacific. Its important to get the capability as soon as we can, a spokesperson for Defence Minister Richard Marles said. We are still doing the consultations to set out the optimal pathway for Australia to acquire the capability. Marles told Sky News on Sunday that Australia was facing military capability gap given that the original timeline for receiving the submarines is in the 2040s. What weve sought from the process thats underway with AUKUS right now is not simply to answer the question as to what platform we run with but how soon we can get it, he said. The move could see Australias first nuclear-powered submarines built in America to fill in a major capability gap while plans continue for increased on-shore production in the long run, according to a Wall Street Journal report. It comes one year after Australia, the UK, and the United States formed a trilateral security partnership called AUKUS with a stated aim to ensure a free and open Indo-Pacific, and more broadly an international system that respects human rights, the rule of law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes free from coercion. Over the last 12 months, we have made significant progress towards Australia acquiring conventionally armed, nuclear-powered submarines, leaders of the three nations said in a joint statement on Sept. 24. We are steadfast in our commitment to Australia acquiring this capability at the earliest possible date. As leaders, we remain committed to ensuring the highest level of nuclear safety, security, and stewardship in this endevour. The statement highlighted that Australia does not seek and will not acquire nuclear weapons. According to the WSJ, U.S. officials were looking to equip Australia with its first few nuclear-powered submarines by the mid-2030sa proposal that would require an investment of billions of dollars. A final decision on how to proceed is expected in March next year. Compared to conventional submarines, U.S. nuclear-powered submarines have greater performance advantages such as being larger in size, operating underwater at higher speeds for longer, and having long interval between refuelings. Control of the Pacific Many China experts have been supporting the idea of providing Australia with nuclear-powered submarines as Beijing is flexing its military expansion in the Indo-Pacific. Previously, former Chinese navy colonel and military expert Cheng Yao told The Epoch Times that AUKUS was a strategic move that would help form a military stronghold, with Australia, Japan, and Guam facing the aggression in the region from the CCP. He noted that Australias geographic location makes it vulnerable if Beijing is successful in breaking through the first island chain and reaching the Pacific Ocean. Australia, Guam and Japan, which are forming a military stronghold against Beijings maritime ambition to reach the Pacific Ocean, taken on Sept. 23, 2021. (Screenshot via Google maps) Cheng Xiaonong, scholar of Chinas politics and economy, agreed, saying providing Australia with nuclear-powered fleets capable of traveling long distances would effectively block the Chinese regimes planned invasion of the South Pacific. Cheng Xiaonong warned of the CCPs ambition to build a city or naval base near Australia, in an attempt to control the vast waters of the South Pacific, to isolate Australia, and to threaten the United States. Australia may not yet understand the reason why the CCP has been building bases in island countries in the southern hemisphere, such as Samoa, Kiribati, Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu, which are geographically not too close to Australia, he wrote in a column to The Epoch Times in October 2021. By the time the CCP reaches the gateway to it, however, Australia will realize the true intentions of this communist regime. AAP contributed to this report. A satellite image showing Tropical Storm Ian over the central Caribbean on Sept. 24, 2022. (NOAA via AP) Biden Declares State of Emergency in Florida as Ian Expected to Strengthen Into Hurricane President Joe Biden approved an emergency declaration for Florida as Tropical Storm Ian is forecast to significantly intensify before hitting the state this week. In an update on the afternoon of Sept. 25, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) stated that Ian is forecast to rapidly strengthen on the night of Sept. 25 with significant wind and storm surge impacts in western Cuba. No tropical storm or hurricane watches or warnings have been issued for anywhere in the United States, including Florida, but the NHC advised that interests in central Cuba, the Florida Keys, and the Florida peninsula should monitor the progress of Ian. Hurricane warnings have been issued for Grand Cayman island as well as the Cuban provinces of Isla de la Juventud, Pinar del Rio, and Artemisa. A tropical storm warning is in effect for the Cuban provinces of La Habana, Mayabeque, and Matanzas. A tropical storm watch is in effect for Little Cayman and Cayman Brac islands. After hitting western Cuba on Sept. 27 as a major hurricane, Ian is slated to continue as a major hurricanea Category 3 or greaterfor two days before weakening to a Category 1 or Category 2 hurricane, according to the NHC. Then, the storm is forecast to hit western Florida between Sept. 29 and Sept. 30. The storm is currently located in the western Caribbean Sea, hundreds of miles south of Cuba and the Cayman Islands. Its also hundreds of miles to the east of Honduras. In preparation, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis declared a state of emergency for all 67 Florida counties. That will make more resources available to prepare for the storm, and it will also activate Florida National Guard members. This storm has the potential to strengthen into a major hurricane and we encourage all Floridians to make their preparations, the governor wrote on Sept. 24. We are coordinating with all state and local government partners to track potential impacts of this storm. Biden declared a state of emergency for Florida on Sept. 24, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and FEMA to coordinate disaster relief efforts, according to the White House. Ian follows Hurricane Fiona, which hammered portions of Puerto Rico before it hit Atlantic Canada over the weekend as a post-tropical cyclone. For Ian, a quick uptick in strengthening is expected early this week as Ian moves into the western Caribbean, where low wind shear and very warm water are in place, according to AccuWeather Senior Meteorologist Adam Douty. This will raise the likelihood of significant impacts in the western Caribbean, and eventually the United States, Douty wrote. He noted that in just a few days, Ian is likely to be a dangerous major hurricane. California Plans to Ban Natural Gas Heaters, Furnaces Californias clean air agency has approved a proposal that would ban new natural gas-fueled furnaces and water heaters in homes by 2030. We need to take every action we can to deliver on our commitments to protect public health from the adverse impacts of air pollution, and this strategy identifies how we can do just that, California Air Resources Board (CARB) Chair Liane Randolph said in a Sept. 22 statement. She also claimed that the move will benefit many low-income and disadvantaged communities, without elaborating. The move by CARB wasnt the final vote. The board directed state agencies to come up with a rule to phase out gas-fired appliances, which will be voted on in 2025. On Sept. 15, the California Public Utilities Commission unanimously voted to remove subsidies to builders for installing natural gas lines for new construction starting in 2023. The proposal doesnt include natural gas stoves. However, several dozen cities and towns in California, including Los Angeles and San Francisco, have adopted mandates that either ban or strongly discourage them in new buildings, according to the Los Angeles Times, which published a report on the CARB vote. For example, the Los Angeles City Council voted in May to ban most gas appliances, including stoves, in new buildings. The latest CARB plan, which was first published last month, stated that its relying heavily on heat pumps rather than natural gas or other heating methods. The San Francisco Chronicle interviewed a local Bay Area official who touted heat pumps as an alternative to natural gas. However, it cost him $27,000 to install a heat pump. During the commenting phase on the CARB proposal, retired engineer Michael Kapolnek said that the emissions that would be saved dont justify the cost to people who would be forced to install expensive new equipment. Several years ago, when California cities started banning natural gas appliances, the conservative Heritage Foundation published an opinion article saying such moves would be a terrible mistake. Banning natural gas would restrict consumers ability to choose the energy source they might prefer. A big reason that families like natural gas is because it wins out on cost, the article states. The American Gas Association noted in 2020 that households that use natural gas for heating, cooking, and clothes drying save an average of $879 per year compared to homes using electricity for those applications. Several weeks ago, CARB approved a dramatic proposal to ban all new gasoline-powered vehicles by 2035, in favor of electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids. A home fights against high winds caused by post Tropical Storm Fiona in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Rene Roy/Wreckhouse Press via AP) Atlantic Canada Struggles to Restore Power After Fiona Hundreds of thousands of people in Atlantic Canada remained without power Sunday and officials said they found the body of a woman swept into the sea after the powerful storm Fiona washed away houses, stripped off roofs, and blocked roads across the countrys Atlantic provinces. After surging north from the Caribbean, Fiona came ashore before dawn Saturday as a post-tropical cyclone, battering Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland, and Quebec with hurricane-strength winds, rains and waves. Defense Minister Anita Anand said troops would help remove fallen trees, restore transportation links and do whatever else is required for as long as it takes. Fiona was blamed for at least five deaths in the Caribbean, and one death in Canada. Authorities found the body of a 73-year-old woman in the water who was missing in Channel-Port Aux Basques, a town on the southern coast of Newfoundland. Police said the woman was inside her residence moments before a wave struck the home Saturday morning, tearing away a portion of the basement. The Royal Canadian Mounted Police said in a release on social media that with assistance from the Canadian Coast Guard, as other rescue teams her body woman was recovered late Sunday afternoon. Living in coastal communities we know what can happen and tragically the sea has taken another from us, said Gudie Hutchings, the Member of Parliament from Newfoundland. As of Sunday evening, more than 211,000 Nova Scotia Power customers and over 81,000 Maritime Electric customers in the province of Prince Edward Islandabout 95 percent of the totalremained in the dark. So were more than 20,600 homes and businesses in New Brunswick. More than 415,000 Nova Scotia Power customersabout 80 percent in the province of almost 1 million peoplehad been affected by outages Saturday. Utility companies say it could be days before the lights are back on for everyone. Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Amanda McDougall said Sunday that over 200 people were in temporary shelters. Over 70 roads were completely inaccessible in her region. She said she couldnt count the number of homes damaged in her own neighborhood. She said it was critical for the military to arrive and help clear debris, noting that the road to the airport is inaccessible and the tower has significant damage. McDougall said it is amazing there are no injuries in her community. People listened to the warnings and did what they were supposed to do and this was the result, she said Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King said that over 100 military personnel would arrive Sunday to assist in recovery efforts. Schools will be closed Monday and Tuesday. He said many bridges are destroyed. The magnitude and severity of the damage is beyond anything that weve seen in our provinces history, King said, and that it would take a herculean effort by thousands of people to recover over the coming days and weeks. Kim Griffin, a spokeswoman for Prince Edward Islands electricity provider, said it would likely take many days to restore power across the island. The sense on the street is one of shock and awe over the magnitude of the storm, said Sean Casey, a member of parliament who represents Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island. He added that locals are also determined to mount a recovery effort. A long line quickly formed after the first gas station opened in his community on Sunday afternoon. Everywhere you go around town you hear generators and chain saws, Casey said. Bill Blair, minister of emergency preparedness, said the federal government would also send approximately 100 military personnel to Newfoundland and Labrador as it shifts to recover from the storm. Entire structures were washed into the sea as raging surf pounded Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland. This is not a one-day situation where we can all go back to normal, Mayor Brian Button said on social media. Unfortunately, this is going to take days, it could take weeks, it could take months in some cases. Much of the town of 4,000 had been evacuated and Button said asked for patience as officials identify where and when people can safely go home. He noted that some residents are showing up at barricades angry and wanting to return. In Puerto Rico, too, officials were still struggling to grasp the scope of damage and to repair the devastation caused when Fiona hit the U.S. territory a week ago. As of Sunday, about 45 percent of Puerto Ricos 1.47 million power customers remained in the dark, and 20 percent of 1.3 million water customers had no service as workers struggled to reach submerged power substations and fix downed lines. Gas stations, grocery stores and other businesses had temporarily shut down due to lack of fuel for generators: The National Guard first dispatched fuel to hospitals and other critical infrastructure. Were starting from scratch, said Carmen Rivera as she and her wife mopped up water and threw away their damaged appliances, adding to piles of rotting furniture and soggy mattresses lining their street in Toa Baja, which had flooded. Officials across Eastern Canada also were assessing the scope of damage caused by the storm, which had moved inland over southeastern Quebec. Mike Savage, mayor of Halifax, said the roof of an apartment building collapsed in Nova Scotias biggest city and officials had moved 100 people to an evacuation center. He said no one was seriously hurt. The Canadian Hurricane Centre wrote on Twitter that Fiona had the lowest pressurea key sign of storm strengthever recorded for a storm making landfall in Canada. Were getting more severe storms more frequently, said Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who said more resilient infrastructure is needed to withstand extreme weather events. People in line for COVID-19 nucleic acid tests at Beijing Lize Financial business district in Beijing, on Apr. 26, 2022. (VCG/VCG via Getty Images) Chinese Openly Oppose Regimes Zero-COVID Policy Ahead of CCP Party Congress Chinese citizens are openly expressing opposition to the communist regimes highly restrictive zero-COVID policy, which has caused immense suffering, in the weeks before the Chinese Communist Partys (CCP) national party meeting in mid-October. A recent bus accident in Guizhou Province in southwest China is sparking public anger over the policy. Early on Sept. 18, 27 people were killed when a bus rolled over on a highway. The vehicle had been transferring 47 people who had tested negative for COVID-19but live in the same building as an infected personto a centralized quarantine facility. A health worker wearing a personal protection suit stands next to a bus used to transport people to COVID-19 quarantine in China, in a file photo. (Nicolas Asfouri/AFP via Getty Images) A screenshot of an article, authored by Gao Yu, executive deputy editor-in-chief of Caixin, a major financial media outlet in China, and posted on a group chat has been widely circulated on Chinese social media. The article condemns the regimes zero-COVID policy, noting that while the rest of the world has returned to normal, one case of infection in China can lead to all of the occupants of a residential building being forcefully sent to centralized quarantine and the whole city locked down. Additionally, frequent PCR tests on all residents have been normalized nationwide. Omicron variant hasnt killed a single person in Guiyang [provincial capital of Guizhou], but they put the city of 6 million under lockdown. 30,000 people have been forcibly quarantined, and nearly 10,000 people have been sent to other cities, the article states. Now, 27 people have been killed when they were transferred overnight just because there may be an infected person in the same building they live! The article ends with strong opposition. Resolutely oppose the nationwide regular PCR testing! Resolutely oppose zero-COVID measures! Resolutely oppose seclusion and isolation of the country! The screenshot of the article has been blocked by Chinese social media Weibo. Motive Behind Zero-COVID Control The Guizhou bus crash was widely reported by Western media. The public in China isnt aware that many cities across the country are under lockdown, or about tragedies that have occurred as a result, a mainland Chinese lawyer surnamed Li told The Epoch Times on Sept. 21. In China, basically, you cant see any information about them from the media or on the internet. Overseas media may not know about those incidents. And its hard to upload the information, photo, or video about it in China, he said. If they dont have the apps to breach the internet censorship, they cant send the information out. In the circle of lawyers and government employees, its believed that the authorities use COVID-19 as an excuse to cover up that the Chinese economy is declining and there are major problems in the economy, Li added. Many people in the system know it very well that it is not about COVID. The economy is bad across the country, so the local authorities further tighten COVID-19 control and use it as an excuse for their low economic data, he said. A nurse takes throat swab samples in the new rounds of COVID-19 test in Nanjing in Chinas Jiangsu Province, on Aug. 2, 2021. (Chinatopix/Via AP) A retired official from a high-ranking CCP family in Beijing, whose identity is being withheld over concerns for his safety, told The Epoch Times that while the public is calling for the regime to stop the zero-COVID policy, CCP officials are ignoring them. I cant even go out to get medicine if I dont have a negative PCR test result done within 72 hours. People are all complaining [about the control measures]. I dont understand what the government is afraid of. Are they afraid that the people will rebel, so they lock people in at home? he said. He also questioned the safety of regular PCR testing. This nucleic acid testing cotton swab is also not safe. It has special chemicals on it. Does it also have side effects? Theres no solution, and now China has reached a dead end, he said. Unchecked Power Zhang Hai, a citizen from Wuhan whose father died from COVID-19 in 2020, has publicly requested the CCP to release COVID-19 outbreak information, disclose the origin of the virus, and hold officials who covered up the initial outbreak in Wuhan in late 2019 accountable. His social media accounts have often been censored by the regime. He told The Epoch Times that people are strongly against the increasingly strict COVID-19 measures, but their voices are hardly heard because the CCP has also tightened control of the internet. Peoples grievances are mounting. Many of them have experienced lockdown and being sent to centralized quarantine in the middle of the night. The zero-COVID control measures have a huge impact on all walks of life. Many people are locked in at home without food or supplies, he said. The zero-COVID policy shows that [once] there is nothing to restrain power, if you dont put power in a cage, it can lock you in a cage. Xia Song and Luo Ya contributed to this report. Each year, a Pennsylvania couple arrange a calendar photo shoot for their Newfoundland dogs: no less than nine big, shaggy, gentle characters. So far, The Newf Crew have done pool party, Easter bunny, St. Patricks Day, and Valentines themes, among others. Their hardworking owners are Mackenzie Makatche and T.J. Czapp, both 31, from Delaware County. Makatche is studying speech-language pathology in graduation school and Czapp is an ER trauma nurse; both have busy schedules but manage to always make sure their prized pets get to live their best lives. Makatche began having humorous snaps taken of her Newfoundlands as a way to honor her beloved mom, who sadly passed away due to stage 4 colon cancer. The couple, who are now engaged, started making the calendars the following year; the sales helping with some of the dog ownership costs that Makatches mother had previously been coveringand the expense can be substantial. Mackenzie Makatches mother. She passed away due to stage 4 colon cancer. (Courtesy of Mackenzie Makatche) After my mom passed away, the holidays were pretty depressing, but she had always loved seeing the group photos so it motivated me to try to make each one better than the last, Makatche told The Epoch Times. The photo shoots started very smallI think they were just wearing bows from their recent grooming appointment. Eventually, I decided I wanted to do Christmas cards, and it sort of grew from there. Overall, the dogs are very cooperative. The shoots are planned to take place in comfortable weather, and the crew has time to burn off some energy beforehand. Weve taken so many photos in front of our garage, Makatche said, that they now start lining up on their own. The crew grew over the span of several years, mostly as the product of Makatche and her moms love for the breed and dogs in general. In ascending order of age, theres Bettythe 1-year-old baby of the family; Duncan, 4; Belle, 6; Oliver, 7; Aisling, 7; Storm, 8; Skyy, 8; Murphy, 11; and Guinness, who at 12 is the eldest. Guinness is very easy going and loves children more than anything, Makatche said. Her favorite thing is butt scratches. Makatche grew up with Huckleberry: the sweetest, most easy-going dog ever. Huckleberry passed away at the age of 13, and for years the family found it hard to consider getting another Newfoundland, but having fallen in love with the breed, they eventually brought Guinness home. After that, came all the othersexcept little Betty, who Makatches mom did not get to meet. Her mom dreamed of having a group of therapy dogs. and she and Makatche planned to start from scratch with Belle. Shortly after they made the decision, though, her mom was diagnosed with stage 4 colon cancer. Quitting her job to become a full-time caregiver, Makatche would assist her mom in a wheelchair, and they did training classes together. Two years later, and a month before her mom passed, they added Duncan. Working with him and the rest of the crew is what kept me going as I worked through my grief, she said. Makatche with her first Newfoundland dog, named Huckleberry. (Courtesy of Mackenzie Makatche) These adorable Newfoundland dogs are a bunch of large personalities and bring the couple joy every day. They also require a lot of work and organization: training, grooming, sticking to routines, and keeping up with supplies. Taking care of them is a full-time job, Makatche said, and managing their needs on top of being a graduate student is even more difficult. Newfoundlands are a wonderful breed, but please make sure youre doing your own research before you consider adding one to your family. Makatche is currently working on making her moms idea of starting a nonprofit therapy-dog organization a reality, combining her late moms dream with her own goal of becoming a speech-language pathologist. She envisages enlisting the crew as therapy dogs down the line, working in schools or private practice. For Makatche, the crew are the physical representation of their remaining bond; her mom would be incredibly proud. They were the driving force that got me out of bed and kept me going through the grief after she died, the daughter said. As long as I can keep up with their needs and continue to give them the lives they deserve, I would do anything to always have a crew for as long as I live. And will The Newf Crew be attending her upcoming wedding, resplendent in topcoat and tails? I wish I could say so, Makatche said, smilingly, but after much deliberation we determined it would be better to keep them home and on their routine. For one, it would be very expensive to transport them all and have people care for them all day. Also, I would be much too stressed, wanting to make sure they were all happy and taken care of, that I wouldnt enjoy myself. If they are home with a sitter, I know they will be stress-free. 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: https://www.theepochtimes.com/newsletter Protestors demonstrate at a drag bingo fundraiser at First Christian Church in Katy, Texas, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez/The Epoch Times) Culture War Erupts in Texas Town Over Drag Bingo Event Hosted by Christian Church Antifa and Proud Boys clash as parents protested KATY, TexasOutside a drag bingo event hosted by a pro-LGBT church in Texas, a microcosm of Americas culture war played out with liberals and conservatives screaming at each other across a boulevard on Saturday. About 300 Texas conservatives lined an entire block to protest the First Christian Church in Katy, which sponsored a sold-out family drag bingo event to raise money to benefit its Transparent Closet. The clothing boutique was for trans and exploring teens, youth and young adults, according to the churchs website. Its parking lot was full of cars as the family drag bingo event started around 5 p.m. The adults-only portion of the drag show was scheduled for 8:30 p.m. The conservative crowd dwarfed some 100 liberals who showed up to champion the church, which openly supports LGBT people. Protesters and counter-protesters alike were armed. Extremist groups from both sides of the political spectrum showed up, including far-left Antifa members dressed in black from head to toe carrying umbrellas, few members of neo-Nazi groups, and the Proud Boys, a pro-Western fraternal organization who were wearing Buc-ees masks. The Antifa and Proud Boys groups taunted each other as sheriffs deputies donning helmets and riot gear straddled the boulevard to separate them. At one point, the factions clashed with an Antifa member hitting a Proud Boy over the head with a flag pole. Other Proud Boys ran to confront the Antifa members, launching a pepper spray attack. Proud Boys and Antifa face off at a drag bingo fundraiser at First Christian Church in Katy, Texas, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez/The Epoch Times) Several people standing downwind in areas where Catholics were praying the rosary fled the area coughing. Christian songs played over loudspeakers as cars and trucks with American flags cruised the boulevard honking their support. People knelt in the grass to pray. On the liberal side of the road, the new Little Mermaid song blared in the background. Overhead, a helicopter circled the spectacle. Loriann Belin, from the Houston area County Citizens Defending Freedom group, showed up to fight the sexualization of children. We need to stand for the protection of the most vulnerable among usour children, she said. We dont hate those people on the other side. God loves them. Theyre just lost and need Jesus, Belin added. Fabiana Pimentel, an immigrant mother with children enrolled in the Katy Independent School District, said she left Brazil 14 years ago and cant believe what is happening in America. During the pandemic, she grew concerned about what her children were learning in the classroom and reading in school libraries. I realized things are worse than I thought, she said. Im against the sexualization of kids. Richard Harmier of New Caney protested in hopes the Texas Legislature would take note and pass laws protecting minors from gender transitioning. My granddaughter is 13 years old, and she wants to be a boy now, Harmier said, adding she cut off all her hair and avoids her father because he isnt on board with her desire to transition. Weve got to stop this, he said. You shouldnt be free to indoctrinate children. A Texas Department of Public Safety trooper stands in the middle of a boulevard to keep drag bingo protestors separated A man holding a rifle stood guard over LGBT supporters on Sept. 24, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez/The Epoch Times) Across the boulevard, liberals dressed in rainbow T-shirts were just as passionate, chanting, Fascists, go home! A Katy woman on the liberal side said it was a shame people were protesting drag queens, so she came out to support the church. To make sure the people attending tonight are safe, said the woman, who declined to give her name. Another woman wearing a multicolored shirt watched the crowd from the liberal side. She was with a veteran group that was for everybodys rights, including the LGTB community. Further down, a man with graying hair dressed in black said he was an anti-fascist who came to counter Kelly Neidert, pointing a finger toward a group of conservatives across the boulevard. Members of Antifa taunt protestors across the street Sept. 24, 2022. (Bobby Sanchez/The Epoch Times) Neidert, wearing a red Trump hat, said Antifa follows her around Texas, harassing her because she hosted conservative events at the University of North Texas as a student. She is the founder of Protect Texas Kids and wanted to attend the protest also to draw attention to the sexualization of children. On Twitter, a post by the Screwston Anti-Fascist Committee labeled all the parent groups attending as fascists who intended to disrupt a drag bingo event. Nazi groups such as the Aryan Freedom Network plan to attend, the post said. The post included a flier targeting Kelly Neidert, urging members to mask up and bring a buddy. Join us in the streets to defend the queer community against this threat! the flier said. The drag bingo event at First Christian Church, part of the Disciples of Christ denomination, drew more controversy after the church quietly dropped one drag performer, Jaysen Kettl, who was once involved in a school shooting plot. Kettl goes by the stage name of Tisha Flowers and portrays himself as a Goth drag queen. In 2004, Kettl, 17 at the time, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit capital murder for his role in plotting a school shooting at Vidor High School. The plot was foiled before anything occurred. Workers assess downed power poles caused by post-tropical storm Fiona in Dartmouth, N.S., on Sept. 25, 2022. (The Canadian Press/Darren Calabrese) Two People Reported Dead, as Atlantic Canada and Quebec Assess the Damage Wrought by Fiona Atlantic Canada is assessing the trail of destruction left by the historic post-tropical storm Fiona, as it moved inland from southeastern Quebec early on Sept. 25. Search and rescue operations have resumed, and at least one death has been reported in Prince Edward Island. P.E.I. officials said at a press conference on Sept. 25 that the cause of death has yet to be determined, but a primary investigation suggests that a generator is involved. Government officials said at a separate press conference later in the afternoon that a few hundred people have complained about their homes being washed away by the heavy rainfall, and that many more homes have been totally destroyed. Fiona, one of the strongest storms yet seen in eastern Canada, reached the Gulf of St. Lawrence at around 3 a.m. ADT on Sept. 25, and made landfall in southeastern Quebec early in the day. On the night of Sept. 24, maximum gusts reached up to 130 km/hr in Cape Whittle and up to 126 km/hr in Iles-de-la-Madeleine, with 92 mm of rainfall, Environment Canadas weather summaries show. The Magdalen Islands area was particularly hammered by the storm, and Quebec Public Safety Minister Genevieve Guilbault flew there on morning of Sept. 25 to view the extent of the damage. We are going to meet with these people and take stock of the situation. These people are tired and we can understand it, they have been in intense preparation and intervention for three to four days, Guilbault told reporters before the boarding plane, CTV reported. She said Quebec had sent additional reinforcements to the area. In Newfoundland and Labrador, RCMP said the body of a woman who had been washed away during the storm was recovered with the aid of the Canadian Coast Guard and the Stephenville and Barachois Search and Rescue teams. Police said the body was found shortly before 4 p.m., according to CBC. Gusts reached up to 177 km/hr in Wreckhouse, NL, lashing the town of Port aux Basques with record-breaking waves. The town of Port aux Basques was inundated by over one metre of storm surge with large pounding waves. The Port aux Basques tide guage recorded a maximum total water level of 2.73 metres, exceeding its previous record of 2.71 metres set in 2017, said Environment Canada. On Sept. 24, the RCMP announced a state of emergency in Port aux Basques. First responders are dealing with multiple electrical fires, residential flooding and washouts. Residents are asked to obey evacuation orders and to find a safe place to weather the storm, the RCMP advisory said. Newfoundland Power reported outages still affecting more than 3,000 customers as of the morning Sept. 25, with restoration efforts hindered by floods and road washouts, as well as fallen trees that came in contact with power lines. Public weather alerts have been issued for several regions in Newfoundland and Labrador, as well as for Blanc-Sablon in Quebec. We Will Get Through This Environment Canada said when Fiona made landfall as a hurricane-strength post tropical cyclone in Nova Scotia early Sept. 24, it brought what is expected to be the lowest recorded barometric pressure in Canadian history. It generated severe winds, torrential rainfall and destructive storm surge, the department said, with similar record-low barometric pressure recorded in Prince Edward Island and New Brunswick. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said Fiona certainly left her mark in his province, asking residents to remain patient as recovery work is being carried out. Stay safe, stay patient, we will get through this for sure, he said on social media on Sept. 25. Defence Minister Anita Anand said on Sept. 24 that the military will be deployed to support Nova Scotias recovery, without specifying the number of troops. As of 8 a.m. local time, nearly 273,000 Nova Scotia Power customers were still affected by outages, with roughly 5,800 active outages. Approximately 82,000 Maritime Electric customers were also experiencing outages as of 9 a.m. local time on Sept. 25. In New Brunswick, some 20,600 homes and businesses remain without power, with some provincial utility companies warning it could be days before the lights are back on for everyone. The Canadian Press contributed to this report. Minister for Superannuation, Financial Services and the Digital Economy Jane Hume at Parliament House in Canberra, Australia, on Mar. 18, 2021. (Sam Mooy/Getty Images) Dire Consequences for Bad Federal Anti-Corruption Commission The federal opposition in Australia has offered in-principle support for a federal independent anti-corruption commission (ICAC) but warned of dire consequences for not getting the legislation right. Opposition finance spokeswoman Senator Jane Hume says the coalition will support measures to stamp out corruption. [But] if you get it wrong, it has dire consequences, she told the ABCs Insiders program on Sunday. Hume says the coalition hasnt seen the final draft legislation of Labors bill, due to be presented in parliament this week, and would seek to ask questions. Will there be procedural fairness and natural justice? Will hearings be in public or private? When will they be one or the other? she said. Because what weve seen in other states and other jurisdictions is when a [corruption commission] goes wrong, it actually affects peoples reputations people have taken their lives. Opposition Leader Peter Dutton on Friday said investigations would also need to be conducted in an expedited manner. I dont support people who have been promoted within the public service that gives rise then to a complaint thats investigated, he said. That takes a year or two, that brings an end to that career when there was no substantive allegation. I dont like the fact that some of these investigations go on for years and people arent cleared. Its a denial of justice in that circumstance. The government will bring forward its anti-corruption commission bill in the House of Representatives following it going to caucus on Tuesday. The bill is expected to go to a committee of MPs and senators for examination. The government is hoping to have the legislation passed this year but it could be pushed into next year if its held up in Senate and committee processes. FBI Conducts Dawn Raid on Home of Catholic Pro-Life Speaker The FBI reportedly arrested Catholic pro-life activist and author Mark Houck in a raid on his rural home early Friday morning. Houck, 48, of Kintnersville, Pennsylvania, is the latest target of a string of Department of Justice-sponsored SWAT raids and arrests, as at least two dozen federal agents swarmed his property in Bucks County with around 15 vehicles at 7:05 a.m. on Sept. 23, reported LifeSite News. The kids were all just screaming, Houcks wife, Ryan-Marie, told the online news portal. It was all just very scary and traumatic. The father of seven is also co-founder and president of The Kings Men, a nonprofit group that promotes healing for victims of pornography addiction. Houck drives two hours south to Philadelphia every Wednesday to sidewalk council for six to eight hours at two different abortion centers, according to his wife. The wife described an incident in which her husband shoved a pro-abortion activist away from his 12-year-old son after the man kept hurling crude inappropriate and disgusting comments at the Houcks and entered the sons personal space. The man, who was not hurt, tried to sue Houck. Ryan-Marie told LifeSite that the violation charge was thrown out of the District Court in Philadelphia this summer, but was somehow picked up by the Justice Department. The Justice Department, meanwhile, accused Houck of having twice assaulted a reproductive health care clinic escort, identified in an indictment as B.L., in violation of the Freedom of Access to Clinic Entrances Act, which makes it a federal crime to use force with the intent to injure, intimidate, and interfere with anyone because that person is a provider of reproductive health care. If convicted of the offenses, Houck faces up to a maximum of 11 years in prison, three years of supervised release, and fines of up to $350,000, according to a Sept. 23 press release. Rifles The 25 to 30 fully armed officers kept pounding at the door and yelling despite Houcks peaceful attempts to placate them. Please, Im going to open the door, but, please, my children are in the home. I have seven babies in the house, Houck said, according to his wife. When he opened the door, they had big, huge rifles pointed at Mark and pointed at me and kind of pointed throughout the house, Ryan-Marie Houck told LifeSite. I dont really know whats going to come of it when you see guns pointed at your dad and your mom in your house when you first wake up in the morning, she told the outlet. With no little irony, we have another incident of gratuitous terrorism from the FBI, in the SWAT raid arrest of Mark Houck. https://t.co/OIOBSgftMO Patrick Delaney (@PatrickDDelaney) September 24, 2022 After Ryan-Marie Houck accused the FBI of kidnapping her husband, the agents provided the first page of the search warrant and said they were taking her husband to the federal building in downtown Philadelphia. The FBI has turned into Bidens secret police force, Ronny Jackson (R-Texas) wrote on Twitter on Sept. 24. Sending a small army of heavily armed agents to raid Mark Houcks home should frighten EVERY American. The FBI using fear & intimidation tactics to go after conservatives needs to END!! The Department of Justice and FBI did not immediately return a request for comment. Sept. 25, 1992 A crowd of more than 100 people crammed into City Council's chambers and overflowed into the corridors last night to speak out against a small band of neo-Nazis that moved into Auburn last week. Spokesmen for the neo-Nazi group, which goes by the name of the United States of America Nationalist Party, also attended the meeting. They claimed the uproar was unnecessary, and they promised they were not interested in bringing violence to the city. "There's no plot to take over the city of Auburn," said Blain Houck, a self-described white supremacist who gave his address as Binghamton. "You will not see any violence here in Auburn from white supremacists." Added Tom Cool, a local white supremacist whose house has become a temporary headquarters for the group: "I feel the media has concocted a hideous conspiracy here. I don't believe it's as bad as everyone is saying." Most of the restless and vocal crowd appeared to disagree, however, and the vast majority of the two-hour public airing was dominated by speaker after speaker who denounced the men's appearance in the region, their beliefs and, in some instances, the citizens of Auburn for allowing an environment of bigoted tolerance that seemed to invite the racists here. "People keep coming up to me and saying, 'Aren't you shocked?'" said Gwen Webber-McLeod, president of the local chapter of the NAACP. "No, I'm not shocked." "Racism has been here all my life in the city of Auburn," said Tracy McLeod. Added Councilor Ann Bunker, "This isn't anything new. These issues have been here." FBI Whistleblower Claims Many Agents Dont Agree With Bureaus Direction An FBI whistleblower recently came forward to warn about the politicization at the FBI, saying that the bureau is spying on law-abiding Americans and that many of its domestic counterterrorism cases are tantamount to entrapment. Kyle Seraphin, who has spent six years in the FBI, was suspended without pay and cant seek another job without quitting or asking for permission. The number of guys who say, I dont agree with whats going on here, but Ive got three years to retire, its heartbreaking, he told podcast host Dan Bongino in a Sept. 22 interview. In one instance, Seraphin said he was forced to blow the whistle last year when Attorney General Merrick Garland told lawmakers that the Department of Justice wasnt targeting parents. He first provided a member of Congress with an email that was circulated within the FBI that stated Garland ordered the usage of the PATRIOT Act against protesting parents with a tag, EDUOFFICIALS. At the time, in May, Reps. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) and Mike Johnson (R-La.) asserted that the investigations involved parents who were upset about mask mandates and state elected officials who publicly voiced opposition to vaccine mandates, while accusing Garland of making false statements to Congress. But of that investigation, Seraphin suggested the FBI is targeting individuals for political purposes. Thats when you become part of political hatchet jobs, and I didnt sign up for that, and nobody I know signed up for that either, he told Bongino. Thats not what people want to get involved in. Later in the interview, Seraphin suggested that more FBI employees will come forward in the future because of the bureaus now-partisan nature. At least 14 FBI whistleblowers have come forward in recent months to provide information about recent actions inside the bureau, Jordan said about the FBIs investigations into the Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach, parents at school board meetings, and Hunter Bidens laptop. Entrapment In an interview with The Washington Times last week, Seraphin said the bureaus investigations into domestic violent extremism, white nationalists, and right-wing extremists are mostly entrapment operations with questionable moral and ethical underpinnings. My team was deployed to 20 or 25 different high-profile, national terrorism organization or terrorism investigations between 2018 and 2021. And what I saw, as the most obvious statement, is that there are three things about counterterrorism investigations, he said. Seraphin stated: Number one, the demand for white supremacy vastly outstrips the supply of white supremacy. Number two, the FBIs playbook, when it comes to counterterrorism investigations, is always and unequivocally morally equivalent to entrapment, even if theres a legal definition that allows them to skirt that. As for No. 3, Seraphin told the Washington Times that the bureau doesnt have an objective metric on how it prioritizes cases. Theres an entirely ridiculous internal process for determining every single national priority, the whistleblower said. A bureau spokesperson told The Epoch Times that claims about entrapment lack merit. This comment is inaccurate and represents a clear misunderstanding of the policy and practice in FBI investigations, the FBI said in a statement. Attorney General Merrick Garland (L) and FBI Director Christopher Wray hold a press conference in Washington on Nov. 8, 2021. (Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images) Seraphin also touched on the Aug. 8 raid at former President Donald Trumps Florida residence at Mar-a-Lago. Trump has often said that the search was political in nature. Recalling the search, Seraphin appeared to question the involvement of the FBI agents and added that he wouldnt participate if he were asked. You ask me to go raid President Obamas house, you ask me to raid President Bushs house, its not happening, he said. Its not happening. Im sorry, its not happening. Im not doing that. Im going to be, probably pretty vocal. Thats probably going to be my last day. The Santa Cruz Portland Cement Co. #2 pulls the Skunk Train in Fort Bragg, Calif., on Sept. 4, 2022. (Cynthia Cai/The Epoch Times) Historic Skunk Train Offers Rides Through the Redwoods FORT BRAGG, Calif.Along Northern Californias coast, the world-famous Skunk Train attracts visitors to Fort Bragg from near and far. A cheery man wearing glasses, blue overalls, a black T-shirt, and a black cap drives the steam train. He is Stathi Pappas, the Skunk Trains general manager. The Skunk Train line includes five historic trains and offers tours through the redwood forest, with special event trains running throughout the year. Passengers enjoy scenery while riding the open car of the Skunk Train in Fort Bragg, Calif., on Sept. 4, 2022. (Cynthia Cai/The Epoch Times) Pappas brought out his locomotive, the Santa Cruz Portland Cement #2, also known as The Chiggen, for the Days of Steam event. The Chiggen was built in 1909. People love the steam locomotive; they love the history that it embodies, and its time to rebuild our own, Pappas told NTD, a sister media of The Epoch Times. Steam locomotives have fascinated Pappas since he was a boy. When he was studying to become an industrial archaeologist, he was struck with the idea to buy one. In 2006, he walked into Pollardvilles Chicken Kitchen in Stockton, California and saw the locomotive painted as a circus train. It had served as a billboard for the restaurant for 30 years. I asked to speak to the owner, who happened to be Neil Pollard, and I asked, Are you guys interested in selling this locomotive? And the answer was at a price that was a little more than what I was going to be able to pay as a starving academic, Pappas recalled. But it didnt take long for him to get his prize. Four months later, the locomotive was hiswith a rubber chicken tied at the front to commemorate its origins. The Santa Cruz Portland Cement Co. #2 prepares to depart from Fort Bragg, Calif., on Sept. 4, 2022. (Cynthia Cai/The Epoch Times) He operates it with his fireman, John Graddon. Graddon explained to NTD that he keeps the water boiling at about 360 degrees to keep up the pressure and keep the train moving. The more pressure you have on the vessel, the more heat it takes to boil the water. The pressure brings the boiling point of the water up. The pressure is not what makes the locomotive run. Its the expansion of letting the water vapor out of the boiler that actually moves the engine, Graddon said. It runs on recycled fuel oil and has done so since 1909. Graddon explained how he and Pappas work together to get the train going. Hes got the bar for direction, the throttle, and the brakes for the train and the engine that hes controlling. So its a marriage between both sides. He has to have me to do his job. If hes not doing his job, theres no reason for me to do mine. So we work together to make everything happen, all in a balance, Graddon said. The crew including Stathi Pappas (R) and John Graddon (C) on the Skunk Train in Fort Bragg, Calif., on Sept. 4, 2022. (Cynthia Cai/The Epoch Times) The Skunk Trains peculiar name came from how bad its exhaust smelled in the old days. When the California Western Railroad bought its railbuses that were gasoline powered, everybody sort of derisively in the local community called it the Skunks, Pappas said. But the management at the time actually embraced thatits a good nickname. Okay, so you called it the Skunk; lets make a logo of the skunk. So Mr. Skunk, the mascot, was created and it became the route of the Skunk, or later on, the Skunk Train. Pappas said the train line started in 1885 as a lumber-hauling railroad. It served as part of the Union Lumber Company. Over the years, the tracks stretched farther east until it connected to the city of Willits. This railroad was in many ways the lifeblood of the community here in Fort Bragg for so many decades. It hauled all the goods and services in from the outside world and hauled the timber out. That made most of the money until the lumber mill shut down in about 2002, Pappas said. It still carries freight, but its economy has changed to focus on passengers. People discovered the beauty of the redwoods during the second half of the 20th century and started to ride the train for the scenery. Passengers ride in a car on the Skunk Train on Sept. 4, 2022. (Ilene Eng/The Epoch Times) From the Fort Bragg station, visitors can go on an hour-long round trip through the redwood forest. The train moves at 15 miles per hour, so people can enjoy the scenery both inside and out. The cars date back to as early as the 1900s. So these are all very historic. The interiorsthey have the original walkover seats in them. Its an authentic experience of being on an old-time train, Pappas said. The train stops at Glen Blair Junction for about 20 minutes. There, people can wander through the forest and enjoy the quiet surroundings. Railbikes are an alternative way to see the redwood forest. They share the rails with the trains. People get back on railbikes after a break at Glen Blair Junction in Fort Bragg, Calif., on Sept. 4, 2022. (Cynthia Cai/The Epoch Times) On the drivers side theres a little black box up there. Its a little motor, Bruce Price, a railbike guide, told NTD. So whenever a driver is pedaling, they can basically give them an electronic assist as they pedal. The railbikes weigh about 250 to 350 pounds. According to Price, anyone 3 and older can ride themeven 90-year-olds. Theres also a throttle; if we have people who dont feel like pedaling or they cant pedal for some reason, they can also just use the throttle, he said. Passengers get off the Skunk Train at Glen Blair Junction for a break on Sept. 4, 2022. (Ilene Eng/The Epoch Times) After the quick stop, the train sets off into the woods once more. If you talk to anybody sort of in this part of the world, and you say I work for the Skunk Train, everybody says I remember riding that with my parents or my grandparents or I took my kids there. And so theres such a legacy here of people, cross-generation, coming to ride this train, Pappas said. Its a magical institution; its one of the flagship institutions in the entire railroad industry, and it feels great to be a part of it. The Skunk Train also departs from Willits on a longer, two-hour roundtrip journey into the redwoods. Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio) ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee listens during a mark up hearing in the Rayburn House Office Building in Washington on June 2, 2022. (Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) House Republicans Warn Ex-FBI Agent to Not Destroy Documents Related to Hunter Biden Investigation Timothy Thibault, a former top FBI official who left the bureau last month, has been warned to not alter or destroy documents and communications in his possession, particularly those connected to his work on the Hunter Biden investigation. The warning came from three Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee who sent a Sept. 23 letter to Thibault, asking the former FBI agent to preserve all existing and future records and materials in his possession. Whistleblowers have come to Congress alleging that you were part of a scheme to undermine and discredit allegations of criminal wrongdoing by members of the Biden family. Accordingly, we believe that you possess information relating to our investigation and we request your assistance with our inquiry, the letter reads. The letter was signed by Rep. Jim Jordan (R-Ohio), the committees ranking Republican member; Rep. Darrell Issa (R-Calif.); and Rep. Mike Johnson (R-La.). Before leaving the FBI, Thibault was an assistant special agent in charge at the bureaus Washington Field Office. Thibault came under close scrutiny in late July after FBI whistleblowers told Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) that the former FBI official ordered closed information that the bureau had obtained about Hunter Bidens criminal financial and related activity in 2020. Hunter Biden walks to Marine One on the Ellipse outside the White House on May 22, 2021. (Brendan Smialowski/AFP via Getty Images) Grassley has also noted (pdf) how Thibault had displayed a political bias against former President Donald Trump, citing his Twitter activities. For example, Thibault once shared a Twitter post that called Trump a psychologically broken, embittered, and deeply unhappy man. However, Thibaults lawyers with Morrison & Foerster told The Epoch Times in a statement in August that he didnt show any political partisanship in his work and did not supervise the investigation of Hunter Biden. You should construe this preservation notice as an instruction to take all reasonable steps to prevent the destruction or alteration, whether intentionally or negligently, of all documents, communications, and other information, including electronic information and metadata, that are or may be responsive to this congressional inquiry, the three lawmakers told Thibault in their letter. House Republicans have said that theyll launch an investigation into Hunter Biden if they regain a majority in the chamber in November. As a result, the letter suggests that Thibault would likely be a target of that investigation. Domestic Violent Extremism Other documents and communications that Thibault needs to preserve are related to an allegation that he pressured line agents to reclassify cases as domestic violent extremism even though there was minimal, circumstantial evidence to support a reclassification, the letter reads, citing a July report from Breitbart. In a letter (pdf) to FBI Director Christopher Wray in July, Jordan said one of the FBI officials pressuring agents to reclassify cases was a field office Counterterrorism Assistant Special Agent in Charge. Jordan later told Breitbart that the unnamed agent in his letter was Thibault. Given the narrative pushed by the Biden Administration that domestic violent extremism is the greatest threat facing our country, the revelation that the FBI may be artificially padding domestic terrorism data is scandalous, Jordans letter to Wray reads. It turns out that the FBI was inflating the number of these cases to make it seem as though the United States has a bigger domestic violent extremism than it actually does, Jordan said last week, basing the claim on another whistleblower. The new whistleblower also revealed that the FBI was redirecting resources away from child sexual abuse cases to Jan. 6, 2021, Capitol breach cases. In their letter, the three Republican lawmakers are also requesting that Thibault take part in a transcribed interview. The former FBI official needs to schedule the interview by Oct. 7, according to the letter. We are investigating several allegations concerning the politicization of the Department [of Justice] and the FBI, the letter reads, noting that Thibaults testimony is necessary to advance our oversight. Sara Brady arrested for trespassing on public park at the Kleiner Park in Meridian, Idaho, in April 2020. (Courtesy of Sara Brady) Idaho Woman Arrested in Public Park During 2020 Lockdowns Continues to Fight Her Charge An Idaho woman who was arrested for trespassing in a public park during the rising frenzy of fear and government overreach stemming from conflicting media reports about COVID-19 in April 2020 continues to fight the 2-year-old misdemeanor charge on the grounds of personal liberty. Im not just fighting for my innocence, Sara Brady told The Epoch Times. Im fighting for America. On Sept. 20, Judge Adam Kimball at Ada County Courts in Boise, Idaho, delayed a decision on Bradys motion for dismissal of the charge. In April 2020, Brady said she was invited to a play date at the Kleiner Park in Meridian, Idaho, where the playground equipmentpreviously circled with caution tape that had been torn offhad been shut down by city officials to control the spread of COVID-19. There had been social media talk of a protest of the parks closure, she said, but when she arrived, there was the usual scene: a sunny day with mothers visiting while their children took in the fresh air while exploring the equipment. However, she said, when she saw Meridian Police Department (MPD) officers arbitrability begin to shut down the playground and tell everyone to leave while other parts of the park were open, what became a playdate turned into a protest. We were a bunch of moms who had been told we werent essential and as a result, we had to stay in our houses for the last six weeks, so we were already a little bit on the edge, Brady said. Brady, who is married to a police officer, began questioning one of the officers until he threatened to arrest her. At that point, I just felt so singled out and was done with the stupidity of everything I had seen with how people were reacting to this virus with so much hypocrisy, she said. I hit my max and told him, Fine, arrest me for being in a public park. She was arrested and booked in the Ada County Jail, where she was released on a $300 bond hours later, she said. Sara Bradys mugshot taken at Ada County Jail. (Courtesy of Sara Brady). Freest State in the Nation The (MPD) didnt immediately reply to The Epoch Times request for comment, but according to its police report, it was responding to a complaint that the closed signs and the caution tape had been removed and that there were several adults and children in the playground area. I informed everyone in the playground area the playground area was closed, and they needed to leave the area, the arresting officer wrote in the report. An adult female identified as Sara Brady wanted to know what authority I had to close the park. The officer said he asked Brady to leave again, then he said she told me to arrest her. I placed Brady into handcuffs and informed her I was detaining her for trespassing, the officer wrote. Brady argued that she wasnt standing in a closed section of the park and that she was only asking questions. Since, Brady said, Republican Lawrence Wasden, the states Attorney General, has taken on the prosecution as Brady has campaigned to bring attention to what she said she sees as a violation of freedom of speech and a state and local government blind acceptance of corrupt, socialist policies. The Attorney General said hes been ready since day one to prosecute my case, Brady said. Idaho should be the freest state in the nation, but Republican leaders continue to look away as a mom is dragged through the court system for 2.5 years for standing on an open and legal area of the park. The Idaho Attorney Generals office didnt immediately respond to The Epoch Times request for comment. Questionable Policies Four lawyers, two canceled trials, over 20 Zoom hearings, and $25,000 spent in legal fees later, Brady said, The process has become the punishment. The longer they push this out, it just shows how punitive this is, Brady said. According to the anti-socialist organization Idaho Freedom Foundation, the arrest came days after police in Rathdrum, Idaho, arrested a mother of six for having a non-essential yard sale, which law enforcement said violated Republican Gov. Brad Littles stay-at-home order. Each state government had enacted restrictive executive orders throughout 2020 and 2021 based on Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines that included lockdowns and staying 6 feet apart. The effectiveness of these guidelines has come into question, as some have argued that theyve done more harm than good. Bradys arrest led to several protests, among those were one in front of the city hall and at the park itself. People who protested the executive orders compared them to the former socialist policies in Nazi Germany and the current communist health mandates in China. At one point, Brady said she was offered a deal: pay $50 and have the misdemeanor reduced to an infraction, Brady said. It was insulting because my innocence is honestly worth more than that, so I countered and said, You guys dismiss the case and Ill publicly announce that you have finally done the right thing, Brady said. They didnt take the deal. The next hearing is set for Oct. 20, Brady said. A picture obtained by AFP outside Iran on Sept. 21, 2022, shows Iranian demonstrators taking to the streets of the capital Tehran during a protest for Mahsa Amini, days after she died in police custody. (AFP via Getty Images) Iran Roiled by Protests Amid Mounting Regional Tension Iran saw several days of violent protests last week, triggered by the death of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old woman who died in police custody after being detained for inappropriate attire. Dozens have reportedly been killed, including security personnel, in what Iranian state media has described as foreign-backed riots. While American officials voice support for the protesters, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi has vowed to deal decisively with the demonstrations, which, as of Sept. 25, have persisted in several Iranian cities. Mehmet Koc, a senior expert at the Ankara-based Iranian Studies Center, attributed the protests to long-simmering resentment over Irans mandatory head-scarf practices, which culminated in Mahsa Aminis death. But its possible that external forces hope to capitalize on the crisis, Koc told The Epoch Times. Notably, the protests first erupted in earnest on the same day that Iran officially joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO), a formidable bloc of Eurasian states led by Russia and China. Death Sparks Outrage On Sept. 13, Amini was detained in Tehran for failing to adhere to Irans strict Islamic dress code for women. Three days later, while still in police custody, she died in hospital. While the authorities claim Amini died of sudden heart failure, her family says there is evidence that she suffered physical abuse at the hands of police, which led to her death. On Sept. 16, thousands of people hit the streets of the capital to protest both Aminis death and Irans conservative restrictions on dress, according to which women must cover their hair and wear loose-fitting clothing. Despite promises by authorities to investigate the incident, protests rapidly spread to other cities, including Esfahan, Tabriz and Mashhad. In some cases, angry protesters attacked and set on fire police stations and vehicles. According to recent tallies by official Iranian sources, at least 35 people, including security personnel, have been killed in the unrest. Some independent commentators, however, put the death toll much higher. Amid reports that Internet access had been cut by the Iranian authorities, the U.S. Treasury Department on Sept. 23 vowed to broaden the range of online services available in the country. Deputy Treasury Secretary Wally Adeyemo said the Washington was redoubling its support for the free flow of information to the Iranian people. The same day saw large counter-demonstrations in several Iranian cities, in which protesters defended Islamic cultural norms, voiced support for the government, and blamed the unrest on foreign enemies. In televised comments, Iranian Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi asserted that the anti-government protests were not related to Ms. Amini at all and that her death was being exploited by organized groups seeking to wreak havoc in the country. Iranians march during a pro-hijab rally in the capital Tehran on Sept. 23, 2022. (AFP via Getty Images) Geopolitical Realignments Amini died and the protests began on Sept. 16, the same day that Iran joined the SCO at a watershed summit in the Uzbek city of Samarkand. Attended by leaders of major Eurasian states, including Russia and China, the SCO summit in Samarkand was widely perceived as a direct challenge to western influence in the region. Currently the worlds largest regional bloc, the SCO was originally founded by Moscow and Beijing in 2001 to serve as a bulwark against perceived U.S. global hegemony. Speaking to fellow Eurasian leaders at the summit, Russian President Vladimir Putin hailed the emergence of new centers of power able to stand up to western influence. Koc believes that Iran, long the target of U.S. sanctions, will benefit from its membership in the organization. Firstly, it will serve to offset Washingtons efforts to isolate Iran internationally, he said. It will also strengthen the countrys ability to deal with the effects of US sanctions. SCO membership is also expected to cement ties between Iran and Russia, both of which firmly support Syrias Bashar al-Assad government. Notably, on Sept. 23, officials in Kyiv announced plans to downgrade Ukraines diplomatic ties with Tehran over an alleged decision by the latter to supply Russia with advanced aerial drones. In Samarkand, Chinese leader Xi Jinping said the world was currently witnessing geopolitical realignments not seen in a century. He also warned of attempts by external forces to instigate color revolutions in SCO member states. Koc, for his part, dismissed the suggestion that foreign powers were organizing and implementing the ongoing protests in Iran. But its possible that external forces hope to capitalize on the crisis, he said, noting that the protests come at a time when Iran is unwilling to make concessions in talks with the West over its nuclear program. A boy rides his bicycle past a burned-out auto oil store in Batken, some 1000 kilometres from Bishkek, on Sept. 22, 2022. (Vyacheslav Oseledko/AFP via Getty Images) Regional Unrest Iran isnt the only SCO member state to have experienced tensions within the last two weeks. On Sept. 12, clashes erupted between Armenia and SCO member Azerbaijan, leaving scores dead on both sides. Two days later, at least 100 people were killed in clashes between SCO members Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan. According to Koc, the rapidly escalating rivalry between Russia and the collective West could be a contributing factor to the recent unrest in areas seen as Russias backyard. As a result of this ongoing power struggle, he added, its very likely that tensions in these areas will continue in the upcoming period. Reuters contributed to this report. Judge: Warrants to Search Homes of LA County Supervisor, Metro Properly Obtained A Los Angeles judge has ruled the Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department properly obtained warrants to search the home of county Supervisor Sheila Kuehl and other locations targeted in a political corruption probe. However, he ordered the agency to turn over any items seized in the searches to the state Attorney Generals Office, which has taken over the investigation earlier this week. Attorneys for the sheriffs department assured Superior Court Judge William Ryan on Sept. 22 the materials would be surrendered to state investigators within two weeks. The sheriffs department launched the investigation after a whistleblower alleged that Kuehl contributed to awarding lucrative contracts to Peace Over Violence, a nonprofit organization run by her close friend Patricia Giggans. The series of no-bid contracts worth more than $800,000 was for the nonprofit to operate a sex-harassment hotline for public transit riders and employees of the Metropolitan Transportation Authority between 2014 and 2020. LA County Board of Supervisors Sheila Kuehl speaks onstage at The 44th Annual Peace Over Violence Humanitarian Awards at Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles on Oct. 16, 2015. (Jason Merritt/Getty Images for Peace Over Violence) Last week, sheriffs investigators searched the homes and offices of Kuehl and Giggans, along with offices at Metro and the Metro Office of Inspector General. After the Sept. 14 raid, Kuehl said a county attorney had contacted her the night before and told her about the search. Sheriff Alex Villanuevawho has recused himself from any involvement in the investigation to avoid any appearance of conflict, according to the search warrantsent a letter later that day to the Attorney Generals Office asking it to look into whether county Inspector General Max Huntsman and the county counsels office had violated the law by notifying Kuehl of the search ahead of time. Responding to that request, Attorney General Rob Bonta wrote in the Sept. 20 letter that his office would look into those allegations, but he said since that matter is directly tied to the underlying corruption probe into Kuehl, Metro, Giggans, and Gigganss nonprofit, he would take that over as well. California Attorney General Rob Bonta speaks during a news conference outside of an Amazon distribution facility in San Francisco, California on Nov. 15, 2021. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images) During the Sept. 22 hearing in downtown Los Angeles, Ryan, the superior court judge, rejected requests made by attorneys for Kuehl, Metro, and the nonprofit to have the seized items returned. They argued that their clients were unable to continue to work without the computers and hard drives. However, Ryan also maintained a previous order barring the sheriffs department from looking into the items before it is turned over to the Attorney Generals Office. Ryan also indicated that a special master will likely need to be appointed by the court to identify any privileged material. Los Angeles County Sheriffs Department (LASD) deputies stand outside St. Francis Medical Center hospital following the ambush shooting of two deputies in Compton, in Lynwood, Calif., on Sept. 13, 2020. (Patrick T. Fallon/Reuters) Kuehl has strongly denied the allegation, saying she had no involvement in the contracts and did not vote on them as a member of the Metro Board of Directors. She has blasted the probe as a retaliatory action by Villaneuva, who has repeatedly clashed with the Board of Supervisors over budget and policy issues and has rebuffed subpoenas to appear before the countys Civilian Oversight Commission, of which Giggans is a member. The commission is in the midst of a series of hearings investigating the activities of alleged deputy gangs within the department. Villanueva has been defending the probe, saying it originated with a legitimate allegation of criminal activity. He said earlier this week his office had asked the Attorney Generals Office back in February to participate in the investigation. He also sent a letter Sept. 21 to the Board of Supervisors, demanding that Huntsmanwho contacted Kuehl the night before her home was searchedbe removed from his inspector general position since he is now the target of at least two investigations by Bontas office. City News Service contributed to this report. Alberta Premier Jason Kenney (R) talks to host Sean Speer at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference at the Cambridge Hotel & Conference Centre in Red Deer, Alta., on Sept. 24, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) Kenney Defends His Governments Record in Speech to Conservatives in Final Days as Premier RED DEER, AlbertaIn one of his last public talks to conservatives as premier of Alberta, Jason Kenney defended his governments record, saying he fulfilled the vast majority of his platform promises. We have implemented completely or substantially 90 percent of those 367 platform commitments, Kenney said at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference in Red Deer on Sept. 24. Listing some of these items, Kenney said his government brought in school choice policy which allowed for the creation of more chartered schools in the province, introduced a recovery-oriented approach to deal with substance abuse and addiction which he said has delivered better results than B.C.s harm-reduction approach, and implemented other significant policy reform whose benefits youre now beginning to see. He said an area his government held back on because of the pandemic was health-care reform, adding what still needs to be done is a fundamental reform of the system. He also said his government has taken the initial steps on developing a provincial pension plan, which he hopes future governments will take further. The former federal cabinet minister, who became premier of Alberta after the 2019 election by uniting the conservatives under the United Conservative Party, narrowly won a leadership review of his party in May with 51.4 percent support, but decided to quit as he said the support wasnt strong enough. His successor and the next premier of Alberta will be announced on Oct. 6. Throughout the pandemic, Kenney was criticized by the opposition NDP and mayors of Edmonton and Calgary for not bringing in enough restrictions and policies to deal with COVID-19. Conversely, he was also heavily criticized by MLAs in his caucus and many others for adopting policies that restricted freedoms such as a vaccine passport system and closing businesses and churches. A common theme from many of the candidates to replace Kenney who spoke at the conference later in the day, including those in his caucus, was how their approach to governance would be different from that of the outgoing premier. Kenney, while speaking in the context of bringing in big and lasting reforms, said when he was younger he was an ideological firebrand. But with the benefit of experience, he said he learned that conservatism is a dispensation, not an ideology. And with respect, that is where I think at least I part ways with some of our libertarian friends, who tend to look at things through very ideological lens, which is often, I think, disconnected from reality and the aspirations of ordinary people. Wokeness Concern Kenney talked about his time as multiculturalism minister and later immigration minister under the Conservative government of Stephen Harper, saying he was able to show immigrants that the Conservative Party stands for the same traditional values they themselves hold, and that Canada welcomes immigrants. He also spoke about the importance of maintaining Canadas institutions and traditions. Nobody chooses to immigrate to this country in order to recreate the country that they have left. They come here to become Canadian, of course, to pursue opportunity, but understanding implicitly that what makes this country attractive is a unique set of institutions and values, the rule of law, the free market, parliamentary government, which come from a particular historical context. But he said he is concerned about the increasingly Liberal wokeness that is degrading those institutions and traditions. I regret to see now the velocity of Liberal wokeness which is essentially telling newcomers that they should in fact be ashamed of Canadas past or history and institutions. Referencing the case of a Toronto-area teacher who has been videotaped wearing large prosthetic breasts to class, Kenney said if conservative politicians want to stop some of the craziness, they have to do it in such a way that it doesnt cause division. They have to be seen to be doing so thoughtfully, prudently, and not as a tool of social division. By Elliot Raphaelson The Center for Retirement Research at Boston College (CRR) regularly reports on the needs of older Americans, including healthcare and long-term care. In this column, Ill discuss some findings of a CRR research brief titled, Who will have unmet long-term care needs and how does Medicaid help? The brief states that 25 percent of 65-year-olds will have severe needs related to long-term care that their assets and income will not meet. The Medicaid program, administered at the state level, can help. But even with Medicaid support, a significant minority will still face a varying degree of unmet needs. Medicaid coverage requirements for long-term care vary from state to state. Programs generally cover Long-Term Services and Supports (LTSS) in a nursing home setting. But more and more, Medicaid also provides home support for LTSS. Most state programs require individuals to need assistance with two or more Activities of Daily Living (ADLs) in order to qualify for LTSS. In order to be eligible for Medicaid support, individuals have to meet income and asset benchmarks. State programs vary in their means tests, but most use federal Supplemental Security Income (SSI) standards and set limits at 300 percent of SSI ($2,523 per month for an individual in 2022). Again, it varies by state, so contact your states Medicaid office. The asset limits to qualify for LTSS are $2,000 for individuals and $3,000 for a married couple. Many individuals spend down their assets in order to meet eligibility requirements. The value of a primary home is exempt, within limits, as long as it is the main home for the individual, or spouse, or close relatives. For a single person, the home is exempt if there is intent to return to it; the state evaluates this. If a person moves permanently into a nursing facility, the home can be counted as an asset, or the state may require that the equity value be used to pay for health care cost, reimbursement after death. Some states exempt the pension income of a spouse who does not plan on receiving Medicaid support. There are 11 states with higher asset limits. Connecticut is the only state with a lower asset limit. There are 14 states (including the District of Columbia) with lower income limits. You can contact your states Medicaid office to determine the asset/income limit for your state. There is a five-year look-back period that the state reviews to ensure that assets transferred in the last five years were not improperly liquidated. Trends show that Medicaid programs tend to cover home care for individuals who qualify, and usage of nursing homes is in decline. There is generally a long waiting period for acceptance at a nursing home, even if you meet the asset/income requirements. If you are accepted at a nursing home, you would generally be eligible for only semi-private facilities, not a private room. The only exception would be if it was medically necessary. The report did not cover the sources you can use to determine Medicaid eligibility. However, there are many attorneys who specialize in Medicaid. You can contact your local bar association to determine which attorneys in your area specialize in Medicaid support. Such an attorney can help you determine your eligibility and, if necessary, help you with legal steps required for you to meet the eligibility requirement in your state. (Elliot Raphaelson welcomes your questions and comments at raphelliot@gmail.com.) 2022 Elliot Raphaelson. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The Epoch Times Copyright 2022 The views and opinions expressed are those of the authors. They are meant for general informational purposes only and should not be construed or interpreted as a recommendation or solicitation. The Epoch Times does not provide investment, tax, legal, financial planning, estate planning, or any other personal finance advice. The Epoch Times holds no liability for the accuracy or timeliness of the information provided. People watch a television screen showing a news broadcast with file footage of a North Korean missile test, at a railway station in Seoul, South Korea, on Sept. 25, 2022.(Jung Yeon-je/AFP via Getty Images) North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile Ahead of Military Drills by South Korea, US SEOUL, South KoreaNorth Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast on Sept. 25, ahead of planned military drills by South Korean and U.S. forces involving an aircraft carrier, and a visit to the region by U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris. South Koreas military said it was a single, short-range ballistic missile fired from near the Taechon area of North Pyongyan Province just before 7 a.m. local time and flew about 600 km (373 miles) at an altitude of 60 km and a speed of Mach 5. After the launch, the Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Kim Seung-kyum and the U.S. Forces Korea Commander Paul LaCamera discussed the situation and reaffirmed their readiness to respond to any threat or provocation from North Korea, it added. South Koreas National Security Council held an emergency meeting to discuss response measures and condemned the launch as an apparent violation of the U.N. Security Council Resolutions and an unjustifiable act of provocation. South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol, who arrived in Seoul late on Sept. 24 from a trip to Britain, the United States and Canada, was briefed on the launch, the presidential office said. Japanese defense minister Yasukazu Hamada said Japan estimated the missile reached maximum altitude at 50 km and may have flown on an irregular trajectory. Hamada said it fell outside Japans exclusive economic zone and there were no reports of problems with shipping or air traffic. Many of the short-range missiles tested by North Korea in recent years have been designed to evade missile defenses by maneuvering during flight and flying on a lower, depressed trajectory, experts have said. If you include launches of cruise missiles this is the 19th launch, which is an unprecedented pace, Hamada said. The U.S. Indo-pacific Command said it was aware of the launch and was consulting closely with allies. While we have assessed that this event does not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, the missile launch highlights the destabilizing impact of the DPRKs unlawful Weapons of Mass Destruction and ballistic missile programs, it said. Joint Drills The launch comes after the arrival of the nuclear-powered American aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan in South Korea to participate in joint drills with South Korean forces for four days from Sept. 26 to 29, and ahead of a planned visit to Seoul this week by Harris. It was the first time the North carried out such a launch after firing eight short-range ballistic missiles in one day in early June, which led the United States to call for more sanctions for violating U.N. Security Council resolutions. After North Korea conducted an unprecedented number of missile tests this year, including its intercontinental ballistic missiles for the first time since 2017, the United States and South Korea said they would boost joint drills and military displays of power to deter Pyongyang. South Koreas Yonhap news agency reported on Sept. 24 that North Korea may also be preparing to test a submarine-launched ballistic missile, citing the Souths military. By Jihoon Lee A needle, spoon, and narcotics bag are seen near a heroin encampment in the Kensington neighborhood of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, on April 10, 2017. (Dominick Reuter/AFP/Getty Images) NYC Council Eyes Buying Back Used Needles From Drug Addicts The New York City Council is considering a proposal to establish a buy-back program in hopes of stemming the spike in overdose deaths and discarded used drug needles on the streets. Introduction 609, sponsored by East Harlem Councilwoman Diana Ayala, would establish a pilot program that offers up to 20 cents for each needle, syringe, or sharp used at the citys two legal injection sites, with a cap of $10 per individual per day. The program would only be open to active drug users who come to an overdose prevention center (OPC), use the clean needle provided there for drug injection, and dispose of it at the site, according to the proposal. New York City currently has two OPCs, one in Washington Heights and the other in East Harlem. Both sites were opened in November 2021 as part of former mayor Bill de Blasios initiative to reduce overdoses. If implemented, the program would last for a year. The citys public health department at that point would recommend whether or not to continue the program or whether to expand it to cover needles and syringes that have been used somewhere other than an OPC. The intent of the bill is to get those folks that are using on our streets and open spaces to bring back the dirty needle (possibly to OPC site) as opposed to discarding them improperly, Ayala, a Democrat, wrote in a Twitter thread. Others called the proposal misguided and an invitation to drug addicts to the city. Queens Councilwoman Joann Ariola, a Republican, argued that taxpayers money shouldnt be spent on paying people to use drugs. Its not going to benefit the person who is the drug addict who is using the needles, Ariola told New York Post. It could be harmful to the person who is collecting these needles. And whos paying the [twenty] cents per needle? Where is that money coming from? I think the taxpayers are paying for enough! The creation of New York Citys OPCs came after Gov. Kathy Hochul in October 2021 signed a law to decriminalize the possession and sale of hypodermic needles and syringes across the state. As a result, the citys police officers were directed to stop arresting people who possess, sell, or even share needles that are commonly used by addicts to inject drugs such as heroin. According to the bill that became law, decriminalizing the possession and sale of needles will encourage more people to come to places like the OPCs, which provide clean needles and naloxone to reverse overdoses. Rep. Nicole Malliotakis, a Republican who represents parts of South Brooklyn and Staten Island, opposed de Blasios plan to open what she described as heroin injection centers. In November 2021, she sent a letter to Attorney General Merrick Garland, calling on the Department of Justice to take action to enforce federal anti-drug law. Opening taxpayer-funded heroin shooting galleries is not a proper solution. These centers not only encourage drug use but they will further deteriorate our quality of life, she said. More than a million people in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic are waking up without power again Thursday after Hurricane Fiona wreaked havoc on critical infrastructure earlier this week, also leaving some residents without running water as the Category 4 storm nears Bermuda. The forceful storm has killed at least five people across the Caribbean, including one in Guadeloupe, two in Puerto Rico and two in the Dominican Republic. And many residents are now enduring the aftermath of what became the first major hurricane of this year's Atlantic season. "This was something incredible that we've never seen before," Ramona Santana in Higuey, Dominican Republic, told CNN en Espanol. "We're in the streets with nothing, no food, no shoes, clothes, just what's on your back," Santana said. "We don't have anything. We have God, and the hope help will come." In Puerto Rico, where Fiona delivered flooding rains and an island-wide blackout as it made landfall Sunday, more than one million homes and businesses were still without power Wednesday, according to the government's emergency portal system. Additionally, more than 450,000 people across the island were without water service or experiencing intermittent service as of Wednesday night, according to the website. In the Dominican Republic, where Fiona made landfall early Monday morning, nearly 350,000 homes and businesses were blanketed in darkness Wednesday, according to Maj. Gen. Juan Mendez Garcia, director of the country's emergency operations center. And there was no running water for more than a million customers, he said. More than 600 homes were destroyed and some communities were cut off from aid due to the storm, Garcia said. As Fiona hit the Dominican Republic in the middle of the night Monday, Iverice Viera said she was in waist-deep floodwater as she rushed to wake up her neighbors in Higuey. She is now trying to dry out her belongings. "The rooms are empty, I had to throw away a lot, there's no electricity or water to wash anything," Viera told CNN en Espanol. Puerto Rico is making some progress on the relief front: President Joe Biden approved a major disaster declaration for the US territory Wednesday, FEMA said. The move allows residents to access grants for temporary housing and home repairs as well as low-interest loans to cover uninsured property losses. "This ensures that our people will have access to additional help from FEMA to recover from the damage caused by this event," Puerto Rico Gov. Pedro Pierluisi said in a tweet. New York City Mayor Eric Adams deployed a team of representatives from various city agencies to Puerto Rico to help officials surveying the damage. "The team will include representatives from New York City Emergency Management (NYCEM), New York City Department of Buildings, the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, and the New York City Department of Design and Construction," according to a news release from the mayor's office. Fiona on path to impact Bermuda next Packing sustained winds of 130 mph early Thursday, Fiona was located about 600 miles southwest of Bermuda and about 1,300 miles south-southwest of Nova Scotia, Canada, according to CNN Meteorologist Robert Shackelford. The center of the storm is expected to pass just west of Bermuda early Friday. "The National Hurricane Center is certain that Bermuda will experience tropical-storm-force winds. Once Fiona passes by Bermuda, the storm is forecast to impact Nova Scotia by Saturday afternoon," Shackelford said. Officials in Nova Scotia held a news conference Wednesday to warn residents of the impact they may face this weekend. Jason Mew, director of the emergency management office, said residents should prepare by securing outdoor items, trimming trees, charging cell phones and creating an emergency kit. Mew added that shelters will be open to house people experiencing homelessness and anyone else who needs them. Meanwhile, US officials issued a travel advisory, warning Americans not to travel to Bermuda as Fiona approaches. The State Department has also authorized family members of US government personnel to leave Bermuda due to the impending storm. Bermuda is currently under a tropical storm warning and a hurricane watch because hurricane-force winds could extend out 45 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend out up to 195 miles, Shackelford said. Turks and Caicos also experiencing power outages After Hurricane Fiona battered Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic, it also menaced parts of the Turks and Caicos on Tuesday. Many areas on Turks and Caicos were still without power Wednesday, specifically on Grand Turk, South Caicos, Salt Cay, North Caicos and Middle Caicos, according to Anya Williams, the acting governor of the islands. Officials there said they were relieved no one was killed in the storm as they began visiting several islands and making repairs. Meanwhile in Puerto Rico, crews have faced setbacks in restoring power to the island. Many lines believed to have been repaired were temporarily knocked back offline because of various equipment issues, Josue Colon, executive director of the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority said Wednesday. The repairs are taking place almost exactly five years after Hurricane Maria plunged the island into an extended blackout in 2017. Across the island, more than 800 people were housed in dozens of shelters Wednesday, according to Puerto Rico's Housing Secretary, William Rodriguez. The-CNN-Wire & 2022 Cable News Network, Inc., a Warner Bros. Discovery Company. All rights reserved. One person was killed and two others injured during a multi-vehicle crash on the Santa Ana (5) Freeway that included a well-involved semi-truck fire in Irvine, Calif., on Sept. 24, 2022. (Screenshot via Twitter/OCFireAuthority) One Killed, 2 Injured in Fiery Multi-Vehicle Freeway Crash in Irvine IRVINE, Calif.A man was killed and two others injured Sept. 24 during a multi-vehicle crash on the Santa Ana (5) Freeway in Irvine that included a well-involved big rig fire, authorities said. The man who died was 59-year-old Daniel Franco of Lake Forest, according to Orange County sheriffs Sgt. Todd Hylton. The crash occurred a little after 4 a.m on the southbound freeway at Jamboree Road, the California Highway Patrol reported. Firefighters and paramedics dispatched to the location at 4:08 a.m. reported one person dead at the scene. Paramedics rushed two people, in stable condition, to a hospital, the Orange County Fire Authority reported. Peer-Reviewed Studies on Ivermectin Retracted Without Explanation: Dr. Pierre Kory Both sides of the debate surrounding the controversial drug, ivermectin, agree it can kill SARS-CoV-2, the virus that causes COVID-19. But some groups have characterized the drug as a COVID-19 cure, while others have classed it as dangerous. While many published studies advise against using ivermectin for COVID-19, studies that showed statistically-significant benefits for the treatment have been taken down and retracted without explanation. Thats according to Dr. Pierre Kory, a pulmonary and critical care medicine specialist who is the president and co-founder of the Front Line Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC). Kory and a number of other physicians who support ivermectin use in treating COVID-19, especially in early treatment, were among those whose papers on ivermectin were retracted by journals that Kory alleges are beholden to Big Pharma. We saw peer reviewed articlesarticles that passed peer review by experts in their field, including my ownretracted without explanation, Kory said on Sept. 10 at a Reclaiming Medicine conference hosted by the Australian Medical Professionals Society (AMPS) in Melbourne, Australia. I have numerous colleagues whose papers that were supportive of ivermectin in reasonably high impact journalsthey were retracted. And then the only thing youll ever see published in high impact journal are supposedly negative studies, he said. What I have noticed after having identified ivermectin, [and] publishing the first comprehensive review paper, is that weve had unrelenting media attacks on us as researchers. Dr. Pierre Kory, a pulmonary and critical care medicine specialist and president and co-founder of the Front Line Critical Care Alliance (FLCCC), speaks at at a conference hosted by the Australian Medical Professionals Society in Melbourne, Australia on Sept. 10, 2022. (Australian Medical Professionals Society/Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Kory said he has first hand knowledge of 88 controlled trials, including all of the health ministry programs around the world, that successfully used ivermectin in early COVID-19 treatment. I know the drug works and Ive been disseminating that knowledge. Unfortunately, the narrative is that it doesnt work and that its a horse dewormer, Kory previously told host Jan Jekielek on Epoch TVs American Thought Leaders program. They base that on a couple of trials published in high impact journals, and then they try to dismiss the drug. All of the complaints are from physicians and pharmacists. Not one patient has ever submitted a complaint against the care that Ive delivered, and that pertains to my entire career, he said. Retracted Papers At the conference, Kory identified three examples of manuscripts on ivermectin that were retracted after they were submitted to medical journal publications and passed peer review. (Australian Medical Professionals Society/Screenshot via The Epoch Times). One example was a manuscript by Elgazzar et al., titled Ivermectin for Prevention and Treatment of COVID-19 Infection: A Systematic Review, Meta-analysis, which was retracted without any opportunity of reply, according to a letter to the editor by researchers Bryant et al. Elgazzars manuscript was accused of data fabrication and plagiarism. The second example was a review article by Zaidi and Dehgani-Mobaraki titled, The mechanisms of action of ivermectin against SARS-CoV-2an extensive review, which was retracted by a journals editor-in-chief, who cited concerns with its methodology and conclusion. [T]he cited sources do not appear to show that there is clear clinical evidence of the effect of ivermectin for the treatment of SARS-CoV-2. The Editor-in-Chief therefore no longer has confidence in the reliability of this review article. None of the authors agree to this retraction, the retraction notice states. The third example was Korys own research article titled, Review of the emerging evidence demonstrating the efficacy of Ivermectin in the prophylaxis and treatment of COVID-19, which he said was also retracted after passing peer-review. Korys article was later amended by removing its original reference to the study by Elgazzar et al. Kory also mentioned other papers, including one co-authored by Nobel Prize winner Dr. Satoshi Omura, titled Global trends in clinical studies of ivermectin in COVID-19. Omura shared one quarter of the Nobel prize in physiology or medicine in 2015 for his discoveries in ivermectin for river blindness and elephantiasis. One of the retracted studys co-authors is Dr. Morimasa Yagisawa, the lead author of the study and Omuras colleague. This [paper] was published by the Nobel Prize winner himself, hes the world expert on ivermectin, and that was also ignored, and his pleas to use ivermectin were ignored, Kory said. In an interview with ABS-CBN news, Yagisawa said the World Health Organization (WHO) and other relevant state drug regulators neglected all of such small trials of ivermectin in COVID-19, stating supposed heavy bias and the need for three-phase studies, including placebo-controlled trials. Kory told the conference: Youre dealing with the vast amount of the nations, or the really the worlds, physicians who literally and very strongly believe that ivermectin is dangerous, its ineffective. [Theyve been led to think], Only conspiracy theorists and unvaccinated people would ever want to use ivermectin. Its absolutely atrocious whats happened. He added: This has never happened in our collective careers, ever. You have to understand something went really wrong in COVID. During a typical peer review process, an academic paper is scrutinized by other academics anonymously. The process is intended to see whether the paper passes muster, including to see whether findings from the study are valid, meaningful, or whether a given experiment performs its intended function. Peer-reviewed papers are generally considered to be more credible and valid compared to pre-printspapers that have not been reviewed. A retraction occurs when a published paper is deemed at a later time to be erroneous. This can be damaging to a researchers employment, funding, and reputation. Retractions are particularly damaging if initiated by the publisher or the editor, rather than the authors themselves. Self-retractions initiated by the authors usually occur when authors later find mistakes in their study after publication. Such a move is generally associated with humility and integrity to further the accuracy of the sciences. But when the editor or publisher retracts a paper, they usually say the decision was due to the alleged use of fraudulent data, plagiarism, untrue authorship claims, and other general misconduct related to professional code of ethics. All such reasons cited can impact the study authors reputation. Evidence on Ivermectin Dismissed in Australia Dr. Phillip Altmana veteran and expert in the areas of clinical medical research and pharmaceutical drug regulatory affairs in Australiasaid he made detailed submissions to Australias national COVID-19 Clinical Evidence Task Force where he provided successful national campaigns of early treatment of COVID-19 with ivermectin for hundreds of millions of people in India, Mexico, Peru, and Brazil. These so-called experts did not even bother to respond, he said on Sept. 10 at the Reclaiming Medicine conference. Dr. Phillip Altman, an expert in the areas of clinical medical research and pharmaceutical drug regulatory affairs in Australia, speaks at a Reclaiming Medicine conference hosted by the Australian Medical Professionals Society in Melbourne, Australia, on Sept. 10, 2022. (The Epoch Times) The Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA), Australias medicine and therapeutics regulator, said in a statement to The Epoch Times that while it welcomes and encourages discussions with prospective sponsors on the regulation process for potential COVID-19 treatments, as at 15 September 2022, no application has been submitted to the TGA to support the use of ivermectin, either alone or in combination, for the treatment or prevention of COVID-19. In Australia, doctors are permitted to prescribe ivermectin only for conditions approved by TGA. These conditions include scabies and certain parasitic infections. COVID-19 is not TGA-approved for ivermectin prescription. The TGA told The Epoch Times in an emailed statement that more evidence is required before ivermectin can be considered a safe and effective treatment option for COVID-19. This is the consensus view of international regulators and several top-tier medical journals, a TGA spokesperson said. Additionally, the U.S. governments National Institute of Health (NIH) recommends against the use of ivermectin for the treatment of COVID-19, except in clinical trials. Currently, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) warns against the use of ivermectin for COVID-19, saying that taking large doses of ivermectin can be dangerous. Side effects of large doses of ivermectin include skin rashes, nausea, and vomiting, it says. But at the same time, agency has long approved ivermectin to treat certain parasites, head lice, and skin conditions like rosacea. Ivermectin has also been featured on the WHOs List of Essential Medicines for decades. Treatment Benefit of Ivermectin At the Reclaiming Medicine conference, Kory pointed to C19early.com, a website that compiles findings from hundreds of studies on various early treatment options for COVID-19. The websites show the treatment benefit of each option through a forest plot. A reading less than 1 indicates that the treatment option is better than doing nothing, and ivermectin has a number below 0.4 across 91 different studies, with an average improvement of 62 percent in overall improvement and 83 percent improvement as a prophylaxisall significant results. (Image on ivermectin studies with forest plot graph/c19ivermectin.com) If you look at the forest plot, these are all of the trials showing that it is large magnitude benefits [from ivermectin]. And when you average these and summarize all the patients, you find an astounding massive improvement in numbers of clinical outcomes, Kory told the conference. If their efficacy was known to the world, it would blow up a marketplace in the hundreds of billions of dollars. Ive never seen 88 controlled trials; usually after 5, 10, 15, its considered proven. The Epoch Times has reached out to the FDA for comment. A recent literature review published in the Journal of Antibiotics in 2021, a Nature-affiliated journal, found that ivermectin could pose 20 different actions against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. These actions fell under umbrella functions that included preventing viral entry into host cells, and preventing viral propagation and inflammation. The literature review cited an article published in Frontiers in Microbiology, in which authors compared ivermectin, chloroquine, hydroxychloroquine, remdesivir, and favipiravir for their ability to bind to target SARS-CoV-2 target proteins and block their actions. Ivermectin showed that it had the highest binding affinity to S subunits on the spike protein, a component involved in viral entry. Authors stated the results imply that ivermectin is the most effective at impeding spike protein actions. The drug can also bind to multiple sites on TMPRSS2, a SARS-CoV-2 protein that is critical to viral fusion into the cell. In the open configuration, ivermectin can also bind with greater affinity to the virus than remdesivir. Ivermectin also had effects against viral spread in host cells, authors noted. According to the paper, when cells are infected by a virus, the cells send out messages to other nearby cells to inform them of a viral infection, making the cells more resistant to the virus. This message is impaired in COVID-19 by the SARS-CoV-2 virus, but the ivermectin inhibits this viral action. Ivermectin is also an anti-inflammatory, and can therefore prevent the over-activation of many inflammatory pathways, thereby preventing severe COVID-19 symptoms such as systemic inflammation, ongoing fever, pain, and so on, authors wrote. Henry Jom Follow Henry Jom is an Australian based reporter covering local Australia news. Contact him at henry.jom@epochtimes.com.au. Planned Parenthood Changes Webpage on Pregnancy After Stacey Abrams Claims Young Fetus Has No Heartbeat One of the nations largest providers of abortion altered its webpage on pregnancy after the Democratic Georgia gubernatorial candidate claimed that a fetus doesnt have a heartbeat at six weeks. There is no such thing as a heartbeat at six weeks, Stacey Abrams, the Democrat, said during a Sept. 21 event in Atlanta while speaking against abortion restrictions. It is a manufactured sound designed to convince people that men have the right to take control of a womans body. A number of people responded online by pointing to the website of Planned Parenthood, which advocates for and performs abortions across the country. What happens during week 56? the Planned Parenthood webpage on early pregnancy stated. A very basic beating heart and circulatory system develop. The page was altered after Abrams made her remarks, according to archived versions of the page. It now states: A part of the embryo starts to show cardiac activity. It sounds like a heartbeat on an ultrasound, but its not a fully-formed heartits the earliest stage of the heart developing. Planned Parenthood didnt immediately respond to a request for comment. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp, a Republican who is running for reelection, signed a six-week abortion ban, known as the fetal heartbeat law, in 2019. The law took effect after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. The law says that any natural person, including an unborn child with a detectable human heartbeat, shall be included in population-based determinations and that a detectable human heartbeat means embryonic or fetal cardiac activity or the steady and repetitive rhythmic contraction of the heart within the gestational sac. Abramss campaign website states that she would veto any legislation that would further restrict abortion rights and that shed try to repeal the abortion ban if she were elected. The U.S. National Library of Medicine states that week five of fetal development includes the heart starting to develop, and in the next two weeks, the babys heart continues to grow and now beats at a regular rhythm. This can be seen by vaginal ultrasound, the library states. Sen. Roger Marshall (R-Kan.), an obstetrics and gynecology doctor, said that Abramss claim is wrong. Babies have a real heartbeat at six weeks. Why do radical Dems hate unborn babies? he wrote on Twitter. Let me be clear: Babies DO have a heartbeat at 6 weeks, Abby Johnson, a former Planned Parenthood worker, said on Twitter. Stop looking for ways to attempt to deny their humanity. An American flag waves outside the U.S. Department of Justice Building in Washington, on Dec. 15, 2020. (Al Drago/Reuters) Professor Pleads Guilty to Concealing Ties With China While Receiving Funds From NASA Zhengdong Cheng, a Texas A&M professor and NASA researcher, pleaded guilty to charges related to lying about his connections to China. Cheng was arrested and charged with conspiracy, making false statements, and wire fraud in 2020. According to an FBIs Twitter post on Sept. 23, Cheng pleaded guilty to lying to Texas A&M University (TAMU) about his affiliations with Chinese entities to violate his agreements with NASA. A federal judge in Houston accepted a plea deal. As part of the deal, Cheng agreed to pay $86,876 in restitution to NASA and a $20,000 fine. Court documents show Cheng and prosecutors agreed that the 13 months he already spent in jail is an appropriate sentence in the matter, the KBTX reported. China Initiative The arrest and charge of Cheng was part of the China Initiative effort, led by the National Security Division (NSD) of the U.S. Department of Justice, for countering nation-state threats to the United States. The department announced the China Initiative in 2018 during the Trump administration to combat Beijings relentless security threats by identifying and prosecuting those engaged in trade secret theft, hacking, and economic espionage. According to the NPR report, the initiative was controversial for causing much criticism from civil rights groups that say it created a climate of fear among Asian Americans. After a review of the initiative, the Biden administration scrapped it in February. In fact, the scale of Beijings efforts to steal U.S. secrets, technology, and research is staggering. The Justice Department will continue to combat Chinese espionage and cyberthreats, just without the China Initiative banner, according to the head of the National Security Division, Assistant Attorney General Matthew Olsen, NPR reported. He also said the department needed to be responsive to concerns raised by civil rights groups, academics, and scientists about what they say were negative ripple effects caused by the China Initiative, according to the NPR. U.S. Assistant Attorney General for National Security John Demers (C) speaks during a press conference announcing the China Initiative to crack down on Chinese espionage at the Justice Department in Washington, on Nov. 1, 2018. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images) Intellectual Property Theft Cheng is accused of hiding his affiliation with Chinese State-owned academic and commercial institutions, such as the Guangdong University of Technology, along with other foreign universities, while disregarding the rules established under his NASA contract during his employment at TAMU, said an FBI Twitter post on Aug. 25, 2020, when Cheng was arrested. Cheng was fired from Texas A&M shortly after his arrest. Texas A&M and the Texas A&M System take security very seriously, and we constantly are on the look-out for vulnerabilities, especially when national security is involved, said John Sharp, chancellor of the Texas A&M System. We will continue to work with our federal partners to keep our intellectual property secure and out of the hands of foreign governments who seek to do us harm, stated the TAMU News Release. The FBI prioritizes investigating threats to academia as part of the commitment to preventing intellectual property theft at U.S. research institutions and companies, according to an FBI Twitter post on Sept. 23, We faithfully protect the integrity of federally funded research and prevent the loss of billions of dollars from the American economy by collaborating with all community, private, and public sector partners, such as Texas A&M University. Cheng is also a participant in Chinas Thousand Talents program, an initiative allegedly designed to attract, recruit, and cultivate high-level scientific talent in furtherance of Chinas scientific development, economic prosperity, and national security, stated the Department of Justice. CAQ leader Francois Legault speaks to the Congress of the Quebec Federation of Municipalities while campaigning Sept. 23, 2022 in Montreal. (The Canadian Press/Ryan Remiorz) Quebec Election: Fiona Briefly Throws Off Quebec Election Campaigns Post-tropical storm Fiona caused some disarray on the campaign trail Saturday as some parties cancelled planned events and Coalition Avenir Quebec Leader Francois Legault briefly suspended his campaign to manage response to the powerful gale that hit Atlantic Canada and parts of Quebec. Legault, the incumbent premier, resumed his re-election bid on Saturday afternoon after meeting with public security officials in Quebec City and holding a briefing with reporters. The CAQ campaign resumed with a planned meeting with QuebecCity Mayor Bruno Marchand. However, a major partisan rally on Saturday night in Terrebonne, north of Montreal, was postponed, Legault said. In Quebec, Fiona hit the Iles-de-la-Madeleine, Gaspe and the provinces Lower North Shore, with the brunt of the impact expected from Saturday to Sunday morning. All party leaders expressed well wishes for Quebecers caught in the storm, which also played havoc with some of their schedules. Quebec solidaire co-spokesperson Gabriel Nadeau-Dubois cancelled a press conference in Montreal, but would meet with party supporters in Rimouski, Que. later in the day. Liberal Leader Dominique Anglade said she was closely monitoring the situation in the affected regions but continued with her campaign in western Quebec as planned in the Outaouais region. Once a Liberal stronghold, the CAQ won three of the areas five ridings during the 2018 election and the Liberals are at risk of losing the two they hold, according to poll-aggregating website qc125.com. Anglade held a rally in the area on Friday and campaigned again on Saturday before heading back to Montreal at the end of the day. The Outaouais has been neglected in the last four years, the health and the economic results demonstrate it, Anglade said. With just over a week until voting day on Oct. 3, all five party leaders are scheduled to appear live on Tout le monde en parle on Sunday night, a popular prime time talk show on Radio-Canada. Parti Quebecois Leader Paul St-Pierre Plamondon also suspended his own campaign on Friday because of flu-like symptoms. He has tested negative three times for COVID-19 using rapid tests, but said Saturday he would only return to the hustings after a PCR test confirmation. As a precaution, we will wait for the return of the PCR before formally resuming the campaign, he told reporters during a scrum in Longueuil, Que. As you can see, Im doing better. Conservative Party of Quebec Leader Eric Duhaime campaigned in the Quebec City-area riding of Chauveau where hes seeking to win a seat in the legislature. He called on Conservative supporters to vote in large numbers to ensure the party elects membersparticularly in the riding where hes runningas two days of advanced voting begins on Sunday. By Sidhartha Banerjee A still image from a video released by the Russian Defense Ministry shows what it said to be a Russian military convoy heading towards the frontline in Ukraine's Kharkiv region, at an unidentified location, on Sept. 2, 2022. (Russian Defense Ministry/Handout via Reuters) Russia Vows Full Protection for Any Annexed Territory as Nuclear Threat Grows Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov says that regions of Ukraine where referendums are being held will be under the Kremlins full protection if they are annexed by Russia, raising the prospect of the use of nuclear weapons. Residents of four Russian-occupied areas in eastern and southern Ukraine continued voting on whether to join Russia. Following those referendums, Russia of course will respect the expression of the will of those people who for many long years have been suffering from the abuses of the neo-Nazi regime, Lavrov told reporters on Sept. 24 after addressing the United Nations General Assembly. He was referring to the Kyiv government. When asked if Russia would possibly use nuclear weapons to defend any annexed regions in Ukraine, Lavrov said that any Russian territory will be under the full protection of the state. All of the laws, doctrines, concepts, and strategies of the Russian Federation apply to all of its territory, he said while referring to Russias doctrine on using nukes. Several days ago, former Russian President Dmitry Medvedev issued a warning on social media that Russia is prepared to use nuclear weapons. That came after Russian President Vladimir Putin announced he would mobilize hundreds of thousands of troops, while also issuing a veiled threat about using all weapons in Russias arsenal to defend its territorial integrity. Russias Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov attends a meeting on Aug. 4, 2022. (Russian Foreign Ministry/Handout via Reuters) While Putins comment was vague, Medvedevs post on Telegram was more explicit. Medvedev currently serves as the deputy chairman of Russias Security Council. Russia has announced that not only mobilization capabilities but also any Russian weapons, including strategic nuclear weapons and weapons based on new principles, could be used for such protection, he wrote, according to a translation. The referendums in four eastern Ukrainian regions, aimed at annexing territory Russia has taken by force since its invasion in February, continued for a third day on Sept. 25; the Russian parliament could move to formalize the annexation within days. By incorporating the areas of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia into Russia, Moscow could portray attacks to retake them as an attack on Russia itself, a warning to Kyiv and its Western allies. Ukraine and its allies have dismissed the referendums as a sham designed to justify an escalation of the war and a mobilization drive by Moscow after recent battlefield losses. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Sept. 25 that his country would regain all the territory Russia had taken. We will definitely liberate our entire countryfrom Kherson to the Luhansk region, from Crimea to the Donetsk region, he said on the Telegram messaging app. Nuclear Threat Navy Adm. Charles A. Richard, the head of U.S. Strategic Command, acknowledged Russias recent warnings about using nuclear weapons. We have not had to do that in over 30 years. The implications of that are profound, he said during a panel discussion last week. Theyre profound for homeland defense. Theyre profound for strategic deterrence as well as us achieving national objectives. And this is no longer theoretical. Richard added that for the first time in decades, its possible the United States will have a possible direct armed conflict with a nuclear-capable peer. Russia and China can escalate to any level of violence that they choose in any domain with any instrument of power worldwide. Reuters contributed to this report. Former President Donald Trump speaks at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Dallas, Texas, on Aug. 6, 2022. (Brandon Bell/Getty Images) Special Master Agrees to Give Justice Department More Time to Provide Seized Documents to Trump The special master on Sept. 24 approved a request from U.S. officials for more time to provide former President Donald Trump and his counsel the thousands of documents that FBI agents seized from Mar-a-Lago in August. U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie, a Reagan appointee, is now giving Trump and the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) until Sept. 27 to agree and enter a contract with a document storage vendor to process the documents from paper to electronic form. Thats four days later than Dearie, the special master in the Trump records case, previously put forth. That extension has delayed other deadlines as well. The government now has until Sept. 30 to provide to Dearie and Trump copies of all the seized materials in electronic format, with each page bearing a unique number under the Bates numbering system, commonly used in the judicial and medical fields. Trumps deadline for reviewing materials separated by the governments team because they may potentially fall under attorney-client privilege and then providing the government with a log of materials he thinks are privileged remains Sept. 26, a possible error by Dearie. Trumps team does have until Oct. 21previously Oct. 14to give the government its final list of privilege claims, and the parties have until Oct 28previously Oct. 21to give a final log of disputes over privilege to the special master, who was entered into the case on the request of Trump and over objections from the government. Other deadlines remain the same, including the Sept. 26 deadline for a government official to attest that the inventory of items seized from Trump is accurate. The earlier deadlines in the Trump records case. (Screenshot via The Epoch Times) The new deadlines in the Trump records case. (Screenshot via The Epoch Times) Issue With Vendors The DOJs request for more time stemmed, officials said, from a struggle to contract a vendor to process and store the paper records. Trumps lawyers and DOJ officials collectively identified six vendors that have the capability to perform the work, with five being identified by the government and a sixth being identified by Trumps team. As of the end of Sept. 22, though, only one vendor expressed interest in bidding on the project. Another said it was not interested, and the remaining four had not responded. That necessitated delaying the schedule in place, top DOJ national security officials, including Jay Bratt, told the court. And that delay would, in turn, delay providing the records to Trump, they added. To allow the vendor to assign staff and do the work, and the district court to enter a judicial protective order, the government suggests moving the deadline for production of electronic copies of the Seized Materials to Friday, September 30, 2022, from the current deadline of Monday, September 26, 2022, the officials said. Trumps lawyers authorized us to represent that Plaintiff agrees with the requested extensions to the deadlines for vendor selection and contracting and production of Seized Materials, according to the filing. Trumps lawyers have not represented otherwise to the court as of yet. (Left) Former President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Fla., on Jan. 31, 2022. (The Epoch Times); (Right) Attorney General Merrick Garland at the Department of Justice in Washington on July 6, 2022. (Bonnie Cash/Pool/AFP via Getty Images) Special Master Gives Trump a Minor Victory in Documents Case Former President Donald Trump needs to disclose to a special master the names of lawyers and employees who will get access to documents and materials seized during last months raid on Mar-a-Lago, and he does not have to divulge that information to the Department of Justice (DOJ). U.S. District Judge Raymond Dearie, in a protective order (pdf) issued late last week, sided with Trumps lawyers after DOJ lawyers asked the court that Trumps legal team provide the names and job titles of any lawyers or other staff who would review the seized materials. The Seized Materials produced by the government are confidential and shall be disclosed to no one other than the Special Master, his staff, admitted [Trumps] counsel of record in this case, staff supporting Plaintiffs Counsel (such as paralegal assistants, secretarial, stenographic, and clerical employees) who are working on this case, the order said. Trumps lawyers must give Dearie the names and job titles of any staff who Plaintiffs Counsel propose to review Seized Materials, according to the judges order. The judge also authorized that vendors who are approved by the Special Master or this Court are able to carry out scanning, hosting, reviewing, or otherwise processing electronic copies of Seized Materials. All the individuals, including vendors, have to sign an acknowledgment of the rules and limitations laid out in his protective order before they can proceed. Violations of this Judicial Protective Order shall be punishable by contempt of court or any other legally available sanction that the Court deems appropriate, Dearie wrote. All parties to whom Seized Materials are disclosed in accordance with this Judicial Protective Order consent and submit to this Courts jurisdiction for purposes of enforcing this order. More Details Last week, the 11th Circuit Court of Appeals ordered that the DOJ can resume reviewing allegedly classified material for investigative purposes. The appeals order said that the department doesnt have to hand over the material to Dearie or to Trumps lawyers until the appeals court issues its full ruling. Meanwhile, Dearie gave both Trumps team and the DOJ until Sept. 27 to enter a contract with a vendor who can store documents and process those documents from paper to an electronic format. On social media, Trump has maintained that the FBI targeted his Mar-a-Lago estate in a politically motivated attack to harm his future political chances. Whats more, the former president said that he had declassified the documents that were seized by the bureau. During an interview last week, Trump told Fox Newss Sean Hannity that as president, he had broad declassification powers. Different people say different things but as I understand it, if youre the president of the United States, you can declassify just by saying its declassified, even by thinking about it, he remarked. Because youre sending it to Mar-a-Lago or wherever youre sending it. There doesnt have to be a process. There can be a process, but there doesnt have to be, Trump continued. Youre the president you make that decision. Too much exposure to social media might be negatively affecting their mental health and wellbeing. (Shutterstock) Technology a Major Driver Behind Increasing Youth Distress, Australian Commission Says Technology plays a key role in the worsening mental health of young Australians, according to Australias leading mental health task force. Up to 1,200 Australians participated in sharing their experience of the nations mental health and suicide prevention system through the Making Connections for Your Mental Health program launched by the National Health Commission (NHC) in July. NHC chief executive Christine Morgan said one of the key themes of the national listening tour was increasing concerns about the well-being of young people. The resting pulse for our young people is much higher in terms of anxiety and psychological distress, she told AAP. When we dig deep into that, theres a lot of conversation around the role of technology its almost like its created a new form of school playground. There are different ways of having relationships, different ways of communicating. And we havent well equipped them for that new school playground. Theres a lot of implications in that for our young people, she said. COVID-19 Restrictions Exacerbate Loneliness Morgan also noted that Australians experienced more loneliness and isolation as a result of the COVID-19 lockdown which began in early 2020 into 2021. She said the pandemic saw a rising presence of suicidal ideation, higher levels of domestic violence, and more acutely unwell people presenting at emergency departments. The NHC chief executive added that one of the reasons that Australias suicide prevention system is not working is because addressing the risk of suicide is not a transactional thing but a relational thing. But since the lockdowns have lifted, Australians mental health is recovering. The Australian National Universitys COVID-19 Impact Monitoring in August 2022 shows that Australians have a higher level of life satisfaction and lower levels of psychological distress and loneliness compared to earlier in 2022. Most lockdowns had lifted by September 2021. Compared to the same period in 2021, Australians are more optimistic about the future, less stressed, and more likely to think that their relationship qualities are improving. Importantly, much of this improvement has been amongst young Australians, who from a mental health and wellbeing perspective were hit hardest by the pandemic, the report said. Older Australians, and particularly those 65 years and over, experienced a relative improvement in their stress levels over the last 12 months. Other issues explored during NHC Connections program were the links between mental health problems and trauma, drug and alcohol misuse, and social determinants. The national listening tour will end in regional NSW next month. Australians are being encouraged to contribute via the online survey. AAP contributed to this article. Jeff Younger with his son, James, who was 7 at the time. Younger vehemently opposes his ex-wife's efforts to transition the boy, now 10. (Courtesy of SaveJames.com) Texas Father Fears Custody Ruling Could Mean Chemical Castration for 10-Year-Old Son Jeff Younger wants to block any attempt to move his son to California A Texas father embroiled in a high-profile custody battle fears a court ruling this week could allow his ex-wife to move to California and medically transition his 10-year-old son to a girl. Jeff Younger, who lives in the Dallas area, told The Epoch Times on Sept. 23 that he will fight the Sept. 21 ruling by Dallas District Judge Mary Brown, and vows hell continue to fight for his son, James. The parents have been engaged in a custody battle over James for most of his life. The mother, Anne Georgulas, started questioning Jamess gender when he was a toddler. She argues that from a young age James chose to identify as a female, wanted to wear dresses, and eventually wanted to be known as Luna. She eventually socially transitioned the boy, and presented him at school as a girl. The school supported that after the couple separated. Younger accused his ex-spouse of leading their young child to socially transition before he could understand the concept or its implications. He said James rejected being female and did not wear dresses when visiting his home after the parents separated in 2015. Demonstrators in downtown Los Angeles speak out about complications associated with gender-reassignment surgeries on March 12, 2022. (John Fredricks/The Epoch Times) I had a dress at my house, but he threw it in the trash can in the middle of the night when he thought I wasnt looking, Younger said. Younger is concerned that his ex-wife now will transition James medically. He says documents he obtained during court proceedings show she took James to a therapist who recommended the family explore gender transitioning at the Dallas-based Genecis medical clinic. Younger intends to file an emergency stay in response to the Sept. 21 court order. Hell ask that a previous jury verdict, allowing 50-50 custody and no child support, be reaffirmed. Brown, a liberal Democrat sitting on the bench for Texas 301st District Court, ruled that Youngers ex-wife could move James and his twin brother, Jude, anywhere in the continental United States. The judge said her ruling was for the safety and welfare of the twins. The order also said Younger would have to schedule supervised parental visits in the county and state where the children reside. In her ruling, the judge ordered the mother not to reveal their future whereabouts to the boys father. And the judge allowed her to apply for new passports. Georgulas, a Dallas-area pediatrician, indicated earlier this month that she intends to move to California, Younger said. California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks onstage during Vox Medias 2022 Code Conference in Beverly Hills, Calif., on Sept. 7. (Jerod Harris/Getty Images) The move is consequential because lawmakers there have passed a bill that, according to a California Senate Rules Committee explanation, would enact various safeguards against the enforcement of other states laws that would penalize individuals from obtaining gender-affirming care that is legal in California. The bill was delivered to the desk of Gov. Gavin Newsom on Sept. 9 and, if not vetoed, will become law. The legislation would prohibit medical providers from releasing information in response to lawsuits originating in other states that oppose gender-affirming care for children. It also would bar California state and local police from arresting or extraditing someone for violating other states laws regarding treatment. As soon as shes there for a year, my sons will become citizens of California, Younger said. And then it becomes legal for them to castrate James. So theyll chemically castrate him. In 2021, Brown stripped Younger of most parental rights, giving full custody in a temporary order to Georgulas, after Younger was late making child support payments, medical support, and interest, as ordered. Then, he only paid his past-due support after the motion for enforcement was filed, according to the judges ruling. Younger believes the new California law will allow his ex-wife to get around a previous Texas court order preventing either parent from treating the child with hormonal suppression therapy, puberty blockers, or transgender reassignment surgery without both parents consent or a court order. In the Sept. 21 ruling, Brown said Younger ignored her instructions to attend therapy sessions. and failed to see his children in the past 13 months. Younger said that he was not allowed to see his children individually, and had to see them together. The judge ordered him to pay hundreds of dollars for each supervised visit. The judge also ordered him not to change James out of a dress when he visited, which Younger refused to do. Ive told the judge Ill just go to jail over that, Younger said. Im not harming my son. The court also issued a gag order against Younger, forbidding him to talk to the media. He defied it. Younger believes the supervised visits ordered by the judge were a setup, so the observer could make adverse reports about his refusal to call the boy Luna. We have reached a point of absolute despotism in the Texas courts, said Younger, who in the spring ran unsuccessfully for the office of state representative on the issue of making gender transition illegal for minors. This is directly the fault of the Republican-controlled Texas Legislature, he said, noting that attempts to pass such legislation in 2021 failed. When reached by The Epoch Times, Georgulas declined to comment on the ruling or her plans to move. The U.S. has sent more than $54 billion to Ukraine since Russia's invasion began, according to The New York Times. Thank you, President Biden. Of this amount, $21.6 billion was other military aid. One of the most important military aids sent to Ukraine were 16 HIMARs (high mobility artillery rocket system) and thousands of rounds of ammunition for these and other weapon systems. These 16 HIMARS were instrumental in retaking recently various Ukrainian territories occupied by Russia in the eastern Donbas region. But to restore all of its captured lands and end this war quickly, Ukraine needs at least 75 more HIMARs (or Rapid Dragon System ... see YouTube). While Ukraine is retaking some of these towns, notably in Izium, they found mass graves of 400-plus Ukrainian bodies, some mutilated and hands tied behind their backs. So Russian atrocities continue, just like torture and deaths and mass graves Ukraine found in Busha. A more menacing potential disaster is that Putin will unleash deadly radiation on Ukraine and the rest of Europe, using nuclear tactical weapons or worse. Such as via the six nuclear reactors that Russia has occupied since their Feb. 24 invasion and seized at Zaporiszhzhia Europes biggest nuclear power complex. A few days ago, Russia landed a missile about 1,000 feet from Zaporiszhzhia. So is Putin threatening the world that if Ukraine keeps retaking more land, his next missile wont be 1,000 feet away? Hmm. Scientists say that a Zaporiszhzhia meltdown would be worse than Chernobyl! God forbid. Putin must be stopped soon! If not, Putin will resort to unleashing a nuclear holocaust in Ukraine and Europe, for he must win, no matter the consequences. President Biden was asked on "60 Minutes": So unlike Ukraine, to be clear, sir, U.S. forces U.S. men and women would defend Taiwan in the event of a Chinese invasion? Yes," Biden said. The U.S. put boots on the ground and lost thousands of American lives in a phony Bush/Cheney Iraq war and now would send American troops to Taiwan if attacked by China, but wont put troops on the ground in Ukraine to save a struggling democracy from a world-wide nuclear holocaust and an end to all democracies? The U.S., EU and NATO have a choice: Provide the needed additional 75 HIMARS or put US/NATO boots on the ground. No one wants America to get into another dumb war, Mr. President. However, I truly believe the U.S. needs to rethink its strategic ambiguity strategy and do one or the other before its too late. What do readers think? Email bill.balyszak@gmail.com. Bill Balyszak Fleming By Valentin Fuentes From TravelPulse Latin America offers great places to enjoy extraordinary sunsets. Its extensive geography includes beaches, mountains, and deserts where travelers can enjoy amazing views amid wonderful natural diversity. Here, we dive into some of the most recommended places for photography lovers and those who seek to relax with the colors of nature at that special time of the day. Chiles Easter Island offers not only one of the worlds most emblematic archeological sites, with its colossal moaithese giant human-shaped stone statues tell the story of the Rapanui people and were created between the 13th and 16th centuriesit is also a great place to enjoy a remarkable sunset. One of the top places set up is located in the ceremonial complex of Tahai, an impressive site that perfectly combines the beauty of the Pacific Ocean with one of the most important archeological sites on the planet. This was a strategic place for the old inhabitants of the island because it has freshwater springs and is close to the sea, where they would fish. Another great place for sunsets in Chile is the stunning Atacama Desert. San Pedro de Atacama offers some of the most privileged views that visitors can find, such as the Lascar Volcano, the Aguas Calientes Volcano, and the Atacama Salt Flats. Here, tourists can get phenomenal photographs of the incredible nature of the area. The characteristics of the land, which consists of salt basins and sand and lava flows, more than 20 million years old, make the red and ochre colors dominate the landscape and make it seem that the visitor is on another planet. The Atacama Desert is surrounded to the east and west by the Andes Mountains. The driest area of this region is near San Pedro de Atacama and Toconao, villages close to the famous ALMA (Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array) observatory, a privileged place in the world to study outer space. Lago Argentino is located in the Patagonian province of Santa Cruz. It is the largest freshwater lake in Argentina with an area of 870 square miles. On the shores of Lago Argentino, photographers can find reserves of flamingos ducks and black-necked swans that live in this place and take advantage of the afternoon to bathe. It is one of the 20 deepest lakes in the world and has a main body, plus two long western arms that are framed within the Los Glaciares National Park where the Perito Moreno and Upsala glaciers drain. On the south bank of the lake is the city of El Calafate, the most popular tourist base for those who like to explore the region to take photographs, among other activities. Playa de Los Enamorados, in Los Cabos, has one of the best sunsets in Mexico, especially in the spot where tourists can see the rock called El Dedo de Neptuno surrounded by a blue sea. It is a beach in Los Cabos that visitors can only reach by boat and has white sand and jade-colored water that changes as the sun sets. In this place, tourists can enjoy fantastic sunsets at the same time as having experiences like kayaking, snorkeling, water taxi rides in the area of the iconic Arch, or glass-bottomed boats to enjoy the great marine diversity of the area. Salar de Uyuni, in Bolivia, is the result of a dry prehistoric lake that left a large expanse of bright salt with rock formations and cactus-filled islands. Those who seek to achieve the best photographs of this majestic place do so in the rainy season because the panorama of the sky reflected in the water forms an incredible mirror effect that allows the best shots. Visitors can take tours of the desert, in special SUVs accompanied by expert guides, that include tasting local wines. The experience is complemented by a view of the landscape that changes color as the sun falls on the horizon because the terrain offers different tones due to the composition of the terrain, rich in minerals such as lithium, potassium, boron, and magnesium, among others. Colonia del Sacramento is located on the west coast of Uruguay. It is an extension of more than 29 acres that is considered a World Heritage Site for the high cultural value of its old buildings. The most popular places to enjoy the sunset are in the so-called Bastion of San Pedro indicated with a high mast and an anchor. Here, visitors can enjoy the sunset on the Rio de la Plata, with San Gabriel Island in the background. In this iconic place in Uruguay, visitors can walk the streets until they reach the Bullring, the Lighthouse of the Sacramento Colony, the Street of Sighs, the ruins of the San Francisco Convent, the Ciudadela Gate, as well as several beaches where they can enjoy the sunset, such as Playa Honda, Playa Ferrando, Playa de las Delicias, and Playa del Rowing, among others. 2022 Northstar Travel Media, LLC. Visit at TravelPulse.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. A satellite image showing Tropical Storm Ian over the Caribbean at 11 a.m. ET on Sept. 25, 2022. (CIRA/NOAA) Tropical Storm Ian Strengthens as It Heads to Cuba, Florida TALLAHASSEE, Fla.Authorities and residents in Florida were keeping a cautious eye on Tropical Storm Ian as it rumbled ominously through the Caribbean on Sunday, likely to become a major hurricane on its path toward the state. Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency throughout Florida and urged residents to prepare for the storm to lash large swaths of the state with heavy rains, high winds, and rising seas. Forecasters are still unsure of exactly where Ian could make landfall, with current models plotting it toward Floridas west coast or panhandle regions, he said. Were going to keep monitoring the track of this storm. But it really is important to stress the degree of uncertainty that still exists, DeSantis said at a news conference Sunday, cautioning that even if youre not necessarily right in the eye of the path of the storm, theres going to be pretty broad impacts throughout the state. Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis speaks during a news conference at the Emergency Operations Center in Tallahassee, Fla., on Sept. 25, 2022. (Alicia Devine/Tallahassee Democrat via AP) The National Hurricane Center (NHC) said Ian is expected to become a hurricane on Monday and reach major hurricane strength Tuesday. Flash and urban flooding is possible in the Florida Keys and Florida peninsula through midweek, and then heavy rainfall was possible for north Florida, the Florida panhandle, and the southeast United States later this week. The agency placed a tropical storm watch over the lower Florida Keys on Sunday evening and has advised Floridians to have hurricane plans in place and monitor updates of the storms evolving path. A hurricane warning was in effect Sunday for Grand Cayman and the Cuban provinces of Isla de Juventud, Pinar del Rio and Artemisa. Cuban state media said emergency authorities have met to plan for the storms arrival and prepare for evacuations, though none had been ordered as of Sunday. The track forecast by the NHC shows a major storm striking the far-western part of the island early Tuesday, close to the countrys most famed tobacco fields. President Joe Biden also declared an emergency, authorizing the Department of Homeland Security and the Federal Emergency Management Agency, or FEMA, to coordinate disaster relief and provide assistance to protect lives and property. The president postponed a scheduled Sept. 27 trip to Florida because of the storm. John Cangialosi, a senior hurricane specialist at the Miami-based center, said in an interview Sunday that it is not clear exactly where Ian will hit hardest in Florida. Residents should begin preparations, including gathering supplies for potential power outages, he said. Its a hard thing to say stay tuned, but thats the right message right now, Cangialosi said But for those in Florida, its still time to prepare. Im not telling you to put up your shutters yet or do anything like that, but its still time to get your supplies. Friends Felicia Livengood, 29, and Victoria Colson, 31, fill sandbags along with hundreds of other Tampa, residents that waited for over 2 hours at Himes Avenue Complex to fill their 10 free sandbags in Tampa, Fla., on Sept. 25, 2022. (Luis Santana/Tampa Bay Times via AP) Local media in Florida have reported a consumer rush on water, generators, and other supplies in some areas where residents moved to stock up on goods ahead of the storm. Kevin Guthrie, director of the Florida Division of Emergency Management, said the state has begun loading trailers with more than 2 million meals and more than 1 million gallons of water to be ready to be sent into impacted areas. He said the state has had frequent communication with local governments and is processing requests for resources. Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp on Sunday moved to activate the State Operations Center to respond to any potential storm damage. He told residents to monitor the weather and calmly take precautions if necessary. At the Kennedy Space Center, NASA kept close watch on Ians projected path while debating whether to move its new moon rocket off the launch pad and into shelter. Managers already have bumped the test flight from this week to next because of the storm. Elsewhere, powerful post-tropical cyclone Fiona crashed ashore Saturday in Nova Scotia in the Atlantic Canada region, washing houses into the sea, tearing off rooftops, and knocking out power to more than 500,000 customers in two provinces. By Anthony Izaguirre UCP leadership candidates (L-R) Todd Loewen, Rajan Sawhney, Danielle Smith, Rebecca Schulz, Travis Toews, and Brian Jean pose for a group photo at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) UCP Leadership Candidates Respond to Questions on Pandemic Policy, Autonomy for Alberta RED DEER, AlbertaThe issue of restrictive pandemic policies under Albertas United Conservative Party (UCP) government and the fallout from them was raised during a UCP leadership candidates panel at a conservative conference in Red Deer on Sept. 24. Leadership candidate Leela Aheer, a sitting UCP MLA and former minister, was asked by co-host Lindsay Wilson at the Canada Strong and Free Networking Conference what her response would be to Albertans who lost their jobs during the pandemic or faced discrimination and the loss of bodily autonomy, and how people can be sure it would never happen again. First of all, just a massive apology to everyone, because we did the best that we could under the circumstances, Aheer answered. The unofficial panel wasnt set up in the format of a debate. Instead, each candidate went up to the stage individually, and responded to questions by Wilson and fellow co-host Jamil Jivani. In terms of bodily autonomy, and Ive said this 1,000 times, Im pro-choice on all things. Whether you agree with me or not, I dont speak out both sides of my mouth. Your body is your body, and I will defend that Aheer said. Then why didnt you stand up for it? yelled an audience member, who was then told by the moderators that the format of the event didnt allow for audience members to shout out questions. There were many of us who did. And we have been learning along the way too, and like I said, its not perfect, and you have every right to hold me accountable for that. Thats why Im here, Aheer said. Aheer was also asked by Jivani about her previous comments that white supremacy, homophobia, and racism have been supported and encouraged for too long in politics. There is racism there, all of those things. Conservatives are not those people. We are people of ethics and kindness, she said. During her talk, the UCP MLA noted the importance of building relationships in different parts of Canada to be able to get pipelines built and get Albertas energy products to other markets, as well as reducing barriers in order to build more refining capacity in the province. Although the conference wasnt an official leadership race event, all seven candidates took part. Not all candidates were asked the same questions, though common questions included education and health-care reform, as well as the candidates stance on more autonomy for Alberta. Autonomy Former Wildrose Party leader Brian Jean, who became a UCP MLA in a March byelection, said he can unify the party, which he said is very important to ensure the NDP doesnt win next years provincial election. UCP leadership candidate Brian Jean (L) speaks at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) The best predictor of the future is the past, and in the past, Ive taken the Wildrose Party with two members, ran an election, won 21 seats, the biggest-ever showing for the Wildrose, and I kept that party together, he said. Jean said his training as a lawyer as well as experience as an MP enables him to deal with the federal government and challenge Ottawa on their constitutional infringement. The former MP added that his leadership focus is about autonomy. Autonomy means freedom of choice, and you cant have freedom of choice unless you have more money in your pocket. You cant have freedom of choice unless your doctor can decide what you should have as a remedy, and if you dont like what that doctor says, you should be able to go to another doctor, he said. Extremely Different Individuals UCP MLA and former finance minister Travis Toews, Premier Jason Kenneys most senior cabinet member to run in the race, talked about how he is a different politician than the incumbent. Kenney, who became premier in 2019, decided to step down after receiving just over 51 percent of party members support in a leadership review in May. I absolutely served in Premier Kennys cabinet, and Ill say this: The premier and I both share a deep commitment to foundational conservative values, he said. UCP leadership candidate Travis Toews (L) speaks at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) But people who know me and the premier know were extremely different individuals. I was in the private sector right until 2019; of course, thats not the premiers story. And while Im comfortable in downtown Calgary and Edmonton, my roots are planted deep in rural Alberta. Im a rancher from the northwest. Toews said he opposes the federal governments plan to cut fertilizer emissions by 30 percent by 2030 as it would reduce agricultural productivity, and that he will ensure that the province sets aside funds during surplus years to pay off debt. He added that he supports parental choice in education, and that activist ideology has no place in the curriculum. Moderate Conservative UCP MLA Rajan Sawhney, a former minister of transportation, was asked by Jivani what she means when she describes herself as a moderate conservative. I always describe myself as somebody whos very fiscally conservative and very socially moderate, answered Sawhney. I know that we were talking about social conservatism with one of the other candidates earlier, and conscience rights and things like that. And for myself, I like to veer away from those kinds of controversial topics because I dont think that most progressive conservatives are really interested in, for example, bringing back any kind of legislation related to abortion, she said. Sawhney said shed like to focus on ensuring the federal government doesnt impede energy projects, and said the equalization formula needs to change. Ive Forgiven You Former Wildrose party leader Danielle Smith was once again asked about her proposed Sovereignty Act. The idea behind the Sovereignty Act came from a group called the Free Alberta Strategy, but the mechanism for how it would work would be very similar to what Quebec already does, Smith said. What Quebec does is that if they dont like a piece of legislation, as we saw most recently with the Emergencies Act, they convened their National Assembly put forward a motion saying we will not enforce that and the country didnt come to an end. Ottawa just said, OK, and thats what happens when you stand up for yourself. UCP leadership candidate Danielle Smith (L) speaks at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Noe Chartier/The Epoch Times) Wilson asked Smith about her decision in 2014 when she was the Wildrose leader to cross the floor and join the Progressive Conservatives in a bid to unite the two parties. The decision proved to be unpopular, with Smith losing the PC nomination for the 2015 election. Smith said after her loss, she went back to working in the media. Thanks to her work in radio for six years, she said she was able to develop a relationship with the public. Im delighted that a lot of people have forgiven me, she said. People have come up to me at photo lineups and said, I was so mad at you, and then I started listening to you, but I didnt want to listen to you, but then I liked what I heard, and now Ive forgiven you, so I hope you win, she said to audience laughter. Provincial Police Rebecca Schulz, a UCP MLA and former minister of childrens services, talked about the importance of building pipelines to get Albertas oil and gas to other markets, and changes to the health-care system, including ensuring every Albertan has access to a family doctor. Schulz said a provincial police force wouldnt be a priority for her, noting thats not what shes hearing from Albertans as an issue to be addressed when she goes door-knocking, and that municipalities arent supportive of it. We havent done all the work that we need to do to move that forward. There are questions about cost structure, theres skepticism as to whether or not we can actually administrate it better, because we havent seen what its going to look like right now, she said. Rights and Freedoms UCP leadership candidate Todd Loewen (L) speaks at the Canada Strong and Free Regional Networking Conference 2022 in Red Deer, Alberta, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Omid Ghoreishi/The Epoch Times) The last candidate to speak, Independent MLA Todd Loewen, was applauded as Wilson read that he was kicked out of the UCP caucus for taking a strong stance against pandemic restrictions. If somebody came to us three years ago and said these are the things that are going to happen, I think we would have thought it was a conspiracy theory. But a lot of those things actually have come true, Loewen said. It is sad to think of whats happened with our Charter of Rights and Freedoms and how it has been basically ignored. Basically, politicians have used loopholes in that to try to take away rights and freedoms from Albertans. Loewen said when it comes to health care, there needs to be more regional decision-making as well as publicly funded, privately delivered options. He added that besides ensuring prosperous oil and gas, forestry, and farming sectors, the province needs to reduce red tape so that the manufacturing sector is not impeded by regulatory processes. The new leader of the UCP and the next premier of the province will be announced on Oct. 6. The Sierra Leone-flagged cargo ship Razoni, carrying Ukrainian grain, in the Black Sea off Kilyos, near Istanbul, Turkey, on Aug. 3, 2022. (Mehmet Emin Caliskan/Reuters) Ukraine Ports Have Shipped Around 4.7 Million Tonnes of Food Under Grain Deal: Ministry KYIVA total of 211 ships with 4.7 million tonnes of agricultural products on board have left Ukraine so far under a deal brokered by the United Nations and Turkey to unblock Ukrainian sea ports, the Ukrainian infrastructure ministry said on Saturday. The ministry said eight ships with 131,300 tonnes of agricultural products are due to leave Ukrainian Black Sea ports on Saturday. Ukraines grain exports slumped after Russia invaded the country on Feb. 24 and blockaded its Black Sea ports, driving up global food prices, and prompting fears of shortages in Africa and the Middle East. Ukraine, a global major grain producer and exporter, shipped up to 6 million tonnes of grain per month before the war. Three Black Sea ports were reopened under a deal signed on July 22 by Moscow and Kyiv. The ministry has said these ports are able to load and send abroad 100150 cargo ships per month. Scientists at the University of California, San Diego, have developed a smartphone app that can detect early signs of Alzheimers disease and other neurological conditions. The app uses the phones near-infrared camera to track changes in the size of a persons pupils at a sub-millimetre level. These measurements can then be used to assess that persons cognitive condition. As technology evolves, the eyes will prove more and more useful as a means of diagnosing all kinds of diseases and conditions because, by being transparent, the eye requires far less invasive methods of examination than other body parts. But even without technology, it is possible to detect a number of health problems simply by looking at the eyes. Here are some of the warning signs. Pupil size The pupil responds instantly to light, becoming smaller in bright environments and larger in dimmer conditions. Sluggish or delayed responses in pupil size can point to several diseases that can include serious conditions such as Alzheimers disease, as well as effects of medications and evidence of drug use. Dilated pupils are common in those who use stimulant drugs, such as cocaine and amphetamine. Very small pupils can be seen in heroin users. Red or yellow eyes A change in the colour of the sclera (the whites of the eyes) suggests that something is not right. A red, bloodshot eye can be triggered by excess alcohol or drug abuse. It can also be caused by an irritation or infection that, in most cases, passes within days. If the change in colour is persistent, it can signal a more serious infection, inflammation, or a reaction to contact lenses or their solutions. In extreme cases, a red eye indicates glaucoma, a sinister disease that can lead to blindness. When the sclera become yellow, this is a most obvious sign of jaundice and a diseased liver. The underlying causes of jaundice vary widely. They include inflammation of the liver (hepatitis), genetic or autoimmune conditions, and certain medications, viruses or tumours. Red spot A blood-red spot on the white of the eye (subconjunctival haemorrhage) can look frightening and is always the result of a small localised blood vessel that has burst. Most times, there is no known cause, and it disappears within days. However, it can also be an indication of high blood pressure, diabetes and blood-clotting disorders that cause excessive bleeding. Blood-thinning drugs such as aspirin can also be the cause, and if the problem is frequent, might suggest that the dosage should be reviewed. Ring around the cornea A white or grey ring around the cornea is often linked to high cholesterol and an increased risk of heart disease. It can also reveal alcoholism and is sometimes seen in the eyes of older people, which is why the medical name given to it is arcus senilis. Fatty lump Sometimes the most alarming features that can appear on the eyes are actually the most benign and easy to treat. A yellowish fatty lump that can appear on the white of the eye is a pinguecula (pronounced pin-GWEK-you-la), a small deposit of fat and protein that may be easily remedied by eye drops or removed by a simple operation. A pterygium (pronounced tur-RIDGE-ium) that appears as a pinkish growth over the white of the eye is not a danger to sight until it starts to grow over the cornea (the coloured part of the eye). Fortunately, pterygia grow very slowly. As with pinguecula, it can easily be removed. Indeed, it should be removed well before it reaches the cornea. If allowed to keep growing, the pterygium will form an opaque film over the cornea that will obstruct vision. One of the major causal factors for both pinguecula and pterygium is believed to be chronic exposure to ultraviolet light from the Sun. Bulging eyes Bulging eyes can be part of a normal facial feature, but when eyes that were not previously bulging start to protrude forward, the most obvious cause is a problem with the thyroid gland and needs medical attention. A single eye that is bulging can be caused by an injury, infection or, more rarely, a tumour behind the eye. Swollen or twitching eyelids The eyelids can also indicate many diseases. These are mostly related to minor conditions of the glands in the eyelids. A common condition is the stye or chalazion, which appears as a red lump on the upper and, less often, lower eyelid and is caused by a blocked oil gland. A stye generally disappears on its own or with warm compresses. If it persists, it needs to be removed with a simple procedure. A twitching eyelid (ocular myokymia) can be an irritation, even an embarrassment, and often feels far worse than it looks. In most cases, it is perfectly harmless and can be linked to stress, nutrient imbalance or consuming too much caffeine. Barbara Pierscionek, Professor and Deputy Dean, Research and Innovation, Anglia Ruskin University This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. Read the original article. U.S. national security adviser Jake Sullivan speaks during the daily briefing in the Brady Briefing Room of the White House in Washington, on Feb. 11, 2022. (Saul Loeb/AFP via Getty Images) White House Warns Russia of Catastrophic Consequences Over Nuclear Weapons White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday issued a warning to the Kremlin following recent statements by top Russian officials regarding the possible use of nuclear weapons. Let me say it plainly: If Russia crosses this line, there will be catastrophic consequences for Russia, Sullivan said on NBCs Meet the Press on Sunday. Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin issued a directive to partially mobilize Russias reserve forces and suggested Moscow would use all weapons in its arsenal. Former President Dmitry Medvedev, meanwhile, issued a more explicit threat about using nukes if Russias territorial integrity were threatened. This is not a bluff, Putin said during his speech. And those who try to blackmail us with nuclear weapons should know that the weathervane can turn and point towards them. But if nukes are used, the United States will respond, Sullivan warned. He did not elaborate. The United States will respond decisively, Sullivan said Sunday. Now, in private channels, we have spelled out in greater detail exactly what that would mean, but we want to be able to have the credibility of speaking directly to senior leadership in Russia and laying out for them what the consequences would be without getting into a rhetorical tit for tat publicly. President Joe Biden in a speech at the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Wednesday accused Russia of making overt nuclear threats against Europe in reckless disregard for nuclear nonproliferation responsibilities. Russia also is staging a referendum in four eastern Ukrainian regions with the goal of annexing territory that Russian forces have taken during their invasion of Ukraine launched in February. Ukraine and its allies have called the referendums a sham designed to justify an escalation of the war and Putins mobilization drive after recent battlefield losses. By incorporating the areas of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson, and Zaporizhzhia into Russia, Moscow could portray attacks to retake them as an attack on Russia itself, a warning to Ukraine and its Western allies. On CBS News Face the Nation, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy claimed that Ukrainians who wont vote in the referendum could face retaliation. Russians can turn off their electricity and wont give them an opportunity to live a normal human life, Zelenskyy said. They force people, they throw them in prisons. They force them to come to these pseudo-referenda. And also, they also announced mobilization [of 300,000 reservists.] Theyre forcing people to fight, people from the temporarily occupied territories. Reuters contributed to this report Xis Absence From Public Eye Ahead of Third Term Bid Fuels Speculation More than a week ago, Chinese leader Xi Jinping embarked on a three-day trip to Central Asia to mark his sphere of influence. He has since been out of the public eye, skipping a high-level military meeting and the annual United Nations General Assembly. With China only weeks away from its 20th National Congress, during which Xi is set to pursue an unprecedented third term, his absence has gone on long enough to attract attention from keen political watchers, with some even speculating that he has been placed under house arrest. By Sept. 24, Xi had become one of the top trending topics on Twitter. His name appeared on hashtags more than 42,000 times, and the term China coup circulated 9,300 rounds on the platform. New [rumor] to be checked out: Is Xi [Jinping] under house arrest in Beijing? wrote Subramanian Swamy, a former Indian Cabinet minister and Parliament member. Such speculation also comes as Chinese nationals noted mass flight cancellations across the country. Nearly 10,000 flightsalmost two-thirds of those scheduled for the daywere called off on Sept. 24, the same day that a key conference on national defense and military reform was convened in Beijing. Weibo, Chinas top social media platform, swiftly censored discussions about the flight cancellations, declaring them to be rumors. Xi, who returned to Chinas capital on Sept. 16 after meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin at a regional summit in Central Asia, didnt appear at the Beijing meeting but relayed instructions that the armed forces should focus on preparing for war. Similarly missing was Wei Fenghe, Xis handpicked Chinese military general currently serving as the countrys defense minister. Chinese Defense Minister Wei Fenghe (front L) attends the Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore on June 12, 2022. (Roslan Rahman/AFP via Getty Images) His public activities since then have chiefly consisted of a greeting letter to mark the Chinese Farmers Harvest Festival on Sept. 22 and another the following day to China News Service, congratulating the state media outlet on the 70th anniversary of its founding. No major Chinese media outlets or officials have come out to refute the rumors. China analyst Gordon Chang deemed a coup to be unlikely, pointing to the lack of supporting evidence on the ground. I dont think there was a coup, Chang told The Epoch Times. Because if there were a coup, we would see, for instance, a lot of military vehicles in the center of Beijing. There have been no reports of that. Also, there probably would be a declaration of martial law that has not occurred. So it seems that something is happening but we dont know exactly what. There have been too many events that have occurred to happen without a turbulence inside the senior leadership of the Communist Party and the military. In the communist system, when a leader dies, generally we dont know about it for a week or so because everyone is trying to wrangle to the top slot and subordinate positions. So that very well could be one example of something that has occurred right now. Were just waiting but there are many possibilities. He also noted that the only thing that can dispel some of the speculations is if Xi comes out to speak in public. Zhang Tianliang, a writer and author of the Chinese language book Chinas Path to Peaceful Transition, similarly dismissed the house arrest theory. During the past week, six senior Chinese officials, including two former Cabinet-level officials, were handed heavy sentences for corruption-related offenses, adding to a string of officials purged in the anti-graft campaign that Xi ordered after taking office in late 2012. How would Xi have the capacity to punish them if he had lost his grip on power, Zhang stated on his show on Sept. 22. However, whether Xi makes a public appearance holds little significance, U.S.-based China affairs commentator Wang He said, noting that such an extended absence from public attention isnt unique for Xi. To Wang, Xis overseas trip ahead of the Party congress was a projection of confidence. Without absolute assurance, this man will not take risks easily, he told The Epoch Times. Luo Ya contributed to this report. Young Boy Swept Away in Floods Found Dead in Australia A five-year-old boy has died after becoming trapped in a car that was swept away by floodwaters in central western New South Wales (NSW) in eastern Australia. Two vehicles, including a Toyota Hilux, became trapped in floodwaters at Tullamore, northwest of Parkes, on Friday night. Emergency services used a boat to rescue four people from the Hilux who were found clinging to trees, including a 37-year-old man, a 28-year-old woman, and a young boy and girl. However, the five-year-old boy was still trapped in the car when it was swept away. NSW Police officers started searching on Saturday for the Hilux and the boys body was found by police divers at about 3.20 pm in the submerged car. His family was taken to Dubbo Base Hospital for observation. The occupants of the second vehicle werent injured. The Hilux has since been retrieved and police are investigating ahead of a report being prepared for the coroner. Chief Inspector David Maher said the family was distraught, in comments reported by the ABC. He said the parents had been able to remove the car restraints from the younger children and pull them out, but werent able to free the older boy. Tullamore has been hit by heavy rainfall in recent days. A low-pressure system that brought torrential rain and flooded dozens of river systems in inland NSW and the states north in the latter part of the week was moving offshore on Saturday. Weather easing off in the states northeast was welcome news for those communities, however there was an ongoing flood risk for areas of western NSW, and west of the Great Dividing Range, the State Emergency Service said. Major flooding was also happening on Saturday in the Bogan, Macquarie, Gwydir, and Lachlan catchments, as well as the Narran and Macintyre Rivers. Bureau of Meteorology forecasters were turning their attention to Tuesday and Wednesday, when more rain was anticipated. Northern and inland areas were expected to be spared the worst of it. People in the catchments a little bit further south (and in) central areas like the Bogan and lower Lachlan catchments could get some considerable rain, senior meteorologist Jake Phillips said. In the town of Gunnedah, home to 9000 people, the Namoi River peaked at the major flood level of 8.24 metres on Saturday morning. The water was progressively going down, SES spokesman Greg Nash said. We ask people that are currently downstream of places like Gunnedah on the Namoi River to keep advised of information, he said. Its anticipated that water will move downstream slowly and may isolate some areas. At Wee Waa, just 120km northwest, major levels of flooding would persist for at least a week, Nash said. The cotton town is protected by an 8km levee but Narrabri Shire mayor Ron Campbell told AAP the rainfall had destroyed local roads. If we get substantial rain across the summer, we could have a record flood for sure probably something not seen since the 1970s, Campbell said. The SES has additional resources in Wee Waa and was starting to see resupply requests, including for the local pharmacy, Nash said. The town of Warren, about 250km southwest of Wee Waa, will also experience major flooding for at least a week, he said. A severe thunderstorm warning was cancelled on Saturday afternoon for the mid north coast, while flooding was also no longer expected along the Brunswick, Richmond, Coffs Coast, Hastings, Camden Haven, Manning, Gloucester, and Hunter Rivers. However, flood warnings were still in place for several other catchments in the Northern Rivers, mid north coast, and inland NSW. The SES is warning people confronted by flooded or damaged roads to stop and turn around. PANAJI Shripad Naik, Union Minister of State for Ports, Shipping & Waterways and Tourism left Goa on Saturday to participate in the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting and Second Tourism Group Meeting under G20 scheduled to be held in Indonesia from September 26 to 28.The Union Minister will lead the Indian delegation for the G20 Tourism Ministers Meeting and Second Tourism Group Meeting under G20. Volkswagen has major factories in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which are among the European countries that rely majorly on fuel from Russia. Volkswagen AG is exploring ways to counter a shortage in natural gas, including shifting production around its network of global facilities, signalling how the energy crisis unleashed by Russias invasion of Ukraine threatens to upend Europes industrial landscape. Volkswagen, Europes biggest carmaker, said Thursday that reallocating some of its production was one of the options available in the medium term if gas shortages last much beyond this winter. The company has major factories in Germany, the Czech Republic and Slovakia, which are among the European countries most reliant on Russian gas, as well as facilities in southern Europe that source energy from elsewhere. As mid-term alternatives, we are focusing on greater localization, relocation of manufacturing capacity, or technical alternatives, similar to what is already common practice in the context of challenges related to semiconductor shortages and other recent supply chain disruptions," Geng Wu, Volkswagens head of purchasing, said in a statement. FOLLOW US:Stay Updated with latest content - Subscribe us on FOLLOW US:Stay Updated with latest content - Subscribe us on (Also read | Volkswagen does not see chip shortage ending in 2023: Report ) Russias decision to throttle gas supplies to Europe has raised concerns that Germany might be forced to ration its fuel. Recent news that gas storage levels hit 90% ahead of schedule has soothed fears of acute shortages this winter, but Germany faces a challenge in replenishing depleted reserves next summer without contributions from Russia. Southwestern Europe or coastal zones of northern Europe, both of which have better access to seaborne liquefied natural gas cargoes, could be the beneficiaries of any production shift, a Volkswagen spokesman said by phone. The Volkswagen group already operates car factories in Portugal, Spain and Belgium, countries that host LNG terminals. (Also read | India-made Volkswagen Virtus sedan's exports commence ) Labor Hurdles To be sure, any major production shift away from Europes biggest economy would face significant hurdles. VW has some 295,000 employees in Germany and worker representatives account for around half the companys 20-member supervisory board. Any shift in production would likely involve a limited number of vehicles rather than wholesale factory shutdowns. While gas supplies for VWs plants are currently secured, the company has identified potential savings at its European sites to cut gas consumption by a mid-double-digit percentage," said Michael Heinemann, managing director of VWs power-plant unit. (Also read | Volkswagen Taigun to be offered in new colour, to go on sale from this date ) Still, the carmaker said it was concerned about the effect high gas prices could have on its suppliers. Politicians must also curb the currently uncontrolled explosion in gas and electricity prices," said Thomas Steg, the companys head of external relations. Otherwise small and medium-sized energy-intensive companies in particular will have major problems in the supply chain and will have to reduce or stop production." First Published Date: The Emir of Kano, Alhaji Aminu Ado Bayero, has hailed the Labour Party presidential candidate, Peter Obi, for his eloquence, calmness, humility, respect for culture, and fear of God. He made the assertion on Saturday when Obi visited him in his palace in Kano where he expressed appreciation to the candidate for having respect for culture. According to him, the country is blessed with resources. He wondered why there was suffering, poverty and crime. The Emir of Kano stated that he believed that Obi was eminently qualified for the position, as he did well as Anambra State Governor. He wished Peter Obi well in the pursuit of his ambition. Speaking on the occasion, Mr Obi informed the Emir he was at his palace to pay homage and to sympathise with the Kano flood victims, as well as Beirut Road building collapse. He hinted that he has been exposed to various areas of governance for years, and noted that he was experienced to lead Nigeria. He, however, told the emir he was in the state for a sympathy visit. Obi said he deemed it appropriate to make the palace his first port of call. Obi also disclosed that the visit to the palace was to formally inform him of his intention to run for presidency in the coming election. Peter Obi was accompanied by the Kano State gubernatorial candidate of the Labour Party, Bashir Ishaq Bashir, and his running mate Datti Yusuf Baba Ahmed, and leaders of the party in the state. The Nigerian National Petroleum Company Ltd (NNPC) on Saturday debunked reports which claimed that it was operating a secret account. There had been reports alleging that a House of Representatives ad hoc Committee set up to investigate the structure and accountability and production sharing contracts of the NNPC from 1990 to date had found a hidden account that belongs to NNPC Ltd. The publication had stated that this information was brought to light during an investigation into all Joint Venture agreements and Production-Sharing Contracts in the oil and gas industry since 1990. This is not correct. But reacting to the reports, the NNPC in a statement signed by the Group General Manager, Group Public Affairs Division, Garba Deen Muhammad said neither it, or its upstream arm, the National Petroleum Investment Management Services (NAPIMS), operated a secret accounts. It explained in the statement that the Joint Venture cash call accounts denominated in US Dollars and Nigerian Naira are all domiciled with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) in line with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy. The statement reads, The Joint Venture Cash Call (JVCC) NGN and USD Accounts were created to cater for the funding of cash calls for the various Joint Ventures managed by NNPCL on behalf of the Federal Government. Joint Venture Proceeds Accounts were opened for the individual JVs to implement the Self-Funding Strategy which aims at making the JVs to be self-reliant. The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) is fully aware of the JVCC accounts as the OAGF regularly sanctions and approves the updates/change of signatories to the accounts. NNPC has documents where these correspondences with the OAGF were acknowledged. Muhammad stated further in the statement that the NNPC/NAPIMS books of accounts in respect of the Federations Upstream Petroleum activities are audited annually by independent external auditors. A critical part of the independent statutory audit, according to the NNPC, is sending of circularization to Banks to confirm balances and bank accounts belonging to NNPC/NAPIMS. It added, Audited Financial Statements (AFS) are submitted to all stakeholders including the National Assembly. In addition, the Office of the Auditor General for the Federation conducts periodic (yearly) checks of the activities of NNPC/NAPIMS. Also, activities of NNPC/NAPIMS are audited yearly by the Nigerian Extractive Industry Transparency Initiative (NEITI). NNPC has documented evidence of the correspondences between NNPCL and The Office of the Accountant-General of the Federation (OAGF) before the accounts were opened with the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN), in line with the Treasury Single Account (TSA) policy. We also have evidence of reconciliations carried out with the CBN for the year ended 31-12-2021 in respect to the JV Cash Call Accounts With such multiple layers of checks and balances, the NNPC said that it is impossible for it to operate secret accounts until the ad hoc Committee, with due respect to its competencies, discovers it. If such secret account does exist, then the NNPCL certainly is not aware of, and has absolutely nothing to do with it, the statement concluded. Socio-Economic Rights and Accountability Project (SERAP) has filed a lawsuit against President Muhammadu Buhari over the failure to publish copy and details of the agreement the Federal Government recently signed with the United States for the repatriation of $23 million stolen by the late dictator Sani Abacha. Joined in the suit as Respondent is the Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami (SAN). The United States government had in August signed an agreement with the Federal Government to repatriate $23 million Abacha loot to Nigeria. The $23 million adds to the $311.7 million Abacha loot repatriated from the U.S. to Nigeria in 2020. In the suit number FHC/ABJ/CS/1700/2022 filed last Friday at the Federal High Court, Abuja, SERAP is asking the court to direct and compel President Buhari and Mr Abubakar Malami to release and widely publish copy of the agreement on the Abacha loot with the U.S. SERAP is also asking the court to direct and compel President Buhari and Mr Abubakar Malami to publish details of the transparency and accountability mechanisms that have been put in place to ensure that the repatriated funds are not mismanaged, diverted or re-stolen. In the suit, SERAP is arguing that, The Nigerian Constitution 1999 [as amended], the Freedom of Information Act, and the countrys international obligations impose transparency obligations on the Federal Government to widely publish the agreement on the $23 million Abacha loot. SERAP is also arguing that, Publishing a copy of the agreement with the U.S. would allow Nigerians to scrutinise it, and to monitor the spending of the repatriated loot to ensure that the money is not mismanaged, diverted or re-stolen. According to SERAP, the repatriated $23 million Abacha loot is vulnerable to corruption and mismanagement. Substantial part of the estimated $5 billion returned Abacha loot since 1999 may have been mismanaged, diverted, or re-stolen, and in any case remain unaccounted for. SERAP is also arguing that, Publishing a copy of the agreement would ensure that persons with public responsibilities are answerable to the people for the performance of their duties including the management of repatriated loot. The suit filed on behalf of SERAP by its lawyers Kolawole Oluwadare and Ms Atinuke Adejuyigbe, read in part: The Nigerian Constitution, Freedom of Information Act, and the countrys international obligations rest on the principle that citizens should have access to information regarding their government's activities. The Federal Government has a responsibility to ensure transparency and accountability in how any repatriated stolen funds are spent, to reduce vulnerability to corruption and mismanagement. It is in the public interest, and the interest of justice to grant this application. Nigerians are entitled to their constitutionally and internationally recognized human right to information. The Freedom of Information Act, Section 39 of the Nigerian Constitution, article 9 of the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and article 19 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights guarantee to everyone the right to information, including to a copy of the agreement on the repatriated $23 millionAbacha loot. No date has been fixed for the hearing of the suit. Kolawole Oluwadare SERAP Deputy Director 25/9/2022 Lagos, Nigeria Emails: [email protected]; [email protected] Twitter: @SERAPNigeria Website: www.serap-nigeria.org For more information or to request an interview, please contact us on: +2348160537202 Say, say Said I remember when we used to sit In the government yard in trenchtown Oba-observing the 'hypocrites As they would mingle with the good people we meet Good friends we have, oh, good friends we lost Along the way In this great future You can't forget your past So dry your tears, I say No Woman No Cry Dub Song by Bob Marley and the Wailers For the better part of last week, a certain Mahdi Shehu was in the news, for all the wrong reasons. And apart from what we know about him in public space, I humbly reproduce Mahmud Jegas description in his article Mahdi's Story Get As E Be copiously below. The first problem had to do with Mahdis credibility after the elaborate medical scam he perpetrated last year in order to deceive a court. He had been arraigned in a Katsina court for making corruption allegations against Governor Aminu Bello Masaris government. The activist pleaded ill health but when the court insisted on his personal appearance, he arrived in court posing as an invalid, with crutches, held by aides, clad in medical foot, body, neck and head gears that he apparently took from his well-stocked Dialogue Pharmacy in Kaduna. According to the video recording, it took Mahdi nearly half an hour to walk the short distance from the entrance to the courtroom, moving with great difficulty and sat down with great pain. Unknown to him, while he was in the courtroom, government agents sneaked into his cell at the Katsina Prison and installed a camera. Mahdi Shehu returned to prison with the same elaborately staged difficulty and pain. As the camera recorded however, as soon as he entered the cell, he put aside the crutches, removed all the other medical accoutrements, put them aside, immediately became his normal self and proceeded to lead the congregational prayer in the cell, with several of his mates behind him. Since that video went viral, Mahdi Shehus standing as an accomplished dramatist was enhanced but his credibility as an anti-corruption crusader suffered an image blow. WhileMahdis tales about Bagauda Kaltho was yet to settle, Mahdi was everywhere again with an inciting video, one that hadmany calling for his arrest, and others insisting that he was no different from Mazi Nnamdi Kalu or separatists agitators everywhere in Nigeria. As I reflected on Mahdis congregational hymn on Northern Christians versus their Southern counterparts, Paul Ejimes rendering of Emeka Anyaoku on Nigeria requiring a new constitution, power devolution to federating units simply sealed my thoughts on the direction this nation should goyet wont go! Nigeria requires a new Constitution that reflects the will, aspirations and shared values of its peoples, Anyaoku said, noting that the current 1999 Constitution as amended and the 36-state structure will lead the country nowhere. He said that a governance structure of six federating units should replace the current dysfunctional, unviable and unsustainable arrangement. The new Constitution would be agreed and drafted by a Constituent Assembly, to which the federating units would send representatives after consultations with various stakeholders, ethnic nationalities, faith and traditional institutions, professional bodies and other interest groups, Anyaoku counselled. His prescription is that the Constitution by the People, should define the formula for resource allocation and political power distribution between the Centre and the federating units. For instance, he says the responsibility for external relations, defence, security and protection of national sovereignty should rest with the Centre/Federal government, while education, healthcare, local/community policing and management of local resources should be the responsibility of the federal units. To promote a sense of belonging in the revenue allocation, Anyaoku said that host communities of vital minerals such as oil, gas, diamond and gold (defined by the Constitution), should retain 15% of the national revenue; with the Centre getting 25%, and the six federating units sharing 60% equally. According to the Elder statesman, Nigerias diversity will be better managed under a federation with autonomous units and devolution of powers from the currently powerful Centre to the federating units. To actualize his recommendations, Anyaoku said Nigerian electorate must ensure that the presidential candidates for the 2023 elections, commit unequivocally, to the deconstruction of the present political structure and its replacement with an equitable, inclusive and participatory governance system that guarantees all fundamental human rights, with fairness and justice for all citizens in a united nation. The current musketeers for the office of the president, have not, cannot and will not commit to that deconstruction, the last attempt by the GEJ government was thrown out by the PMB administration. And the circle will continue, the hypocrisy will be non-stop! So, herein lies the hypocrisy, in Benue for example, it is the Tiv vs the Idomas vs others, in Kogi it is the Igbiras vsIgalas, in some cases it has even degenerated to the Catholics vs Anglicans and in many cases vs Muslims. None of these debates has brought the much-needed development for a nation that is so structurally divided, across deep fault lines. The raison d'etre of the Mahdis of this world who ride on such narratives. Because we are structurally deformed we check how many SE, SW, SS (which by the way is an anomaly), NE, NW, NE are on a list before we check whether they are qualified. We still suffer an COVID19-like pandemic called Federal Character in a characterless state, still plagued by terms such as catchment area, educationally disadvantaged (by who abeg). We pride ourselves by our state of origin, yet are minorities in many cases in the so-called state. We debate which region is poorest, and which feeds the other. Our hypocrisy breeds the Mahdis, and that hypocrisy encourages the absurdity of conversations around, why Muslims are allowed to wear Hijab, and Christians cannot wear Choir apparels to school. Would restructuring solve all these problems? Let me at this point share this story: I mowed the lawn today, and after doing so I sat down and had a cold beer. The day was really quite beautiful, and the drink facilitated some deep thinking. My wife walked by and asked me what I was doing and I said 'nothing'. The reason I said that instead of saying 'just thinking' is because she would have said 'about what'. At that point I would have to explain that men are deep thinkers about various topics, which would lead to other questions. Finally I thought about an age-old question: Is giving birth more painful than getting kicked in the nuts? Women always maintain that giving birth is way more painful than a guy getting kicked in the nuts. Well, after another beer, and some heavy deductive thinking, I have come up with the answer to that question. Getting kicked in the nuts is more painful than having a baby; and here is the reason for my conclusion. A year or so after giving birth, a woman will often say, "It might be nice to have another child." On the other hand, you never hear a guy say, "You know, I think I would like another kick in the nuts." I rest my case. Time for another beerbut before I pop it open, in a functional structure, would Mahdi be taken seriously, and would the suggestions of Anyaoku not be an easy sail? Will restructuring change the Nigerian leader and follower. In sincerity have we really allowed the Federal structure to work, with bogus census figures, with criminal politicians, is it about systems, structures or those that work it.. Hypocritically speaking we all feel undone, thats why you see Anyaokus recipe, but, who really is not undone, from the cruel mother-in-law that wont let her daughter-in-law be, to the woman that terrorizes her husband, to the lecturer that teaches better with his third legwe are all victims of our current structure, and all that plague the Nigerian state. Nigeria, Nigerians are not yet sure what they want, to restructure, or to structure the restructuring, or to make structures workOnly time will tell. The campaigns for the 2023 general elections are already here. However, I already see a pattern repeating itself. Since the return to democracy in 1999, Nigeria has had six general elections. The campaigns at these elections have always had Nigeria trouping to campaign venues to dance with politicians. While these go on, issues are relegated to the background. After dancing at these venues, Nigerians grapple with endless pains and anguish when the politicians attain political power and start running the country aground. Another pattern that is reoccurring is the choice of candidates. Over the past years, Nigerians have not had the benefit of selecting from a retinue of candidates based on ideology. No party in Nigeria has a clear cut ideology anyway. Therefore, what most people do is to pitch their tent with a candidate they perceive would perform. The result so far has shown that perception is not enough. The campaigns for next years elections must be issue based. Aspirants for political offices must address issues head on by providing practical solutions to the challenges in the country. This is a first part of a series, where I intend to discuss areas I think should be the focus with the hope that Nigerians would engage them in these areas. I must hasten to add that this is by no means exhaustive and I do not lay claim to all answers. This is only an attempt to refocus the minds of Nigerians and ensure that political campaigns become talking points; one focused on cogent issues. Over the years, Nigeria has grappled with immense poor power supply. All the investments in the power sector by the previous government have not yielded positive impacts. Despite the huge amount spent, Nigerias power generation is still less than 20,000 megawatts with less than 5000 megawatts distributable (accentuated by the low capacity of distribution companies). This is grossly inadequate for a country with a population of about 200 million people. Electricity is used in all fields of human activity; from the welder on the streets to large manufacturing companies. Stability electricity translates into cost effective production and jobs for a majority of people and improved standard of living for the majority of Nigerians. A lack of it translates into business collapse and lack of jobs; infrastructural collapse, pollution, and increase in poverty etc. No serious country can advance without a stable power supply. Leaders and aspiring leaders must make that sector a priority. Any politician hoping to be voted for as president during the 2023 presidential election must present practical solutions to the electricity needs of the country. It is so dire that Nigerians should not wait for elections to be concluded before asking tough questions about the sector. They must demand to know the plans to improve generation, capacity, distribution and a prevention of incessant collapse of the national grid. There are countries in Africa that have achieved 100% electricity access for their citizens. Nigeria cannot pride itself as the giant of Africa, while the majority of her citizens live in darkness. Our inability to meet the electricity needs of our people makes us a mockery of Africa. Countries such as Egypt, Morocco and Tunisia have achieved 100% electricity access for its people. Apart from Tunisia, they rely on renewable energy. We should learn from them and diversity too. President Buhari's administration with Siemens is probably yielding results already, as certain infrastructures are being imported into the country. Aspirants must tell Nigerians how they intend to build on this and not let it go down the drain with the end of the administration like previous projects that did not survive beyond their administrations. Investing in the power sector is not cheap. Aspirants should discuss the incentives it will put in place for investors who are interested in the area. We must break monopoly and encourage diversity. States should be allowed to generate electricity either for their own consumption or distribution and not what currently obtains where any megawatt generated must be sent to the national grid. All these should form talking points at political campaigns. Nigerians should prepare to go to election campaign venues to engage and not enjoy the beats of music and drums or echoes of rhetoric. We must ask difficult questions which are not geared towards ridiculing candidates, but questions that will aid us in assessing them in order to make an informed decision of who to vote for. In the past, election debates have been conducted for candidates. This in my opinion is inadequate. Only a few have the opportunity to attend in person and many do not have power to watch it on television and many people are not given the opportunity to phone in with their questions. Every election cycle must be an improvement of the previous one. This is why I am worried about the recurring pattern of emotions, jollification and dance steps that may be the common features of this election circle. Have we learned any lessons from the past? The appropriate time to constructively engage leaders is during campaigns and not only when they have attained political power. An army of patriotic Nigerians must make the sacrifice of reawakening this consciousness in Nigerians. If we do this, electoral aspirants would spend more time researching on the electoral messages and not on rehearsing on how to dance at campaign venues. God bless Nigeria. This is the first part of a series. Stay with me Frank Ijege [email protected] The Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN) has distanced itself from the meeting held between the standard-bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Bola Tinubu, and some Northern Bishops. It would be recalled that the APC presidential candidate had met with the Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Northern Nigeria in Abuja last week Thursday. Meanwhile, in an interview with the Deputy National Secretary of the PFN, Bishop David Bakare, he said the group that met with Tinubu is not known to the leadership of the fellowship. He stated that the PFN was not in anyway involved in the meeting between Tinubu and the Northern Bishops, stressing that such a group does not exist within its fold. Bakare stated that the fellowship was still against the Muslim-Muslim presidential ticket fielded by the ruling party for next year's election. He said: The PFN is an arm of the Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and the position of the fellowship on the same faith presidential ticket of the APC has not changed. The meeting between Tinubu and the Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Northern Nigeria has nothing to do with the PFN. I am speaking to you officially and authoritatively that the ranks of the Christian community and of course, the PFN which I represent are not broken at all. The Pentecostal Bishops Forum of Northern Nigeria is not known to the PFN. The forum does not have any affiliation or relationship with the PFN that is registered with the government of this nation, he said. The position of the PFN on same faith ticket still stands as it was in the beginning and we have not, for any reason, shifted our position on that matter. The PFN was not a part of the meeting with the presidential candidate that was highly politicised. We are however aware of the ripples in the public domain about this matter. I am speaking officially to clarify that the PFN has nothing to do with that organisation. We didnt take such a decision, we have not met that political party and whatever we will do would be in the public domain. That group is on their own and has nothing to do with the real incorporated PFN. I looked at the photos and the names. I could recognise about two people who are our members, but they speak for themselves. All Pentecostal leaders in Nigeria, from the Redeemed Christian Church of God, Living Faith, Mountain of Fire House on the Rock, among others speak with one voice. Bakare stated that the PFN is not regionally based like Southern or Northern Pentecostal Bishops, saying that the Bishops that met with Tinbu are imposters. He added: Finally, I wish to let you know that there is nothing in PFN that is regionally based like Southern or Northern Pentecostal Bishops. As a matter of fact, the PFN does not have any settings for Bishops. What we have is PFN, we do not separate Bishops of Pentecostal from other clergies of Pentecostal. PFN is just one body under which all Bishops, Pastors and members are lined up behind Bishop Francis Wale, the President. We stand by our decision, we have not and will not bend to the dictate of any political group. It doesnt matter what politicians will want to do, the truth and the joy is that the PFN is not divided on its position. Individuals can form an association but when it comes to the body called PFN, there is no change in our position and we have not authorised anybody to hold a meeting on our behalf. One of the main aims of any educational system is to mould character and develop the spirit of discipline in beneficiaries. But this is not possible in an educational system that is characterised by all manner of irregularities. Students who fraudulently obtain certificates are a clear danger to themselves and the nation because they will likely grow up seeing corruption and incompetence as normal. Our countrys sad experience with poor quality political leadership, collapsed buildings, death through medical negligence, drug trafficking, armed robbery, fake and adulterated drugs and other vices could partly be traced to examination malpractice. Examination malpractice has become public enemy number one and it will not help Nigeria to attain the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations if something drastic is not done to check it. In fact, examination malpractice has become so widespread to the point that hardworking students are always mocked by their colleagues who engage in malpractice. There are even allegations of live question papers posted online hours before the examination is to be written. The menace has continued to thrive and perpetrators have become more daring despite laws that stipulate jail term for culprits. To arrest the situation, patriotic Nigerians should join appeal to the Federal Government to engage the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) to fight the menace. Examination malpractice is any irregular behaviour before, during or after an examination with the view of obtaining undue advantage. It has a long history behind it but it became a national issue in the 1970s and 1980s when two military governments promulgated decrees to check it. Despite laws that stipulate jail term for offenders, more people are engaging in examination malpractice. Increasing cases of examination malpractice is an indication of the rot in the society and how corrupt and morally bankrupt Nigerians, high and low, have become. And, prominent among the reasons for it is over-reliance on paper qualification which is responsible for the do-or-die approach on the part of students to pass examinations. School administrators in private and public schools who only think of money engage in the practice. There are dubious employees of examination bodies who commit the crime because of monetary inducement from owners of so-called miracle centres and parents. Other factors that contribute to the problem are overcrowding in the schools, harsh school environment, presence of unqualified and poorly motivated teachers and inadequate teaching and learning facilities. Others are inadequate supervision of teachers by inspectors, poor teaching in schools and non-completion of syllabus before examination, tying of promotion of teachers to success of candidates in public examinations and absence of guidance and counselling services in schools. In the meantime, there is need for parents to rise to the occasion. A situation where parents are the ones who abet examination malpractice is wrong. Furthermore, the important task of public awareness is one of the main functions of the National Orientation Agency (NOA). It is important that the agency is rebranded and empowered to take the campaign against examination malpractice to primary, post primary and tertiary institutions across the country. Other measures to be taken to improve the quality of teaching and minimise the need to patronise miracle centres include adequate enforcement of existing laws on examination malpractice, proper monitoring of schools by inspectors and re-introduction of teacher training colleges. Teachers in private and public schools should be encouraged to update themselves by attending coordination exercises of examination bodies and participate in actual marking instead of choosing to be supervisors during examinations. On a final note, it is true that the EFCC is already stretched to its limit. Among others, operatives of the Commission are keeping tabs on corrupt individuals in the private and public sectors, hunting internet fraudsters and monitoring how politicians use money to influence voters, so it may be said that engaging the EFCC to take over the war against examination malpractice is an added burden. But this may be the best option for the country Nigerians have said too much about the evils of examination malpractice. It is time for government to listen and realize that engaging the EFCC in the war against examination malpractice is the best way to stop the practice. Zeenat Magaji is a Zumunta scholar and student of Federal University of Technology, Minna Go Teng poles raised at Chinese temples as Phuket Vegetarian Festival gets underway PHUKET: The Phuket Vegetarian Festival got underway today (Sept 25) as every Chinese shrine taking part in the event held the traditional ceremony to raise the Go Teng poles, welcoming the Jade Emperor and the Nine Emperor Gods to descend from the heavens. Chineseculture By The Phuket News Sunday 25 September 2022, 06:56PM The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: PR Phuket The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: PR Phuket The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The Vegetarian Festival got underway in Phuket with Go Teng poles raised on Sept 25. Photo: Eakkapop Thongtub The poles, tall slender trees gilded with gold-coloured paper, were raised at the auspicious time of 5:09pm, indicating that the nine-day festival was underway. The prayers, rituals and blessing ceremonies all began today while the surroundings of the participating Chinese shrines turned into open-air markets with various vegetarian foods on sale. The ceremony at Jui Tui Shrine in Phuket Town was attended by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Public Health Anutin Charnvirakul and Phuket Vice-Governor Pichet Panapong. The street processions will begin on Tuesday (Sept 27) with devotees from the Koor Su Gong Naka Shrine in Wichit being the first to take to the streets. Processions organised by other shrines will be held across the island every day through to Oct 4 (for more details see this story). All streets and main roads along the procession routes will be closed to traffic while the procession is taking place. On the final night of the festival on Oct 4 all participating shrines will make their way through the streets of Phuket Town to Saphan Hin, where the final rites ceremonies will be held. The festival will conclude with the traditional ceremony of lowering the Go Teng poles at the shrines at sunset the following day, Oct 5. Despite all the easing of COVID-19 restrictions, the Phuket Vegetarian Festival this year is held under the same DMHTTA protection measures as last year, including social distancing, wearing of masks at all times and body temperature checks. All people taking part in ceremonies at the shrines must be vaccinated with at least two injections of COVID-19 vaccine and must be tested by antigen test kit (ATK). Also last year Ma Song spirit mediums taking part in the street processions were traveling by vehicle, instead of walking in the crowd. The rule is also expected to be enforced this year. Phuket Opinion: Stopping the sprawl PHUKET: The idea of building a seven-story hotel in the middle of a quiet, undeveloped neighbourhood in Bang Tao has shone a light on a critical issue bubbling away in Phuket for years, but has yet to receive any recognition from local officials: urban sprawl. opinionconstructioneconomicsenvironmenttourismnatural-resourcesproperty By The Phuket News Sunday 25 September 2022, 09:00AM Inland areas in Cherng Talay are increasingly being redesignated as urban. Image: PSU Phuket campus The fight by residents in Soi Pasak 6, Bang Tao, does not stand alone. Many other areas are facing the same problem, especially now that the prospect of tourists returning in numbers is becoming an increasing reality. A study of land use by a research team at the Prince of Songkla University (PSU) identified that Phuket lost 10.051 square kilometres of forest conservation areas and 15.598 square kilometres of rural and agricultural areas to residential development in four short years from 2005 to 2009. How much more in green areas were lost during the years of skyrocketing tourism from 2015 to 2019 is anyones guess. Many would blame Thailands zoning regulations, or lack of, for the mess. Despite what many expats might believe, Thailand actually does have zoning regulations, and it is not the lack of enforcement of the zoning regulations that has allowed the cancerous sprawl to continue it is the fact that the zoning regulations themselves allow such piecemeal development with local officials having no legal mechanism to deny construction approval. This was finally recognised and introduction of an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) required for each major project was hoped to address the issue. Yet, nearly as always with bureaucracy in Thailand, the regulation of EIAs themselves has been found lacking. The copy of the questionnaire sent to local residents in the Soi Pasak 6 area in Bang Tao was an odd animal indeed. While 22 pages long, the questionnaire asked local residents their ages, occupations and preexisting medical conditions, how they disposed of waste and wastewater and even if any children living in the house attended a local school. The document did not explain why this information was relevant when the EIA was supposed to be addressing the potential impact of the construction project on the local residents and the local environment. It is not supposed to be focussing on the local residents already living in the area. The document read more like a cross between a marketing research survey and a medical insurance application form whereby information could be solicited in the hope of denying a claim later. Such a lax in controls opens the door to entire communities to be under threat from commercial or even industrial development, to the point that an international school on the east coast is fighting to prevent a slaughterhouse being allowed to open within 400 metres of the schools grounds. It also undermines Phukets ability to lure buyers of high-end properties costing tens of millions of baht each when there is no guarantee of what may be built in the immediate vicinity just a handful of years later. One land-use research team from PSU Phuket campus warned a decade ago, The development of tourism is a key driving force of a rapid land use and land cover changes in Phuket. Weak policy enforcement was marked in this study, pointing out an inconsistency between practical land uses in 2009 and the purposes of land uses set by the Phuket Island Town Planning Policy in 2005. Ongoing expansions of urban lands without serious control and enforced regulation may have brought undesirable impacts on natural disasters and biodiversity losses. A strong and effective collaborative between locals, private business sectors and government authorities is required to ensure sustainable tourism development coupled with environmental protection, the research team added. More recently, Phattanan Pisutwimol, as President of the Phuket Real Estate Association (P-REA), in 2020 warned of poor controls on development when SorPorKor land use was deregulated to allow commercial developments. If were not careful other buildings such as shopping malls or other types of buildings might be allowed, and this new construction, if it is not considered well, will affect the environment and forest areas in Phuket, Mr Phattanan said. These new rules are supposed to protect Phukets main source of income, but instead they may jeopardise it, he added. The message was clear: if you allow Phukets green areas to be killed, you threaten Phukets tourism industry and Phukets property industry. When you have property developers themselves calling for restraint in further development, the alarm bell is well and truly ringing. Nikki Hiltzs professional running career was put on hold near the beginning of 2020. Much like the rest of the world, they had to wait. Before this halt, Hiltz had been gearing up for an outdoor track season and the chance to make an Olympic team, but despite the global circumstances, Hiltz could accomplish more than they ever thought possible. Like many other businesses that sprouted from the quarantine days of 2020, Hiltz created Pride 5k, a virtual 5K race created to raise money for The Trevor Project. In this downtime, Hiltz realized there was a way to combine their two passions to create a safe space for the LGBTQ community. The first, virtual Pride 5k, raised $33,000 for The Trevor Project with nearly 2,000 participants. After seeing this success, Hiltz realized there was no way this could be a one-time event they had to turn it into a movement. That following summer of 2021, the Pride 5k participants raised over $40,000, making the donation total in the past two years over $75,000. This year, for the very first time, Pride 5k has an in-person portion of the event, right here in Flagstaff, Arizona. Im a professional runner, so Ive always wanted to put on a race, Hiltz said. Im also queer and an advocate for the LGBTQ community It was really cool to see it come to life. My favorite part was having my running community meet my LGBTQ one. We had people from the queer community who had never run more than two miles in their life before completing the 5k and the other way, we had people who used the race to come out to their families. It was such a special day, and I realized I didnt want it to be a one-time quarantine special. It was something I wanted to do year in and year out. As businesses began to reopen and in-person events became safe, Hiltz was hoping to host an in-person portion of the race. After moving to Flagstaff from San Diego, they soon realized the running and LGBTQ communities were ready to welcome the event with open arms. After two years of virtual racing, I am so excited to have an in-person version, Hiltz said. Im so excited to meet this community face to face. There are friendships that have been made between me and the Pride 5k community and among themselves. Im really excited to have it here in Flagstaff, my new home. I moved here in March and this community has been super incredible, I have so many people within the running community who want to help volunteer, organize or pack shirts. I feel so supported here, and I cant wait for race day. Hiltzs partner Emma Gee also has a huge part in running the Pride 5k event. According to Hiltz, Gee is in charge of a big chunk of the logistics. My partner Emma Gee is pretty much doing all of the logistics, Hiltz said. Shes really the one figuring it out, and shes incredible. Shes such a good communicator and has probably sent so many emails. Shes absolutely crushing it. Its basically just Emma and I putting this on, so I definitely want to give her a shout out. I tell her every day that even if this isnt a success, or if its a complete disaster that I have had the time of my life working on it with her. Hiltz doesnt want anyone to feel left out in terms of participation. While 5k races are typically completed by running or walking, they said they have had other people complete it in unique ways in the past. For those who dont want to complete it at all, there are options to directly donate on their website. Its basically just complete a 5k, Hiltz said. Weve had people roller skate it or hike it, but at the end of the day, its about donating the money. Youre signing up and your money is going to a great cause. Its also about getting outside and moving your body. A lot of times, Pride events can be focused around June and Pride month, but also based on drinking and partying. I wanted a different way to celebrate Pride, in this case running, which is a healthy outlet. Trying to get people outside to move and be active. At the end of the day, the event is a way for the community to raise money for LGBTQ youth, which the Trevor Project focuses on. A big part of this race is fundraising for the Trevor Project and knowing that LGBTQ youth are at higher risk of having suicidal thoughts, Hiltz said. Its hard as a queer person navigating the world that so often pushes back against you. Its going to be such a beautiful day to see all of these runners and people come together to not only raise money for queer youth but to be very visible allies. The in-person Pride 5k race is on Sunday, Oct 2, and starts at Coconino High School. In collaboration with Lululemon and Run Flagstaff, the race will welcome over 300 in-person racers, along with thousands of online participants. To learn more about Pride 5k, the in-person race or donation opportunities, head over to https://runsignup.com/Race/AZ/Flagstaff/Pride5k2022 remaining of Thank you for reading! On your next view you will be asked to log in to your subscriber account or create an account and subscribepurchase a subscription to continue reading. ABBY BUTREMOVIC, Wheeler Volleyball, Sophomore; Butremovic had 23 digs as Wheeler beat Montville in three sets for its second victory of the season. KATIE ANBARI, Stonington, Field Hockey, Sophomore; Anbari scored with 57 seconds remaining for the games only goal, lifting the Bears past East Lyme. Anbari leads the team in goals with four this season. RACHEL FEDERICO, Westerly, Volleyball, Senior; Federico had nine kills, six digs and served for two aces in a win over Mt. Hope. Westerly was unbeaten in Division II through Sept. 24. MYLES PRICE, Chariho Football, Senior, Price returned a lateral from teammate Collin Fitts on a punt return for the winning touchdown on the games final play to lift the Chargers over Coventry. Price ran about 25 yards across the width of the field after receiving the ball from Fitts. Vote View Results All change: Kwasi Kwarteng took a dovish line on takeovers as Business Secretary One unhappy side-effect of the weakness in sterling is that it will provoke even more predatory raids on British companies. Sharp-elbowed overseas buyers are rampaging round the UK stock market like bargain hunters in the aisles of TK Maxx. A string of flagship tech firms have had a bullseye on their back over the summer, including cybersecurity operator Darktrace and IT company Micro Focus. They won't be the last. Making sure Britain is not denuded of corporate jewels is the job of Jacob Rees-Mogg. The new Business Secretary can block damaging takeovers thanks to the National Security and Investment Act, which came into force this year. The question is, will he use them? His predecessor, Kwasi Kwarteng, took a dovish line. It is unfair to draw conclusions on Rees-Mogg, who has barely got his finely shod feet under the desk. One of his first acts, though, was to wave through a 5.6billion takeover of Inmarsat by a US rival. Another satellite firm, OneWeb, which is part owned by the Government, is in line to be sold off to French-state backed operator Eutelsat. These deals are in motion even though satellite technology is an important UK asset. In Inmarsat's case, Rees-Mogg insisted on 'remedies' such as guarantees of more R&D spending and skilled jobs here. But these pledges can be meaningless. US private equity barons at Advent International took over British defence company Cobham with several such glib assurances. It didn't stop them chopping up their prey within 18 months. Yet the Government seems not to have learned any lessons. Advent has been given a green light to take over Ultra Electronics, which makes submarine-hunting technology, for 2.6billion. It is now mulling a swoop on fraud prevention tech specialist GB Group. Due to shoulder-shrugging in government, much of the UK defence industry is owned by US investors. Although we are long-standing allies, this surrender of independent national capability and stewardship is extraordinary. Since Big Bang in the 1980s, the UK stock market has been probably the most open to foreign capital. In some instances, this has been fantastic. European corporates such as Akzo-Nobel, which bought the old ICI paints businesses, have been great owners, as have some of the German and Japanese players in the motor industry. But there has been very little effort to discriminate between responsible long-term buyers and piratical opportunists. Share holders in the City are often accused of failing to value or even understand engineering and technology. And ministers tend to see overseas takeovers through their own narrow lens. Remember British Steel? It was on the brink of ruin in 2019, threatening to collapse with the loss of thousands of jobs. The Government welcomed a Chinese takeover with open arms, despite obvious perils. The next big deal to cross Rees-Mogg's desk is the purchase of semi-conductor firm Newport Wafer Fab by Chinese-backed Nexperia. He should recognise the folly of allowing China to keep control and order the sale to be unwound. Politicians are prone to the temptation of waving through big deals for the kudos: it allows them to claim their policies have made the UK attractive and open for business, thanks to them. Tony Hetherington is Financial Mail on Sunday's ace investigator, fighting readers corners, revealing the truth that lies behind closed doors and winning victories for those who have been left out-of-pocket. Find out how to contact him below. Ms J.S. writes: My aunt died and I received a cheque for 41,627 from the solicitors who administered her estate. I posted this to my bank, First Direct, as it has no branches. The payment did not appear in my account and the solicitors say it was deposited into a Barclays account someone had opened. Barclays admits the account is fraudulent and it has frozen it, but it is not willing to refund the money. No refund: The cheque was deposited into a Barclays account Tony Hetherington replies: First Direct has confirmed that the cheque never arrived at its offices in Leeds. It appears to have been stolen after you posted it. But you had taken the precaution of giving instructions on the back of the cheque, saying it should only be accepted into your own First Direct sort code and account number, and you signed this. On top of this, you have what is perhaps a unique name in this country. I checked all sorts of sources, including electoral registers, and your name is a one-off. So how did a thief manage to open an account with Barclays in your name, and then deposit your 41,627? The answer is stunningly simple. She opened an account months ago, left it dormant, and after getting her hands on the stolen cheque, she told Barclays she had decided to change her name. The thief became you, as far as the bank was concerned. And after the cheque was cleared, all but about 50 was quickly withdrawn. Barclays' advice was that you should contact Action Fraud, which you did, and you received a reply from the National Fraud Intelligence Bureau. It said: 'On this occasion, based on the information currently available, it has not been possible to identify a line of enquiry which a law enforcement organisation in the United Kingdom could pursue.' What rubbish. The woman who opened the Barclays account produced her driving licence as proof of her identity. She gave her address. And as well as copying her licence, including her photograph, Barclays has a recent picture of her when she used the bank's online video services. If all this does not count as a line of enquiry, then heaven knows what does. Barclays' other piece of advice was that since the solicitors' cheque was issued by the Royal Bank of Scotland, it was up to RBS to open 'an inter-bank investigation' that would involve both First Direct and Barclays. But you are not the RBS customer. So you had to ask the executors to ask the solicitors to ask RBS. Well, you tried, but the solicitors were told that all this had nothing to do with RBS, whose staff had no idea what 'an inter-bank investigation' might be. Their feeling was that Barclays was just giving you the run-around. And it is hard to disagree. The cheque that Barclays accepted has been altered with Tippex to cover up your First Direct account details and insert the fraudster's account number at Barclays. And the recent video picture of the fraudster may not be the person pictured on the driving licence, unless she has aged noticeably. I asked Barclays to comment on all this, but it refused to discuss the fraudster's account on privacy grounds. Even crooks and thieves have a right to confidentiality, it seems. Barclays would release all its information to the police, but that is little use when Action Fraud has already refused to take action. So I tried different questions. Why did nobody at Barclays spot that the cheque had been Tippexed and altered? Why did nobody at Barclays spot that the fraudster had only changed her name after the date the solicitors issued the cheque in her 'new' name? And when a customer says they want to change their name, does Barclays verify this by asking to see a new driving licence or perhaps utility bills showing the new name? The answers, it seems, are that nobody takes any notice of the back of the cheque, and quite possibly not even the front. A spokesman was happy to tell me that, 'Barclays complies with all regulatory and legal requirements and has a robust identity and verification process' when a new account is opened. But the bank was less happy to explain what happens when that customer changes his or her name. UK Finance the banks' trade body confirmed the lack of strong regulations on name changes, telling me that it is up to banks to decide what proof they need. They might even settle for a single sheet of paper on which the customer announces they are changing their name by deed poll, as long as it is accompanied by at least one other piece of evidence in the new name. Whether or not Barclays demanded such evidence remains unknown. But even if it did, changing a name is so easy and free that the theft of your cheque has exposed a massive loophole in the system. Nobody's account is safe unless the banks tighten up their regulations and put humans back into the cheque clearing process as their machines and computers clearly don't recognise Tippex when they see it. Trip to Nice has gone to the dogs Ms L.F. writes: I booked our dogs to be transported to Nice with easyPet, while we travelled to France separately. Then our vet said if we were not driving the animals to Nice, the easyPet driver needed to be present at a meeting with the vet when the necessary Animal Health Certificate was issued. I checked with the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) and they confirmed that the person responsible for the pets needs to be present if the owner is not present. EasyPet said it would be impossible for drivers to visit every vet, so we cancelled our trip. Nice in Nice: Vet said the easyPet driver needed to be present at a meeting with the vet when the necessary Animal Health Certificate was issued Tony Hetherington replies: What this comes down to is the exact meaning of the advice from Defra, and how your vet interpreted it. According to Defra, when the pet's health certificate is completed, allowing it to cross borders, the person responsible for the animal must be present if the owner is not able to be present. But this does not say that the person present with the animal must be the same person that actually drives the pet out of the country. In short, you could take your dogs to the vet to get their health certificates and then hand them over to the easyPet driver. The bottom line is that your vet is wrong, and I am sorry that this has spoiled your trip to France. If you believe you are the victim of financial wrongdoing, write to Tony Hetherington at Financial Mail, 2 Derry Street, London W8 5TS or email tony.hetherington@mailonsunday.co.uk. Because of the high volume of enquiries, personal replies cannot be given. Please send only copies of original documents, which we regret cannot be returned. Investors are essential to Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng's mission to grow the economy. As a result, there were a number of announcements in his mini-Budget on Friday that will affect pensions, savings and investment portfolios. Dividend duty drop helps entrepreneurs Investors who receive a high level of income from investments will receive a tax cut from April next year, the Chancellor said. Fresh start: Bloom and Wild benefited from start-up schemes that have now been extended The tax rate on dividend payments for basic rate taxpayers will fall from 8.75 per cent to 7.5 per cent and for higher-rate taxpayers from 33.75 per cent to 32.5 per cent. Additional rate taxpayers will have their current rate of 39.35 per cent abolished altogether. In reality, only investors with big portfolios pay tax on dividends as investments sheltered in pensions and Individual Savings Accounts (Isas) do not attract it. And everyone has an annual 2,000 tax-free dividend allowance. Laura Suter, head of personal finance at investing platform AJ Bell, calculates that an investor would need to have a portfolio of more than 50,000 yielding 4 per cent to benefit. However, she points out that company directors who pay themselves in dividends are likely to make huge savings. 'Someone receiving 50,000 of dividends a year will save 3,288 next year in comparison to this year, while those taking 10,000 of dividends a year will be better off to the tune of 548,' she says. Start-up schemes receive a big boost Three schemes that afford investors major tax breaks for supporting start-up businesses received a major boost in the Budget. Venture Capital Trusts (VCTs), Enterprise Investment Schemes (EISs) and Seed Enterprise Investment Schemes (SEISs) are vehicles that allow investors to put their money into companies that are still privately-owned or that are too small to list on the main London Stock Exchange. Companies that have successfully used the schemes to grow include flower delivery firm Bloom & Wild, recipe box firm Gousto and burger restaurant Five Guys. Some of the firms in which you can invest have great growth potential, but they can also be more volatile and the risk of losing most or all of your money is far greater than in more traditional portfolios. Because of the risks, the incentives for investing are high. For example, VCTs and EIS schemes offer income tax relief of up to 30 per cent, while SEIS schemes offer up to 50 per cent. There is also inheritance tax relief available on EIS and SEIS schemes. Because they are riskier, they tend to be considered only by wealthy, experienced investors who have used up all of their other allowances for Isas and pensions. The Budget confirmed that VCT and EIS schemes would continue until now there was a so-called sunset clause, which could have seen the industry shut down in 2025. The SEIS scheme was also extended. Individual investors' annual allowance for SEIS schemes will double to 200,000, while the maximum a company can raise under the scheme has also risen from 150,000 to 250,000. Top earners to pay less tax on savings interest Taxpayers currently in the additional rate band will be able to earn up to 500 interest on their savings without paying any tax from April. Under the current system, only basic rate and higher rate taxpayers get a personal savings allowance of 1,000 and 500 a year respectively. Additional rate taxpayers have none at all. But from April, the additional tax rate, which taxes earnings above 150,000 a year at 45 per cent, will be abolished. Additional rate taxpayers will become higher rate tax payers and will therefore get a personal savings allowance. Pensions can invest in infrastructure The current cap on fees for workplace pensions is to be relaxed, Kwarteng said. At the moment, savers cannot be charged more than 0.75 per cent a year for the management of investments in their pensions. This is to protect savers from having their investment returns eroded by unjustifiably high fees. However, the Chancellor wants pension funds to be able to invest in major infrastructure projects, which would help to boost growth in the economy. The Government has committed itself to ambitious targets on nuclear, solar and wind energy, for example. Until now, pension funds have argued that this type of investment is too expensive to deliver under the current 0.75 per cent fees cap and so have shied away. Becky O'Connor is head of pensions and savings at investing platform Interactive Investor. She says: 'For some time, the pension charge cap has been labelled as a blocker to private investment by pension funds in big infrastructure projects, because investment managers haven't been able to deliver them and also keep charges for workplace savers under the 0.75 per cent cap. 'These big investments, are costly but also have the potential to deliver growth for the economy and also for investors.' But watch out as pensions stung Savers are set to get slightly less tax relief on pensions from April. Basic rate taxpayers receive tax relief at 20 per cent, which is their current income tax rate. However, from April the basic rate will fall to 19 per cent. The income tax cut is, of course, largely good news as workers will keep more of what they earn. But the fallout is that pension tax relief will also drop to 19 per cent. Helen Morrissey, senior pensions analyst at investing platform Hargreaves Lansdown, says: 'Instead of getting an extra 20 for every 80 you contribute, you will now only get 19 for every 81.' While the one percentage point cut to tax relief to 19 per cent may sound small, it can add up over years of pension saving. Consultancy Barnett Waddingham has calculated that a 40-year-old basic-rate taxpayer earning 37,500 and contributing 12 per cent of their pay into a pension is likely to find their pot is worth 5,700 less when they come to retire as a result of the change. This amounts to a reduction in income at retirement of about 360 a year. People who are currently additional rate taxpayers will find that their pensions tax relief also falls in line with their income tax level, from 45 per cent to 40 per cent. This will mean that instead of getting an extra 45 for every 55 they contribute, they will now get 40 for every 60. The changes only tax place from the new tax year in April. Therefore, savers who can afford to do so could benefit from putting more money into their pensions before then to take advantage of the more generous rates. Its no secret that Flagstaff loves its breweries. Whether it's sipping on a Tower Station IPA after summiting Humphreys Peak or chilling a Conserve and Protect golden ale in Oak Creek, Mother Road Brewing has an undoubtable place in the typical Flagstaff residents recreating or relaxing routine. Created here in Flagstaff in 2011, Mother Road CEO and co-founder Michael Marquess said inspiration for the companys foundation originated from the founders love of nature, travel, motoring, history, food and of course, craft beer. Instead of fighting against better nature, we just decided we might as well open up a brewery and combine all those things together, Marquess said. With a lineup made easily recognizable by the art on the cans, Mother Road beverages can be found in grocery stores, bars, restaurants and in the hands of Arizona residents who also share Marquess love of craft beer. So, with such a strong fanbase, new products in the Mother Road lineup are subject to scrutiny fit for an HBO series finale. However, Mother Road tends not to disappoint. Marquess said feedback from customers is key to help Mother Road continue to satisfy Flagstaff and all of Arizonas craft beer cravings. He explained that those who set foot in the brewery are often easy to talk to and helpful for new products refinement. If a customer likes a product, Marquess said he and other Mother Road staff like to find out what exactly they enjoy about the beverage. If someone dislikes something, he explained that the discussion goes the same way, pinpointing ways to refine their beverages still in formal production. Now in that refinement stage, Mother Road Brewing Co. is bringing a new beverage to the party. Cowgirl Crush is a beer with attributes unlike anything else the brewery has released. The company partnered with Pulse Beverages in Phoenix to produce botanical organic flavors for this new beer. Having tested strawberry, blackberry, blueberry and more flavors, Cowgirl Crushs final blend will bring unique botanical flavors to the taste buds of those who drink it. Under 100 calories, Cowgirl Crush packs in more carbonation and fruity flavors, making it a fun, light option out of the Mother Road collection. Marquess described the beverage as something great to enjoy during the daytime and in warmer weather. Weve actually had a lot of fun with it, Marquess said. Ive been drinking it lately for meetings all the time because its crisp and its been nice and its gotten hot again. Yeah and its low alcohol, so I can have a couple of them and not be dumb. With its fruity botanical flavors, Marquess said the Cowgirl Crush beer has a rose-gold-esque color to it, which nicely compliments its cans art, which certainly holds up to the other iconic cans. Despite being quite different from what Mother Road already offers, Marquess explained that Cowgirl Crush is still very much on-brand for the brewing company; however some of the Mother Road brewers were not keen on going down the seltzer route like many of the big breweries have in recent years. Honestly, our crew was not excited about going down a seltzer route were craft brewers, Marquess said. [Cowgirl Crush] is something that is delicious and handcrafted and something I think were going to be very proud of when we get to the final rendition. Cowgirl Crush follows the typical Mother Road suit, being a light and crisp option with unique flavors. Marquess also explained that Mother Road should not be pigeonholed as an IPA brewery. Despite having some of the most popular IPAs on the Arizona market, Cowgirl Crush is a beer that Marquess said will help round out the Mother Road selection. Also in Mother Road fashion, the art on the Cowgirl Crush can is created by the team of local artists who designed the companys other famous cans. Based on a 1940s Western movie poster, the Cowgirl Crush can depicts a cowgirl on the front and on the back, a cowboy in a 48 Ford custom convertible. What I love about Cowgirl Crush is that youre left to make up your own mind, Marquess said. Is the cowgirl crushing on the cowboy? Is the cowboy crushing on the cowgirl? Its kind of fun to have that little bit of a story and ambiguity on the front of the can. I just love our artists, they do amazing work. While Marquess said hes excited for Cowgirl Crushs big debut, the creative process of formulating a new beverage is truly the best part of brewing. The second best part, to him, is finding out someone is truly delighted by the product. Star player: How Jacob Rees-Mogg might look in a Chairman Mao cap The investment company set up by Business Secretary Jacob Rees-Mogg has multimillion pound shareholdings in Russian and Chinese companies, The Mail on Sunday can reveal. The stakes held by Somerset Capital Management (SCM) will raise eyebrows at a time of fraught relations between the UK Government and the Kremlin following Russian president Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. There are also rising tensions with the communist regime in Beijing. In his new role as Business Secretary, Rees-Mogg is in charge of sensitive rulings involving Chinese and Russian interests, including whether to allow takeovers of UK companies by Beijing-backed predators. Among the controversial holdings is a stake in Moscow-based internet giant Yandex, which is often referred to as Russia's Google and is the country's largest search engine. According to its most recent documents filed this summer, SCM held two million shares in Yandex, which has been criticised for allegedly promoting the Kremlin line on its online news platform. Jailed opposition leader Alexei Navalny has described the company as 'the main propagandist' for the murderous war against Ukraine. Western firms have faced immense pressure to exit investments in Russia since the invasion was launched on February 24. Former Yandex chief executive Arkady Volozh stepped down in June after being sanctioned by the European Union. SCM previously held stakes in four firms operating in Russia, but this has now fallen to two, documents show. The other is a recruitment business called Head-Hunter. Rees-Mogg is a co-founder of SCM, which manages about $5billion (4.5billion) on behalf of clients, and he lists himself as a partner in the firm in parliamentary declarations. He was promoted to Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy by new Prime Minister Liz Truss earlier this month. SCM has just been put up for sale with a price tag of tens of millions of pounds, which would net Rees-Mogg a multi-million pound windfall. The firm claims that he has no say in its stock-picking decisions as he stepped back from direct involvement in running the funds when he became an MP in 2010. However, he acted as a part-time adviser until 2019, receiving fees of about 180,000 a year from the business for about 30 hours of work a month. He is understood to have a stake of between 10 per cent and 15 per cent in SCM. The investment firm owned shares in Yandex as far back as 2018. In March, following Putin's invasion, it said it would exit its shareholding 'in an orderly manner in due course'. Slice of the action: Rees-Mogg's firm invests in Yum China, which has the Pizza Hut franchise in China But the most recent company documents seen by the MoS suggest it still holds the shares, which are likely to be difficult to sell because of the sanctions imposed after Putin's invasion. Financial data firm Bloomberg pegs the notional value of the shares at almost 50million. However, in common with other Russian investments, they may in reality be worth little or nothing, due to the financial fallout from the war. SCM says it has 'written down' its two million shares in Yandex to zero, implying it does not expect to make money from the investment. Other controversial shareholdings include Yum China, the country's largest restaurant group, which is one of SCM's biggest investments. It operates 12,000 restaurants in the country, including many under licence, such as KFC and Pizza Hut. Filings show Somerset Capital holds a 160million stake in the business, which is chaired by a senior policy adviser to the Chinese Communist Party, Fred Hu. Key roles: Fred Hu chairs Yum China It also holds a 6million stake in a Taiwanese semiconductor plant. The semiconductor sector is a sensitive one worldwide and has prompted a row over Newport Wafer Fab, Britain's largest microchip maker. Rees-Mogg now holds sway over the future of the Welsh-based firm, which was sold to a Chinese-backed buyer last year. He is shortly expected to reveal his decision on whether the deal should be unwound on national security grounds. SCM's shareholdings are listed in its most recent stock market documents, and include dozens in China, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, India and South America. Other major investments include a 90million stake in Indian information technology firm Infosys the company founded by former Chancellor Rishi Sunak's father-in-law. Rees-Mogg co-founded SCM in 2007 with Dominic Johnson and Edward Robertson. The firm is named after the county where Rees-Mogg grew up and is the location of his constituency. Oliver Crawley, a partner at the firm, said: 'As a global emerging markets equity specialist, Somerset Capital Management had some limited exposure to listed Russian equities before Russia invaded Ukraine. 'Since the invasion, these equities have been suspended on their exchanges and Somerset's policy has been that it will not purchase any Russian securities.' The company describes its investment targets as 'emerging markets' nations that offer the promise of high rewards but with more risk than Western countries. Rees-Mogg declined to comment. 'Decisive intervention': Andy Street Leading Tory mayors said the roll-out of investment zones across the UK could attract billions of investment and create thousands of jobs. Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday unveiled the plans which will grant huge tax cuts for business and relax planning restrictions. Former John Lewis boss and Tory West Midlands mayor Andy Street said the new scheme is a 'decisive intervention that will be absolutely right for levelling up'. He said the zones will turbocharge investment in his Red Wall region. 'They are putting this on steroids. I think it will bring further investment into the region more quickly,' he said. Ben Houchen, Conservative mayor for Tees Valley, was also enthusiastic. Development of a freeport has already attracted 3.5billion of committed investment to the region. But Houchen said this would 'not even touch the sides' of the 'eye-watering amounts' of funding that will pour in over ten years with the addition of the investment zones. He said: 'The investment zones that are used to unlock growth are like supercharged freeports. The simplification and tax cuts are hugely appealing both to local businesses and across the world. 'It takes the best of the freeport plan and extends it beyond large brownfield industrial sites.' Environmental consulting firm RPS has become the latest London-listed company to fall victim to a US takeover as the pound's weakness attracts overseas predators. RPS has struck a deal valuing it at 636m with Tetra Tech, a California-based engineering firm. Takeover: RPS has struck a deal valuing it at 636m with Tetra Tech, a California-based engineering firm Tetra Tech's 222p a share offer trumps a previously-agreed offer from Canadian outfit WSP Global, which worked on the building of the Shard office block in London, at 206p a share. RPS Group is based in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and employs around 5,000 people in 125 countries. It advises the property, energy and water industries on environmental issues. Chief executive John Douglas said: 'Joining Tetra Tech represents a highly attractive combination of two leading companies in the industry for our clients.' Finding an old 20 banknote crumpled up in the bottom of your pocket used to be a cause for outright celebration but from next month you could struggle to spend it. Both the traditional paper 20 note featuring an image of the economist Adam Smith and the paper 50 note with a picture of engineers Matthew Boulton and James Watt will no longer be legal tender after this Friday. The paper currency has been replaced by new tougher-wearing, polymer-based notes, which are harder to forge. All change: The old paper currency has been replaced by new tougher-wearing, polymer-based notes, which are harder to forge The replacement 20 notes feature an image of artist JMW Turner and the 50 note shows the scientist Alan Turing, who was involved in cracking the Enigma code that proved vital for Allied Forces in the Second World War. But even this newer money could be replaced sooner than expected following the coronation of King Charles III, which is expected in June next year. New currency featuring his profile will be gradually introduced to mark his reign. It is worth rummaging around for the older 20 and 50 notes this week if you want to spend them in the shops. But there is no need to despair if you only stumble on a note after the deadline because high street banks and main post offices should still exchange them for the new legal tender for several years to come or allow you to deposit them into your bank account. Fortunately, even if you were to discover an old note in several decades' time there is no real need to panic. The Bank of England promises that you will always be able to exchange it for new currency. The Home Matters Arizona Fund recently announced a new round of funding to increase attainable housing across the state. One project to receive funding was The Crown transitional housing project started by Flagstaff Shelter Services earlier this year. Home Matters has awarded a total of $1.5 million to projects in Phoenix, Glendale and Flagstaff. The fund has planned to finance $100 million in Arizona attainable housing projects over the next two years, meant to address the issue of affordability in the state as well as housing justice for underrepresented communities. It plans to invest in projects serving individuals and families with low and moderate income, those who are veterans, seniors, unsheltered, have disabilities, are involved in the justice system or are eligible for support through the Arizona Health Care Cost Containment System (AHCCCS). The Home Matters Arizona Fund is thrilled to fund these projects which will advance housing options for families, individuals experiencing homelessness, seniors and those who are medically vulnerable, said James Stringham, vice president and CEO of Banner Health Plan and outgoing Home Matters Arizona Fund Chair. Arizonas healthcare leaders understand that housing is good healthcare and that it saves lives and the state money. The fund has recently secured $2.25 million from the Arizona Department of Housing to house victims of domestic violence, those experiencing homelessness and transitional individuals and families. In northern Arizona, Flagstaff Shelter Services (FSS) was recently awarded $500,000 for its work with The Crown hotel in Flagstaff. Construction on the 58-unit development will begin in two months, according to the announcement, and will cost a total of $6.44 million. FSS purchased the Howard Johnson Motel on Route 66 in March using funding from the Arizona Department of Housing and is renovating it to provide transitional housing to seniors, the medically vulnerable and families in Flagstaff. The hotel was functional and fully furnished when FSS bought it in April, executive director Ross Schaefer said, so they were able to move in residents within a week of the purchase. This grant will fund some capital improvements to be able to bring the building into its most useful state and into the code of safety requirements that we want to get it to," she said. Some efforts Schaefer mentioned include increased ADA on the site, upgrades to the sprinkler system, filling in the pool to create a community area and adding kitchenettes to the rooms. Those are phases down the road, she said, but the Home Matters grant will help us get there. The Crown functions as an emergency shelter, mainly for those who are immunocompromised, senior citizens and families. It is completely full at the moment, Schaefer said, and the adjoining rooms and different bed sizes allow FSS to accommodate large families. Schaefer said the project has been amazing so far. It really is such a special place, she said. ... Ive been doing this work for a long time and I can tell you, consistently seeing people just generally at peace is not something that I would say I have the opportunity to see too often. We deal with folks who are in significant crisis [and] to see the sheer number of people over there that are getting to experience what home feels like again is just remarkable. "Its definitely enough to make you want to keep doing it and just make new opportunities for people to be able to have the same peace. Previous projects in Flagstaff that received grants from the Home Matters Arizona Fund include the Sharon Manor transitional housing for domestic violence survivors and JoJos Place motel renovation to provide transitional housing for those experiencing homelessness, both through Northern Arizona Housing Solutions. More about the Home Matters Arizona Fund can be found at homemattersarizona.com and more about FSS can be found at flagshelter.org. Russia has sought to defend its seven-month old war at the United Nations, with Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov saying that regions of Ukraine where widely-derided referendums are being held would be under Russias full protection if annexed by Moscow. The referendums in four eastern Ukrainian regions, aimed at annexing territory Russia has taken by force since its invasion in February, entered their third day on Sunday and the Russian parliament could move to formalise the annexation within days. Ukraine and its Western allies have dismissed the referendums as a sham designed to justify an escalation of the war and a mobilisation drive by Moscow after recent battlefield losses. President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered Russias first military mobilisation since World War Two, a move that triggered protests across the country and sent flocks of military-age men fleeing, causing tailbacks at borders and sold-out flights from the country. Russias two most senior lawmakers on Sunday addressed a string of complaints about the mobilisation, ordering regional officials to get a handle on the situation and swiftly solve the excesses that have stoked public anger. Addressing the U.N. General Assembly and the worlds media in New York on Saturday, Lavrov attempted to justify Russias invasion of its neighbour, repeating Moscows false claims that the elected government in Kyiv was illegitimately installed and filled with neo-Nazis. He cast opposition to what Russia calls a special operation as limited to the United States and countries under its sway. Nearly three-quarters of states in the assembly voted to reprimand Russia and demand it withdraw its troops. In a news conference following his speech Lavrov said the regions where votes are underway would be under Moscows full protection if they are annexed by Russia. Asked if Russia would have grounds for using nuclear weapons to defend the annexed regions, Lavrov said Russian territory, including territory further enshrined in Russias constitution in the future, is under the full protection of the state. Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, said Russias mentions of the possible use of nuclear weapons were absolutely unacceptable and Kyiv would not give into them. LOOMING ANNEXATION The Duma, Russias lower house of parliament, may debate bills incorporating the Russian-occupied parts of Ukraine into Russia on Thursday, the state-run TASS news agency said on Saturday, citing an unnamed source. The Interfax agency quoted a source saying the upper house could consider the bill the same day, and RIA Novosti, also citing an unnamed source, said Putin could be preparing to make a formal address to an extraordinary joint session of both houses on Friday. The votes on becoming part of Russia were hastily organised after Ukraine recaptured large swathes of the northeast in a counter-offensive this month. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said the votes would be unequivocally condemned by the world. Russia says the referendums offer an opportunity for people in those regions to express their view. Ukraine and Russia traded accusations on Sunday of attacks on civilians, with Ukraines military saying that Russian forces had launched dozens of missile attacks and air strikes on military and civilian targets in the past 24 hours. Russia also used drones to attack the centre of the southern city of Odesa, Ukraines military said. No casualties were reported. Russia denies deliberately attacking civilians. Its RIA state news agency reported that Ukrainian forces bombed a hotel in the city of Kherson, killing two people. Russian forces have occupied the southern city since the early days of the invasion on Feb. 24. There was no immediate response from Ukraine. Reuters could not verify either sides claims. Putins mobilisation drive has stirred unrest in Russia. More than 2,000 people have been detained across the country for protesting against the draft, including 798 people in 33 towns on Saturday, according to independent monitoring group OVD-Info. When asked on Saturday why so many Russians were leaving the country, Lavrov pointed to the right of freedom of movement. SOURCE: REUTERS For copyright information, check with the distributor of this item, The Herald. Kansas City mainstream media proves exceptionally arduous as traditional broadcast outlets transform amid the social media & Internets era. Last year, we noted the departure of a fan favorite cast member from the Johnny Dare Show and recently there's an important follow-up to the story that was recently disclosed. A few things to consider . . . - Johnny Dare still has hundreds of thousands of fans but he's no longer the "king of Kansas City radio" because fewer people listen to terrestrial radio altogether. Even some of this most loyal followers come by way of social media rather than tune into old school broadcasts when satellite and Internets streaming offer much more pleasant listening experiences. - The Johnny Dare fan base is quickly greying. As people get older their musical tastes change and modern day "hard rock" seems to be in a bit of a lull with fewer super bands and top ranking performers atop the charts. This will likely change given the cyclical nature of the music industry . . . In fact, Johnny Dare enjoyed a surprising late-career uptick in popularity thanks to a resurgence of hard rock music around the early 2010s when record companies realized that legions of white dudes in the Midwest didn't want to solely listen to R&B & hip-hop like their East & West coast counterparts. - Keith Jordan aka T-Bone really does have a remarkable connection with audiences. There's was a clever twist apparent in his on-air persona wherein a very introspective and nearly philosophical person hid behind a character that typically served as a punchline. Accordingly . . . Here's the passages that stood out in T-bone's recent social media testimony. First . . . He offers fans a peek behind contract negotiations . . . "Thats when it was made apparent I was not really an actual member of the team. I was just there to run equipment and play a character to verbally beat on. At that point it was like a real slap in the face. So I decided to ride my contract out for a little while then figure out something else." And then . . . He shares a look back at his radio career and what might be a tease for a triumphant return . . . "Do I miss it? After 27 years yes to a point. Do I regret it? No I feel I made the right decision. My only regret is that I was stupid and didnt keep copies of my old audio from Florida and other bits we did." Read the whole thing from a public post T-Bone shared with fans that's garnering a great deal of interest and support . . . T-Bone: "Its crazy to think that its coming up on one year since I left the radio. I still get asked if I will decide to return since I was kinda vague on why exactly I left . . ." Developing . . . Say her name: Mahsa Amini The death of a 22-year-old Iranian woman while in police custody shows the need for change in Iran, Aileen Zangouei writes. Update: 25-09-2022 | 14:49:52 The United Nations (UN) will continue paying attention to and support Vietnam's development priorities towards green and sustainable orientations, and just transition, especially in terms of financial access, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on September 23. Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh (L) and UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. (Photo: VGP) The United Nations (UN) will continue paying attention to and support Vietnam's development priorities towards green and sustainable orientations, and just transition, especially in terms of financial access, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres told Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh on September 23. During their meeting on the sidelines of the high-level week of the 77th UN General Assembly (UNGA 77) in New York, Guterres appreciated Vietnam's active and responsible contributions to the common affairs of the largest global organisation in recent years, hoping that the country will promote its role and contribute more to addressing global issues. Minh, for his part, emphasised that Vietnam always backs multilateralism and the central role of the United Nations in global governance and coordination of efforts to address common challenges. More efforts should be made to help the UN operate more effectively and with sufficient resources to best meet the needs and expectations of member states, he said. The Deputy PM reaffirmed Vietnam's commitment to working with member countries and UN leaders to advance important common agendas, from the implementation of the Sustainable Development Goals to peacekeeping operations in different regions of the world. Vietnam is actively implementing its commitments at the 26th UN Climate Change Conference of the Parties (COP26) to net zero emissions by 2050, Minh stated, proposing the UN actively support the process of building the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). At a meeting with President of UNGA 77 Csaba Korosi, Minh appreciated Korosi's selection of the topic and priorities, affirming that Vietnam, as Vice President of the UNGA, will actively support and contribute to the success of the session. Korosi asserted that the UN appreciates Vietnam's contributions and thanks the country for its active role in the implementation of the SDGs. Vietnam is a role model of economic growth associated with environmental protection, he stressed. He also shared his priority on water resource management and wished to cooperate with Vietnam in this field, as it is necessary to promote measures to prevent water crises, build a water-related database at regional and global levels, and connect national policies on water and climate change. The UNGA President showed his hope that Vietnam will actively participate in and share its experience at the UN Water Conference in March 2023. Agreeing with the UNGA Presidents initiatives and proposals, and sharing his special concern over water management, Minh said that Vietnam always considers water an important security issue due to many impacts of droughts, floods, sea level rise and the development and over-exploitation of water resources. Vietnam is determined not to sacrifice the environment in exchange for economic growth, but there should be a balance between economic development and environmental protection, he stressed./. VNA The exhumation of those killed by Russian invaders and buried in mass graves in Izium, Kharkiv region, has been completed. A total of 447 bodies have been found. "The works continued for a week without interruption. 447 bodies were removed from graves. Of them, 215 are women, 194 are men, 5 are children, and 22 are service members. In addition, the remains of 11 people were found, whose gender cannot be determined at the moment," Chief of the National Police of Ukraine Ihor Klymenko posted on Facebook. As noted, "there are many bodies with traces of torture. Police forensic experts face a difficult task: to identify the body of each killed person. Relatives should bury them in a human way." He noted that "investigators carefully document every war crime committed by Russian servicemen. Not a single detail will be missed because criminals must be punished." Klymenko thanked "investigators, forensic experts, rescuers, and everyone who participated in the exhumation process. This is difficult but very important work." The National Police chief also thanked the foreign and Ukrainian mass media for covering Russia's crimes. "The world should see and remember the atrocities of the Russian torturers," Klymenko stressed. As reported, on September 10, Ukrainian troops liberated Izium from the Russian invaders. The town was controlled by the enemy since the beginning of April. On September 16, President Volodymyr Zelensky stated that more than 400 bodies, including those with signs of torture, were found in mass graves in liberated Izium. ol Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has called on Russians to dodge mobilization or surrender, stressing that Ukraine guarantees three things to every prisoner. According to Ukrinform, Zelensky said this in a fresh video address, part of which was delivered in Russian. "It is better not to take a conscription letter than to die in a foreign land as a war criminal. It is better to run away from criminal mobilization than to be crippled and then bear responsibility in the court for participating in the war of aggression. It is better to surrender to Ukrainian captivity than to be killed by the strikes of our weapons, absolutely fair strikes, as Ukraine defends itself in this war," Zelensky said. He said that it was no coincidence that the criminal mobilization declared by Russia was immediately called a "mobilization to graves" by the citizens of Russia themselves. According to him, the Russian authorities are well aware that they are sending their citizens to their death - there are no other options. Zelensky said that Russian commanders do not care about the lives of Russians - they just need to replenish the empty spaces left by the dead, wounded, those who fled or the Russian soldiers that were captured. Addressing the Russians, Zelensky said that "the key moment has come for you: right now it is being decided whether your life will end or not." He also promised that in the event of surrender, Ukraine would guarantee three things to the captives. "Ukraine guarantees every Russian soldier who surrenders three things. First, you will be treated in a civilized manner, in accordance with all conventions. Second, no one will know the circumstances of your surrender, no one in Russia will know that your surrender was voluntary. And third, if you are afraid to return to Russia and do not want an exchange, we will find a way to ensure this as well," Zelensky said. He added that Ukrainians protect the most precious things "their lives, our children, our freedom, but Russia brings evil." "Ukraine will do everything for its victory. And every citizen of Russia should understand: no tricks will help the occupier. I promise you that," Zelensky said. Last night Russian troops launched a massive missile attack on the city of Zaporizhzhia. Civil infrastructure was damaged, and casualties among civilians were reported. The relevant statement was made by Zaporizhzhia Acting Mayor Anatolii Kurtiev on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. In apartment blocks and detached houses, windows were damaged. Some houses have their roofs destroyed. Educational institutions and a hospital were also damaged, Kurtiev wrote. Relevant services are working at the scene. Municipal workers are getting to work. Casualties among civilians were reported; information about them is yet to be checked. A reminder that enemy missile strikes were recorded in several districts of Zaporizhzhia and a village situated nearby in the Zaporizhzhia district. Three civilians were reported injured. A power substation was left without electricity in one of districts. mk The Ukrainian State Border Guard Service has not recorded provocations at the border with the Republic of Belarus so far, but special attention is being given to this direction. The relevant statement was made by Spokesperson for the Ukrainian State Border Guard Service Andrii Demchenko during a nationwide telethon, an Ukrinform correspondent reports. At the moment, fortunately, the situation is stable. Our countrys security and defense forces are keeping control of the border line, border areas, and are doing whatever is necessary to strengthen this direction, as we clearly understand Belarus is providing support for Russia in the war against our country, Demchenko told. In his words, Ukrainian forces have never ruled out and do not rule out that Belarusian units may decide to enter the territory of Ukraine or create provocations. Therefore, all the defense forces the Border Guard Service, the Armed Forces of Ukraine and the National Guard are in place in this direction in order to handle the situation, prevent provocations and, moreover, invasion, Demchenko stressed. A reminder that, according to the mass media, Russias Liga mercenaries have arrived in Minsk to prepare provocations at the Ukrainian border. Photo: Ukrainian State Border Guard Service mk The Ukrainian authorities have called on Israel to do more to help Ukraine defend itself against Russian aggression. Andriy Yermak, the head of the Ukrainian President's Office, wrote this in an article for Israel Hayom, according to his Telegram channel. "In a world saturated with Russian propaganda and disinformation, there are few indisputable truths. But one thing is clear. Israel and Ukraine are fighting the same war, a war against terrorists who seek to eradicate a people. In our hour of ordeal, Ukraine needs committed allies able and willing to share our burden because they know the true value of freedom and peace. And as Jews around the world enter the High Holy Day season and reflect on the prior year, their personal journeys, their shortcomings, and their growth, we call on Israel to also reflect and choose to do more to help Ukraine defend our ways of life and life itself," Yermak said. According to him, Ukraine is deeply saddened by the need to advise against travel to Uman for the Rosh Hashanah holiday, a painful reminder of the unacceptable price of unprovoked aggression unleashed by the terror state of Russia. "Since the war began in February, Russia has accepted Iranian drones for use against the Ukrainian people. The Kremlin has also continued to warmly host the senior leaders of Hamas, even as recently as this month, yet Israel has continued permitting flights to Moscow. It is time for Israel to pause for self-reflection and break ties to the wicked and barbaric Russian state," Yermak said. As Russia indiscriminately bombed Kharkiv, the Jewish community only survived by a miracle. In late February, the Russian terrorist state was shelling the center of Ukraine's second city, home to a vibrant Hillel House and Or Avner day school. "The fact that these pillars of the Jewish community were targeted was of no concern for the aggressor," he said. Russia's full-scale military aggression in Ukraine has been ongoing since February 24. The defense forces of Ukraine are fiercely resisting the Russian invaders. The United States has sent two NASAMS air defense systems to Ukraine. President of Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky said this in an interview with CBS, an Ukrinform correspondent reports We absolutely need the United States to show leadership and give Ukraine, the air defense systems. I want to thank President Biden for a positive decision that has been already made. And to the US Congress, we received NASAMS, Zelensky said. At the same time, Zelensky stressed that it's not even nearly enough to cover the civilian infrastructure, schools, hospitals, universities, homes of Ukrainians. We need the security in order to attract our Ukrainians to come back home. If it's safe, they will come, settle, work here and will pay taxes and then we won't have a deficit of $5 billion in our budget. So it will be a positive for everybody, the president said. As reported by Ukrinform, President Volodymyr Zelensky previously emphasized that the pace of providing international aid to Ukraine should correspond to the pace of movement of Ukrainian soldiers. iy Criminal mobilization is used by Russia not only to prolong the suffering of Ukrainians but also to exterminate the representatives of indigenous peoples. 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! Today we have great news. Maryana Mamonova, a combat medic, defender of Azovstal whom we freed from Russian captivity gave birth to a daughter. I sincerely congratulate Maryana from the bottom of my heart and wish the girls only the best - peace and victory. This is another proof that life always triumphs over any evil. And evil under the Russian flag is no exception to this rule. Now all our state structures, which are needed, are fully working to help our released warriors. Medical aid, social, legal... Treatment, rehabilitation, restoration of documents, bank cards, housing, etc. Rustem Umerov, pursuant to my instruction, visited our commanders from "Azovstal" in Turkey today. He checked their living conditions - the conditions are comfortable. The boys are provided with everything they need. Rustem controls that. Soon we will ensure that the boys meet their relatives and friends. This week, on Tuesday, I am to receive a clear plan for each of those released - how their normal lives will be restored. Just as the process of releasing our heroes from captivity, this process of normalization is managed by Andriy Yermak, Head of the Office. He is also assisted by Kyrylo Budanov, Head of the Main Intelligence Directorate of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, as well as our ombudsman, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, the Security Service, etc. I would like to emphasize: work is ongoing regarding the next exchanges. No matter how difficult it may be, we must free all our people, all Ukrainians. We do not forget about anyone. But we should still remember: it is not easy, it requires the efforts of many people, and it is directly related to the situation on the frontline. Our active actions include, in particular, the increase of those whom we can exchange. The more Russian soldiers are detained by Ukrainian forces, the faster we will be able to free our warriors, our heroes from Russian captivity. Fierce fighting takes place in many sections of the front with a total length of more than 2,000 kilometers. This is the Donetsk region, this is our Kharkiv region, Kherson region, as well as Mykolaiv and Zaporizhia regions. We have positive results in several directions. And no matter what happens this week in Russia, no matter what steps the terrorist state plans - political or military - the tasks of our state, the tasks of Ukraine, cannot change: we are fighting for life and freedom for all Ukrainians. This week there will be a new wave of our diplomatic activity. My new appeals to the political, business and student communities abroad. Our needs, our positions, our view on how to stop Russian evil will be heard everywhere in the world, absolutely everywhere. We will also make a special emphasis. Emphasis on the fact that criminal mobilization is used by Russia not only to prolong the suffering of people in Ukraine and to further destabilize the world, but also to physically exterminate men - representatives of indigenous peoples who live in the territories controlled so far, temporarily, by the Russian Federation. The situation in the occupied Crimea is catastrophic. The information about the Crimean Tatar people is fully confirmed: most of the mobilization letters are given there specifically to qrmllar. This is another element of Russia's policy of genocide, another reason for the immediate and tough reaction of the whole world. The same is happening on the territory of Russia itself. This is a deliberate imperial policy. This is a blow to the peoples of, for example, Dagestan and the entire Caucasus, to the indigenous peoples of Siberia and other territories. And I want to repeat it once again. Again in Russian, specially for Russian "comrades". And this is not a kind of collection of peoples in Russia, not badges or flags somewhere on the map, no. These are not candy wrappers - these are real people. And only now you are beginning to hear it, yet still not everywhere. We see that people, in particular, in Dagestan, began to fight for their lives. We see that they are beginning to understand that this is a question of their lives. Why should their husbands, brothers, sons die in this war? In a war that one man wants. In a war against our people, on our land. He does not send his children to war. Fight to ensure that your children are not sent to die - everyone who can be taken by this criminal Russian mobilization. Because if you come to take the lives of our children - I will tell you as a father - we will not let you go alive. I want to emphasize once again: there is a way out. Do not submit to criminal mobilization. Flee. Or surrender to Ukrainian captivity at the first opportunity. I urge all our friends in the information field to spread this appeal. The more citizens of the Russian Federation at least try to protect their own lives, the sooner this criminal war of Russia against the people of Ukraine will end. I am thankful to everyone who fights and works for our victory! A difficult week is ahead. A difficult path. Difficult challenges. But ahead is our victory. And it is inevitable. This evening, I want to congratulate the Ukrainian Jewish community and all the Jews of the world on Rosh Hashanah. May all prayers for victory, all prayers for peace for Ukraine be heard. Keep defending Ukraine! Keep defending life! Glory to Ukraine! Former US president Donald Trump and family members lied to tax collectors, lenders and insurers for years in a scheme that routinely misstated the value of his properties to enrich themselves, according to a suit filed by New York's attorney general on Wednesday. Top state prosecutor Letitia James said that with the help of his children and others at the Trump Organization, the former president provided fraudulent statements of his net worth and false asset valuations "to obtain and satisfy loans, get insurance benefits, and pay lower taxes." "In short, he lied to gain massive financial benefits for himself." The sweeping investigation is one of many criminal, civil and congressional probes into Trump, who is eyeing another run for the White House in 2024. Trump repeated his oft-used defense that the suit is "another witch hunt" against him, while his spokesperson denounced it as a political move by Democrats against the Republican businessman. James' office requested that the former president pay at least $250 million in penalties - a sum she says he made from the fraud - and that his family be banned from running businesses in the state. She also urged that Trump along with his children Donald Trump Jr, Eric Trump and Ivanka Trump be barred from purchasing property in the state for five years. "The very foundation of his purported net worth is rooted in incredible fraud and illegality," the attorney general said in a statement. Referring the title of Trump's book The Art of Deal, she said that "Mr Trump thought he could get away with the art of the steal, but today, that conduct ends." James said her office, which lacks authority to file criminal charges, was making a criminal referral to the US Justice Department as well as the Internal Revenue Service based on the three-year investigation. The lawsuit filed with the New York State Supreme Court includes allegations that Trump's annual financial statements for at least a decade grossly inflated property values across his assets - from his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida to Manhattan's Trump Tower - to a "staggering" degree. He did so to obtain favorable loans with lower interests and premiums, said James, who is running to be reelected to her post in November. The suit details tactics used by Trump and his associates, saying they would represent that he had cash on hand when he didn't, change valuation properties wildly, and use "objectively false numbers to calculate property values" including at his famous triplex on Fifth Avenue. "White collar financial crime is not a victimless crime," James said. President Volodymyr Zelensky said that currently, Ukraine has no strong communication with China, but he would like the Chinese side, together with American, British and European partners, to help force Russia to stop its aggression. Zelensky spoke in an interview with French mass media, Ukrinform reports. "Before the full-scale invasion, there was communication between our states at various levels. This is evidenced by the large turnover between Ukraine and China. Probably the largest for Ukraine, if compared with other states... Unfortunately, we do not have powerful communication with China at the moment. I regret it," said Zelensky. He noted that China is a large state and economy, which also enjoys a large geopolitical influence in relation to the Russian Federation. "Russia does not pay attention to everyone but it does to China. So I would like China to be on our side. But now we see that China has taken up a balancing position somewhere in the middle, and I am grateful that China does not sell weapons to the Russian Federation," the president emphasized. Zelensky said he wanted China to help Ukraine, while adding that the Chinese are already helping Ukraine achieve peace by not sending their weapons to Russia. "When I say that the whole world should unite and force Russia to end the war, its the United States, the European Union, Great Britain, and China I think that such a union would definitely force the Russian Federation," the head of state emphasized. China supports all international efforts that contribute to the peaceful settlement of the crisis in Ukraine. According to an Ukrinform correspondent, State Councilor, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People's Republic of China, Wang Yi, said this in his speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. "We support all efforts that contribute to the peaceful settlement of the crisis in Ukraine," Wang Yi said. According to him, Beijing considers its main task to facilitate negotiations and make a decision that would take into account the "legitimate security concerns of all countries." "We call on all parties to the conflict not to allow it to 'spill over' further," the Chinese minister said. At the same time, he noted that China is a mediator in many "hot spots" and "adheres to its own traditional approaches" to their settlement. "We are trying to resolve hot conflict issues by peaceful means through fair and pragmatic peace negotiations," Wang Yi said. At the same time, at the beginning of his speech, he emphasized that China supports peace and opposes war, is in favor of equality and against the attempts of some states to use force against others. "It is necessary to take into account the interests of all countries, big and small, which is the basic principle of the UN Charter... No country is above others, no country should abuse its power to intimidate other sovereign countries," Wang Yi said. Russia must be held accountable for holding sham referendums in the temporarily occupied territories of Ukraine and attempts to change Ukraines internationally recognized borders in violation of the UN Charter. Oleg Nikolenko, a spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said this in a commentary to Ukrinform. "Ukraine has requested an urgent meeting of the UN Security Council on Russias sham referendums in the occupied territories of Ukraine. Russia must be held accountable for its further attempts to change Ukraines internationally recognized borders in a violation of the UN Charter, Nikolenko said. As reported by Ukrinform, Permanent Representative of Ukraine to the UN, Serhiy Kyslytsia, appealed to Nicolas de Riviere, Ambassador of France, which holds the presidency of the Security Council in September, with a request to discuss the holding of pseudo-referendums in the Russian-occupied territories of Ukraine. Such a discussion is expected to take place on Tuesday, September 27. iy Mykhailo Podolyak, adviser to the head of the President's Office, believes that countries possessing nuclear weapons should outline the consequences of their use to Russia. Veiled nuclear weapons threats from UN rostrum by a UNSC member a great mockery of global institutions. Russias nuclear threats are not Ukraines problem, but the whole worlds. Members of Nuclear Club must clearly outline consequences for Russia. Pandora's box must be closed, Podolyak posted on Twitter. As reported, in his speech on September 21, Russian president Putin resorted to threats to use nuclear weapons. In response, U.S. President Joe Biden said that the US was ready to pursue critical arms control measures, while EU High Representative Josep Borrell noted that Putin's threats to use nuclear weapons would not reduce support for Ukraine. Later, during a press conference on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Russian foreign minister Sergey Lavrov said that the Russian nuclear doctrine would extend to the occupied Ukrainian territories. The so-called "nuclear club" includes the USA, Russia, Great Britain, France, China, India, Pakistan, and North Korea. ol DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) Saudi Arabia said Thursday it will launch a training program with the goal of sending its own astronauts, including a woman, into space next year. The kingdom is actively promoting science and technology as part of its wide-ranging Vision 2030 plan to overhaul its economy and reduce its dependency on oil. The plan, championed by Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, also calls for greater integration of women into the workforce of the conservative Muslim country. Saudi Arabia lifted a long-standing ban on women driving in 2018. The Saudi Astronaut Program, which is an integral part of the Kingdoms ambitious Vision 2030, will send Saudi astronauts into space to help better serve humanity, the Saudi Space Commission said in a statement. One of the astronauts will be a Saudi woman, whose mission to space will represent a historical first for the Kingdom. The first Arab or Muslim to travel to space was Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan bin Salman, a half-brother of the crown prince and an air force pilot who was part of the seven-member crew of NASA's Discovery mission in 1985. He later served as head of the Saudi Space Commission from 2018 until last year, when he was appointed an adviser to King Salman. The neighboring United Arab Emirates has the Arab world's leading space program, having launched a probe into Mars' orbit in February 2021. The UAE plans to launch its first lunar rover in November. If the moon mission succeeds, the UAE and Japan, which is providing the lander, would join the ranks of only the U.S., Russia and China as nations that have put a spacecraft on the lunar surface. (@FahadShabbir) ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Sep, 2022 ) :Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari met with Foreign Minister of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and exchanged views on various aspects of bilateral relations as well as the regional situation and global issues. The meeting was held on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. The foreign minister conveyed greetings and best wishes for the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques His Majesty King Salman bin Abdulaziz and His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman. He also appreciated the vision and efforts of the Saudi leadership for progress and development of the Kingdom and regional peace. The foreign minister also briefed His Highness about the ongoing flood situation and the challenges faced by Pakistan in relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction. He thanked the leadership and people of the Kingdom for their generous support for Pakistan in the wake of the recent floods. Both foreign ministers emphasized the vital importance of Pakistan-Saudi Arabia relations and agreed further to deepen mutual cooperation in all fields including economy, trade, energy and investment. The Saudi Foreign Minister offered condolences over the loss of precious lives. He also expressed concern over the damage to infrastructure. He assured the Foreign Minister of Pakistan of the Kingdom's full support in regard to relief, rehabilitation and reconstruction efforts. HYDERABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Sep, 2022 ) :The Ambassador of Denmark in Pakistan, Jakob Linulf, has said that the floods had inflicted heavy damages in Pakistan and hundreds of people had lost lives due to it, the international community should come forward to help the victims. He said this in an interview with APP during his recent visit to Khipro town in district Sanghar where he inspected water purification plant established for flood hit people by Denmark Emergency Management Agency (DEMA). The Ambassador expressed sympathies with the families of flood victims over the loss of lives and offered condolence to them on behalf of the government and the people of Denmark. He said the Denmark always providing assistance to the people affected by natural disasters all over the world including Pakistan and funds are being utilized through United Nations (UN), the European Union (EU) and the international NGOs for the rehabilitation of the victims. About water purification plant, the Danish Ambassador informed that DEMA had established purification plant in Khipro areas of Sindh province from which one hundred thousands litre purified water is being supplied to rain and flood hit population daily basis. He said this plant is being run and managed by Denmark Emergency Management Agency in collaboration with Maersk, a Danish shipping organization aiming at providing clean drinking water to the affectees. The rain water accumulated is being purified with the help of state of the art machinery installed in Khipro town committee's ground, Jakob said and added that same water after being passing through the process were supplied to the rain victims through water tankers. On the occasion,the DEMA official said the plant will continue to work till October 6 and people will be supplied over one hundred thousands litre pure water daily. Earlier, Danish Ambassador took a around of the water purification plant and DEMA officials briefed him about its working. The Ambassador was told that in a first step contaminated rain water is shifted into plastic containers placed outside of the lake and then it was passed through different machines for its purification. He also questioned about the functioning of the plant and inspected whole process of purification. The Ambassador also visited road side makeshift camps of the flood hit people and distributed purified water among them. He also disbursed biscuits, chocolates and other edible items among children present there. He was accompanied by Ms. Maria of Danish Embassy, Eric from DEMA, Maersk CEO Wajeeh Din and other staff members during his visit to the site. The officers of Pakistan Army, Sindh Police and Rangers were present for providing security duty for the distinguished guests. Is a doctor licensed in Idaho or Washington qualified to treat patients in Montana? Almost certainly. Then why does it take 3-4 months for an out-of-state doctor to get licensed to treat patients in Montana? Its no secret that Montana has severe health care shortages. In fact, our entire state is designated by the federal government as medically underserved. We simply need access to as many doctors, nurses, PAs etc. as we can get. Yet, Montanas licensure requirements for out-of-state health care professionals pose one of the biggest barriers to expanding health care access in Montana. Theres nothing preventing Montana patients from traversing state boundaries to seek out health care from doctors in other states. Many health plans even encourage this. But if that out-of-state doctor wants to follow up with their Montana patient on a video call, they must become licensed to practice here. Many doctors will be the first to admit they dont have the time or resources to become licensed in every state their patients might reside in besides, theyve already demonstrated the qualifications for licensure in their own state. Vendors that assist doctors with licensure in Montana estimate that the entire process realistically takes 3-4 months to complete. Thats a lot of red tape to jump through for an out-of-state specialist who may treat just a handful of Montana patients. Many will simply opt-out. Thus, licensure red tape can turn what could be quick and easy follow ups for Montana patients via telehealth into multiple long road trips to see their doctor in another state. Thankfully, Montana already has a proven policy remedy to address this problem. During COVID, Montana made the the rapid licensure, renewal of licensure, or reactivation of licensure a top priority to quickly expand our health care workforce. Montana saw that the complex, time-consuming and expensive state licensing regulations were one of the biggest barriers to allowing out-of-state health care workers to practice in Montana. Emergency regulatory flexibilities allowed a streamlined process for medical professionals to become licensed to practice as long as they could prove they had a license in good standing in another state. Nearly 2,500 medical professionals received a temporary license under this streamlined system, with many practicing virtually. This is a big deal given that some studies estimate Montana has a shortage of around 900 doctors. The expiration of emergency orders means that those 2,500 licenses are now terminated, requiring out-of-state providers to go through the burdensome and costly professional licensing process to continue practicing in Montana. To preserve access to health care, the pandemic model of universal licensure recognition is something Montana leaders should make permanent. If the rapid licensure, renewal of licensure, or reactivation of licensure helped expand health care access during the pandemic, why not continue to make this a top priority? Universal licensure reforms even have a potential to be a bipartisan affair. The last update to Montanas out-of-state licensing standards came in 2019 thanks to Democrat Representative Katie Sullivan, which moved Montana closer to full universal licensure. This shows red tape relief doesnt just have to be a right-of-center priority. We already know that Gov. Greg Gianforte plans to bring sweeping licensure reforms forward in 2023, marching Montana closer to full universal licensure by strengthening the departments ability to recognize licenses issued in another state when those licensing requirements are substantially equal to Montana's requirements. Universal Licensure Recognition could be one idea to boost health care access that both Democrats and Republicans can champion together, for the good of Montana patients. ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 25th Sep, 2022 ) :Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) was awarded with Rs 1 billion grants from foreign donors in recognition for unprecedented rise in international ranking due to outstanding work in research & development, said its Vice-Chancellor Prof. Dr Muhammad Ali. The university's global ranking has took 272 leaps and currently stands at 378 from 650 which was a significant achievement attained through hardwork in last four years, he said in an exclusive talk with APP. With the support of Turkey, a modern incubation center had been established in the university, he said adding, the center provides training to students who wanted to start their own company or a business. "In future the establishment of company will be declared mandatory for the students to get degrees under the project of linking the academia with the industry" he added. Keeping in view the innovation in education, Dr. Ali said a memorandum of understanding regarding cyber security had been signed between the private company and the QAU. Cyber security related program to be launched soon in the University, while Masters' program on artificial intelligence was also being started in the university from this year, he added. He informed that Qatari Foundation Sheikha Moza has shown consent to establish a law school building in the university. Discussing the devastated situation by recent floods, the QAU VC said the students of flood-affected areas had been exempted from tuition and hostel fee for one semester. "The amount of this fee exemption will be Rs 150 million which will be borne by the university itself, while a committee had also been established to ensure transparency in that regard" he briefed. He said that 300 acres of occupied land had been retrieved by Quaid-e-Azam University in the last four years, while more than 400 acres of land was still illegally occupied. Due to the 'land mafia', he said, there were problems of arms, drugs and security in the university. The government had been requested to help in retrieving of all university's land. To a question regarding his future plans, Dr. Muhammad Ali said that he wanted to start mass communication and arts & culture programs in the university with the help of government. He said facilities center and science and Technology Park had already been built for the students. While highlighting the importance of distance education system, he said that a directorate related to the distance education system had been established in the university in order to facilitate students. The university had also constituted a committee which will ensure quality of education in awarding degrees in distance education system, he added. Dr Ali went on saying that two percent government quota for disabled students and staff had been implemented hundred percent, while differently-abled students were also exempted from academic, hostel fees. Similarly, wheelchairs and separate washrooms were also available for disabled students and staff. Commenting on the issue of colleges affiliated with QAU, Dr. Ali said that the university was going to start teachers training of colleges to improve their quality and enhance their capacity building. To a question regarding dilapidated situation of buses and buildings of university, Vice Chancellor Quaid-e-Azam University said that 800 million rupees had been requested from the government for repairs and renovations of these projects. He said the budget of the university was 4.50 billion rupees annually while the deficit is 550 million rupees. "My goal is to completely finish this deficit" he added. Dr. Muhammad Ali said that the newly appointed vice-chancellors need training and counseling so that they can solve their own problems through bold decisions. Dr. Muhammad Ali noted that Quaid-e-Azam University had signed various agreements for Academia-Industry Linkage, adding, several accords had also been signed with international academic universities to raise the standard of education. He stressed that students and teachers' research should be of a quality that could benefit the country and society. ROME (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2022) Italy opened polling stations for snap parliamentary elections at 07:00 a.m. local time (05:00 GMT) on Sunday. The citizens are electing 400 members of parliament and 200 senators, after the cabinet led by Prime Minister Mario Draghi resigned in late July. The administration continues to perform its duties until a new government is formed. With almost 51 million people being eligible to vote, the turnout is expected to be at 65-70%, however early national media reports show a low turnout in the first few hours. According to the Italian Interior Ministry, which performs the functions of the election commission, more than 61,000 polling stations have been opened in the country and abroad, which will be open until 23:00 on Sunday. The counting of votes will start immediately after the closure of the polls. The results of the first exit polls are expected after 23:00, the first official results will be announced closer to Monday morning. The coalition of the center-right parties has the best chance to win the general elections. According to various polls, the last of which were released on September 9, it can count on 45-47% of the popular vote, which may provide the group with the opportunity to make up a sustainable majority needed to form a government. Meanwhile, Brothers of Italy is the country's most popular party with a 23-25% support level. (@FahadShabbir) WASHINGTON (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 26th September, 2022) US Vice President Kamala Harris will travel to Japan and South Korea next week to attend the state funeral for former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and engage with world leaders on matters of regional and global significance including tensions in the Taiwan Strait. Abe was killed by a gunman in July while delivering a campaign speech in the Japanese city of Nara. The state funeral will be the second held by Japan for a former prime minister since World War II. Over 6,000 Japanese and foreign officials are expected to attend the event. "The purpose of this trip is threefold: first, obviously, to honor the legacy of Prime Minster Abe and support the Japanese people as they mourn the tragedy of his assassination. Second, to reaffirm the United States' commitment to our allies in an increasingly complex security environment. And third, to deepen our overall engagements in the Indo-Pacific region," a senior US administration official told reporters last week On Monday, Harris will arrive in Tokyo and meet with current Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, the senior official said. The leaders are expected to discuss the US-Japan alliance, space cooperation and regional issues such as tensions in the Taiwan Strait, according to the official. On Tuesday, Harris will attend Abe's state funeral and meet with Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, with whom she will discuss Indo-Pacific developments, including work by the "Quad" alliance and climate change, the official said. Harris will also meet with South Korean Prime Minister Han Duck-soo while he is in Tokyo for the state funeral, during which time she will discuss the US-South Korea security alliance, the official added. On Wednesday, Harris will convene a group of Japanese business executives in the semiconductor industry to discuss investment in manufacturing, supply chain resilience and research and development, according to the official. Later on Wednesday, Harris will go to a US naval base in Japan to receive a briefing and tour of a destroyer ship, as well as meet with soldiers and deliver remarks on enduring US commitments to the Indo-Pacific region, the official also said. On Thursday, Harris will travel to South Korea for a bilateral meeting with President Yoon Suk-yeol, the official said. Harris will discuss the strength of the US-South Korea alliance, threats posed by North Korea, stability across the Taiwan Strait and technology partnership, according to the official. Harris will also hold a roundtable discussion with "groundbreaking Korean women" to discuss gender issues in South Korea and around the world, the official added. While there are no deliverables expected to be announced by the United States during the trip, engagement can be a deliverable onto itself, the official said. The trip will occur amid the possibility of further North Korean nuclear or missile tests, as well as increased tensions between Washington and Beijing over Taiwan relations. MOSCOW (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2022) UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres discussed the food crisis and the supply of fertilizers with Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladimir Makei, the press service of the United Nations said on Saturday. "The Secretary-General and the Foreign Minister discussed UN-Belarus cooperation, including the protection of human rights. They further exchanged views on the issues related to the global food crisis and the need to ensure sufficient supply of fertilizers," a statement said. At the same time, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said at the UN General Assembly that Moscow expects the UN and Turkey to remove obstacles to Russian grain and fertilizer exports to world markets. MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 25th September, 2022) The Venezuelan defense ministry announced Saturday that it had reestablished military ties with neighboring Colombia. The ministry published photos on social media showing Defense Minister Vladimir Padrino shaking hands with his Colombian counterpart, Ivan Velasquez. "The ministers... hold a meeting to establish bilateral relations on military matters, thus strengthening the bonds of brotherhood between the two peoples," the message read. Vladimir Padrino said in his blog that the negotiations were aimed at restoring trust and peace at the border. Colombia's first leftist president, Gustavo Petro, said in early September that he was committed to restoring brotherly relations with Venezuela after they were put on hold in 2019. The two fell out after Colombia refused to recognize President Nicolas Maduro's reelection. (@ChaudhryMAli88) MEXICO CITY (UrduPoint News / Sputnik - 24th September, 2022) Venezuela has sent a ship loaded with 16,000 tonnes of fertilizers to Colombia for the first time since the restoration of relations between the countries, Colombian Ambassador in Venezuela Armando Benedetti said on Friday. "The ship with more than 16,000 tonnes of urea, at $600 per tonne, has already arrived in Barranquilla, at dock 1 of Monomeros. This is great news for farmers," Benedetti said on Twitter. Benedetti said that the cost of fertilizers delivered by Venezuela is lower than the market price, which is about $730-930 per tonne. Venezuela severed diplomatic relations with Colombia in February 2019 after Bogota recognized Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaido as interim president following mass protests. After the election of Gustavo Petro as the first left-wing president of Colombia on June 20 this year, relations between the countries began to normalize. At the end of July, the foreign ministers of Venezuela and Colombia held a meeting to discuss the opening of the land border between the countries. On Wednesday, Colombian Transport Minister Guillermo Reyes announced that the land border will be opened on September 26. The countries are also expected to resume direct flights on October 3. Pope Francis invokes the Queen of Peace during Angelus in Matera (Vatican Media) Pope Francis appeals for international attention and peace for the suffering peoples of Myanmar, Ukraine and Cameroon. By Linda Bordoni Pope Francis on Sunday appealed to the world not to forget or ignore the suffering of the population in Myanmar where violence continues to cause death and displacement. Speaking before leading the Angelus Prayer at the conclusion of Holy Mass in the city of Matera where he marked the end of the National Eucharistic Congress, the Pope said he is thinking of Myanmar, where for more than two years that noble country has been martyred by serious armed clashes and violence, which have caused many victims and displaced persons. This week, he said, I heard the cry of grief at the death of children in a bombed school." May the cry of these little ones not go unheard! These tragedies must not happen! Image of the school in Sagaing, Myanmar after the air strike by Myanmar Armed Forces Thousands have been killed since Myanmars military seized power in February 2021 from Aung San Suu Kyis elected government, plunging the country into what some UN experts have described as a nascent civil war that has killed thousands. Ukraine The Pope also reiterated his concern and closeness with the people of Ukraine and called for solutions to the seven-month war. He invoked the Virgin Mary, Queen of Peace, to comfort the martyred Ukrainian people and appealed for action from international leaders, that they may find the strength of will immediately to find effective initiatives to bring the war to an end. Image of the war in Ukraine Cameroon Pope Francis also said he joins in the appeal of the bishops of Cameroon for the liberation of eight people kidnapped in the diocese of Mamfe, including five priests and a religious sister. I pray for them and for the populations of the ecclesiastical province of Bamenda: may the Lord give peace to hearts and to the social life of that dear country. The priests and the religious sister were reportedly kidnapped by unknown assailants who set fire to a church on Friday in western Cameroon. This was announced in a statement by the Bishops of the ecclesiastical province of Bamenda. The Mamfe diocese, located in the southwest region, is one of two restive regions in Cameroon where separatists have been waging war against the federal authorities since 2017. Billings police shut down North Broadway after a shooting Saturday evening. A vehicle crashed into parked cars in front of the Alberta Bair Theater during the Billings Symphony American Kaleidoscope event. According to a social media post from the Billings Police Department, a 27 year old man was shot inside a car that crashed into a 30 year old bicyclist. The shooting victim has critical injuries and the bicyclist has serious injuries according to police. In his concluding remarks at the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions, Pope Francis urges all religions and societies to involve women and young people in the quest for world peace. By Francesca Merlo Concluding the 7th Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions in Nur-Sultan, Kazakhstan, on his 38th Apostolic Journey abroad, Pope Francis thanked those present for coming from so many different parts of the world. We have travelled this road together, he said. The Holy Father added that the members commitment in the service of dialogue over the course of the conference is more valuable than ever when the problems of the pandemic have been compounded by the utter folly of war. Conclusion of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Messengers of peace and unity The Pope went on to recall his motto for the visit, Messengers of Peace and Unity, noting the deliberate decision to pluralise the word messengers. "After the events of 11 September 2001, it was necessary to respond collectively to the incendiary atmosphere that terrorist violence sought to incite, and which threatened to turn religion into a grounds for conflict," he said. "Pseudo-religious terrorism, extremism, radicalism and nationalism, dressed up in religious garb, nonetheless continue to foment fears and concerns about religion. In these days, then, it proved providential that we could come together once more, in order to reaffirm the authentic and inalienable essence of religion. Conclusion of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Voice to those wanting to be heard Kazakhstan, at the heart of the great and pivotal continent of Asia, was the natural place for us to meet, continued the Pope. There is a healthy connection between politics and transcendence, a sound form of coexistence that keeps their spheres distinct: distinct, but not confused or separate. Pope Francis stressed that "those who legitimately desire to voice their beliefs must be protected, always and everywhere." He added that, unfortunately, "many people are even now persecuted and discriminated against on account of their faith", and instead "we must ensure that religious freedom will never be a mere abstraction but a concrete right." Conclusion of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions The Pope explained that it is for this reason that the Catholic Church also believes in the unity of the human family. The Church believes that all humanity forms but one community" and "wishes to continue to do so, for the path of interreligious dialogue is a shared path to peace and for peace; as such, it is necessary and irrevocable." Pope Francis went on to emphasise three words in the Declaration of our Congress. Conclusion of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Peace The first word is a synthesis of everything, the expression of a heartfelt plea, the dream and the goal of our journey: peace! "Peace is urgently needed, because in our day every military conflict or hotspot of tension and confrontation will necessarily have a baneful 'domino effect' and seriously compromise the system of international relations." Conclusion of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions On the other hand, continued the Pope, peace is more than the absence of war: it cannot be reduced to the maintenance of the balance of power between opposing forces nor does it arise out of despotic dominion but it is appropriately called the effect of righteousness. Women The Pope added that "our quest of peace must thus increasingly involve women": the second word. Women bestow care and life upon the world: they are themselves a path towards peace. He also stressed the importance of entrusting women with greater positions and responsibilities, before introducing the third and final word: youth. Conclusion of the VII Congress of Leaders of World and Traditional Religions Youth Pope Francis stressed that "young people are messengers of peace and unity, in the present and in the future." It is they who, more than anyone else, call for peace and respect for the common home of creation, he added. Let us put into the hands of the young opportunities for education, not weapons of destruction! And let us listen to them, without being afraid to be challenged by their questions. Concluding his discourse, Pope Francis asked all religious leaders at the Congress in Kazakhstan to "be open to tomorrow yet mindful of yesterdays sufferings", as we "press ahead on this path, walking together on earth as children of heaven, weavers of hope and artisans of concord, heralds of peace and unity." New York City's mayor says he plans to erect hangar-sized tents as temporary shelter for thousands of international migrants who have been bused into the Big Apple as part of a campaign by Republican governors to disrupt federal border policies. The tents are among an array of options from using cruise ships to summer camps the city is considering as it struggles to find housing for an estimated 13,000 migrants who have wound up in New York after being bused north from border towns in Texas and Arizona. "This is not an everyday homelessness crisis, but a humanitarian crisis that requires a different approach," New York Mayor Eric Adams said in a statement Thursday. New York City's huge system of homeless shelters has been straining to accommodate the unexpected new flow of migrants seeking asylum in the United States. In Arizona and Texas, officials have loading people on buses for free trips to Washington and New York City. More recently, Florida, which has a Republican governor running for reelection, flew migrants at public cost to Martha's Vineyard in Massachusetts. Adams said the city had opened 23 emergency shelters and was considering 38 more to handle the people bused into the city since May. The city also recently opened a new, multimillion-dollar intake center to help the newcomers quickly get settled. A rendering of the likely design of the tent facility, released by the city, showed rows and rows of cots. Presumably, the tent would be heated, as autumn nights in the city can be quite cool, but the city released few details. City officials said these facilities which they call "humanitarian emergency response and relief centers would house migrants for only up to four days while the city arranged other types of shelter. Advocates for the homeless were unsure how to react. "We just don't have enough detail" to form an opinion, said Josh Goldfein, a staff attorney with the Legal Aid Society. "If the goal here is to sort of quickly assess what people need and get them connected to services that will help them, then that will be great." But he said the proposal has yet to be fleshed out. "All we know is a location and a picture of a big tent," he said. In a joint statement, the Legal Aid Society and the Coalition for the Homeless said they were working with city officials to come up with "a viable solution that satisfies New York's legal and moral obligation to provide safe and adequate shelter to all who seek it, including asylum-seekers." Earlier this month, Adams had suggested housing hundreds of migrants on cruise ships. Critics pounced on that idea, saying he needs to offer more lasting solutions to a problem that has long vexed the city: how to find permanent shelter for the city's unhoused not just new migrants but for the considerable population of the homeless. Overall, the number of people staying nightly in New York City's homeless shelters had fallen in recent years, partly because of the COVID-19 pandemic. That led city officials to reduce shelter capacity, leaving the system unprepared for the sudden surge in people needing help. Advocates for the homeless were unsure how to react. Nearly 800 people have been detained in Russia as protests against the country's partial military mobilization continue in cities across the country. As of Sunday, at least 796 people had been detained in 33 cities, with almost half of the total reported in the capital, Moscow, according to OVD-Info. The human rights group, which monitors political arrests and detentions in Russia, said that some of those detained in the crackdown on dissent following this week's military call-up were minors. The demonstrations erupted within hours after President Vladimir Putin on September 21 announced the partial military mobilization, which is intended to buttress Russian military forces fighting in Ukraine. Russian police have been mobilized in cities where protests were called for by the opposition group Vesna and supporters of opposition politician Alexey Navalny. Images on Russian media have shown scenes of police using force against demonstrators, and eyewitnesses have said that the number of protesters have diminished since the first rallies. Many young men detained during the protests have reportedly been summoned to register for military service. The call-up came as Russian forces suffered significant losses of occupied territories in Ukraine's east owing to a counteroffensive launched by the Ukrainian military. Putin followed up on his mobilization order on September 24 by imposing harsher penalties against Russians who willingly surrendered to Ukrainian forces or refused orders to mobilize. Russian officials have said that up to 300,000 reserve forces will be called up and that only those with relevant combat and service experience will be drafted to fight. However, Russian media reports have surfaced that men who have never been in the military or who are past draft age are being called up, and foreign media have reported that the real goal is to mobilize more than 1 million soldiers, which the Kremlin denies. Western officials say that Russia has suffered 70,000 to 80,000 casualties, accounting for both deaths and injuries, since it launched its unprovoked war in Ukraine in February. The mobilization to replenish those losses has seen men across Russia sent to register, reports of Russian citizens attempting to flee the country, and even rare complaints by pro-Kremlin voices. Margarita Simonyan, the editor in chief of the state-backed media outlet RT, wrote on her Telegram channel on September 24 that while it had been announced that only people up to the age of 35 would be recruited, "summonses are going to 40-year-olds." "They're infuriating people, as if on purpose, as if out of spite," Simonyan said of the authorities behind the draft. The same day, the head of the president's Human Rights Council, Valery Fadeyev, called on Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to put a halt to the manner with which many draft boards in the country were proceeding. On September 25, two of Russia's most senior lawmakers weighed in on the growing controversy. In a Telegram post, Valentina Matviyenko, chairwoman of the Federation Council, said that she was aware of reports that men who should be ineligible for the draft are being called up. "Such excesses are absolutely unacceptable. And, I consider it absolutely right that they are triggering a sharp reaction in society," she wrote. Vyacheslav Volodin, speaker of the State Duma, wrote in a separate post that "complaints are being received." "If a mistake is made, it is necessary to correct it," he said. "Authorities at every level should understand their responsibilities." Israeli soldiers shot and killed a suspected Palestinian gunman during an arrest raid overnight in the northern West Bank, according to Israeli and Palestinian reports. The army said it spotted a group of armed men traveling in a car and on a motorcycle during an operation near the city of Nablus and opened fire. The Den of Lions, a local militant group, said one of its members, Sayid al-Kuni, was killed in a clash with the occupation forces. Israel has been conducting nightly arrest raids in the northern West Bank since a series of deadly Palestinian attacks inside Israel last spring. Some of the attackers came from the area. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed, making 2022 the deadliest year in the occupied territory since 2016. Most of the Palestinians killed have been wanted militants or young men and teenagers who throw stones or firebombs at soldiers invading their towns. But some civilians, including an Al Jazeera journalist and a lawyer who inadvertently drove into a battle zone, have also been killed in the violence. Last week, members of the Den of Lions briefly clashed with Palestinian security forces in Nablus. The group views the Palestinian Authority as a vehicle of corruption and collaboration with Israel. A right-wing alliance led by Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party looks set to win a clear majority in the next parliament, exit polls said Sunday after voting ended in an Italian national election. An exit poll for state broadcaster RAI said the bloc of conservative parties, that also includes Matteo Salvini's League and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party, won between 41% and 45% of the vote, enough to guarantee control of both houses of parliament. Italy's electoral law favors groups that manage to create pre-ballot pacts, giving them an outsized number of seats by comparison with their vote tally. Full results are expected by early Monday. If confirmed, the result would cap a remarkable rise for Meloni, whose party won only 4% of the vote in the last national election in 2018, but this time around was forecast to emerge as Italy's largest group on 22.5%-26.5%. As leader of the biggest party in the winning alliance, she is the obvious choice to become Italy's first woman prime minister, but the transfer of power is traditionally slow, and it could take several weeks before the new government is sworn in. Meloni, 45, plays down her party's post-fascist roots and portrays it as a mainstream conservative group. She has pledged to support Western policy on Ukraine and not take undue risks with the third largest economy in the eurozone. Italy's first autumn national election in over a century was triggered by party infighting that brought down Prime Minister Mario Draghi's broad national unity government in July. Italy has a history of political instability, and the next prime minister will lead the country's 68th government since 1946 and face a host of challenges, notably soaring energy costs and growing economic headwinds. The outcome of the vote was also being watched nervously in European capitals and on financial markets, given the desire to preserve unity in dealings with Russia and concerns over Italy's daunting debt mountain. The new, slimmed-down parliament will not meet until Oct. 13, at which point the head of state will summon party leaders and decide on the shape of the new government. Thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims flocked to central Ukraine to mark the Jewish new year Sunday, ignoring international travel warnings as Russia struck more targets from the air and mobilized its citizens to stem losses in the war that has entered its eighth month. The pilgrims, many traveling from Israel and further afield, converged on the small city of Uman, the burial site of Nachman of Breslov, a respected Hasidic rabbi who died in 1810. The streets of one of Uman's central neighborhoods were packed with men of all ages wearing traditional black coats and long side curls. Some chanted prayers. Others screamed, shouted and danced. Advertisements and directional signs in Hebrew blanketed the area. Some visitors, like Nahum Markowitz from Israel, have been making the journey for years and weren't about to let the war get in the way this year. "We are not afraid. If we come to Rabbi Nachman, he will protect us for the whole year," said Markowitz, who has been visiting Uman since 1991, when the collapse of the Soviet Union made the pilgrimage accessible to foreign visitors. Besides, he said, he is already familiar with the risk of war and the wail of sirens that comes from living in Israel. The city, 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of the capital, Kyiv, typically attracts thousands of pilgrims for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, which begins in the evening Sunday and ends on Tuesday. The Ukrainian embassy to Israel repeatedly urged those planning a pilgrimage to stay home, warning on Facebook that Russia has repeatedly targeted heavily populated areas and that "attacks cause real danger to your lives!" The Israeli and American governments also cautioned citizens not to make the trip this year and some of those warnings may have worked. More than 35,000 pilgrims visited last year even in the face of pandemic travel restrictions, said local official Oleh Hanich. This year's turnout was smaller, though still substantial, considering that no commercial flights are arriving in the country. The United Jewish Community of Ukraine said 23,000 pilgrims were in Uman as of Sunday. "Neither coronavirus nor war stops them. For them, this is a holy place," Hanich said, while acknowledging "we can't guarantee their complete safety." Rav Mota Frank, 54, initially had reservations about making the trip from Israel this year. But he decided it was worth the risk after realizing that the situation in Uman is calmer than at the front and seeing how Ukrainians themselves have reacted to the dangers of war. "When there are air alarms, they do not hide in the basement, but try to be near the shelter," he said of the Ukrainians. "We in Israel are used to it there is also a constant war. We are used to what life is like. And that's why it doesn't scare us much." Uman is relatively far from the front lines in Ukraine's east and south, though it is within the range of Russian missiles and has been struck before. In 2020, thousands of pilgrims failed to reach Uman after Ukraine closed its borders due to a surge in COVID-19 infections. At least two soldiers and two civilian auxiliaries died in a "terrorist" attack on a patrol in eastern Burkina Faso, the army said Sunday. A military unit and VDP volunteer auxiliaries were ambushed on Saturday between Sakoani and Sampieri in Tapoa province, bordering Niger and Benin, an army statement said. "The fighting unfortunately cost the lives of two soldiers and two VDPs," it added. However, a security source told AFP the death toll was four soldiers and two volunteers. A VDP official confirmed two dead from the volunteer ranks with "some still missing." Another security source said the jihadists also suffered losses, without giving a figure for the dead. Lieutenant-Colonel Paul-Henri Sandaogo Damiba seized power in a January coup, ousting Burkina 's elected leader and promising to rein in the jihadists. But the violence has raged on as in neighboring countries stoked by insurgents affiliated to al-Qaida and the Islamic State group. Thousands have died and about 2 million been displaced by the fighting in landlocked Burkina since 2015. At least 11 people, including eight police and a local chief, have been killed in drought-stricken northern Kenya by cattle rustlers whom they had been chasing, police said Sunday. The theft of livestock or quarrels over grazing and water sources are common between cattle herding communities in northern Kenya. Police said on Twitter that a "criminal and cowardly ambush" by cattle rustlers had taken place in Turkana county on Saturday. Eight of the dead were police officers, two were civilians and one a local chief, they said. The police who were killed had been pursuing members of the Pokot ethnic group who had attacked a village and fled with cattle. In November 2012, more than 40 policemen were killed in an ambush as they pursued cattle thieves in Baragoi, a remote district in Kenya's arid north. And in August 2019, at least 12 people, including three children, were killed in two attacks in northern Kenya by cattle rustlers suspected to be from the Borana ethnic group. Kenya, the most dynamic economy in East Africa, is in the grip of the worst drought in four decades after four failed rainy seasons wiped out livestock and crops Haitian Italian designer Stella Jean returned to the Milan runway after a two-year hiatus with a tour de force that highlighted the talents of 10 new designers of color whose design history is tied to Italy. Jean pledged in 2020 not to return to Milan Fashion Week, which opened Wednesday, until she was not the only Black designer. The We Are Made in Italy movement she founded with Black American designer Edward Buchanan and Afro Fashion Week Milano founder Michelle Ngomno ensured she would not be. Maximilian Davis, a 27-year-old British fashion designer with Afro-Caribbean roots, is making his debut as the creative director for Salvatore Ferragamo. Filipino American designer Rhuigi Villasenor is bringing Bally back to the runway for the first time in 20 years. Tokyo James, founded by British Nigerian designer Iniye Tokyo James, is presenting a women's-only collection. Jean is headlining a runway show with Buchanan and five new We Are Made in Italy designers, including a Vietnamese apparel designer, an Italian Indian accessory designer and an African American bag designer. It is the third WAMI group to present their collections in Milan. "We are making ourselves felt,'' Jean told The Associated Press. "We invited all these young people. We created the space. There have been gains." Buchanan opened the show with jersey knitwear with a denim feel from his Sansonvino 6 line, followed by capsule collections by the latest group of Fabulous Five WAMI designers, and Jean's creations combining Italian tailoring with artisanal references she sources around the globe. Each of the new WAMI designers share a connection with Italy, either through family or by relocating to study or work here. Italian Indian designer Eileen Claudia Akbaraly showed her Made for a Woman brand that makes ethically sourced raffia garments and accessories from Madagascar. New York-based designer Akila Stewart founded the FATRA bag brand that works with reused plastic waste. India-born Neha Poorswani designs shoes under the name "Runway Reinvented." Vietnamese designer Phang Dang Hoang's apparel line mixes Asian and Western cultures, and Korean designer Kim Gaeun's Villain brand combines elements of traditional Korean costumes mixed with modern hip-hop culture. "There are so many Italians who are not Italians, who are immigrants who feel Italian. I think that is so beautiful, Stewart said. The show closed on a celebratory note, with the models, designers and activists gathered on the runway, clapping and swaying to Cynthia Erivo's song Stand Up. Both Trussardi and Vogue Italia have used WAMI's database of fashion professionals of color who are based in Italy, although the listings have not been employed as industrywide as the founders hoped. One of the designers from the first WAMI class, Gisele Claudia Ntsama, has worked in the design office at Valentino. Giorgio Armani, who helped launch Stella Jean in 2013, pitched in with textiles for the new WAMI capsule collections to be displayed here. Conde Nast and European fashion magazine nss are helping to fund their production. The three WAMI founders are covering the rest from their own pockets after the fashion council offered a venue for the show but limited funding compared with previous seasons. Ngonmo said Italian fashion houses too often confuse diversity such as showcasing Black models with true inclusivity, which would involve employing professionals in the creative process. "I have a feeling they don't understand at all what diversity means. They tend to confuse diversity with inclusion," she said. Buchanan said he holds on to his optimism but acknowledged that the post-pandemic market is difficult as stores are not investing in collections by new designers. "We knew going into this that this was going to be a slow grow,'' Buchanan said. "Working with the designers, we have to be transparent about what is ahead of them. ... They are not going to be Gianni Versace tomorrow." Jean noted that the new designers for major fashion brands did not come up through the Italian system but from abroad. Despite the progress, she and her collaborators still see some resistance to hiring people of color in creative roles and to the idea that "Made in Italy" can involve homegrown Black talent. "It is more glamorous to have someone from the outside,'' she said. Jean said she is also waiting for the Italian fashion council to follow through on an invitation to create a multicultural board within its structure. She said she feels the initial industry embrace of the diversity project has cooled. "None of us believed the totality of the promises. Now we are entering a territory that we know well, when people feel free and comfortable not to maintain promises. It is obvious,'' Jean said. As for her future: "I am at a crossroads,'' the designer said. "My traveling companions are outside the door that I was allowed to enter. For a while, being the only one in the room, you feel special. But when you see that many of those who are still outside the door are better than you, you understand that you were not special. You were very lucky." North Korea has fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast, South Koreas military said, extending what has already been a record-breaking number of North Korean launches this year. South Koreas defense ministry said the North fired a short-range ballistic missile from the Taecheon area in North Pyongan province at 6:53 a.m. local time. Japans Coast Guard reported that the missile apparently landed less than 10 minutes after it reported the launch. A day earlier, South Koreas presidential office warned it had detected activity suggesting North Korea was preparing to fire a submarine-launched ballistic missile, or SLBM, from its east coast city of Sinpo. North Korea has now fired 32 ballistic missiles in 2022, the most it has ever launched in a single year. The launches have featured both short-range missiles, which appear designed to evade the missile defenses of the United States and its allies in the region, and longer-range missiles, which are meant to target the U.S. mainland. U.S. officials say North Korea has also made preparations to conduct its seventh nuclear test, a step that could dramatically raise regional tensions. The United States says it is open to negotiations on North Koreas nuclear program but has also increased its public displays of military strength in coordination with its ally, South Korea. Earlier this week, the USS Ronald Reagan, a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier, arrived in the South Korean port city of Busan. The carrier will soon conduct drills with South Koreas military, according to Seoul. It is the first time a U.S. aircraft carrier has visited South Korea in about four years. Earlier this month, the United States and South Korea wrapped up major joint military exercises, including live fire drills, for the first time since 2017. The United States and South Korea began scaling back or spreading out such military drills in 2018 during a period of increased diplomacy with North Korea. The North walked away from those talks in 2019 and a short time later resumed missile tests. North Korea has ignored U.S. calls for dialogue, instead accusing the United States of conducting a hostile policy. Wilkes and Dunn are not a country duo (Brooks and Dunn are on tour) but rather three Texas billionaires: Farris and Dan Wilks from Cisco and Tim Dunn from Midland. Together, they comprise part of a mega-wealthy elite that's bought its way into local politics across the Lone Star State. In 2020, Jon Francis unsuccessfully ran for the state legislature, primarily with resources from the family political machine. His loss to Rep. Glen Rogers in the Republican run-off election was contentious, as the margin was only 678 votes. As Chris Tackett explains, "Tim Dunn, Chief Executive Officer of Crown Quest Operating, Vice-Chairman of Texas Public Policy Foundation. Dunn gave $5,420,320 to 8 Republicans and 2 PACs. $5,150,000 was to the Defend Texas Liberty PAC. Farris Wilks, a billionaire from the sale of FracTec, he and his brother own more than 672,000 acres of land in six different states across the West, becoming America's 12th-largest landowners. Wilks gave $2,340,117 to 6 Republicans and 3 PACs ($2.1 mil to Defend Texas Liberty)." In Texas, there are no limitations on campaign donations to candidates. Tackett has been researching and compiling data from the Texas Ethics Commission. Using Data Studio, he has created powerful interactive data tools, with infographics, charts, and spreadsheets, designed in accessible and easily readable formats. This Tackett Twitter thread breaks down the graphic above into its specific parts. The details reveal the depth of the influence of a handful of people on the shift to the far-right at local, state, and national levels. CNN aired "Deep in the Pockets of Texas," in July of 2022. As Ed Lavandera, from CNN reports, "In a state known for its independence, Texas is usually at the forefront of legislation and its conservative Republicans tell Lavandera that what's happening now goes beyond ideologyIn addition to financing candidates, they fund political action committees and the scorecard by which legislators are ranked, maneuvering lawmakers to take positions espoused by the billionaires. Even by Texas' conservative standards, the state has adopted some of the most stringently conservative legislation ever seen in the state's modern history." The influence of these donors is well beyond the borders of Texas, as Lavandera also explores in the documentary. CNN also reports that other Republicans are critical of the brothers and their networks: "Kel Seliger, a longtime Republican state senator from Amarillo who has clashed with the billionaires, said their influence has made Austin feel a little like Moscow. 'It is a Russian-style oligarchy, pure and simple,' Seliger said. 'Really, really wealthy people who are willing to spend a lot of money to get policy made the way they want it and they get it That's the law of the jungle now in Texas. The majority of Republican Senate members just dance to whatever tune Tim Dunn wants to play.'" For a fascinating discussion of "cowboy conservatism," see the book The Conservative Sixties, by David Farber and Jeff Roche. Russias foreign minister has dismissed Ukrainian and Western condemnation of what they say are sham referenda in four regions of Ukraine. The hysteria which we have seen is very telling, Sergey Lavrov told a news conference at the United Nations on Saturday, after he addressed the General Assemblys annual meeting. Voting began Friday and will run through Tuesday in the provinces of Luhansk, Kherson and the partially Russian-controlled Zaporizhzhia and Donetsk regions. Polls also opened in Russia, where refugees and other residents from those areas could vote. In Ukraine, some local officials said voters were being intimidated and threatened. Kyiv and Western nations warn that the referenda are aimed at annexing the occupied areas and denounce them as a violation of international law. As was said by President Putin, we will unconditionally respect the results of these democratic processes, Lavrov said. Ukraine says it will never accept Russian control of any of its territory and has requested that the U.N. Security Council meet Tuesday to discuss the escalation. The referenda were quickly organized after Ukraine recaptured large swaths of the northeastern part of the country in a counteroffensive earlier this month. By annexing the four areas into Russia, Western officials fear Moscow could portray Ukrainian military operations to retake them as an attack on Russia itself, potentially even using that to justify a nuclear response. Calls for peace At the United Nations, Russias strategic partners urged an end to the conflict, which has exacerbated global food, fuel and financial crises. Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, said Beijing does not want to see the crisis spilling over and called for talks. The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture, he said. Indias foreign minister said his country respects the U.N. Charter and sees dialogue and diplomacy as the only way out. It is therefore in our collective interest to work constructively, both within the United Nations and outside, in finding an early resolution to this conflict, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar said. Asked about engaging with the U.S. or Europeans, Russias Lavrov says his government is not opposed to it. We arent saying no to contacts, he said, adding that it is always better to talk than not to talk. But he emphasized that in the present situation, Russia would not take the first step. Mass crimes The head of a U.N. commission of inquiry said Friday that war crimes including rape, torture and the confinement of children have been committed in Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. "Based on the evidence gathered by the commission, it has concluded that war crimes have been committed in Ukraine," commission head Erik Mose told the U.N. Human Rights Council in Geneva. He did not specify who was to blame, but the commission has focused on areas previously occupied by Russian forces, such as Kyiv, Chernihiv, Kharkiv and Sumy. Investigators from the commission, created by the rights council in March, visited 27 places and interviewed more than 150 victims and witnesses. In New York, the Russian foreign minister has said mass graves at Bucha were staged and claimed Saturday that Kyiv had denied access to foreign reporters to alleged new graves found in the city of Izium. But VOAs Myroslava Gongadze is in Izium, where she reported from a mass graveyard that more than 400 bodies were unearthed, many found with their hands tied behind their backs, ropes around their necks, broken bones and gunshot wounds. Mobilization fallout Meanwhile, an independent Russian human rights group says more than 1,000 people were detained across the country at demonstrations Saturday for protesting President Vladimir Putins order calling up 300,000 military reservists to fight in Ukraine. It is Russias first military call-up since World War II. The independent OVD-Info protest monitoring group said it was aware of detentions in 32 different cities, from St. Petersburg to Siberia. Unsanctioned rallies are illegal under Russian law, which also forbids any activity considered to defame the armed forces. Footage from the some of the protests showed Russian officers carrying men and leading women to police vans. The Associated Press and Reuters contributed information to this report. Two Republican senators have expressed concern to the Biden administration at the growing cooperation between Moscow and Pyongyang over Russia's war in Ukraine. "We are troubled by news reports that Russia and North Korea are strengthening their relationship, which will aid [Russian President] Vladimir Putin's unjust and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine," Senators Marco Rubio and Bill Hagerty said in their letter dated Thursday. "North Korea and Russia have recently agreed to dispatch North Korean laborers to areas in Ukraine seized by Russia, their letter continued. We also learned that Russia is attempting to purchase millions of artillery shells and rockets from North Korea." Rubio and Hagerty urged the Biden administration "to fully enforce Congressional and multilateral sanctions to increase the pressure on the Kim regime." The senators sent the letter Thursday to Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen. Rubio is the vice chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence and a senior member of the Committee on Foreign Relations. Hagerty is a member of the Senate Banking Committee and the Committee on Foreign Relations. In response to the senators' letter, a spokesperson for the State Department told VOA's Korean Service on Saturday that "it is important for the international community to send a strong, unified message that the DPRK must halt its unlawful actions, abide by its obligations under U.N. Security Council resolutions, and engage in serious and sustained negotiations with the United States." North Korea's official name is the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK). The spokesperson continued, "U.N. sanctions on the DPRK remain in place, and we will continue to encourage all member states to implement them, including through diplomacy at the United Nations and with the DPRK's neighbors." VOA Korean Service contacted North Korea's U.N. mission in New York City requesting comment on the senators' letter but has not received a reply. The service also contacted the Russian embassy in Washington and its U.N. mission in New York City but has not received a reply. The U.N. Security Council has sanctioned North Korea against exporting arms in multiple resolutions dating back to 2006, and in December 2017, it passed a resolution banning member states from hiring North Korean workers in response to Pyongyang's launch of an intercontinental ballistic missile a month earlier. The U.S. and its allies and partners sanctioned Russia, excluding it from the global financial system days after its Feb. 21 invasion of Ukraine. After setbacks in the war, Moscow has turned to Pyongyang for support. In July, Russian Ambassador to North Korea Alexander Matsegora said in an interview with the Russian newspaper Izvestia that Moscow was willing to hire North Korean workers to rebuild the Russian-controlled Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk in the Donbas region. North Korea recognized the Republics of Donetsk and Luhansk, the two breakaway regions in eastern Ukraine, on July 14. According to the U.S. State Department, Russia wants to purchase rockets and artillery shells from North Korea as it runs short on weapons. During a press briefing on Sept. 6, Vedant Patel, deputy spokesperson at the State Department, said, "The Russian Ministry of Defense is in the process of purchasing millions of rockets and artillery shells from North Korea for use in Ukraine." He added, "This purchase indicates that the Russian military continues to suffer from severe supply shortages due in part because of export controls and sanctions." Russian Ambassador to the U.N. Vasily Nebenzya said that the U.S. claim of Moscow's arms purchase from Pyongyang is "another fake," according to Tass, a state-owned news agency. North Korea said on Thursday it has "never exported weapons or ammunition to Russia" and "will not plan to export them," it said in the statement released through KCNA. The North Korean statement did not address sending workers to the Donbas. North Korea continued to say it "never recognized" the U.N. Security Council's "unlawful sanctions resolutions" imposed against North Korea "which was cooked up by the U.S. and its vassal forces." If Moscow hires workers and buys weapons from North Korea, it would be violating sanctions it imposed on the regime as a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council. Such transactions would also put North Korea in violation of sanctions designed to prevent Pyongyang from earning much-needed hard currency to finance the development of nuclear missiles and ballistic missiles. Protests have taken place throughout Iran for more than a week following the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. Taken in custody by the countrys morality police for failing to properly wear a hijab, protesters now fill the streets burning headscarves in the face of authorities. As VOAs Arash Arabasadi reports, Washington is expressing support for the demonstrators. A report by UNHCR, the U.N. refugee agency, says Ukrainian refugees in Europe are eager to work but need help to do so. The report, "Lives on Hold: Intentions and Perspectives of Refugees from Ukraine," is based on responses gathered in August and September from 4,800 Ukrainians across Europe. Most said they wanted to go home. Until that becomes possible, they said they wanted to work to support themselves and their families and to contribute to the societies hosting them. UNHCR spokesman Matt Saltmarsh said some 70% of the refugees surveyed have higher education qualifications and two-thirds were working in Ukraine before they fled the country. These refugees are eager to reenter the labor market, which would lessen their reliance on national welfare systems, but currently, less than one-third are employed or self-employed," he said. "Refugees are seeking to play a more active role in their host countries, but they need additional support. New needs have emerged as displacement has continued. The latest UNHCR figures show more than 7.4 million Ukrainians have fled to countries across Europe. Most are women and children. Another 6.9 million are displaced inside Ukraine. Saltmarsh said many refugees indicated they would have a better chance of getting work if classes to learn local languages were available and their skills were recognized. They mentioned help with child care services would enable them to work outside the home. Without work, many are struggling to make ends meet and find adequate housing solutions," he said. "Nearly half are staying with hosts, 20% are living in collective sites or hotels, while a quarter are renting. Many are deeply concerned about finding alternative sustainable solutions ahead of the winter. Saltmarsh said other pressing needs include psychological support and specialized help for children and older people with disabilities. He added nearly a third of respondents reported at least one family member had a disability. Iran has rebuked Britain and Norway over what it claimed was interference and hostile news coverage of the extensive unrest in Iran triggered by the death of a young woman held in captivity by the countrys morality police for failing to properly wear a hijab, the semi-official IRNA news agency said Sunday. Irans Foreign Ministry summoned the British and Norwegian ambassadors Saturday to deliver the protests to the envoys. Tehran cited the hostile character of the London-based Persian language media, while complaining to the Norwegian diplomat about the "interventionist stance" of the country's parliamentary speaker, who has expressed support for the protesters on Twitter. Demonstrations erupted more than a week ago across Iran, with protesters angered by the death on September 16 of a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini. It was the biggest wave of protests against the government in years. Jake Sullivan, U.S. President Joe Bidens national security adviser, told ABCs This Week show on Sunday that the Iranian protests reflect a widespread belief that [the demonstrators] deserve their dignity and rights and that the U.S. supports them. He said the U.S. supports people who stand up for their rights. Irans judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, on Sunday "emphasized the need for decisive action without leniency" against the core instigators of the "riots," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said, according to Agence France-Presse. European Union foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said Sunday that Iran's crackdown on protests is "unjustifiable" and "unacceptable," as Tehran vowed no leniency against the unrest gripping the country, AFP reported. In a statement on behalf of the EU, Borrell said moves "to severely restrict internet access by the relevant Iranian authorities and to block instant messaging platforms is a further cause for concern, as it blatantly violates freedom of expression. Some Iranian women have publicly cut their hair or burned their headscarves in the streets as angry crowds have called for the downfall of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Irans state television says 41 people have been killed. The government has restricted internet and mobile services to prevent more news coverage of fires set in the streets and police clashes with demonstrators, arresting hundreds, media reported. A member of the Basij, a volunteer force with Iran's Revolutionary Guard, was killed by protesters late Saturday in Tehran, semi-official Fars news agency reported Sunday, according to The Associated Press. Twelve bank branches were destroyed in the unrest in recent days, and 219 ATMs have been damaged, Iranian officials say. The activist Twitter account 1500tasvir late on Saturday carried videos of protests in Tehran's western district of Sattarkhan showing protesters gathered at a square chanting, "Don't be afraid, we're all in this together. A motorcycle that apparently belonged to riot police burned in the background. In a video posted on social media Saturday, youths in the northern city of Babol gathered at a university gate and tried to take down portraits of Khamenei and Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the founder of the Islamic Republic, while bystanders shouted, "Death to the dictator!" Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi says he has ordered an investigation into the detention and death of Amini, who was arrested by police enforcing the Islamic Republic's restrictions on women's dress. Raisi did not mention the Amini case during a speech last week at the United Nations General Assembly. Instead, he complained about what he said were human rights abuses in other countries, including in the United States, for its treatment of migrants trying to cross its southwest border into the country from Mexico and for deaths of criminal suspects in police custody. Some material in this report came from The Associated Press, Agence France-Presse and Reuters. The unchecked growth of freewheeling business enclaves and casinos in and around Laos is opening new money laundering and drug trafficking options for crime networks using the country to push spiraling volumes of narcotics across Asia, the United Nations warns. As China and Thailand tighten their borders with Myanmar, the U.N. Office on Drugs and Crime says transnational gangs based in the lawless corners of eastern Myanmar are funneling ever more methamphetamine through Laos. In recent conversations with VOA, the UNODC said special economic zones with eased regulations to attract foreign investors and the casinos that often anchor them have also become major trafficking and money laundering hubs for the crime networks that make Southeast Asias Mekong River countries home. The agency counts over 140 casinos and 128 special economic zones across the region. Few trigger more alarm than the Golden Triangle Special Economic Zone, which draws its name from the crime-ridden borderlands where Laos, Myanmar and Thailand meet. The 10,000-hectare swath of northwest Laos is effectively run by Chinese national Zhao Wei, who owns its centerpiece Kings Romans casino. There are many SEZs and autonomous territories with security and crime problems dotted across the Mekong, but the GT SEZ is one of the most prolific and notorious, and Zhao Wei and his group are clearly very well financed and able to move money despite sanctions, Jeremy Douglas, the UNODCs regional representative, told VOA. The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Zhao and his companies in 2018, placing him at the heart of a transnational criminal network laundering money through the economic zone for Myanmars drug lords while trafficking in everything from narcotics to people and wildlife. VOA could not reach Zhao, but he has called the allegations groundless in past media interviews. Neither the Golden Triangle zone nor a Lao government spokesman replied to VOAs requests for comment. With Zhaos business empire still expanding, though, and more gambling and economic zone projects across Laos in the works, the UNODC fears the tiny, landlocked countrys role in the regions trafficking and money laundering will grow. Empire building Unfazed by the sanctions, Zhaos Dok Ngiew Kham Group is pressing ahead with an international airport just east of the Golden Triangle zone in a joint venture with the Lao government. A $50 million port under construction to the north of the zone will serve cargo ships plying the Mekong River to and from China, courtesy of Osiano Trading, another company a local government official told Radio Free Asia in 2020 that Zhao owns. Osiano is also developing what it calls on a subsidiarys website a $1 billion culture park on the outskirts of Laos capital, Vientiane, featuring a folk village, amusement rides and, reportedly, gambling facilities. Zhao and his team have also publicized their visits to the northeast and south of Loas over the last few years in search of land for more development projects. As Chio Wai, an alias listed by the U.S. Treasury Department, Zhao is even named as co-director of a recently approved island resort project in Cambodia, which granted him citizenship in 2018, according to a royal decree seen by VOA. The UNODC suspects much of the Golden Triangle zone has been developed with laundered drug profits, and says Zhaos expansion plans there and elsewhere offer new opportunities to launder more. It fears the port and warehouses he is building north of the zone, just across the Mekong River from Myanmar, will also prove ideal for storing and trafficking more of the drugs washing over Southeast Asia and making their way as far as Australia and Japan. Others are worried, too. Khemmarin Hassiri, who commands the Royal Thai Police Foreign Affairs Division said Thailand also believes that the growth of special economic zones and casino cities on its borders with Laos and Myanmar could mean more crime. Much of the methamphetamine pouring out of its neighbors ends up in, or passing though, Thailand. If there is something to facilitate illegal activities, especially for drug trafficking, we would put that in our top agenda, he told VOA. They are very famous areas for drug trafficking in the past, he said of the borderlands and their economic zones. But at the present time they have everything they have drugs, they have trafficking in persons, they have ... communication fraud, they have online gambling. The borderlands casinos have been drawing gamblers for decades, mainly from China, where gambling is mostly banned. The border closures and travel restrictions that followed the outbreak of COVID-19, though, sent their foot traffic plummeting, sparking a groundswell of online gaming sites to compensate. Khemmarin said the number of online sites targeting Thais from both inside and outside the country has more than doubled since the pandemic started. The UNODC says the number of sites just in Thailand, where most gambling is also banned, jumped from 240 to 558 between 2019 and 2021. Going digital The U.N. and Thai police both say that also opens the door for more criminal activity. Casinos are great for moving and disguising money, and even better if they are both a traditional casino that regular gamblers and VIPs go to as well as online, said Douglas. They are well known for moving unaccountable cash, and online they can run with anonymous payment systems and cryptocurrencies, and together they have the ability to mix and legitimize money incredibly quickly. News reports over the past month that the Lao government has granted a private company, the Laos Offshore Gaming Authority, the power to start licensing online gambling sites in Laos have heightened those fears. With Lao citizens barred from gambling in Laos, the sites will target foreign customers. Khemmarin said the company would be a threat to Thai people, that the Thai government was very concerned about it, and would raise the issue with Laos soon. The Mekong regions casino cities have also turned into hotbeds of human trafficking, with crime networks luring or smuggling young men and women across borders on the promise of well-paid gaming jobs, then trapping them in prison-like compounds to run online scams targeting other countries. Cambodia has emerged as the latest epicenter for these schemes. With the country now cracking down on its own online casinos, though, the UNODC says their operators may start moving to Laos. Yosson Ruangsunngamsiri, a human trafficking official in Thailands Department of Special Investigation, which deals with transnational crime, told VOA it has already seen an uptick in the trafficking of Thais to Laos. The Thai government issued a public notice in March urging citizens not to accept irregular work at the Golden Triangle zone in particular. Khemmarin said Thai authorities are actively investigating a property inside the zone believed to be trafficking Thais into the zone for online scams and sending the profits to Myanmar. The UNODC is urging governments to pay more attention to the mounting criminal activity swirling around their countries casinos and special economic zones, and to draw up new plans and pass stronger laws to tackle the problem. Governments and the region have only started discussing this with us recently and it is early days, but they need to take it more seriously and be candid with each other quickly, Douglas said. But aside from acknowledging they need to do something about casino risks and organized crime, the region needs to step in and take concrete steps to address the known criminals that are involved basically clean the industry up before it does more damage." The U.S. has warned Russia of catastrophic consequences if it launches a nuclear attack on Ukraine, President Joe Bidens national security adviser, Jake Sullivan, said Sunday. Sullivan, speaking on ABCs This Week show, said U.S. officials have told Russian officials privately that Biden will respond decisively if Russian President Vladimir Putin orders a nuclear strike but did not say how the U.S. would respond. Sullivan said the U.S. would not engage in a game of rhetorical tit-for-tat with Russia. But Sullivan, in a separate interview, told NBCs Meet the Press show that Russia understands very well what the United States would do in response to the use of nuclear weapons in Ukraine because we have spelled it out for them. The U.S. response came after Putin signaled the possibility of a nuclear attack last week as he called up 300,000 military reservists to help fight in its seven-month invasion of Ukraine. The troop augmentation came after Russian battlefield setbacks, with Kyivs forces recapturing large swaths of territory in northeast Ukraine that Russia had seized in the early weeks of the war. Widespread protests against Putins troop call-up have erupted in Russia, with police arresting hundreds of demonstrators participating in street protests in Moscow and elsewhere. Many men opposed to Putins war or fearful of being killed in the battlefront have abruptly fled Russia on flights to other countries, while others have joined long queues of cars on land routes headed to the Russian borders with Finland, Georgia and other countries. Russia is in the midst of staging five days of disputed referenda in four regions of Ukraine it either fully or partially controls, votes where it assumes the local residents will support Russian annexation, which would give Moscow a pretext to defend the newly claimed territory. In some instances, Russian soldiers have been going door to door at gunpoint to order Ukrainians to vote. But Ukraine, the U.S. and their Western allies are calling the referenda sham votes and of no legal consequence. Any Russian annexation of Ukrainian land would not be globally recognized. Sullivan said the votes were definitely not signs of strength or competence on Russias part. In an interview aired Sunday on CBS Newss Face the Nation show, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said that Ukrainians who refuse to vote in the referenda face significant retribution from Russian forces. Russians can turn off their electricity and won't give them an opportunity to live a normal human life, Zelenskyy said. They force people, they throw them in prisons. They force them to come to these pseudo-referenda. And also, they also announced mobilization [of 300,000 reservists.] They're forcing people to fight, people from the temporarily occupied territories. But Zelenskyy said, there is no support in the society for this referendum. The Ukrainian leader said the referenda are a very dangerous signal from Putin that he does not intend to end the war. He knows that he's losing the war, Zelenskyy said. In the battlefield, Ukraine has seized the initiative. He cannot explain to his society why, and he is looking for answers to these questions. With the West and Ukraine saying the voting is almost assuredly preordained to favor Russias annexation, Zelenskyy said Moscow will then say, Now, it's the West who attacks Russia. Now, the West attacks our territories. We have to let the society join Russia, the society that wanted to be with Russia. Zelenskyy said a Russian nuclear attack on Ukraine could be a reality. He wants to scare the whole world. These are the first steps of his nuclear blackmail. I don't think he's bluffing. But Zelenskyy added, I think the world is deterring it and containing this threat. We need to keep putting pressure on him and not allow him to continue. He concluded, I think that the military strategy of military and political leadership of Russia has not changed: its occupation of our country. And of course, they want to destabilize our country from inside. But he said Ukrainians are united against Putin, even more united now than ever, over the 31 years of our independence from the Soviet Union. So, he does everything possible to destabilize our country to make sure we're weaker. And for that he wants to divide us of course, I'm one of the targets, of course, it goes without saying, Zelenskyy said. It's not because of my personality, just because... because the president is a leader of their country. (REUTES) - Leaders of Bolivia, Iran and Zimbabwe strongly condemned the United States' hegemonic behavior in the form of wanton interference in other countries' affairs and unilateral sanctions on other nations in their respective speeches at the General Debate of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Bolivian President Luis Arce strongly denounced the U.S. for attempting to destroy Bolivia's stability in order to control the South American country's vast lithium resources, which are key to moving the world away from oil, natural gas and coal in the fight against climate change. "We oppose any form of interference and any attempt to sabotage our country's democracy and stability for seeking to control our lithium mineral resources. Just as the U.S. SOUTHCOM Commander said months ago, the U.S. is targeting the so-called 'lithium triangle' in Latin America, which consists of Bolivia, Argentina and Chile. The United Nations must take actions on those countries who don't respect other countries' sovereignty and interfere in other countries' affairs," he said. Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi reaffirmed that his country does not seek to manufacture or acquire nuclear weapons and lashed out at the United States for imposing unilateral sanctions on other countries. "The Islamic Republic of Iran with goodwill accepted an agreement in 2015. And in the first phase, we did live up to all of our commitments without any exceptions. But the result of that was the trampling upon by America on that agreement. And as they themselves said in so many words, there were many unprecedented oppressive sanctions in history. Sanctions are a punishment on the people of Iran for being freedom-seekers. Weapons of mass destruction is what these sanctions are," he said. Zimbabwean President Emmerson Mnangagwa again called for the unconditional removal of Western sanctions against his country, noting that the repressive measures are hindering his country's development. "As my government continues to entrench democracy, good governance and the rule of law, we are committed to vibrant, competitive and peaceful political contestations. Notwithstanding our success, the ongoing deleterious effects of the illegal sanctions continue to hamper and slow down our progress and the realization of sustainable and inclusive development," he said. HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) Dozens of women holding babies rushed to take their places on wooden benches at a clinic in Zimbabwe while a nurse took a separate group of anxious mothers and their children through a back door and into another room. The nurse quickly closed the door behind them. The women were all at the Mbare Polyclinic in Zimbabwes capital, Harare, to get their children vaccinated against measles amid a deadly outbreak in the southern African country. But those who were taken to the back room were getting their children vaccinated in secret, and in defiance of religious doctrine that forbids them from using modern medicines. The advent of the measles outbreak saw children dying so they are now coming secretly and we are helping them, said Lewis Foya, a nurse at the clinic. More than 700 children have died from measles in Zimbabwe in an outbreak first reported in April. Many were unvaccinated because of religious reasons, Information Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said. The government has announced a vaccination drive but, as with COVID-19, some religious groups are stubbornly opposed to vaccines and have hindered the campaign. Apostolic groups that infuse traditional beliefs into a Pentecostal doctrine are among the most skeptical of modern medicine in Zimbabwe. Followers instead put their faith in prayer, holy water and other measures to ward off disease or cure illnesses. They have a belief that if they get vaccinated, they become unholy so thats the doctrine that they pass down to the women, said Foya. He said the patriarchy in the church means women have no power to openly say no to instructions. Children are then in danger. There has been little detailed research on Apostolic churches in Zimbabwe but studies by the United Nations childrens agency, UNICEF, estimate it is the largest denomination with around 2.5 million followers in a country of 15 million. Some allow members to seek health care. Many are still resistant. So to save their children, some mothers visit clinics in secret, sometimes under the cover of night and without their husbands knowing. A group of Apostolic church members who are open to modern medicine have been trying to change church attitudes, but also advise women to go against church rules if it means helping their children. We encourage women to get their children vaccinated, maybe at night, said Debra Mpofu, a member of the Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust. Its really necessary for the women to protect their children so its important for them to just sneak out. The secrecy is necessary because members found to have visited health care centers are shamed and forbidden from taking part in church activities. The World Health Organization warned in April of an increase in measles in vulnerable countries due to COVID-19 disruptions, with more than 40 countries postponing or suspending their regular immunization campaigns. In July, UNICEF said about 25 million children worldwide had missed out on routine immunizations against common childhood diseases, calling it a red alert for child health. Globally, WHO and UNICEF reported a 79% spike in measles in the first two months of 2022 alone and warned of the potential for large outbreaks. Children and pregnant women are most at risk of severe disease from measles, which is among the most infectious diseases and easily preventable with a vaccine. More than 95% of measles deaths occur in developing countries. Zimbabwes outbreak was first reported in the eastern Manicaland province following church gatherings and has spread across the country. The government, with support from UNICEF, the WHO and other non-governmental organizations, has embarked on a vaccination campaign targeting millions of children. At the Mbare clinic, one mother said people had learned from the vaccine hesitancy prevalent during the COVID-19 pandemic. A lot of people were misinformed during that COVID-19 period because they were told that when you get vaccinated there will be after-effects, said the mother, Winnet Musiyarira. So due to that a lot of people lost their lives and it was important for everybody to take that serious. So when I heard about measles I just said I have to take my kids to hospital and get them vaccinated. Musiyarira said she wasnt a member of a religious group. Some women wearing matching white headscarves to indicate they are part of an Apostolic church and who were at the Mbare clinic to get their children vaccinated secretly declined to speak to The Associated Press for fear of reprisal from church leaders. Apostolic groups are notoriously wary of outsiders. In a bushy area in the impoverished Epworth region outside Harare, Apostolic congregants wearing white robes gathered outdoors recently, as is their tradition, to worship. Some knelt before self-proclaimed prophets as a man scooped ashes from a fireplace and put them in plastic bag to take home to be used to heal illness. It is one of many congregations that Mpofus Apostolic Women Empowerment Trust has approached. On this occasion, and after intense negotiations, Mpofu and her team were allowed to address the congregants and distribute vaccination fliers. The church leader, James Katsande, also agreed to allow his followers to take their children to clinics. But there was a condition: They should approach the churchs prophets to be blessed before going to a clinic. First we need to protect them with the Holy Spirit to cast out any demons and bad luck, said Katsande, a tall man wearing white robes and a white headscarf with a cross on it. We remain the first port of call, he added. Zimbabwe's President Emmerson Mnangagwa is appealing for support to efforts to end terrorism and conflicts in Africa, and helping the continent deal with the devastating impacts of climate change. Mnangagwa told the U.N. General Assembly that the spread of terrorism and escalation of old disputes is undermining efforts to restore peace and stability in the continent. His comments came after extremists allied with the Islamic State group have spread their attacks further south into neighboring Mozambique's most populous province, Nampula, including an assault on a Catholic mission in which an Italian nun was among those killed. Their insurgency had been confined to Mozambique's northernmost Cabo Delgado province, where an estimated 4,000 people have been killed and 950,000 displaced over four years. The violence has also disrupted big economic projects, including one by the France-based TotalEngergies to produce liquefied natural gas and the development of a large mine to extract graphite to make lithium batteries for Tesla motors. The extremists' push into Nampula comes despite the deployment for more than a year of a military force from the 16-nation Southern Africa Development Community, along with troops from Rwanda, in support of the Mozambican military. Mnagagwa also said droughts and other extreme weather events are wreaking havoc to the economy of his southern African nation. He said Zimbabwe is pushing to reduce its dependence on rainfall for agricultural production in a bid to mitigate the impact of droughts on its economy. The measures, he said, include an ambitious program to build a number of irrigation dams around the country that he hopes will help spur the production of export crops and productivity. Zimbabwe, and neighboring Zambia, is home to Lake Kariba the world's largest lake and reservoir by volume. Mnangagwa also warned that a combination of the COVID-19 crisis, conflicts and climate change is fueling a migration and refugee crisis that can only be tackled by joint efforts by the international community. Production: Rodrique Ngowi Other speakers, including Commanding Gen. Gary Brito of the U.S. Army Training and Doctrine Command, highlighted racial and gender barriers broken in the past and present in military ranks. Buffalo Mayor Byron Brown referenced the May 14 massacre at the Tops supermarket on Jefferson Avenue and described the African American Veterans Monument as a place of "hope and healing." Williams said Higgins' remarks touched him deepest. As a retired firefighter and member of family steeped in both military and civil service, he reflected on how his family is another link in a long chain through history. He looks forward to his family buying several pavers to permanently add that history to the memorial floor. "The words that were told today were very profound," he said. "To be honest with you, that's a part of healing." (AP) - Unilateral sanctions imposed on Zimbabwe by Western nations led by the United States have hit the economy hard and forced the country into a two decade long humanitarian crisis, according to a Zimbabwean activist and a former government official. The countrys economic challenges, exacerbated by sanctions, have inflicted a myriad of real challenges on Zimbabweans, especially since the global COVID-19 pandemic. On December 21, 2001, then U.S. President George W. Bush approved the ''Zimbabwe Democracy and Economic Recovery Act" in response to what it said was the Zimbabwean government's "economic mismanagement and undemocratic practices". The act included a package of sanctions against Zimbabwe's government. Calvern Chitsunge, co-founder and chairperson of a Zimbabwean anti-sanctions lobby group Broad Alliance Against Sanctions (BAAS), told China Central Television (CCTV) that Zimbabwe has suffered under the imposition of Western unilateral sanctions, which have been hugely detrimental to the lives of ordinary Zimbabweans. "We have seen deterioration, be it in the health care sector, we have seen our infrastructure dilapidation. We have seen even the education sector is also affected. Our industries are affected. Even the monetary system that we are witnessing right now, is highly affected by these illegal sanctions. Everyone is under sanction, everyone is sanctioned," said Calvern Chitsunge, co-founder and chairperson of the Zimbabwean anti-sanctions lobby group Broad Alliance Against Sanctions (BAAS). Describing the sanctions as a weapon of mass destruction, Obert Gutu, a member of Zimbabwe's National Peace and Reconciliation Commission and former deputy minister of justice and legal affairs, said Zimbabwe has failed to build new roads, hospitals, clinics or even rehabilitate old infrastructure because it "has been denied access to affordable finance by international institutions." "It's like giving somebody a slow poison, giving them slow poison in their tea and in their food," said Gutu. Funeral Announcements A daily list of current funeral annoucements as heard on KXRA 1490 AM/100.3 FM News Updates The daily news, sports, and events delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Sports Update This current sports headlines delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Upcoming Events This email is the events of the area delivered daily from Voice of Alexandria. Breaking News The big news. Sent only as it happens. A view from over Alexandria coming in from the west. It doesn't take long to see how intertwined the city is with the local lakes and waterways when overhead. Italy votes in the first general election in almost five years. Italy goes to the polls on Sunday 25 September to vote in a snap general election triggered by the collapse in July of the national unity government of outgoing premier Mario Draghi. Based on the latest opinion polls, a right-wing bloc is widely predicted to win a solid majority in both houses of parliament. The alliance comprises the far-right Fratelli d'Italia (FdI), the right-wing Lega and the centre-right Forza Italia, with FdI leader Giorgia Meloni tipped to become the next prime minister. The centre-left Partito Democratico (PD) trails in second place, far behind the centro-destra bloc, according to opinion polls. Almost 51 million Italian citizens are entitled to vote in the parliamentary elections: more than 46 million in Italy and more than four million Italians abroad, who have already cast their votes by post. There are more than 61,000 polling stations open across the country on Sunday, from 07.00 to 23.00, with around 180,000 electoral scrutineers. The city with the highest number of eligible voters is Rome - about two million - while the smallest municipality is Rocca de Giorgi, in the northern Lombardia region, with 25 voters. Lombardia is also the region with the largest number of voters - 7.5 million - while Valle d'Aosta has the lowest number with a total of 98,187. In the last general election in 2018, which saw the once anti-establishment MoVimento 5 Stelle (M5S) grab 32 per cent of the vote, around 27 per cent of the Italian electorate abstained from voting. In Italy's 2022 general election, some 2.6 million adults will vote for the first time for the senate, after the minimum voting age was reduced from 25 to 18 (the same as for the chamber of deputies), as a result of the 2020 constitutional referendum. The size of Italy's parliament will also be reduced to 400 members in the chamber of deputies and 200 elected members of the senate, down from 630 and 315 respectively. Italy has had 67 governments since the end of world war two, an average of roughly one new government every 13 months. Photo credit: MikeDotta / Shutterstock.com. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share Oil markets are broken. Extreme volatility and a lack of liquidity mean that crude futures have become disconnected from tight physical oil markets. At least thats what some loud voices in the oil world are telling us. But I suspect they may be talking their own books. Wp Get the full experience. Choose your plan ArrowRight Complaining that markets are broken suggests to me that somebody has traded on the wrong side of the recent tumble in oil prices, positioning for a rise that hasnt happened. Assertions that futures and physical markets have become disconnected arent new. Theyve been around for decades. When oil prices were soaring in 2007-2008, oil ministers from members of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries lined up to moan that futures markets had gotten too big. The volume of oil being traded, often by people who had no intention of ever handling a single barrel of the black stuff, was many times larger than global trade in physical crude. These speculators were driving the price of oil to record highs, while physical supplies, producers said, were ample. Advertisement Now were being told the opposite by Saudi Arabias Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman and others. There arent enough people trading in oil futures, and the paper market, as its known, isnt reflecting the true tightness of crude supplies. This time its not the fault of the speculators, but too few producers seeking to hedge the value of their future production by buying futures. The activity in the crude futures markets is measured by the open interest, or the number of contracts open at any particular point. Although its true that the combined level of open interest in Brent and West Texas Intermediate crude markets has fallen sharply from its highs, reached in 2017-2018 and again last year, open interest is not low in historical terms. Its back where it was in 2013-2014 and well above the levels seen in 2007-2008, when the paper markets were too big. One thing is undoubtedly true, however: Crude markets are extremely volatile. The first nine months of 2022 have already put the year in the top six of the last 30 for daily moves in Brent crude in excess of 5%. The three most volatile years by this measure were the those of the financial crash of 2008, the year of the Covid-19 pandemic, and the year Iraq invaded Kuwait. Advertisement But a 5% price swing in an era when oil was about $20 a barrel, as in 1990, is very different from a 5% swing now that the price is near $100 a barrel. Looked at in absolute terms, take price moves in excess of $5 a barrel and 2022 already tops the list of the most volatile years for crude since at least 1988. But volatility doesnt necessarily mean a broken market. The most volatile years for oil have all been ones when major events have roiled markets, and this ones no different. Russias invasion of Ukraine and the threat of sanctions on its oil exports, the post-pandemic recovery in travel in many parts of the world, lockdowns imposed as part of Chinas zero-Covid policy, and now the looming fears of recession in North America and Europe have all disrupted markets in 2022. Yes, global oil stockpiles are low after huge draws last year, when OPEC+ oil producers failed to raise output fast enough to match recovering demand. Yes, years of underinvestment in new oil production capacity, both inside and outside OPEC, have diminished spare capacity to a sliver. Yes, sanctions on some Russian oil exports could take millions of barrels a day of crude off the market in December, followed by millions more of refined products early next year. Advertisement But those legitimate concerns are outweighed, for now, by expectations of recession and demand destruction in some of the biggest oil-consuming countries. And if Europe and the US do fall into recession, if they havent already, the knock-on effect on lower imports of consumer goods from China is likely to dampen pickup in oil demand there when Covid restrictions are eventually lifted. Paper oil markets are looking beyond the supply-side issues that are captivating OPEC+ oil ministers. I remain baffled that their response to a tight oil market is to threaten to make it tighter still by cutting output again. Will oil prices surge again toward the end of the year, as the futures markets catch up with physical tightness? They might, especially if European Union sanctions hit Russian oil exports hard. But prices might just as easily continue on their downward path if recession leads to widespread demand destruction. Hold onto your hats, 2022s wild oil ride isnt done yet. This column does not necessarily reflect the opinion of the editorial board or Bloomberg LP and its owners. Julian Lee is an oil strategist for Bloomberg First Word. Previously, he was a senior analyst at the Centre for Global Energy Studies. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com/opinion 2022 Bloomberg L.P. GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share SEOUL, South Korea North Korea fired a short-range ballistic missile Sunday toward its eastern seas, extending a provocative streak in weapons testing as a U.S. aircraft carrier visits South Korea for joint military exercises in response to the Norths growing nuclear threat. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. ArrowRight South Koreas Joint Chiefs of Staff said the missile launched from the western inland town of Taechon flew 600 kilometers (370 miles) cross-country on a maximum altitude of 60 kilometers (37 miles) before landing in waters off North Koreas eastern coast. South Koreas presidential office said National Security Director Kim Sung-han called an emergency National Security Council meeting where members denounced the launch as a clear violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions and accused the North of raising tensions in the region. Advertisement The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said the launch did not pose an immediate threat to U.S. personnel or territory, or to our allies, but still highlighted the destabilizing impact of North Koreas illicit nuclear weapons and missile programs. The launch came as the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan and its strike group arrived in South Korea for the two countries joint military exercises that aim to show their strength against growing North Korean threats. South Koreas Foreign Ministry said its nuclear envoy Kim Gunn held telephone calls with Sung Kim, U.S. President Joe Bidens special representative for North Korea, and Funakoshi Takehiro, director-general for Asian and Oceanian affairs at Japans Foreign Ministry, to discuss trilateral cooperation in face of North Korean threats. Advertisement Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said in a statement Tokyo is doing its utmost to gather information on North Koreas launch and confirm the safety of ships and aircraft, although there were no immediate reports of damages. The North Korean threat is also expected to be a key agenda when U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris visits South Korea next week after attending the state funeral in Tokyo of slain former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. North Korea has dialed up its testing activities to a record pace in 2022, testing more than 30 ballistic weapons, including its first intercontinental ballistic missiles since 2017. North Korea is exploiting a divide in the United Nations Security Council that deepened over Russias war on Ukraine to speed up arms development. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has punctuated his weapons tests with repeated threats that the North would proactively use its nuclear weapons when threatened, increasing security concerns for its conventionally armed rival South Korea. Advertisement The flight details announced by Seouls military suggest that North Korea could have tested a nuclear-capable short-range weapon modeled after Russias Iskander missiles, which travel at relatively low altitudes and are designed to be maneuverable in flight, making them harder to be intercepted by missile defenses. Kim Dong-yub, a professor at Seouls University of North Korean Studies, said it was notable that the missile flew 600 kilometers (370 miles) from its Taechon launch point roughly the distance to South Koreas southern port Busan, where the Reagan arrived Friday. The Iskander-like missiles are part of a growing arsenal of short-range, solid-fuel systems North Korea has been developing since 2019. The North describes some of those weapons as tactical, which experts say communicate a threat to arm them with small battlefield nukes and proactively use them during conflicts to blunt the stronger conventional forces of South Korea and the United States, which stations about 28,500 troops in the South. Advertisement North Korea has so far rejected U.S. and South Korean calls to return to nuclear diplomacy, which have been stalled since 2019 over disagreements in exchanging the release of U.S.-led sanctions against the North and the Norths disarmament steps. The USS Reagans arrival in South Korea came after Kim told Pyongyangs rubber-stamp parliament this month that he would never abandon his nuclear weapons and missiles he needs to counter what he perceives as U.S. hostility. Kims speech came as North Korean legislators passed a law that enshrined its status as a nuclear power and authorized the preemptive use of nuclear weapons over a broad range of scenarios where the country or its leadership comes under threat, spelling out an escalatory nuclear doctrine. Speaking to U.S. and South Korean troops Saturday aboard the Reagan, South Korean Defense Minister Lee Jong-sup said the dispatching of U.S. strategic assets to the region shows unwavering U.S. commitment to defend South Korea. He said the North would be met with an overwhelming response if it attempts to use nuclear weapons, according to a statement by his ministry. Advertisement Sundays test could soon be followed with a more provocative weapons demonstration as South Korean officials said they detected signs that North Korea was preparing to test a missile system designed to be launched from submarines. The office of South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol said Saturday that he was briefed on such developments before his flight back home from a visit to Canada. On Wednesday, 38 North, a North Korea-focused website, said its analysis of commercial satellite imagery shows multiple barges and other vessels gathered at the eastern port of Sinpo, where North Korea has a major shipyard building submarines. The report said the North was possibly preparing to launch a new submarine capable of firing ballistic missiles. North Korea has been pushing hard to be able to fire nuclear-armed missiles from submarines. Such weapons in theory would bolster North Koreas deterrent by ensuring retaliation after absorbing a nuclear attack on land. Advertisement Ballistic missile submarines would also add a new maritime threat to the Norths growing collection of solid-fuel weapons fired from land vehicles, which are being developed with an apparent aim to overwhelm missile defense systems in South Korea and Japan. Still, experts say the heavily sanctioned nation would need considerably more time, resources and major technological improvements to build at least several submarines that could travel quietly in seas and reliably execute strikes. ___ Associated Press writer Yuri Kageyama contributed to the story from Tokyo. GiftOutline Gift Article A mother, father and daughter survived the Tops shooting but were left traumatized by the terror of being hunted inside a grocery store and the horror of what they escaped. The family is moving forward, trying to navigate a world that was already difficult in one of the state's most economically challenged communities. Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share GENEVA Swiss voters on Sunday narrowly backed a proposal to raise the retirement age for women from 64 to 65, public broadcaster SRF reported. A separate proposal to impose stricter animal welfare rules for livestock was heading for a big defeat, SRF also reported. Are you on Telegram? Subscribe to our channel for the latest updates on Russias war in Ukraine. ArrowRight The change means the Swiss pension system would require women to work an extra year before becoming eligible for full retirement pay benefits. Men already have to work until 65 to get full benefits. Its part of a law already passed by parliament, but requiring voter approval, that also would involve raising the countrys value-added tax to help replenish funds in the Swiss pension system. Officials say the number of retirees is growing faster than the number of working people. Such steps are seen as needed to shore up the state-backed pension fund over the next decade, as Baby Boomers increasingly retire and people overall have been living longer, especially women. Advertisement Opponents said the change weighs entirely on the shoulders of women, whose pay through the retirement scheme is usually less than what men receive and will only accentuate inequalities and unfairness they say have long bedeviled women in Switzerland. SRF reported the retirement measure passed narrowly 50.6% in favor to 49.4% against. Backing was strongest in the German-speaking parts of Switzerland, while a majority of those in the French and Italian-speaking cantons (states) voted against it. The proposal to improve the living conditions of its livestock was brought by environmentally minded groups that want to end intensive breeding where animals are often confined in tight spaces and require more humane living conditions for them. The Swiss parliament and executive branch opposed the proposal arguing it would drive up prices and that animals of production are already well-protected and well-treated in Switzerland. Advertisement Last year, some 80 million animals were fattened and slaughtered in Switzerland, an increase of nearly 50% from a generation ago. Recent polls showed a majority of voters initially supported the idea, but then began to sour on it in part because of resistance from livestock raisers who argued that the measure would be hard to carry out and lead to further price rises for meat. According to SRF, almost 63% of voters opposed the measure at the ballot box. Several other local referendums were also held Sunday, including one in Canton Lucerne where voters chose not to help fund a new barracks for the Swiss Guards in the Vatican. GiftOutline Gift Article Comment on this story Comment Gift Article Share ISLAMABAD The World Bank said it will provide about $2 billion in aid to Pakistan, ravaged by floods that have killed more than 1,600 people this year, the largest pledge of assistance so far. Unprecedented monsoon rains and flooding this year which many experts attribute to climate change have also injured some 13,000 people across the country since mid-June. The floods have displaced millions and destroyed crops, half a million homes and thousands of kilometers (miles) of roads. The World Banks vice president for South Asia, Martin Raiser, announced the pledge in an overnight statement after concluding his first official visit to the country Saturday. We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and livelihoods due to the devastating floods and we are working with the federal and provincial governments to provide immediate relief to those who are most affected, he said. Advertisement Raiser met with federal ministers and the chief minister of southern Sindh province, the most affected region, where he toured the badly hit Dadu district. Thousands of makeshift medical camps for flood survivors have been set up in the province, where the National Disaster Management Authority said outbreaks of typhoid, malaria and dengue fever have killed at least 300 people. The death toll prompted the World Health Organization last week to raise the alarm about a second disaster, with doctors on the ground racing to battle outbreaks. As an immediate response, we are repurposing funds from existing World Bank-financed projects to support urgent needs in health, food, shelter, rehabilitation and cash transfers, Raiser said. The World Bank agreed last week in a meeting with Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly to provide $850 million in flood relief for Pakistan. The $2 billion figure includes that amount. Advertisement Raiser said the bank is working with provincial authorities to begin as quickly as possible repairing infrastructure and housing and restore livelihoods, and to help strengthen Pakistans resilience to climate-related risks. We are envisaging financing of about $2 billion to that effect. Over the past two months, Pakistan has sent nearly 10,000 doctors, nurses and other medical staff to tend to survivors in Sindh province. GiftOutline Gift Article Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size This story is part of the September 25 edition of Sunday Life. See all 12 stories . There is something of the Disney princess about Trinny Woodall as she strides towards me in the shiny Chelsea HQ of Trinny London, her beauty empire that in five scant years has gone from struggling to find investors to being valued at 180 million [$300 million]. Like Belle, she is clad in yellow. Like Rapunzel, she has really good hair. Like Snow White, she has lips as red as a rose. Unlike those hapless three, she doesnt need to be rescued. For Trinny is her own heroine, and the skilled author of her own fairy tale. Back off, Prince Charming. Youll ruin her lipstick. Today, the woman who first found fame in the early 2000s co-hosting the makeover show What Not to Wear is wearing a lipstick hue called Rossy, a poppy-red from her Lip2Cheek range. Launched in 2017, Trinny Londons success is down to an alchemical mix of clever products and innovative tech, all driven by its charismatic founder, whose enthusiastic social media presence (almost two million Facebook followers, one million Instagram followers and 338,000 subscribers on YouTube) is a powerful driver of sales. Her core customer is the midlife woman whose life is beginning to show on her face. Trinny eschews using models on her website in favour of featuring real women aged from their 40s to their 80s. Her fans, known as Trinnys Tribe, lap up her honesty and love that shell talk as openly about her bowel movements as she will about her blusher. One commented: Her clothes are outright strange, her fillers are borderline frightening, but theres something really likeable about her that keeps me watching. Settling down to talk in her office (she in canary-yellow Asos trousers and a silver Dries Van Noten vest), I start by congratulating her on the companys recent sales figures and ask whether she was surprised by them. Advertisement I was, because theyre not correct, she says archly. Im not going to correct them, because there are certain figures which we dont publish, but they were ambiguous. But sales did increase. Theyd increased the year before, three times. Between March 2020 and January 2021, the brand grew by 280 per cent, delivering 44 million in gross revenue in the year to March 2021. Not bad during a pandemic. What helped us a lot is that women didnt want to stop buying things. They may not have wanted to buy clothing, so they bought make-up instead. Lockdown might have spelt disaster for many businesses, but not Trinnys. Her theory for this is that, with 95 per cent of sales already online, she didnt have as far to pivot. Hers was among the first beauty brands to offer one-to-one online consultations, launching the service a mere 10 days after lockdown was announced; 3000 appointments were booked in the first 24 hours. Loading What helped us a lot is that women didnt want to stop buying things, she says. They may not have wanted to buy clothing, so they bought make-up instead. They became quite obsessed with developing a skincare routine, and trying new things. Although women were much busier during COVID, we also needed time for ourselves, because we were juggling. If you were looking after the house, working from home, and your kids werent at school, having that time was so very precious. You needed that time just to do something for you. Advertisement My own theory is that Trinny is a P, or Perceiving, in the Myers-Briggs personality types; a person whose stellar communication skills were perfectly placed to profit from the pandemic. Like Joe Wicks, who also found huge success during lockdown, Trinny is a born communicator. Just as he got people fit, Trinny got them glowing. As she tells me today, I want women to feel theyve become ageless that theyre feeling phwoar. At the start of the pandemic, her company employed 68 people; now, it employs 200. It sells 187 products in 200 countries, with a pot of its line-filling Miracle Blur primer selling every 60 seconds. Skincare was only launched in February, but already accounts for almost a third of sales; shes confident that it will soon amount to 50 per cent of her business. And then, at some point, well bring out another vertical. Haircare? Body care? I cant tell you. It will be what it will be. I want women to feel theyve become ageless that theyre feeling phwoar, says Woodall of her beauty brand. Credit:Anna Martensson/Headpress As the companys main shareholder, with a 42 per cent stake, what Trinny will be is even wealthier than she already is. Which must feel particularly gratifying, given how hard she initially found it to get investment. (Dont imagine that a woman with a clever idea and decades of experience will be able to pluck freely from the money tree: in business, men and women are still judged by different standards. So many discrepancies, Trinny sighs. ) Undeterred, she raised 60,000 by selling off items from her own wardrobe, then hustled for another 7 million, a small but undisclosed amount of which was provided by her partner of nine years, businessman and art collector Charles Saatchi. I couldnt afford to live in the house I was living in, so I rented it out and sold quite a few of my clothes. I then did a small raise, which I used for product development. When that ran out, I sold some more clothes, then sold my house because I couldnt afford the mortgage. It did take balls it was very scary. But I knew I had no alternative. Nobody becomes a great entrepreneur from a place of comfort. Asked what shes learnt about money along the way, she replies, Ive learnt what you can live without. Until I was 18, I had a very nice, entitled life. Then my dad had some things that went a bit wrong. So I went and earned a salary, working a Saturday job at Partridges [delicatessen], cutting the meat. It took me a long time to figure out what I wanted to do probably until I was 27. The years before were really difficult. Advertisement Thats an understatement. Unlike Cinderella, Woodalls isnt a rags to riches tale, but a riches to rags to riches one. Born Sarah-Jane Woodall (the Trinny nickname came from a friend who likened her to a St Trinians character) in London, her father was a banker, her mother Ann his second wife. The youngest of three children (with three half-siblings from her fathers first marriage), she was sent to boarding school aged six. It did take balls it was very scary. But I knew I had no alternative. Nobody becomes a great entrepreneur from a place of comfort. At 16, she started experimenting with drugs, with alcohol becoming an addiction in her 20s. Stints in rehab followed until, at 26, having lost close friends to alcoholism, she reached rock bottom and sought treatment for a final time. She has been sober for 32 years. Her next brush with dependency came by proxy, after her marriage to property developer Johnny Elichaoff in 1999. Their 10 years together were marred by his addiction to painkillers, acquired after a motorbike accident in 2006. Trinny went through 16 rounds of IVF and several miscarriages before their daughter, Lyla, was born in 2003. The pair split in 2009, co-parenting amicably until 2014, when Elichaoff fell to his death from the roof of a shopping centre in London, having lost all his assets due to a string of failed investments. Creditors launched legal action against Trinny, seeking repayment of his debts, despite them having being accrued after their divorce. The case was dismissed in late 2016. Trinny is incredibly close to Lyla, now a cheerful 18-year-old who plans to take a year out before studying film at a university in New York. She got a scholarship, says Trinny proudly. Advertisement At the weekend, the pair attended a bat mitzvah together, giving Trinny a rare opportunity to dance with Lyla. That made me happy. There was one guy there, dancing with his three daughters. Those are the moments when I wish Lyla still had a dad. All these people came up and said, Youve brought up such a nice daughter, and I was so proud. Lyla can be very kind. She can also be very covetous of her mothers wardrobe. She sniffs around. She helped herself to my Gabriela Hearst jacket the other day. Lyla has a very eclectic style. I love it. The biggest challenge of raising a teenager is, she says, doing it without her father. Not having the other person in the room to say what I should do. Loading Though Lyla has a half-brother, Zak, 27, Trinny says that not having siblings is the reason she sent her to boarding school. Hardest decision. But she still feels centred with my life because theres only her in it. She knows Id drop everything for her. She does worry about passing on the genes that made her and Elichaoff prone to addiction, but adds, I think the most important thing that you can give a child is a sense of confidence. So whatever path she chooses to take in her life, shes not taking it from fear. Its important to make them feel seen, loved, everything. Flaws and all. Successful as shes been, it wasnt until her 50s that Trinny came to love her own flaws. When you reach 50, you dont care. You dont worry what people think about you, and that gives you a great freedom to say what you feel. Now, what you see is what you get. Advertisement After her hit TV show ended, Trinny Woodall faced the dramatic death of her ex-husband and financial worries. Now, her beauty brand is worth $300 million. How did she turn it all around? September 25, 2022 by Laura Craik A Niagara Falls man who was convicted on drug and gun charges has been sentenced by U.S. District Judge John L. Sinatra Jr. to 17 years in prison, U.S. Attorney Trini E. Ross announced. Jeffrey Richards, 32, pleaded guilty in March to possession with intent to distribute acetyl fentanyl, possession of a firearm in furtherance of drug trafficking and possession of a stolen firearm. His plea deal erased the most serious charge against him, manufacture of an explosive device, which would have jailed him for at least 30 years. Police who raided his apartment in 2018 in Packard Court, a public housing project, found what they said was a homemade bomb, along with about 10 guns, more than 600 rounds of ammunition and various materials used to make explosive devices. They also found a variety of drugs that included 105 grams of fentanyl and acetyl fentanyl, small amounts of cocaine and marijuana, and 34 tablets of the anti-anxiety drug alprazolam, prosecutors said. An FBI agent arrested Richards at a traffic stop in Lewiston on Dec. 14, 2018, at the close of a two-month drug investigation. Prescriptions for ADHD medications have more than doubled within a decade and scripts for adults now outnumber those for children, as rising numbers of adult women are diagnosed with the disorder. People seeking treatment for Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder, or ADHD, are facing months- long waiting lists to see a psychiatrist, with some clinicians attributing the increase in adult cases to historical under-diagnosis, particularly in young girls. Annual data from the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme showed prescriptions for the two most commonly used ADHD medications, methylphenidate (Ritalin) and dexamphetamine, passed 1 million last year. The greatest increase was seen in adults on Ritalin, which increased almost three-fold to 160,000 scripts in 2021. The number of adult scripts for dexamphetamine roughly doubled to close to 390,000. A 39-year-old man has been arrested and charged after he allegedly slashed the neck of another man in his 20s with a knife in a seemingly random attack in Northbridge. On Friday night at 11.45pm police officers on patrol in Northbridge found a 29-year-old man bleeding from the neck, after being struck by a knife near the intersection of Roe Street and William Street. Witness to the Northbridge attack Josh Tonkin said it had happened fast and that the man was a stranger. Credit:Nine News Perth He had been on a night out with friends from work, who told Nine News Perth their group had been targeted at random. He followed us across the street, kept getting more and more agitated, witness to the horrifying attack Josh Tonkin said. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size It was in a busy hospital office that newly qualified speech pathologist Charlotte Moore wondered if she had made a big mistake. Sitting at her computer, typing her notes, the 28-year-olds brain could not remain focused on the screen in front of her. She cared about the work being a speechie was her dream job but her mind simply could not stay in one spot. It jumped around the room, turning its attention to the conversations between the nurses behind her, tracking the rhythm of medical machines in the background, noting the movements of every person coming in and out the door. Charlotte Moore, a speech pathologist and member of the Sydney Philharmonia Choirs, was diagnosed with ADHD as an adult. Credit:Wolter Peeters Meanwhile, Tania Gricia, 53, had returned to study when she started to experience an overwhelming brain fog. At first, she put it down to perimenopause, only it felt different and targeted to when she was doing her coursework. I would struggle with the readings, I wasnt meeting deadlines things that had happened to me in previous periods of life and I would dismiss them, thinking it was just a personality flaw, she says. But I knew that I wasnt lazy. When I was working I could focus. So, why not now? Both Charlotte and Tania are among a growing number of adults, particularly women, being diagnosed with ADHD. For Tania, the diagnosis meant an overhaul of how she scheduled her time. For Charlotte, it triggered a move away from practising in a busy hospital and into community care, as well as relief that she had not completely misread her aptitude in the field. It wasnt that I was bad at my job, the job just wasnt compatible with the way that my brain works and thats OK. ADHD is an acronym we hear a lot these days, but why? What is it? And how is it diagnosed? Advertisement Loading Whats ADHD? In a world where our phones feed us a constant stream of text and social media notifications, being unable to focus can feel like a normal symptom of modern life. But the experiences of people with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder are more debilitating and severe than just being easily distracted. The key is functional impairment: its not enough to just have difficulty with your memory or with keeping attention, it has to be impacting areas of your life, says Tamara Cavenett, president of the Australian Psychological Society. ADHD is one of the most commonly diagnosed mental health conditions in children, impacting about one in 20 Australian kids. An early iteration of the condition called hyperkinetic reaction of childhood was first listed in the practitioners standard text, the American Psychiatric Associations Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (the DSM) in 1968, but its definition has been tweaked several times since. The major feature of ADHD is the inability to hold attention when a person is not interested in what they are doing, says the University of Sydneys Professor Adam Guastella. This can manifest in forgetfulness, being unable to focus, or hyperactivity and acting out even when a person knows they shouldnt. When someone with ADHD is forced to focus on something they do not want to for any period of time, it can become almost painful. This makes ADHD different to autism, which centres on whether someone understands social situations. But most kids with one neurodevelopment disorder will be diagnosed with another, says Guastella, who is also chair in child and youth mental health at Sydney Childrens Hospital Westmead. He notes that 60 per cent of children with autism have ADHD. (Inversely, about 40 per cent of children with ADHD also have autism.) Advertisement You may remember the term ADD once used to describe a non-hyperactive form of the disorder but that is now obsolete. Since the most recent DSM edition DSM-5, released in 2013 ADHD has been an umbrella term for three different presentations: predominantly inattentive, which may have previously been diagnosed as ADD, predominantly hyperactive-impulsive, and combined (with elements of both). Across all categories, ADHD impacts a persons executive function: their ability to complete tasks through higher-level cognitive skills such as working memory and impulse control. When someone with ADHD is forced to focus on something they do not want to for any period of time, it can become almost painful. While Tania could focus at work, her condition made committing to study impossible. She struggled to explain to family and friends why the tips they would give her for overcoming procrastination or refocusing were not enough. For Charlotte, it was the loud work environment that shattered her concentration. As with many other people diagnosed as an adult, learning the symptoms of ADHD made some longstanding habits make more sense. Ive always been messy, she says. As a kid, my mum just wouldnt understand how I could have such a messy room. And now, as an adult living by myself, its something I really need to watch because I never think to put something away. And when I was in uni, I would be terrible at exams because I just couldnt remember things. Credit:Artwork: Monique Westermann How is the disorder diagnosed? Advertisement Like other neurodevelopmental disorders, ADHD is more common in people with a family history. And UNSW child psychology researcher Professor Valsamma Eapen says there can be signs from early in development. As babies, they have less need for sleep, want too many things to always keep them occupied, she says. Most diagnoses are in school children, when behaviours such as hyperactivity and inability to focus become apparent, although a growing number of people are being diagnosed as adults (more on that below). Not all children who have ADHD carry it to adulthood but somewhere between half and three-quarters will. Not enough is known about why, says Associate Professor Katherine Johnson, director of the University of Melbournes Attention Dynamics Lab. Some [adults] will only have partial symptoms and some will no longer have the condition altogether. A mental health professional can diagnose the condition usually a psychiatrist, who can prescribe medication as treatment, or a psychologist following a GP referral. There is no single test. Assessments usually take place over several appointments, and may include interviews about past incidents and the persons general history, as well as working through checklists of symptoms and situations a person has found themselves in Do they often lose things? Do they often interrupt others? and standardised behaviour rating scales. Because of the overlap with symptoms of other mental disorders such as anxiety it is important to receive a formal diagnosis. A huge part of it is differentiating their symptoms from anything else that could cause those symptoms, says Cavenett. Its not uncommon in a child for the symptoms of ADHD to actually be anxiety or trauma. The condition is considered under-diagnosed in girls. Boys can show more externalising behaviour, they are more impulsive and hyperactive, which makes them more likely to attract the attention of a teacher when they are at primary school, Johnson says. But, in girls, it more commonly presents as inattentiveness. They are sitting in a classroom, but their mind is not on what the teacher is saying. That may not always attract the same attention. I would say a lot of things before my brain even processed what I was saying, as its always going a million miles an hour. Stephanie Quaglia, 30, is seeing a psychiatrist who has diagnosed her with ADHD following multiple appointments. She believes her condition was missed by teachers when she was a child. Advertisement I looked through all of my school reports and every single one of them from kindergarten to year six says something like, Stephanie is easily distracted, slow to complete tasks, talks too much, she says. Stephanie also completed some cognitive assessments as a child the WISC intelligence test and Neale literacy test which said she was within the acceptable range of intelligence but easily distracted and needed encouragement to complete challenging tasks. When I showed the psychiatrist he was pretty shocked nothing came from this, but I guess it just shows how it wasnt really diagnosed in girls back then, she says. When Sarah, a pseudonym, was diagnosed with ADHD as a teenager, it came after years of being labelled as having behavioural problems. Her private high school in Sydney said she could continue to attend classes only if she took medication prescribed for her ADHD. The main struggles for me were, and still are, hyperactivity and lack of concentration, the 29-year-old says. Something that I did a lot of, that I now recognise was ADHD, was speaking without thinking. I would say a lot of things before my brain even processed what I was saying, as its always going a million miles an hour. Why are more adults being diagnosed with ADHD? Although mental health professionals had been treating adults with ADHD-type symptoms for decades, adult ADHD was recognised by the DSM as a mental disorder only in 2013. Eapen says this change has likely led to an increase in awareness of adult ADHD among professionals assessing clients, although it does not fully explain the astronomical rise in adults particularly women seeking a diagnosis. The mental health professionals interviewed for this story all agreed the popularity of content focused on ADHD on social media platforms such as TikTok and Instagram had played a role, with this content de-stigmatising a condition once associated with badly behaved children. Advertisement Recriminations have continued to flow over the defeat of controversial candidate Katherine Deves at the May election, with Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg telling local members the way they were treated by the party ahead of polling day was a complete disgrace and outrage. Members of the Liberal Partys Warringah federal electorate conference met on Saturday for their annual general meeting, where they elected PwC consultant and former prominent Young Liberal Alex Dore as their next president. Katherine Deves controversial opinions on transgender women in sport made Warringah the focal point of a national transgender debate. Credit:Jessica Hromas Deves delivered the candidates report at the meeting, her first appearance before local party members since her resounding defeat to independent MP Zali Steggall in Tony Abbotts previously safe blue-ribbon seat on Sydneys northern beaches. The womens sport activist was handpicked by former prime minister Scott Morrison just a week before he called the election. Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size Seoul/Tokyo: The coffin had John Walkers name on it. It was 2017 and the Australian chairman of Macquarie Capital Asia had just landed a deal to operate a toll road in Gwangju, southern Korea. The toll booths had been staffed by a company filled with former South Korean secret service members who had spent their careers running clandestine missions into North Korea. After five years of operating the toll booths at an above-market rate, Macquarie said it wanted to tender the contract out. They said they should just be able to keep it and keep charging whatever they wanted to charge. In the interests of our investors in the fund that owned that asset we had to say no, says Walker. We miscalculated. Within weeks we had all these former scary people surrounding our building and carrying a coffin with my name on it. South Korea boasts a robust democracy: Financial Industry Union members stage a rally against the governments labor policy this month. Credit:AP It was not Walkers only experience of what he calls Koreas form of robust direct democracy, where small protests disrupt traffic in Seoul most weekends and corporate leaders have to tread wearily around social justice campaigns. A year later Macquarie wanted to restructure one of its investments in a Korean waste business. There was a disabled association that was responsible for part of the processing that would lose out. Go home foreign devil signs started appearing everywhere, says Walker. Advertisement In the past 40 years, South Korea has gone from an autocratic dictatorship to vibrant democracy. Despite a history of protest and protectionism, the economy is now deregulating fast and spreading South Korean technical and cultural innovations around the world. It is on track to overtake Japan in gross domestic product per capita by 2028 meaning the average Korean worker will be more productive and wealthier than their Japanese counterparts - a neighbour with whom it shares a brutal history of war and colonisation. Shin Hae-kang, an 80-year-old former construction manager, says the changes he has seen over his lifetime have been unimaginable. On the banks of the Han, the river that pierces central Seoul, he recalls the legacy of Japanese occupation between 1910 and 1945 and the Republics struggles after the Korean War that divided the North from the South. Shin Hae-kang, 80, a retired construction company manager Credit:Eryk Bagshaw There were no dams, no bridges, no high-end buildings, nothing but rubbish, mountains, and ferries, he says. They were all farm lands here and there. The only habitable areas were near the palace. Other places had nearly zero habitable infrastructures. All these apartment complexes werent here 40 to 50 years ago. Now, the golden skyscraper of Hanwa a Korean arms manufacturer towers over the river bank. So do the headquarters of South Koreas technology titans Samsung, LG and Hyundai, the family-founded dynasties known locally as chaebols. When I got here in [the 1990s] Korea was still in the perspiration stage. Hard-working, focused on manufacturing and testing new and different things in the market, says Walker, who is the deputy chairman of the Australia Korea Business Council. Advertisement Then in the early 2000s, they started moving from perspiration to aspiration. Thats the point at which people like LG and Samsung, started hiring foreigners, for example. They became much more outward-looking far less focused on manufacturing much more focused on technology, and services. And then by 2010, you know, post-financial crisis. I call that the start of the transformation era. Now, I think the Koreans see the domestic market more as a testbed than the ultimate market. They have been prepared to be much tougher around the restructuring of their domestic businesses. They dont throw lifelines to businesses that are going under. There is also mobility across the chaebol now, where you have groups like Hyundai, god forbid, hiring people from Samsung. John Walker, from the Australia Korea Business Council, has witnessed South Korea turn to global markets during his time in the country. Credit:Christopher Pearce Japan, which dominated the 1990s and rose to become the second-largest economy in the world on the back of the technological prowess of Sony and Panasonic, has struggled to innovate since. Its own market was so strong that the international market was an afterthought. When global competition from America, China and South Korea emerged, it stumbled and held on tight to the technology that had delivered its glory days. Taro Kono, Japans digital minister, has declared a war on fax machines and floppy disks, devices that still dominate parts of Japans bureaucracy two decades after they became obsolete. But he has faced resistance from some parts of Japans government and corporate sectors that warned abolishing fax machines still used widely in the legal, and business communities would be impossible and that floppy disks were more reliable and secure than digital transfers or emails. We really need to improve convenience in peoples lives, Kono said. Kono knows convenience drives productivity. The longer Japanese workers have to spend printing faxing and putting a stamp on a document, rather than just emailing, the less time they have to innovate. By 2028 these incremental hurdles, combined with an innovation gap and an ageing population are on track to crush Japans economic competitiveness leaving it behind neighbours South Korea and Taiwan. The Japan Centre for Economic Research found that the inflation-adjusted GDP per capita will reach $US46,443 in Japan in 2028 compared to $US 46,519 in Korea. Advertisement The biggest obstacle for Japans economic growth is its low birthrate and ageing population, said the centres principal economist Atsushi Tomiyama. But South Korea and Taiwan are in much the same case on that point, so the difference comes from their productivity and efforts for digitalisation. Inside Akihabara Radio Centre in central Tokyo, Shinya Sato admires the Sony Walkmans, CD players, ill-fated mini discs and other 90s nostalgia for Japans technical glory that plaster the walls. Sato has worked in Japans oldest electronic hub in the centre of Akihabara Tokyos billboard emblazoned electric city for the past 20 years. Shinya Sato has worked in the Akihabara Radio Centre in Tokyo for 20 years. Credit:Viola Kam Its been amazing to see the transition from analogue to digital, but Japan is struggling a bit now. Its difficult. It is not innovating as much as it used to, he says. The Japanese were better at building things that move, like tapes and mini-discs and CDs. But digital data, memory, chips, and programming the Japanese are not as strong. Now the Chinese and South Koreans have developed better technology. Chinas COVID-zero policy, its flirtation with economic decoupling from the West and its growing geopolitical tensions have presented an opportunity for Japan and South Korea, but South Korea has been faster at reacting to the gap in the market says the managing director of Pilbara Minerals Ken Brinsden. They are the next big move beyond China, says Brinsden who mines lithium in Portland, WA a key ingredient in electric vehicle batteries. Japan has been kind of a poster child if you like for some of the [electric car] developments. But its relatively narrow the extent to which broadly speaking that the Japanese have built on the lithium-ion battery platform [for its cars]. In contrast, Korea has much more, I think its fair to say, a much more international perspective. Advertisement South Koreas Foreign Minister Park Jin told the Jeju Forum this month that Korea was now aiming to become a global pivotal state. In short, Korea is now taking a leap towards joining the ranks of G7 [the worlds largest seven economies]. The GPS vision we embrace will expand and advance our diplomacy in accordance with the stature of the Republic of Korea today. It is a rhetorical shift away from Seouls history of more cautious diplomacy in the shadow of the United States, China and the existential threat of the nuclear-armed North. In a sign it is already attempting to play a bigger role in global affairs, South Koreas President Yoon Suk-yeol met with Japans Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in New York on Thursday the first time the leaders of the two countries had met since 2019 after years of disputes over Japanese war crimes But not all of its young graduates are on board with Koreas new agenda. After years of top-down management and parental expectation from a generation that believes it did it much tougher than them, some are choosing to take a slower pace. Kang Dong-hwan, 25, a business information systems graduate, with his girlfriend Ji Su-hyeon, 21 in Seoul. Credit:Eryk Bagshaw I think theres a discrepancy between us and older generations in viewing work-life balance, says 25-year-old business information systems graduate Kang Dong-hwan. I havent really worried about my generation failing to level up South Korea as much as older generations did. I am focusing more on feeding myself well every day. Kangs 21-year-old girlfriend Ji Su-heyon, wants the government to do more to get women into the workforce in a country that is still grappling with changes to traditional gender roles. Theres not much paid maternal leave in Korea, says Ji. Ive always thought well that is the way it is. Advertisement Save Log in , register or subscribe to save articles for later. Normal text size Larger text size Very large text size New York: On a dusty sidewalk in midtown Manhattan, hours after Vladimir Putin threatened to unleash a nuclear strike in his war against Ukraine, a young man with a thick hipster beard is holding up a handmade sign emblazoned with the words: Putin Is A War Criminal Killer. A few meters away in the throng of New Yorks gridlocked traffic, a mobile billboard truck crawls along Third Avenue, filled with images of 22-year-old Iranian woman Mahsa Amini, whose death after being arrested by Tehrans notorious morality police sparked a wave of angry protests over the countrys repression. And two blocks east, huddled next to one of the many police barricades surrounding the United Nations headquarters, a group of climate activists wave banners and chant in unison: The earth, the earth, the earth is on fire; the Amazon is dying, politicians are all liars As global leaders descended on the US this week for the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, the signs of the challenges they faced were impossible to ignore. In any given year, this is the marquee event of international diplomacy: a spirited talkfest where presidents and prime ministers, community leaders and captains of industry gather along New Yorks East River in an attempt to solve the problems of the world. Protesters make a fire and block the street during a protest over the death of a woman who was detained by the morality police, in downtown Tehran, Iran. Credit:AP But this years event - set in the shadows of the brutal war in Ukraine, Chinas aggression over Taiwan, the existential threat of climate change, food insecurity and economic uncertainty - was also a potent reminder that the global dynamics have been upended. Advertisement The broader question now is whether the UN, a 193-member institution created after World War II to preserve peace, can tackle the multitude of crises confronting it and uphold the bedrock principles it was set up to defend. As UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres put it earlier this week, nations have a duty to act and yet we are gridlocked in colossal global dysfunction. The scale of the challenge was not lost on Foreign Affairs Minister Penny Wong when she arrived at the UN to represent Australia in the absence of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who stayed in the country for Queen Elizabeths national day of mourning. Victims of flooding from monsoon rains carry belongings salvaged from their flooded home in Sehwan, Sindh province, Pakistan. Credit:AP The UN General Assembly had just officially kicked off on Tuesday morning when Wong met with her Ukrainian counterpart Dmytro Kuleba on the sidelines of the green and gold circular General Assembly Hall around 9.30am. Australia had already provided military and humanitarian aid to Ukraine, including bushmasters and drones, but Kuleba urged Wong for more support. His sense of urgency was palpable. No words of condemnation can stop the Russian army, Kuleba later explained. What can stop them is the Ukrainian army equipped with modern weapons coming from our partners - and this is the topic of virtually every conversation Im having here in New York. It didnt take long for the rest of the world to be reminded why. Advertisement In a national address on Wednesday morning in Moscow, Putin declared a partial military mobilisation to call up as many as 300,000 reservists, resulting in angry protests and a rush of would-be conscripts fleeing the country. The Russian president also voiced his support for staged referendums being planned as a precursor to the annexation of occupied areas of Ukraine and signalled that he was prepared to use nuclear weapons to defend Russian territory. Australian Foreign Minister Penny Wong speaks during the United Nations General Assembly. Credit:Jeenah Moon/Bloomberg In the face of a threat to the territorial integrity of our country, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal, Putin warned. This is not a bluff. The condemnation among world leaders was swift and severe. UKs new Prime Minister Liz Truss accused Putin of making yet more bogus claims and sabre-rattling threats. French President Emmanuel Macron called on the international community to put maximum pressure on Russia. Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky addressed the UN by video link, calling for a special tribunal to impose just punishment on Russia. And US president Joe Biden accused Putin of showing reckless disregard for Russias responsibilities as a signatory to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons, telling UN members: This is a war about extinguishing Ukraines right to exist as a state, plain and simple, and Ukraines right to exist as a people. Wherever you are, wherever you live, whatever you believe, that should make your blood run cold. Advertisement Outside the fortified walls of the UN there were also potent signs of rage. As videos emerged on social media showing Russian men called up by the government to fight Putins war, Fedor Poliakov, a Russian-born New Yorker, feared for the safety of his loved ones back home. Loading My friends and family are now waiting to learn if they will be sent to the army when they dont want to be, he tells me. Today or tomorrow some military forces will come for them and take them for Ukraine. From our country, Sergey Lavrov (Russias foreign minister) is here, and people around the world must know that he and the Kremlin are criminals. Bloody criminals. Lavrov, however, was as defiant as ever. When the UN Security Council met on Thursday for a special meeting to discuss the need for Russian accountability, the diplomat arrived about 90 minutes late and used his allocated speaking time defending Moscows actions and accusing Ukraine and its allies of attempting to impose on us a completely different narrative about Russian aggression. He then walked out almost immediately, refusing to listen to other nations as they stepped up their condemnation of Moscows latest threats. The snub highlighted a longstanding problem with the UNs structure and renewed calls to reform the 15-member Security Council. While the group has met about 20 times this year to discuss Ukraine, it has been unable to take any meaningful action because Russia is one of the P5 permanent veto-wielding members, along with the US, France, Britain and China. Advertisement Indeed, one of the most notable examples of the councils impotence took place on February 24, when Putin appeared on national TV at 6am in the shadow of darkness in Moscow, announcing he would be launching an invasion of Ukraine - at the same time that council members had convened a special meeting urging the Russian strongman not to attack. Russian-born Fedor Poliakov, in New York, protesting against Putins war. Stewart Patrick, a senior fellow and director of the Global Order and Institutions Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, says despite calls for reform, it is unlikely the veto provision would be removed, as none of the permanent members favours doing so. However, an open question, he says, is if you could create a norm where the veto is used only in exceptional circumstances - something that Biden himself suggested this week. But Patrick also notes that while the UN has its flaws, it still remains the worlds premier multilateral body and a bedrock for world order by virtue of its membership and charter. Loading This has been the most challenging year for the UN, but there are still so many functional things that the UN does that are indispensable, he says, citing its incredible humanitarian relief work as an example. Its not as if everything has fallen apart. While the war in Europe set the tone for this years gathering, it was by no means the only issue at the fore. Advertisement Activists to Hold Protest in Front of the Home of Washington, D.C.'s Mayor Calling for an End to Abortion Violence in Our Nation's Capital NEWS PROVIDED BY Christian Defense Coalition Sept. 25, 2022 WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2022 /Standard Newswire/ -- Activists to hold a protest in front of the home of Washington, D.C.'s Mayor calling for an end to abortion violence in our nation's capital. Leaders will be showing on a large LED screen, graphic videos and images of 5 late-term aborted children who were killed in Washington, D.C. earlier this year. The pro-life and anti-violence advocates will also be demanding Mayor Muriel Bowser order autopsies to be conducted on the 5 late-term aborted children who still remain in the Washington, D.C. morgue. The coalition said they would pay for the full expenses incurred by the DC Medical Examiner's office for any autopsies performed. The protest will take place on Monday, September 26 at 7:00 PM. Mayor Bowser's address is 7927 Orchid St. NW Washington, D.C. 20012. The Christian Defense Coalition has secured a permit from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department to hold this peaceful protest. Mark Harrington, President of Created Equal, states; "In third world countries, they throw abandoned babies in mass graves and landfills. In America, we are much more sophisticated but just as barbaric. We kill babies by 'doctors' in 'surgical centers,' and keep them locked in freezers for months. "Mayor Bowser needs to take immediate action and complete a thorough autopsy and investigate these potential violations of federal law. This violence against innocent children has no place in our nation. These children deserve justice." "As a human rights and anti-violence advocate for over 45 years, America must reject violence within our society. We must especially stand against violence when it is directed toward innocent children and marginalized communities. Today in Washington, D.C., abortion is allowed for the full 9 months of pregnancy. "This would include viable preborn children. "We are coming to Mayor Bowser's house to show her, visually and graphically, what abortion violence really looks like, especially against 8-month-old babies in their mother's womb. We are calling upon the Mayor to end this senseless violence against innocent human life, and start implementing programs in our nation's capital to help reduce human suffering and injustice apart from the violence of abortion. "We will also be demanding that Mayor Bowser direct the D.C. Medical Examiner to conduct autopsies on 5 late-term abortion children who still remain in the city morgue. It appears federal law may have been broken in performing these abortions." Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments; For more information or interviews call Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741 SOURCE Christian Defense Coalition CONTACT: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741 The attack ads from both sides in the governor's race feature dark and foreboding images. Rep. Lee Zeldin is airing new spots portraying Gov. Kathy Hochul as soft on crime complete with film of beatings and gunshots. Hochul, meanwhile, benefits from images sponsored by the Democratic State Committee that label Zeldin, a Suffolk County Republican, an "extremist" on the issue of abortion. Her own TV ads feature crazed crowds attacking the Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, and Zeldin's same-day vote against certifying Joe Biden's election as president all linking him to former President Donald Trump and his unpopularity across New York State. Gov. Kathy Hochul agrees to only one debate while opponent Lee Zeldin pushes for more Though a number of news organizations and other entities have proposed debates at a variety of venues before the Nov. 8 election, Gov. Kathy Hochul's campaign insisted it will participate in only one event on Oct. 25 at Pace University in New York City. As the Nov. 8 election approaches, the ads are beginning to define the battle lines with themes both camps will hammer home. For Zeldin: crime, taxes and the economy. Then more crime. For Hochul: Trump, guns and abortion. Then more Trump. State Republican Chairman Nicholas A. Langworthy dismisses all of Hochul's issues as unimportant to New Yorkers and their everyday lives. "Kathy Hochul is not talking to people about what's important to them," he said. But Hochul spokeswoman Jen Goodman noted the governor's multi-million dollar campaign, and in a statement, reiterated it's themes. "Governor Hochul is focused on getting our message out to as many New Yorkers as possible on the ground and on the airwaves," Goodman said. "From now through election day, the campaign is investing millions of dollars on ads reaching New Yorkers on TV, streaming, social, and related platforms making clear to voters how dangerously out of touch Lee Zeldin is with New York. In its latest $2 million TV purchase across the state, the Hochul campaign zeros in on the issues its emphasizing. "The ads reinforce Lee Zeldin's far-right record on January 6 and abortion," the campaign said in a release, "and they highlight Gov. Hochul's nation-leading efforts to strengthen New York's gun safety laws." The ads seek to define the Long Islander who is still introducing himself to upstate voters. In a spot titled "The Day," the ad emphasizes Zeldin's votes that Hochul considers "extreme." Her campaign seems to embrace every opportunity to highlight some form of the word "extreme." "Because Lee Zeldin is extreme and dangerous," concludes "The Day" spot featuring the rampaging Capitol crowds. Polling, opposition research and measuring voter pulses by both campaigns form the basis for the campaigns. For Hochul, the thrust is her opponent's link to Trump, who might prove popular in Texas, but not in ultra-Democratic New York. Indeed, a WNYT-TV/Survey USA poll conducted last month shows Biden beating Trump 49% to 29% among New York voters in a hypothetical presidential contest. As a sitting congressman, Zeldin also has a voting record. And of all his votes through eight years in Washington, Hochul singles out his opposition to certifying Biden's 2020 election on Jan. 6, 2021, and another claiming the congressman approved banning abortion, even as a result of rape or incest or to protect the health of the mother. Another lauds Hochul's response to the May 14 massacre that claimed the lives of 10 Black people. The ad features Zeneta Everhart, who works for Democratic Sen. Timothy M. Kennedy of Buffalo, and her son, Zaire, who was wounded in the Tops shooting. "Zaire means ... everything. He's my one and only. Zaire was shot through his neck, and it came out his back," Everhart says in the ad. "Gov. Hochul showed up that day. She heard us and then she went to work and passed tougher gun laws." Last week, Hochul announced security cameras will be installed in all of New York City's 6,355 subway cars and 472 subway stations. "My number one priority as governor is keeping New Yorkers safe," she said in a statement. "I am proud that we will be installing cameras on all Subway cars expanding our security capabilities, deterring crime and providing law enforcement with support." The Zeldin campaign did not respond to requests for comment, but Langworthy said the candidate's ads revolve around issues hashed out in living rooms and kitchens across New York State. While Hochul concentrates on Trump and abortion, Langworthy points to Zeldin's emphasis on crime. "Crime is a major issue both downstate and upstate. Buffalo is not as bad as Rochester, but it's still a serious issue," he said. "Nobody has really been spared from this massive crime wave across the state." As he did during his own GOP campaign for the 23rd Congressional District, Langworthy highlighted soaring energy costs that National Fuel estimates may rise by 50% this winter. He points to Zeldin proposals to allow new drilling for natural gas in the Southern Tier as a way to alleviate energy costs. The Save Our State super PAC on Friday booked a "substantial" air time purchase across upstate for a new ad. "It's all about taxes and affordability," Langworthy said, referring to the PAC's efforts led by New York City Councilmember Joseph Borelli, former Rep. John J. Faso and former state Republican Chairman Edward F. Cox. Some polls measure Zeldin as within striking distance of Hochul, but surveys from Siena and Emerson colleges show him about 15 points behind. But crime also ranks as a top concern in all surveys, and Zeldin emphasizes the issue more than any other. And though some studies dismiss any correlation between the state's new cashless bail laws and spikes in crime, Zeldin's campaign consistently raises questions. Though he has not referred to the July incident near Rochester in which he was attacked at a campaign event, Zeldin says it underscores his concern over the state's new and liberalized approach to releasing people charged with crimes. "You have a person who is saying 'You're done,' " he told Fox News a few weeks ago, recalling the attack by a man attending the Perinton event. "He is charged with a violent felony and he is instantly released back on the street because of New York's cashless bail laws." Weber State marks 100 years of summiting Mount Ogden September 24, 2022 OGDEN, Utah Hundreds of students, faculty and staff from Weber State University climbed to the top of Mount Ogden today to continue a century-old tradition. On Oct. 4, 1922, over 350 Weber College students and faculty climbed the hills above what is now WSU alongside local community members and planted a Weber flag on Mount Ogden. Were reliving the tradition of how Weber State made its presence known in Ogden, said Hayley Prine, Weber States Outdoor Program coordinator. It was a big deal when those folks hiked the mountain in 1922 and made their mark. This hike reminds folks who we are and also welcomes new people into our story. Prine has participated in the hike for several years and described it not only as an opportunity to take in incredible views of the Ogden area, but also as a bonding experience for hikers. Its powerful being up there in the mountains, its a real connecting experience, Prine said. Whether its your first time, whether youre a Weber State student or a community member, this brings people together. Kicking off the milestone anniversary was the traditional singing of Purple and White and the WSU Fight Song, along with remarks from WSU President Brad Mortensen. One hundred years earlier, it was President Aaron Tracy who launched the longstanding ritual. We dont know what the future will hold, but we have a legacy at Weber State, Mortensen said. Etch in your mind this day as the starting point for whatever you will be. Atop the mountain was both celebration and commemoration. Participants cheered and embraced upon reaching the summit, and Mortensen unveiled a new plaque, which will be installed soon to remind future Mount Ogden hikers about Weber State and what it stands for. The people at Weber State have a large capacity for caring and its such a welcoming place, Prine said. Its our strong sense of community that has really carried this tradition through. If you know of local business openings or closings, please notify us here. PREVIOUS OPENINGS AND CLOSINGS - Monocacy Development will demolish an existing structure and put up a new building with 55 apartments and retail space on the first floor at 128 E. Third St. in Bethlehem. - The Bethlehem Historic Conservation Commission approved materials and designs for ArtsQuest's new cultural center at 25 W. Third St. in the city. - The gangster-themed restaurant Capo & Co. in Emmaus held a ribbon-cutting last week for its speakeasy-style bar and restaurant. - An attraction that started in downtown Easton may go global, as Crayola said it has reached a licensing agreement for at least five more Crayola Experience venues over the next five years. - Curaleaf marijuana dispensary has taken the place of the old Chess N Checkers bar on Airport Road in Hanover Township, Lehigh County. - Ms. Velvet's Cafe held a ribbon-cutting last week for the new restaurant in honor of owner Carlos Marrero's sister Ruby, who died in 2017 after a hit-and-run accident. - Pressed Bouquet, which preserves flowers in a variety of forms, recently held a ribbon-cutting with the Greater Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce. - The Bethlehem Township Board of Supervisors approved the subdivision plan for River Hills, a Kay Builders plan for 44 single-family dwellings and 36 multi-family units on 29 acres near Shannon Avenue. - Bethlehem City Council delayed a decision on the certificate of appropriateness for Skyline West, a plan is for 40 apartments in a five-story building overlooking Monocacy Creek and the city's Moravian industrial quarter. - The Pocono Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon-cutting for Ideal Property Management, a manager of vacation rental properties. - The Palmerton branch of KeyBank on Delaware Avenue and the Sellersville branch on Main Street will close Dec. 2 as KeyBank and other companies move toward online finance. - The Quakertown-area theater Regal Cinemas in Richland Township has closed after its parent company, Cineworld, filed for bankruptcy. - Saint Rocco's Treats, a Pipersville-based gourmet kitchen for dogs, will hold a ribbon-cutting Friday, Oct. 14 from noon to 1 p.m., in conjunction with the Upper Bucks County Chamber of Commerce. - Two diners on Route 22 in Warren County caught fire on the same day: Catch 22 and Key City Diner. - After 22 years, the casual restaurant Sullivan's on the Main in Phillipsburg has been sold. Allentown, PA (18103) Today Mostly cloudy, still cool, and breezy. We can't entirely rule out a stray shower, but pretty much all of that rain should remain south of the area. . Tonight Cloudy. We can't entirely rule out a stray shower late. There will likely be a little bit more rain, certainly late, to the south. The Amherst Republican Committee on Monday will host a group peddling the unfounded claim that the results of the 2020 election in New York must be tossed out due to widespread fraud. The committee also will screen "2000 Mules," an election denial movie whose allegations have been widely debunked. The town party said the event is a chance for voters of every stripe to get educated about election integrity and weaknesses in our voting process. "We want to make sure, for both sides of the aisle, it's done properly and every vote is counted locally, in New York State and nationally to preserve our democracy," Chairman Brian D. Rusk said. But Republican candidates in Amherst say they want to focus on issues that matter to voters today and they don't want to relitigate elections of the past. "I just don't see the point. I'm more of a move forward kind of guy," said Steven Sams II, who is running for Congress against Democratic Rep. Brian Higgins. "If you think the election was fraudulent, and you think that there was fraud, work to fix the system instead of trying to erase what took place." Experts say the claims made by New York Citizens Audit, the group challenging the 2020 election here, and True the Vote, the organization that put out "2000 Mules," are not supported by evidence. "Every year, you know, there are documented cases of voter fraud. However, they are vanishingly small in number and they usually aren't in the kinds of places that would be determinative," said Jacob Neiheisel, a University at Buffalo political scientist. "So I'm extremely skeptical of those kinds of claims." Spreading fraud claims Rusk said Amherst Republicans provided a platform for New York Citizens Audit because some committee members wanted to hear from them. The citizens audit group started in 2021. Members, who aren't identified on their website, want to decertify the 2020 election results in New York and see a "full forensic audit" of what happened. It's not clear how the group would argue President Biden defeated Donald Trump because of voter fraud in a state he won by 2 million votes. The group refers to 89 problematic state legislative races but doesn't identify them on its website. Clicking on a county on the site's New York map brings up a list of alleged deficiencies featuring data analysis and technical-sounding language, all to show many ineligible voters cast ballots in 2020. Going further, some citizen auditors have presented copies of a decertification petition to various county officials. On July 5, a small group brought a sheaf of papers to the offices of Erie County's Legislature and sheriff. A video shows the group handing over some documents and asking to meet with Sheriff John Garcia to provide a "criminal report" containing "sensitive information." A sheriff's employee said she would show Garcia the petition but told the group to follow up with his assistant for a meeting. Garcia said he has "full confidence" that Ralph Mohr and Jeremy Zellner, Erie County's election commissioners, have met their obligation to oversee elections uncompromised by fraud. "If a complaint supported by credible evidence is brought to our attention, this office will conduct an investigation and provide our findings to the Erie County District Attorneys Office for their review," Garcia said in a statement. "That has not occurred." 'Security' but 'confusion,' too An investigation by the Post-Standard newspaper in Syracuse found numerous flaws in the group's claims. For example, the citizen auditors had pointed out more than 10,000 registered New York voters have a birth date of Jan. 1, 1850. However, the Post-Standard reported, this doesn't mean New York has impossibly old voters. Instead, prior to 1974 people could give an age, not a birth date, when registering to vote. When the state digitized its voter rolls, Jan. 1, 1850, was used as a placeholder birth date for those voters. Many claims cited by the citizen auditors stem from record-keeping deficiencies, or misunderstandings, and not deliberate attempts to manipulate elections, Neiheisel said. The controversial "2000 Mules" movie similarly pushes the unfounded claim that widespread fraud marred the 2020 presidential election. Official reviews in a number of states found no substantial voter fraud that altered the outcome. PolitiFact New York: How New York compares to other states when it comes to voter access When it comes to voting, the Empire State has been slow to adopt voter access measures that have been passed elsewhere for decades. New York elections officials said there are safeguards built in throughout the voter registration, voting and vote counting processes. "New Yorkers should have faith in the way their elections are conducted with accuracy and transparency," said John Conklin, a spokesman for the state Board of Elections. UB's Neiheisel said fraud on the scale that can manipulate a statewide election is all but impossible to execute given how decentralized voting and vote recording is in this country. "So there's security in that decentralized nature," he said. "But there's also some confusion that is likely to to happen when you have such a decentralized system." GOP candidates unconcerned In interviews, Sams and other Republican candidates in and around Amherst said they weren't concerned about the security of local elections. "We are fortunate enough in Erie County to have one of the best elections commissioners, Ralph Mohr, and I have full confidence in their integrity and ethics," Katrina Zeplowitz, GOP candidate for a State Assembly seat in Amherst, said in an email. Asked whether the 2020 victories of Republicans such as Rep. Tom Reed, Rep. Chris Jacobs and State Sen. Ed Rath were valid, Rusk said, "I'm not there to be saying this election was fraudulent and that one was not." The Amherst GOP chairman said voting integrity is a bipartisan issue and Democrats Hillary Rodham Clinton and Stacey Abrams, the Georgia gubernatorial candidate, have questioned the fairness of elections. Republicans have tried to link Abrams' refusal to concede in her 2018 race for governor to Trump's repeated false claims that the 2020 presidential election was stolen from him. Abrams has said she wasn't trying to overturn the results of her election loss but was highlighting what she considered her opponent's efforts to suppress voter turnout, a charge Republican Brian Kemp denied. Clinton, picking up on that theme, said at an event in November 2018 of Abrams, "If she had a fair election she would have already won." Rusk said Democrats, independents and others are welcome to attend the event Monday at the American Legion George F. Lamm Post No. 622. "This is an educational symposium where all viewpoints will be brought out," he said. Rath won't be there. "I am not attending," he said, "because I will be once again back out in the community, as I am every day and every night, talking with the voters about the issues that are important to them." Columbus Area Historical Society 1972 The Columbus Methodist Church celebrated the 100th anniversary of the construction of its church building. General chairman for the celebration were Mr. and Mrs. Larry Roberts. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Zimmerman were program chairman. The last days of summer was bringing to an end the camping season at the two Rio area campgrounds, Silver Springs and Willow Mill. Silver Springs Campground hosted the Good Sam Club organization state rally attracting some 70 units. Some 45 units enjoyed camping at Willow Mill Campground for the weekend. Willow Mill opened in 1962. 1982 Douglas Beard, 37, was appointed the new postmaster for the Columbus Post Office replacing Bill McClain who moved to the Portage Post Office. Members of the West Columbus Challengers 4H Club planned a centennial celebration of the town of Columbus town halls 100th year. The club meets at the town hall. 1992 Peter Byfield, Dan Erdmann and Chris Gosnell worked on newly donated IBM computers to the Columbus High School School English Department. Byfield heard from a friend that Wisconsin Bell was donating older computers to non-profit institutions. Fern Yohn retired as Columbus city treasurer after holding the office for 14 years. Barb Green became the new treasurer. 2002 Faith Lutheran Church installed Pastor Susan Quigley as associate pastor. Quigley was a May 2002 graduate of Wartburg Theological Seminary, Dubuque, Iowa. Workers began moving the old Anchor Bank Building from the corner of Mill Street and James Street to its new location on Dickason Boulevard next to the Columbus Senior Center, with the move taking an hour and a half. Follow us on Facebook at Columbus, WI Area Historical Society, or email museumcahs@gmail.com. The Columbus WI Area Historical Society is looking for a new home for its museum. If anyone has ideas on where to locate, contact Peter Kaland, society president. Floridians brace for the arrival of Tropical Storm Ian, which is forecast to rapidly intensify on Sunday. Cheshire & North Wales Police dog and handler named as nations top crimefighting duo A formidable crimefighting duo with just two-and-a-half-years of service under their belt have won a national award for their outstanding operational achievements and commitment to the job. Three-year-old Dutch herder PD Toro and his handler, Cheshire Police PC Chris McDonough, received the honour at the Thin Blue Paw Awards supported by Animal Friends Insurance on Thursday 22 September. The pair who are part of the joint Cheshire & North Wales Police Dog Unit were honoured at the awards ceremony, hosted by the Thin Blue Paw Foundation at Knebworth Park, in Hertfordshire. PD Toro lives at home in Liverpool, Merseyside, with PC McDonough, 31, his fiance Rebecca; their six-month-old daughter, Ella; two pet dogs springer spaniel Max and sprocker spaniel Luna and Toros best friend and four-legged colleague, six-year-old cash, drugs and firearms detection dog, Labrador PD Buddy. PC McDonough who has been a Cheshire Police officer for 11 years, working in the joint dog unit since 2016 said: Id always wanted to be a dog handler and Toro is my second general purpose dog. He came from a security dog trainer and joined the police dog training course with us in January 2020 at 11-months-old. He was flying through the course so we ended up completing it a few weeks early, just before lockdown hit! The duo licensed in March 2020 and, in 2021, also qualified for firearms support jobs. PC McDonough added: Toro is a very determined, high-drive dog. Hes a natural police dog who doesnt give up easily and, once he picks up a track, hes like a freight train; theres no stopping him. Tracking really is his forte. He really is the brains of the operation, I just hold on for the ride and try to keep up. Hes got a very good work mentality and he isnt phased by anything. But once we get home he transforms into a family dog and a goofy idiot! Hes really chilled out and becomes very playful and giddy. Hes got a great on/off switch. But as soon as hes in that van, he goes straight into work mode. PC McDonough always knew he had a good police dog by his side but realised PD Toro was something special when they were searching a busy housing estate in Middlewich in 2020 for a man who was wanted for a string of serious domestic violence incidents. Toro was on a long line and had cleared a driveway when we went down the side of the house to continue searching, explained PC McDonough. It was like hed suddenly been caught by a fish hook, froze, and double-back, latching onto a scent. He went back to the drive and around the side of a caravan barking; I thought hed found a cat but there, lying underneath the caravan, was the suspect. He really showed something special that day. He refused to give up, managed to pick up such a faint scent and went back to check an area wed already cleared instead of moving on. Nominating PD Toro and PC McDonough, Chief Inspector Simon Newell head of Alliance Policing said: Their partnership has gone from strength-to-strength and they are now a formidable crimefighting duo with an incredible wrap sheet. He commended the pairs excellent tracking achievements; finding missing people, runaway suspects, and stolen property; supporting the Cheshire & North Wales Alliance firearms team in major call-outs; and securing the safety of world leaders at the 2021 G7 Summit in Cornwall. CI Newell added: The road to becoming a dog handler and getting your own crime-fighting canine is an arduous one which takes dedication and skill. Im very proud of our team of dog handlers and their dogs here at the Alliance. Seeing their courageous endeavours 24/7 is amazing, and Im always blown away by what these officers and their canines achieve. PC McDonough and Toro have done us proud, and their exploits highlight just what the rest of the team are doing to keep residents in Cheshire and North Wales safe often in difficult and sometimes dangerous circumstances. This award recognises PC McDonoughs handling abilities and tenacious Toros fantastic loyalty they really are a revered crime-fighting team. Thin Blue Paw Foundation trustee Kieran Stanbridge said: PD Toro is still only a few years into his career and has already showed an incredible natural aptitude for the role, as well as complete commitment to getting the job whatever that is done. Toro and Chriss achievements over the last few years are very impressive and its clear that this partnership has the upmost respect of their colleagues and bosses at Cheshire & North Wales Police. They have demonstrated time and time again how theyre a top crimefighting duo and the public is certainly safer thanks to having them patrolling the streets. Praise for Wrexham butcher after notable World Butchers Challenge debut The commitment and skills of Craft Butchery Team Wales members have been praised following their successful debut at the recent World Butchers Challenge in Sacramento, California. Team member Ben Roberts, 30, from M. E. Evans Butchers, Overton-on-Dee, near Wrexham, finished third in the Champion Butcher Apprentice competition and it was confirmed this week that the team had finished sixth from 13 countries in the Olympics of Meat. Lesley Griffiths, Minister for Rural Affairs and North Wales, said: A huge congratulation to Ben and the team who should be rightly proud of their achievements representing Wales at the World Butchers Challenge. Their dedication to the craft is clear and the experience of competing on a global stage will be invaluable for them going forward. Formed in 2020 and managed by retired butcher and experienced competition judge Steve Vaughan from Penyffordd, near Wrexham, Craft Butchery Team Wales is a division of the Culinary Association of Wales (CAW). CAW president Arwyn Watkins, OBE, said: For the team to finish sixth in the world and for Ben to finish third in the butcher apprentice competition at the first attempt are fantastic achievements for Team Wales. The team members have told me how proud they were to walk out on the world stage with the Welsh flag to represent their country in their chosen craft. For Wales to debut at the World Butchers Challenge was the realisation of a dream for Mr Watkins, managing director of Cambrian Training Company which delivers apprenticeships to butchers in Wales. It took huge effort and many years of persuasion to secure a team of craft butchers to represent Wales at the World Butchers Challenge, he said. It all started with the Welsh Young Butcher of the Year contest and we always had an aspiration to get butchers from Wales competing on the world stage. When we realised we were not going to achieve our ambition through the WorldSkills UK Competition, we decided to look independently at another route, which led us to the World Butchers Challenge. Team Wales has now set the foundation for a future legacy and hopefully it will help to attract more people into the industry as a recognised skilled craft. The team has put in a huge amount of time and dedication and I am extremely proud of what we have collectively achieved. Team co-ordinator Chris Jones, head of the food and drink business unit at Cambrian Training Company, said he and team were overwhelmed by sixth place, having finished ahead of much larger countries. Its a reward for all their hard work and dedication. They are all good butchers, know their craft and have competed before. They now have a good foundation to build on and we know where we lost points, which is easily rectified. Speaking about Bens bronze medal, he added: Hes worth his weight in gold. He not only worked so hard for his own competition, which paid off, but also supported the team by attending every practise to learn all the skills just in case he had to step in at the last minute. The Welsh butchers made many new friends in the competition. We have had some great messages from the other teams, saying that Wales will be one to watch if we keep on competing at this level, added Chris. The competition was like one big family of butchers, with all the teams helping each other where they could. The Craft Butchery Team Wales comprises Peter Rushforth from Innovative Food Ingredients, Lytham St Annes, as captain, Craig Holly, from Chris Hayman Butchers, Maesycymer, Hengoed, Tom Jones from Jones Brothers, Wrexham, Matthew Edwards, a lecturer at Coleg Cambria, Connahs Quay, Dan Allen- Raftery from Meat Masters Butchers, Newtown and Liam Lewis from Hawarden Farm Shop. Wales new curriculum hailed as an exciting new era for education The rollout of a new curriculum in primary schools across Wales has been hailed as an exciting new era for education. The Curriculum for Wales, which has been designed by teachers and educators, is replacing the syllabus which has been in place since the 1980s. Schools will be encouraged to design their own curriculum, tailored to each individual learners needs, while supporting their wellbeing. Subjects are grouped into six Areas of Learning and Experience. Specific subjects will still be taught, but schools can decide to combine them, so learners understand the links between them. For example, a topic like climate change can be looked at through geography, history and its impact on society. All primary schools in Wales have now begun teaching using the new curriculum. Around half of all secondary schools have also started to teach the new curriculum to Year 7 pupils, with all other secondary schools beginning to teach Year 7 and 8 pupils from next year. From 2024, the Curriculum for Wales will be rolled out on a year-by-year basis. Jeremy Miles visited Ysgol Y Wern in Cardiff to find out how the primary school has begun teaching its new curriculum. He visited a class to see teaching and learning in action and spoke to pupils and teachers about their experiences. Jeremy Miles said: The new curriculum is an exciting new era for education in Wales. The motivation and commitment of our school workforce to bringing the new curriculum alive is really inspiring. Its all about reshaping education to make sure all our young people aspire to learn and to succeed to give them the best start in school and help us to raise standards. Our new curriculum is designed with learners progress and wellbeing at its heart. It gives teachers the flexibility to tailor lessons to their students, to challenge and support every learner, so that when pupils leave school or college they have the skills, knowledge and experience to reach their full potential in todays world. More than $5 million in improvements to Niagara Falls State Park are slated for coming months stemming from an influx of new funding from Washington and Albany. Rep. Brian Higgins announced the federal grant of $2.5 million over the weekend, which officials say is expected to be matched and slightly exceeded by state dollars. When the project is completed, visitors to New York's oldest state park will be afforded even closer views of the American Falls with improved access. Niagara Falls is a destination like none other drawing millions of visitors from around the world every year, Higgins said. This major investment creates new opportunities for up-close views of this grand natural wonder and builds on the great progress made in recent years to enhance the park experience. State Parks officials say stairways at the falls' base near the Maid of the Mist docks will be improved and allow for better and closer views, along with enhanced safety features. Parks spokeswoman Angela Berti said the required state match for the federal grant is "in the works," and will be announced in the near future. But already, she said, park officials are designing the new facilities. Mark V. Mistretta, Niagara Region director for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, said public hearings will soon seek input and suggestions. Berti added that the hearings are expected to take place in November. Higgins said the award will improve the area around the observation tower, including an extended stairway trail from the Crows Nest viewing platform to the Prospect Point observation area. The improvements will provide visitors with greater access and "incredible" views of the falls, Higgins said. The federal grant is awarded by the National Park Service through the Land and Water Conservation Fund. In July of 2020, Higgins supported and Congress approved the bipartisan Great American Outdoors Act, which permanently and fully funded the Land and Water Conservation Fund (LWCF) at $900 million annually. The new Falls project (supported by the largest grant to date) is funded by the law, which Higgins said addresses environmental justice through enhanced green-space investments in communities and supports the $887 billion outdoor recreation economy. Since the 1970s, the LWCF has funded more than a dozen grants supporting about $3.3 million in investments at Niagara Falls State Park. Previous grants supported improvements to Whirlpool State Park, the elevator building, the Niagara Gorge Hiking Trial, and other enhancements. Warning over scam Ofgem emails claiming to offer energy bill rebate Action Fraud has issued a warning about a sharp rise in reports relating to fake emails claiming to be from Ofgem, the independent energy regulator for Great Britain. The emails claim that the recipient is due a rebate payment as part of a government scheme and provides links for the recipient to follow in order to apply for the rebate. A total of 1,567 phishing emails related to this scam were reported via the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS) between Monday 22 August 2022 and Monday 5 September. All the emails have the email subject header Claim your bill rebate now. Offenders are using the Ofgem brand logo and colours to make the emails look as authentic as possible. They tell recipients to apply for an energy bill rebate before September 2020, which is what prompted many to realise the emails werent genuine. The scam claims that the recipient is due an energy rebate payment as part of a government scheme and provides links for the recipient to follow to apply for the rebate. The links in the emails lead to malicious websites designed to steal personal and financial information. Roger Mapleson, Licensing and Trading Standards Lead, said: With the cost of living causing a lot of concern for many people it would be very easy to be tempted by this offer. Please remember genuine companies will never ask you to share personal information over email or text. Be wary of all emails that come out of the blue with offers of money as on this occasion it could be very costly. How you can protect yourself and others If you have any doubts about a message, contact the organisation directly. Dont use the numbers or address in the message use the details from their official website. Remember, your bank (or any other official source) will never ask you to supply personal information via email. If you have received an email which youre not quite sure about, forward it to report@phishing.gov.uk. Even if youre not certain theyre a scam it will be checked. Follow the Take Five advice STOP: Taking a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information could keep you safe. CHALLENGE: Could it be fake? Its ok to reject, refuse or ignore any requests. Only criminals will try to rush or panic you. PROTECT: Contact your bank immediately if you think youve fallen for a scam and report it to Action Fraud. Sean Kirst Columnist Born in Dunkirk, a son, grandson and great-grandson of Buffalonians, I've been an Upstate journalist for more than 48 years. As a kid, I learned quiet lives are often monumental. I still try to honor that simple lesson, as a columnist. Follow Sean Kirst 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 Larry Kowal retired a few months ago from United Airlines. He loves the freedom in countless ways, but maybe nothing is as rewarding as the chance to pick up his father in the morning, and then to go wherever his dad chooses to drink their coffee. Lately, at least a couple of times in the past nine days, they have pulled over to simply watch as a crane peels away the towering north end wall of the Great Northern grain elevator, on Buffalos waterfront. Sean Kirst: Witness to Buffalo's milling grandeur sees statement, challenge in Great Northern At 98, Henry Baxter offers testament to the days when grain storage and milling were an economic engine fueling growth in a booming Great Lakes city. At 97, Wally Kowal does not call it the Great Northern. He calls it Pillsbury, because that is the company the place served throughout much of his life. In those days he worked for nearby Continental Grain and then for General Mills, days when this son of Ukrainian immigrants would brush off his clothes and take off his boots before entering the house, to avoid leaving footprints shaped of grain dust on the floor. Ask Wally to go back even farther, into his childhood, and he will speak of the years when he hurried to the docks in early morning darkness to climb onto the ships and sell the old Courier-Express to the guys on board. The work forged connections within the National Maritime Union, which at 16 helped him find a job on a freighter on the Great Lakes, work he resumed for a while after World War II. Wally served as a helmsman on a ship called the Amasa Stone, and the first sign of Buffalo he would see above Lake Erie whenever his ship was going home would be the lighthouse just before a few familiar landmarks emerged from the horizon. Among them: The 400-foot-long expanse of Great Northern. From the lake, Wally said, it stood out like a sore thumb. That landmark building described on the Buffalo Architecture and History web page as North Americas sole surviving "brickhouse" grain elevator of its kind is now the ignition point for fierce civic debate. After a wall collapsed in a windstorm about 10 months ago, Archer Daniels Midland, the corporate owner, sought and received a demolition order from city officials, who say the structure is unsafe. The teardown began this month, after almost a year of court battles to save Great Northern waged by the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture and Culture an organization now seeking to bring the argument to five state appellate judges in Rochester. Anthony Bannon, director emeritus of both the Burchfield Penney Art Center and Rochesters George Eastman Museum, is a passionate supporter of efforts to protect Great Northern. He notes that its 1897 construction makes it part of the same burst of commercial and industrial genius in Buffalo as Louis Sullivans 1896 Guaranty Building. [BN] Chronicles: The explosion that ended Buffalos flour milling dominance, 1972 For decades, there was more flour milled and bagged in Buffalo than anywhere else in the world but a deadly explosion and fire changed that forever. Most important, Bannon argues the Great Northern is an enduring shrine to the scoopers and other working people who built this city. It rose up as part of a new skyline born from Buffalos industrial cradle, a globally important area where the Erie Canal carved out 200 years right now transformed the waterfront into a granary for the world. Bannon, who had hoped to see a new Bills stadium placed somewhere in the city, also offered a mirthless chuckle in response to this point: The most compelling argument against building a stadium at a proposed South Park Avenue site was the idea of protecting the Old First Wards fragile heritage and fabric an argument that helped to win the day for Orchard Park, yet one immediately followed by city approval for demolishing one of the wards most iconic landmarks. To Bannon, it is a numbing contradiction that fits a way of thinking he thought we left behind, a breach in what he calls a sharpened awareness in Buffalo to the vitality of the possible. The flesh and blood layers to what is being lost are felt intensely by people like Wally Kowal or Jim Shine, 72. Shine, retired after a career as a truck driver and a welder with a small steel shop, was born because of what Great Northern represents: His dad, nicknamed Red, worked in the building when it was Pillsbury's, scooping grain from ships and railroad cars, while Shine's mother, Alice Clancy, held an office job. The couple met there and married at a time when Pillsbury was handling roughly two million barrels of grain a year. To Shine, the structure is intertwined with childhood: His aunt, Gertrude O'Neill, ran the in-house newspaper. And when Shine was a little kid, his dad took him to the top of Great Northern to see an astounding vista of Lake Erie. Whenever Shine drives by, he contemplates the day 70 years ago this autumn when his father and several other workers leaped into the grain-filled hold of a steamer called the Steel King. Shrine still has clippings that describe how they risked their lives to save Ignace Borgorski, a seaman in danger of being killed beneath thousands of barrels of grain. Thinking of all of it, Shine had hoped for some imaginative and cooperative solution that could save the Great Northern as a place of industry, history and visionary commercial use. He dreamed of some way, within the restored building, to publicly honor and remember six men killed in a 1972 fire and explosion at the Pillsbury complex. To me," he said of Great Northern, "it symbolizes the greatness of Buffalo at the time, a level of ingenuity and passion that set the table for the aspirations of today. The place generates vivid memories for Wally Kowal, a 97-year-old Bills fan in South Buffalo who has been married for 72 years to his wife Florence. He still walks for exercise and loves recreational boating, and his vision of Buffalo as it was almost a century ago is as distinct as the way many of us recall where we bought last week's groceries. Demolition of Great Northern proceeds slowly as court appeal still sought "They've taken down less than 5% of the building, so that's on our side," said Paul McDonnell, president of the Campaign for Greater Buffalo History, Architecture & Culture. He remembers the waterfront when it was thick with commercial vessels. He remembers Ganson Street when it was packed each morning with workers hustling to their jobs, and how he would always beep his horn at a close friend named Whitey, who worked as a guard outside Pillsbury. Once Larry Kowal arrives on these fall mornings, Wally often asks his son for a ride to the waterfront, where Wally can think my old-time thoughts. In recent days, he and Larry have sometimes sat in the car and watched as the crane brought down the northern end of Great Northern. It touches off a flurry of images for Wally, from an era when many Pillsbury employees were among his union buddies from Grain Elevator Employees Local 1286, guys he would routinely meet at little taverns around the neighborhood. I went by there every morning and every night, Wally said. He recalls when the lights were on and it was a giant, rumbling part of the Pillsbury works, once the biggest grain operation in the world. It was all a major factor, Wally said, in why Buffalo was formed, and why it became the Queen City. He paused. Im a little sentimental to see it torn down, he said of Great Northern. The waterfront was my life, really. This was the last one standing, and it kind of gets to you. As he spoke by phone, from a car parked at the heart of where Buffalo was born, you had a sense he was not just talking about brick walls. Whatever your opinion of New York Attorney General Tish James, you have to acknowledge she has kept at least one campaign promise. James, the former New York City Council member and public advocate, was elected by the voters in 2018 after pledging to pursue myriad investigations surrounding then-President Donald Trump. No ambiguity about it; no wishy-washy politician promise. Trump, she said, would be in her sights. James told The Buffalo News in 2018 she would continue state litigation against Trump policies on immigration, civil rights, the environment and minorities. And significantly, she promised even more scrutiny of the presidents personal and corporate finances, his real estate holdings, tax issues and more. Its time all this was looked at, she said then. Without a doubt. On Wednesday, James fulfilled that campaign promise big time. In a move generating headlines across the country, the attorney general announced her lawsuit against Trump, three of his children and his company over a staggering pattern of alleged fraud. She produced a 220-page document contending that Trumps annual financial statements were mostly false, and that the Trump Organization routinely inflated the worth of almost all of its famous properties to obtain more favorable lending terms. It all added up, she said, to more than $250 million in benefits she claims were illegal and should be returned. With the help of his children and senior executives at the Trump Organization, Donald Trump falsely inflated his net worth by billions of dollars to unjustly enrich himself and cheat the system, James said. In fact, the very foundation of his purported net worth is rooted in incredible fraud and illegality. Mr. Trump thought he could get away with the art of the steal, but today, that conduct ends. The AG says even Trumps 2014 effort to buy the Buffalo Bills (which he acknowledged to The News in 2016 was half-hearted because he expected to run for president), was based on inflated estimates of his net worth to gain favorable loan terms to buy the team. James claimed the president-to-be at the time pegged his fortune at more than $8 billion while other documents reported about $5.1 billion. Now, election-year battle lines are forming. Republicans are outraged, claiming the James effort stems from a vendetta she carried with her into office. She did what she pledged, they say, but reject the original premise. State Republican Chairman Nick Langworthy, also a candidate for the 23rd Congressional District, immediately stepped up to support the party leader. He called it one of the most brazen political publicity stunts I have seen. Day after day, Tish James ignores the blatant corruption of her fellow Democrats and the crime wave that has besieged our state, Langworthy said. She has engaged in her own corruption of the office, launching political attacks against rivals, and her relentless obsession with not only the President, but his entire family is disgusting. The interesting point of all this remains that James told voters in 2018 what she would do if elected. Voters responded with overwhelming support. Now she takes that record to the voters in November, where once again they will pronounce their judgment on fulfilling that campaign promise. Friends of the late Rep. Amo Houghton righted a pandemic wrong last weekend by gathering in Cornings Christ Church to pay tribute to the longtime Corning Inc. CEO and Republican congressman. Houghton, a World War II veteran, died at the height of the 2020 pandemic, and never received the send-off deserving of such a major figure in New York politics. Former Lt. Gov. Stan Lundine, a Democrat from the same district who preceded him in Congress and admired Houghtons bipartisan spirit, seemed to sum up the view from Christ Church. He did a marvelous job of representing the Southern Tier and Finger Lakes, Lundine said. He was not only a personal friend, but a man of great public service who tried to bring people together. Welcome to Farm Aid 37! Related Willie Nelson Willie Nelson's Farm Aid Reveals Plans for 'A Major Farmer Mobilization in Washington' in March 2023 09/25/2022 09/25/2022 Willie Nelsons greeting ahead of the annual Farm Aid benefit concert for family farmers in Raleigh, N.C., Saturday (Sept. 24) reaffirmed the organizations nearly four-decade commitment to the men and women who feed the nation. More from Billboard This year, Farm Aid focused on the challenge those farmers face amid the climate crisis a challenge intertwined with the nations legacy of racial injustice. Our struggle right now is beyond us. Its cutting deep. Its the very planet that were standing on thats in peril and weve got to figure it out, said Savonola Savi Horne, executive director of Land Loss Prevention Project, which advocates for black farmers in North Carolina, speaking during a gathering of Farm Aid supporters the evening before the concert. And even as we figure that out, weve gotta find justice for the legacy issues of our lifetime racial inequality, environmental justice, Horne said. We cant just kind of glaze it over and just say okay lets all save the planet. Weve got to really figure out ways in which we can mend the brokenness within all of us. Because all of us are part of this. Since the first Farm Aid concert in 1985, the organization has raised more than $64 million to support a vibrant, family farm-centered system of agriculture in America. Wait make that some $65 million. In a late-evening surprise appearance Saturday, Jim Irshay, owner of the NFLs Indianapolis Colts and frontman of a band that jammed with John Mellencamp at the Colts Kickoff Concert earlier this month joined Mellencamp onstage to present a $1 million check to Farm Aid. Story continues From the Coastal Credit Union Music Park at Walnut Creek, here are 14 more inspiring things we saw and heard at Farm Aid 2022. A Major Farmer Mobilization in Washington Due to the pandemic, this marked the first time since 2019 that Farm Aid began with a press conference to highlight farmer concerns and it was the first time ever that the press conference was live-streamed. That livestream carried the news that Farm Aid, in partnership with the National Sustainable Agriculture Coalition and some 35 other activist groups, planned a major farmer mobilization in Washington in March 2023, according to Farm Aid cultural impact director Michael Stewart Foley. Congress needs to get the message that farmers are counting on a Farm Bill that delivers climate solutions climate solutions that center racial justice, that address on-farm climate challenges and prioritize what works for family farmers, Foley said. Raising Food and Rising Stars Every year Farm Aid showcases performers who are just on the edge of greater stardom and the honor this year went to Nashvilles Britteny Spencer and Texas-bred Charley Crockett. My grandmothers family is from Raleigh, Spencer said. But I think were all friends and family here now. In a style that edged from country to mainstream pop, Spencer sang with sweetness and honesty in the heartfelt Sober & Skinny, a highlight of her set. Crocketts career has been on a slow burn ready to explode. After six years of recording, he earned the 2021 emerging artist of the year Award from the Americana Music Association. His sound soulful, twanging vocals backed by pedal steel and trumpet soared over the amphitheater. The Legacy of Music Activism Among those who had traveled to Saturdays concert were Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson and the Rev. Allyn Maxfield-Steele, co-executive directors of the Highlander Research and Education Center in New Market, Tenn. They were representing one of the great activist organizations in American history, one rooted in music. Founded in 1932 as the Highlander Folk School where Pete Seeger came to sing and mobilize the center today works with people in Appalachia and the South in fighting for justice, equality and sustainability through grassroots organizing and movement building. Woodward-Henderson and Maxfield-Steele were embraced by one of the activists who trained at Highlander Carolyn Mugar, who has been executive director of Farm Aid since its creation in 1985. A Beloved Community I am a black, queer, new immigrant, said Canadas Allison Russell, who was returning to the Farm Aid stage for the second time after performing in Hartford last September. It has been life-changing to be welcomed into this community. This is a beloved community and we are changing this world for the better. Joined by Farm Aid board member Margo Price, co-headliner Sheryl Crow and Britteny Spencer, Russell brought her set to a peak with only the second live performance of Georgia Rise, which she performed Monday (Sept. 19) to support Georgia gubernatorial candidate Stacey Abrams. The Unequal Distribution of Resources Decton and Christina Hylton brought their message of farming, climate activism and racial justice to Farm Aid in a video message shown during the concert. If we really want to solve the problem of climate change, we already have the resources, said Decton Hyton. The issue is the unequal distribution of the resources. It is really hard for people of color to get access to loans and grants to implement the things that are necessary to make a change in how they farm. The Presence of Patagonia Farm Aid has a rigorous process for vetting corporate sponsors of its concerts. The outdoor clothing and gear company Patagonia passed that test even before the announcement earlier this month that company founder Yvon Chouinard was transferring ownership of Patagonia (valued at about $3 billion) to a trust and foundation set up to combat climate change. At Farm Aid, the company was showcasing its latest venture, moving the source of industrial hemp used in its Workwear clothing line from Northern China to a small family farm in Bourbon, Kentucky. Thats Some Hard Work This is literally my favorite event, declared Sheryl Crow, a repeat Farm Aid performer. She described growing up in Missouri amid cotton farms and spending time picking cotton as a high school project. That is some hard work! Farm Aid is the concert that most speaks to where Im from. I feel incredibly humbled to be included. In a set packed with her own hits, Crow blew scorching blues harp on a cover of Live With Me from the Rolling Stones. Im no Mickey Raphael, Ill say that, she quipped, in tribute to Willie Nelsons longtime harmonica player. The Brothers Nelson It is a tribute to Willie Nelsons musical eclecticism that he and his wife Annie have raised two sons, Micah and Lukas, who have taken such disparate but rewarding musical paths. Micah Nelson, billed as Particle Kid, played early in the day Saturday with his compelling style of alternative rock that defies easy categorization. Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Real followed Sheryl Crows set with songs that were alternately intense, playful and wistful. Lukas Nelson welcomed Britteny Spencer, Allison Russell and Dave Matthewss accompanist Tim Reynolds on stage to perform Poor Elijah (A Tribute to Robert Johnson), first recorded in the early 1970s by Delaney and Bonnie with Eric Clapton. But the crowd pleaser, of course, was his romp through Carolina. Missing Neil Young In previous years, Lukas Nelson and Promise of the Year have backed Neil Young with an energy that rivals Youngs legendary sessions with Crazy Horse. This was the second year that Young, a Farm Aid board member, opted to sit out the benefit, citing concerns with COVID-19. A survivor of a life-threatening brain aneurysm in 2005 and the father of children with serious health conditions, Young has more reason than most to be cautious. But perhaps his absence was a reminder of the importance of not judging how any individual continues to cope with a pandemic that has killed more than 1.05 million in the United States alone. (Farm Aid noted before Saturdays event it was staying up to date on the latest CDC guidance and industry best practices to limit the transmission of COVID-19.) Two days before the festival, a COVID case caused Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats to cancel their Farm Aid performance. The Great Inheritor Chris Stapleton himself needed to postpone shows earlier this summer after a COVID-19 diagnosis. But Stapleton showed no ill effects as he took the Farm Aid stage. The headliner of his own All-American Road Show tour this year, Stapleton graciously took a spot on Saturdays bill just behind the four Farm Aid board members: Margo Price, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp and Willie Nelson but he certainly contributed to the sell-out of this years show. If Nelson and his colleagues in Austin in the 1970s invented the outlaw country-rock style, Stapletons set proved he is the soulful, driven, muscular inheritor of that great roadhouse tradition. And his performance of Broken Halo offered a reminder of why the ACM in 2019 named Stapleton the songwriter of the decade. Every Supermarket Scan Is a Vote Margo Price, whose family lost its Illinois farm during the mid-80s to greed, right when Farm Aid was being conceived, she recalled, commanded the stage as a brilliant sunset fell over the amphitheater field. I grew up in the late 1980s and 1990s in rural America, and even though we were surrounded by farmland, I didnt always have access to healthy food like we do today, she said earlier. The average consumer may not feel very powerful. But every time you scan food at the supermarket, you are voting you are voting for local or non-local, for organic or non-organic. And theres power in where we put our money. If Neil was here, he would say, if you see a farmers market, stop and pull over and support them. So that is what Im trying to do. Thats a Magical Thing I remember being a teenager, stoned, in a crowd watching his show, Price quipped, introducing Dave Matthews with Tim Reynolds for their entrancing acoustic set. Its good to spend the day talking about the people who feed us, Matthews said. Earlier in the day, Matthews spoke of the danger of industrial agriculture practices that pump carbon into the air. We have the knowledge to turn that around, he said, to have plants do what theyre supposed to do, while they feed us, taking carbon out of the air and sequestering it in the soil. While were being fed by all these magnificent farmers, we can also be feeding the earth and thats a magical thing. The Million Dollar Backstage Pass Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irshay asked his friend John Mellencamp what would it take to attend his Farm Aid show, with a backstage pass? How about a million dollars, Mellencamp replied. So before Mellencamps set, Irshay took the stage to present an oversized check payable to Farm Aid for $1 million as stage crew spiralled footballs into the crowd. Mellencamps set was a greatest-hit collection, no less energizing for its familiarity, including songs like Small Town and Rain on the Scarecrow, which have become Farm Aid anthems. A Mystical Power Opening, as ever, with Whiskey River, Nelsons set flowed like a spring freshet in the Hill Country of Texas. Seated at center stage (the only concession to his 89 years) and flanked by sons Micah and Lukas, Nelson was greeted by a standing ovation from his first note. Lukas took lead vocals on Texas Flood, which featured a guitar solo by Willie of astounding dexterity (and a penny whistle solo by 92-year-old virtuoso David Amram) that drew cheers. Micah sang lead on the hilarious pandemic composition in honor of his dad, If I Die When Im High, Ill Be Halfway To Heaven. With Nelsons voice strong and clear, his classics flowed on: Mammas Dont Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys, Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground, On the Road Again, Always On My Mind, Good Hearted Woman, Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die and more. I just released my 98th album, remarked Nelson of his new disc A Beautiful Time. It came out on my 89th birthday, he added, introducing Rodney Crowell and Chris Stapletons Ill Love You Till the Day I Die, from that new set. Nelson welcomed his fellow Farm Aid musicians onstage for his traditional show closers, Will The Circle Be Unbroken and Ill Fly Away. But before the night ended, Nelson punctured any pontification about his importance with a Mac Davis cover, Its Hard To Be Humble (When Youre Perfect In Every Way). For all the artists and music that preceded his appearance on stage, Nelson on Saturday conveyed a star power that surpassed all others, a good-natured, almost mystical presence that has inspired all involved with Farm Aid for nearly four decades now. It is not an exaggeration to say that generations of farmers have drawn strength from Nelsons commitment to their cause and that Farm Aid, in promoting the importance of family farms since 1985, has had a profound influence on the culture of the nation. Click here to read the full article. TALLAHASSEE, Fla. Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis on Sunday said the state is mobilizing resources as Tropical Storm Ian bears down on the state, including activating 2,500 national guard troops and preparing more than 2 million meals for residents. DeSantis, speaking to reporters during a news conference inside the state Emergency Operations Center, said the latest forecast shows that Ian will make landfall in Taylor County in northern Florida by mid-week. While the storm may weaken or change its current path, the governor urged people to begin preparing for a major weather event that could leave many Floridians without power for days. It's too soon to say that there's not going to be a wobble, DeSantis said, later adding, or there's not going to be any type of curvature back into the Florida peninsula. The National Hurricane Center in Miami stated that Ian is expected to hit the western side of Cuba before it heads toward Florida over the Gulf of Mexico, where warm waters could turn the storm into a major hurricane. Early forecasts show Ian will hit Florida as a Category 1 storm with winds up to 95 miles per hour. DeSantis has already declared a state of emergency ahead of Ian. On Saturday, President Joe Biden announced an emergency for Florida, which allows the Federal Emergency Management Agency to begin coordinating efforts before the storm. Although DeSantis routinely criticizes Biden and his administration over issues like immigration, education and Covid-19 mandates, the Florida governor on Sunday thanked the White House for its assistance. DeSantis added that hes been in contact with FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell since Friday. They stand by ready to help, so we appreciate that quick action, DeSantis said. Biden was scheduled to visit Florida on Tuesday to campaign in Orlando with Democrat Charlie Crist, who is running for governor against DeSantis. The White House postponed the trip due to the impending storm. Story continues DeSantis said the greatest threat is from storm surges, which occur as the storm comes on shore. Residents should also expect power outages and gasoline shortages as emergency crews work to repair lines of service during and after the storm. That's something that could happen with a hurricane of this magnitude, DeSantis said. Ian could be the first major hurricane to impact Florida during DeSantis' first term as governor. Hurricane Dorian had threatened to hit the state in August 2019 as a Category 4 storm, but it ended up being much weaker, only impacting the western edge of the Panhandle. DeSantis said early forecasts show Ian could weaken before the storm hits the coast. But it will still pack plenty of rainfall that will cause flooding, a potentially deadly outcome. Flash flooding around greater Jacksonville after Hurricane Irma in 2017 left hundreds of residents with less than an hour to evacuate as coastal rivers bloated, leaving neighborhoods under water. It is expected to weaken by the time it makes landfall and would no longer be a major hurricane, but it will still have significant impacts, DeSantis said. You're talking about a lot of rain, you're talking about surge, and you're talking about flooding. During the press conference, DeSantis was joined by Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie, who said the state has already moved 360 trailers carrying 2 million meals and 1 million gallons of water to areas along the Gulf Coast. The state has also removed roadway weight restrictions so that more trucks can bring in more supplies from outside the state. Guthrie said people should begin gathering supplies now and closely follow evacuation orders and plans. To warn against unnecessary mass evacuations, Guthrie sought to remind people of Hurricane Irma, which led to more than 6 million people leaving their homes. He said about 2 million of those evacuees did not need to evacuate. I encourage all Floridians to not only continue these preparedness efforts, Guthrie said, but also, take the time to know their zone and know their home. Guthrie said DEM has received 122 requests from counties seeking help with preparing for the storm. The resources they requested are now en route, he said. DeSantis said Ian's landfall prediction could be moved west as the storm inches closer to Florida, placing it in a path of areas of the Panhandle that have the lowest-income counties in the state. The same area was pummeled by Hurricane Michael after that Category 5 storm made landfall east of Panama City Beach in 2018, causing more than $18 billion in damages and 50 fatalities. Ian is not expected to cause as much damage as Michael. "It would likely be more of a water and flood and storm-surge event rather than the type of buzzsaw that we saw with Michael four years ago," DeSantis said, "where any building that was not really sturdy was basically getting flattened." The Whale and The Good Nurse producer Scott Franklin put a positive spin on the ongoing above and below-the-line crew shortages impacting production on both sides of the Atlantic in a panel at the Zurich Summit on Saturday (September 24). The long-time Darren Aronofsky collaborator, who works under the banner of the directors Protozoa Pictures, said fresh opportunities lay behind the crew crunch. More from Deadline In the U.S. there is a two-fold conversation. First and foremost, how many years have we all been complaining how hard it is to get our shows set up, and now we have a problem that theres too much demand for stuff, he said. The demand for content is good news. Its a high-class problem. Were growing our craftsmen within the industry below the line. Its going to take some time to catch up, but this is also an opportunity were creating, he said. Franklin suggested that issues around crew supply were nothing new. He recalled shooting a film in Cleveland in the early days of the local Ohio Motion Picture Tax. Ohio had just started the incentive and there wasnt a local crew base. What we did for that film was bring in out-of-town crew, from New York, L.A. and Georgia, and we trained an entire local crew, he said. We did the same for the next film and before you knew it we had built up a crew base in Cleveland. He had to apply similar tactics for the Connecticut shoot of The Good Nurse in the spring of 2021, with Danish director Tobias Lindholm at the helm. Coming out of the pandemic, I had The Whale and The Good Nurse shooting at the same time. I couldnt get crew for The Good Nurse. Obviously, Darrens crew were loyal and were going to do his film if available. Many of the other crew were booked on two-year TV gigs, which were a bit more cushy than doing a low-budget independent film in Connecticut, recounted Franklin. Story continues I turned to New York crew that I normally never work with. So, it was a new crew and a Danish director, who they didnt know, even if they knew his work. Its not as if we had any experience working with these people. We had new department heads, all A-list craftspeople, with trainees in all the departments, he continued. Franklin also addressed the writer shortage suggesting it was a chicken and egg problem with emerging writers struggling to get representation with literary agents until they had experience, but not being able to gain experience until they had representation. Thats a problem for writers, which is an incredible craft and the most important craft because it all starts with the screenplay, right, he said. The agencies also needed to embark on a training drive, he suggested, to bring on board more staff to do the deals, sell the films. and spend more time looking at the above-the-line talent, which would ultimately result in more work for below-the-line talent. Franklin was joined by Europe-based professionals who discussed bottlenecks and initiatives to overcome them on the other side of the Atlantic. Kim Magnusson, a producer and Head of Creative Scandinavian Film Distribution, said a recent study had suggested that Denmark needed an additional 1,900 trained crew by 2025 to meet scheduled production commitments. In a small country, a small industry, thats crazy. Projects arent being made because we cannot get them signed. Its so difficult to put a crew together, and when you do it lacks a level of craftsmanship, he said. Munich-based Netflix executive Sasha Buhler, director of EMEA film, said the platform was investing heavily in training and upskilling to bring crew online, noting its Grow Creative program that runs initiatives worldwide, from Cairo to L.A. to Berlin. We are investing in the next generation to broaden the pool of people we work with. Its the right thing to do, she said. The panel was one of the final discussions of the Zurich Film Festivals day-long Zurich Summit industry event on Saturday gathering around 100 top film executives to discuss key issues impacting the independent international film industry. Best of Deadline Sign up for Deadline's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Click here to read the full article. Christiane Amanpour, CNNs chief international anchor, said Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi refused to sit for an interview in New York after she declined to wear a headscarf. Amanpour said on Twitter that she had planned to ask Raisi about a slate of issues, including protests and international criticism over the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, who was detained after violating the countrys dress code. Amini was arrested this month by Irans morality police for not properly covering her hair with a headscarf, or hijab. She collapsed at a detention center, fell into a coma and died days later, according to a statement from Nada Al-Nashif, acting U.N. high commissioner for human rights. Thousands of protesters have rallied since her death, including in her home city, Saqez. The U.S. government on Thursday imposed sanctions on the countrys morality police and other officials. At least nine protesters have been killed in clashes with Iranian police. World: Iran cracks down on protests after Mahsa Amini's death in 'morality police' custody CNN: Bernard Shaw, network's first chief anchor and Black TV pioneer, dies at 82 This was going to be President Raisis first ever interview on US soil, during his visit to NY for UNGA. After weeks of planning and eight hours of setting up translation equipment, lights and cameras, we were ready. But no sign of President Raisi, Amanpour tweeted on Thursday, referencing a meeting of the U.N. General Assembly. She said that 40 minutes after the interview was supposed to begin, an aide for the Iranian president said the leader had suggested Amanpour wear a headscarf because its the holy months of Muharram and Safar. I politely declined. We are in New York, where there is no law or tradition regarding headscarves. I pointed out that no previous Iranian president has required this when I have interviewed them outside Iran, Amanpour tweeted, adding that the aide, whom she did not identify, then told her the interview would not go forward if she did not wear the covering. Story continues Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen said in a statement Thursday that the U.S. is calling on the Iranian government to end its violence against women and its ongoing violent crackdown on free expression and assembly. Mahsa Amini was a courageous woman whose death in Morality Police custody was yet another act of brutality by the Iranian regimes security forces against its own people, Yellen said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: CNN's Amanpour: Iran's president backs out of interview over headscarf Judi Love isn't keen to pay a visit to the I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here jungle. (WireImage) Judi Love fans shouldn't expect to see her in the Australian jungle any time soon, as she is not keen to jet off to take part in I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here. The comedian and Loose Women panellist wrote in her column for OK! Magazine that a spot on the ITV reality series is not on her bucket list, despite previous reality TV experience on Strictly Come Dancing. Read more: Judi Love gets standing ovation for Strictly samba She said: "With all the rumours circulating about the upcoming series of Im A Celebrity, Ive been getting so many messages asking me to take part. "Im all for trying new things, but Id need a lot of hypnotherapy sessions before I agree to that." Watch: Sean Paul dances with Jud Love on Loose Women She might not be experiencing it first-hand, but Love will definitely be watching as the show returns to Australia after two years at a Welsh castle due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Im most excited about the fact that the show is moving back to Australia after all this time," Love wrote. Read more: Every winner of I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here She added: "Its going to be so much fun seeing how the contestants handle the spiders, crocodiles and creepy-crawlies. "I feel like the Aussie climate might tempt more celebs to take part this year, so I cant wait for the cast list to be announced." Ant and Dec have confirmed that I'm a Celebrity... Get Me Out of Here is returning to Australia for the 2022 series. (ITV) As well as this winter's series of I'm a Celebrity, the team behind the show is also working on an All Stars series bringing back famous celeb faces from previous iterations of the series. The likes of Helen Flanagan and Myleene Klass have been tipped for a return, alongside the likes of Jordan Banjo and Stacey Solomon. Read more: Christopher Biggins reveals why he turned down I'm a Celeb: All Stars Ant and Dec formally announced the All Stars series earlier this week, revealing that the special edition of the show is being filmed in South Africa and will air in 2023. Story continues "It's going to be your favourite celebrities from the last 20 years, who are going back in to do it one more time in South Africa, said Declan Donnelly. Watch: Ant and Dec announce All Stars series for I'm a Celebrity Maybe its all just a coincidence, but its become hard to avoid wondering if Tonawanda residents need to worry about their police department. In at least four incidents since 2018, an officer of the towns police department was shown to have engaged in conduct that would get most anyone else fired or arrested. In some cases, town leaders eventually responded to the misconduct but in others including a recent one they have tolerated it. Coincidence or culture? The latest incident involves the response of town officers to a predawn car crash that damaged the fence at Elmlawn Memorial Park, and to the lies told by Christopher Bridgett, who left the scene and repeatedly denied before finally acknowledging that he was the cars driver. Bridgett also let them know he was a Buffalo cop, off duty at the time. Despite the circumstances surrounding the May 21 crash, Tonawanda police didnt perform a field sobriety test or issue a single ticket not for driving off the road, not for leaving the scene of a crash. They let him go. Raise your hand if you think the average citizen would have been treated so thoughtfully. And another wrinkle: Coincidentally or not, the commanding officer at the scene had himself been arrested for drunken driving following a 2019 crash in Niagara County. Police Chief James P. Stauffiger pooh-poohed any questions about the kid-glove treatment, observing that, It is well within the judgment and discretion of the officers at the scene whether or not they issue a traffic ticket, and it happens every day. After hotfooting it from the scene of a property-damage accident? With a significantly damaged car? After repeatedly lying? Is that the standard of law enforcement in Tonawanda? Police have given citizens reason to wonder. Consider two other episodes from recent years. In January 2019, an SUV driven by then-Officer Howard Scholl slid through a stop sign and into a vehicle that had the right of way, according to authorities. Scholl and his wife, Aimee, told police that she had been driving, a claim that was included on the police report. Police gave Aimee Scholl a field sobriety test, which showed she was not intoxicated but did not test Howard Scholl at the scene. Responding officers also allowed Aimee Scholl to drive home in a damaged vehicle with deployed airbags. Howard Scholl, who had worked for the department for almost 12 years, later acknowledged to police that he had been driving and the department issued a corrected report. Officers who handled the initial investigation, including the supervisor on the scene, were disciplined in the weeks following the incident. Under pressure from town officials, then Chief Jerome C. Uschold III also resigned. Both Scholls were later charged with crimes. At their arraignment almost a year-and-a-half later prosecutors said Howard Scholl lied to cover up that he was driving under the influence. He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of misdemeanor falsification of business records. He was fined, sentenced to community service and allowed to resign. His wife was granted an adjournment in contemplation of dismissal. In November, the town belatedly fired an officer who had been suspended four times since 2017 for various departmental violations. Michael G. Lewandowski had served previous suspensions for forcibly removing spectators from Town Court, pressuring a state trooper to fix a relatives ticket and pursuing a suspect in violation of department policy. The proceeding to fire Lewandowski began after he was suspended without pay for his response to a neighbor dispute the previous November. Lewandowski is a Marine combat veteran and had received several department and community awards. But the town and department were slow to acknowledge conduct that clashes with the expectations of anyone wearing a police officers badge. As to the commanding officer at the scene of the May crash, Corey Flatau now calls his crash in December 2018 one of the worst nights of his life. Then a lieutenant, Flatau was off duty when he crashed into a mailbox on Nash Road in Wheatfield just after midnight. Body-camera video, previously unreported, shows Flatau in good spirits as he struggled to keep his balance and answer basic questions from a Niagara County sheriffs deputy. Some might say he lied: about whether he was driving the car, about where he was going, about his name. Flatau was charged with driving while intoxicated and issued a pair of traffic infractions. He pleaded guilty to driving while ability impaired and was ordered to pay a $560 find. He also was placed on probation and had his license suspended, among other consequences. Despite all of that, he was later promoted to captain. Maybe that wasnt terrible. Like the rest of us, cops are only human and, like most of us, deserve a second chance most of the time. But these are public servants, armed with guns and empowered to deprive others of their liberty. Its fair to hold them to a high standard. Its also fair to wonder how Flataus own crisis influenced his decision-making at Elmlawn Memorial Park. At a minimum, the official response to these incidents was uneven. If leaders havent sent a message of tolerance for police for misconduct, its only out of dumb luck. Regardless, town taxpayers have good cause to wonder what it is about their police department that led these officers to act as though they were beyond the law and for some of their peers and supervisors to swallow that poisonous bunk. 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. Ken Leung: I had a Lost action figure; my parents got a kick out of that (Shutterstock) Ken Leung doesnt know what hes talking about in Industry. The razor-sharp series, about young graduates competing for permanent positions in the cutthroat world of finance, requires its actors to deliver arcane terminology at such a speed you might think they understood the meaning behind what they were saying; youd be wrong. I just cant grasp the mathematics of it, says the 52-year star of Lost and Rush Hour. It took me a long time to get what a short is, and I still cant say I understand it now. You borrow something, you sell it, then you buy it back and return the thing? I have to try and picture it as a concrete thing, like a loaf of bread. But it doesnt always work that way in finance because of the minutiae of it. Shorting a stock, Google will tell you, is when a trader borrows shares from a broker and immediately sells them expecting the stock price to plummet imminently ie when they have to pay for them so they can pocket the difference. Or something like that. Thankfully, enjoying Industry does not necessitate a BA in macroeconomics. Industry, created by former finance boys Mickey Down and Konrad Kay, is proof that good writing performed by good actors is all thats really needed to make a series immensely watchable. That and the odd coked-up sex scene. Backed by a jittery, techno-infused score, this is TV by way of cardiac arrest. A millennial Mad Men, is how The Independents five-star review of the first season put it. The show returns to BBC One for its second run on Tuesday, and the new episodes have even more anxiety-inducing thrills than the first. The palpitating heart of the office bullpen is Leungs hot-headed character, Eric Tao. Eric is the kind of boss who will offer sage advice and acceptance on your way into the office but will harshly admonish you in front of everyone 10 minutes later. Leung plays him like an amiable pet thatll bare its teeth without warning. Certainly, its a staggering contrast to the actor in front of me today. Leung is laidback and tranquil; he has a voice suited to ASMR videos. Despite Erics volatility, its he who asks his protegee Harper Stern (Myhala Herrold) in the first episode of the new season to visit an in-house service for issues, mood [and] the more mental side of your health. When Harper, bemused, asks if he himself has ever paid these experts a visit, Eric brushes off the question. The scenes unspoken context suggests that certain people feel a hesitancy in addressing their mental health and merely view it to be, in Erics own words, corporate diktat. Story continues Leung, who was born to Chinese parents in New York City, agrees theres a block surrounding the usefulness of therapy among people of a certain age but does not think its simply a generational issue: Sometimes its a cultural thing, he says. Like my parents for the longest time, I have tried to cleverly get my mom to talk to somebody, but it cant come from me; it has to come from her. I think theres a stigma among people of her generation, and maybe her immigrant mentality, that says there has to be something wrong with you, like youre acknowledging that youre sick. That you cant be an ordinary person and need a therapist. Theres most definitely that point of view. Leung is open about not having much of a relationship with his parents. In the past, hes spoken about their initial opposition to his job of choice, and I wonder if theyre now impressed with his career. After all, Leung has been in the profession for 24 years. He made his debut as the villain opposite Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in 1998 buddy action film Rush Hour and, since then, hes traversed genres, playing a wily electronics store owner in Edward Norton comedy Keeping the Faith (2000), a committed police detective in horror film Saw (2004), and the abrasive, sarcastic Miles Straume in Lost, a character who became as adored as the originals despite joining the show in its fourth season (2008). Given Leungs success, youd think his parents might have softened to his chosen career. He tells me they have never asked him questions about his job. My dad is retired now, but he was a high school teacher, and a lot of his students would know me and ask him to get them an autograph, and that was the only time that we even broached the subject of me being an actor, he says. Maybe they watch stuff I have no evidence of them doing that. He smiles, wistfully. Although I had a Lost action figure, and they did get a kick out of that. Leungs life has undergone several changes in the past decade. First, in 2015, he became a father, something he says has considerably changed his outlook on his job. When [my son] was very little, we used to go where I was shooting together, Leung, who is based in Brooklyn with his wife, explains. But then he started school, which means he cant follow me. That is now always a consideration. My first questions, whenever Im approached for a potential job, are: where is it? How long is it? And are they going to let me travel back and forth? Ken Leung stars as the volatile, hot-headed Eric Tao in Industry (BBC/Bad Wolf/HBO) And then, in 2019, Leungs younger brother Kevin tragically drowned in Thailand. That year, while waiting to film scenes for an unsuccessful pilot, Leung began writing an essay about his brother, and the tumultuous struggle he endured to bring his body home. The result was published on GQ last year. Leung tells me he started jotting his thoughts down after thinking one day my son is going to ask about it and what am I going to remember? It took him two years to write. I remember that that period was so beautiful because it went with me wherever I went I wasnt alone, Leung says of the essay. I miss that. Did the act of writing about the experience bring him closure? You know, I dont want closure with it; I wish I wasnt done with it. Here, Leungs thoughts drift to his childhood. He mentions a memory of playing in the back garden with his best friend Gerard. He says that, like most youngsters, they would pretend to be Batman and Superman, characters Leung recalls thinking didnt make sense for him, a young Chinese-American boy, to play. Now, in a time rife with superhero films, characters like Black Panther and Shang-Chi who didnt get their own films when Leung was growing up are fronting their own blockbusters. In turn, finally, the spotlight is being placed on different cultures. Leung, while happy with the change, is also ambivalent about the extent of its success. We live in an age where companies and my kids school now have a diversity programme. Whether that is sincere or not is a whole other question My kid gets to see Shang-Chi and, instead of Batman and Superman, he can pretend to be him, which is a dream come true. But I have mixed views, he says. Its gratifying to a degree, but Im weary of it. What were talking about is undoing centuries of a mindset, and that takes doing. We live in an age where companies and my kids school now have a diversity programme. Whether that is sincere or not is a whole other question. He wonders whether these diversity programmes do anything or whether theyre simply lip service designed to avoid getting people in trouble. Part of Leungs weariness stems from the fact that, a quarter of a century into his career, hes still getting offered projects associated with martial arts purely because of his Asian heritage. Will the world ever see us as something that doesnt have anything to do with martial arts? he asks, defeatedly. Why is that still happening? Why am I a non-martial artist still periodically getting approached for things where its just assumed that I know it? So yeah, theres a lot more internal work to do. I know that we do it out in public, but thats not where the work needs to happen. One credit that stands out for Leung is the aforementioned Miles in Lost; the role was specifically created for him after showrunners Damon Lindelof and Carlton Cuse saw his memorable guest role in The Sopranos. (Leung appeared in the season six episode Remember When as Carter Chong, a patient with anger issues who Junior, played by Dominic Chianese, befriends at a psychiatric centre.) They immediately dreamt up the role of Miles and contacted Leungs agent. A year later in 2008, he made his debut in the shows fourth season, and remained a part of the series right up until its finale in 2010. Rumours of a Lost reboot surface periodically and, considering spoiler alert Miles makes it out alive, Leung would probably get the call should that ever happen. It would be a welcome call. Joining the fourth series of Lost as Miles in 2014, Ken Leung became a fan-favourite star of the franchise (ABC / YouTube) I would love to go back to Hawaii, he says, visibly excited by the prospect. When I think of Lost, I dont think of the show as much as I think of Hawaii. But I guess it depends on where they wanted to take it and who was coming back. I know there was an idea being kicked around where Miles and Sawyer [the character played by Josh Holloway] would have a True Detective-style spin-off, but that would be so much its own thing that it wouldnt feel like continuing Lost. But on the face of it, sure. Theres nothing about Lost where its like, I never wanna do that again. So yeah, maybe. In the extremely unlikely case the acting dries up, would Leung be up for channelling his inner Eric Tao to pursue a career in finance? No, no, no I would get killed. He laughs. After season one, some journalists would ask me for financial advice and would not believe me when I told them they were literally asking the wrong person. If they followed my advice, they would have lost a lot of money. Industry returns to BBC One at 10.40pm on 27 September. All episodes of the second season will be added to BBC iPlayer on the same day As a parent, John Broderick, a former chief justice of the New Hampshire Supreme Court, failed to recognize his sons mental illness, with devastating consequences for his family. For six years, Broderick has traveled to middle schools and high schools sharing his story, urging listeners not to make the mistakes he made, to recognize the signs of mental illness and to encourage young people to seek treatment. After speaking to more than 100,000 students, with thousands of them confiding in him about their most personal fears around mental health, Broderick has realized the audience most in need of his message are parents, guardians and other adults responsible for supporting the mental health of children, adolescents and young adults. This is the fifth story in a year-long collaboration on mental health between Seacoast Media Group, New Hampshire Union Leader and Dartmouth Health, inspired by the work of John Broderick. I want to share with parents what sons and daughters just like theirs have shared with me all across New England, said Broderick, who in August published a book Backroads and Highways: My Journey to Discovery on Mental Health. What do Broderick and mental health professionals want parents to know about their children? The kids are not OK, said Jeffrey Levin, a psychotherapist, social worker and life coach who has been working with children and young adults for 42 years. Kids writ large are not OK. Some are doing better than others, but the kids are really struggling. Susan Stearns, executive director of NAMI-NH, said COVID intensified a youth mental health crisis that existed before the pandemic outbreak in March 2020. We hear from parents, caregivers, educators, coaches, everyone who is interfacing with children and youth about their concerns, Stearns said. In August, Gov. Chris Sununu signed a law mandating that all student IDs for sixth-graders through 12th grade must include the suicide prevention lifeline number 988. Story continues Gracelynn Hewey, a 17-year-old junior at Winnacunnet High School in Hampton, describes herself as a social butterfly who had her wings clipped by the COVID-19 pandemic. "I didn't leave my house for two years almost," she said. "I was constantly home. Just being in your room alone for so long is severely depressing." As pandemic restrictions lifted, Hewey cleaned out her room, bought new clothes she would never have worn before the pandemic ("I started changing my aesthetic"), began working two jobs, has returned to school and she's doing her best to adjust to life in person rather than online. "I literally had to kind of force myself to start communicating with other kids," she said. 'Don't stop asking for help': What NH youth are saying about mental health crisis What causes anxiety and depression in adolescence? Levin recently introduced The Reconnection Project, a program to reduce stress and anxiety in school communities, to students, parents and teachers at Winnacunnet High School. Levin said young people he works with are disconnected from parents and other adults in their communities and suffering from what he calls outcome fever. Outcome fever is this vague sense that nothing I do is enough, Levin said. Its a phenomenon hes seen from elementary schools to the Division I college athletes he mentors; the feeling that a single mistake can have devastating consequences. Outcome fever is a low-grade constant sense in the back of my mind that I cant screw up, and its real, I assure you. Broderick relates the story of an eighth-grade girl who told him: Ill tell you why were stressed. Were always trying to accomplish the next thing, so well be eligible for the thing after that. Both Broderick and Levin believe we are putting too much pressure on kids to achieve in academics, athletics and other endeavors. Children and adolescents arent given unscheduled time to think and play independently, to make mistakes and learn from them. There are a lot of causes for mental health problems, Broderick said. Some are related to DNA or a chemical imbalance, some of them are due to adverse childhood experiences or post-traumatic stress. Im well aware of all that. But I dont think what I see is caused by that. What I see are kids who are ready to pop. Do we need to act? 'So many depending on us': John Broderick urges action on mental illness Dr. Steven Schlozman, a psychiatrist affiliated with Dartmouth Health, said he agrees 100% with Broderick and Levins assessments. Jeffrey Levin with Jacques Baldwin and Ang Friel, both soccer players at Northeastern University. Im not going out on a limb to say the pressures are orders of magnitude higher than they were even as recently as a decade and a half ago, Schlozman said. What specifically are kids so anxious about? The Earth itself is at risk, which is very much on kids' minds, like all kids, Schlozman said. Superintendent Meredith Nadeau, who oversees Winnacunnet and other schools in SAU 21, said students are on edge over repeated school shootings. How tragic that students in this country feel fearful of going to school because theyre afraid they might get shot, Nadeau said. Other factors cited by those working with youth include social media-induced fear of missing out and false expectations of body image and life success, testing pressures, fear of disappointing parents. Another contributing factor, says Lynn Lyons, a therapist and author in Concord, New Hampshire, is that parents themselves are struggling. I dont think you can look at whats happening to kids without looking at the people who have created the systems that theyre in, Lyons said. Parents themselves are really stressed out. Social media changes the connection points: Teens tell their truth about social media and mental health. 'I always have my phone.' Normal adolescent angst versus mental illness The challenge facing adults supporting young people's mental health is distinguishing between normal rebellious adolescent behavior and what could be a more serious mental health issue. Its a much grayer line than anyone would like it to be, Dr. Schlozman said. Its not like pneumonia where you cant get your breath and its obvious you need to get a chest X-ray. This is much harder to interpret and needs to be assessed on a kid-by-kid basis. Jodie Lubarsky, who oversees youth and family services at Seacoast Mental Health Center, offered this advice. I always say to guardians, parents and caregivers, you know your child best, so youll be the first to recognize if their baseline behaviors appear to have changed, Lubarsky said. Talley Westerberg, Winnacunnets social worker for the past 22 years, also believes adults need to trust their gut about the mental health of the children in their life. I think they have to ask the teenagers how theyre really doing, and then give them the space to answer. Because adolescents are social by nature, an increase in self-isolation could be a red flag, experts interviewed for this story said. A decrease in self-care and hygiene, changes in eating and sleeping habits, use of drugs or alcohol, extreme irritability or mood swings, sudden anger or unexplained euphoria, a decline in academics or run-ins with the law can all be warning signs. When any of these patterns shift to a place where they are interfering with your student's ability to function in their daily lives, it is time to reach out for help, Westerberg said. Any specific or implied references to suicide should be treated as a call to action. The most direct route to crisis care in New Hampshire is to call 1-833-710-6477, a mental health hotline staffed 24/7. You can also visit nh988.com or call the 988 suicide hotline. If you worry your child might be having suicidal thoughts, have a direct conversation with them about it, experts said. All the data indicates having those conversations with your kids truly can be life-saving, said Stearns of NAMI-NH. How to have hard conversations with adolescents If you think a child is struggling with their mental health, you need to speak with them, experts said, but that can be easier said than done. Adolescence is a time where you start busting away and in order to do that youve got to think you know better, said Dr. Schlozman of Dartmouth Health. Culturally and biologically, adolescents need to assert their independence, even though deep down they know there are still things they need from their parents and other adults. Its the kind of thing where the eyes get rolled, but the message is still heard, Schlozman said. Therapist Lynn Lyons describes, this sort of interesting dance that adolescents do where they want you to come to them so that they can tell you that they dont need you. Lyons, the therapist, describes, this sort of interesting dance that adolescents do where they want you to come to them so that they can tell you that they dont need you. The most important thing is for adults to be fully present when a child is finally ready to speak. Whats really important for us to remember as adults is once they determine they want to reach out to us and approach us, that we make sure were ready to listen, said Lubarsky, of Seacoast Mental Health. That means putting down your phone, turning off the television or other distractions, and just stay in that place of listening and wait until they tell us what they need from us. An adolescent may start a conversation with you, get spooked and break it off before fully expressing what it is they want you to know. Thats OK, too. Just make sure they know that when theyre ready to continue the conversation you are ready to listen, Lubarsky said. Gracelynn Hewey, the Winnacunnet junior, urges parents to be calm. "If (your child) is stressing and their anxiety is through the roof already, yelling at them is just going to make it worse," she said. "Yelling is only going to make the fire bigger, and you don't want the fire to continue. You want it to stop." Winnacunnet High School junior Gracelynn Hewey talks about mental health challenges facing herself as well as students in general in 2022. All experts said teens need empathetic listening, not unsolicited advice or efforts to minimize whats bothering them. Lyons called it awkward empathy. Its OK for you not to have a perfect conversation with your child, Lyons said. Its OK for you to stumble through a conversation, to not have the exact right words and even to say, I dont know exactly what to say right now, but I see that youre struggling, is there anything I can do to help or do you just want me to listen for a while. Lyons warns against introducing blame into conversations. "Blame is so caustic and corrosive and so prevalent right now, and it really gets in the way of helping our kids," Lyons said. "One thing parents can do in a very concrete way is to work on being less reactive in the moment. When a family decides they're going to work on that together, sometimes it can really make a big difference." Handle conversations about romantic breakups with care All experts noted that a romantic break-up is a particularly intense moment for adolescents and young adults. Conversations about them need to be handled with care. Outside of a biological vulnerability to a psychiatric syndrome, the single biggest thing that can tip kids over is a romantic breakup, Dr. Schlozman said, explaining the bad feeling can be so intense that it overwhelms the ability of the adolescent brain to engage in contemplative thinking. Dr. Steven Schlozman, of Dartmouth Health, urges adults to handle conversations with adolescents following a romantic breakup with care. Outside of a biological vulnerability to a psychiatric syndrome, the single biggest thing that can tip kids over is a romantic breakup." Instead, the young person feels that their entire identity has been rejected, that they are unlovable and will never be loved again. Just agree with them that it hurts, Schlozman said. If you have a personal story (of a breakup) youre comfortable telling as a parent youd be surprised how many kids want to hear that. I think my child has a mental health issue: What do I do now? If you suspect a child may have a mental health problem, dont try to handle it alone, experts said. Reach out for help either from health care providers, the school, your faith community, family or friends. Lubarsky, at Seacoast Mental Health, suggested a good place to start is a childs pediatrician, many of whom also have behavioral health integrated into their practices. Oftentimes pediatricians have had a lifelong relationship with the child, Lubarsky said. They know that child from a medical perspective. Knowing that child and family, they might be able to make a really targeted suggestion, like, you know, knowing your son the way I do I would recommend calling this provider. Jodie Lubarsky, director of youth services at Seacoast Mental Health Center, suggested a childs pediatrician may be the best person to start an exploration of your child's mental health. Westerberg, Winnacunnets social worker, said pediatricians are a good place to start because its important to rule out any medical concerns, especially if its a new mental health concern theyre seeing in their child. Pediatricians have that longer term perspective on a childs health and can be a really validating sounding board for the changes that parents are seeing. If a family doesnt have a long-standing relationship with a pediatrician, they can reach out to one of the states 10 community mental health centers, which provide care regardless of ability to pay and accept most insurance. In January, the state launched mobile crisis response teams at all 10 of its community health centers. Mobile crisis teams include a clinician, social worker and peer counselor, and deploy to peoples homes, schools, hospitals, wherever they are needed. The goal is to bring care to the patient rather than forcing someone in crisis to sit for hours in an overburdened emergency department which may not be able to do anything more than hold them until a bed opens in a behavioral health unit or hospital. Seacoast Mental Health now has mobile access teams that go into the field, such as schools or a home where crisis is happening, and start to help the client right away. From left are team members Sandra Somerville, Carin Romero and Kelly Carpenter. You can reach the rapid response teams and other emergency mental health services 24/7 by calling the new 988 suicide hotline number or 1-833-710-6477. You can also reach out via nh988.com. A representative from Beacon Health Options answers those lines and conducts an initial screening. Some crises are handled through phone referrals while others lead to a mobile crisis team dispatch. On Sept. 8, at a suicide awareness prevention press conference, a young man who identified himself as Joshua-Christopher, spoke in glowing terms of his experience reaching out for help via nh988.com. I found the whole process, from the very first chat on the NH 988 website to the discharge from the hospital to be the smoothest I've ever had while being in crisis, Joshua-Christopher said. I felt like I had more of a say in the decisions being made about my care. I appreciated being asked for consent before having people come to my house. I would like to encourage anyone who's struggling to please reach out for help. You are worth help. You are worth getting better. You deserve a life worth living. Joshua-Christopher with Susan Stearns of NAMI-NH and Gov. Chris Sununu following a suicide prevention press conference on Sept. 8. According to Dennis Walker, who runs the mobile unit out of Seacoast Mental Health, there have been roughly 16,000 calls to the state hotline since January, which have resulted in more than 4,000 mobile deployments. Of those deployments, 18% involved children and adolescents, either at home or at school. Walker said if a person talks about harming themselves or others or is acting destructively, they will always deploy. You should call if you think you are in a crisis, Walker said. Does New Hampshire have space to help teens in need? Lubarsky said Seacoast Mental Health currently is adequately staffed to provide services to anyone in need. That is not the case across the state and the shortage of care is most acute for those needing inpatient behavioral services. The state continues to lack inpatient beds for children, said Stearns of NAMI-NH. On Friday, Sept. 16, all 16 Hampstead Hospital beds available for youth were filled and 22 children were boarding at local hospital emergency departments waiting for admission. In some cases, the wait can be weeks. Our mental health system has been stretched to the breaking point, Stearns said. Westerberg, the Winnacunnet social worker, states it more emphatically: We should all be shouting from the rooftops about the experiences of our kids that are in a true mental health crisis and awaiting an inpatient psychiatric bed. Schools are also an important mental health resource, able to provide doses of safety, Westerberg and other experts said. School counselors and school social workers can help with referrals to community providers and can be a safe ear in school when academic or social pressure gets to be too much, Westerberg said. Nadeau, the SAU 21 superintendent, urges all students to seek support if they are feeling troubled. We have plans in place for people to gain access to supports right away, Nadeau said. We know people need access to them. I want to reiterate the message from Justice Broderick that seeking help is what strong people do. It helps them remain strong. It helps them grow and overcome some of the obstacles that they face and there are people who care about them and want to help and support them. Addressing a mental health crisis can be difficult and painful, but Stearns of NAMI-NH reminds that the crisis is a detour, not a destination. Treatment is not someones life, Stearns said. Its what allows them to live their life. 'Burnout is real': Student athletes' mental health is not a game If you need help: Suicide hotline number You can reach the rapid response teams and other emergency mental health services 24/7 by calling the new 988 suicide hotline number or 1-833-710-6477. You can also reach out via nh988.com. A representative from Beacon Health Options answers those lines and conducts an initial screening. Some crises are handled through phone referrals while others lead to a mobile crisis team dispatch. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: How to support adolescents' mental health: What to do, what to avoid In Matthew 25:35-40, Jesus tells a parable about separating the righteous from the unrighteous and says of the righteous, For I was hungry and you gave me something to eat, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you invited me in, I needed clothes and you clothed me, I was sick and you looked after me, I was in prison and you came to visit me. Then the righteous will answer him, Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you something to drink? When did we see you a stranger and invite you in, or needing clothes and clothe you? When did we see you sick or in prison and go to visit you? The King will reply, Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. Both Gov. Greg Abbott in Texas and Floridas Gov. Ron De Santis claim that their Christian faith is important to them and that it informs their political decisions. So, do they take this passage to mean that the Christian way to deal with an immigration crisis in their states is to use immigrants as culture war pawns, shipping them off to areas where liberal Democrats have been elected? Is that really what I was a stranger and you invited me in, means? Granted, Jesus does not say explicitly that when people from poor southern countries come to the richest country on earth seeking a better life, Texas and Florida should welcome them, but is the point of this passage really that hard to understand? The Biden administration and congressional Democrats and Republicans alike are continuing Washingtons decades-long tradition of doing a lousy job addressing immigration, and De Santis has accurately described the situation at our southern border as a disaster. That being recognized, why do politicians like Abbott and De Santis pursue practices designed to make it worse? Instead of pandering to voters they believe are anti-immigrant and anti-people of color, why not get together with the congressional delegations representing their states to propose constructive actions that reflect the values they profess to believe. To dehumanize immigrants who come to America because they believe the claim we make about ourselves as a "land of opportunity" and treat them as objects to be used to further their personal ambitions is despicable. Frank BarefieldHolland This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Letter to the Editor: Treating immigrants as political pawns just despicable The New England Fishery Management Council said it plans to discuss a controversial limited access scallop fisher license allocation leasing plan at its September Council Meeting in Gloucester Tuesday. "The leasing discussion is not going to come up before lunch," NEFMC spokeswoman Janice Plante said. "So if they're only there for the leasing discussion, that's in the afternoon." Scallop allocation leasing the practice of boat owners selling days and tonnage from a fishing license to other vessel owners to harvest in restricted zones has been at the center of debate in the Port of New Bedford since the NEFMC held two scoping meetings at the New Bedford Whaling Museum on May 11 and May 25 respectively. Scoping process During its three month-long scoping process, the NEFMC invited stakeholders to attend nine meetings in Massachusetts, Rhode Island, New Jersey, North Carolina, Virginia, and two webinars. The only state that saw multiple meetings was Massachusetts, with one in Gloucester on April 27, and the two New Bedford meetings. The meetings in New Bedford were the most well attended by far, with 160 and 80 participants respectively, 60% of the total 397 attendees at all meetings recorded by the Council. 77 of the 305 comments submitted to the NEFMC were presented orally. 58% of those were given at the New Bedford meetings. When written comments were taken into account, they came in from nine states, the majority, 120, coming in from Massachusetts. Most of those in favor of leasing came from outside Massachusetts, according to the report. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Agencies 2021 Annual Report on the Status of Fisheries released in May, New Bedford was the nation's largest landing point for scallops, making up 84% of the port's $451 million worth of seafood landings in 2020. Arguments against According to the Council, the vast majority, 78%, of the 286 commenters (several repeated, inflating the total number to 305) spoke against the proposed allocation leasing project during the scoping process. Story continues "In my opinion, a leasing program is not needed in the [Limited Access Scallop] fishery," wrote Robert Haines, a New Bedford boatowner. "In my opinion, a leasing program is not needed in the [Limited Access] fishery. "Our fishery instead needs to focus on promoting better fishing practices and better science to increase our biomass. Leasing is a contentious issue that will take up the majority of the Council's time. "This time is better spent focusing on issues that will help the entire fleet, especially in these uncertain times." Haines, like others, also emphasized the impact a feared consolidation of fishing fleets resulting from the allocation leasing may have on shoreside industries. Another boat owner who spoke against the proposed reform was Paul Weckesser, the owner of six-New Bedford-based scallopers. He admitted that as an owner with a relatively large economic footprint, there would at least be some benefit to the plan, but those underneath would have to pay the price. "My three reasons are crew, community, and resources," he said at the May 25 meeting. "If I can stay at home and watch cartoons with my kids, you can bet I am going to do it." He added that the drop in trips would harm crew pay rates, making them pay for the lease in effect. Memories of the consolidation of the groundfish fishery in 2012 weighed heavy on the minds of many in opposition to it. "I do not believe a leasing program is needed in the LA fishery," wrote Ivan Mjolhus, a New Bedford captain. "Leasing is another form of consolidation and will have detrimental effects to our fishery. "Leasing has not worked well in the groundfish fishery and the members of the scallop fishery do not wish for the same thing to happen to our fishery." Arguments for According to the Council's summary of comments, comments in favor were more dispersed geographically. Many came from The Scallopers' Campaign, a lobbying group with a Washington, D.C. address, argued passionately for leasing's passage. "A typical full-time [Limited Access] scallop vessel harvests its annual scallop allocation in approximately 70 days, leaving vessels inactive and tied to the dock more than 80 percent of the year," the organization wrote in a July 2020 letter to the NEFMC. "The only growth option is to buy another permit, which means buying another vessel. "Although one vessel could easily harvest the allocation of two LA permits, the fleet has no flexibility to do so," it continues. "In the absence of a leasing program, smaller, independent owner/operators are not able to grow their operations in reasonable increments." Ronald Enoksen, president of Eastern Fisheries, Inc., said that allocation leasing will help the industry adapt to climate change during the May 25 meeting. He argued the process will lead to ocean acidification, habitat change, and other ecological pressures, and that leasing would be a useful tool to maintain industry viability. "[Leasing] makes sense," he said. "We need better operation flexibility. Leasing would be a good opportunity to transfer" agency to vessels. Meeting agenda The Gloucester meeting will take place from Sept. 26 to 29 at the Beauport Hotel. The first meetings on Tuesday will focus on several national marine sanctuaries and monuments. The Scallop Committee will meet starting at 10:40 a.m., when it will receive some reports on the 2022 scallop survey which examined biomass, breeding grounds, and environmental patterns of import to the fishery. The Council will take up discussion on allocation leasing after lunch, around 1:15 p.m. The NEFMC said that it is up to the chairperson's discretion whether there will be public comment at the meeting. Those who cannot attend in person may register for the meeting via webinar at https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/7374448002191175695. Contact Kevin G. Andrade at kandrade@s-t.com and follow him on Twitter: @KevinGAndrade. Support local journalism and subscribe to the Standard-Times today! This article originally appeared on Standard-Times: NEFMC to decide next moves on scallop license allocation in Gloucester Toosii is set to release his new EP, Boys Dont Cry, on October 7 via South Coast Music Group/Capitol Records. Today, as the EP pre-save launched, he shared his new single, Heartaches. Produced by ADELSO and Armas, the hard-hitting track explores the life-changing, cyclical nature of heartbreak. Heartaches, they dont discriminate, says Toosii. On the track, he sings, Youve done taken my heart, put it in a bitter placeLet another break my heart, they wish they couldlines that director Sam Brave (Tory Lanez, KB, JCY/Sisqo) takes as inspiration for the stunning official video. After making a devastating confession to Toosii, his lover coolly and cruelly leaves him heartless. The 22-year-old Syracuse-born, Raleigh-based artist will perform at Rolling Loud New York this Sunday, September 25. In his knock out performance at Rolling Loud Miami, Toosii had the crowd of 20,000 singing along to Love isthe closing song on Boys Dont Cry. Fans who pre-save the six-track EP will instantly receive Heartaches and Love is Love is has amassed more than 35 million combined global streams to date. On TikTok, the original sound has inspired more than 163,000 creations with over 90 million combined views on the platform. XXL Magazine hailed Love is as one of the Best New Hip-Hop Songs upon its release in July. UPROXX said, Over a moody, piano-driven sample of Julia Michaels 2021 song Love Is Weird, Toosii bares his aching soul, admitting to losing hope in the possibility of finding love. REVOLT praised the emotionally charged track. Boys Dont Cry affirms Toosiis remarkable gift for drenching real lyrics in rich emotion and solidifies his unique position in todays musical landscape. As HipHopDX noted, To go along with his ever-present star power is Toosiis separate identity as a hopeless romantic, which sets him apart from most current rap artists. Boys Dont Cry follows 2021s Thank You For Believing, which won intense acclaim from tastemakers like The FADER, Complex, and The Source. XXL named him among their esteemed 2021 Freshman Class and named 55 (feat. Latto) as one of the Best Hip-Hop Songs of 2021. Story continues The mixtapes deluxe edition, Thank You For Believing: The Manifestation, included 10 additional original songs. By years end, Toosii had crossed the threshold of one billion global catalog streams. Pre-order Boys Dont Cry. For the latest music news and exclusive features, check out uDiscover Music. uDiscover Music is operated by Universal Music Group (UMG). Some recording artists included in uDiscover Music articles are affiliated with UMG. Ventura City Hall at 501 Poli St. Editor's note: This story has been updated to correct who version of this story misstated who attended a Sacramento dinner. After months of public demand for financial transparency, the Ventura City Council on Monday will consider a review of city officials' travel and credit card expenditures and an independent audit of them. The review and audit came after a City Council trip to Washington D.C. last year when five council members traveled to the National League of Cities Conference. The trip, which was not properly placed on an agenda and included discussions about city issues, was a violation of a state's open meeting law. Mayor Sofia Rubalcava and Councilmembers Joe Schroeder, Jeannette Sanchez-Palacios, Lorrie Brown and Doug Halter together a majority attended the conference with City Manager Alex McIntyre. 'Unparalleled' view: Preservation of Ventura hillside property celebrated at news event McIntyre later apologized for giving the council bad advice about a trip that led to the violation. In late July, Ventura resident Glenn Overley brought up the issue of McIntyre paying for meals and wine with a state-issued credit card for local agencies on a separate League of Cities conference trip in Sacramento. McIntyre used the credit card to pay for an eight-person meal on Sept. 23, 2021 in Sacramento. He shared the meal with councilman Schroeder, four other city employees and two Thousand Oaks officials. McIntyre spent $323 for the meal, $115 for a bottle of wine and $234.60 for tip. In total, including taxes, the meal was about $711. "The use of the...card to purchase wine and the unusually high gratuity should be further investigated to determine if that is within policy," Overley wrote to city officials. In an email written to City Council members on Aug. 17, McIntyre acknowledged the city had received emails from community members voicing concern about the misuse of public funds. Story continues "Based on these emails, I believe that unfounded accusations are being made," McIntyre wrote. He informed the City Council he later reimbursed the city for the wine. He also wrote to council that overtipping at the dinner was an "honest mistake" because he did not realize gratuity was already included. "Going forward, city staff will reevaluate the city's existing travel policy and meeting expenses policy, which was last updated in November 2018," McIntyre wrote. Council members will discuss approving the financial policy review and a forensic audit at 6 p.m. Monday at City Hall. At a Sept. 12 City Council meeting, Councilman Mike Johnson asked for an "open, thorough and independent investigation" into the credit card issue. Two days later, he elaborated in a Twitter post. "The public is fed up (and) I'm fed up. I'm worried Ventura is on a bad road," Johnson tweeted. "There's more we must do for checks/balances (and) transparency." Wes Woods II covers West County for the Ventura County Star. Reach him at wesley.woodsii@vcstar.com, 805-437-0262 or @JournoWes. This article originally appeared on Ventura County Star: Ventura City manager credit card use spurs policy review The company that Florida GOP Gov. Ron DeSantis used to send dozens of migrants to Marthas Vineyard operates charter flights under approvals granted by federal transportation regulators who have almost absolute power to regulate safety in the skies. But theres probably little the Federal Aviation Administration can do to stop DeSantis from continuing the flights, people familiar with the agencys legal authorities say even though President Joe Biden and other Democrats have condemned the flights as cruel publicity stunts. The same laws that give the Federal Aviation Administration its vast sway over air safety also restrict its ability to intrude otherwise into the operations of charter companies. And the migrant flights probably dont violate the FAAs regulations, former agency officials say, despite accusations that DeSantis and his operatives violated the migrants civil rights. The FAA itself has shown little eagerness to join the fray. When asked to discuss the bounds of the agencys authority on DeSantis gambit, a spokesperson said only: The FAAs mission is safety. The agencys parent, the Department of Transportation, referred back to the FAAs statement. The predicament showcases some of the limits on Bidens authority to counter the increasingly brash moves of Republican governors who are sending undocumented immigrants to heavily Democratic communities. Besides DeSantis, governors using the tactic include Greg Abbott of Texas, who has bused thousands of migrants to cities such as Washington, New York and Chicago in recent months, as well as Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey. The governors have said theyre calling attention to what they charge is the failure of Bidens border policies. A civil rights law firm filed a federal class-action suit against DeSantis on Tuesday over the two planeloads of migrants, mostly Venezuelans, who landed on Marthas Vineyard on Sept. 14 after being transported from Texas. Multiple Democratic elected officials have urged the Justice Department to investigate the Florida governors actions, while Biden has accused Republicans of playing politics with human beings, using them as props. Story continues But the FAA is not best equipped to lead that fight, people knowledgeable about the agency say. I dont see FAA in this at all, said one former agency official, who spoke on condition of anonymity so that he could speak freely about the agencys business. For a charter service to operate, the FAA has to deem its fleet airworthy and the companys maintenance and operations practices adequately safe. Only then does the agency issue a certificate saying it can carry passengers for hire. The DOT must separately issue a certificate saying the company has adequate financial backing to serve consumers. If a charter company flies for hire without either of those approvals, the FAA considers it a rogue operator that it works aggressively to identify and shut down, according to the agency. That doesnt necessarily offer it much leverage over Ultimate JetCharters, the company that conducted the Marthas Vineyard flights as a subcontractor for Vertol Systems Co. Ultimate JetCharters received federal approval to carry passengers for hire in 1984, according to the National Air Transportation Association, an industry trade group. Vertol, an Oregon-based flight and maintenance training and aviation support services company, received $615,000 from the state of Florida to facilitate the flights. The funds were part of a $12 million budget allocation the Florida Republican-led Legislature approved to transport migrants. The former FAA official said nothing thats come to light about the migrant charters indicates that any problems arose related to the safety of flight meaning the ability to ensure that passengers arrive at their destination without their plane crashing. The FAA has in the past suspended or revoked charter companies ability to operate for having inadequately licensed and trained pilots, using aircraft that the agency had not approved for use, ignoring rules limiting pilot flight hours and other violations. The FAA has some authority to regulate what commercial airplanes carry, and to punish operators that dont follow the rules. But those rules primarily involve cargo, particularly hazardous materials such as lithium batteries. If a charter company breaks other laws in the course of transporting goods or people, that would likely fall to either DOJ or the Department of Homeland Security. DOJ declined to comment on whether it was investigating or otherwise pursuing action related to the charter flights. A spokesperson for DHS did not respond to a request for comment. Former FAA chief counsel Sandy Murdock said the agency would ground a charter company for issues unrelated to air safety only if another law enforcement body has gotten involved. For instance, if a person used a charter flight to smuggle drugs, the FAA would not be in a position to revoke the charter companys operating certificate until the DOJ brought charges, he said. In general, he said acting on issues not directly related to a planes safety to fly is a high bar for the agency to meet and thats why it doesnt happen often. The agency has rarely used collateral statutes to ground or revoke or suspend the operator's certificate, said Murdock, now a legal adviser at JDA Aviation Technology Solutions. The theory would be that the operator showed such a disregard for another law that it can be inferred that its disregard of that statute would likely extend to the aviation safety requirements. Murdock said that in such an instance, it would be absolutely critical that the operator was aware of the charterers illegal intentions. Senate Homeland Security Chair Gary Peters (D-Mich.), who said he plans to speak with DHS about the migrant flight issue, acknowledged that the FAAs power to intervene is limited. For example, he said, the agency would not have the authority on its own to ground a flight of migrants heading from one state to another. When asked if any laws should change in light of the migrant flights, Peters responded: I'd have to spend more time thinking about that." Sen. Ben Ray Lujan (D-N.M.), who serves on the Commerce Committee that oversees the FAA, was likewise unsure whether Congress needs to change any laws in an attempt to curtail or prevent the situation. "What Governor DeSantis is doing is disgusting. And he and other Republican governors are using political decisions to treat people like garbage, Lujan said. And that's what this is all about. So looking at specific rules or changes, I don't know what's going to change their behavior. That's what needs to be evaluated." The first former FAA official observed that DOT does have a broad-based consumer protection authority that it can use to enforce rules and hand out penalties based on unfair or deceptive practices, but that it may not apply in this case. The plaintiffs in this weeks civil rights suit allege that DeSantis and other Florida officials used false promises and misrepresentations to get the asylum-seekers onto the plane for Massachusetts, including by offering them $10 McDonalds gift cards and making false promises and false representations of employment, housing and educational opportunities. Even so, I don't know if you could argue that this was treating consumers improperly [because] the statute says unfair [or] deceptive practices ordinarily that's like, you told me the ticket was going to be $200 and instead you charged me $220, the former official said. That's consumer protection, but this is not really what the controversy is about, the ex-official said, adding that in this case the state of Florida, not the migrants themselves, paid for the flights. Alex Daugherty and Tanya Snyder contributed to this report. Post Malone performs at the Rock in Rio music festival in Brazil on September 4, 2022. MAURO PIMENTEL/AFP via Getty Images Post Malone postponed a performance in Boston after announcing his hospitalization on Instagram. The rapper said that he experienced a "stabbing pain" whenever he breathed or moved. The rapper took a hard fall while performing in St. Louis on September 17, People reports. Post Malone postponed a performance in Boston Saturday after announcing on social media that he's been hospitalized with a "stabbing pain." The 27-year-old rapper, whose real name is Austin Post, posted the update on his Instagram stories, sharing with fans that he woke up late in the afternoon with cracking sounds on the right side of his body. "I felt so good last night, but today it felt so different than it has before. I'm having a very difficult time breathing, and there's like a stabbing pain whenever I breathe or move," he wrote. "We're in the hospital now, but with this pain, I can't do the show tonight. I'm so fucking sorry." The musician went on to tell ticket holders he felt "terrible" and would "make this up to you" with a rescheduled show at a later date. He's currently on his Twelve Carat Tour across North America, which is set to conclude on November 16 in Los Angeles. Malone will also play five international tour dates in New Zealand and Australia in early 2023. Post Malone canceled a performance in Boston due to a "stabbing pain" on Saturday, September 24. Post Malone/Instagram People reports the rapper took a hard fall while performing in St. Louis on September 17. The following day, he posted a video on Twitter explaining what happened and gave fans an update on his condition. "Whenever we do the acoustic part of the show, the guitar's on the guitar stand and it goes down [into the stage]. There's this big ass hole, so I go around there and I turn the corner and bust my ass," he said in the video. "Winded me pretty good, got me pretty good." He went on to share that he went to the hospital after the show, where he was given medication for his pain. Malone added that he planned to do a two-hour set in St. Louis the next time he was in town to make it up to his fans. Story continues On Wednesday, Malone also posted an Instagram photo of himself giving the middle finger to the hole on the stage, captioning the image, "F U Hole." It's unclear if Malone's hospitalization is related to the fall. Representatives for Malone did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov accused the United States of playing with fire around Taiwan in a speech to the U. N. General Assembly on Saturday. They are promising military support to Taiwan, Lavrov said. Clearly, the notorious Monroe Doctrine is becoming global in scope. Washington is trying to turn the entire world into its own backyard. The Monroe Doctrine a 19th century U.S. policy that forbid further European colonization of Latin America essentially established a U.S. sphere of influence over the Western Hemisphere. Tensions between the U.S. and China have remained heightened since House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) made a controversial visit to Taiwan last month. Beijing launched a series of military drills in the Taiwan strait following Pelosis visit, with Taiwan accusing China of rehearsing an invasion of the island. President Biden affirmed in a recent interview with 60 Minutes that the U.S. would defend Taiwan against an attack. However, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi warned at the U.N. General Assembly on Saturday that any move to obstruct Chinas reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history. The U.S. has maintained its one China policy since reestablishing relations with Beijing in the late 1970s. Under the policy, the U.S. walks a fine line, recognizing Beijing as the sole legal Chinese government while maintaining an unofficial relationship with Taiwan. In his speech, Lavrov also more broadly railed against the U.S. and its allies, calling the European Union an authoritarian, harsh, dictatorial entity and harshly criticizing U.S. foreign policy. At some point in the past, declaring that they were victorious in the Cold War, Washington erected themselves into an almost envoy of God on Earth, without any obligations but only the sacred right to act with impunity whenever and wherever they want, he said. And this can be done anywhere, against any state, especially if theyve somehow displeased the self-proclaimed masters of the world. Story continues Regarding Russia specifically, Lavrov claimed the official Russophobia in the West is unprecedented now, the scope is grotesque. They are not shying away from declaring the intent to inflict not only military defeat on our country but also to destroy and fracture Russia, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. Former President Donald Trump said the rich friends he acquired from his presidency made it all worth it to him, according to an excerpt from reporter Maggie Habermans upcoming book published in The Atlantic on Sunday. The question I get asked more than any other question: If you had to do it again, would you have done it? Trump was quoted as telling Haberman during one of three post-presidency interviews. The answer is, yeah, I think so. Because heres the way I look at it. I have so many rich friends and nobody knows who they are, he said according to the excerpt of her book, Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America. Former President Donald Trump arrives at a Save America Rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Friday. (Photo: Allison Joyce via Getty Images) Former President Donald Trump arrives at a Save America Rally in Wilmington, North Carolina, on Friday. (Photo: Allison Joyce via Getty Images) Haberman, who has spent years covering Trump for The New York Times, called his admission as jarring as it was ultimately surprising, considering his first impulses werent to mention public service or his believed accomplishments. Trump did, in a later interview, say that getting things done was what he liked about the job and he listed a few accomplishments, Haberman noted. Though he apparently didnt share more about his secret friends, he did say that he doesnt stay in touch with Russian President Vladimir Putin or Chinese President Xi Jinping. He wavered when asked about North Koreas Kim Jong-un, however. Well, I dont want to say exactly, but he was quoted as saying while trailing off. A photo shows some of the documents seized during the August FBI search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Authorities said they've seized about 100 documents with classification markings. (Photo: via Associated Press) A photo shows some of the documents seized during the August FBI search of Trump's Mar-a-Lago estate. Authorities said they've seized about 100 documents with classification markings. (Photo: via Associated Press) Haberman said she later learned after her interview that Trump had been telling guests at his Mar-a-Lago resort in Florida that he has continued to stay in contact with Kim, who she noted is featured in a photo on his office wall. Story continues She said Trump told her that he had incredible things in his possession from his White House days, but said that letters he received from the dictator and most other White House documents were in the National Archives. As it later turned out, letters from Kim were found in boxes at Mar-a-Lago, along with other classified material, The Washington Post reported back in February. The Justice Department has launched a criminal investigation into the possible mishandling of federal records. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... For proof that it is possible to be entirely correct and still completely miss the point, consider the explanation offered by Republicans who voted against seating some of Joe Bidens presidential electors last year: Democrats do it, too, they say. Well, yes, thats true, as far as it goes. But its like comparing courts and kidnappers: Each can cart people off against their will, but one is acceptable, the other nefarious. Context matters and Republicans, including gubernatorial nominee Lee Zeldin, are ignoring it. He wants voters to believe his was a routine objection. It wasnt. In previous cases, as noted in a recent Politifact report, the votes truly were routine, if pointlessly political. The losing candidates had already conceded, as Republican candidate Donald Trump had refused to do even though no evidence of significant fraud was ever produced. More significantly, in none of those cases had a mob just invaded the Capitol in a violent attempt to change the results of an honest election. That was the hellish context when Zeldin joined 146 other House and Senate Republicans in voting to reject certain Biden electors. Rep. Chris Jacobs, R-Orchard Park, was sadly among them. In their allegiance to Trump, they aided and abetted insurrectionists intent on upending the Constitution. It was not politics as usual on Jan. 6, 2021. The consequences were immediately dire. One women who invaded the Capitol was shot dead. Police officers were injured; some died in the days following. Elected officials were threatened. Some members of the mob wanted to kill Vice President Mike Pence for his failure to violate his oath, break the law and, with that, clear the way Trump and his ring to steal an election that every challenge showed to be fair. But that was the point and its what scores of Republican members were willing not just to tolerate, but to champion. Zeldin has to answer for that. His claim that Democrats have done the same is worse than merely evasive; its an excuse for the indefensible. New Yorkers and all other Americans had a right to expect more. The proof of that is in the patriotic decision made by one brave Republican senator in the hours after rioters did Trumps bidding. When I arrived in Washington this morning, I fully intended to object to the certification of the electoral votes, then-Sen. Kelly Loeffler of Georgia said as the members reconvened only hours after the insurrection failed. However, the events that have transpired today have forced me to reconsider and I cannot now in good conscience object to the certification of these electors. Not in good conscience. What changed? Two things: Trump had sent armed rioters streaming to the Capitol, primed for violence and intent on maintaining the outgoing president in office, by hook or by crook. Unlike Zeldin, Jacobs and 145 other Republicans, she understood the stakes. This senator thoroughly conservative, endorsed by Trump stood up for the country and its Constitution. There can be no disagreement that upholding democracy is the only path to preserving our republic, she said as some of her fellow senators applauded. But, apparently, there can be disagreement. Zeldin didnt buy it and, given his continuing defense of that vote, still doesnt. But then, he had something to lose if he crossed Trump. Thats the other thing that had changed: The day before the insurrection, Loeffler had lost a runoff election that gave Democrats control of the Senate. Wed like to believe that Loeffler simply recognized the stakes and did the right thing. We hope so. But its also true that, having lost her election, she was liberated from Trumps cravings for retribution. Zeldin was not and is not, as his painful excuses for an intolerable vote make plain. 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. FRIDAY, 23 SEPTEMBER 2022, 21:18 Ukrainian anti-aircraft gunners shot down Mohajer-6, a multipurpose Iranian UAV, on the southern front. Source: Press Centre for the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine; its spokesperson Yurii Ihnat in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda Quote: "On 23 September, anti-aircraft gunners of the Operational Command Pivden (South) of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shot Mohajer-6, a multipurpose UAV of Iranian production, for the first time in Ukraine. This UAV is designed to conduct reconnaissance missions, observe, and strike." Details: A video posted by the Air Force Command of the Armed Forces of Ukraine shows how Ukrainian defenders hit the UAV used by Russia. In comparison with Iranian kamikaze drones Shahed-136 that carry weapons [40 kg of explosive - ed.], this UAV can carry up to four high precision munitions. Production of this drone started in 2017. Mohajer-6 has a maximum take-off weight of 600 kg, 100 kg payload, and 200 km range. Maximum speed is 200 km/h, endurance - 12 hours, and maximum flight altitude is 5,400 m. Ihnat pointed out in a comment to Ukrainska Pravda that Russia has recently reduced the use of intelligence drones, and they have been using attack drones produced by Iran. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Become our patron, support our work! White House national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Sunday said the United States will respond decisively if Russian President Vladimir Putin moves to use nuclear weapons. We have communicated directly, privately, at very high levels, to the Kremlin that any use of nuclear weapons will be met with catastrophic consequences for Russia, that the United States and our allies will respond decisively. And we have been clear and specific about what that will entail, Sullivan told CBS Face the Nation host Margaret Brennan. We have, in public, been equally clear as a matter of principle that the United States will respond decisively if Russia uses nuclear weapons, and that we will continue to support Ukraine in its efforts to defend its country and defend its democracy. Sullivans comments came after Putin last week hinted at being willing to use nuclear weapons in Ukraine. The top White House national security aide on Sunday also expressed concern over Russian military presence at the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant in Ukraine, the largest such plant in Europe. Its been put into cold shutdown to make it less likely that theres some kind of catastrophic incident at the plant. Its actually still being operated by Ukrainian operators who are essentially at gunpoint from the Russia occupying forces. And the Russians have been consistently implying that there may be some kind of accident at this plant, Sullivan said. Russia has held territory around the plant since early in the war, and nearby shelling has heightened international concern about a potential nuclear accident. The United Nationss International Atomic Energy Agency recently sent a mission to Zaporizhzhya to assess the situation at the plant and released a report noting major concerns about the lack of stability around the plant. Sullivan on Sunday said the possible use of nuclear weapons is a matter of paramount seriousness that we have to take deadly seriously. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. People attend a memorial service for Queen Elizabeth II of England at the National Cathedral in Washington, Sept. 21, 2022. (Gabriela Bhaskar/The New York Times) When Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham of South Carolina introduced a bill this month to ban abortions nationwide after 15 weeks, Democratic fundraisers expected it to dominate news outlets like MSNBC, bringing small-dollar donations for candidates. But they did not anticipate that cable news networks, overtaken by the death of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 8, would relegate politics to an afterthought for more than a week in favor of ancient rituals, Grenadier Guards and the monarchs corgis. Suddenly, the traditional September influx of campaign cash slipped, which Democrats attributed in significant part to the round-the-clock coverage of the 10-day period of mourning for the queen that culminated in her funeral Monday. Sign up for The Morning newsletter from the New York Times Democrats said that they relied on grassroots donations those under $250 to compete with spending by Republican-aligned super PACs on television ads, particularly in battleground states. Nat Binns, a principal for MissionWired, a digital fundraising company that supports Democrats, said in an interview Friday that he had never experienced such a vacuum of political news stories at this stage of a campaign. The coverage of the queen disrupted that moment, Binns said. It feels almost like we have to start over to build it up. The clients of MissionWired include at least three Senate Democrats facing tough reelection campaigns that could determine whether the party maintains control of the Senate: Raphael Warnock of Georgia, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada and Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire. The company is also working for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, the Democratic Governors Association and Rep. Val Demings, who is challenging Sen. Marco Rubio in Florida. During the 2018 midterm elections, the company had a monthly fundraising bump of 133% in September, Binns said. This year, he noted, the increase is projected to be half as much. Story continues I have never seen revenue in a day in September go down, Binns said, adding that he was speaking generally, not about particular clients. In the nine days after the queens death, the digital fundraising totals for Demings slipped about 60% compared with the last nine days of August, said Christian Slater, a campaign spokesperson. Laura Carlson, digital director for the Democratic Governors Association, said in an interview Friday that the groups fundraising fell from the first to the second week of September, which was a departure from past totals. One of the factors that kept kind of coming up was the queens funeral, she said. It definitely hurt our projections. In the United States, more than 11 million people watched the queens funeral on broadcast and cable television networks Monday, according to Nielsen, the research firm known for its television rating figures. The total did not include those who used streaming services. Its also kind of a spectacle in the way that political news isnt, Deborah L. Jaramillo, an associate professor of film and television at Boston University, said in an interview Friday. Jaramillo, who is working on a book about how death is portrayed on television, said that nonstop coverage of the queens funeral was less costly for cable news networks and underscored their tendency to cover highly visual events. It was not clear whether the scaled-back political coverage also took a financial toll on Republican fundraising committees. Campaign finance reports for the period that includes the queens death are not yet available. Those supporting Republicans for the Senate and the House did not respond to requests for comment Friday. David Bergstein, a spokesperson for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, said in an interview Friday that small-dollar donations were critical for the party. Grassroots support for our campaigns is the strongest, most effective way we can counter the wave of GOP super PAC spending, he said. We need Americans who care about the future of our country to pick a race they care about, get involved and stay active in the final month. Sometimes the death of a famous person can have the opposite effect on fundraising. When Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, the second woman appointed to the Supreme Court, died in September 2020, Democrats received a surge in grassroots donations, Binns said. But this year, he said, the queens death has created a sense of urgency. We are running out of time, he said. 2022 The New York Times Company Venezuelan migrants gather on September 16, 2022 outside of St. Andrew's Parish House. Two planes of migrants from Venezuela arrived suddenly two days prior causing the local community to mobilize and create a makeshift shelter at the church. Carlin Stiehl/The Boston Globe via Getty Images Delaware is preparing for a surprise arrival of migrants on Tuesday. There is speculation that migrants could be sent to President Joe Biden's home state. Public officials are working to ensure any migrants who arrive will have support, a spokeswoman for the governor said. Delaware is preparing for the possibility of a surprise arrival of migrants in the town of Georgetown on Tuesday amid speculation that they soon could be flown to President Joe Biden's home state. The speculation follows Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott's decisions last week to send migrants to Martha's Vineyard, a well-to-do island where the Obamas have an estate, and Vice President Kamala Harris' home in Washington, DC, to protest the Biden administration's border policies. DeSantis would not confirm the reports about flights headed to Delaware when asked about it during a press conference in Brandenton, Florida, on Tuesday. Instead, he defended his actions regarding the Martha's Vineyard flights from last week and said that he had forced the issue of illegal immigration and border security into the "front burner" of the national conversation. Related video: 46 migrants found dead inside tractor trailer in San Antonio The Biden administration, DeSantis said, was "basically ignoring that the problem exists." "Those migrants were being treated horribly by Biden," he said. "They were hungry, homeless, they had no opportunity at all." Delaware officials are preparing for the migrants' arrival. Teams at the Delaware Emergency Management Agency and Delaware Department of Health and Social Services "are working with community organizations and other partners to make sure that migrants who arrive here have the support that they need," Delaware Gov. John Carney's spokesperson Emily David Hershman said in a statement. "We are coordinating with Federal officials and are prepared to welcome these families in an orderly manner as they pursue their asylum claims, she added. Story continues Last week, DeSantis, a Republican who is running for re-election and is considered a 2024 presidential contender, chartered two planes to transport about 50 undocumented migrants from San Antonio, Texas, to the Massachusetts island as part of Florida's "relocation program to transport illegal immigrants to sanctuary destinations." DeSantis' actions helped to shift the national conversation to immigration ahead of the 2022 midterm elections. Polling from NBC News shows voters favor Republicans on the issues of border security and immigration. But it's not clear whether DeSantis is allowed to use state funds to move people out of Texas. Reports have also revealed that migrants may have been mislead about the flights. A Texas sheriff announced on Monday that he is opening a criminal investigation into the transport of migrants to Martha's Vineyard, saying they were "lured" with "promises of a better life." DeSantis had suggested in November that he could send migrants to Biden's home state of Delaware. Newsweek reportered on Tuesday that the same aircraft that flew migrants to Martha's Vineyard is bound for Delaware Coastal Airport in Sussex County, Delaware, "though there is no evidence at this time that migrants will be on board." The News Journal of Wilmington reports that churches were on "high alert." "If this happens, we're gonna be as generous as we can be and do exactly what Jesus told us to do, which is love our neighbor as we love ourselves," St. Paul's Episcopal Church Pastor Elizabeth Kaeton told the newspaper. Last week, Republican Sen. Ted Cruz of Texas tweeted "Rehoboth Beach, Delaware next" and tagged Abbott and DeSantis. DeSantis spokesperson Taryn Fenske in a statement fired back at news of the investigation in Texas. "Immigrants have been more than willing to leave Bexar County after being abandoned, homeless, and 'left to fend for themselves.' Florida gave them an opportunity to seek greener pastures in a sanctuary jurisdiction that offered greater resources for them, as we expected," she said. "Unless the MA national guard has abandoned these individuals, they have been provided accommodations, sustenance, clothing and more options to succeed following their unfair enticement into the United States, unlike the 53 immigrants who died in a truck found abandoned in Bexar County this June." DeSantis has defended the state going into Texas to move people to another state. On Tuesday he said that 40% of people who enter the US through border states then head to Florida. But he would not confirm the Delaware flights when asked about them directly by a reporter. "I cannot confirm that," DeSantis said. "I can't." This story has been updated with comments from Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis. Read the original article on Business Insider By Daniel Trotta (Reuters) - A Georgia county has validated 15,000 to 20,000 registered voters whose status was challenged ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm election, officials said on Wednesday, leaving another 16,000 pending cases to resolve, according to the group leading the challenge. The voter challenge campaign in Gwinnett County, a suburb of Atlanta, is led by VoterGA, which backs Donald Trump's false claims that widespread fraud cost him the 2020 election. Supported by prominent allies of the former president, VoterGA has contested 37,000 voter registrations in the county of about 562,000 active voters. Similar challenges are taking place in counties across Georgia, which has tight races for governor and U.S. senator on the ballot, and the queries have overwhelmed Gwinnett's elections board. Voting rights advocates contend the campaign disproportionately targets areas with a higher African-American population. VoterGA disputes that, calling it a lie. Gwinnett County Elections Supervisor Zach Manifold told the county's election board on Wednesday that a review of the challenges found 15,000 to 20,000 were eliminated from further scrutiny because the process by which those voters had their ballots delivered to them was legitimate. Manifold said he had been informed just before the meeting that a further 6,275 challenges had been withdrawn by VoterGA. VoterGA co-founder Garland Favorito told Reuters those challenges were withdrawn after a previous review by Gwinnett County determined they were legitimate, leaving a total of around 16,000 pending cases. "I would be surprised if any more entries were removed (from the voter rolls) prior to the election," Favorito said. The effort follows Trump's false claims that widespread fraud allowed now-President Joe Biden to win the state and the country as a whole in 2020. Trump's claims have been rejected by multiple courts, state reviews and members of his former administration. Story continues This year's voter role challenges are being filed under Georgia's Election Integrity Act of 2021, or SB 202, which made it easier for citizens to question the eligibility of registered voters. VoterGA volunteers scoured public records to compile their claims, seeking to verify whether voters had improperly registered, moved away, had invalid addresses, or otherwise could not be accounted for. The group is backed by the American Project, which was founded by former Trump National Security Adviser Michael Flynn and former Overstock.com Inc Chief Executive Patrick Byrne. The American Project announced in August it would sponsor lawsuits related to claims about the 2020 election in Georgia, including several involving VoterGA and Favorito. Favorito said he did not vote for Trump and has never met Flynn or Byrne but welcomes their help. Voting rights advocates including the American Civil Liberties Union and All Voting is Local say that VoterGA is abusing the law, which they say was intended to enable citizens with personal knowledge of an irregularity to report it, such as when a neighbor moves away and is still registered to vote locally. The group is bringing "tens of thousands of what we would call baseless challenges that take up the resources of offices that really have better things to be doing at this time," said Vasu Abhiraman, senior policy counsel for the ACLU of Georgia. (Reporting by Daniel Trotta; Editing by Heather Timmons and Edmund Klamann) Smoke rises from Bakhmut, Donetsk region, amid the Russian invasion of Ukraine on September 15, 2022. Juan Barreto/AFP via Getty Images The boss of a Russian crime gang was serving a 23-year jail term when he requested to fight in Ukraine. He went to the frontline by the shadowy Wagner Group, who had been recruiting prisoners to fight. Igor Kusk died after being hit in the head by shrapnel while fighting in the Donbas region. A Russian crime boss who was serving a 23-year jail term before leaving prison to fight in Ukraine was killed in action, according to the Russian outlet Business Gazeta. Igor Kusk was the leader of a gang in Tatarstan and was found guilty of various crimes, including murders in 2015, and was imprisoned in a strict regime prison colony, according to reports. Kusk sent a letter from prison to the leader of Chechnya, Ramzan Kadyrov, asking to join the fight in Ukraine, his widow Irina told the outlet. A representative from the paramilitary Wagner Group came to get him, and she said he was sent to the front line on July 25. He died on September 6 fighting in the Bakhmut region in the Donbas from a shrapnel injury to the head, said the report. Irina said her husband was 55 and not in perfect health but was not afraid of anyone. Kusk had previously served in the Soviet-Afghan War, it was reported. Numerous photos of the Kusk's funeral in a village near Kazan, 500 miles east of Moscow, appear to show it was attended by hundreds of mourners, including local officials. Men in military uniform fired three volleys into the air from machine guns. The former crime lord was buried in the "walk of fame" of the city cemetery alongside other soldiers killed in Ukraine, and photos show his grave adorned with large bouquets, reported Business Gazeta. Businessman Yevgeny Prigozhin, head of the Wagner Group, shows Russian President Vladimir Putin his factory outside Saint Petersburg on September 20, 2010. ALEXEY DRUZHININ/SPUTNIK/AFP via Getty Images A video recently surfaced of Yevgeny Prigozhin, the head of the shadowy Wagner Group and a close Putin ally, recruiting men at a Russian prison to fight in Ukraine. Prigozhin promised them freedom if they served for six months but warned that they would be killed if they tried to desert. The video corroborated the previous reporting from The Daily Beast and The Wall Street Journal about the mercenary group's prisoner recruitment drive. Story continues Kusk's presence in Ukraine suggests that Wagner took recruits from prison as early as July. The Wagner group is variously described as a mercenary outfit, a private military contractor, and Putin's private army. It has close links to the Kremlin, and its soldiers have been linked to a massacre in Bucha, Ukraine, and accused of committing war crimes in Africa. The group, which has also seen action in the Syrian civil war, has been tied to Russian separatists in the pro-Russian Donbas region since 2014. Read the original article on Business Insider The rectangles outlined in red are the properties that Scannell Properties has purchased on the north side of Old Mill Road in Twinsburg. Siffrons building is to the left. TWINSBURG Old Mill Road resident Lynn Clark is seeking yet another writ of mandamus from the Ohio Supreme Court, this time in an attempt to get the Project Gumbo industrial development issue on the November 2023 ballot. On Sept. 20, Clark, through his attorney Warner Mendenhall, filed a verified petition for a writ, which this time names the Summit County Board of Elections as the respondent. On Sept. 21, the Supreme Court ordered the BOE to file an answer to the complaint no later than Sept. 23, with no extension of time permitted. In early September, the Supreme Court granted Clarks first writ ordering the city to submit petitions collected by a committee of four residents to the elections board to get a referendum regarding City Councils site plan approval on the Nov. 8 ballot. Project Gumbo is what residents and city officials are calling Scannell Properties plans to build two large warehouses on 33 acres of industrially-zoned land east of Darrow Road and north of Old Mill Road. Residents living along Old Mill Road and some from other parts of town have opposed the project, citing concerns about noise, heavy truck traffic, possible effects on water supplies and possible reduction in property values. Clarks first writ request came after the city did not send the signatures to the board of elections because it claimed Councils action was administrative and not legislative, and not subject to referendum. The board of elections confirmed that enough signatures were obtained on the petitions to allow the referendum to go on the ballot, but after a hearing earlier this month, sided with the city that Councils action was administrative and not subject to a decision by voters. From the outset the citys legal position has been simple: the Project Gumbo site plan approval was not an action subject to referendum vote of the people, said Twinsburg law director Matt Vazzana. Not surprisingly, the board of elections agreed with that position, and the city is confident the Ohio Supreme Court will uphold the [boars's] decision. Story continues While it is never pleasant to defend a lawsuit filed by a citys own resident, the city chose to defend the rights of all of its community members to use property in a lawful way without fear their neighbors would file misguided referendum petitions against them. As for the status of Project Gumbo, Vazzana said the plans are moving forward, and Clarks latest filing against the board of elections does not stop it. At the elections board hearing, the citys outside attorney Irving Sugerman and Vazzana argued that Councils action was not legislative since it did not enact a law, and Council has the authority under codified ordinance to OK a site plan that differs from the planning commissions recommendation. Mendenhall argued since Council modified the site plan, its action was legislative and did not follow procedures outlined in a zoning code section. Clarks latest filing claims Council had two options to act on the planning panels recommendation either approve the original site plan by a simple majority or deny it via a super majority (at least five votes against). The filing claims Council chose neither option, but instead used its legislative power to create a third option not provided for in Section 1181.09 of the citys codified ordinances to condition or modify approval of the site plan by a supermajority. Councils resolution effectively amended Section 1181.09 by giving it administrative authority it did not have, Clarks latest request for a writ states. As per a past case ruled on by the Ohio Supreme Court, Clarks filing claims an administrative act must involve a law in existence, but Councils action created a new law, thus making it a legislative act subject to referendum. In addition, Clarks filing claims the citys charter gives residents the power to approve or reject at the polls any ordinance of other measure enacted by Council by referendum petition submitted to the clerk of Council in accordance with the provisions of the Constitution or laws of Ohio now or hereafter in effect. Thus, Twinsburgs charter reserves to its electors the power to approve or reject via referendum any Council action whether legislative or administrative. The filing says that given the proximity of the Nov. 8 election, Clark requests the issue appear on the Nov. 7, 2023 ballot, and that he be awarded costs and attorney fees and such other relief at law or in equity as the court may deem necessary. As for an administrative appeal regarding Project Gumbo, which Clark filed in July in Summit County Common Pleas Court, the city has requested an extension of time to file its administrative record. The request means the city will have until Sept. 30 to file its record. The reason cited by Sugerman and his colleague Matthew Vansuch for the extension is that they were not involved in the proceedings that lead to the appeal and were later retained to represent the city. The purpose is not to delay these proceedings, but to allow the [two attorneys] sufficient time to work with the city to properly prepare the record, wrote the attorneys from the Brouse McDowell law firm in their motion. The administrative appeal has been assigned to Judge Susan Baker Ross. Contact the newspaper at twinsburgbulletin@recordpubcom. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Supreme Court asked to decide Project Gumbo ballot fate Then-President Donald Trump speaks during a meeting with Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis at the White House on April 28, 2020. AP Photo/Evan Vucci Trump has informed some political donors to stop boosting Ron DeSantis, per The Washington Post. During his calls with donors, the ex-president said that DeSantis could be a potential 2024 rival. Trump's endorsement of DeSantis' 2018 gubernatorial bid was a key moment in the governor's political rise. Former President Donald Trump has asked several of his donors to refrain from boosting Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis who has emerged as one of the former president's most formidable potential rivals in a GOP presidential primary matchup according to The Washington Post. Trump was instrumental in shaping DeSantis' political rise in the Sunshine State, endorsing the little-known congressman in the 2018 gubernatorial primary over a more established rival, then-Agriculture Commissioner Adam Putnam. With the MAGA movement behind DeSantis, he became unstoppable in the GOP primary that year, romping to an easy win over Putnam and narrowly winning the general election over Andrew Gillum, the onetime Democratic star. But the former president, who established Florida as the center of his political operations after leaving the White House last year, now finds himself having to coexist with a longtime political ally who has the potential to eclipse him in the minds of many Republicans who may not be keen on a third Trump presidential campaign. DeSantis is currently in the midst of a reelection campaign against Democratic gubernatorial nominee Charlie Crist, while also stumping for Republican candidates across the country a sign of his growing influence within the party. And Trump has noticed how much DeSantis has become a political draw on his own, according to The Post. Per the newspaper's report, the former president has tracked appearances made by DeSantis, while also monitoring the governor's poll numbers. Trump has also taken the step of informing several donors who have also contributed to DeSantis to cease their support of the governor, telling them that the Florida Republican could be a potential 2024 rival, according to an individual tied to the donor world who spoke with The Post. Story continues DeSantis has received financial support from the billionaire Citadel founder Ken Griffin, who has said publicly that he would not back a Trump presidential campaign in 2024 and called the former president's White House tenure "pointlessly divisive." Despite the behind-the-scenes transitions, Trump and DeSantis remain in similar social circles and even ran into each other at a wedding at the former president's Mar-a-Lago resort, per the report. Insider reached out to representatives of Trump and DeSantis for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider Santa Rita Jail (Photo by Salwan Georges/The Washington Post via Getty Images) A Wyoming man died 19 days into his jail sentence, according to a local news report. Leading up to his death, Alvis Shrewsbury told his family members of broken ribs and showed up to video calls with black eyes. He was the fifth person to have died while incarcerated at Southern Regional Jail in Raleigh County in a year. A Wyoming man died after spending 19 days in jail, according to a report from CBS affiliate WBTV. Alvis Shrewsbury turned himself in on August 29 after being charged with his second DUI, WBTV reported. While in jail, Shrewsbury called his family members daily. But as the days went on, his appearance on video calls began to worry his family members more and more. Family members noticed that Shrewsbury had suddenly begun to keep his head down on video calls, avoiding eye contact. "After we were talking to him on the 10th (of September), he'd already been beaten. His face was black," his daughter Miranda Smith said, according to WBTV. Speaking with his mother over a call, he passed on a dismal message, she said, per WBTV. "He said, 'Mom if I don't come home, I love you. I want you to know I love you," mother Anna Shrewsbury said. Over the days in jail, Shrewsbury told his family about the conditions in the facility. "He was telling us about his ribs being broken. It was hard to breathe. He hadn't had a bowel movement in over a week and nothing was being done about it. He was calling the nurse's station for help," Smith said. Then last weekend, a Wyoming County Sheriff's deputy visited his mother and told her Shrewsbury had died after jail staff transported him to a regional hospital. "I told my babies he would be fine," Smith said. "There's a million people out there that I don't know. But they belong to someone. My dad was someone," Smith added, per WBTV. Shrewsbury was the fifth person who died in the last year who was imprisoned in the Southern Regional Jail in Raleigh County, the Register-Herald reported. Four other people have died while incarcerated at the jail since September 2021. Jail staff found Kyle Robinson unresponsive in his cell in September 2021. Then a month later, John Lewis Jarrell died after staying in jail for a week, the Register-Herald reported. Story continues In March, Quantez Burks died less than two days after having entered the jail. That month, Richard Wriston died a day after entering the hospital. Shrewsbury's body is in the custody of the West Virginia Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, WBTV reported. The family plans to conduct an independent autopsy of his body. In response to Insider's request for comment, a spokesperson for the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security said his death "is under investigation so we don't make comments about any death that's under investigation." "It's protocol for any death whether it's intentional or accidental any type of death is then referred to a law enforcement agency who then investigates," said Morgan Switzer, deputy general counsel of the West Virginia Department of Homeland Security. Read the original article on Insider About 100 protesters gathered at the Arizona state Capitol on Saturday evening and protested the near-total abortion ban that a Pima County judge sided with a day earlier. The ban stems from a law, known as ARS 13-3603, that was adopted in 1864, before Arizona became a state. It mandates two to five years of prison time for anyone who provides abortion in almost every instance including rape or incest, with an exception to save the life of the mother. People arrived by 6 p.m. to the State Capitol to protest the ruling, citing Gov. Doug Ducey's support for a 15-week abortion ban. "We're extremely surprised and shocked. Essentially, after Roe v. Wade was overturned the Arizona courts needed to find out if that old law was still enforceable," activist Elsa Landeros said. "And some of the activists and the nonprofits that were following the case closely, agree that this is just the absolute worst possible outcome that could have happened." The protest also featured speeches from pro-choice politicians including state Senator Christine Marsh and U.S. House candidate Javier Ramos. Marsh decried the ruling as creating a new reality of "government-mandated pregnancy," while Ramos proclaimed that his top goal if elected, would be to codify Roe v. Wade through federal law. Thomas Duggar, a candidate for state Senate, also condemned the ruling and spoke with protesters about potential options for Senate Democrats. While he admitted that Democrats wouldn't be able to overturn an abortion ban unless they took control of all three branches of government after the midterms, he vowed to take alternative action if they don't. "What I can do is I can work with Republicans on those things. Let's improve sex education. Help these babies come to term. Help the mothers, give them funding, give them paid leave. You know, I mean, just think about it. That's what I can do. And I can convince them by guilting the heck out of them, right? I mean, put your money where your mouth is," Duggar said. Story continues Many of the protesters said that they believed the ruling will encourage more people, especially women, to vote for pro-choice Democrats in the midterm elections. "Totally is a game changer. Totally," protester Beth Ballman said. "There are so many women who are fired about this." Landeros, an organizer with Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom and one of the primary organizers of the rally, said that though the pre-statehood law includes an exception to save the life of the patient, it is effectively a total ban. Abortion providers have shared with us that this is a total ban, because most OB-GYNs do not perform abortions, she said. Even in a situation where the patients life is at risk, they wont be able to be transported to an abortion provider in time to save their life, she said. The effects of this ban are far more overreaching more than just about family planning, even though the privacy of family planning should be enough, Landeros said. But the implications of this is that people will die. 'People in Arizona have just lost bodily autonomy': Abortion providers enraged by ruling When speakers began at 5:45 p.m., the emphasis was on getting people out to vote in the November 8 election especially for attorney general candidate Kristin Mayes, gubernatorial candidate Katie Hobbs, and Maricopa County attorney candidate Julie Gunnigle. Celina Washburn, an organizer with Arizonans for Reproductive Freedom, said that there are plans in the works for another constitutional amendment ballot initiative for 2024. She encouraged voters to vote no this November for three propositions Prop 128, 129, and 132 which she said would create barriers for us to qualify and pass initiatives. Candidates for various offices across the state spoke to the crowd. Arizona state Sen. Christine Marsh, who represents Legislative District 28, said that she used to be anti-abortion until she became a foster mother. I ended up with an 11-year-old who had been raped and got pregnant, she said. At that moment, my entire mentality flipped. And we are in a reality now where those young girls are absolutely unprotected. Javier Garcia Ramos said he is the only pro-choice candidate for U.S. House District 5, where he is running against Republican incumbent Andy Biggs. A woman named Brianna, who chose not to share her last name, addressed the crowd and shared her experience with an abortion that saved her life. Three years ago, she had an unplanned, ectopic pregnancy, she said. It was definitely not planned to have to make a choice, but Im damn grateful that I got one, she said. But she said that yesterdays ruling puts her ability to be a mother at risk. Im at a 50% risk to have it happen again, she said. God forbid, my birth control fails, and I end up in that OR again, this time I dont get a choice. My kids dont get a mother anymore. I guarantee that no pro-lifer is gonna pull my kids out of foster care to care for them. Jasmine Held-Hernandez, a demonstrator at the rally, said that the rally participants were not necessarily the ones who would be affected the most by the ruling. Myself, and Im sure many of the people that are here, are privileged enough where we can travel, Held-Hernandez said. I think this mainly affects minority communities, people of color, lower socioeconomic communities, who dont know their options, who cant afford to get an abortion. This is about keeping poor people poor, and thats why Im speaking out. Cari King, an organizer with an activist group called Socialist Femmes Trans Inclusive United (STFU) that formed after Roe v. Wade was overturned, expressed surprise at yesterdays ruling and disappointment with the rallys turnout. I didnt think it was gonna go that far, she said. I just hope people keep talking about it. Even though the group was small today, it was a little disheartening, so I just hope people dont forget or give up. Reach the reporter Jeremy Yurow at Jyurow@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Protesters decry abortion ban at the Arizona state Capitol Folks, have you, like me, asked the question for most of your life, How could the German people allow such a despicable despot to rise to the position of absolute power in 1930s Germany? Well, Look no further than this November and then again in November of 2024. If the good in this country doesnt wake up to the obvious call before them, then I fear in 80 to 90 years, people somewhere in the world will ask the question, How could the American people allow such a despicable despot to rise to the position of absolute power in 2020s America? Vote for the life of this country. In doing so, youll be voting for your own life. Jovanmandic / iStock.com New York residents enrolled in the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program will receive a supplemental allotment in September totaling about $234 million in federal funding, Gov. Kathy Hochul said last week. SNAP Benefits: Can You Use EBT Card/Food Stamps To Purchase Hot Food? More: This Credit Score Mistake Could Be Costing Millions of Americans In a Sept. 13 announcement on her website, Hochul said the emergency assistance supplement will be provided to all New York households who receive SNAP benefits. These include households that ordinarily receive the maximum allowable benefit per month. Households already near or at the maximum benefit level $835 for a household of four will receive a supplemental payment of at least $95. SNAP, formerly knowns as food stamps, is a federal program that provides food assistance to low-income families. Too many hardworking New Yorkers continue to feel the effects of the pandemic struggling to make ends meet and put food on the table, Hochul said in a statement. My administration will continue taking action to support our most vulnerable communities, and the $234 million in SNAP benefits announced today will provide the necessary funding to ensure hundreds of thousands of New York households avoid food insecurity. SNAP households in every county outside of New York City should see the extra benefits post through Monday, Sept. 26. SNAP households in the five-county New York City region should see their benefits post between Friday, Sept. 16, and Thursday, Sept. 29. The New York State Office of Temporary and Disability Assistance began issuing the emergency supplemental benefits in April 2020 to SNAP households receiving less than the maximum monthly benefit amount. When the states emergency declaration expired in June 2021, OTDA worked with the U.S. government to secure the maximum allotment for all SNAP households until the expiration of the federal declaration of a public health emergency. That declaration was extended until October 2022, enabling OTDA to continue issuing these benefits through November. Story continues Take Our Poll: Do You Think You Will Be Able To Retire at Age 65? As Hochul noted, New Yorkers continued to rely heavily on SNAP benefits over the summer. More than 1.6 million households throughout the state enrolled in the program in July. While that figure was little changed from the previous month, it was up 3% from July 2021. These supplemental payments have increased SNAP recipients purchasing power at a time when struggling families are confronting higher prices at the grocery store, OTDA Commissioner Daniel W. Tietz said in a statement. This assistance is helping spur New Yorks continuing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic by helping New Yorkers put healthy food on the table. New York residents interested in enrolling can check their SNAP eligibility, as well as apply online, by visiting mybenefits.ny.gov. More From GOBankingRates This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: Food Stamps: New York Governor Announces $234 Million in Additional Food Assistance for September Biyi Bandele speaks during the production MTV Shuga episode 4 Television series in Lagos on April 13, 2015 Nigerian writer Molara Wood pays tribute to author and filmmaker Biyi Bandele, whose film premiered in Canada weeks after his death. Bandele's final film is an adaptation of Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka's play, Death and the King's Horseman. It explores real-life events in the 1940s Oyo Kingdom in West Africa, in which the king's horseman was required by tradition to die by ritual suicide and follow the Alaafin (ruler of Oyo) into the afterlife. Bandele, in a tragic twist, did not live to see the release of perhaps his most triumphant film, which premiered at the Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) in September, a month after the director's death at the age of just 54. He was buried in Nigeria's main city, Lagos, on Friday. Bandele's daughter, Temi, was in the Canadian city for the bittersweet showcase of the film, described by Variety magazine as "a passion project" for the director. Paying tribute on Twitter, TIFF's chief executive officer Cameron Bailey said: "Biyi Bandele was doing something so rare in world cinema: large-scale adaptations of African literature meant for the whole world." An artist of many parts, Bandele, who lived in London, was a significant figure in the UK literary scene, and was also known for his achievements of the past decade in the Nigerian movie industry. For several decades, he blazed his own path in a career marked by artistic virtuosity and reinvention. "I am first and foremost a writer," said Bandele, a prodigious talent who made his mark as a playwright, novelist, screenwriter, photographer and director. His death in Lagos, Nigeria, on 7 August came not long after Netflix released the original limited series, Blood Sisters, which he co-directed, while he also had a new novel in the works. News of his passing came in a Facebook post signed by his daughter, Temi, who described the death as "unexpected," and praised her father as "a storyteller to his bones, with an unblinking perspective, singular voice and wisdom, which spoke boldly through all of his art". Story continues The news sent shockwaves through the African writing community, and among the literati in London. Bandele arrived in London in 1990 as winner of the International Student Playscript Competition. He was 22, until then a student of Obafemi Awolowo University in Ile-Ife, Nigeria. Among 100 African writers who paid tribute in the online journal Brittle Paper was Nigerian author Richard Ali, who lauded Bandele's best-known book, Burma Boy, as "one of the finest novels about WW2 that shows the peculiar experience of [African] soldiers". In a post on Instagram, Booker Prize winner Bernardine Evaristo wrote: "He was very much part of our arts community here in the UK and Nigeria. I always had huge respect for his prolific, super-talented and fearless creativity." Bandele's agent Jessica Craig recalled her early encounter with Burma Boy: "I was fascinated by the historical importance and authenticity, having never before known about Nigerian soldiers fighting in WWII for the British army." She wondered why the book "is not cherished as a classic of British and African literature". Based on the war experience of Bandele's father, the novel was the first to explore the role of African soldiers in the Burma Campaign, which saw Allied forces defeat Japanese troops. A worthy successor of the great Nigerian playwrights, including Soyinka and Femi Osofisan, Bandele was a precocious forerunner to the country's current literary stars. He was a bridge between generations of Nigerian writing, literary genres and art forms, as well as African and Black British writing. " Bandele had an imaginative childhood, spent listening to his mother's stories of gods and spirits - fantastical elements that would later infuse his work" ", Source: Molara Wood, Source description: Nigerian writer, Image: Molara Wood As fascinating as any character he ever created, the author was born Biyi Bandele-Thomas in 1967 in Nigeria's Kaduna state - in Kafanchan - a railway town that sounds like something from a fable. "I left when I was about 15, but it's defined every single aspect of my life," he said of his birthplace. It was an imaginative childhood, spent listening to his mother's stories of gods and spirits - fantastical elements that would later infuse his work. Visiting the local library with his father, he was drawn to a book about bicycles - the most common mode of transport in Kafanchan at the time. The young Bandele became an avid reader, deciding by the age of seven that he wanted to tell stories. He had his first short story published in a regional newspaper at the age of 12. He had written the first draft of what became his debut novel - The Man Who Came in From the Back of Beyond - by the time he was 14. The manuscript came with him to Britain after he won the playscript competition for Rain. He published two more novels by the end of the 1990s, and styled his name, simply, as Biyi Bandele. He wrote about a dozen plays, including Brixton Stories, Oronooko, and Marching for Fausa. Over the span of a decade, he worked with the Royal Shakespeare Company, the Talawa Theatre Company, and the Bush Theatre. His stage adaptation of Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart opened at the Royal Court Theatre in June 1997. Danny Boyle directed Bandele's first screenplay - Not Even God Is Wise Enough - about a day in the life of a Nigerian living in London. His 1999 novel, The Street, is set in Brixton in south London, where he lived. He was a perceptive chronicler of the Black experience in Britain. Bandele made a film out of fellow Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's famous novel With Boyle's encouragement, Bandele went into filmmaking, adapting and directing Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie's Half of a Yellow Sun, starring Thandiwe Newton, Chiwetel Ejiofor and Anika Noni Rose. Beset with difficulties, the film nonetheless came together, shot on location in Nigeria, thanks to the doggedness of its director. The new Soyinka adaptation is remarkable for Bandele's bold decision to return to the original Yoruba of the historical episode depicted. It is the first Yoruba language feature programmed at TIFF. A notable feature of Bandele's Kafanchan childhood was a bar owned by his family, where he observed colourful, marginal characters up close, including sex workers and pickpockets. "The most important thing that taught me was never to generalise about people, so that if you find prostitutes in my work, or you find thieves, they are first of all human before they are a type," he told the BBC in 1998. Central to his work was the desire "to have ordinary people reinvent their lives". Little wonder his photographs of ordinary people on Lagos Island have won plaudits for their warmth and the dignifying eye of his camera. Bandele's unpublished novel, Yoruba Boy Running, based on the life of the first African Anglican bishop of West Africa, Samuel Ajayi Crowther, was picked up by publisher Hamish Hamilton before the author's death. The novel, along with his larger body of works, should be a fitting epitaph for the uniquely gifted talent that was Biyi Bandele. Sep. 25Opened Wednesday at Hills Plaza in Ironton Ohio Valley Bank celebrated the opening of a full-service bank branch in Ironton on Wednesday. The new location is in the Ironton Hills Plaza and will be the bank's 17th location. The new office is now open and already accepting new clients. The entire community was invited to help mark the milestone during an official ribbon-cutting ceremony today at the OVB Ironton Office. As is Ohio Valley Bank tradition, the ribbon used for the Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony was made of U.S. bills strung end to end. After the ceremony, the money ribbon is donated to a local organization that can use the funds to make a positive impact within the community. The OVB community bankers have chosen the Ironton Lion's Club to be the recipient of their money ribbon. Terri Taylor manages the OVB Ironton Office and is backed by financial professionals including Anita Good, branch operations manager; Jodi Rowe-Collins, business development; and Yvonne Riedel, account services representative. The bank lobby is open from 9 a.m.-5 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 9 a.m.-6 p.m. on Friday. Night deposit drop-off is available. A drive-thru ATM will be coming soon. Ohio Valley Bank was established in 1872. OVB is an FDIC-insured community bank based in Gallipolis, and is a state member bank of the Federal Reserve. More information can be found at Ohio Valley Bank's website at www.ovbc.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/OhioValleyBank. By Tom Balmforth KYIV (Reuters) - The United States warned on Sunday of "catastrophic consequences" if Moscow uses nuclear weapons in Ukraine, after Russia's foreign minister said regions holding widely criticised referendums would get full protection if annexed by Moscow. Votes were staged for a third day in four eastern Ukrainian regions, aimed at annexing territory Russia has taken by force. The Russian parliament could move to formalise the annexation within days. By incorporating the areas of Luhansk, Donetsk, Kherson and Zaporizhzhia into Russia, Moscow could portray efforts to retake them as attacks on Russia itself, a warning to Kyiv and its Western allies. U.S. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan said the United States would respond to any Russian use of nuclear weapons against Ukraine and had spelled out to Moscow the "catastrophic consequences" it would face. "If Russia crosses this line, there will be catastrophic consequences for Russia," Sullivan told NBC's "Meet the Press" television program. "The United States will respond decisively." The latest U.S. warning followed a thinly veiled nuclear threat made on Wednesday by President Vladimir Putin, who said Russia would use any weapons to defend its territory. Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov made the point more directly at a news conference on Saturday after a speech to the U.N. General Assembly in New York in which he repeated Moscow's false claims to justify the invasion that the elected government in Kyiv was illegitimately installed and filled with neo-Nazis. Asked if Russia would have grounds for using nuclear weapons to defend annexed regions, Lavrov said Russian territory, including territory "further enshrined" in Russia's constitution in the future, was under the "full protection of the state". British Prime Minister Liz Truss said Britain and its allies should not heed threats from Putin, who had made what she called a strategic mistake as he had not anticipated the strength of reaction from the West. Story continues "We should not be listening to his sabre-rattling and his bogus threats," Truss told CNN in an interview broadcast on Sunday. "Instead, what we need to do is continue to put sanctions on Russia and continue to support the Ukrainians." 'BOGUS THREATS' Ukraine and its allies have dismissed the referendums as a sham designed to justify an escalation of the war and a mobilisation drive by Moscow after recent battlefield losses. Russian news agencies quoted unidentified sources as saying the Russian parliament could debate bills to incorporate the new territories as soon as Thursday. State-run RIA Novosti said Putin could address parliament on Friday. Russia says the referendums, hastily organised after Ukraine recaptured territory in a counteroffensive this month, enable people in those regions to express their view. Luhansk's regional governor said Russian-backed officials were going door to door with ballot boxes and if residents failed to vote correctly their names were taken down. "A woman walks down the street with what looks like a karaoke microphone telling everyone to take part in the referendum," Luhansk governor Serhiy Gaidai said in an interview posted online. "Representatives of the occupation forces are going from apartment to apartment with ballot boxes. This is a secret ballot, right?" The territory controlled by Russian forces in the four regions represents about 15% of Ukraine, of roughly the size of Portugal. It would add to Crimea, an area nearly the size of Belgium that Russia claims to have annexed in 2014. Ukrainian forces still control some territory in each region, including about 40% of Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia's provincial capital. Heavy fighting continued along the entire front, especially in northern Donetsk and in Kherson. President Volodymyr Zelenskiy, who insists that Ukraine will regain all its territory, said on Sunday some of the clashes had yielded "positive results" for Kyiv. "This is the Donetsk region, this is our Kharkiv region. This is the Kherson region, and also the Mykolaiv and Zaporizhzhia regions," he said in nightly video remarks. In a statement on Facebook, the general staff of the Ukrainian armed forces said Russia had launched four missile and seven air strikes and 24 instances of shelling on targets in Ukraine in the past 24 hours, hitting dozens of towns, including some in and around the Donetsk and Kherson regions. Reuters could not independently verify the accounts. PROTESTS IN RUSSIA OVER DRAFT On Wednesday, Putin ordered Russia's first military mobilization since World War Two. The move triggered protests across Russia and sent many men of military age fleeing. Two of Russia's most senior lawmakers tackled on Sunday a string of mobilisation complaints, ordering regional officials to swiftly solve "excesses" stoking public anger. More than 2,000 people have been detained across Russia for draft protests, says independent monitoring group OVD-Info. In Russia, where criticism of the conflict is banned, the demonstrations are among the first signs of discontent since the war began. In the Muslim-majority southern Russian region of Dagestan, police clashed with protesters, with at least 100 people detained. Zelenskiy acknowledged the protests in his video address. "Keep on fighting so that your children will not be sent to their deaths - all those that can be drafted by this criminal Russian mobilisation," he said. "Because if you come to take away the lives of our children - and I am saying this as a father - we will not let you get away alive." (Reporting by Reuters bureaus; Writing by Patricia Zengerle and Michael Perry; Editing by Alistair Bell and Clarence Fernandez) (Getty Images) Scotland manager Steve Clarke praised his side for showing the patience and composure to overturn a half-time deficit and defeat Republic of Ireland 2-1. The Scots playing their second game in 72 hours trailed at the break to John Egans opener at a packed-out Hampden. But Jack Hendrys second-half header and a late Ryan Christie penalty following Alan Brownes handball were enough to secure a crucial victory for Clarkes side as they moved back above Ukraine at the top of Nations League Group B1 ahead of Tuesdays showdown between the two nations in Krakow. It was as tough a game as we expected, you could see Ireland had a clear week to prepare for the game, said Clarke. It took us a bit of time to get a foothold and by that time we had conceded from a set-piece which plays into Irelands strengths as they have good pace up front and are a good counter-attacking team. Towards the end of the first half we had better control of the game. I said to the boys at half-time just to stay patient and keep working the ball into good areas. I knew eventually the game would come back to us. At half-time it was about having a little reset just to calm the boys down. You dont want to get them too frantic and starting to put the ball into the box from deep areas. (PA Wire) Eventually we go to 1-1 and the penalty was right. If you jump for the ball like that with your hands in front and it stops the ball going goalwards, its a penalty. A point against Ukraine will earn the Scots top spot in the section and promotion to Group A. At this moment in time Im just thinking about what my issues (in terms of injuries) are going into the game on Tuesday, rather than thinking about the consequences, he said. We know we have to get a point. We know we have to go to a difficult place. We know we have to play very well. If we do that then we get first place in the group. Then we can talk about the rewards of being first. Clarke lost both full-backs Kieran Tierney and Aaron Hickey to injury during the match but insisted they were both taken off for precautionary reasons. Tierney was replaced under doctors orders after suffering a head knock while Hickey had a tight hamstring. Story continues Midfielder Scott McTominay is suspended for Tuesdays match in Krakow after picking up a second Nations League booking. We know we have to get a point. We know we have to go to a difficult place. We know we have to play very well. Steve Clarke on Ukraine showdown Its disappointing, for something that happened so late in the game, but we have plenty of cover, many midfield players, said Clarke. If it has to be Ryan Jack or Kenny McLean we have good bodies to go into the midfield. Ireland now go into their final game at home to Armenia knowing they can finish no higher than third in the four-team section. Manager Stephen Kenny rued the way his side relinquished control at Hampden. It was a tough game to lose because in the first half we showed real maturity, he said. I felt we had a high degree of control. We were comfortable in possession and didnt really concede any chances in the first half. It was just disappointing to concede five minutes into the second half because we had started the second half well. The crowd really got up after that and they went into the ascendancy. I thought we responded well and created some really good chances but we just couldnt quite capitalise on them. The penalty was contentious, it was very harsh. Tropical Storm Ian bided its time Sunday as it steamed toward western Cuba and the virgin waters of the Gulf of Mexico with nothing to limit a volatile strengthening through mid-week. Untouched by a tropical cyclone this season, Gulf waters remain deeply warm and nourishing for a storm expected to reach Category 4 muscle before weakening some ahead of an early Friday landfall anywhere from Pensacola to Port Charlotte. Sunday evening, a tropical storm watch was issued for the lower Florida Keys. National Hurricane Center meteorologists emphasized significant uncertainty in Ians 5-day track with the American, or GFS, model taking it on a more westerly route into the Panhandle and the European model aiming it more east toward Florida's west coast. As of the 5 p.m. advisory Sunday from the hurricane center, Ian was a 45-mph tropical storm 495 miles southeast of the western tip of Cuba. It was moving west-northwest at 12 mph. More: How early is too early to start preparing for hurricane season in Florida? More: Hurricane preparation: What supplies do you need for a storm? Here's a list More: Hurricane season in Florida: Watches and warnings. Why you should know the difference It was forecast to reach hurricane strength Sunday night or Monday after stumbling around Sunday, possibly ingesting torrid air. But it is still expected to rapidly intensify with winds increasing by 55 mph between Monday morning and Tuesday when it reaches Cuba's coast as a 120 mph storm. Emergency management officials noted that although Ian may deflate to a Category 1 if it steers toward the Panhandle, the storm surge along the shallow shores of the Gulf Coast could still be that of a major hurricane. A track that takes Ian into Florida's fringy west coast could have it missing storm-dampening dry air gushing in with a dip in the jet stream, meaning wind speeds may not weaken as much as if it heads toward the Panhandle. Story continues Also, areas on Ians periphery, including Palm Beach County, may experience rain squalls, tornadoes and possible coastal flooding. Palm Beach County is expected to be on Ians chaotic right side, a similar position to where it was during 2017s Hurricane Irma when 12 tornado warnings were issued. Right now in southeast Florida, you will miss out on the worst of the storm, said AccuWeather senior meteorologist Dan Pydynowski. But certainly, there could be some impacts. Most likely arrival time of winds as of 11 a.m. Sept. 25, 2022. About 30% of the time, the storm travels outside the forecast cone, and effects can be felt far afield of the storm's center. Gusty winds to tropical storm force are possible beginning Tuesday afternoon in Palm Beach County, cautioned meteorologists with the National Weather Service in Miami. In the Panhandle town of Mexico Beach, which was decimated by Hurricane Michaels storm surge in 2018, Shell Shack owner Theresa Hunter was taking Ian in stride on Sunday. I dont have any concerns right now and we havent done any preparations yet, said Hunter, whose family has owned the novelty and seafood store since 1965. Ive lived here my whole life, and in my 56 years, Ive only evacuated four times. During Category 5 Michael, Hunter was staying with family in Wewahitchka, about 18 miles inland. It took two years to reopen her store after storm surge crushed most of the town. We are watching (Ian), Hunter said. Its just something you have to deal with. More: 'It's not over yet': Florida vulnerable to hurricanes in October; where to watch as month begins More: Devastating Michael could signal death of a beach town More: Your guide to the 2022 hurricane season in Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis on Saturday expanded a "state of emergency" to all 67 Florida counties in preparation for Ian. During a press conference Sunday, Florida Division of Emergency Management Director Kevin Guthrie said he has already requested help from urban search and rescue teams from other states and that FEMA medical transport units are on their way to Orlando. About 2,500 Florida National Guardsmen have also been activated. Guthrie asked residents to determine if they live in an evacuation zone and avoid evacuating if they dont. Florida evacuates based on storm surge heights, not wind speeds. Evacuations zones statewide can be found at www.floridadisaster.org/knowyourzone. In Hurricane Irma we over-evacuated residents by nearly 2 million people, said Guthrie, who also warned people should prepare to lose electricity and anticipate disruptions at gas stations. You may lose power for multiple days. The National Weather Service asked some of its 120 forecast offices nationwide to launch extra balloons to get a better assessment of the atmosphere ahead of Ian, and NOAA's high-altitude Gulfstream jet began flights Saturday. Fun fact: @NHC_Atlantic has asked many offices to do 4 balloon launches daily (instead of the usual 2) over the next several days to help better forecast Tropical Storm Ian. This includes us & many of our neighboring offices out here in the PNW! #wawx pic.twitter.com/11JAUxlLtW NWS Seattle (@NWSSeattle) September 24, 2022 Florida Power & Light activated its emergency response plan Sunday, sending out workers ahead of the storm so they could respond quickly to power failures. "FPL operates tens of thousands of miles of overhead power lines surrounded by millions of trees," said FPL Chairman and CEO Eric Silagy. "Storms like this are natures way of clearing debris, and it is likely that vegetation and other debris will cause outages and restoration challenges." Kathy Helmus, who lives on the beach in Indian Shores, south of Clearwater, said on Sunday she is watching Ian but not overly worried. Her home is raised 17 feet and was built in 2015 to withstand 220-mph winds. Helmus said shell bring in outdoor furniture and evacuate if there is a storm surge threat to protect her cars. Thankfully in Pinellas County we have missed a lot of the bad impacts from hurricanes, Helmus said. Weve done everything we can to protect ourselves and we just go one day at a time. Ian is forecast to be a 120-mph Category 3 hurricane when it reaches Cubas far western coast. By Tuesday morning, it is expected to reach 130-mph sustained winds north of the island, making it a Category 4 hurricane. It is expected to maintain Cat 4 strength into Wednesday, but then dip to a 110-mph Category 2 hurricane Thursday as it begins to gulp dry air from the dip in the jet stream and upper-level wind shear tears at its circulations. The unresolved question is whether the system hangs a right and comes ashore (along the west coast of Florida) as a powerful storm before the environmental regime changes, said meteorologist Bryan Norcross in his Hurricane Intel blog. Does the weakening occur over the ocean or over the Florida peninsula? That's unknown. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Ian expected to be major hurricane then weaken before landfall After Donald Trump suggested last week that as president you can declassify just by saying it's declassified, even by thinking about it, Republican Wyoming Senator John Barrasso disagreed -- but only after George Stephanopoulos pressed him on the issue twice on ABCs This Week. During an interview on Sunday, Barrasso was asked by Stephanopoulos about Trump's handling of classified material, which is under federal investigation as Trump denies wrongdoing. Trump claimed to Fox News' Sean Hannity last week that while "different people see different things," his view of this authority was absolute: "If youre the president of the United States, you can declassify just by saying it's declassified. Even by thinking about it." Stephanopoulos asked if Barrasso agreed. The senator said that he had not heard about such an assertion and pivoted to criticizing the Department of Justice's court-authorized search of Mar-a-Lago. Barrasso said that he had "never seen anything like that before," referring to the FBI "raid" Trump's home, and that it had "become political." Stephanopoulos pushed back: "You know that a president can't declassify documents by thinking about it. Why can't you say so?" MORE: Despite Trump's claims, experts say there's no 'magic wand' for a president to declassify documents The senator, who also said that he isn't versed in the rules of presidential declassification and wants to get a briefing from the DOJ on the investigation, then agreed with Stephanopoulos. He said, "I don't think a president can declassify documents by saying so, by thinking about it." That view lines up with what outside experts have told ABC News: The president must document his declassification process somewhere, whatever his process was. Barrasso spent much of his "This Week" appearance pushing back on President Joe Biden's foreign policy, including addressing the potential revival of the 2015 nuclear deal between the U.S. and Iran. Stephanopoulos opened up the interview by having Barrasso respond to Jake Sullivan, Biden's national security adviser. Sullivan was also interviewed on "This Week" on Sunday and said nuclear negotiations -- so Iran never has a weapon "they can threaten the world with" -- could be effective at the same time the White House was putting public pressure on the country over its treatment of women and protesters. Story continues PHOTO: Sen. John Barrasso speaks to media during the weekly Senate Republican Leadership press conference, at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C., Sept. 13, 2022. (Graeme Sloan/Sipa USA via AP) "Did you find his argument convincing for staying in the Iran nuclear talks?" Stephanopoulos asked Barrasso. "No deal with Iran, George, is a good deal They continue to claim 'death to America.' We cannot allow them to have a nuclear weapon," Barrasso said. Stephanopoulos also sought clarity from Barrasso on the GOP and Ukraine. Citing criticism of American's continued aid to Ukraine by some Republicans, like Ohio Senate nominee J.D. Vance, Stephanopoulos asked Barrasso if Democrats were right to warn that the GOP may restrict future support if they retake Congress. "No. There continues to be bipartisan support in the House and in the Senate for weapons to Ukraine," Barrasso said. He said he wanted the White House to be quicker in providing weapons to Ukraine and said "we ought to be producing more American energy to help our European allies" and American consumers who are dealing with the fallout of the conflict with Russia, a major energy provider. MORE: McCarthy rolls out House GOP 'Commitment to America' ahead of midterms Stephanopoulos asked Barrasso, just as he asked Sullivan: "Do you believe that [Russian President Vladimir] Putin's hold on power is secure?" "I'm not sure," Barrasso, a member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, said. "He is in a deep hole right now and he's dug this hole. And I thought his statement to the country there really was desperate. It didn't show really confidence or strength." "The Foreign Relations Committee is going to have a hearing this Wednesday on what additional things we can do in terms of sanctions [on Russia]," Barrasso said. "And also we have a secure briefing on Thursday in the Senate to take a look right at what's happening on the ground in Ukraine." Trump can't 'declassify documents by saying so,' GOP Sen. Barrasso acknowledges when pressed originally appeared on abcnews.go.com (AFP via Getty Images) Yuki Onishi, the founder and head chef of the worlds first Michelin-starred ramen eatery Tsuta, has died. Its not clear when exactly the 43-year-old head chef passed away. Tsutas staff paid tribute to Mr Onishi on Friday (23 September) on the companys website and social media. He was a meticulous and talented chef who enhanced the popularity of ramen across borders beyond Japan, the message read. While mourning with his relatives and friends, Tsuta staff worldwide will strive to continue his legacy. Mr Onishis older brother Yoshimi also shared the news on Twitter on Friday, revealing that his younger brother passed away suddenly. In his lifetime, Yuki was indebted to many people. I thank everyone from the bottom of my heart on his behalf, he wrote. In a subsequent tweet, Mr Yoshimi said his brothers funeral would be a private ceremony attended by close relatives only. To those who want to pay their respects, please eat Yukis ramen when Tsuta reopens, he added. Some of the local news outlets such as Oricon News reported that Mr Onishi died of acute heart failure. Mr Onishi opened his first ever restaurant with just nine seats in Tokyos sleepy Sugamo district. Tsuta, formally known as Japanese Soba Noodles Tsuta, is known for its trademark dish, shoyu (soya sauce) ramen with a chicken and seafood dashi (stock) base infused with black truffle oil. Mr Onishi made history when, in 2016, Tsuta became the first ramen shop to win a coveted Michelin star. Tsutas success doesnt stop at the restaurants. Mr Onishis chain produced in-flight meals for Japan Airlines international flights and Tsuta cup noodles are also sold in Japans convenience stores. The chief executive of Tsuta Global, Brian Chua, said in a statement to The Sunday Times: Chef Yuki dedicated his life in pursuit of ramen excellence, as he constantly thought of ways to improve the taste of his ramen. I remember him telling me that his aim was always to create the one and only original taste that differentiates him from the rest. Our team is focused on preserving Chef Yukis legacy, serving his signature ramen to the world. Then, at the rally, Trump announces : J.D. is kissing my a***. Of course, he wants my support. This is not an image that one would want to carry in ones imagination. More importantly, it suggests that Vance is nothing more than a lackey, who only got the GOP nomination because he was adept at smooching the Bosss posterior. (Ugh!) But wait, theres more. As Trump sluggishly pronounces his litany of hellish consequences to a Biden administration, there is music playing. Now, Ive seen dozens of clips of Trump speaking at his rallies. Ive never seen one where music competes with his diatribe. Id have thought that he is too much of an egoist to compete with background music. But this wasnt just any background music. Numerous news outlets have pointed out the eerie similarity of the tune to the QAnon anthem. (They have an anthem you say? Who knew?) And if there was any doubt, almost immediately, hundreds, maybe thousands of his minions at the rally thrust their arms in the air holding one finger aloft. And no they werent giving The Donald the finger. That is a QAnon salute, symbolizing their motto, Where we go one, we go all, or Wwg1wga, which just happens to be the title of the song that is playing. So, you have the QAnon anthem, the QAnon motto and the QAnon hand salute. Could anything be clearer? If you support QAnon, you support Trump. And vice versa. Marchers organized by Decriminalize Seattle and King County Equity Now walk in August 2020 at 12th Avenue and East Alder Street across from the new youth jail as marchers head downtown to Seattle City Hall to call for police defunding. (Steve Ringman / The Seattle Times) Gov. Jay Inslee, second from right, and Trudi Inslee meet Finland President Sauli Niinisto and his wife, left. Jason M. Blazakis is a professor of practice at the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. He ran the State Departments Counterterrorism Finance and Designations Office in the Bureau of Counterterrorism from 2008-18. Marylee Jones speaks to state's new task force for missing and murdered Indigenous people on Thursday, Dec. 2, 2021 during the first meeting held at the Yakama Legends Casino Events Center in Toppenish, Wash. Our directory features more than 18 million business listings from across the entire US. However, if we're missing your business, add your business by clicking on Add Your Business. With the calendar turning to autumn, its time to think about waterfowl hunting. Even though we enjoyed 25 days of an early nuisance Canada goose season this month (today is the final day), it can be difficult to get into chasing geese when warmer temperatures (and mosquitos) are still hanging around. To help kick off the regular waterfowl seasons in the Western Zone, the youth waterfowl hunt weekend will be Oct. 1-2 for junior hunters ages 12 to 15. As with all youth hunts, junior hunters must be accompanied by an adult. Both the junior hunter and the adult must be fully licensed for waterfowl hunting, including a state hunting license, and a Harvest Information Program number. The adult also must obtain a federal duck stamp. During the youth waterfowl hunt, the supervising adult may not carry a firearm, longbow or crossbow afield. Junior hunters can harvest ducks, mergansers, Canada geese, brant, gallinules and coot, but daily bag limits for all species will be the same as those allowed during the regular waterfowl hunting season. Check the bag limits outlined in the waterfowl guidelines at dec.ny.gov, and check the boundaries for Canada goose limits in the area that you will hunt. There was a special virtual waterfowl meeting Wednesday that provided highlights of wetland management and research programs at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and at Wildlife Management Areas Tonawanda, Oak Orchard and Northern Montezuma. There were updates on the Atlantic Flyway waterfowl populations and details on upcoming duck and goose hunting seasons. It delved into the expected impoundment fall water level status in some of the WMAs. If you missed the meeting, a recorded version soon will be imbedded on the DEC website. There was quite a bit of good news from the standpoint of population levels for some species. Josh Stiller, Game Bird biologist out of Albany, provided additional clarification following the online meeting. The first involved mallard populations: Mallard populations have rebounded from a low of approximately 1 million breeding birds to 1.2 million in eastern North America, said Stiller. Based on the current breeding population, the data we have suggests there is more opportunity for additional harvest (i.e., larger bag limits). Decisions on bag limits for the (2023-24) hunting season will happen later in the fall and we will have more definitive information this winter. When asked about the research underway to analyze the mallard situation, Stiller said A research group led by NYSDEC, Pennsylvania Game Commission, Ducks Unlimited, SUNY Brockport and the University of Saskatchewan marked 330 female mallards last winter from South Carolina through the Maritimes of Canada. This is a huge collaborative effort of 22 state, federal, and Ducks Unlimited partners to better understand what may be driving mallard population dynamics. Using these transmitters and the movement data, we can infer the number of incubation attempts, nest success, and brood survival without visually observing the birds in the field. The technology is impressive. In the coming years, we will have three graduate students working on these projects at SUNY Brockport and the University of Saskatchewan." For more information on the study, visit: https://atlantic-flyway-waterfowl-gps.weebly.com/. Over the past five years, biologists from Atlantic Flyway and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service have been working on developing a population model that makes use of all the available data we have at our disposal for mallards (e.g., banding data, breeding waterfowl survey, harvest data and more). The culmination of that work was a new harvest strategy that pairs the biological data with our management objectives as a flyway (i.e., maximize opportunities, maximize the mallard population size, meet our legal mandates and more), suggests that in most years we can support additional harvest of more than two birds per day, however we may periodically have to drop back down to two when the population warrants it. Any changes to mallard bag limits would not happen until next year (the 2023-2024 hunting season). As to what is driving the declines, there are many hypotheses that are supported by our population modeling decreased juvenile survival, lower productivity and harvest. There are many research projects being conducted on eastern mallards right now. We hope to have a more complete picture of what may be limiting mallard populations. Canada geese numbers also were more encouraging, with 164,000 breeding pairs. The Atlantic Population of Canada geese have responded rather quickly to reduced bag limits and season lengths, Stiller said. Arctic breeding geese have to be managed very carefully and the evidence our harvest pressure affects populations is very strong. When we reduced bag limits and season lengths, we immediately saw an increase in survival and a reduction in harvest. That, paired with pretty good productivity allowed the population to recover quickly. Season lengths and bag limits will likely be liberalized in the 2023-2024 season. More information to come later this winter when the frameworks are finalized. Duck season will open Oct. 15 in the Western Zone. Canada goose season is purposely held off until the fourth Saturday so that the first group of AP migrating geese make it south. Framework dates are designed to let the first wave of AP birds move through northern latitude states before hunting seasons open, Stiller said. The new research project being conducted by the Atlantic Flyway states, Canadian Wildlife Service and the University of Delaware to assess these framework dates is a robust way using GPS transmitters. This project will have a graduate student working on it and we hope to have more information in the next few years. When its time for the birds to head north again, they can often arrive in early March, which is why the areas March season needed to be discontinued. Yes, there was evidence that in some years, a meaningful number of adult AP geese were being harvested in early March, Stiller said. Banding and the current GPS collar data supports that concern, so the frameworks were changed to ensure those special seasons for resident geese were not having an undue influence on migratory geese. Ill just add that we will be deploying hundreds of neck collars on migratory geese to study migration timing and routes. This will be a multiyear effort as migration timing can vary annually based on weather events. We want to understand how variable those routes and timing are, so maybe we can find new opportunities to harvest resident geese in ways that wont negatively impact migratory geese. There is continued concern over scaup population levels. There are currently 3.5 million breeding birds, 10% below the 2018 breeding population and 28% below the long-term average. Scaup are managed in what we call an adaptive harvest management framework, Stiller said. That means we consider population demographics and how populations respond to harvest. In that framework, the recommendation was for a restrictive scaup season. The exact causes of the scaup declines are not well understood at this point. The last few years have been very dry in the prairies and likely have suppressed scaup populations. For a complete update on 2022-23 waterfowl hunting seasons and regulations check out dec.ny.gov/outdoor/28888.html. Delhi Police is working on increasing road safety awareness among citizens of the national capital to the best of their abilities. To achieve this goal, they are employing multiple ways ranging from physical campaigns to virtual ones on social media. The campaign on social media is quite different as they use different graphics to do so. In the most recent post, the police department addressed drunk driving and appealed to avoid such risky violations of rules. The issue was addressed with graphics posted on Twitter via the official social media handle of the Delhi Traffic Police department. The post had the caption saying, "Rum, Voda Ya ho Whisky, Pikar Gaadi Chalaana, IS ALWAYS RISKY!" Which roughly translates to, "Rum, Vodka or Whiskey drinking and driving is always risky." These awareness campaigns are meant to make people aware of the dangers of breaking road safety rules. However, it is common knowledge that driving while inebriated or under the influence of a substance is illegal and dangerous. Rum, Vodka Ya Ho Whisky Pikar Gaadi Chalaana IS ALWAYS RISKY!#DontDrinkAndDrive#RoadSafety pic.twitter.com/WVDgLKKqdF Delhi Traffic Police (@dtptraffic) September 24, 2022 Earlier, the Delhi Traffic Police, to raise awareness about road safety in the national capital, fined a few people for violations such as tinted glass windows, not wearing seatbelts, etc. As part of the proceedings, the Delhi Police fined 25 people for failing to wear seatbelts in the car's back seat. The announcement was made via the Delhi Traffic Police's official Twitter account. The national capital's police department's strict action is in line with the government's goal of implementing road safety rules and raising awareness about the use of rear seat belts while driving a car. Also read: Mahindra Thar, XUV700 recalled to address Turbocharger issues; Details here In addition, the Delhi Traffic Police fined 65 people for having tinted glass windows on their vehicles. It should be noted that tinted car windows are illegal and are frequently ignored by people. In addition, 273 people were cited by the police department for driving on the wrong side of the road. They also fined one minor one dollar for driving a vehicle. New Delhi: Veteran actor Anil Kapoor has wrapped up his shoot for much-awaited Indian remake of `The Night Manager`. The `Jug Jugg Jeeyo` actor took to Instagram and shared a stylish monochrome picture where he can be seen wearing a black-checked blazer. "And #TheNightManagerofIndia is off duty! #Thatsawrap for Shailendra Rungta a.k.a Shelly! Based on: The Night Manager; by John le Carre. @the_ink_factory_ @disneyplushotstar @banijayasia @adityaroykapur @sobhitad @sandeipm @picsofpinks @jasper_ben", he captioned the post. As soon as he shared the post, his close friend Karan Johar commented, "Rocker" while his `The Night Manager` co-star Sobhita Dhulipala wrote, "Shelly, beloved". Netizens also praised his stunning look in the comment section. A fan wrote, "Kamaal n jakaass", while another commented, "King Kapoor" in the comment section. `The Night Manager` is an espionage thriller that has a tense cat-and-mouse chase between a covert agent and a secret arms dealer. The 2016 series features Tom Hiddleston in the lead role. In the remake, Anil will essay the role which was originally played by Hugh Laurie. It will also feature Aditya Roy Kapur and Sobhita Dhulipala in lead roles. The original British series became a massive hit across the globe and earned several awards at the 74th Golden Globe Awards. The series will be released on Disney+ Hotstar. A major update on the web series is expected to be out very soon. Anil Kapoor, who was last seen in `Jug Jugg Jeeyo`, is all set to share screen space with Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone in `Fighter`, which is being helmed by Siddharth Anand. He also has Ranbir Kapoor`s Animal as one of his upcoming movies. Tesla has been surrounded by reports of problems that occur with the car every now and then. There have been reports of the pinching problem with the window and the problem with the auto-driving system. However, one of the recent videos of a man from Canada brings up a new problem: the owner claims that he was locked out of his Tesla Model S electric car after the car's battery drained out due to a flaw in the design. Mario Zelaya shared the video of the complaint via TikTok showing the problem. Meanwhile, he also said that the electric car needs a battery replacement to solve the problem, costing that the electric car will need a battery replacement to solve the problem which cost CAD 26,000 (around Rs 15.53 lakh). In the video, Zelaya claimed to own a 2013 Model S, which he purchased for $140,000 CAD. He frequently had the car repaired, and he now says that the 20132014 Tesla Model S cars had a design flaw that eventually caused the problem. He says that because the HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning) condensor leaks water onto the battery pack over time, the battery pack's exterior cover has corroded, and moisture has seeped into the battery and damaged it. Due to the fact that the problem was found after the vehicle's warranty had ended, Tesla is refusing to pay for a new battery. Zelaya, however, asserts that the problem must have started when the car was covered and that he has spoken to Transport Canada, which is currently looking into the matter. Also read: Skoda Octavia all-electric sedan on cards, expected to get 595 km range upon launch Since the problem was found after the vehicle's warranty had ended, Tesla is refusing to pay for a replacement battery. Zelaya, though, asserts that the problem must have arisen when the car was covered. He also says he has spoken with Transport Canada, which is looking into the problem. In a statement, Zelaya said, "Not only did they do an investigation on this car, but theyre also going to be doing one that Tesla doesnt realize is coming up because I got in touch with another owner who has the exact same problem." It is to be noted that based on Carscoops's report, there are no investigations underway for this issue in the US. Transport. Chandigarh: Assailing the BJP-led Centre Government for denying political clearance for the knowledge exchange tour on Green Hydrogen to Germany, Belgium, and the Netherlands, Punjab New and Renewable Energy Sources Minister Mr. Aman Arora questioned BJP that why it is politically so insecure from Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leadership that it resorted to cheap tactics like denying political clearance for an official tour to abroad. This is not the first time that the central government denied permission to AAP leaders, said Mr. Aman Arora while adding that earlier, it had denied permission to Mr. Arvind Kejriwal, AAP National Convenor and Delhi Chief Minister to visit Singapore to represent India at the World Cities Summit, he added. Interestingly, the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, GoI had cleared a list of 13-member delegation including Mr. Aman Arora on September 14, 2022, but the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) has not issued political clearance to the Punjab New & Renewable Energy Sources Minister. The Cabinet Minister said that this tour was sponsored by Indo-German Energy Forum. Neither Centre, nor the state government will have to bear any financial burden. The Cabinet Minister further added that the success of people friendly policies of AAP has presented a strong challenge to the BJPs model of hate and lies. He said that AAP is all set to broom the BJPs presence from the political map of India and the Saffron leadership has read it written clearly on the wall. This knowledge sharing tour from 24th September to 2nd October, 2022 was of much importance for planning and developing new & renewable energy resources in the state to meet future requirements besides ensuring a green and clean environment, said Mr Aman Arora while adding that the union governments such unnecessary interference would be a threat to the federal structure of the nation. Mr. Aman Arora said that the BJP has even forgotten the glorious traditions of Indian democracy. He reminded the BJP that Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee was leader of opposition when the then Prime Minister Mr. PV Narasimha Rao had chosen him to lead the delegation to the UN. New Delhi: Ex-BJP leader Vinod Arya, father of the main accused Pulkit Arya in the Ankita Bhandari murder case, reportedly commented on the investigation. As quoted by media reports, he said, "Seedha sadha balak hai (he is a simple boy). He is only concerned about his work. I want justice for both my son Pulkit and the murdered woman." He also said, "Pulkit is innocent, still I have resigned from the BJP to ensure a fair investigation. My son Ankit has also resigned." Meanwhile, the family of the deceased refused to perform the last rites as they demanded the handing over of the post-mortem report. The administration on another hand tried convincing Ankita's family. The administration on another hand tried convincing Ankita's family. "We won`t conduct her last rites until her post-mortem report is given. We saw in her provisional report that she was beaten up and thrown in a river. But we`re awaiting the final report," said Ajay Singh Bhandari, brother of Ankita Bhandari. The SIT on Sunday told ANI that her Whatsapp chats were also being probed. As per reports a WhatsApp chat has come to the fore in the investigation. According to police sources, in this chat, Ankita is telling her friend that the owner of the resort is pressuring her to provide `extra service` to the guests. There is a lot of anger among people after the murder of the receptionist. The SIT in charge of Ankita Bhandari's murder case, DIG PR Devi, told ANI that Ankita`s WhatsApp chats that have surfaced are also being probed. As per a viral chat, it is alleged that it was being said that the guest would get `extra service` for Rs 10,000. In the WhatsApp chat, there is talk of providing `extra service` in the name of providing spa treatment at the Vanatara Resort. Earlier, the Special Investigation Team in the Ankita Bhandari case also confirmed that every employee of the Vantara resort would be called to the police station. The statements of these employees would be recorded, the officials said. "We have called every employee in the resort to the police station; we will take everyone`s statements. We`re running a full background analysis on the resort," said DIG PR Devi, SIT In-charge. Ahmedabad: Delhi Chief Minister and Aam Aadmi Party national convener Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday invited a Dalit man and his family from Gujarat to his residence in the national capital for a meal. During a town hall with sanitation workers predominantly from the Dalit community here, a participant named Harsh Solanki said he saw Kejriwal recently accept a dinner invitation from an autorickshaw driver during his town hall in Ahmedabad, and sought to know if the latter would come to his home for a meal. Kejriwal told Solanki he would visit his house for a meal during his next trip to Ahmedabad, and at the same time, extended an invitation to the latter and his kin to come to his Delhi home to break bread. Solanki said he was glad to see Kejriwal coming to the Dalit community, something he claimed no other leader had done since Independence. "Looking at you we feel hopeful that someone is standing for us. And sir, I would like to make a request. Will you come to visit the house of a Dalit like you went to the house of an autorickshaw driver during you visit here 15-20 days back," he asked. In reply, Kejriwal said, "I have seen that every leader visits the house of a Dalit for a meal to show off. Till today, no leader has invited a Dalit to his house for a meal. Will you come to my house to have food together," he asked and Solanki promptly accepted. On being asked about his kin by the Delhi CM, Solanki said he lives with his brother, sister and parents, after which the former said he would send plane tickets to Delhi for all five. "You and your family will have food together on Monday in the house of the Delhi chief minister. Whenever I am in Ahmedabad next, I will visit your home," Kejriwal said. On the occasion, Punjab Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann said Solanki and his kin will be lodged in Punjab Bhavan during their visit to the national capital. Kejriwal also accepted the invitation to name a library run by Dalit children near the venue of the townhall. Addressing the gathering, Kejriwal said the office of a Congress leader has photographs of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, while the office of a BJP leader has a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "When you go to the office of an AAP leader, you will not see the photographs of Kejriwal or Mann, but of Babasaheb Ambedkar. AAP is the only party moving on the path shown by Ambedkar. Babasaheb's dream was not fulfilled in the last 75 years, but I have pledged to fulfil his dream," he said. New Delhi: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday attacked the Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his 'what did Congress do in 70 years' remark and alleged that 'BJP is a government for 5-6 richest Indians who are monopolising any business they want.' The Congress leader also rained down hard on the Centre over the price rise and unemployment issues. Rahul Gandhi, while alleging that the BJP-led government is not for farmers, youth and women but for the five-six richest Indians, said "PM often asks- '70 saal mein kya kiya?' We never gave India the highest-ever unemployment. We never gave India record price rise it faces today. BJP govt is not a govt for farmers, youth & women. It's a govt for 5-6 richest Indians who are monopolising any business they want," Gandhi said in a tweet. PM often asks- 70 saal mein kya kiya? We never gave India the highest-ever unemployment. We never gave India record price rise it faces today. BJP govt is not a govt for farmers, youth & women. Its a govt for 5-6 richest Indians who are monopolising any business they want. Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) September 24, 2022 Rahul Gandhi and his party have been attacking the Centre over the issues of price rise, unemployment and said that the government's policies have worsened the country's economic situation. Earlier, Rahul Gandhi slammed the BJP and RSS saying both spread hatred and violence in the country. During the initial leg of Congress' 'Bharat Jodo Yatra', Rahul Gandhi had said, "Do you think a country that is divided can solve problems like unemployment? Do you think a divided society can build hospitals, and roads and can educate our children? It is impossible for India to solve such problems if we are following the path of hatred. "How is it that we have the richest persons in the world but our people pay the highest price for essential items? Is it something which we could just accept? We will not allow the ideology of the RSS and the BJP to divide this country and we will not accept India where millions of Indians are jobless. We will not accept an India where millions of people are drowning in high prices for essential items," he added. New Delhi: AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Saturday (September 24, 2022) attacked the ruling BJP and its ideological mentor RSS for doing a "new drama". Owaisis remarks comes amid the ongoing fracas about the surveys of madrasas and demolition of the same. The AIMIM chief reached Gujarat ahead of Assembly elections in the state and called out BJP and RSS for "doing new drama". "BJP-RSS is now doing a new drama. RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat went to a madrasa in Delhi but madrasas are being demolished in Assam, a survey is being done in Uttar Pradesh," said Owaisi. Owaisi slammed the BJP and said, "BJP doesn`t have anything to show. They will only show Hindus-Muslims fighting with each other." His remarks came after, Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) chief Mohan Bhagwat visited the Azad Market Madrasa Tajweedul Quran in Old Delhi on September 22, interacted with the children and also had a piece of advice for them. Earlier on September 22, the All India Muslim Imam organization chief Umar Ilyasi said, "Mohan Bhagwat is the father of the nation and the head of the largest social organization. The chief talked to the children about what is taught inside the Madrasa". Bhagwat told the children that they`re the future of the country and so they should focus on their studies and work for the nation. Madarsa director Mahmudul Hasan, while talking to ANI said, "The RSS chief stayed inside the Madrasa for about an hour and met the teacher and the children." His visit to the Masjid earlier and to the Madarsa has grabbed eyeballs, as it is for the first time that he has been to a Madarsa. The RSS chief is also engaged in a campaign to increase continuous contact with Muslim society, also met with Imam Umair Ahmed Ilyasi, head of All India Imam Sangathan last month. (With agency inputs) A 12-year-old boy was allegedly assaulted and sodomized by three of his minor friends, including his cousin, in north-east Delhi`s Seelampur area, an official said Sunday. He said that two of the three accused juveniles have been apprehended and one among them was even produced before Juvenile Justice Board. According to the official, the incident took place on September 18 but they received the information on September 22 from LNJP Hospital that a boy aged around 10 years has been admitted on account of physical assault that happened three days ago. "Immediately, a police team reached the hospital and met the parents of the child, but they refused to give any statement," Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast district) Sanjay Kumar Sain said. The DCP said that the family did not give a statement till September 24 while the Investigative Officer, to whom the call was marked, contacted them regularly. On September 24, a counsellor from "Sakhi" was arranged by the police and counselling of the mother of the injured child was done. "On extensive counselling, the mother of the child disclosed that three days back i.e. on September 18 her son was physically assaulted and sodomized by his three friends," the DCP said. Accordingly, the police registered an FIR under section 377 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code read with Section 6 of the POCSO Act and began probing the incident. During investigation, it emerged that the victim and the accused boys were neighbours and friends and they are of the same age group i.e. 10-12 years. "One of the accused is in relation (cousin) to the victim child. Also, they are from the same community and residents of New Seelampur jhuggis," the senior official added. Meanwhile, the incident was first brought to the light by Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) chairperson Swati Maliwal. Taking cognizance of the incident, Maliwal, in a notice to the Delhi Police, said the complainant has submitted that their child was gang-raped on September 18 by 3 persons who even "inserted a rod" in his private parts. The DCW chief demanded a detailed action report taken by the Delhi police along with the copy of FIR latest by September 28.Pertinently, the victim child is still under medical observation. The latest STATEC report provides a close-up of wages in Luxembourg and reveals that, on average, households live on just over 5,700 per month. According to the report from the National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (STATEC), the average monthly household income was 5,716 in 2020 (the latest year for which data is available). This amount corresponds to the net amount left after taxes and social contributions. On an individual basis, the average monthly salary was 3,641. The average rate is this elevated due to the higher income generated by the best-paid employees in the country. However, the median salary available (half of the population earns more, the other half earns less) is lower. In 2020, STATEC estimated the median salary to be 4,897 per household, or 3,154 per individual. Based on these numbers, STATEC calculated the poverty threshold for the Grand Duchy at 1,982. According to the Institute's estimations, 17.4% of the population were affected by poverty. The logo of the CIA at agency headquarters It is the perhaps the most unusual - and exclusive - museum in the world, filled with artefacts that have shaped history. But its doors are firmly shut to the public. It is the only place a visitor can see the gun found with Osama bin Laden when he was killed, next to Saddam Hussein's leather jacket. Welcome to the CIA's secret in-house museum. Located inside the US intelligence agency's headquarters in Langley, Virginia, the collection has just been renovated to mark the agency's 75th anniversary. A small group of journalists, including the BBC, were given exclusive access, although with a security escort constantly at our side. Among the 600 artefacts on display are the kinds of cold war spy gadgets you might expect - a 'dead drop rat' in which messages could be hidden, a covert camera inside a cigarette packet, a pigeon with its own spy-camera and even an exploding martini glass. But there are also details on some of the CIA's more famous and even recent operations. This model of the Abbottabad compound was used to brief President Obama, who approved the raid on it On display is a scale model of the compound in which Osama bin Laden was discovered in Pakistan. President Obama was shown a model before approving the raid that killed the al-Qaeda leader in 2011. "Being able to see things in 3D actually helped the policymakersas well as help our operators to plan the mission," explains Robert Z Byer, the museum's director who provided a tour. On 30 July this year a US missile hit another compound, this time in the Afghan capital Kabul. The target was the new leader of al-Qaeda, Ayman al-Zawahiri. And the most recent exhibit, just declassified, is a model of the compound used to brief President Biden on 1 July 2022 on the proposed mission. Zawahiri was hit whilst on the balcony after the US intelligence community spent months studying his movements. "It speaks to how counter-terrorist officers look to the pattern of life of the target," explains Mr Byer. Al-Zawahiri was hit while on the balcony of this compound in Kabul The first half of the museum moves in chronological order from the CIA's foundation in 1947 through the Cold War, with the 11 September 2001 attacks a clear pivot in the shift towards focusing on counter-terrorism, with items in display donated by some of those whose relatives died in the attacks. Story continues The museum's audience is the CIA's own staff as well as official visitors. It does not just focus on success. There is a section on the Bay of Pigs fiasco when a CIA mission to overthrow Fidel Castro in Cuba went disastrously wrong and there are references to the failure to find weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. "This museum is not just a museum for history's sake. This is an operational museum. We are taking CIA officers [through it], exploring our history, both good and bad," says Mr Byer. "We make sure that our officers understand their history, so that they can do a better job in the future. We have to learn from our successes, and our failures in order to be better in the future." Some of the most controversial aspects of the CIA's work are less visible though - for instance its 1953 joint operation with MI6, to overthrow a democratically elected government in Iran and more recent involvement in the torture of terrorist suspects after 2001. 'We can neither confirm or deny' The second half of the museum focuses in detail on some specific operations. The phrase "we can neither confirm nor deny" is a familiar one for those who report on intelligence agencies and its origins lie in a story detailed in the museum using never seen before items. In the late 1960s, a Soviet Union submarine was lost somewhere on the ocean floor. After the US located it, the CIA worked with billionaire Howard Hughes to try and recover the wreck - and the technology on board. A cover story was developed that Hughes was going to mine the ocean floor using a ship called the Glomar Explorer. The model of the sunken and deteriorated K-129 submarine was created by the CIA during the Azorian mission, and has never been displayed before A number of the artefacts, such as the overalls and flag, are examples of the depth of cover that CIA and Hughes manufactured for the expedition. These have never been displayed before The museum contains a model of the Soviet submarine as well as clothing, ash trays and mailbags created to maintain the cover of the Glomar. There is even on display a wig worn by the CIA's deputy director to disguise himself during a visit to the ship. The mission was only partially successful because the submarine broke apart as the Glomar's steel claws tried to bring it up although some parts were still recovered. "Most of what they found aboard that submarine is still classified to this day," says Mr Byer. When news broke of what was known as Project Azorian before the rest of the submarine could be extracted, officials were told to say they could "neither confirm nor deny" what had taken place - a phrase known as the "Glomar response" and still used widely now. Conceptual art for the fake film Argo There are also items used to build the cover story for a fake movie called Argo. This would allow the rescue of diplomats held in Iran after the 1979 revolution, a tale later turned into a Hollywood movie. On display is conceptual art for the fake film which the rescue team pretended to be making. The art was designed to be deliberately hard to decipher or understand. And when it comes to deciphering, the ceiling of the new museum also contains hidden messages in different types of code. The entrance to the CIA Museum introduces visitors to the overarching themes they can find throughout the exhibits: counterintelligence, partnerships, analysis, clandestine collection, and covert action. The ambition, CIA officials say, is for images to be shared with the public on social media to see if they can unscramble them. Some of the exhibits will also be available to view online. But for the moment, that may be the closest most people can get to this museum. Ahmedabad: Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday said if voted to power in Gujarat, Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will ensure that every child prospers and cited a message on 'prosperity of select children' to target Congress leader Sonia Gandhi and Home Minister Amit Shah. In his latest visit to poll-bound Gujarat, Kejriwal addressed a gathering of youth with his Punjab counterpart Bhagwant Mann and later town hall meetings with outsourced and contractual employees and sanitation workers in Ahmedabad where he promised the creation of 10 lakh jobs and the implementation of 'equal work, equal pay' if AAP forms a government. He also promised to make contractual employees permanent. During a town hall with sanitation workers, Kejriwal invited a Dalit man and his family from Gujarat to his residence in Delhi for a meal on Monday. "I was seeing a wonderful message being shared in a Gujarat WhatsApp group that I follow. It says if you vote for Congress, then Sonia Gandhi's son (Rahul Gandhi) will prosper. If you vote for BJP, (Union Home Minister) Amit Shah's son will prosper, and if you vote for AAP, then every single child of Gujarat will prosper," the AAP national convener told a gathering of youth amid applause. Like the AAP governments provided 12 lakh jobs in Delhi and 20,000 in Punjab in less than six months, the party is committed to providing 10 lakh jobs in Gujarat when it comes to power, he said. Kejriwal again listed the "job calendar" for Gujarat and said the AAP will fill teachers' posts in schools, open new colleges and mohalla clinics, and provide more doctors and health care staff in hospitals, among others. "I believe if 10 lakh jobs are less, we will be able to provide 20 lakh government jobs in five years," he said. He alleged, "leaders of both the BJP and Congress have stolen so much of public money that if their properties are sold, then I believe the entire debt of Gujarat can be paid". "If the AAP forms a government, we will spend every single penny on you (citizens), and will not let it be stolen," he said, adding the AAP will stop the "loot" carried out by leaders of the two parties. Kejriwal also targeted the BJP government in Gujarat over the cases of exam question paper leaks and said the AAP government will open such cases. "Leaders who have played with the future of the youth will be sent to jail. We will ensure there is no paper leak in Gujarat. And if anyone dares, we will bring a law with a provision of 10 years imprisonment," he said. Punjab CM Mann urged the youth to use their energy positively to change the state government. "For the first time, it has happened in 27 years that (senior BJP leader) Amit Shah went to inaugurate a government school (in Gujarat). He is forced to pay attention to the education sector, but didn't do so in the past," the AAP leader claimed. Mann said the AAP has set the narrative that politics based on religion, caste, and allurement money will not work. "If you have done 'Mann Ki Baat,' then why do it again on the radio (referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's programme)? Listen to the public's 'mann ki baat'. But they have no habit of listening," he said. Addressing a town hall with outsourced and contractual employees, Kejriwal said AAP will end the contract system if voted to power so that money comes directly into the bank account of the employees without middlemen taking away anything. Assembly polls are likely to be held in December in Gujarat, where the Bharatiya Janata Party has been ruling for the past 27 years. "If we form a government, all contractual employees will be made permanent. And we will do so properly so that the court does not grant a stay later on," Kejriwal said. With the Punjab chief minister by his side, Kejriwal said 36,000 contractual employees in Punjab will be made permanent. He has made 8,500 teachers permanent. The Delhi CM said contractual employees will also benefit from free power up to 300 units as well as healthcare from a network of 20,000 mohalla clinics, while women will get Rs 1,000 per month. Addressing sanitation workers, predominantly from the Dalit community, a participant named Harsh Solanki said he saw Kejriwal recently accept a dinner invitation from an autorickshaw driver during his town hall in Ahmedabad and sought to know if the latter would come to his home for a meal. Kejriwal told Solanki that he would visit his house for a meal during his next trip to Ahmedabad, and at the same time, extended an invitation to the latter and his kin to come to his Delhi home to break bread. Solanki said he was glad to see Kejriwal coming to the Dalit community, something he claimed no other leader had done since Independence. Kejriwal said the office of a Congress leader has photographs of Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi, while the office of a BJP leader has a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. "When you go to the office of an AAP leader, you will not see the photographs of Kejriwal or Mann, but of Babasaheb Ambedkar. AAP is the only party moving on the path shown by Ambedkar. Babasaheb's dream was not fulfilled in the last 75 years, but I have pledged to fulfil his dream," he added. Bengaluru: Former Karnataka Chief Minister S M Krishna was admitted to Manipal Hospital in Bengaluru on Saturday after he suffered an acute respiratory tract infection, informed hospital authorities. The former CM is currently under the supervision of Dr Satyanarayana Mysore, the Head of the Department (HOD) of Pulmonology and Dr Sunil Karanth HOD Intensive care, and a broad specialty medical team. According to the hospital`s information, Krishna is on minimal respiratory support and has a "cheerful frame of mind". State Health Minister Dr K Sudhakar is monitoring the former CM`s health condition. New Delhi: With a contest for the Congress president's post almost certain, history beckons the party as it would be the fourth time since Independence that polling would decide who would lead it. Also, with Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra deciding not to be in the running for the party president's post, a non-Gandhi would be at the helm after around 24 years. The Congress is set to see a contest for the post of party chief with Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, who has announced his candidature, expected to take on Shashi Tharoor who has also made his intentions clear by getting the nomination forms collected on Saturday. The Congress has asserted that its internal democracy has no parallel in any other party and it is the only one to have a central election authority for organisational polls. Asked about the significance of the polls this time, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Speaking for myself, I am a firm believer in the Kamraj model of consensus but if elections are inevitable, the process has been announced, we are the only political party to have this process, and if elections are needed, they will be held on October 17." "The significance of it lies in the fact that the Congress party is the only party to have this system. We have provision for elections and we are the only party to set up an independent election authority to ensure free and fair organisational elections including to the post of Congress president," Ramesh told PTI. Recalling the 1950 election to the post of Congress president, Ramesh said then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's candidate Acharya Kripalani lost to Purushottam Das Tandon. He also recalled how Mahatma Gandhi's candidate for Congress presidency P Sitaramayya had lost to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose in the pre-Independence era in 1939. So on those two occasions, the official candidates had lost, he said. "We know two candidates are likely, Mr Gehlot has announced that he is contesting and Mr Tharoor has certainly indicated his intention, so obviously there will be an election on October 17," Ramesh said. He, however, asserted that Congress's greatest contribution to Indian politics is the idea of consensus. Acharya Kripalani vs Purushottam Das Tandon in 1950 election to post of Congress president It was way back in 1950 that the Congress president polls were contested between Tandon and Kripalani. Surprisingly, Tandon, seen as a Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel loyalist, had won the contest back then trumping the PM's choice. Tandon had won reportedly polling 1,306 votes against Kripalani's 1,092 votes. Sitaram Kesri vs Sharad Pawar vs Rajesh Pilot in 1997 Congress president poll The next election that needed a contest came 47 years later in 1997 when Sitaram Kesri squared off in a triangular contest with Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot. Except for Maharashtra and parts of Uttar Pradesh, all state Congress units had backed Kesri. He had posted a landslide victory getting 6,224 delegates' votes against Pawar's 882 and Pilot's 354. Jitendra Prasada vs Sonia Gandhi in 2000 The third contest came in 2000 and this was the only time a Gandhi was challenged in elections with Jitendra Prasada taking on Sonia Gandhi. Prasada suffered a crushing defeat at the hands of Sonia Gandhi who garnered over 7,400 votes, while Prasada reportedly polled a paltry 94. Congress to have its first non-Gandhi president after over 20 years The upcoming polls would certainly be historic as the new president would replace Sonia Gandhi, the longest-serving party president who has been at the helm since 1998, barring the two years between 2017 and 2019 when Rahul Gandhi took over. Also, the party will have its first non-Gandhi president after over 24 years. Talking about the current election process which is underway, Congress chronicler and political observer Rasheed Kidwai said the polls this time have the potential of being both unprecedented and historical because the established Congress leadership of Sonia Gandhi, Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi is not in the fray and will be sort of supervising the polls. "What remains to be seen though is whether they would remain neutral or there would be some informal messaging in support of Gehlot," Kidwai told PTI. In the post-Independence era, a person from the Gandhi family has been at the helm of the party for about 40 years in total. After Independence, the party has been led by 16 people so far, of which five have been presidents from the Gandhi family. Congress presidents between 1947 and 1963 In 1947, Acharya Kriplani was the president after which Sitarammya was party chief from 1948-49. In 1950, Tandon became chief following which Nehru served as the party chief between 1951 and 1955. Nehru left the post of Congress president in 1955 and UN Dhebar took over the reins of the party. Indira Gandhi was the Congress president in 1959, followed by N S Reddy who remained at the helm till 1963. Congress chiefs between 1964 and 1984 K Kamraj was president of the Congress in 1964-67, while S Nijalingappa was the Congress president in 1968-69. Jagjivan Ram became the Congress president in 1970-71 and then Dr. Shankar Dayal Sharma was the Congress president from 1972-74. Devkant Barua was the Congress president from 1975-77. Indira Gandhi was again the Congress president from 1978-1984. Congress presidents between 1985 and 1998 From 1985 to 1991 after the assassination of Indira Gandhi, her son Rajiv Gandhi was the Congress president. Between 1992 and 1996, P V Narasimha Rao was the Congress president. Kesri assumed the presidency after that and was replaced by Sonia Gandhi in 1998. She remained at the helm till 2017 when Rahul Gandhi became president. Sonia Gandhi returned as interim chief in 2019 after Rahul Gandhi resigned following the Lok Sabha polls debacle. New Delhi: Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sushil Kumar Modi on Sunday slammed Congress MP Digvijay Singh for comparing Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) with the Popular Front of India (PFI) organisation and said that he should be "ashamed" for doing so. "Digvijaya Singh has always supported those who are terrorists, who were the supporters of the terrorists of Batla House. Today, his condition is such that he has not been able to come to the power in Madhya Pradesh even after 20 years. He is comparing it with RSS whose patriotism is unquestionable," Sushil Modi told ANI while reacting to Singh`s controversial comparison of RSS with PFI on Saturday. Senior Congress leader Digvijaya Singh while denouncing the violence perpetrated by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Kerala, dissed the RSS and VHP as well, calling them "ek hi thali ke chatte batte." "Action should be taken against all those who spread hatred and violence. Why action is not being taken against RSS & Vishva Hindu Parishad? They (PFI-RSS) are Ek hi thaali ke chatte-batte," he said on Saturday. Also Read: 'Ek hi thaali ke chatte-batte': Cong's Digvijaya Singh compares RSS, VHP to PFI, demands action Senior BJP leader Sushil Kumar Modi further said, "PFI organizations which were plotting to assassinate Prime Minister Narendra Modi were conspiring to create tension within the gathering." He alleged that Singhs statement supports such organisations whose bank accounts have been found with more than Rs 100 crore and who assert to make India a Muslim nation by 2047. "Digvijaya Singh should be ashamed. He is supporting an organisation which is being opposed even by the government ruling in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, i.e, Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)," the Rajya Sabha MP said. During the PFI harthal (protest) in Kerala, as many as 171 people were arrested and 368 others were detained in connection with multiple incidents of violence across the state. As per the reports, 71 Kerala State Road Transport Corporation (KSRTC) buses were damaged and 12 officials were injured during various incidents. Most buses were damaged in stone pelting. New Delhi: Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) chief Raj Thackeray on Saturday (September 24, 2022) reacted to "Pakistan Zindabad" and "Allahu Akbar" slogans that were allegedly raised at a protest march of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Pune and said that such "anti-national slogans" will not be tolerated. Calling for an end to "these anti-national activities" on an urgent basis, Thackeray asked people who raised such slogans to take their religion and go to Pakistan. "This kind of drama is not going to be allowed in our country," he said in a statement. ALSO READ | 'Will not tolerate': Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde on 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan during PFI protest "I earnestly request the central and state home ministers to take the sternest action against such outfits that even the phonetic sound of 'PA' will not be uttered from them. If not, then our country's Hindus will not take it lying down. I don't wish to go into the details of what may happen," he added. "If the Hindus of Hindustan and our Marathis Hindus decide to take the matter in their hands, then what these scoundrel will face? Don't make me say it here! If this happens, there will be an unrest during the festive times. So it's better to put an end to these anti-national activities on an urgent basis," Thackeray warned. If slogans such as Pakistan Zindabad Allahu Akbar are going to be proclaimed in our Pune city, then our countrys Hindus are not going to keep quiet. Rather, its better to urgently put an end to this disease of anti-national elements.@AmitShah @Dev_Fadnavis pic.twitter.com/pdpqZQFBqc Raj Thackeray (@RajThackeray) September 24, 2022 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans heard during PFI protests in Pune A video showing a group of people shouting "Pakistan Zindabad" during a PFI protest in Pune has gone viral. The city police said they were looking into the matter. The PFI had organised the agitation outside the district collector's office in Pune city on Friday to denounce the recent raids on the organisation and the arrest of its activists. The video shows "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans being raised when the protesters were taken into custody and made to sit in a police vehicle. #WATCH | Maharashtra: Pakistan Zindabad slogans were heard outside the District Collector's office yesterday in Pune City where PFI cadres gathered against the recent ED-CBI-Police raids against their outfit. Some cadres were detained by Police; they were arrested this morning. pic.twitter.com/XWEx2utZZm ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2022 (With agency inputs) New Delhi: The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a warning of heavy rainfall, thunderstorm and lightning over several parts of northwest India for the next few days. According to the weather departments latest forecast, intense spell of rainfall likely to continue over parts of the plains of northwest India, Uttarakhand on September 25-26, and Himachal Pradesh and West Uttar Pradesh on September 25. A statement by the weather department informed that fairly widespread, widespread light, moderate rainfall with isolated heavy downpours and thunderstorm/lightning is very likely over Sub-Himalayan West Bengal, Sikkim and Bihar on September 25, and Odisha on September 27. Isolated very heavy rainfall also likely over Himachal Pradesh and Haryana on 24 September and over Uttarakhand on 24 & 25 September, 2022. Isolated very heavy rainfall also likely over SubHimalayan West Bengal & Sikkim on 25 September, 2022. Fairly widespread and light to moderate rainfall with isolated heavy downpours and thunderstorm/lightning is expected over Arunachal Pradesh on September 25, the statement by IMD further added. Meanwhile, the IMD officials have issued an Orange alert for very heavy rainfall in Uttarakhand from September 23-25. "Orange alert for very heavy rainfall issued for Uttarakhand from 23rd to 25th Sept. Rain is expected to increase over western UP tomorrow," senior scientist in IMD, RK Jenamani said. "A western disturbance as a trough in mid-tropospheric westerlies run roughly, under whose influence, the current spell of rainfall is likely to continue over northwest India for the next few days followed by a reduction thereafter," a statement by the IMD said. "Fairly widespread/widespread light/moderate rainfall with isolated heavy falls and thunderstorm/lightning very likely over Uttarakhand and West Uttar Pradesh during 23rd-25th and East Uttar Pradesh during 23rd, 25th and 26th September," IMD added. Additionally, very heavy rainfall occurred at isolated places over Uttar Pradesh, Sub-Himalayan West Bengal and Sikkim, West Madhya Pradesh and East Rajasthan on Thursday. Heavy rainfall also lashed several parts of East Madhya Pradesh, Telangana, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Gujarat Region this week. Government Jobs: If you are looking to apply for government jobs, heres a list of government companies with an ongoing registration process. From India Posts vacancies for Skilled Artisans to SBI Clerk recruitment candidates can apply for various jobs here. Candidates should remember to check the eligibility criteria, the number of vacancies, the application process and the last date to apply through the given official websites for each job listed below. SBI Clerk Recruitment State Bank of India, SBI today commenced the registration process for candidates to apply for clerk posts in the bank. This recruitment drive aims to fill up 5008 posts in the organisation. Preliminary Examination will be conducted tentatively in the month of November 2022 and Main Examination will be conducted tentatively in the month of December 2022/January 2023, Last date for application: September 27 Website to apply: sbi.co.in India Post Recruitment 2022 India Post Recruitment 2022: The India Post has released a recruitment notification, inviting candidates to apply for the posts of Skilled Artisans (General Central Service, Group C, Non-Gazetted, Non-Ministerial). Interested candidates can check the detailed notification by visiting the official website at indiapost.gov.in. The last date to submit the application form is October 17, 2022. Name of Post: Skilled Artisans Official Website: indiapost.gov.in. Deadline: October 17, 2022 BHEL Recruitment 2022 BHEL Recruitment 2022: Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited (BHEL) has released a recruitment notification, inviting candidates to apply for the Engineer/Executive Trainee posts. Interested candidates can apply online by visiting the official website of BHEL at bhel.com. The last date to submit the application form is October 4. For more details about Sarkari Recruitment, click on the link given HERE Name of Post: Engineer/Executive Trainee posts. Official Website: bhel.com Deadline: October 04, 2022 Srinagar: Jammu and Kashmir police claimed that two terrorists were killed in an encounter near the Line of Control in Tekri Nar locality of Machil sector of border district on Kupwara in North Kashmir. Police said that the identification of the killed terrorists is being ascertained. He further added that two AK-47 rifles, two pistols and four hand grenades were recovered from the terrorists. Kashmir zone police also wrote on their official Twitter handle, Army and Kupwara Police neutralised two #terrorists near #LoC Tekri Nar in Machil area of #Kupwara. Identification of the killed terrorists is being ascertained. 02 AK 47 rifles, 02 pistols & 04 hand grenades recovered. Further details shall follow. Army and Kupwara Police neutralised two #terrorists near #LoC Tekri Nar in Machil area of #Kupwara. Identification of the killed terrorists being ascertained. 02 AK 47 rifles, 02 pistols & 04 hand grenades recovered. Further details shall follow.@JmuKmrPolice Kashmir Zone Police (@KashmirPolice) September 25, 2022 Police sources assumed that it was a fresh infiltration attempt made by those terrorists and were intercepted before they could reach the built-up area. They added that security forces already have inputs that around 120-140 terrorists who are active on as many as 6 launch pads across the line of control will try to infiltrate before the onset of winter and before snowfall close the infiltration tracks, there has been sounded high alert after the input across the line of control. Reportedly, the security forces managed to kill 153 terrorists till now in Jammu and Kashmir, and out of them, 38 terrorists were Pakistani. Also, 20 security personnel and 21 civilians too have lost their lives. Jammu Kashmir with other security forces has also managed to arrest 74 active terrorists, mostly hybrid terrorists this year since January. 208 terrorist supporters were also arrested. Kashmir: Muttahida Majlis-e-Ulema (MMU) -- an amalgam of various religious, social and educational organisations -- on Saturday expressed serious concern over "attempts being made to undermine" the Muslim identity of Kashmir by asking students in government educational institutions to sing Hindu hymns and do 'Surya Namaskar'. It said it strongly regrets activities being implemented through schools and educational institutions aimed at "furthering the Hindutva agenda" in the Valley. "The MMU held a meeting at Jama Masjid here in the wake of unfortunate attempts being made to undermine the Muslim identity of Kashmir by asking Muslim students in schools and educational institutions to sing Hindu religious songs and do Surya Namaskar (sun salutation). These diktats hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and create anguish in them," the MMU said in a statement. The amalgam said a resolution was adopted unanimously during the meeting to expresses deep and serious concern to "weaken" the Muslim identity of the 'Valley of Saints'. The meeting expressed serious resentment against imposing acts in the name of Yoga and morning prayers in educational institutions wherein Muslim students are made to chant 'bhajans' and at times asked to perform 'Surya Namaskar'. This is against the fundamentals of our religious practices, the resolution read. The statement said the MMU meeting urges the government, education department and agencies concerned that such activities will not be tolerated by the Muslims in Kashmir as it is a "direct challenge" to their religious and Islamic beliefs. "As such, MMU appeals to the government and concerned authorities to immediately withdraw its orders and stop these practices in schools and educational institutions, which deeply hurt the religious sentiments of Muslims and cause them grief," it said. A purported video went viral recently where students of a government school were seen singing 'raghupati raghav raja ram'. The MMU urged the parents that if their children are forced to participate in un-Islamic activities in government schools, they should withdraw their children from these schools and enroll them in private schools. It also urged Muslim teachers to avoid promoting such un-Islamic activities and give preference to their faith and 'Imaan'. The MMU expressed satisfaction that Friday prayers and five daily prayers are now being allowed by the authorities at the central Jamia Masjid here and people were not stopped from assembling at the mosque. "As such it appeals to authorities to now release its patron and Mirwaiz Kashmir, Umar Farooq, and end his illegal house arrest since August 2019, in wake of the coming holy month of Rabiul Awwal so that the Mirwaiz can pursue his religious obligations and duties," the statement said. The MMU also condemned the recent arrests of clerics in the valley and called for their immediate release. "This meeting also raises its voice in strong protest against tarnishing the reputation of Islamic centres and Muslim institutions in J-K by arbitrary arrests of Islamic scholars, preachers and Imams and booking them under the PSA and sending them to outside jails. It condemns this act and calls for their immediate release," it said. New Delhi: Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and RJD supremo Lalu Prasad Yadav met Congress president Sonia Gandhi here on Sunday and pitched for bringing all opposition parties together to defeat the BJP in 2024. The meeting at Gandhi's 10 Janpath residence is being considered very crucial in forging an opposition unity as efforts are on to reconcile differences between the Congress and some regional parties that have been at loggerheads traditionally. This was Kumar's first meeting with Gandhi since he severed ties with the BJP and joined hands with the RJD and the Congress to form the government in Bihar in August. This was also Lalu Prasad's first active political engagement in a long time. He has been ailing for some time now. After the meeting, Lalu Prasad told reporters, "We have to bring all opposition parties together to defeat the BJP. The Congress is in the process of electing its new president and Sonia Gandhi told us we will meet again after the election." Kumar said there is a need for all opposition parties to join hands and work together to take the country forward. "All opposition parties on the same page in the fight against the BJP and discussion on a concrete plan of action will happen later after the election for the post of Congress president," he told reporters after the meeting. The nomination process for the election to the Congress president's post is underway and the polling, if needed, is scheduled for October 17. Earlier in the day, Kumar called for uniting all opposition parties, including the Congress and the Left, to take on the BJP and said this "main front of opposition" will ensure that the saffron party loses badly in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. If all non-BJP parties unite, then they can get rid of those who are working to destroy the country, Kumar said at a rally organised by the Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) in Haryana to mark former deputy prime minister Devi Lal's birth anniversary. INLD leader Om Prakash Chautala, Shiromani Akali Dal's Sukhbir Singh Badal, both with a long history of fighting the Congress, were on the stage with other senior leaders such as NCP's Sharad Pawar, CPM's Sitaram Yechury and Arvind Sawant of the Shiv Sena. Bihar Deputy Chief Minister and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav was also on the stage in what was seen as a step towards unity among non-BJP parties. However, no one from Congress attended the rally. MONTREAL Fiona came as advertised in eastern Quebec, with the post-tropical storm bringing flooding, damage and debris to Iles-de-la-Madeleine and Gaspe regions Saturday. Premier Francois Legault told a briefing in Quebec City that so far there have been no deaths or injuries reported due to the dangerous storm that has caused considerable damage in Atlantic Canada. Iles-de-la-Madeleine was the hardest hit part of Quebec, where a state of emergency was declared Friday evening and will remain in place. Roads remain closed on the island, trees have been uprooted and hydroelectric poles have been downed. High winds and storm surge Saturday morning caused much of the destruction, with breaks on the Hydro-Quebec network resulting in power outages and damage to buildings near the coast. Iles-de-la-Madeleine will also experience some coastal erosion due to the waves, Environment Canada said. There are many obstacles in the way, there are trees, there are stones, there are debris that have flown away," deputy mayor Richard Leblanc said Saturday. "There are overflows, floods you are asked to avoid any travel." Local officials also asked residents to limit their use of drinking water due to electricity problems on the island as a precautionary measure, Leblanc said. Municipal officials will have a better idea of damage when they tour the area on Sunday, said Leblanc. He said twenty-two people were forced from their homes while another six had found shelter with others. Legault said the province will offer financial help to people who have suffered material losses but says the important thing now is people are safe. "I still want to reassure Quebecers who live there: we will make sure to have a program to make up the difference, for everything that is not insurable by regular insurance," Legault said. Legault was accompanied by Public Security Minister Genevieve Guilbault, who may travel to the island on Sunday if conditions permit. Legault, who was scheduled to travel to the island on Monday as part of the Quebec election campaign, may also go as planned if possible. Story continues One of two underwater telecommunications cables linking Iles-de-la-Madeleine to the mainland dubbed COGIM 1 was also damaged Saturday by the storm. According to our telemetry, it is 14 kilometres from the shore that there seems to be a break, said Nicholas Payant, vice-president of connectivity and reliability at Bell. Payant said service is continuing and the second cable has taken over. Generators have been deployed where there has been a loss of power to ensure telephone and cellular service. The cables are managed by non-profit Reseau integre de communications electroniques des Iles-de-la-Madeleine and are 225 kilometres long, connecting the islands to Gaspe. In the event the second cable is damaged, a microwave link with Cape Breton would take over, Payant said. This microwave communication link was set up by Bell and the Government of Quebec last year. In 2018, the island was completely cut off from the outside world after heavy winds and rough seas knocked out both fibre optic cables that connect the islands telecommunications services to the mainland. Earlier Saturday, about 7,500 people were without power in Iles-de-la-Madeleine and Gaspe, a number that had dropped to 4,100 later in the day but one that utility officials said was in constant flux. According to the latest Environment Canada bulletin, the system should head north overnight to reach the province's lower North Shore. This report by The Canadian Press was first published Sept. 24, 2022. Sidhartha Banerjee, The Canadian Press New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi in his monthly radio program Mann Ki Baat on Sunday announced that Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh. This announcement came ahead of the birth anniversary of freedom fighter Bhagat Singh on Sept. 28. In his radio address, PM Modi said, "My dear countrymen, three days later, that is, on the 28th of September, is a special day of Amrit Mahotsav. On this day we will celebrate the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh ji, the brave son of Mother India." Missed the 93rd edition of 'Mann Ki Baat'? Listen now from here - https://t.co/25NMXjadVw#MannKiBaat pic.twitter.com/jZdJ4pSNVy Mann Ki Baat Updates (@mannkibaat) September 25, 2022 In his Mann Ki Baat radio broadcast, Modi also said that climate change is a major threat to marine ecosystems and that the litter on beaches is disturbing. "It becomes our responsibility to make serious and continuous efforts to tackle these challenges," he said. In the broadcast, Modi paid tributes to BJP ideologue Deen Dayal Upadhyaya, saying he was a profound thinker and a great son of the country. Modi also said that 130 crore Indians were filled with pride over the return of cheetahs. He said a task force will monitor them and on the basis of that, it will be decided when people can see them. He said that an important day of 'Amrit Mahotsav' is coming on September 28 when the birth anniversary of Bhagat Singh will be celebrated. "Just before his birth anniversary, as a tribute, an important decision has been taken, it has been decided that the Chandigarh airport will now be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh," Modi said. (With PTI inputs) Social media is abuzz with the rumours of Chinese President Xi Jinping being put under house arrest, and a possible coup taking place in the country, a week after two of its former minister were sentenced for corruption - a highly controversial decision in nation's history. As per the social media posts, many by experts across the fields from China itself, an unprecedented military movement was seen towards Xi Jinping's residence in Beijing. Military vehicles were seen making a movement close to Xi's residence. A few puported videos of such movements have also gone viral on social media. However, their is no official confirmation on the same. A number of social media users from China said that a coup was almost confirmed as the country, without giving any specific reason, cancelled over 9,000 domestic flights. Some even said that military chief General Li Qiaoming is set to become next President. "PLA military vehicles heading to #Beijing on Sep 22. Starting from Huanlai County near Beijing & ending in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, entire procession as long as 80 KM. Meanwhile, rumor has it that #XiJinping was under arrest after #CCP seniors removed him as head of PLA," a Twitter user who goes by the name Jennifer Zeng said. "Something big is happening in China.. maybe a coup. 6000 flights have been canceled and there is big military movement going on," a social media user who goes by the name of Steve Smith said. #PLA military vehicles heading to #Beijing on Sep 22. Starting from Huanlai County near Beijing & ending in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, entire procession as long as 80 KM. Meanwhile, rumor has it that #XiJinping was under arrest after #CCP seniors removed him as head of PLA pic.twitter.com/hODcknQMhE Jennifer Zeng (@jenniferatntd) September 23, 2022 The PLA has taken control of China. #XiJinping had been put under house arrest. General #LiQiaoming is supposed to be the new president of #China. After this #chinacoup, two happiest person in China RN are: pic.twitter.com/S0AxPP3tFp Virat (@legitvirat) September 24, 2022 Seems there has been a coup in China. Multiple reports say the President is under house arrest. Waiting for confirmation. Might be one of the big shocks of 2022. Mo-Mo (@Morris_Monye) September 24, 2022 "#XiJinping I had predicted coup in China by Chinese General a few days back," a user who goes by the name of RS Johar said. Flight Cancellations Based on the report of The Epoch Times, Flight Master said that 9,583 flights were cancelled nationwide on September 21. The flights cancelled were 59.66 percent of the total scheduled flights on the day. It is to be noted that Flight Master serves as a source of information on flight, ticketing, and travel services in the country. Moreover, the reports said that some of the air transport hubs in China had a cancellation report of over 50 percent. New York: Guyana Foreign Minister Hugh Hilton Todd on Saturday said that the country has "immensely" benefitted from India's growth as it focuses on human development. Todd was addressing a special event "India@75: Showcasing India UN Partnership in Action" to commemorate and showcase Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav to highlight India`s development journey and its contributions to South-South Cooperation. He further said that India`s culture exists in Guyana since Indian labourers migrated to the country in the 19th century. "More importantly, when we were faced with the pandemic, it was a time of known politicians across the globe and I can only recall having a meeting with the minister of health and often he referred to literally coming out to India" for help, Todd said during the event. CORRECTION | New York: Small countries like Guyana would have benefitted immensely from India's growth trajectory as it has always been an economy that focuses on human development, putting humans ahead of any other form of development: Guyana FM* Hugh Hilton Todd ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2022 Earlier in the event, Jamaica`s Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith praised India for its assistance during the pandemic and said that New Delhi was a reliable partner. "From the very onset, India was a reliable partner whose assistance was critical to our pandemic response. India embraced a holistic & outward-looking vaccine diplomacy strategy...Jamaica was able to secure its first life-saving vaccines from India," Johnson said. "While others chose to withhold supplies, India`s vaccine outreach exemplified its principles of equality & mutual benefit. We are deeply grateful to govt, the people of India, led by PM Modi & EAM Jaishankar," she added. #WATCH | While others chose to withhold supplies, India's vaccine outreach exemplified its principles of equality & mutual benefit. We are deeply grateful to govt, the people of India, led by PM Modi & EAM Jaishankar: Jamaica's Foreign Minister Kamina Johnson Smith pic.twitter.com/iNZAKUPor2 ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2022 Even Maldives Foreign Minister Abdula Shahid also lauded India and said that New Delhi is a "valuable" partner in helping meet challenges in key areas ranging from disaster relief to economic development. "Sanyukt Rashtra ke sath sajhedaari par Bharat ko badhai (Wishes to India for its partnership with the United Nations)," he said at the special event. "I warmly extend the Maldives congregation to India on their 75th anniversary of Independence and its productive partnership with the United Nations. "India has been a valuable partner in helping meet challenges from disaster relief to addressing the pandemic and accessing vaccines to economic development and recovery," he added. Lauding Indian assistance to the Maldives during the COVID-19 pandemic and said, "Even during the most difficult days, India made a remarkable effort to help our country." #WATCH | "Sanyukt Rashtra ke sath sajhedaari par Bharat ko badhai". I warmly extend the Maldives congregation to India on their 75th anniversary of Independence &its productive partnership with United Nations: Maldives FM Abdula Shahid at Showcasing India-UN Partnership in Action pic.twitter.com/b7ZEAQQprQ ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2022 External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar also addressed the gathering at the special event. Noting that India is now the fifth biggest economy in the world and envisions itself as a developed country by 2047, Jaishankar on Saturday said that the country`s own development is inseparable from the rest of the world. "In the 18th century, India accounted for a quarter of the global GDP. By the middle of the 20th, colonialism ensured that we were one of the poorest nations in the world. That was our state when we became the founding member of the United Nations," the minister said. He said in the 75th year of its independence, India stands before the UN today "proudly as the fifth biggest economy in the world" and is still rising as the "strongest, most enthusiastic and definitely the most argumentative democracy". He spoke of the progress of digital public infrastructure in India and said it is designed to ensure that "no one is left behind." New Delhi: Amid the leadership change buzz following the announcement that Ashok Gehlot will contest the upcoming Congress presidential poll, a meeting has been called of its legislature party in Rajasthan at the Chief Minister's Jaipur residence today (September 25, 2022). This is the second Congress Legislature Party (CLP) meeting within a week, which will be attended by senior Congress leaders including Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken. According to reports, the leadership of the government going forward, if Gehlot is elected as Congress president, is likely to be on the meeting agenda. Gehlot, 71, has already announced to contest election for the post of Congress President scheduled next month. Earlier this week, Rahul Gandhi had asserted that the "one-person, one-post" resolution of the party should be maintained with regard to the Congress president's post. A victory for Gehlot in the Congress presidential poll would mean that he would have to give up the chief ministership. Who can replace Ashok Gehlot as Rajasthan CM if he becomes Congress president? Ashok Gehlot's arch rival and former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot is the main contender in the race for the post of the chief minister. According to reports, Pilot has started talking to the Congress MLAs of all camps. The name of Assembly Speaker Dr CP Joshi is also among the popular faces. He is a former state Congress president and was a contender for the post in 2008 but lost the Assembly elections by one vote at that time. Various organisations including the Jat Mahasabha have also started raising the demand to make a Jat leader the chief minister. Several ministers in the Rajasthan government, however, have advocated for Ashok Gehlot to be retained as both the chief minister and the party's national president. Congress to see a contest for post of party chief after over two decades The Congress is set to see a contest for the post of party chief after over two decades. The grand old party last saw a contest for the top post in November 2000 when Jitendra Prasada had lost to Sonia Gandhi. Prior to that, Sitaram Kesri had defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot in 1997. In this election, Gehlot is expected to take on Shashi Tharoor, who had the nomination forms collected from AICC headquarters in Delhi on Saturday. According to the party notification, the process for filing nominations for the election will be held from September 24 to 30. The date for scrutiny of the nomination papers is October 1, while the last date for withdrawal of nominations is October 8. The final list of candidates will be published at 5 pm on October 8. The polling, if needed, will be held on October 17. The counting of votes will be taken up on October 19 and the results will be declared the same day. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: As the months-long Russia-Ukraine conflict continues to rage on, India on Saturday (September 24, 2022) told the UN General Assembly that it is on the side of peace and that it will remain firmly there. Speaking at the General Debate of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said that India is on the side that respects the UN Charter and its founding principles. "As the Ukraine conflict continues to rage, we are often asked whose side we are on. And our answer, each time, is straight and honest. India is on the side of peace and will remain firmly there," he said. "We are on the side that respects the UN Charter and its founding principles. We are on the side that calls for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way out. We are on the side of those struggling to make ends meet, even as they stare at the escalating costs of food, of fuel and fertilizers," Jaishankar added. He also said that it is in our collective interest to work constructively, both within the United Nations and outside, in finding an "early resolution" to this conflict. There is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation In a strong message on terrorism, Jaishankar said that no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover up blood stains and asserted that nations who defend proclaimed terrorists in the United Nations neither advance their own interests nor their reputation. Noting that while the global attention has been on Ukraine, Jaishankar said that India has also had to contend with other challenges, especially "in its own neighbourhood", in an apparent reference to the unresolved standoff with China in eastern Ladakh and strained relations with Pakistan. "Having borne the brunt of cross-border terrorism for decades, India firmly advocates a 'zero- tolerance' approach. In our view, there is no justification for any act of terrorism, regardless of motivation. And no rhetoric, however sanctimonious, can ever cover up blood stains," he said. "The United Nations responds to terrorism by sanctioning its perpetrators. Those who politicise the UNSC 1267 Sanctions regime, sometimes even to the extent of defending proclaimed terrorists, do so at their own peril. Believe me, they advance neither their own interests nor indeed their reputation," the external affairs minister stated. India's Statement at the General Debate of the 77th session of #UNGA. https://t.co/WuNNyRth4y September 24, 2022 This was strong, though veiled attack against Pakistan and its all-weather ally China, which has on multiple occasions blocked bids and proposals by India and its allies to designate Pakistan-based terrorists under the 1267 sanctions regime of the UN Security Council. This month, China has put a hold on a proposal moved at the United Nations by the US and co-supported by India to designate Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist Sajid Mir, wanted for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai terrorist attacks, as a global terrorist. Last month, Beijing also put a hold on a proposal by the US and India at the United Nations to blacklist Abdul Rauf Azhar, the brother of Jaish-e Mohammed (JEM) chief Masood Azhar and a senior leader of the Pakistan-based terror organisation. Azhar, born in 1974 in Pakistan, was sanctioned by the US in December 2010. In June this year, China put a hold, at the last moment, on a joint proposal by India and the US to list Pakistan-based terrorist Abdul Rehman Makki under the 1267 Al-Qaida Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council. India to work with G20 members to address serious issues of debt, food and energy security As India assumes the Presidency of the G20 this December, Jaishankar said that New Delhi will work with the group's other members to address serious issues of debt, food and energy security. "The reform of the governance of multilateral financial institutions will continue to be one of our core priorities," he said. (With agency inputs) Washington: Hollywood actor John Cusack, who had earlier extended support to the farmers` protest and the protest against Citizenship Amendment Act in India, has now expressed his solidarity with Congress MP Rahul Gandhi`s Bharat Jodo Yatra. Cusack came out in support of Rahul Gandhi`s `Bharat Jodo Yatra` on Saturday as he took to Twitter and wrote, "Indian parliament member Rahul Gandhi is walking to Kashmir - from Kerala." A while later when a Twitter user thanked him for his support of Rahul, John responded by saying, "Yes - solidarity - to all anti-fascists everywhere!" The 3,500-km long `Bharat Jodo Yatra` from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day. Also Read: 'Whoever becomes Congress president should remember...': Rahul Gandhi's advice to new party chief This comes as the election for the new party president is scheduled to be held. Congress` presidential election will be held on October 17 and the election results would be declared on October 19. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday, while confirming his candidature for the upcoming Congress president election, said that Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that "no member of the Gandhi family" would become the next party chief. Party MP Shashi Tharoor has also given an indication of contesting polls and had met Sonia Gandhi on Monday. He met Congress Central Election Authority chief Madhusudan Mistry on Wednesday. Coming back to John Cusack, he is a celebrated actor popularly known for his work in films like `Serendipity`, `Con Air`, `2012`, and `High Fidelity`. He is also known to be quite vocal about global issues on social media. New Delhi: The class 12 student from Sitapur, UP who opened fire on the school principal on Saturday was taken into police custody, ASP Narendra Pratap Singh informed on Sunday. The student allegedly took this step after the principal scolded him following an altercation with a peer as per police reports. UPDATE | The accused, a class 12 student who opened fire on the school principal has been taken into custody: ASP Narendra Pratap Singh https://t.co/dJOGJ1hfb8 ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) September 25, 2022 The principal, Ram Singh Verma, was shot twice. The incident took place at Adarsh Ramswaroop Inter College in Sadarpur police station area of Biswan tehsil, they said. The accused student, Gurinder Singh, had a quarrel with another student on Friday. Later, Singh was scolded by Verma, Additional Superintendent of Police, Sitapur, N P Singh said. Also Read: Andhra Pradesh: Vijayawada College student gets brutally thrashed by teacher goes viral - Watch video here Angry over being scolded, Singh shot at Verma twice. The incident was caught on a CCTV camera, the ASP said, adding that the principal has been referred to Lucknow for treatment. (With PTI inputs) Jaipur: High drama unfolded in Rajasthan Sunday evening as a group of Congress MLAs loyal to Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot headed to the assembly speaker's residence to submit their resignation ahead of a legislature party meeting which was likely to pick his successor. The development suggested a worsening power struggle between the chief minister and Sachin Pilot who was tipped to be Gehlot's replacement after he declared his candidature for the Congress president's post. Congress observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken, along with Gehlot, reached the chief minister's residence where the Congress Legislature Party meeting was to be held. The pilot reached there separately. About 25 legislators were present there, sources said. ALSO READ- 'Would be on posts for 40 yrs if...': Gehlot's BIG statement ahead of key meet However, a large group of MLAs loyal to the chief minister who held a meeting at Minister Shanti Dhariwal's residence decided to go to Speaker C P Joshi's residence to submit their resignation. "We are going to the speaker's residence in a bus and will submit our resignation," state minister Pratap Singh Khachariyawas told reporters. Sources claimed there were around 80 MLAs, including Independents, in the group. ALSO READ- 'Who will be the Channi of Rajasthan,' Sunil Jakhar takes a dig at Congress Some of its MLAs said Gehlot's successor should be someone who was instrumental in saving the government during the political crisis in 2020 and not someone who was involved in the bid to topple it, a veiled reference to Pilot. Another leader, Govind Ram Meghwal, said Gehlot can shoulder both roles, that of the chief minister as well as the party's national president. New Delhi: Hours after a video surfaced on social media, which shows that a "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan was allegedly raised during a protest organised by the Popular Front of India (PFI) in Pune, Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday (September 24, 2022) said such slogans will not be tolerated in the state. Taking to his official Twitter account, Shinde condemned the pro-Pakistan slogan raised by "anti-social elements". "The police will take appropriate action against them. Such slogans will not be tolerated in the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj," he tweeted in Marathi. . , . Eknath Shinde - (@mieknathshinde) September 24, 2022 He also told reporters that "this is the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj" and that "no one has the right to raise slogans of Pakistan Zindabad". "It is a state of patriots. Our government has taken it seriously," Shinde said. #WATCH | "This is the land of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj and no one has the right to raise slogans of Pakistan Zindabad. It is a state of patriots. Our govt has taken it seriously," says Maharashtra CM Eknath Shinde on Pakistan Zindabad slogans heard during PFI protest in Pune pic.twitter.com/ZCPzYYcJ9j September 24, 2022 Those indulged in 'Pakistan Zindabad' sloganeering will not be spared: Fadnavis Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who is also the Home Minister, said that those who indulged in "Pakistan Zindabad" sloganeering will not be spared. "If anyone raises a 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogan in Maharashtra or in India, then that person will not be spared and action will be taken against them. We will find them out wherever they may be and will take action against them," Fadnavis said. The video shows that the slogan was raised a couple of times when the PFI activists were being bundled into a police vehicle as part of their detention during the protest held on Friday. #WATCH | Maharashtra: Pakistan Zindabad slogans were heard outside the District Collector's office yesterday in Pune City where PFI cadres gathered against the recent ED-CBI-Police raids against their outfit. Some cadres were detained by Police; they were arrested this morning. pic.twitter.com/XWEx2utZZm September 24, 2022 The PFI had organised the protest outside the district collector's office to denounce the recent nationwide raids on the outfit and the arrest of its activists. During the protest, the police detained around 40 protesters. (With agency inputs) New Delhi: Indian filmmaker, author, and producer Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari attended all about music yesterday and saw several young minds with bright eyes full of dreams. All she could think about was how she had embarked on the journey to become a filmmaker back then. She took to her social media and penned down a note drenched in nostalgia. She talked about how she had made impulsive decisions that have somehow resulted in fruition. Sharing a bunch of pictures from her young days, she wrote Most of my life decisions have been impulsive. @niteshtiwari22 can vouch for it :) Started working when i was 18, got married at 25. Travelled on my own whenever i felt like. Learnt new forms of art all the time.. Currently obsessing over contemperory art appreciation. Had children when I was 31. Left my highly paying job at 34 and restarted from scratch to follow my passion for storytelling without knowing anyone in the industry. Became an entrepreneur & founded by company @earthskynotes at 40 to give hope for many like me who dream. Yes I am the girl from far end of Mumbai who walked along with gratitude even when there were many setbacks. I met so many well wishers who have supported me in my journey. May be it's my karma. As I look at myself today and ask 'what is my purpose now in life in the other side of 40?" I still see my younger self and she tells me 'No matter who you are or where you come from you can dream with integrity and hard work. I still take impulsive decisions, always listen to my heart and yes have a very silent sleep at night whatever the day looks like to get up in the morning seeing my greens and saying 'Thank-you' to the universe. These are thoughts after I attended @allaboutmusicin yesterday and saw so many young minds with bright eyes full of dreams. But then there was this one girl who came up to me and said 'Mam' I am from Pune, i want to know how big should you think for yourself when you have no path? i still do not have an answer. While Ashwiny has marked her success, it was in 2017 when she won the award for the best debut director for the film Nil Battey Sannata at Filmfare. Later she also wom the award for best director at Zee Cine Awards. Meanwhile, on the work front Ashwiny Iyer Tiwari is gearing up for her digital debut with Faadu and films like Tarla & Bawaal are in her kitty. Meghan Markle reportedly put an ultimatum on her relationship with Prince Harry during their courtship. Meghan told Harry she would break up with him if he didn't publicly confirm their relationship, according to "Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown" by Valentine Low. A source told Low that Harry was "freaking out" about the situation. Meghan Markle told Prince Harry that she would end their relationship if he didn't publicly confirm they were a couple, according to a new book excerpt published in The Times of London. In an upcoming book by Valentine Low, "Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown," two anonymous sources told the author that Meghan gave Harry an ultimatum regarding their relationship, causing him to panic Video: Why Prince Harry and Meghan Markle left the royal family "She was saying, 'If you don't put out a statement confirming I'm your girlfriend, I'm going to break up with you," one source told Low. Another source told the author that Harry was "freaking out, saying, 'She's going to dump me.'" According to the book, Harry contacted Jason Knauf, the communications secretary for Prince William, Kate Middleton, and Prince Harry at the time. Harry reportedly told Knauf to release a statement confirming his relationship with Meghan and to condemn the racist treatment she received from British tabloids. Meghan told Harry's staff that she knew "how the palace worked," adding, "you don't care about the girlfriend," according to the book. Prince Harry and Meghan Markle at a Creative Industries and Business Reception on October 02, 2019. Chris Jackson/Getty Images "Harry's staff knew that Meghan was different from other royal girlfriends. She had her own opinions and would let people know what they were. In the spring of 2017, more than six months before the couple were engaged, she told one of Harry's advisers: 'I think we both know I'm going to be one of your bosses soon,'" according to an excerpt from the book. Story continues Representatives for the Duke and Duchess of Sussex and Buckingham Palace did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Low also reported in March 2021 that the Duchess of Sussex bullied two senior members of Buckingham Palace staff when she was a working member of the royal family. The Times referenced an email Knauf sent to William's former private secretary, in which he reportedly voiced concern "that nothing will be done." The report was published just days before Harry and Meghan's bombshell interview with Oprah Winfrey aired. According to the royal biography "Finding Freedom," some of Meghan's former staff members retracted their claims that the duchess bullied them, Insider's Mikhaila Friel reported in September 2021. "Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown" will be released on October 6. Read the original article on Insider New Delhi: Raju Srivastava passed away on September 21, 2022 leaving family, friends and fans grieving. The actor comedian was undergoing treatment for heart attack in New Delhis All India Insititute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) since August 10, however, he could not be saved. He was 58 years old. Now, as the family is organizing a prayer meet in Mumbai, actors daughter Antara spoke with E-Times about how they are dealing with the changes post his demise. I am flying down with Mummy tonight to Mumbai. She is not fine. It is a very tough time for us, she said. She further said, We will be back in Delhi soon. A lot of rituals are in the offing. Kanpur was Dad's home. So, we have to do puja there too. Furthermore, she revealed that Raju did not say anything during his time at the hospital and said, Daddy didn't speak anything in the hospital. Raju Srivastava was cremated in the presence of friends and family at Nigambodh Ghat, New Delhi on September 22, 2022. His last rites were performed by son Ayushmaan. Raju Srivastava rose to fame with Great Indian Laughter Challenge in the year 2005. Since then, the comedian had a flourishing career in the film and television industry. Over the course of three decades, he featured in Hindi films such as "Maine Pyar Kiya", "Baazigar", the remake of "Bombay to Goa" and "Aamdani Atthani Kharcha Rupaiya". After his death, fellow comedian Ahsaan Qureshi revealed in an interview that Raju wanted to work on the sequel of Bombay to Goa with all his fellow comedians. New Delhi: Sobhita Dhulipala has an interesting line-up of films ahead and is busy shooting up for her projects. While fans of the actress are waiting to see her come on the screen with different characters, she has finally wrapped the shoot of The Night Manager where she essays the character of Kaveri. Taking to her social media, Sobhita shared some photos from the wrap-up of The Night Manager. The photos captured a thank you cake for Sobhita from the team with the name of her character Kaveri written on it. While sharing the picture, the actress wrote Issa wrap! Signing off as Kaveri Dixit #TheNightManager. The actress shared more pictures with the team of the film. See the pics here - In The Night Manager, she will be seen in a new and fresh pairing with Aditya Roy Kapoor while Anil Kapoor is also a part of the film. Apart from this, the actress is also running the promotions of her yet another upcoming Ponniyin Selvan: I which stars Aishwarya Rai Bachchan, Vikram, Karthi and Trisha Krishnan in prominent roles. The magnum opus has been directed by Mani Ratnam and is all set to release on September 30. On the work front, while Sobhita is all geared up for the release of Ponniyin Selvan: I this week, she will next be seen in the much-anticipated season 2 of Zoya Akhtars Made In Heaven and The Night Manager. New Delhi: Most people want to invest in the scheme from where they can get maximum returns every time. But you must know that it is not that easy. Making a profit every time is not everyone's business. Sometimes investors also have to bear heavy losses. Therefore, if you want to invest without any tension or risk, this LIC plan will be the best for you. In this scheme, you have to only invest Rs 2000 per month and you'll get up to Rs 48 lakh. Here are the details of this LIC scheme including how to get that much return. Why invest in this policy? Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) is running a variety of schemes for investors, in which investors get to earn bumper profits. People can invest in LIC easily because it is a government company that has been running for decades. Here is about LIC's plan number 914, which proves to be very special in some ways. You can earn huge profits from this policy. Eligibility criteria - To get the policy, the age frame should be from 8 years to 55 years. - You have to take a term of at least 12 years and a maximum of 35 years to take benefit from the scheme. - You have to keep the sum assured amount (insurance amount) of Rs 1 lakh. How to get a Rs 48 lakh return? If a person starts plan number 914 at the age of 18, the person will get insurance of Rs 10 lakh. Also, you have to have a term of 35 years. In such a condition, this plan will cost Rs 24391 annually i.e. a premium of Rs 2079 will have to be deposited every month. After 35 years, the investor will get a return of Rs 48 lakh 40 thousand as a maturity amount. New Delhi: Garena Free Fire releases redeem codes on an everyday basis. The 12-digit redeem code consists of alphabets and numbers. Players can get rewards such as skins for in-game weapons and characters to improve their gaming experience. ALSO READ | Indian Rupee has held up very well against US Dollar compared to others amid volatility: FM Nirmala Sitharaman Garena Free fire is banned in India. However, if you are located outside India, you can access the reward codes and redeem them. For that you will be required to visit official Garena Free Fire reward site and log in to your Facebook, Google, and Twitter IDs to access the Free Fire redemption page. (Also read: WhatsApp entering film-making biz, movie to premiere on Amazon Prime Video and YouTube) Check out the Garena Free Fire Redeem Codes for September 25, 2022 FFIC33NTEUKA X99TK56XDJ4X WEYVGQC3CT8Q 3IBBMSL7AK8G 4ST1ZTBE2RP9 J3ZKQ57Z2P2P VNY3MQWNKEGU SARG886AV5GR 8F3QZKNTLWBZ FF7MUY4ME6SC GCNVA2PDRGRZ B3G7A22TWDR7X ZZATXB24QES8 How to Redeem Garena Free Fire codes for today, September 25, 2022 Step 1: Go to the official Garena Free Fire redemption portal Step 2: Log in on the portal with either your Facebook, Twitter, Apple, Google, VK, or Huawei ID. Step 3: Enter a redeem code in the designated text box. Step 4: Click on the Ok button to get free rewards in your game account. (Disclaimer: Garena Free fire is banned in India. Hence we advise people to adhere to government rules) New Delhi: To ensure that motorists using electric vehicles get access to real-time data on nearest active charging stations while on the move, the Bureau of Energy Efficiency (BEE) is developing a mobile app as well as a web portal to provide this information. ALSO READ | Free Disney+Hotstar Subscription: Airtel recharge plan offering platform subsr According to sources privy to developments, the app and web portal will provide real time information to motorists on the move, about the nearest active charging stations available on their route. BEE is the central nodal agency for developing these softwares and work on this is expected to be completed soon, sources informed further. ALSO READ | Amazon app quiz today, September 25, 2022: Here are the answers to win Rs 500 Power Ministry had issued guidelines for developing these software in January this year. Sources said that the mobile app and web portal providing live data on charging infrastructure will help in improving mobility services. The government is also working at installing smart meters on electric poles at dedicated locations and make small charging stations across highways, cities and even villages. Electric vehicle owners would be given smart cards for charging batteries of their vehicles anywhere. BEE would be developing these chargers, which would include chargers for charging light electric vehicles like two-wheelers and three-wheelers, sources said. According to BEE, these chargers will have a built in provision to measure and register electric energy delivered and a provision for electric vehicles` charging upon user authentication through the mobile app. Such chargers would be mounted on electric poles in public parking spaces, sources informed further. Massive rumour making round on social media - many of them originated from China - have said that Chinese President Xi Jinping is under threat of military coup, and is set to be replaced as country's President by a powerful military General Li Qiaoming. Li Qiaoming, who is among the most senior officials of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA), has served as commander of the Northern Theater Command from September 2017 to September 2022. Li Qiaoming has served in various significant positions in the Chinese army, including as the Chief of Staff of the 361st Regiment, Commander of the 364th Regiment, Chief of Staff of the 124th Division, Deputy Chief of Staff of the 42nd Group Army, and Commander of the 124th Division of the 42nd Army. In 2017, Li Qiaoming was elected as a member of the 19th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China. Rumours of China Military Coup and Xi Jinping's house arrest Social media is abuzz with the rumours of Chinese President Xi Jinping being put under house arrest, and a possible coup taking place in the country, a week after two of its former minister were sentenced for corruption - a highly controversial decision in nation's history. As per the social media posts, many by experts across the fields from China itself, an unprecedented military movement was seen towards Xi Jinping's residence in Beijing. Military vehicles were seen making a movement close to Xi's residence. A few puported videos of such movements have also gone viral on social media. However, their is no official confirmation on the same. A number of social media users from China said that a coup was almost confirmed as the country, without giving any specific reason, cancelled over 9,000 domestic flights. Some even said that military chief General Li Qiaoming is set to become next President. "PLA military vehicles heading to #Beijing on Sep 22. Starting from Huanlai County near Beijing & ending in Zhangjiakou City, Hebei Province, entire procession as long as 80 KM. Meanwhile, rumor has it that #XiJinping was under arrest after #CCP seniors removed him as head of PLA," a Twitter user who goes by the name Jennifer Zeng said. Islamabad: More purported audio clips featuring leaders of Pakistan's government surfaced on Sunday, raising questions about the security of high-profile places and the meetings held there. Apparently one of the clips involved a conversation among several senior leaders of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) in the high-security PM House. Interior minister Rana Sanullah, defence minister Khawaja Asif, law minister Azam Tarar, and minister for economic affairs Ayaz Sadiq can be heard talking about the fate of Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and the resignations of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) lawmakers from the National Assembly. Another audio clip is purportedly about a conversation between PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif about finance minister Ismail. Maryam who is the daughter of former three-time premier Nawaz Sharif wields a lot of influence in the government and is critical of Ismail. "He (Ismail) doesn't take responsibility, says strange things on TV which people make fun of him for he doesn't know what he is doing," she is heard saying in the clip. "He clearly cut corners," the voice said to be PM Shehbaz is heard as saying. "Uncle, he doesn't know what he is doing," Maryam says, as she wishes for the return of PML-N stalwart Ishaq Dar, who has been tipped to come back next week to take charge of the finance ministry. The two clips followed another a day earlier involving PM Shehbaz and the unidentified official who is talking about Maryam's wish that her son-in-law should be allowed to import some machinery from India. The government has not said anything about the leaked clips but the opposition PTI has already taken the issue to the social media domain and lambasted the government. Fawad Chaudhry, former information minister of PTI, shared the over two-minute-long audio clip said to be a conversation between PM Shehbaz and the official, alleging the ruling party was more interested in safeguarding family affairs. Talking about the leaking of conversation from the PM Office, he said that the data was offered up for sale on the dark web, showing the state of the country's cybersecurity. "This is a failure of our intelligence agencies, especially the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Obviously, apart from political issues, important discussions on security and foreign issues are now in everyone's hands," he said. Shireen Mazari, former human rights Minister in the PTI government, said one of the alleged audios showed the laying down of groundwork for Dar's return. "The leaked audios certainly reveal the influence of convict Nawaz Sharif and his convict-on-bail daughter in the running of this imported government itself a cabal of crooks," she said. She went on to say that the "real issue" was who bugged the PMO or the Prime Minister House in the first place. "The hacking happened because devices were placed in these locations. So who is responsible and where did orders or decisions come from" That is a question that must also be focused on, she said. Three charity lots will be among the consignments slated to cross the block during the Fall Carlisle Collector Car Auction next Thursday and Friday. Of the three charity lots, one will run on Thursday while the other two run Friday. Thursdays offering is at 11:45 a.m. and comes to the auction by way of the Cedar Grove United Methodist Church. The church is showcasing and selling a 1923 Ford T Bucket that was built from the ground up by the youth of the church with help from their parents and other community members. The car is a fundraiser in support this year of their mission work in Kentucky organized through the Appalachia Service Project. As the T Bucket crosses the block, members from the church and Mission 23 will be on hand as car enthusiasts offer bids on the car. One hundred of the donations from the room will go directly to the group not only for their work in Kentucky but to fund future mission projects. On Friday at noon, Sission Pre-owned of Uniontown, Fayette County, will sell a 2006 Cadillac DTS, with 100 % of the proceeds from that sale going to the Rescue 22 Foundation, a nonprofit organization that provides the highest quality task-trained service dogs to combat veterans. Then at 4 p.m. Friday, as part of the Dave Ferro Collection, a 1977 Dodge Power Wagon military truck will be put on the block with the first $10,000 from the sale going to Blue Star Mothers, a group of moms throughout the nation who have children serving in the military. Were so glad to be able to assist three wonderful organizations as part of our collector car auction, Director of Auction Operations Tony Cline said. We wish them well as they continue forward with the good work that they continue to do. Bid with your heart, knowing youll be helping a trio of worthy causes. The Fall Carlisle Collector Car Auction takes place in conjunction with the Fall Carlisle car show Thursday through Sunday and starts at noon each day. Preview hours for the in-person sale start at 8 a.m. on the Thursday and continue each morning through the start of the auction. Complete details on each charity consignment as well as the rest of the lots scheduled to cross the block are available online at CarlisleAuctions.com. Typhoon Noru blasted the Philippines main Luzon island on Sunday, prompting warnings that heavy winds and torrential rain could cause catastrophic flooding. The eyewall of the storm, known locally as Typhoon Karding, made landfall in the Polillo Islands at 5 p.m. local (5 a.m. ET) as a super typhoon and shortly afterwards hit the municipality of Burdeos, in Quezon Province, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). The storm had sustained winds of 240 kph (149 mph), with gusts up to 295 kph (183 mph) at that time, according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. It has since weakened slightly to a category 4 typhoon, the Joint Typhoon Warning Center said in an update at around 9 a.m. ET., but is still causing an extremely dangerous winds, storm surge, extreme rainfall and catastrophic flooding in central Luzon. PAGASA reports that the typhoon is forecast to track westward in the next 6 to 12 hours, then west-northwestward for the rest of the day. There is a high to very high risk of storm surge more than 3 meters in height in the low-lying and exposed coastal areas of northern Quezon Province. Heavy rainfall is also forecast along the typhoons path in the coming hours. Under these conditions, widespread flooding and rain-induced landslides are expected, especially in areas that are highly or very highly susceptible, PAGASA said. Authorities previously issued an extreme emergency alert as the storm reached super typhoon status early on Sunday morning local time, after suddenly intensifying. Members of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office in Quezon City, Manila, prepare rubber boats and life vests ahead of Typhoon Noru making landfall on Sunday. - Kevin Tristan Espiritu/AFP/Getty Images The highest emergency preparedness and response protocol has been activated in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and the Bicol region, said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. Story continues It urged the public to take care, adding strong winds were expected to hit within the next 18 hours. Schools in multiple cities including Muntinlupa City and Aurora suspended classes for Monday, September 26, due to the approaching storm. The forecast path of Typhoon Noru. - Philippines GOVPH PAGASA issued a signal warning level four for the Polillo Islands in anticipation of extensive damage that could be caused by the storm. The warning came after the storm rapidly intensified in the early hours of Sunday. A satellite image from Saturday released by NASA shows Typhoon Noru approaching the Philippines. - AP The Joint Typhoon Warning Center said it had strengthened from a 140 kph (85 mph) typhoon to a 250 kph (155 mph) super typhoon in just six hours. PAGASA also issued level two and three warnings for much of Luzon, including metro Manila. Tropical Storm Talas kills two in Japan Meanwhile, authorities in Japan said Sunday that two people had been killed in landslides caused by Tropical Storm Talas. One person is missing after his car fell into a river, Shizuoka Prefecture government reported. Timbers and debris washed away by Tropical Storm Talas in Shimada, Shizuoka Prefecture, Japan, on Sept. 24, 2022. - Naoki Maeda/AP The prefecture saw its heaviest daily rainfall on record, including a record rainfall of 416.5 mm (over 16 inches) in Suruga-ku, Shizuoka City, according to the Japan Meteorological Agency. During the downpour, the prefecture urged 1,200,000 households approximately 3 million people to evacuate. More than 1,000 houses and a large number of roads in the prefecture were flooded, it said, adding that multiple bridges have collapsed. CNNs Haley Brink and Bonnie Turner contributed to this report. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com On Sept. 11, six days before the nation celebrated Constitution Day, a woman stepped up to the visitor centers front desk at James Madisons Montpelier to buy tickets for a guided tour, an everyday occurrence. But as she and her husband began strolling the grounds of the fourth U.S. presidents home in Orange County, Va., a few staff members realized these were no ordinary guests. Former Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, had come to see where James and Dolley Madison lived. Zeb Dillon Gray, one of the interpreters who manage the Madisons house, quickly rose to the occasion and gave the Pences a private, room-to-room tour of the familys stately brick mansion. Upstairs, they stood in James Madisons study overlooking the Blue Ridge, where he studied scores of books his friend Thomas Jefferson shipped from France. There, the 36-year-old planter and Princeton graduate drew upon the Enlightenments ideas and created the Virginia Plan that formed the foundation of the U.S. Constitution during the constitutional convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. We were excited that former Vice President and Mrs. Pence took time to visit Montpelier when they were in the area on 9/11, during Constitution Month, Elizabeth Chew, The Montpelier Foundations interim president and CEO, said Saturday. We appreciate Mr. Pences recognition of the important work we are doing at Montpelier to honor Madisons gift to our nation. The Pences enjoyed their tour, then paid their respects to President Madison in the brick-walled Madison Family Cemetery, a short walk across the estates green fields from the big house, staff members said. There, they were joined by Montpelier Foundation Chairman James French and Chew, with whom they discussed a shared passion for Madisonian principles and the Constitution, Dr. Chew said in a statement Saturday. The vice president said he came to Montpelier to pay homage to James Madison because he was inspired by him to support the peaceful transfer of power, Chew said. Montpeliers leadership and staff were impressed by the vice presidents reverence for the place and the legacy of James Madison, which so many work daily to preserve. The Pences described the profound impact that Montpelierthe house and the groundshad on them, Chew said. During their visit, the Pences told the staff they had long sought to visit Montpelier. They asked a guide to snap a photo of them in front of the Madisons home. The next day, Pence tweeted several photos from their visit, writing, Inspiring stop last weekend at Montpelier the Home of President James Madison, the Father of the Constitution! Thanks again to the Great Staff for the Warm Welcome & all you do to Preserve the Legacy of our 4th President! In the days afterward, Pence expressed on social media and again in a personal letter to the foundation how inspiring he found his time with us, Chew said. ... We greatly appreciate his kind words. After a two-year-plus absence during the COVID-19 pandemic, Montpelier has brought back tours focusing in depth on the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Madisons two signal accomplishments. The historic site is offering those tours regularly. Montpelier was once a place where James and Dolley Madison invited people of all political perspectives to sit down at their dinner table and talk, James French said in an interview Saturday. What were hoping to do here is re-establish that national dinner table where the American people can come and have conversations. The Pences visit is a perfect example of how were doing that. Last November, addressing a Young Americas Foundation event at the University of Iowa, Pence told the young conservatives he looked to the teachings of James Madison and the Bible to help him hold steady at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. A questioner in the audience, Jared, asked him, Who told you to buck President Trumps plan and certify the votes? Pence responded, James Madisonknown as the Father of the Constitution, The Washington Post reported. The Hill headlined its story, Pence took inspiration from Madison, Bible on Jan. 6. Referring to the oath he swore to uphold the Constitution, Pence also cited a Bible verse he said he leaned on: Psalm 15 says he who keeps his oath even when it hurts. A believer in the peaceful transfer of power, when Congress met on Jan. 6, Pence refused to help overturn the 2020 presidential elections outcome. As rioters chanted Hang Mike Pence, he escaped the mob sacking the Capitol, then returned hours later to preside over lawmakers certification of the Electoral College countas the Constitution requires. I understand the disappointment in the election. You might remember I was on the ballot, Pence told the 500 or so people at the YAF event in Iowa. But youve got to be willing to do your duty. And the time may come that some of you are in that position, or one like it. And I just have a feeling, based on the shining faces Im seeing around here, youre going to be men and women who do your duty in that time as well. September has been busy at Montpelier. For the first time, the presidential site has expanded its annual celebration of the U.S. Constitution from its traditional Constitution Day, on Sept. 17, to the entire month. Large numbers of visitors, both on site and online, have attended special eventsincluding the opening of a new tour in the East Woods and a series of educational panels focused on the world-changing ideals of the Constitution and the Madison legacy, as seen from various historical perspectives. The months high-profile speakers have included Charlottesville-based New York Times opinion writer Jamelle Bouie, presidential scholar Lindsay Chervinsky and prominent Montpelier Foundation board members. Virginia Republicans officially declared war on transgender kids in the past nine days. First came Gov. Glenn Youngkins ironically named 2022 MODEL POLICIES ON THE PRIVACY, DIGNITY, AND RESPECT FOR ALL STUDENTS AND PARENTS IN VIRGINIAS PUBLIC SCHOOLS, released on Friday, Sept. 16. It orders transgender students to use bathrooms associated with their birth sex, not their gender identity. It makes parents or students over 18 provide specific legal documents to change names or sex designations in school records. It affirms rights of teachers to refuse to call students by preferred pronouns. It forbids school officials to provide gender identity counseling without parental permission and presence. The policies remain under discussion. Then, on Sept. 20, Virginia Republican Congressman Bob Good spoke at a Capitol press conference in favor of federal legislation that would make gender-affirming treatments for transgender children a felony. Legal analysts question the legality or practicality of both attacks. Youngkins model policies appear suspect in light of existing Virginia law that forbids discrimination on a number of grounds, including gender identity, and also in light of federal law that prohibits sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity) discrimination in any education program or activity receiving federal financial assistance. Youngkin is not on very stable ground to implement his model policies, said Christy Mallory, legal director of the Williams Institute, a research center based at the UCLA School of Law. It focuses on how laws and policies affect the LGBTQ+ community. University of Richmond law professor Carl Tobias said he thinks that Young cannot legally implement his model policies without going to the legislature and changing the statute. The governor has to honor what the legislature passed, Tobias said. Youngkins new policies raise ethical questions. The governor likes to talk about parental rights, as if tens of thousands of parents are being hoodwinked and undermined by school officials on LGBTQ+ issues. The Williams Institute aggregates the number of transgender Americans by age group and state. It estimates that in Virginia, 4,150 children between 13 and 17 identify as transgender. This is a small minority of school kids who are sometimes abused by peers who find out their gender identity choice. Yet Youngkin has singled out these vulnerable young people and punished them for nothing more than political gain with an intolerant base. That is reprehensible, if not immoral. It is not the behavior most Americans expect from their president, who Youngkin wants to be. Bob Goods bill to criminalize gender-affirming treatments for transgender kids is even more cynical. Good teamed with other Republican extremists Marjorie Taylor Greene, Matt Gaetz and Lauren Boebert to put forth an expression of hate that criminalizes alternative lifestyles. The ridiculously named Protect Childrens Innocence Act makes it a felony to perform any gender affirming care on a minor and it permits a minor on whom such care is performed to bring a civil action against each individual who provided the care, according to Congress.gov. The legislation would put health care providers, including the University of Virginia, at risk of criminal charges. Our clinical offerings include transgender youth health services for ages 11 to 25, a spokesman for UVa Health told The Daily Progress. We do not provide genital surgery for anyone younger than 18, and UVA Health follows best-practice clinical consent protocols for all the services we provide. The American Academy of Family Physicians, American Psychiatric Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American College of Physicians and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists all oppose bills like Goods. The legislation stands a snowballs chance in hell of becoming law unless Republicans take control of the House and get a 60-vote majority in the Senate. Even then, it might be too extreme for Republicans to stomach and subject to a presidential veto. On the other hand, nothing seems too radical for Congressman Bob Good as he embarrasses most Virginians and many of his constituents. Like Youngkin, Good wants to coddle his base: narrow-minded religious zealots who think their personal beliefs should govern everybodys behavior. Who cares if it hurts a few marginalized children? The University of Richmonds Tobias summed up Goods cruelty-over-compassion approach perfectly. It is, he said, stupid. Thank you for reading! To read this article and more, subscribe now for as little as $1.99. A Yamhill County court has struck down the Newberg school board's 2021 ban on political signs, declaring it a violation of the state constitution's guarantees of free speech. Circuit Court Judge Cynthia Easterday granted a summary judgment in the case of teacher Chelsea Shotts vs. the district, board chairman Dave Brown, vice-chairman Brian Shannon and directors Trevor DeHart and Renee Powell. "Shotts asked the court to declare that the board's policy was unconstitutional and the court agreed, at least with respect to the free speech guarantee in Article I, Section 8," said Thomas Christ, a Portland attorney who filed an amicus (friend of the court) brief in the case. "That means the board can't enforce the policy against Shotts or, for that matter, anyone else. They can't discipline her or them for putting up a poster in violation of the policy." Shotts, a special education teacher in a Newberg elementary school, filed the lawsuit with the aid of the American Civil Liberties Union and a Portland law firm in late 2021, challenging the board's policy restricting "political, quasi-political or controversial" displays, including Black Lives Matter and LGBTQ+ flags. As Shotts was awarded a summary judgment, the case will not go to trial and the district must rescind the ban immediately. "In Oregon, the government is presumed to follow the law as declared by a court," Christ said. "The district can appeal, of course, but that will take years and unless and until a higher court reverses the judge's ruling the district must follow it." The next step is that the lawyers on either side of the case defendant's attorney Karen O'Casey and plaintiffs attorney Meagan Hines will present a proposed order to Easterday for her signature and final judgment. If the district chose to appeal, it would follow the actions by Easterday. Quality journalism doesn't happen without your help Support local news coverage and the people who report it by subscribing to the Albany Democrat-Herald. "Some lawsuits present difficult legal questions. This one doesn't," Christ said. "The only difficult question is why the board or, more precisely, a majority of it would adopt a policy so obviously unconstitutional. Either they didn't care about that, or they got really lousy advice from their newly-hired legal counsel." Easterday heard online oral arguments on Thursday in the case. O'Casey argued that the lawsuit fell under the tenets of the Robertson analysis, which under Oregon law concerns "laws that focus on the content of speech or writing and are written in terms directed to the substance of any opinion or any subject of communication." "From the district and the defendants' perspective this is a Category 2 (Robertson) case because it does not proscribe expression, it proscribes the means of expression," O'Casey said. "Put very, very simply, it is a policy that simply says there is a limit on the visual expression of personal viewpoints. The policy makes it very clear that it does not (prohibit) discussions of any political topic whatsoever. All it says is you cannot, in the course and scope of your time as a public school teacher teaching students, post banners or flags concerning a political or controversial topic." Hines countered that the Shotts case was simple and solely based on the text of the board policy, which the court must look at first before considering other tenets of the Robertson analysis. "If the text is written in terms directed to the substance of any opinion or any subject of communication, then it is spatially unconstitutional ," she said. "Here the text prohibits Ms. Shotts and other district educators from displaying political, quasi-political or controversial signs and that text, standing alone, is a content-based restriction because it is written in terms directed to the political, quasi-political or controversial substance of the proscribed displays. "By definition restricting speech based on what it says restricts speech based on content. It requires whoever is enforcing the policy to look at the message to determine whether the policy has in fact been violated." In her finding, Easterday agreed with Hines' assessment: "Is the policy content neutral? I just can't get past there. I think it is spatially invalid based on the (statutes). I don't think it is content neutral. You actually have to be able to look at it to see whether or not it fits in the category that is barred or proscribed." Easterday did, however, grant summary judgment on the defendants' behalf on the second contention of the Shotts lawsuit, which alleged that the board policy also violated another section of the constitution. The school district acknowledged the court decision in a Friday post on social media, adding that its attorney "will be updating us in regard to the impact of this ruling" and speculated that it would release a statement at a later date. Background of lawsuit Shott's lawsuit against the district and four conservative board members came about after retired attorney Mike Gunn filed a complaint in September 2021 with former Dundee Elementary School Principal Reed Langdon and Brown after spotting a sign in the window of Shotts' classroom that displayed a rainbow-patterned heart and the words "Be Known," a slogan used in George Fox University ad campaigns. The sign was erected prior to the board adopting its new policy a month prior. Under the board policy, Gunn's complaint was to first be addressed to Shotts herself, then by Langdon, then forwarded to the school superintendent and the board if the complainant was unsatisfied with the principal's decision. Brown replied to Gunn's complaint in an email: "The decision to remove all flags and banners in our schools is to remove all political signs and banners. The United States flag and the Oregon state flag are the only flags to be used in our schools. Removing the Pride flag and banners in no way means we are not committed to any and all students who identify as LBGQT+ in any way." Brown further commented at an October 2021 board meeting that enforcing the policy was proving difficult. "Some of our staff members have shown very clearly where they stand on this issue," he said. "The defiance is through the roof and it's troubling to a lot of people in our community." Later that month Langdon emailed Gunn that he would not order the sign to be removed, arguing that it is not political, but "one that honors students and tells them they are welcome at Dundee Elementary." Langdon's determination prompted Gunn to forward his complaint to former Superintendent Joe Morelock, who ruled that Shott's banner "is not a political, quasi-political or controversial sign and should not be removed," causing Gunn's complaint to be forwarded to school board for a determination. The board addressed Gunn's complaint at a November 2021 meeting but tabled it indefinitely after struggling with the language in its own policy. "This is like the grayest of gray areas for me, because is any rainbow pattern automatically a Pride flag?" Shannon, the director who authored the policy and headed the drive to eliminate political signs from schools, said. "I don't think it is. My daughter wears rainbow pajamas all the time. So, this is a tough one, I'm not going to lie." He added, however, that he believed the sign appeared to intentionally skirt the tenets of the policy. "So, here's the thing, I think that (the sign) is a work-around to get around the policy and I don't like that," he said. "At the same time, I'm afraid that by interpreting the policy too rigidly we would be endangering the policy itself in court." DeHart countered that it was apparent Shotts' display was politically motivated. "There (are) many types of different ducks in the world and they've got different coloring, different shapes, but in the end they're all ducks. If we take a Pride flag or a BLM flag or a MAGA flag and put a heart on it, does it change the essence of what it is?" It was at that meeting that the board chose to not renew Morelock's contract after board members and some in the local citizenry had complained the superintendent wasn't enforcing the ban on political signs instituted by the board. Morelock told an OPB reporter soon after his termination that some people probably felt "frustrated" that the policy wasn't being enforced quickly enough. He had made it clear to the board in early September 2021 that he would not implement the policy as the district's legal counsel said it appeared illegal and would subject the district to additional legal action. National Bank of Bahrain (NBB) hosted its quarterly townhall in the presence of the banks employees recently. The meeting aimed to update all team members on the organisations latest milestones and pivotal performance updates. The townhall was led by NBBs Chief Executive Officer Jean-Christophe Durand, where he thanked each and every staff member for the banks robust half-year performance, and its resilience over the past year with sustained strong industry positioning. Employees were also updated on the ongoing digital transformation milestones related to the latest advancements in NBBs digital platforms and the banks future technological investments for better customer experience. In addition, employees were given the opportunity to ask their questions and share their opinions, said a statement. - TradeArabia News Service The city of Enterprise has honored a retired military man credited with saving two women from a burning home. Retired Army Command Sgt. Maj. Marvin Pinckney was recognized for his lifesaving actions on Sept. 4 by Enterprise Mayor William Cooper and Enterprise Fire Chief Christopher Davis at the Enterprise City Council meeting Sept. 20. Mr. Pinckney, I know you do not want to be recognized as a hero, but you truly are, Cooper said, presenting Pinckney with keys to the city and an appreciation plaque. The city council, Fire Chief (Christopher) Davis, and I commend you on your unwavering disregard to your own safety and for jumping into action without hesitation. Davis agreed. He is a person who cares about the people around him and he took what action was needed, he said. That is a sign of a good man. Pinckney called running into a burning house next door just instinct to do the right thing. The retired Army command sergeant major is a neighbor of Griffin, whose Bellwood Road home was consumed by flames about 4:20 p.m. Sept. 4. Pinckney was in his garage when he saw smoke and flames coming from Griffins garage. He ran to the home and discovered that Griffin and her helper were inside. They didnt know there was a fire at that point, Pinckney said, adding that his first effort was to get Griffin from her stationary chair to her wheelchair and her portable oxygen supply. As the flames moved from the garage through the home, the electricity in the home went out and smoke filled the rooms, making an exit through the window of the only remaining smoke-free room the only option, Pinckney said. He lifted Griffin through the window into the arms of waiting neighbor. The women were transported to a hospital by Enterprise Rescue Squad. The retired command sergeant major declines to be called a hero. Ive lived in this neighborhood for about year. These are my neighbors, he said. It was just instinct to do the right thing. I knew that she was immobile, and I knew if I didnt help intervene it wouldnt have turned out the way it did, Pinckney said. Pinckney, a member of the National Association of Buffalo Soldiers and Troopers Motorcycle Club-Fort Rucker Chapter, was joined at the council meeting by fellow-club members, who Pinckney says are like brothers and sisters to him. Pinckney declines to be called a hero. Serving 30 years in the military, the heroes to me are my comrades in arms who fell while serving, he said. Im thankful that I was in the right place at the right time. OZARK An Ozark man is in Dale County Jail after being charged with sex crimes against children. Jeremy Morris, 34, was arrested after the Dale County Sheriffs Department received a call for assistance from the Tallahassee, Fla., police Friday in reference to an online undercover operation involving electronic solicitation of children. Dale County Sheriffs Department Chief Deputy Mason Bynum said Saturday that TPD informed them that they were communicating with an individual in Ozark who was soliciting sexual contact from children from an undercover officer. Based on this information we executed a search warrant on the suspects residence in Ozark, Bynum said. As a result of that search warrant and interviewing other individuals, additional evidence was uncovered that led us to charge Jeremy Morris with first-degree rape, two counts of first-degree sexual abuse of a child under 12 and two counts of first-degree sodomy. We do anticipate additional charges once forensic analysis are completed on the suspects electronic devices, Bynum said. We were assisted by the Tallahassee Police Department, Ozark Police Department, the State Bureau of Investigation and the Dale County District Attorneys Office. People perform Xoe Thai dance at a ceremony held in Yen Bai to receive UNESCO recognition of the art form as a world cultural heritage, September 24, 2022. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy Over 2,000 Thai people performed their unique Xoe dance at a Saturday ceremony held in Yen Bai to receive UNESCO recognition of the art form as a world cultural heritage. The mass dance performance took place at a stadium in Nghia Lo Town of the northern province of Yen Bai. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh was present at the event as UNESCO handed over a certificate recognizing Xoe Thai, a traditional folk dance of the community, as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. The Xoe dance is the 14th intangible cultural heritage of Vietnam recognized by UNESCO. PM Chinh praised generations of folk artists and the Thai ethnic minority community for tremendous efforts made to conserve their cultural heritage. "Xoe Thai represents a convergence of cultural beauty, therefore, promoting the art is the shared responsibility of all Vietnamese citizens," he said. Pauline Tamesis, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Vietnam, said the Xoe Thai dance holds a special place in people's hearts. "Xoe Thai reminds us of what's important in our lives: the deep relationships we form with family, friends, community and more," she said. The dance is practiced mainly by Thai people residing in the four northern mountainous provinces of Yen Bai, Lai Chau, Son La and Dien Bien. The Xoe dance involves people holding hands and performing six traditional acts, including welcoming, clapping hands, waving scarves and offering wine. ELKO Nevada Gold Mines continues to demonstrate the impact of Barrick Gold Corp.s strategy of combining best assets with the best people as new projects and prospects secure its future as a high-quality, long-life operation for decades to come, according to NGMs chairman and Barrick president and chief executive officer, Mark Bristow. He spoke this past week to equity analysts and investors who came to Nevada to see development of NGMs Goldrush underground project, the open pit operations and processing facilities at Cortez and the third shaft project for underground operations and core shack at Turquoise Ridge. NGMs flagship development project is Goldrush, a world-class underground deposit at the Cortez complex, with a life of mine plan in excess of 20 years, said Bristow. It is expected to employ 500 people during construction and 570 during operation. Bristow said NGM has unlocked significant synergies by consolidating mines, teams, processing facilities and landholdings since the joint venture between Barrick and Newmont Corp. began three years ago. Barrick operates NGM and holds 61.5% of the joint venture, while Newmont holds 38.5%. In the presentation to those touring the operations, NGM reported that it has produced 10 million ounces of gold on a 100% basis and distributed significant cash flows to the joint venture partners, and Bristow said that greatly improved knowledge of orebodies supported and increased mine life at NGM operations. NGM has added 14.7 million ounces of proven and probable mineral reserves on a 100% basis and 8.5 million ounces of inferred mineral resources to its Nevada sites. Barricks 100% owned Fourmile exploration project at Cortez also has 350,000 ounces of indicated mineral resources and 2.2 million ounces of inferred mineral resources that is enhancing future growth potential. The project isnt part of NGM at this point. Bristow also talked about NGMs initiatives to benefit education and Nevada communities. NGM has also built strong relations across the full spectrum of the mines stakeholders, and its wide-ranging support for educational and other community initiatives is securing its social license as a valuable partner with Nevada and its people, he said. These initiatives include support for the College of Southern Nevada, NGMs partnership with Discovery Education and its ongoing work with the University of Nevada, Reno and Great Basin College to develop mining-focused courses. Internally, NGM has launched a unique talent development program at their training mines for underground and surface mining as well as process operations with the air of providing the company with well-rounded, safety-focused employees and maintaining quality control through structured, comprehensive, competency-based training, said Greg Walker, executive managing director of NGM. In addition, leadership development programs have been rolled out with a focus on safety, he said. The NGM-hosted tour followed the Denver Gold Forum held Sept. 18-21 in Colorado Springs, where both Bristow and Newmont President and CEO Tom Palmer were keynote speakers. At the event (Source: VNA) Addressing the event, Most Venerable Thich Thien Nhon, Chairman of the VBSs Executive Council, and Most Venerable Bounma Simavong, President of the Lao Buddhist Coalition, affirmed the great, special friendship shared between the two Parties, States and people of Vietnam and Laos formed a solid foundation for the close ties between their Buddhists. They said the two Buddhist Sanghas should promote their cooperation and exchanges across all fields such as culture, preaching, education, and social charity. Vietnamese Ambassador to Laos Nguyen Ba Hung, meanwhile, expressed his delight at the development of the friendship and cooperation between the two Buddhist Sanghas. According to the VBS, it will join the Lao and Cambodian sides to organise the second Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia Buddhist Leaders Conference in 2023. The event aims to strengthen cooperation in promoting Buddhism in the three countries. Its first edition was held in Vientiane, Laos, in 2018./. Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh (R) and Dutch PM Mark Rutte. (Photo: VNA) During Minhs meeting with Dutch PM Mark Rutte, the two sides said that they treasure and give priority to the development of the Vietnam - Netherlands Comprehensive Partnership. They agreed to step up the exchange of high-level delegations, and resume bilateral cooperation mechanisms interrupted by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Minh thanked the Netherlands for donating one million doses of vaccines and medical equipment and supplies to help Vietnam overcome the difficult period caused by the pandemic. He suggested the Netherlands soon ratify the EU-Vietnam Investment Protection Agreement (EVIPA) and work together with Vietnam to effectively implement the EU-Vietnam Free Trade Agreement (EVFTA), in order to further strengthen trade and investment cooperation between the two countries. Rutte affirmed that Dutch relevant agencies will closely coordinate with the Vietnamese side to organise activities to celebrate the 50th founding anniversary of bilateral diplomatic relations in 2023. During his meeting with Sierra Leonean Foreign Minister David Francis, Minh proposed the two sides closely coordinate and implement measures to promote the agreements reached by their senior leaders during the Sierra Leonean President's visit to Vietnam in March 2022, strengthen cooperation in agriculture and mining, and boost trade and investment as well as cooperation at multilateral forums. Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh meets with Guinea-Bissau Foreign Minister Suzi Carla Barbosa. (Photo: VNA) Meeting Guinea-Bissau Foreign Minister Suzi Carla Barbosa, the Deputy PM affirmed that Vietnam attaches great importance to its friendship and multi-faceted cooperation with African friend nations, including Guinea-Bissau. The two sides agreed to expand bilateral cooperation in economy, trade and agriculture; and further promote the role of the Guinea-Bissau Honorary Consul in Vietnam to promote bilateral cooperation, especially in economy. Minh proposed Guinea-Bissau support Vietnams candidacy for a seat in the UN Human Rights Council for the 2023-2025 term. Receiving Malawi Foreign Minister Nency Tembo, Minh suggested the two sides soon sign a Joint Communique on the establishment of bilateral diplomatic relations. Minh thanked for Malawi's support and expressed his hope to work with Malawi to promote cooperation between Vietnam and African countries. Both sides showed their belief that fine political-diplomatic relations will lay a foundation for the development of economic and trade ties in the coming time./. A group photo of nine Chinese fishermen rescued by Vietnamese fishermen. (Photo: plo.vn) According to a representative of An Thoi Port Border Guard Station, the Chinese crew were saved by captain Pham Xuan Hoang, 42, while his fishing boat was passing by the area. At the station, the Chinese citizens recalled that they were on board a fishing boat with 11 others travelling to Cambodia from Chinas Fujian province. Their boat departed on September 11 and sunk off of the Cambodian town of Sihanoukville on September 22. Among the rescued group eight had neither luggage nor personal papers, while only one person showed an identity card. At present, local border guards are co-ordinating with authorities of the Mekong Delta province of Kien Giang in order to inquire into the case in line with current regulations./. A screenshot of the site. According to a recent article posted on the site, Vietnam is one of the 10 most beautiful destinations that tourists should consider when planning a faraway trip for themselves and their families. The author considered Vietnam a country of cultural treasures and spectacular scenery, adding that it has over 3,000 km of coastline with diverse and rich nature. Coming to Vietnam, visitors can immerse themselves in the vibrant life of the capital of Hanoi or the southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, Hoi An, the capital of lanterns in Vietnam, is also definitely worth a visit. The article advised visitors to begin their journey with trips through endless green paddy fields or national rainforest parks. Those who want to go to the beach were recommended to come to Nha Trang city, which houses vibrant beaches, modern resorts, and luxury shops, or relax with unspoiled nature on Phu Quoc island. The author also mentioned the mysterious Ha Long Bay in the north, which is endowed with countless limestone mountains and small islands, and the Hai Van pass, which divides Vietnam's climate into two regions of the tropical South and the subtropical North. Other destinations on the list were Chile, Florida (the US), Cuba, Morocco, Mexico, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tasmania (Australia) and Abu Dhabi (the UAE)./. Saudi-based Dur Hospitality highlighted, at a recent industry event in Dubai, the strategic role being played by the kingdoms tourism and hotel industry and its massive potential as one of the catalysts of economic diversification that is essential for providing jobs for young Saudi men and women. Dur Hospitality was the platinum sponsor at the three-day Future of Hospitality Summit (FHS) held under the theme 'Lead the Change' which concluded on September 21. Co-organized by the Bench and MEED, FHS brought leading hospitality industry giants from across the globe to discuss the hospitality outlook in the region. The prestigious event brought together decision-makers and tourism and hospitality top players, as well as government leaders, hotel investors, owners, and developers, in addition to industry experts in the tourism and hospitality sector. CEO Sultan Bader Al Otaibi said: "The summit is a unique platform and an effective communication channel among regional and global hospitality leaders and investors. Being a platinum sponsor, it is an exclusive opportunity for Dur Hospitality to overview the latest developments and exchange expertise to keep pace with the much-anticipated growth of the business and family tourism markets in Saudi Arabia." Speaking during one of the panel discussions, President of Hotels Operations, Hassan Al Ahdab, shared Dur Hospitalitys success story in operating its properties and facilities based on best global practices, embedding a scalable and flexible efficient financial management system supported by world-class technologies to meet the customers needs. He pointed out that the Covid-19 pandemic had been a turning point for hospitality leaders to operate more agilely to keep pace with the industry transformations. Dur Hospitality is currently implementing its expansion strategy to grow its hotels and resorts network and cement its position as a leading Saudi hospitality company to serve an expanding tourism and hospitality market, he added.-TradeArabia News Service Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh delivers a speech at a conference on developing the science and technology market on September 23. (Photo: VNA) The hybrid event brought together many cabinet members, scientists and representatives from ministerial and governmental bodies, international organisations, universities, research institutes and enterprises. In his opening remarks, PM Chinh said it is among a series of four conferences hosted by the Government to stabilise and develop the main markets in Vietnam, with the first three on the real estate, finance and labour markets. He described developing the market as one of the key tasks to promote the growth of science and technology and accelerate innovation in a bid to boost productivity, product quality, efficiency and competitiveness in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The conference aims to identify challenges and put forward solutions for Vietnam to better manage and operate the sci-tech market. (Photo: VNA) The conference formed part of the efforts to make science and technology the main force of production, paving the way for Vietnamese firms to produce more hi-tech products and services and improving the economys competitiveness, he said. Discussion focused on analysing the operation of the market, outlining strengths and weaknesses of its main players in Vietnam and evaluating the interaction and coordination among these actors. Attendees also exchanged views on how to make use of intermediaries to ramp up transactions and circulation of science and technology products, and ways to expand national infrastructure for the market to reach the regional and global standards. They also proposed ways to improve institutional and policy framework for the development of the market and to strengthen the States role in directing, regulating and effectively supporting the market expansion in the coming time./. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong addresses the meeting in HCM City on September 23. (Photo: VNA) At a working session with him during his working visit there, the Standing Board of the municipal Party Committee reported on the implementation outcomes of the resolutions adopted at the 13th National Party Congress and the 11th municipal Party Congress. It proactively issued a resolution for the recovery period as soon as HCM City had basically brought the COVID-19 pandemic under control. Its Standing Board also ordered the issuance of a local socio-economic recovery and development programme for 2022 - 2025. As a result, the city posted economic growth of 3.82% in the first half of 2022, a rate expected to reach 9.71% in the first nine months. It has enjoyed fair growth in foreign trade, strong recovery in trading, services, and tourism, and 2.91 billion USD in FDI attraction so far. Encouraging outcomes have also been recorded in cultural and social affairs, health care, education - training, science - technology, COVID-19 response, defence - security ensuring, and foreign relations. Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong greets HCM City officials at the meeting on September 23. (Photo: VNA) Applauding efforts and achievements by the local Party Organisation, administration, and people, General Secretary Trong said with its outstanding potential, advantages, attractiveness, and competitiveness, HCM City should further step up reforms, exert stronger efforts, and bring into better play its role as the biggest development driver for the southeastern region and the whole country. The leader once again expressed his sympathies with the people of the city and the whole region over the huge and unprecedented losses caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. He demanded full and proper awareness of the citys potential, outstanding advantages, and its particularly important position and role in the national reform, development, and defence, as well as in the development of the southeastern region. To successfully make strategic breakthroughs and tackle bottlenecks in terms of regulations, infrastructure, and human resources, the leader pointed out the necessity to further promote economic restructuring in combination with growth model reform, and enhance the citys capacity and the quality of institutionalising and implementing the Partys guidelines and the States laws in a way appropriate to the local situation and conditions. The city should prioritise the creation of stronger breakthroughs in its urban infrastructure and the building of a high-capacity public transport system, as well as improve the current transport situation and work out more fundamental solutions to deal with problems on environment, climate change and rising sea level, he stressed. An overview of the meeting (Photo: VNA) The Party leader requested the continuation of reforming and comprehensively improving education and training; developing human resources, especially high-quality ones and those for leadership and management positions; strongly facilitating science - technology and the knowledge economy to support fast and sustainable development; and consolidating and completing the healthcare network from the municipal to grassroots levels. At the meeting, he also asked HCM City to improve local residents' spiritual life, resolutely prevent and eradicate social vices and crimes, reduce traffic accidents, ensure due attention to defence - security safeguarding, stay ready to respond to any circumstances, and capitalise on the combined strength of the entire political system and the great national solidarity. The local Party Organisation needs to unceasingly reform and enhance its leadership and combatant strength, properly carry out the Party building and rectification, and build a truly incorruptible and strong political system, the General Secretary said, demanding it to take this as a key task decisive to the success of other fields. He emphasised the importance of further strengthening the Party and administrations ties with the people, relying on the people to build the Party and political system, and using the peoples satisfaction as the measurement of all-level Party committees and administrations performance. The leader expressed his belief that the Party Organisation, administration, and people of HCM City will further cement solidarity, make stronger reforms, and live up to its role as the biggest development driver for the southeastern region and the country./. May the next year pass without wars and losses - Ambassador Korniychuk's greetings on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah The Ambassador of Ukraine to the State of Israel Evgen Korniychuk addressed all Israelis on the occasion of Rosh Hashanah. The greetings of the head of the diplomatic mission are posted on the Embassy's Facebook page. Rosh Hashanah symbolizes new beginnings and is considered in Judaism the day when God judges all the inhabitants of the world for their actions in the past year and, as a result, decides what the next year will look like. So on this momentous occasion, I wish for a year of peace, brotherhood, and renewal, without wars and losses, a year of stability and growth, - the ambassador said. At the same time, he added: Dear Israelis, whether those born here or those who fled here due to bloody wars - I want to wish you a happy new year and a happy holiday!. General Coordinator of the National Dialogue Diaa Rashwan said Thursday the dialogue is progressing at a steady pace and the sessions of the recently formed political, economic, and social committees and subcommittees are set to kick off officially within a few weeks. Egypt has seen an unprecedented leap in its natural gas export revenues, which have increased 13-fold over the past eight years, according to a report issued on Sunday the Cabinets Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC). Chancellor Olaf Scholz will visit Saudi Arabia and meet Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as part of a Gulf trip, his spokesman said Monday, as Germany rushes to secure energy supplies. Scholz, whose two-day trip next weekend will also take him to Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, becomes the latest Western leader to meet with the crown prince. The german president will be accompanied by a business delegation when he visits Saudi Arabia on Saturday, where he will meet with the crown prince and -- if his health permits it -- King Salman, government spokesman Steffen Hebestreit said. On Sunday, Scholz will head to the UAE and meet with President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, and in the afternoon will hold talks with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. German Economy Minister Robert Habeck already visited Qatar and the UAE in March in an effort to find alternatives to Russian gas, which Germany has traditionally depended on heavily. Russia's decision to cut off supplies has triggered an energy crisis in Europe, with consumers and businesses facing soaring bills as winter approaches. *This story was edited by Ahram Online Search Keywords: Short link: Egypts Presidential Pardon Committee announced on Tuesday that the release of a new batch of 28 pretrial detainees is underway after completing the necessary legal procedures, stressing the step comes following coordination with the states concerned authorities. The Presidential Pardon Committee also thanked President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi for his support to the committee as well as the prosecutor-general and the minister of interior for their efforts to make the work of the committee successful, a statement released by committee member and human rights lawyer Tarek El-Awady said. El-Awady shared the list of the 26 names, with the committee confirming that it continues to coordinate with all concerned authorities to release new batches during the next stage. Since May, the Public Prosecution has ordered the release of hundreds of pretrial detainees in groups as the government and various political forces prepare for the extensive National Political Dialogue that will discuss pressing political, economic and social issues. Last Thursday, the Egyptian authorities ordered the release of a new group of 46 pretrial detainees, including prominent leftist activist and lawyer Haitham Mohamadein. Since the launch of preparations for the National Political Dialogue in May and the re-activation of the Presidential Pardon Committee in April, El-Sisi has pardoned a number of high-profile political activists who had received final sentences such as Hossam Mones, Yahia Abdel-Hady, Hisham Fouad and others. The re-activated pardon committee, which was first formed in 2016, receives the names of prisoners to be considered for presidential pardon from various parties and political forces including the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), the Human Rights Committee of the House of Representatives and families, as well as directly through its own official website. The scope of the re-activated committee has been expanded to include imprisoned male and female debtors. Search Keywords: Short link: The exhibition titled Mexico and Egypt from Above, a Unique Perspective opened at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilisation (NMEC) Saturday and will continue through Thursday. Within the framework of the cultural programme of the embassy of Mexico in Egypt, the countrys ambassador Jose Octavio Tripp inaugurated the exhibition by Mexican photographer Roberto Hernandez at the museum in Fustat, Cairo. The exhibition contains aerial photographs that pair birdlike images of Mexico with natural archeological, and urban landscape views of Egypt. During the opening, Ambassador Tripp mentioned that Egypt and Mexico are a great civilisations and having bilateral cultural cooperation occupies a major role between the two countries. Tripp noted that during the past five years, Egypt and Mexico have cooperated in the cultural aspect, as the embassy held 40 cultural events in Cairo and Alexandria, including initiatives in literature, dance, music, cinema, theatre, photography and caricature. On his part, Ahmed Ghoneim, the chief executive at the NMEC, said that "The National Museum of Civilisation has become a focus of cultural attraction, as it is a civilised edifice that enjoys an international and local stature, adding we are working to strengthen its position on the map of world culture, through the establishment of distinguished cultural events, including concerts and singing, intellectual seminars, discussion of art and antiquities books, as well as support for education and ideas, Creativity in the fields of arts, architecture, history and cultural heritage. Search Keywords: Short link: Ahram Online provides a compiled list of definitions and significance for the most used climate change-related terms. Mitigation Making the impacts of climate change less severe by preventing or reducing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG) into the atmosphere. Mitigation is achieved either by reducing the sources of these gases, increasing the share of renewable energies, establishing a cleaner mobility system, enhancing the storage of these gases, or by increasing the size of forests. Adaptation This refers to actions that decrease the negative impact of climate change, while taking advantage of potential new opportunities. It involves adjusting policies and actions because of observed or expected changes in climate. Adaptation can be reactive, occurring in response to climate impacts, or anticipatory, occurring before the impacts of climate change are observed. In most circumstances, anticipatory adaptations will result in lower long-term costs and be more effective than reactive adaptations. Climate finance This refers to local, national or transnational financingdrawn from public, private and alternative sources of financingthat seeks to support mitigation and adaptation actions. The Kyoto Protocol and the Paris Agreement call for financial assistance from Parties with more financial resources to those that are less endowed and more vulnerable. This recognises that the contribution of countries to climate change and their capacity to prevent it and cope with its consequences vary enormously. Climate finance is needed for mitigation, because large-scale investments are required to significantly reduce emissions. Climate finance is equally important for adaptation, as significant financial resources are needed to adapt to the adverse effects and reduce the impacts of a changing climate. Climate crisis This term is used to show a greater sense of emergency and urgency about climate change. It asserts the severity of the threat that climate change poses. Climate emergency This term is used by the United Nations to stress the need to take urgent action to reduce or halt climate change and avoid potentially irreversible environmental damage resulting from it. Loss and damage This phrase normally refers to the destructive impacts of climate change that cannot be avoided either by mitigation or adaptation. It reflects the fact that climate change is already having negative effects on ecosystems, infrastructure and peoples health and livelihoods around the world. However, there is no internationally agreed definition for loss and damage. Loss and damage is often divided into economic loss and damage, including to livelihoods and property, and non-economic loss and damage, including loss of life and losses to biodiversity and cultural heritage. Climate justice This term is used by the United Nations and other organisations, such as the NAACP, that frame climate change as a social and political issue rather than just an environmental one. According to the UN, climate change disproportionately affects those nations where the average income is much lower than in industrial nations and would have a much greater impact on populations in countries in Africa and Asia. These nations have largely rural societies and lack the wealth or resources to make up for the significant absence of food that would occur due to climate change. Climate strike A form of protest in which people absent themselves from education or work in order to join demonstrations demanding action to counter climate change. Paris Agreement (Paris Accord) The Paris Agreement is a legally binding international treaty on climate change. It was adopted by 196 Parties at COP21 in Paris on 12 December 2015 and entered into force on 4 November 2016. Its goal is to limit global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5, degrees Celsius. To achieve this long-term temperature goal, countries aim to reach global peaking of greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century. The Paris Agreement is a landmark in the multilateral climate change process because, for the first time, a binding agreement brings all nations together to undertake ambitious efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects. Sea-level rise The term sea-level rise, or its variants such as relative sea-level rise or global sea-level rise, might be more familiar to you than the other terms on this list, but you may not know exactly what it means. The sea level is the horizontal plane or level corresponding to the surface of the sea at mean level between high and low tide. Sea-level rise refers to the steadily increasing sea levels that scientists are recording on a global scale. Carbon emissions It is the amount of carbon dioxide, in general, emitted into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels or through industry. Biodiversity It is diversity among and within plant and animal species in an environment. Climate change has a severe negative effect on biodiversity. Biodiversity is important to maintain a healthy environment (such as in pollination of plants and continuing the nutrient cycle), but we humans depend on biodiversity as well for medicines, food, and the joy we get from seeing flourishing plants and animals. Visit Ahram Online special coverage page for COP27 for more news and analysis Israel is to treat 20 Ukrainian soldiers wounded in the conflict with Russian forces, the Israeli ambassador to Kyiv announced Sunday. Related Swiss hospitals will not treat Ukraine war wounded "Israel will receive for treatment 20 Ukrainian servicemen who were seriously wounded during the war," envoy Michael Brodsky wrote on Twitter. The first two patients will arrive on Sunday for treatment at Sheba Medical Center near Tel Aviv, he added. A medical source confirmed to AFP that two soldiers were en route to Israel, while a spokeswoman for the Ukrainian embassy in Tel Aviv said she expected the first patients to arrive "soon". They will be treated with prosthetics and rehabilitation. Sheba Medical Center, Israel's largest hospital, ran a field hospital in western Ukraine for six weeks following the Russian invasion on February 24. Israel has declined to supply weaponry to Ukrainian forces, opting instead to send protective gear, such as helmets, as it attempts to maintain relations with Moscow. Russia is a key backer of Syria, where Israeli forces regularly carry out air strikes against pro-Iranian elements. Israelis also have close ties to the former Soviet Union, where a tenth of the population has roots. Russians accounted for nearly half of Jewish immigrants to Israel over the past year, according to the immigration ministry, while a quarter hailed from Ukraine. Search Keywords: Short link: A year after the UN launched an initiative to accelerate green and digital job creation, and expand social protection, the Secretary-General on Friday urged world leaders to "put people first" by making massive investments in their future wellbeing. According to Antonio Guterres, the Global Accelerator on Jobs and Social Protection for Just Transitions aims to rebalance societies by putting decent jobs and social protection at the centre of sustainable development. "The path of inaction leads to economic collapse and climate catastrophe, widening inequalities and escalating social unrest", which could leave "billions trapped in vicious circles of poverty and destitution," he warned a High-Level meeting during the 77th General Assembly in New York. Guterres commended the actions of countries such as Togo, which deployed innovative digital solutions to expand social protection to hard-to-reach populations, and South Africa, which recently launched a Just Energy Transition partnership. "It is imperative that we provide the support needed at speed and at scale to keep the momentum and ambition of these and similar initiatives alive," he underscored. He said the present economic system is unfair, boosting inequalities and pushing more people into poverty, and thats why it requires a deep structural reform. "We are working hard to achieve that but change wont happen overnight. In the interim, the Global Accelerator is a critical tool to help provide immediate support to people in need and advance action towards transformative change for all," he said. The initiative aims to create 400 million new decent jobs especially in the green, care and digital economies and extend social protection to the over four billion people currently without coverage. It is also meant to be a tool to help the world manage the massive transformations in areas such as digital, climate, or demographic change, that will fundamentally change societies in the coming decades. Meanwhile, The UNs Special Envoy for Youth, Jayathma Wickramanayake, reminded world leaders that young people must be at the centre of all strategies and actions regarding jobs and social protection. "The total number of unemployed youths worldwide is estimated to reach 73 million in 2022, 6 million above pre pandemic levels in 2019, young women are the hardest hit", she underscored, adding that young people also experience systemic legal and financial barriers to benefitting from social protection policies and programmes. "To truly shift this paradigm, we should work with all people including young people as agents of change and not only beneficiaries, and at every level of the just transitions this initiative seeks to enable", stated Wickramanayake. Echoing the words of the Secretary-General, the International Labour Organizations chief, Guy Ryder, warned that the world is on "red alert", in the event that effective responses to the overlapping climate and cost of living crises are not found. Ryder underscored that it is crucial to address the current bottlenecks to expand and safeguard the 3,000 social protection and labour market stimulus measures put in place by governments at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. "We all know what those bottlenecks are: the lack of financing that is scalable, sustainable, socially inclusive and it supports just transitions; the persistent challenges of informality; the limited fiscal space; and the lack of institutional capacity in many countries", he added. The ILO Director General emphasized that the Global Accelerator is a UN proposition to "collectively address these bottlenecks", and to change the life of billions for the better. "The four billion women, men and children who have no social protection; the two billion workers in the informal economy; and the millions of men and women who risk losing their jobs and incomes", on a level "not seen for a generation", he noted. Ryder highlighted that the Global Accelerator was not a distraction from the crisis of climate, fuel, food and finance, but instead a "crucial component" of the necessary global response to address them. Egyptian authorities will release a new group of 39 pretrial detainees on Monday morning, said lawyer Tarek El-Awady, a member of the Presidential Pardon Committee. MP Tarek El-Khouly, another committee member, said cooperation and coordination is underway with state authorities and the Public Prosecution to release the new group of detainees tomorrow. Commenting on the decision, MP Mohamed Abdel-Aziz, a member of the pardon committee and deputy head of the parliament's human rights committee, thanked President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi, Prosecutor-General Hamada El-Sawy, and relevant authorities for their continuous coordination with the committee. Since May, the Public Prosecution has ordered the release of hundreds of pretrial detainees in groups, as the government and various political forces prepare for the extensive National Political Dialogue that will discuss pressing political, economic and social issues. During this month, Egypt has already released over 100 pretrial detainees, including Ahmed El-Nagdy, a journalist at the Qatar-based Al-Jazeera TV channel, and prominent leftist activist and lawyer Haitham Mohamadein. Also, President El-Sisi has pardoned many high-profile political activists who had received final sentences, including Hossam Mones, Yahia Abdel-Hady, Hisham Fouad and others, since the re-activation of the Presidential Pardon Committee in April. The committee, which was first formed in 2016, receives the names of prisoners for presidential pardon consideration from various parties and political forces, including the National Council for Human Rights (NCHR), parliaments Human Rights Committee, as well as directly through its own official website. The scope of the work of the reactivated committee has been expanded to include imprisoned debtors. Search Keywords: Short link: A suicide attack claimed by the Somali Islamist militant group Al-Shabaab killed at least seven people and injured nine others in Mogadishu on Sunday, the army and eyewitnesses told AFP. A "desperate terrorist" blew himself up on Sunday morning near a line of new recruits who were enrolling at the Nacnac military base in the south of the Somali capital, local military commander Abdullahi Adan told AFP. "Seven people were killed and nine others injured," he said. "I was close to the site of the explosion, it was huge and I could see dead and injured people," eyewitness Ahme Gobe told AFP. Another eyewitness, Asha Omar, spoke of seeing at least 10 people taken away by ambulance. Al-Shabaab, an extremist Islamist group linked to Al-Qaeda that has been waging an insurgency against the Somali state for 15 years, claimed responsibility for the attack. Its fighters killed at least 19 civilians in central Somalia earlier this month. The group carried out a major attack on a Mogadishu hotel in August, leaving 21 people dead and 117 injured following a 30-hour siege. Somali President Hassan Sheikh Mohamud has faced a resurgent Al-Shabaab since his election in May and vowed to wage an "all-out war" against the insurgents. Mohamud also has to grapple with a looming famine caused by the Horn of Africa nation's worst drought in 40 years. Al-Shabaab has been driven out of Somalia's urban centres, including Mogadishu in 2011, but remains entrenched in vast swathes of the countryside. The US army on Wednesday said it had killed 27 Al-Shabaab militiamen in an air strike in central Somalia in support of the country's regular forces. President Joe Biden decided to restore a US military presence in Somalia in May to fight the militants, approving a request from the Pentagon, which deemed his predecessor Donald Trump's rotation system too risky and ineffective. Search Keywords: Short link: Iranians took to the streets for a tenth consecutive night Sunday, defying a warning from the judiciary, to protest the death of young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in morality police custody. At least 41 people have died since the unrest began, mostly protesters but including members of the Islamic republic's security forces, according to an official toll, although other sources say the real figure is higher. Oslo-based Iran Human Rights (IHR) on Sunday evening said the death toll was at least 57, but noted that ongoing internet blackouts were making it increasingly difficult to confirm fatalities in a context where the women-led protests have spread to scores of cities. Echoing an earlier warning by President Ebrahim Raisi, judiciary chief Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei on Sunday "emphasised the need for decisive action without leniency" against the core instigators of the "riots", the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists have been arrested amid the mostly night-time demonstrations since unrest first broke out after Amini's death on September 16. Amini, whose Kurdish first name was Jhina, was detained three days before that for allegedly breaching rules mandating tightly-fitted hijab head coverings and which ban, among other things, ripped jeans and brightly coloured clothes. Images circulated by IHR showed protesters on the streets of Tehran, shouting "death to the dictator", purportedly after nightfall on Sunday. Witnesses told AFP that protests were ongoing in several locations. Video footage showed demonstrations in Tabriz and Shiraz, among other places, with women removing their headscarves and protesters shouting against the authorities. 'Rolling Blackouts' Iran's largest protests in almost three years have seen security forces fire live rounds and bird shot, rights groups charge, while protesters have hurled rocks, torched police cars and set ablaze state buildings. Some women protesters have burnt their hijabs in the rallies and cut off their hair, some dancing near large bonfires to the applause of crowds that have chanted "zan, zendegi, azadi" or "woman, life, freedom". Video of demonstrations on Saturday, verified by AFP, showed students ripping down a picture of supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei outside a university in the northern province of Mazandaran. Web monitor NetBlocks noted "rolling blackouts" and "widespread internet platform restrictions" on Sunday, with WhatsApp, Instagram and Skype having already been blocked. This followed older bans on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Telegram. Protests abroad have been held in solidarity with Iranian women in Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Istanbul, Madrid, New York and Paris, among other cities. Foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Amir-Abdollahian criticised "the US interventionist approach in the affairs of Iran... including its provocative actions in supporting the rioters". Pro-government Rally Iran has also organised large rallies in defence of the hijab and conservative values. Pro-government rallies were held Sunday, with the main event taking place in Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran, where demonstrators voiced support for mandatory hijab laws. "Martyrs died so that this hijab will be on our head," said demonstrator Nafiseh, 28, adding that she was opposed to making the wearing of the hijab voluntary. Another demonstrator, 21-year-old student Atyieh, called for "strong action against the people who are leading" the protests. The main reformist group inside Iran, the Union of Islamic Iran People's Party, however, has called for the repeal of the mandatory dress code. IHR reported on Sunday that an umbrella of Iranian teachers' unions were calling on teachers and students to boycott classes on Monday and Wednesday in support of the protests. Iranian authorities have yet to state the cause of death of Amini, who activists say died as a result of a blow to the head. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi has said Amini was not beaten and that "we must wait for the final opinion of the medical examiner". Search Keywords: Short link: Pope Francis traveled to southern Italy on Sunday to close out an Italian church congress that coincided with Italy's national election, and delivered a message that hit on key domestic campaign issues including immigration. Neither Francis nor his hosts referred to the vote during the open-air Mass, though Italy's bishops conference had earlier urged Italians to cast ballots in the eagerly watched election that could bring Italy its first far-right government since World War II. At the end of the outdoor Mass in Matera, Francis spoke off the cuff asking Italians to have more children. ``I'd like to ask Italy: More births, more children,'' Francis said. Italy has one of the lowest birth rates in the world and Francis has frequently lamented its ``demographic winter.'' Far-right leader Giorgia Meloni, who campaigned on a ``God, family and homeland'' mantra, has also called for Italy to reverse its demographic trends by proposing bigger financial incentives for couples to have children. Francis also weighed in on a perennial issue in Italy, recalling that Sunday coincided with the Catholic Church's World Day of Migrants and Refugees. Francis called for a future in which ``God's plan'' is implemented, with migrants and victims of human trafficking living in peace and dignity, and for a more ``inclusive and fraternal future.'' He added: ``Immigrants are to be welcomed, accompanied, promoted and integrated.'' Meloni and her center-right alliance have vowed to resume a strict crackdown on migrants coming to Italy via Libyan-based smugglers. The center-left Democratic Party has among other things called for an easier path to citizenship for children of newcomers. The Mass was celebrated by a protege of Francis, Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, who is head of the Italian bishops' conference and has a long affiliation with the Sant'Egidio Community, a Rome-based charity known for its outreach to migrants and the poor. The 85-year-old Francis appeared tired during the visit, which was scheduled before Italy's snap elections were called and came a day after he made a separate day trip to the Umbrian hilltop town of Assisi. Francis has been using a cane and wheelchair this year, due to strained knee ligaments that make walking and standing difficult. His trip to Matera, the southern Basilicata city known for its cave dwellings, underwent a slight, last-minute change due to storms that belted much of the Italian peninsula overnight: Originally scheduled to fly by helicopter Sunday morning from the Vatican's helipad, Francis instead flew to Matera by jet from Rome's Ciampino airport. Search Keywords: Short link: Egypt has seen an unprecedented leap in its natural gas export revenues, which have increased 13-fold over the past eight years, according to a report issued on Sunday the Cabinets Information and Decision Support Centre (IDSC). Egypts natural gas and liquified natural gas (LNG) export revenues reached $8 billion in the fiscal year 2021/2022, up from $0.6 billion in 2013/2014, according to the report. Egypt has quadrupled its exports of LNG and natural gas over the past eight years from 1.9 million tons to 7.2 million tons. In the same period, Egypt signed 108 agreements with international companies for the excavation of gas and petrol with a minimum investment value of $22 billion. Egypts production reached 69.2 billion cubic metres (bcm) in 2021/2022 compared to 41.6 bcm in 2015/2016, a growth rate of 66.3 percent, the report read. After achieving self-sufficiency in natural gas in 2018, Egypt plans to use its position on Europes doorstep to become a major supplier of LNG to the continent which is transitioning away from other fossil fuels based on recent huge gas discoveries and production. This comes in light of European countries' desire to diversify their energy sources in order to decrease dependency on Russian gas, which accounted for 45 percent of European imports in 2021, according to the International Energy Agency (IEA). Egypt also has the infrastructure for transporting and handling natural gas with a network of 7,000 km in pipelines, a distribution network of 31,000 km, and 29 gas-treatment plants as well as two LNG facilities the Idku and Damietta plants. The IDSC report also said that Egypt ranks first worldwide in percentage of increase in LNG exports. According to a plan announced in August, Egypt seeks to save 15 percent in local natural gas used for electricity generation in order to increase exports that can bring much needed foreign currency. Search Keywords: Short link: Saleh, who died in 2014 athe age of 50, was one of Egypt's most respected actors of his generation, with an impressive list of cinema and television productions under his belt 25 September marks the sixth anniversary of the passing of the renowned Egyptian actor Khaled Saleh who died at the age of 50 in 2014 from complications of open heart surgery at the Magdy Yacoub Facility in Aswan. Born in Giza on 23 January 1964, Saleh was one of Egypt's most respected actors of his generation, with an impressive list of cinema and television productions under his belt. During his law studies, he participated in several university theatre performances. Upon the opening of Hanager Theatre in the 1990s at the Cairo Opera House grounds he joined independent and amateur theatre troupes at the venue. Saleh was cast in several roles during this time, including his first main role in a theatre play Ehtefal Khas Ala Sharaf El A'ela (1992), written by Sayed Haggag, which brought much attention to his unique acting skills. After continuing for several years to take part in theatrical performances, film directors started noticing his skills and potential for cinema and that was when his film career began. Saleh's first cinematic appearance was in 1999 in the film Gamal Abdel-Nasser directed by Anwar El-Quadry where he played an intelligence officer. During the same year, he also appeared in the television production Om Kalthoum, which received a wide following during Ramadan. His cinema career took off in the early 2000s through his roles as a villain or tyrant in films such as Malaki Eskendereya and Tito. During this time, he was performing supporting roles in up to four films a year, working in a variety of genres from comedy to drama and romantic comedies. His role in Tarek El-Eryan's Tito, with Ahmed El-Saqqa, was considered the real launching point of his cinematic career. The film was one of the highest grossing films in Egyptian cinema history and Saleh was awarded the Best Supporting Actor Award at the Egyptian National Theatre Festival in 2005. Some of his other most memorable performances in cinema include the role of a corrupt government official in the 2006 adaptation of Alaa Al-Aswany's The Yacoubian Building, and a corrupt police officer in Youssef Chahine's last feature film, Heya Fawda. Besides cinema, his television career was also thriving, with almost yearly performances. In 2009 he won the Best Actor Award for his role in the television series Tager El-Saada at the General Media Festival. His most important roles in television include Al-Rayan, with director Khaled Youssef, and Faroan (The Pharaoh). Saleh was known for his charitable work with Egyptian non-governmental organisations. He also donated money to the Luxor African Film Festival's fourth edition along with the Seventh National Theatre Festival. Moreover, Salah actively adopted and trained other younger actors despite his busy schedule. His last cinematic role was in the El-Gezira 2 directed by Sherif Arafa, where he appeared alongside Ahmed El-Saqqa and Hend Sabry. For more arts and culture news and updates, follow Ahram Online Arts and Culture on Twitter at @AhramOnlineArts and on Facebook at Ahram Online: Arts & Culture Search Keywords: Short link: Egyptian veteran music historian Zein Nassar has passed away Sunday morning at the age of 80. Many cultural entities and personalities have mourned the death of Zein Nassar, a renowned music criticism professor at the Academy of Arts' Higher Institute of Art Criticism. The Egyptian Ministry of Culture, led by Nivene El-Kilany, issued a statement expressing mourning over the passing of the music historian, who published writings in major Egyptian and Arab music magazines throughout his long academic career. El-Kilany expressed condolences to Nassars family, while describing him as the most important professor of criticism. Born in Cairo in 1942, the multi-award-winning historian graduated from the higher institute of music education in Cairo, and obtained a Master's degree in art criticism (music specialisation) in 1980. Nassar received a PhD in music criticism from the Academy of Arts' Higher Institute of Art Criticism in 1986, before serving in a number of positions and influencing generations of Egyptian and Arab music critics with his teachings and writings. Search Keywords: Short link: Pharoah Sanders, the influential tenor saxophonist revered in the jazz world for the spirituality of his work, has died, his record label announced. He was 81. Sanders, who launched his career playing alongside John Coltrane in the 1960s, died in Los Angeles early Saturday, said the tweet from Luaka Bop, the label that released his 2021 album, Promises. It did not specify a cause. A phone message to Luaka Bop in New York was not immediately returned. We are devastated to share that Pharoah Sanders has passed away. He died peacefully surrounded by loving family and friends in Los Angeles earlier this morning. Always and forever the most beautiful human being, may he rest in peace, said the label's message on Twitter, accompanied by a heart emoji. Among the saxophonist's best-known works was his two-part The Creator Has a Master Plan, from the Karma album released in 1969. The combined track is nearly 33 minutes long. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1940, Sanders began his early musical life by playing drums, then the clarinet in church. In high school, he began renting out the school saxophone. After high school he moved to Oakland, California, where he intended to attend art school. But he soon moved to New York to join the city's avant-garde jazz scene. He hitchhiked his way across country, he told The New Yorker magazine in 2020. Arriving in 1962, he could hardly afford the New York life. I was trying to survive some kind of way, he told the magazine. I used to work a few jobs here and there, earn five dollars, buy some food, buy some pizza. I had no money at all. In 1965, he joined Coltrane's band. I couldn't figure out why he wanted me to play with him, because I didn't feel like, at the time, that I was ready to play with John Coltrane, Sanders said. He always told me, `Play.' That's what I did. When Coltrane died, Sanders continued playing for a time with his wife, Alice Coltrane. He also started leading his own bands. His most commercially successful work came for Impulse Records, including the renowned Karma album. After more than a decade of performing but not recording albums, Sanders released the much-admired Promises in 2021, with producer Floating Points and the London Symphony Orchestra. Rolling Stone called it both startlingly minimal and arrestingly gorgeous. Known for his style of so-called spiritual jazz, Sanders, still actively playing, confessed in the 2020 New Yorker interview that a lot of (the) time I don't know what I want to play. So I just start playing, and try to make it right, and make it join to some other kind of feeling in the music, he said. Like, I play one note, maybe that one note might mean love. And then another note might mean something else. Keep on going like that until it develops into _ maybe something beautiful. Search Keywords: Short link: In the eyes of Belarus' foreign minister, the root cause of the war in Ukraine dates back 30 years ago to the end of the Cold War. At that time, there was no official treaty just a "gentlemen's agreement'' that opened a path for the West to secure its domination, in part through the expansion of the North Atlantic Treaty Alliance, Vladimir Makei told the UN General Assembly on Saturday. "With its drive to enlarge NATO, the West has essentially trampled upon the indivisibility of security, the vital principle, which states that one party must not seek to achieve its own security at the expense of other parties,'' he said. Makei said NATO and the West, in their quest to expand eastward, "overlooked the legitimate security interests of both Russia and Belarus." He described NATO's involvement in what he called "illegal wars'' in Yugoslavia, Iraq, Libya and Syria, "in addition to the Alliance's attempts to encroach on some historical Eastern Slavic and adjacent lands.'' "Therefore,'' he claimed, "it is the collective West that should fully bear the responsibility for the ongoing bloodshed in Ukraine.'' Makei's arguments unsurprisingly mirror those made by Russia, an ally of Belarus. Russian President Vladimir Putin has described NATO's expansion to Russia's borders as the top security threat to his country. When he first sent troops into Ukraine on Feb. 24, he cited increasingly close military ties between Kyiv and the West as a key reason behind his action. Belarus' authoritarian president, Alexander Lukashenko, has tied himself to Putin, which dissident Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya attributes to a mutual understanding between the two leaders. Lukashenko has to support Russia's invasion of Ukraine, she told The Associated Press, because Putin supported him after mass protests against the official 2020 election results that gave Lukashenko a sixth term with 80% of the vote. Many Belarusians and international observers denounced the results as a sham, believing Tsikhanouskaya had won. As long as Putin is in power, she told the AP on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, there will be constant security threats to Ukraine _ and to Belarus' western border. But to Makei, it is the power-hungry West that is the problem. "Most other countries ... want to create a polycentric or a multipolar world, with no single center of control, in which no one imposes its visions, interests and values on others,'' he said on Saturday. "The West dominated the world for the past five centuries. Hence, it believes that it can go on with this kind of history indefinitely.'' He ridiculed the economic sanctions imposed by Western allies against Russia as ineffective while also pointing to the harm he says they have instead caused other countries, all over the globe, by driving up energy prices and food costs. Makei closed his remarks by offering up Belarus to help broker a ceasefire agreement and a comprehensive strategic peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine. "There is no alternative to talks,'' he said. Search Keywords: Short link: Iran's Foreign Ministry said Sunday it summoned Britain's ambassador to protest what it described as a hostile atmosphere created by London-based Farsi language media outlets. The move comes amid violent unrest in Iran triggered by the death of a young woman in police custody. The state-run IRNA news agency reported the ministry also summoned Norway's ambassador to Iran and strongly protested recent remarks by the president of the Norwegian parliament, Masud Gharahkhani. The death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini in custody after being detained by Iranian morality police launched unrest across Iran's provinces and the capital of Tehran. Protests over Amini's death have spread across at least 46 cities, towns and villages in Iran. State TV has suggested that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the protests began Sept. 17. An Associated Press count of official statements by authorities tallied at least 13 dead, with more than 1,200 demonstrators arrested. Running clashes between demonstrators and security forces have continued to erupt. A member of the Basij, a volunteer force with Iran's Guards, was killed by protesters last night in Tehran, semi-official Fars news agency reported Sunday. Another Basij member, who was in a coma since Thursday after street clashes, died in Urmia, West Azerbaijan province on Sunday, IRNA reported. The Iranian Foreign Ministry's website said it summoned Simon Shercliff, the UK's ambassador to Iran, on Saturday and protested the hosting of critical Farsi-language media outlets. The ministry alleges the news outlets have provoked disturbances and the spread of riots in Iran at the top of their programs. Iran said it considers the news agencies' reporting to be interference in Iran's internal affairs and acts against its sovereignty. The crisis in Iran began as a public outpouring of anger over the the death of Amini, who was arrested by the morality police in Tehran for allegedly wearing her Islamic headscarf too loosely. The police said she died of a heart attack and was not mistreated, but her family has cast doubt on that account. Amini's death has sparked sharp condemnation from Western countries and the United Nations. Pro-government rallies were also held on Sunday in several cities across Iran. Thousands attended a rally in the capital's Enghelab, or Revolution Square, waving Iranian flags. Some officials, including cabinet spokesman, Ali Bahadori Jahromi, attended to the rally in Tehran. Search Keywords: Short link: RTHK: Super Typhoon Noru barrels towards Philippines A super typhoon barrelled towards the Philippines on Sunday and was on track to slam into the heavily populated main island of Luzon, forcing the evacuations of coastal towns, authorities said. Super Typhoon Noru was packing maximum sustained wind speeds of 185 kilometres an hour after an unprecedented "explosive intensification", the state weather forecaster said. The storm, the strongest to hit the Philippines this year, is expected to continue strengthening as it makes landfall around 80 kilometres northeast of the sprawling capital Manila in the afternoon or evening local time. "We ask residents living in danger zones to adhere to calls for evacuation whenever necessary," Philippine National Police chief General Rodolfo Azurin said. The Philippines is regularly ravaged by storms, with scientists warning they are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer because of climate change. Weather forecaster Robb Gile said Noru's rapid intensification was "unprecedented". The agency said it increased by 90 kilometres per hour in 24 hours. Noru comes nine months after another super typhoon devastated swathes of the country, killing more than 400 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. Residents in several municipalities in Quezon province, where this latest storm could make a direct hit, were being evacuated from their homes, said Mel Avenilla from the provincial disaster office. In the neighbouring province of Aurora, residents of Dingalan municipality were being forced to seek shelter. Noru could have wind speeds of up to 205 kilometres per hour when it makes landfall, the weather bureau said. It is expected to weaken to a typhoon as it sweeps across central Luzon, before entering the South China Sea on Monday, heading towards Vietnam. The weather bureau warned of dangerous storm surges, widespread flooding and landslides as the storm dumps heavy rain. It could damage farmlands in the heavily agricultural region, as well as inundate villages. The Philippines ranked among the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change is hit by an average of 20 storms every year. (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-09-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. The Bahrain Institute for Pearls and Gemstones (Danat), hosted six students from the College of Science at the University of Bahrain for a two-month summer internship programme. This initiative is in line with Danats commitment to supporting Bahraini youth, building their capacities, enhancing their skills, and introducing them to various professional opportunities in the gemology field. Danat organised a comprehensive and integrated training programme, which began with theoretical lectures on pearls and oysters covering their formation process, a study of their environment, and the extraction process. The students were also given the opportunity to visit the field to observe the different types of oysters, search for pearls and practice extraction. Lastly, the trainees underwent a two-week training course on the different methods of pearl testing using the latest international technologies found in the Danat laboratory. During their placement in Danats Research Department, and under the supervision of Danats Research Manager Dr Reem Al Mealla, the students were able to observe the efforts of the qualified research team in gathering data related to the observation of oyster specimens. The students gained practical knowledge related to the different methods and skills used in collecting data related to pearl oysters and the surrounding ecosystems, a statement said. Danat Chief Executive Officer Noora Jamsheer explained that this internship falls within the framework of an ambitious programme designed by the University of Bahrain to enhance students knowledge of pearls and precious stones and encourage them to enter this vital field through integrating them into Danats programmes, courses and workshops. Jamsheer commended the students on their commitment to attending the training programme, their ability to grasp the specialiased vocabulary, and their acquisition of industry knowledge and skills. -TradeArabia News Service Iran has rebuked Britain and Norway over what it claimed was interference and hostile news coverage of the extensive unrest in Iran triggered by the death of a young woman held in captivity by the country's morality police for failing to properly wear a hijab, the semi-official IRNA news agency said Sunday. Iran's Foreign Ministry summoned the British and Norwegian ambassadors Saturday to deliver the protests to the envoys. Tehran cited the "hostile character" of the London-based Persian language media, while complaining to the Norwegian diplomat about the "interventionist stance" of the country's parliamentary speaker, who has expressed support for the protesters on Twitter. Demonstrations erupted more than a week ago across Iran, with protesters angered by the death on Sept. 16 of a 22-year-old Kurdish woman, Mahsa Amini. It was the biggest wave of protests against the government in years. Jake Sullivan, U.S. President Joe Biden's national security adviser, told ABC's "This Week" show on Sunday that the Iranian protests "reflect a widespread belief that [the demonstrators] deserve their dignity and rights" and that the U.S. supports them. He said the U.S. supports people "who stand up for their rights." Iran's judiciary chief, Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei, on Sunday "emphasized the need for decisive action without leniency" against the core instigators of the "riots," the judiciary's Mizan Online website said, according to Agence France-Presse. By Ko Hirano, KYODO NEWS - Sep 25, 2022 - 10:56 | All, Japan A former diplomat dismissed by Myanmar's military junta for his opposition to last year's coup has criticized Japan for inviting the head of the Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo to former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's state funeral. Aung Soe Moe said that if Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's government allows Myanmar Ambassador to Japan Soe Han to attend Tuesday's funeral alongside other foreign representatives such as U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, it would be a de-facto recognition of the junta and the Feb. 1, 2021 putsch. "We, Myanmar residents in Japan, have asked the Japanese Foreign Ministry not to invite anyone from the military to Mr. Abe's state funeral, a major international event," Aung Soe Moe, 53, told reporters Saturday in Tokyo. "What generals want is official recognition of their regime by the international community and to make the takeover of government a fait accompli," he said, speaking through an interpreter. Citing Britain's decision to not allow Myanmar delegates to attend the state funeral of Queen Elizabeth II on Sept. 19, Aung Soe Moe said Kishida and Foreign Minister Yoshimasa Hayashi should take a similarly firm and clear-cut stance against the junta led by coup leader and army chief Min Aung Hlaing. "Japan did not invite Min Aung Hlaing, but it would not make much difference if the Kishida government allows the junta-appointed ambassador to attend this state-level event," he said. Since Aung Soe Moe was sacked from the Foreign Ministry for joining the civil disobedience movement against military rule, the former first secretary of the Myanmar Embassy in Tokyo has devoted himself to activities in Japan to bring democracy back to his homeland. Aung Soe Moe said he and other pro-democracy advocates do not understand why Kishida has invited a representative of a violent regime that has cracked down on opposition among its people, including targeting women and children, to the funeral of a former leader who was also a victim of violence. Abe, Japan's longest-serving prime minister, was gunned down on the campaign trail in Nara, western Japan, on July 8. Since the Myanmar military detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and toppled her democratically elected government, the junta has killed over 2,300 demonstrators and other citizens and left some 974,000 people displaced, according to U.N. and other data. Asked if he thinks Japan should invite a representative of Myanmar's shadow civilian leadership, the National Unity Government, to Abe's funeral, Aung Soe Moe said some people from Myanmar believe so but he personally thinks Japan should follow Britain's lead. "While many Myanmar citizens support the NUG and regard it as their representative, Japan's invitation to the military for the state funeral is not fair to Myanmar people," he said. While Japan has condemned the coup and urged the junta to reverse course, Tokyo has yet to recognize the NUG -- launched in April last year by deposed pro-democracy parliamentarians, anti-coup protestors and ethnic minority leaders who oppose military rule -- as the legitimate governing body of Myanmar. "We oppose Japan letting the figure who we do not see as our representative attend Tuesday's event," Aung Soe Moe said. "We would like Japan to sever ties with the Myanmar military immediately." Related coverage: Japan may include Taiwan among nations giving flowers at Abe funeral Obama to skip Japan ex-PM Abe's state funeral, Hagerty to attend Police increase patrols at Tokyo airport ahead of ex-PM Abe state funeral KYODO NEWS - Sep 25, 2022 - 15:06 | All, World North Korea on Sunday fired a short-range ballistic missile toward the Sea of Japan, according to Japanese and South Korean authorities, two days after a U.S. aircraft carrier arrived in South Korea for joint drills. The projectile appears to have landed outside of Japan's exclusive economic zone after flying on an irregular trajectory, Japanese Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada told reporters. A series of missile launches since the beginning of this year by the North, including those capable of intercontinental range, pose a threat to regional peace and security and "we can never overlook" them, Hamada said. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida told reporters Sunday that the missile launch was "absolutely unacceptable as it affects the peace and security of the international community." "It violates the U.N. Security Council resolutions, and we strongly condemn it," he added. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said it detected the missile launch from an area around Taechon, North Pyongan Province, at 6:53 a.m. The missile reached an altitude of about 50 kilometers and would have flown around 400 km if on a regular trajectory, according to the Japanese defense minister. With Pyongyang's repeated ballistic missile tests this year, there are concerns North Korea may be about to conduct what would be its seventh nuclear test and first since September 2017. The latest missile launch follows the arrival of the Ronald Reagan aircraft carrier in the South Korean port city of Busan on Friday for the first time in nearly five years. It is set to join naval exercises between the two allies, which the South Korean presidential office said Sunday are scheduled to be carried out for four days from Monday. Hamada said Japan will closely coordinate with the United States and South Korea to gather and analyze information related to Pyongyang's ballistic missile launch, the first since June 5 when it fired eight short-range missiles. The U.S. Indo-Pacific Command said in a statement that the move highlights "the destabilizing impact of (North Korea's) unlawful weapon of mass destruction and ballistic missile programs." The South Korean presidential office said Saturday it detected signs that Pyongyang was preparing to launch a ballistic missile from a submarine. According to the South Korean Foreign Ministry, Kim Gunn, South Korea's special representative for Korean Peninsula peace and security affairs, held separate phone talks Sunday with his Japanese and U.S. counterparts Takehiro Funakoshi and Sung Kim to reaffirm the three countries' cooperation. Related coverage: North Korea likely readying sub launch of ballistic missile:South Korea North Korea raps Japan for rendering key bilateral accord "null and void" North Korea's Kim vows to never give up nukes amid U.S. threat KYODO NEWS - Sep 25, 2022 - 09:32 | Japan, All Japan is considering sharply increasing its defense spending to more than 40 trillion yen ($279 billion) over the next five years, government officials said Saturday. The amount compares with the 27.47 trillion yen in total specified as defense costs for five years through fiscal 2023 in the country's Medium Term Defense Program. The plan reflects Prime Minister Fumio Kishida's pledge to "fundamentally reinforce" the country's defense capabilities in the face of China's military expansion and North Korea's rapid nuclear and missile development. Senior government officials, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said the five-year plan presenting the total amount of expenses, such as for major equipment to be procured, would not reach 50 trillion yen, but would exceed 40. The ruling Liberal Democratic Party, led by Kishida, is seeking to double defense spending to 2 percent or more of the country's gross domestic product -- a level on par with the benchmark for North Atlantic Treaty Organization member states. Japan, known for its pacifist Constitution, has long capped its annual defense budget at about 1 percent of GDP, or over 5 trillion yen. If the projected figure of over 40 trillion yen is reached in the five-year defense program commencing next April, annual expenses could reach 10 trillion yen in the new plan's final fiscal year as envisioned by the Defense Ministry and almost meet the 2 percent target. The government is trying to update the medium-term program along with other key documents by year-end, with defense and finance ministry officials planning to hash out the details of spending plans. The Defense Ministry earlier this year requested 5.59 trillion yen, the largest amount ever, to be allocated in the country's initial budget for the next fiscal year starting in April. The outlay could eventually further balloon to around 6.5 trillion yen once some unspecified costs are finalized. Under the plan, from fiscal 2024 onward, defense spending is set to rise by around 1 trillion yen annually. Among the areas to receive the additional funds are long-range missiles for use in counterstrike capabilities, drones and other unmanned technology, and construction of new destroyers to be equipped with the Aegis missile interceptor system. The ministry also plans to use the extra funds to boost sustained combat capabilities, including improving missiles and munitions storage, as well as production. However, Japan's fiscal health is already the worst among developed countries, with its debt more than twice the size of its economy. The yet-to-be-compiled national budget for the next fiscal year is also expected to hit another record. The Finance Ministry initially intends to maintain fiscal discipline by funding the increased defense spending through issuing government bonds, and plans to repay the debt by raising corporate and other taxes. But there is strong opposition to tax increases in Japan, making it possible the 40 trillion yen level will not be met or it will be lumped in with other national security expenditures, some officials said. Related coverage: Japan floats issuance of gov't bonds for more defense spending Japan eyes stockpiling 1,000 long-range missiles amid China tensions Japan's new defense chief airs "strong concern" over China's drills By Keita Nakamura, KYODO NEWS - Sep 25, 2022 - 15:35 | All, Feature, Japan The first meeting in over two years between Japanese and South Korean leaders last week could be a harbinger of improving ties and a critical step toward cooperation in addressing the issues of North Korea's missile tests and nuclear aspirations. Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol held an "informal" meeting Wednesday in New York on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly. The two agreed to restore sound bilateral relations and vowed to enhance their cooperation to deal with issues related to North Korea during their 30-minute talks, the first in-person and sit-down meeting between leaders of the two neighbors since December 2019. "Even though the meeting was short and informal, it was a crucial step for the leaders of the two nations to restore a trustful relationship, because it paved the way for more summit talks (possibly) by the year-end," said Junya Nishino, a political science professor at Keio University. The Tokyo-Seoul relationship sank to its lowest point in years under the administration of Yoon's predecessor Moon Jae In over issues including South Korean court orders to liquidate local assets seized from two Japanese companies. The companies were sued over alleged forced labor during Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula. The companies have not complied with the compensation orders as Tokyo, under successive leaders from Shinzo Abe to Yoshihide Suga and now Kishida, maintains all claims stemming from its colonial rule, including compensation for Koreans who worked for Japanese companies, were settled "completely and finally" under a bilateral agreement signed in 1965. Yoon, known for taking a hardline stance on Pyongyang, took office in May with a pledge to take a future-oriented approach toward Japan. Since then, he repeatedly called for a meeting with Kishida. "For President Yoon, improving Japan-South Korea relations is essential to deny the Moon administration's diplomatic policies, and to differentiate his policies," said Katsuyuki Yakushiji, a professor at Toyo University well-versed in Japan's diplomacy. When Seoul announced a plan to meet with Kishida in New York, Tokyo said it was unsure whether the meeting would be held. Yakushiji said that Seoul's "false start" in announcing the plan represents Yoon's "strong motivation" to mend bilateral relations. A Japanese government official suggested that the summit talks were unplanned and said Kishida and Yoon held a private conversation in a "pull-aside" meeting, although he did not clarify which one requested it, just saying, "That it happened in a natural manner." Yakushiji said he believes Kishida must have a strong sense of distrust of South Korea based on the Moon government unilaterally nullifying a landmark deal to settle the issue of Koreans forced to work at Japan's wartime military brothels "finally and irreversibly." The deal was struck in 2015 when Kishida was foreign minister. The Japanese premier was also apparently concerned about how conservative members of his ruling Liberal Democratic Party would react if he had talks with Yoon, Yakushiji said. The meeting was held at a sensitive time for Kishida as the approval rate of his Cabinet had fallen to 40.2 percent, a new low since he took the helm in October last year, according to a Kyodo News survey conducted earlier this month. The deterioration was apparently due to the LDP's controversial links to the Unification Church, and a planned state funeral Tuesday for former Prime Minister Abe amid opposition from more than half of the public in opinion surveys. Yakushiji said it was the "right decision" for Kishida to meet Yoon to take advantage of a time "when a positive mood between the two nations has finally begun to appear." Nishino, who also serves as the director of the Keio Center for Contemporary Korean Studies, said the two leaders could meet again this year at international conferences scheduled for November which both are expected to join such as summit talks of the Group of 20 major economies in Indonesia and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum. Nishino also said Yoon is likely to be invited by Kishida to a Group of Seven industrialized nations summit to be held in Hiroshima in May as a guest country, as Britain did at a G-7 summit in Cornwall, southwestern England, in 2021. "Because, for Kishida, who wants to lead toward creating a world without nuclear weapons, South Korea's cooperation is vital to tackle the nuclear issues of North Korea and China," he said. If the situation over the wartime labor issue worsens, Japan would find it difficult to invite South Korea to the Hiroshima summit, according to Nishino. The South Korean Supreme Court may finalize a court order to liquidate the Japanese corporate assets as early as August, according to local media reports, but it has yet to make a decision on it, possibly taking the Yoon administration's policy toward Japan into account. "As long as South Korea's government continues efforts to solve the wartime labor issue, South Korean judicial authorities will remain cautious on making a decision on the asset liquidation issue, so it depends on the Yoon administration whether or not the issue will be solved," Nishino said. Related coverage: North Korea fires short-range ballistic missile toward Sea of Japan Japan, South Korea leaders vow to restore sound ties in "informal" talks Japan, South Korea agree to seek early resolution of wartime labor issue WUHAN, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China launched a scientific survey of Yangtze finless porpoises, an iconic species in the country's longest river Yangtze, on Monday, with an aim to formulate a more targeted protection plan for the species. More than 120 personnel and over 20 fishery administration vessels will be sent for the scientific expedition, covering major habitats of the Yangtze finless porpoises, such as the trunk stream in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, as well as Poyang and Dongting lakes, two tributaries of Yangtze. Data on the porpoise population and distribution, as well as the environment of its habitats, will be collected during this scientific expedition to determine the factors that may threaten the species and evaluate the effect of the current protection measures. Organized by the Yangtze river basin fishery administration under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs, the expedition has been jointly undertaken by local fishery authorities of six provincial-level regions, scientific research institutions, and social organizations. The Yangtze finless porpoise, which is under top-level state protection, is an important indicator of the Yangtze River ecology. In recent years, China has stepped up conservation efforts for the critically endangered species by conducting three comprehensive surveys in 2006, 2012 and 2017. According to the 2017 survey, there were 1,012 finless porpoises in the river. A researcher carries out observation in the Shishou section of the Yangtze River in central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) Researchers carry out observation in the Shishou section of the Yangtze River in central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2022 shows a scientific expedition vessel sailing in the Jianli section of the Yangtze River in central China's Hubei Province. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) Researchers carry out observation in the Shishou section of the Yangtze River, in central China's Hubei Province, Sept. 23, 2022. (Xinhua/Xiao Yijiu) Produced by Xinhua Global Service A flood-affected family stand outside a makeshift shelter on the outskirts of southern Pakistan's Hyderabad on Sept. 24, 2022. (Str/Xinhua) ISLAMABAD, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least 10 people were killed in monsoon rain-triggered flash floods during the last 24 hours in Pakistan, the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said. Four children and two women were among those who lost their lives in separate flood-related incidents, according to a report released by the NDMA on Friday evening. The country's southwestern Balochistan province was the worst-hit region with six killed, followed by the southern Sindh province, which reported four deaths, the report said. The report said 17 houses were destroyed and 26,506 livestock animals perished in different parts of Pakistan. The total death toll in Pakistan from this season's monsoon rains and floods since mid-June has risen to around 1,606, along with 12,863 injured, the NDMA said. Additionally, 2,016,025 houses have been destroyed, while an estimated 1,067,241 livestock animals have perished in the rains across the country, it said. Rescue and relief operations by the NDMA, other government organizations, volunteers and non-governmental organizations were underway in the flood-hit areas. A woman holding a kid enters a makeshift shelter on the outskirts of southern Pakistan's Hyderabad on Sept. 24, 2022. (Str/Xinhua) Flood-affected children play on the outskirts of southern Pakistan's Hyderabad on Sept. 24, 2022. (Str/Xinhua) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- World officials on Saturday underscored the importance of upholding multilateralism and solidarity in their speeches at the General Debate of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said his country believes that the only way forward is to uphold the inclusive and rules-based multilateral system that has underwritten peace and progress for all humanity since World War II. "No one is safe until all of us are safe. This applies to pandemics, but also to climate change, the conservation of the oceans, and many other shared challenges," he said. The multilateral system, which has contributed greatly to global peace and security, is now being severely tested. The prospects for international cooperation have weakened considerably and the temptation for unilateralism has become even stronger, he warned. "This is a moment when multilateralism must be defended and fortified." "It is in the world's interests -- and in our own long-term interests -- to set aside our differences, to address the challenges of the global commons, and to harvest the emerging opportunities provided by new technologies," Balakrishnan added. Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith also called for practical solutions to today's global problems through multilateralism. "We are at a critical juncture when the international community is facing multi-faceted challenges ranging from armed conflicts to environmental crises and economic downturns that set back global development," he said. These challenges, already exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic, have hindered and reversed the development gains attained in past decades, he said, adding that the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals has never been so tarnished. Multilateralism, which is always at the heart of international cooperation, has been undermined while unilateralism has been applied widely, he warned, adding that unilateral sanctions or restrictive measures cannot be effective as they contravene the principles of the UN Charter and international law, hampering the development of other countries. It is more imperative than ever for the international community to find transformative, effective and more practical solutions to make sure the most vulnerable not left behind, he said. Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh called for international solidarity and partnerships to tackle global challenges. Actions by states, both individually and collectively, must be guided by and in accordance with international law and the UN Charter, he said, adding that there is a need for strong and effective multilateral institutions, with the United Nations at the heart, to best address global challenges. Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Mohamed Ali Sabry said today's complex and interconnected crises cannot be resolved by nations acting on their own, and that it is an opportunity to demonstrate global solidarity, diplomacy and collective efforts, leveraging the ideas and talents of all people and all segments of society to find transformative solutions which leave no one behind. The United Nations is a table where every state can sit down, a forum where everyone can be heard and where everyone is equally important, and this is the concept of multilateralism, he noted. Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry called for a renewed commitment to multilateralism. "The current session of the General Assembly is taking place at a very delicate historical moment as we are witnessing a myriad of intertwined crises of enormous complexity. This requires concerted and serious action, and a renewed commitment to multiculturalism, first and foremost, under the umbrella of the United Nations," he said. While the world is still reeling from the huge repercussions of the pandemic and its negative impact, successive geopolitical crises have ignited international tensions to unprecedented levels, he said. "As we meet in September of every year in this global forum, I call upon all those gathered to respect the UN system and reinvigorate it and work on reforming it," Shoukry said. CHANGSHA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Tang Qixue, a 65-year-old retired elementary school teacher from Wangxian Township in central China's Hunan Province, has been voluntarily doubling as a traffic policeman for 16 years. Every morning and afternoon, Tang guides passing vehicles with a flag and a whistle at a busy fork on China's National Highway 106, helping students cross safely. Tang's daily routine can be traced back to an afternoon 16 years ago, when he witnessed two of his students die in a car accident at the same fork in the road. Tang thought such tragedies could be reduced or avoided entirely if someone were to direct the traffic when students passed, and he believed that he should be the one to protect the students. When Tang Qixue told his family about the idea, he was met with strong opposition. Wangxian is a town with a large population, as well as a large number of vehicles. There are 10 intersections within a 50-meter range of the fork Tang planned to manage. There are so many cars and a lot of dust, his wife told him at the time, warning him of the dangers of his plan. But the idea was set in his mind and he would not be moved. After the accident, he began stationing himself at the fork from 6:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. and from 4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., helping students cross the road safely during term time. He waves a flag with the word "STOP" printed on both sides, using standard signs to direct passing vehicles. In the summer, the scorching sun tans his skin and sweat drenches his clothes. In the winter, his ears are often numb from the biting cold. But Tang has never given up. "I always feel happy and at ease when I see the students cross the road safely," he said. Over the past 16 years, Tang has been hit twice by passing vehicles, resulting in multiple rib fractures. Both times he was injured, he worried about the safety of the students in his absence. After retiring from his teaching career in 2017, he was able to devote more time to guarding the safety of students. Over the years, he has given more than 200 lectures on road safety, drowning prevention, and other aspects of personal safety. "Though I have retired, my love for the students will never fade. I will keep teaching them lessons on safety," he said. Tang also participates in many public welfare activities. He often visits impoverished children, orphans, and left-behind elderly people, and helps them obtain societal assistance. "Whenever and wherever I am needed for volunteer work, I will always pitch in," he said. President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) on Friday hailed China as a great support for the agency, voicing confidence that China will play a more important role in helping facilitate humanitarian efforts worldwide. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) revenue pools for the next decade could amount up to 295 billion ($286 billion) for the global banking industry. NatWest tops list of European and US banks that are capitalising on net zero transition opportunities, said global professional services firm, Alvarez & Marsal (A&M), which has published the findings of the inaugural Green PACE rankings, proprietary research that ranks how the top 25 European and North American banks are capitalising on sustainability as a business opportunity. Analysis by Alvarez & Marsal says UK banks are outperforming their European and US peers on the transition to net zero. Global banks today are complying with regulatory, investor and rating agency expectations as they go green. Maximising financial benefits from ESG in a highly competitive environment will require banks to deploy a broad offering of sustainable finance and investing products, and articulate credible net zero plans for emissions financed. They will also need to adopt client orientation to transition planning and accompany clients in the operational journey by fully embracing innovation and digitalisation. Ambitious pledges Revenue pool breakdown by region shows Europe and North America will represent 46% of the total revenue pool, or 135 billion, driven by more ambitious pledges by 2030 than Asia. The ESG revenue opportunity represents an incremental 10% of current revenues for banks in Europe and North America. The report found that UK banks are outperforming their European and US peers on the transition to net zero, with NatWest coming out at the top of the table, by more than a 10% margin. The outperformance by British banks, and NatWest in particular, can be put down to strong investment and commitment across for capability areas evaluated including green product offering, alignment targets, client orientation and involvement in transition execution. Asad Ahmed, A&M Managing Director and Head of Middle East Financial Services commented: The regional financial institutions are taking a leading role in embedding ESG into their businesses both as an implementor in their own business models, and also as a potential source of revenue as they offer sustainable solutions to their customers. Elements of sustainability would need to be integrated fully into the business of banking i.e., in the way banks examine risk, product offerings, and in the way the banking operations are run. Four attributes A&Ms Green PACE ranking is based on an evaluation of the banks performance against four attributes which A&M believe will define the winners in sustainability. These are: Green Products: A&M looked at whether banks offer a wide range of sustainable finance products including bonds, loans and derivatives for both green and sustainable linked purposes. A&M estimates that the top 25 European and US banks have committed 13 trillion for sustainable finance as targets by 2030, the figure represents 37% of total bank assets or 15% of global GDP. Alignment to net zero: A&M conducted benchmarking of banks net zero target including number of portfolios, asset coverage, data quality and internal tools. A&M found that most banks have committed to phase out coal financing in the EU/OECD by 2030 and worldwide by 2040, with a handful of banks committing to earlier exits. A&M benchmarking also shows that US banks have higher intensity in their oil and gas financed emissions. Client orientation and insights: A&M tracked the transition advice and analytics linking client transition operational solutions with financial business case and customised insights. Execution of Transition Plans: A&M analysed banks involvement in operational execution through climate tech investing, innovate joint ventures and digital platforms. Business opportunity Fernando de la Mora, Managing Director, Alvarez & Marsal said: Global banks have recognised that the transition to net zero does not have to be a thorn in their side and instead is a huge business opportunity. Sustainable bank strategies are evolving from being regulatory and compliance-driven to a broader range of initiatives that can deliver new revenue streams and innovative solutions for clients. We are seeing an increasing number of financial institutions placing sustainability at the heart of their business priority. Our Green PACE ranking offers banking leaders a new framework to help them capitalise on ESG as a business opportunity.-- TradeArabia News Service A man cleans parts of a Byzantine-era mosaic at Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, Sept. 21, 2022. A Gaza-based excavation team continues its search in the archaeological site located in the Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, where rare Byzantine-era mosaic floors were freshly discovered. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) by Sanaa Kamal GAZA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- A Gaza-based excavation team continues its search in the archaeological site located in the Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, where rare Byzantine-era mosaic floors were freshly discovered. Six months ago, Suleiman al-Nabahin, a farmer in his 50s, had found rare mosaic floors and pottery items by chance while he was plowing in his 450-square-meter agricultural land to plant a tree. He told Xinhua that he was surprised with the findings and had expanded research at his farm. Several days later, the farmer found other three excavations in different areas, including mosaic panels, pottery, glass and clay pieces, and the remains of a granite column base. "The mosaic panels are painted in several colors, including white, black, brown (brick) and green in addition to being inlaid with glass pieces," said al-Nabahin. Three months later, the farmer went to the Hamas-run Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities when he realized that he had discovered a "buried treasure of remains and mosaics." "A delegation from the ministry, including experts in archeology, came to my land, and they were amazed by the discovery," he recalled. He said he was happy about the discovery because "they are a Palestinian heritage, indicating the civilization on this land." Jamal Abu Raida, director general of the ministry, told Xinhua that the ministry believed these floors were part of a Byzantine-era religious building dating back about 1,700 years. He said that the drawings and inscriptions on the mosaic floors are similar to the mosaic drawings in the ancient Byzantine Church in Gaza, which was open to the public earlier this year. In addition, he explained, there were "drawings of a group of animals that still exist and live in the Gaza Strip, which means that they embody the nature of life at that time." "Initial guesses indicate that the archaeological site was a temple belonging to the Christian religion at that time, and the temple usually follows a number of facilities close to it that are expected to be located in the place," he added. The ministry has placed some archaeological survey sensor devices near the location of the archaeological discovery, where remnants of archaeological walls were found. Moreover, the technical teams are in the process of placing sensors on the northern side of the archaeological discovery to learn more about this discovery and its secrets, the official said. A man cleans parts of a Byzantine-era mosaic at Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, Sept. 21, 2022. A Gaza-based excavation team continues its search in the archaeological site located in the Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, where rare Byzantine-era mosaic floors were freshly discovered. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) A man cleans parts of a Byzantine-era mosaic at Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, Sept. 21, 2022. A Gaza-based excavation team continues its search in the archaeological site located in the Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, where rare Byzantine-era mosaic floors were freshly discovered. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) A man cleans parts of a Byzantine-era mosaic at Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, Sept. 21, 2022. A Gaza-based excavation team continues its search in the archaeological site located in the Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, where rare Byzantine-era mosaic floors were freshly discovered. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) A man cleans parts of a Byzantine-era mosaic at Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, Sept. 21, 2022. A Gaza-based excavation team continues its search in the archaeological site located in the Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, where rare Byzantine-era mosaic floors were freshly discovered. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) A man cleans parts of a Byzantine-era mosaic at Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, Sept. 21, 2022. A Gaza-based excavation team continues its search in the archaeological site located in the Bureij refugee camp in the middle of the Gaza Strip, where rare Byzantine-era mosaic floors were freshly discovered. (Photo by Rizek Abdeljawad/Xinhua) TEHRAN, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A senior Iranian lawmaker said that French and Swiss presidents delivered U.S. messages to the Iranian president in New York about the resumption of the nuclear talks and reaching an agreement on the issue, semi-official Fars news agency reported on Sunday. Vahid Jalalzadeh, chairman of the Iranian Parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, made the remark in a televised interview commenting on the meetings between Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi and his French and Swiss counterparts Emmanuel Macron and Ignazio Cassis on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA). Accompanying Raisi on the visit, Jalalzadeh said that Macron expressed interest in the continuation of the negotiations on the revival of a 2015 nuclear deal, adding "if Iran adopts certain methods, Europe will be able to persuade the United States to revive the nuclear deal." Jalalzadeh added that Raisi told Macron that Iran has once suffered losses by trusting the United States within the framework of the deal, formally known as the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), and Raisi said "do not ask us to sustain another loss." The Swiss president also conveyed a message from the United States containing Washington's request for a direct bilateral meeting with Tehran, said Jalalzadeh. The lawmaker added that Raisi announced decisively that Tehran will not withdraw from its positions on the necessity of resolving the safeguards issues with regard to the country's nuclear program in the talks on the JCPOA's revival. Raisi had been in New York from Monday to Friday to take part in the UNGA and held talks with other participating states' presidents on the sidelines of the main event. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Gabonese Foreign Minister Michael Moussa Adamo on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) NEW YORK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Gabonese Foreign Minister Michael Moussa Adamo on Saturday on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Noting that Gabon is a good friend of China in Africa, Wang said the two countries have always been sincere and friendly, treated each other equally, achieved win-win cooperation and common development, forged a profound friendship, and the comprehensive cooperative partnership between the two sides continues to consolidate and develop. China is ready to work with Gabon to promote high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, so as to help Gabon accelerate its development and revitalization and bring more benefits to the Gabonese people, he added. Noting that China has always maintained that all countries, big and small, are equal, Wang said that China has always stood on the side of developing countries and African countries, and will continue to deliver tangible results for African partners, as well as develop and revitalize together with African brothers and sisters. He also extended congratulations to Gabon on assuming the rotating presidency of the Security Council next month, saying that China stands ready to strengthen coordination in international and regional affairs, jointly safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries, and uphold the basic principle of international relations of non-interference in internal affairs. For his part, the Gabonese Foreign Minister said that Gabon and China have a time-honored friendship and have yielded rich fruits through mutually beneficial cooperation. Noting that China is Gabon's largest trading partner, he said that China helped Gabon improve its infrastructure and was among the first countries to assist Gabon in fighting the pandemic. Chinese enterprises have made important contributions to Gabon's economic development, which the Gabonese government and people will never forget, he added. Noting that Gabon is also China's reliable partner, the senior official said Gabon will continue to firmly abide by the one-China principle and oppose politicizing human rights. He stressed that Gabon is willing to strengthen the synergy between "Emerging Gabon" and the Belt and Road Initiative to diversify the country's economy. Gabon warmly welcomes Chinese investment and looks forward to expanding cooperation and achieving more mutually beneficial and win-win results, he added. BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Export-Import Bank of China (China EximBank) offered 1.25 trillion yuan (about 178.78 billion U.S. dollars) in loans to the foreign trade industry in the first eight months of 2022, up 26.03 percent year on year. By the end of August, the bank's outstanding loans to the foreign trade sector rose 18.23 percent compared with last year to reach 2.73 trillion yuan. The bank said this year it had stepped up credit issuance to key foreign trade links such as ports, docks and airports. China EximBank is a state-funded and state-owned policy bank supporting China's foreign trade, investment, and international economic cooperation. LA PAZ, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- At least six people died and two were injured on Saturday when two vehicles collided on a highway in the Bolivian department of La Paz, police reported. The preliminary reports showed the fatal accident was caused by excessive speed, lane invasion, and reckless driving, said the director of the local fire brigade, Marco Navia, adding that the two private cars carried two traveling families. Police rushed to the scene to assist the injured and launched an investigation. The injured were hospitalized. One local resident said a loud noise was heard during the crash, and people living nearby went out and found the vehicles and several bodies. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui) NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Saturday on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Wang said that close contacts between Chinese President Xi Jinping and his Egyptian counterpart, Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi, have provided strong strategic guidance to China-Egypt relations, adding that the two countries' joint fights against the COVID-19 pandemic and cooperation to boost their development have facilitated a growth momentum of bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. China firmly supports the Egyptian people to explore a development path fitting their own country, as well as the cause of national rejuvenation by the country, said Wang, adding that China is willing to strengthen mutually beneficial cooperation with Egypt and intensify their unity and coordination in international and regional affairs, so as to safeguard the two countries' common interests, legitimate rights of developing countries, as well as fairness and justice. For his part, Shoukry said that Egypt and China have always respected, trusted and supported each other, adding that the Egyptian side is proud of a strong bilateral relationship with China and satisfies with the two's practical and fruitful cooperation. Egypt firmly sticks to the one-China policy, opposes any behavior that violates the one-China principle or escalates the situation, said the Egyptian foreign minister, adding that his country supports China to take rightful steps to safeguard its sovereignty, and opposes forming any anti-China camp or creating differentiation and confrontation. Egypt is ready to work closely with China in multilateral coordination to safeguard the solidarity of developing countries, he added. The two sides agreed to promote the joint construction of the high-quality Belt and Road, sign the implementation plan as soon as possible, strengthen the second five-year outline document of China-Egypt comprehensive strategic partnership, and expand financial cooperation. Stressing that the development of China is an opportunity for Egypt, Shoukry said that Egpyt welcomes Chinese investment and looks forward to strengthening tripartite cooperation in Africa. Both sides have expressed willingness to enhance anti-pandemic cooperation, and China will help Egypt build Africa's largest warehouse center for vaccines. The two sides also agreed to further strengthen cooperation in response to climate change, and China supports Egypt in successfully hosting the 27th session of the Conference of the Parties to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The two sides also expressed concerns over the shortage of food and energy caused by the spillover effects of the Ukraine crisis, and believe that political settlement of the issue should be reached, global economic recovery should be promoted at an early date, and the legitimate rights and interests of developing countries should be effectively safeguarded. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship Arnoldo Andre Tinoco on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Liu Jie) NEW YORK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Costa Rican Minister of Foreign Affairs and Worship Arnoldo Andre Tinoco on Saturday on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Costa Rica is a friend country to China in Central America, Wang said, adding that under the strategic guidance of the two heads of state, bilateral relations have been advanced to a new level, he noted, adding that China and Costa Rica always understand each other and treat each other as equals. China appreciates the new Costa Rican government for reiterating its firm commitment to the one-China principle and for not allowing any form of "Taiwan independence" moves in the country, which has strongly consolidated the political foundation of bilateral relations, Wang said. China will also continue to stand with Costa Rica, support Costa Rica's legitimate demand to safeguard sovereignty, independence and development interests, and open up new prospects for mutually beneficial cooperation between the two sides through high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, he added. Wang welcomed Costa Rica to participate in the Global Development Initiative (GDI) and the Global Security Initiative (GSI), so as to expand international cooperation platforms. For his part, Andre said Costa Rica firmly abides by the one-China principle, and highly appreciates and is ready to participate in the GDI and the GSI. He also thanked China for supporting Costa Rica's combat against the COVID-19 pandemic and floods, Noting that Costa Rica-China relations have a sound momentum of development, he said that the new Costa Rican government places high importance on bilateral relations and looks forward to deepening practical cooperation and accelerating key infrastructure cooperation projects on the basis of a free trade agreement, so as to inject new impetus to bilateral relations. Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2022 shows paddy fields at a rice planting demonstration zone in Dawang Town of Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area has a long history of rice cultivation. Located near Baiyangdian Lake, the largest wetland ecosystem in northern China, Anxin County has exceptional irrigation advantage in rice planting. In recent years, Anxin County has adopted rice-fish and rice-crab co-culture modes to build a modern eco-agriculture demonstration zone. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2022 shows paddy fields at a rice planting demonstration zone in Dawang Town of Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area has a long history of rice cultivation. Located near Baiyangdian Lake, the largest wetland ecosystem in northern China, Anxin County has exceptional irrigation advantage in rice planting. In recent years, Anxin County has adopted rice-fish and rice-crab co-culture modes to build a modern eco-agriculture demonstration zone. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2022 shows paddy fields at a rice planting demonstration zone in Dawang Town of Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area has a long history of rice cultivation. Located near Baiyangdian Lake, the largest wetland ecosystem in northern China, Anxin County has exceptional irrigation advantage in rice planting. In recent years, Anxin County has adopted rice-fish and rice-crab co-culture modes to build a modern eco-agriculture demonstration zone. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2022 shows paddy fields at a rice planting demonstration zone in Dawang Town of Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area has a long history of rice cultivation. Located near Baiyangdian Lake, the largest wetland ecosystem in northern China, Anxin County has exceptional irrigation advantage in rice planting. In recent years, Anxin County has adopted rice-fish and rice-crab co-culture modes to build a modern eco-agriculture demonstration zone. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2022 shows paddy fields at a rice planting demonstration zone in Dawang Town of Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area has a long history of rice cultivation. Located near Baiyangdian Lake, the largest wetland ecosystem in northern China, Anxin County has exceptional irrigation advantage in rice planting. In recent years, Anxin County has adopted rice-fish and rice-crab co-culture modes to build a modern eco-agriculture demonstration zone. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2022 shows paddy fields at a rice planting demonstration zone in Dawang Town of Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area has a long history of rice cultivation. Located near Baiyangdian Lake, the largest wetland ecosystem in northern China, Anxin County has exceptional irrigation advantage in rice planting. In recent years, Anxin County has adopted rice-fish and rice-crab co-culture modes to build a modern eco-agriculture demonstration zone. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2022 shows paddy fields at a rice planting demonstration zone in Dawang Town of Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area has a long history of rice cultivation. Located near Baiyangdian Lake, the largest wetland ecosystem in northern China, Anxin County has exceptional irrigation advantage in rice planting. In recent years, Anxin County has adopted rice-fish and rice-crab co-culture modes to build a modern eco-agriculture demonstration zone. (Xinhua/Zhu Xudong) Aerial photo taken on Sept. 24, 2022 shows paddy fields at a rice planting demonstration zone in Dawang Town of Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area, north China's Hebei Province. Anxin County of Xiong'an New Area has a long history of rice cultivation. Located near Baiyangdian Lake, the largest wetland ecosystem in northern China, Anxin County has exceptional irrigation advantage in rice planting. In recent years, Anxin County has adopted rice-fish and rice-crab co-culture modes to build a modern eco-agriculture demonstration zone. (Xinhua/Yang Shiyao) BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A total of 2,296 delegates were elected to attend the upcoming 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China (CPC), according to an official statement released Sunday. Trainees learn to make soaps with coffee grounds at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Training instructor Sun Yu (L) and sign language teacher Qu Wenmin are seen during a barista training class at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Chen Jiayue (C), a hearing-impaired barista, works at her own cafe in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 24, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Trainees prepare to make soaps with coffee grounds at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Training instructor Sun Yu (L) gives a thumb-up to the coffee made by hearing-impaired barista Zhou Jie during a barista training class at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Chen Jiayue, a hearing-impaired barista, makes a cup of coffee at her own cafe in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 24, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Hearing-impaired trainees attend a barista training class at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Zheng Xin) A trainee takes pictures of soaps made with coffee grounds at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) A trainee gives a thumb-up to the coffee made by hearing-impaired barista Zhou Jie during a barista training class at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Trainees pack soaps made from coffee grounds at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Zheng Xin) Wang Ru (R) and Li Sha, both hearing-impaired baristas, communicate through sign language at a sign language store of Starbucks in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 4, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Hearing-impaired barista Zhou Jie demonstrates how to use a syphon coffee maker during a barista training class at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Chen Jiayue (2nd L), a hearing-impaired barista, communicates with family members of other hearing-impaired people at her own cafe in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 24, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Zheng Xin) Sign language teacher Qu Wenmin (top R) translates for hearing-impaired trainees during a barista training class at Shaanxi Urban Economy School in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, Sept. 22, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Wang Ru (R) and Li Sha, both hearing-impaired baristas, communicate through sign language at a sign language store of Starbucks in Xi'an, capital of northwest China's Shaanxi Province, July 4, 2022. The International Day of the Deaf falls on the fourth Sunday each September. Since 2019, Shaanxi Urban Economy School has been providing free barista training for the hearing-impaired. Trainees can learn coffee-making skills as well as cafe operation knowledge during the training programme, which could help them in paving the way either to start their coffee business or get employed in this industry. So far, more than 20 people who have graduated from the training programme are working at cafes in various places across China. (Xinhua/Li Yibo) Svitzer, a leading global provider of towage and maritime support services, has announced its intention to make use of its expertise in the industry to empower local talent in Saudi Arabia. This step is in line with the objectives set by the Saudi Vision 2030, which aims to enhance the capabilities of the kingdoms maritime sector and improve its standards to be at par with the leading maritime hubs across the globe. Supported by major maritime authorities in the kingdom such as Saudi Ports Authority (Mawani) and the Transport General Authority, in addition to leading entities in the kingdom such as Bahri, Aramco, and International Maritime Industries (IMI), the event will connect the industry across the region by bringing together ship owners, suppliers, and key decision-makers, and looks forward to achieving the goals set for 2030. 20 leading commercial ports The kingdom is home to more than 20 leading commercial ports with world class standards. Saudi Arabia also has one of the largest fleets of oil tankers in the world. Thus, the national maritime sector is in need of qualified and skilled maritime professionals that can lead the progress of the industry in the country. Pankaj Kankan, CCO and COO Svitzer AMEA said: Our global position comes with a responsibility to contribute to the growth and prosperity of the countries we operate in. Over 1,000 seafarers are currently working onboard Svitzer AMEA vessels, out of which, more than 60% are local talents. In Egypt for instance, all of our seafarers are Egyptian nationals. Similarly, in Morocco, over 97%, and in Oman, more than 85% of our professionals are local. However, we have a global reputation of providing unmatched high-quality services, which is why we offer comprehensive training to our professionals in order to ensure that they learn, develop, and upgrade their skills on a regular basis. Till date, the company has trained over 354 maritime professionals, including 253 in Oman, 48 in Egypt, and 38 in Bahrain. Keen on investing We are keen on investing in the kingdom, and look forward to utilising our expertise in localisation, sustainability, and efficient and safe port management to ensure the progress of the nation's maritime sector. We are confident that the steps being taken to realise the kingdom's vision for 2030 will help us immensely, and are optimistic that major government institutions such as Mawani will support us in achieving our goals. We believe that the industry in Saudi is capable of meeting international standards, and this seems very possible with the help of mega projects such as Red Sea Project, Kankan added. The training programmes offered by Svitzer cover a wide range of operations such as, sailing on tug boats, working in administrative positions in ports and logistics facilities. At Svitzers state-of-the-art facility in Bahrain, tug captains go through intense simulator training sessions in order to be prepared for any situation possible. Chris Morley, Group Director, Maritime Events, Informa Markets commented: With the kind of mega projects that are being finalised in the kingdom, Saudi Arabia is without a doubt leading the progress of the global maritime sector. Our role in the Saudi Maritime Congress is to act as a gateway for investments in the kingdoms maritime sector. By bringing some of the leading maritime organisations under one roof during our two-day event, we look forward to realising our ambition.-- TradeArabia News Service Tourists visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, Egypt, on Sept. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) by Marwa Yahya CAIRO, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Marking the decoding of ancient hieroglyphs and the creation of Egyptology 200 years ago, a series of events are being organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Cairo launched on Saturday a two-day program for teaching children about the Ancient Egyptian language via sculpture and buff paints workshops. Tourists visit the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, Egypt, on Sept. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) Sama Ahmad, a ten-year-old Egyptian student, joined the interactive classes and portrayed some symbols of Egyptian hieroglyphs, the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt. "I was happy to learn about old letters and to listen to information about the Rosetta Stone," she said while showing a paper carrying her name in the ancient language. The ministry also launched a social media campaign to explain hieroglyphs as well as to display artifacts that are key to understanding Ancient Egyptian civilization under the titles "Ancient Egyptian language," and "Learn about treasures in your province." A visitor takes a photo of the replica of Rosetta Stone at the National Museum of Egyptian Civilization in Cairo, Egypt, on Sept. 20, 2022. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa) The Rosetta Stone is one of the main keys that helped to decipher the Ancient Egyptian language and the genesis of Egyptology. With its original version exhibited in the British Museum, the granodiorite block was discovered in 1799 in the Nile delta town of Rosetta (Rashid in Arabic) by the occupying French forces, while it fell into the hands of British officials later and was sent to London. On Sept. 27, 1822, French scholar Jean-Francois Champollion was able to unravel the mystery of the stone and read the Ancient Egyptian signs correctly after centuries of attempts by scholars and researchers. The stone dated back to 196 B.C. when the syndicate of Egyptian priests gave a congratulatory speech to King Ptolemy V for assuming the throne of Egypt, thanking him for exempting all Egyptian temples from taxes due to low flood. A boy watches the Rosetta Stone in the British Museum in London, Britain, on May 11, 2022. The Rosetta Stone is one of the most famous objects in the British Museum. The Stone is a broken part of a bigger stone slab. It has a message carved into it, written in three types of writing. It was an important clue that helped experts learn to read Egyptian hieroglyphs (a writing system that used pictures as signs). (Xinhua/Li Ying) Now the replica of the stone is fixed at the entrance lobby of the NMEC, which is inscribed in three languages: hieroglyphic, demotic and ancient Greek. "Visitors coming from the gate of the museum can spot it from a far distance till approaching it and reading the label underneath," said Sayed Fadel, supervisor of scenario display of the NMEC. The 200 anniversary of the creation of Egyptology is a good occasion for displaying the bloc, added Fadel, stressing "thanks to decoding the stone, we managed to read texts, paintings and inscriptions on Egypt's temples that narrate the old history of Egypt." He explained that the stone exhibited in London is one of six others that were placed in front of Egyptian main temples, but the other five have not been discovered yet. Emili Jones, a 32-year-old tourist from Canada, was curious about the stone. She told Xinhua that "the stone is a treasure of knowledge for exploring and digging into the mysterious history of Ancient Egypt." BEIJING, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese President Xi Jinping, also general secretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the Central Military Commission, attaches great importance to food security. He has spoken of the issue on many occasions. The following are some highlights of his remarks. -- Food security is among the country's most fundamental interests. Of all things, eating matters most, and food is the most basic necessity of the people. -- China should be well-prepared, remain vigilant on food security, and adhere to the principle of self-sufficiency based on domestic grain production, guaranteed production capacity, moderate food imports and technological support. -- Farmland is the lifeline of grain production and the foundation of the sustainable development of the Chinese nation. Farmland is for farming and can only be used to grow crops, especially grain crops. The strictest possible system for the protection of farmland must be implemented. -- Party committees and governments at all levels must implement the major policies, decisions and plans of the CPC Central Committee on work concerning agriculture, rural areas and farmers, and enhance efforts to ensure grain security. -- Advancing agricultural modernization requires efforts not only of experts but also those of all farmers. The promotion and application of modern agricultural science and technologies and training of farmers must be strengthened, and all big grain growers must be organized to actively develop green, ecological, and efficient agriculture. -- If we Chinese people want to hold tight in hands our rice bowl, we must develop the seed industry on our own. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen said Sunday that the migrant boat incident off Syria that has left dozens of people dead is devastating. "It is devastating that dozens died after a boat sank off the Syrian coast -- men, women, children and the elderly among the victims," said Pedersen in a statement, adding that the deaths could have been avoided. There is an urgent need to do more to address the root causes of these movements, including the conflict in Syria and the economic crisis in Lebanon, and to protect the most vulnerable so that they are not compelled to make such difficult choices, said Pedersen. Human bodies began to be found on Thursday after the boat carrying illegal migrants from Lebanon capsized. By Sunday, reports put the death toll at 94. The boat set off from Lebanon on Tuesday. A UN spokesman said Friday that the incident was heartbreaking. "It's tragic. It's heartbreaking, and worst of all, we know these types of incidents are actually preventable -- if countries managed the flow of people, of migration, of refugees, in a coordinated manner, if the movement of people was not left to the hands of criminal gangs and of smugglers," said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres. This is something that has been very much in the mind and in the heart of Guterres dating from his time as UN High Commissioner for Refugees, said the spokesman, adding: "We send our deep, deep and heartfelt condolences to all the families of the bereaved." Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday called on the international community to make every effort for peace and development, and shoulder the responsibility for solidarity and progress. While delivering a speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Wang said the world is at a time fraught with challenges. The world has entered a new phase of turbulence and transformation, and changes unseen in a century are accelerating, Wang said, adding that this era, however, is also full of hope. Peace and development remain the underlying trend of the times, and around the world, the people's call for progress and cooperation is getting louder than ever before, Wang said. China's answer, Wang said, is firm and clear on how to respond to the call of the times and ride on the trend of history to build a community with a shared future for mankind advocated by Chinese President Xi Jinping. First, countries must uphold peace and oppose war and turbulence, Wang said, calling on all countries to remain committed to addressing differences through peaceful means and resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation. Second, countries must pursue development and eliminate poverty, Wang said. Noting the world should place development at the center of the international agenda and build international consensus on promoting development, Wang said that the world should see that everyone in every country benefits more from the fruits of development in a more equitable way. Third, countries must remain open and oppose exclusion, Wang said, adding that countries should stay true to openness and inclusiveness, uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core and endeavor to build an open world economy. Fourth, countries must stay engaged in cooperation and oppose confrontation, Wang said. Urging countries to engage in dialogue, consultation and win-win cooperation, and reject conflict, coercion and zero-sum game, Wang stressed that countries should jointly oppose group politics and bloc confrontation. Fifth, countries must strengthen solidarity and oppose division, Wang said, calling on the international community to stand against drawing lines on ideological grounds, and work together to expand common ground and convergence of interests to promote world peace and development. Sixth, countries must uphold equity and oppose bullying, Wang said, adding that countries should promote and practice true multilateralism, promote equality of all countries in terms of rights, rules and opportunities, and build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, equity and justice, and win-win cooperation. China, Wang noted, as a permanent member of the UN Security Council and the world's largest developing country, is committed to boosting solidarity and cooperation with other countries, following the trend of the times and pursuing the shared interests of the vast majority of countries. China, he said, has been a builder of world peace, a contributor to global development, a defender of the international order, a provider of public goods and a mediator of hotspot issues. In the face of various challenges nowadays, Xi has proposed the Global Development Initiative, a rallying call to refocus attention of the international community on development and build a global community of development, Wang said. Xi has also put forward the Global Security Initiative, contributing China's vision to reducing the peace deficit facing humanity and providing China's input to meeting global security challenges, Wang added. On the Taiwan question, Wang stressed that since ancient times, Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China's territory. China's sovereignty and territorial integrity has never been severed, and the fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and same China has never changed, he said. All of the Chinese have never ceased their efforts to realize China's reunification, he added. The one-China principle, Wang said, has become a basic norm in international relations and a general consensus of the international community. Fifty-one years ago, right in this august hall, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority, which decided to restore the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the UN and to expel the "representatives" of the Taiwan authorities from the place which they had unlawfully occupied, Wang recalled. Once and for all, Resolution 2758 resolved politically, legally and procedurally the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the UN and international institutions, and it completely blocked any attempt by anyone or any country to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," Wang said. China will continue to endeavor to achieve peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and greatest efforts, he said, adding that to realize this goal, China must combat "Taiwan independence" separatist activities with the firmest resolve and take the most forceful steps to repulse interference by external groups. Only by resolutely forestalling in accordance with the law separatist activities can China forge a true foundation for peaceful reunification, and only when China is completely reunified can there be enduring peace across the Taiwan Strait, Wang noted. Any scheme to interfere in China's internal affairs is bound to meet the strong opposition of all the Chinese, and any move to obstruct China's cause of reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history, he added. Meanwhile, Wang said China is fully implementing a new development philosophy featuring innovative, coordinated, green and open development for all, and that it is pursuing high-quality development and fostering a new development paradigm. China will enjoy sustained and sound development, usher in even brighter prospects, and make more splendid miracles come true, he said. As China has one-fifth of the global population, its march toward modernization has important and far-reaching significance for the world, Wang said. The path that China pursues is one of peace and development, not one of plunder and colonialism; it is a path of win-win cooperation, not one of zero-sum game; and it is one of harmony between man and nature, not one of destructive exploitation of resources, Wang said. He added China will continue to contribute its input to meeting the challenges facing human development, and make its contribution to creating a new form of human advancement. The Communist Party of China will convene its 20th National Congress in Beijing next month, Wang said, adding that this Congress will, in response to the expectation of all the Chinese people, set well-conceived goals and tasks for China's development in the next five years and beyond, and that it will draw an overarching plan for China's future development. Having reached a new historical starting point, China will follow the Chinese path to modernization to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Wang said. China, Wang said, will work with other countries to make every effort for peace and development, shoulder the responsibility for solidarity and progress, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and embrace an even better world. On the same day, Wang also met respectively with the president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly and the foreign ministers of Maldives, Egypt, Algeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Costa Rica. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui) ABUJA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Dozens of Nigerian secondary school students in colorful clothes beat drums and sang songs on Friday to celebrate the reopening of a remodeled Chinese learning center in their school. The Chinese Center in the Junior Secondary School (JSS) Garki Area 11, Abuja, was upgraded by the China Railway 18th Bureau Group, a Chinese construction firm, to better promote understanding between the two countries at the grassroots level. For most of these young students aged between 11 and 15, the Chinese Center in their school gives them an opportunity to learn about China, its people and culture. Produced by Xinhua Global Service Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2022 shows gorillas at the Virunga National Park in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). (Str/Xinhua) GOMA, DRC, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Endangered mountain gorillas continue to be threatened by poaching, deforestation, and even war in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), where these primates reign in the dense forests on the lush slopes of the Virunga volcanoes. The resumption of fighting between the rebels of the March 23 Movement (M23) and the Congolese army in late March made park rangers' access to the Mount Mikeno, which lies at the heart of the mountain gorilla's habitat, almost impossible. As a result, the park rangers have lost track of the mountain gorillas for six months. "The resurgence of the M23 is very negatively affecting the monitoring of gorillas in Virunga National Park. Currently, the rebels are occupying the gorilla sector (...) We no longer know how these gorillas are fed, and how they are treated in the event of disease, we also don't know how many births or deaths there are. In August, we lost a silverback gorilla," said Didi Mwanaki, a park ranger at the Virunga National Park. The park, Africa's most biodiverse protected area, is at the heart of the region affected by the recent M23 rebellion. Its mountain gorilla sector, in the south of the park straddles the border between Rwanda and the DRC and has been the object of intense fighting since October 2021. In November 2021, a park ranger, Etienne Kanyaruchinya, was killed during a violent attack on a patrol post in Bukima, highlighting a marked uptick in violence against the park staff. A third of the world's mountain gorillas live under Mount Mikeno in the Virunga National Park. In 2021, the gorilla population is estimated at 330 at the park. On the sidelines of World Gorilla Day celebrated on Sept. 24, Gorilla ambassadors, a program created in the province of North Kivu in 2019, targeted young schoolchildren from Kibumba elementary school and local traders to tell them the importance of preserving nature, especially the gorillas. "It's the future of a whole generation. Imagine if all the gorillas disappeared, the next generation would not have the opportunity to see these animals," Alain Mukiranya, director of Gorilla Ambassadors, told Xinhua. According to him, his program has already reached 2,000 young people, the residents near the Virunga National Park, since its creation. "In addition, each young person who participated in this program planted a tree, with the aim of building the gorillas' houses," he said. Jeannette Bweza, a resident near the park, said she got used to watching gorillas. She has become accustomed to protecting ecosystems and especially the mountain gorillas. "I don't eat gorillas, because I was made aware not to do so (...) We also protect the environment by making the maintenance of the park, by removing plastic bags, and by denouncing people who go to the park with the aim of harming," she said. Photo taken on Aug. 27, 2022 shows gorillas at the Virunga National Park in the northeastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). (Str/Xinhua) ACCRA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Mining companies in Ghana have pledged to sell at least 125,000 ounces of gold to Ghana's central bank in the last quarter of this year to augment the country's foreign reserves, a statement said Saturday. The statement issued by the Ghana Chamber of Mines said the gold sales would be under the Bank of Ghana's domestic gold purchase program against the backdrop of the country's weakening foreign exchange position. The Bank of Ghana will purchase a portion of the gold output of all the gold mining companies at world market price but pay for them in Ghanaian currency, it said. It added this arrangement was to augment Ghana's foreign exchange reserves over time and strengthen the country's balance of payments position. "As a good corporate citizen, the chamber supports the program, and it will be mutually beneficial to all stakeholders," said Joshua Mortoti, president of the chamber. Ghana is currently Africa's second-largest gold producer with 2.8 million ounces of gold in 2021. Photo taken on Sept. 25, 2022 shows gannets at Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand. The four gannet colonies at Cape Kidnappers located on the east coast of the north island of New Zealand are the largest mainland gannet colony in New Zealand, with an estimated 20,000 gannets living here. Adult gannets arrive at Cape Kidnappers around July every year to begin courtship and nest building. (Xinhua/Guo Lei) Photo taken on Sept. 25, 2022 shows gannets at Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand. The four gannet colonies at Cape Kidnappers located on the east coast of the north island of New Zealand are the largest mainland gannet colony in New Zealand, with an estimated 20,000 gannets living here. Adult gannets arrive at Cape Kidnappers around July every year to begin courtship and nest building. (Xinhua/Guo Lei) Photo taken on Sept. 25, 2022 shows gannets at Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand. The four gannet colonies at Cape Kidnappers located on the east coast of the north island of New Zealand are the largest mainland gannet colony in New Zealand, with an estimated 20,000 gannets living here. Adult gannets arrive at Cape Kidnappers around July every year to begin courtship and nest building. (Xinhua/Guo Lei) Photo taken on Sept. 25, 2022 shows gannets at Cape Kidnappers, New Zealand. The four gannet colonies at Cape Kidnappers located on the east coast of the north island of New Zealand are the largest mainland gannet colony in New Zealand, with an estimated 20,000 gannets living here. Adult gannets arrive at Cape Kidnappers around July every year to begin courtship and nest building. (Xinhua/Guo Lei) Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (L) meets with Csaba Korosi, president of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA), on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UNGA in New York, Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui) UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- China firmly upholds the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, and the core role being played by the United Nations in international affairs, Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi said here on Saturday. In his meeting with Csaba Korosi, president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly (UNGA), Wang said the United Nations is the core mechanism and the most important platform for safeguarding multilateralism, adding that China is the first country to sign the UN Charter and has always advocated practicing true multilateralism. "We firmly support the important role of the UNGA in addressing global challenges, as well as the work of the president of the UNGA," he said. Noting that the world today is not peaceful, Wang said Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed the Global Security Initiative, and advocates a common, comprehensive, cooperative and sustainable security concept, which offers a Chinese solution to making up for the peace deficits, and solving the security dilemma. China has also put forward the Global Development Initiative (GDI), which stands for China's contribution to focus on development issues and accelerate the realization of the UN 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and has received positive response and support from the international community, Wang said. The Chinese side is willing to strengthen synergy with the United Nations, mobilize more resources and form a greater joint force, he added. For his part, Korosi said China is a champion of multilateralism and an important partner of the United Nations, and plays a key role in the affairs of the UNGA. He expressed his appreciation that China has provided consistent support to the president of the UNGA in performing duties, and will continue to step up cooperation with China to jointly tackle global challenges. Noting that the important initiatives put forward by Xi provide a vision and solutions for building even greater consensus and effective measures for coping with current challenges, he said he looks forward to strengthening coordination with China in dealing with climate change and water resources protection, and implementing the sustainable development agenda. Wang said that sustainable development is the common cause of humanity. He also said that a few days ago, China hosted the ministerial meeting of the Group of Friends of the GDI, and announced that it would take seven more steps to implement the GDI. China also presented global sustainable development data products to the United Nations, Wang noted, saying that the Chinese side is ready to maintain communication with the Office of the President of the UNGA on green development and global water resources protection, and supports a successful 27th session of the Conference of the Parties (COP27) to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The UAE and Germany have announced the signing of a new energy security and industry accelerator (ESIA) agreement that will accelerate projects of joint interest between the two countries in energy security, decarbonization and climate action. The agreement was signed by Dr Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, UAE Minister of Industry and Advanced Technology, UAE Climate Special Envoy, and Managing Director and Group CEO of the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (Adnoc), and Dr. Franziska Brantner, Parliamentary State Secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, in the presence of UAE President HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz as well as a number of ministers and senior officials. As part of the agreement, Adnoc has entered into an LNG supply agreement with RWE AG (RWE), with Adnoc providing an LNG cargo for delivery in late 2022, to be used in the commissioning of Germanys floating LNG import terminal at Brunsbuttel. In addition, Adnoc has reserved a number of further LNG cargos exclusively for German customers in 2023, it added. Adnoc said it had also entered into a number of agreements with German customers, including Steag GmbH (Steag) and Aurubis AG (Aurubis) for demonstration cargos of low-carbon ammonia, a carrier fuel for hydrogen that can play a critical role in decarbonizing hard-to-abate industry sectors. The first of these cargoes arrived in Hamburg earlier this month. Under the proposed ESIA, both countries anticipate to explore further opportunities to accelerate growth and collaboration across the hydrogen value chain. Masdar, the UAEs renewable energy champion, will be actively exploring opportunities in the offshore wind markets in the North Sea and Baltic Sea in Germany that could generate up to 10GW of renewable energy production capacity by 2030 subject to the necessary German policy and regulatory requirements being met between the two nations. Adnoc this month completed the UAEs first ever direct diesel delivery to Germany and has also agreed to the terms with Wilhelm Hoyer GmbH & Co. KG (Hoyer) to supply up to 250,000 tons of diesel per month in 2023. Lauding the agreements, Scholz said: "Through ESIA, we enable the swift implementation of strategic lighthouse projects on the focus areas of renewable energies, hydrogen, LNG and climate action." The German Chancellor is on a two-day visit to the Gulf region. Dr Sultan Al Jaber said: "This landmark new agreement reinforces the rapidly growing energy partnership between the UAE and Germany." "As we embrace the energy transition, Adnoc is fully committed to accelerate and invest in projects of energy security, decarbonization and climate action as we continue to be a responsible and reliable provider and trusted exporter of low-carbon energy," he added. Robert Habeck, Vice Chancellor and Federal Minister for Economic Affairs and Climate Action, said: "We highly welcome the acceleration of joint lighthouse projects in the field of climate action, decarbonisation and energy security." "We look forward to closely collaborate on offshore wind, other renewables and hydrogen in the UAE and in Germany," he added.-TradeArabia News Service Hilda Ayebare, a Ugandan teacher of Chinese language, speaks during a capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers at Luyanzi Institute of Technology in Wakiso District, Uganda, Sept. 23, 2022. A two-day capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers opened Friday at the Confucius Classroom at Luyanzi Institute of Technology in the central Ugandan district of Wakiso. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua) KAMPALA, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Uganda is finalizing the approval of a Chinese language teaching syllabus that will see students at the upper secondary school level learn the language, a government official said Friday. Henry Adramunguni, a specialist in foreign language curriculum at the state-run National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) said the syllabus is awaiting final approval by the NCDC Governing Council. The Academic Steering Board already approved the syllabus, he said. Adramunguni was speaking at the opening of a two-day capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers held at the Confucius Classroom at Luyanzi Institute of Technology here in the central Ugandan district of Wakiso. The seminar and competition were organized by the Confucius Institute at Makerere University. He said with the help of China, 500 local language teachers are going to be trained in teaching the Chinese language. He said some of the teachers will upgrade to teach upper secondary school. The specialist said China, through the Confucius Institute at Makerere University, is willing to support the writing of textbooks for implementing the Chinese language syllabus for upper secondary. Uganda is already teaching the Chinese language at the lower secondary school level after batches of local language teachers were trained. According to NCDC, students who take on Chinese language learning at the upper secondary school level, stand to be admitted to several training institutions, where they can advance their studies. Gilbert Gumoshabe, the Ugandan director of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University said at the end of the two-day training and competition, the best teachers will be rewarded. The competition helps teachers to measure and gauge their competence in Chinese language teaching, Gumoshabe said. "It is more of a refresher course for these teachers. We can gauge their competence in teaching the Chinese language. Through speaking it or using it as a medium of communication, it enriches your vocabulary," the director said. Hilda Ayebare (L), a Ugandan teacher of Chinese language, talks with a Chinese staff member during a capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers at Luyanzi Institute of Technology, Wakiso District, Uganda, Sept. 23, 2022. A two-day capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers opened Friday at the Confucius Classroom at Luyanzi Institute of Technology in the central Ugandan district of Wakiso. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua) Ugandan teachers of Chinese language attend a capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers at Luyanzi Institute of Technology, Wakiso District, Uganda, Sept. 23, 2022. A two-day capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers opened Friday at the Confucius Classroom at Luyanzi Institute of Technology in the central Ugandan district of Wakiso. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua) Participants pose for group photos during a capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers at Luyanzi Institute of Technology, Wakiso District, Uganda, Sept. 23, 2022. A two-day capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers opened Friday at the Confucius Classroom at Luyanzi Institute of Technology in the central Ugandan district of Wakiso. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua) BAGHDAD, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A soldier and two Islamic State (IS) militants were killed on Sunday in clashes in a rugged area in Iraq's eastern province of Diyala, the Iraqi military said. An army force clashed with IS militants during an operation to hunt down the extremist militants near Himreen Lake, some 80 km northeast of the provincial capital Baquba, killing a soldier and two IS militants while injuring another two soldiers, Captain Mohammed al-Timimi from the Iraqi army told Xinhua. The clashes ended after the Iraqi helicopter gunships were called in to carry out airstrikes on IS positions, al-Timimi added. Despite repeated military operations in the Diyala province, remnants of IS militants are still hiding in some rugged areas near the border with Iran and the sprawling area extending from the western part of the province to the Himreen mountain range, including Himreen Lake northern of Baquba, which itself located some 65 km northeast of Baghdad. The security situation in Iraq has been improving since the defeat of the IS in 2017. However, its remnants have since melted into urban centers, deserts, and rugged areas, carrying out frequent guerilla attacks against security forces and civilians. ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A celebration gathering, which was held in Yemen's northern province of Hajjah and attended by some senior military officers from the Yemeni government, was hit by missiles on Sunday, a government official told Xinhua. The official, who prefers to be anonymous, said a torch-lighting ceremony was held in the Midi district of Hajjah province to celebrate the upcoming September Revolution Day when four missiles landed in and around the site. The senior military officers, along with dozens of civilians, left the site just minutes before it was hit by the missiles, the official said, adding the attack caused no casualties. The official accused the Houthi group of launching the missiles, calling it an "apparent plan to assassinate the government military officers and other local leaders." The Houthi group, which controls large swathes of northern Yemen, made no comments regarding the missile attack. Yemen marks September Revolution Day on Sept. 26 each year to commemorate the overthrow of the Imam Muhammad al-Badr on this day in 1962, which led to the establishment of the Yemen Arab Republic. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government 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. A medical worker is seen after disinfecting a demarcated Ebola treatment center at the Mubende Regional Hospital in Mubende District, Uganda, Sept. 21, 2022. Uganda's Ministry of Health said it has registered four more cases of the deadly Ebola virus, bringing the country's total number of confirmed cases to 15. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua) KAMPALA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Uganda's Ministry of Health said it had registered four more cases of the deadly Ebola virus, bringing the country's total number of confirmed cases to 15. The ministry said in a tweet late on Saturday there are 29 active cases on admission and 19 deaths, all suspected to have died of Ebola. Minister of Health Ruth Aceng convened a meeting in Mubende district, the epicenter of the outbreak, earlier on Saturday in a bid to strengthen the response measure. Uganda announced the outbreak of the deadly disease on Sept. 20 after a 24-year old male tested positive for the disease died on Sept. 19. Uganda has had over five Ebola outbreaks in the last two decades, mostly along its western regions close to the Democratic Republic of Congo, according to the ministry. The Ebola virus is highly contagious and causes a range of symptoms including fever, vomiting, diarrhea, generalized pain or malaise and in many cases internal and external bleeding. Mortality rates of Ebola fever, according to World Health Organization, are extremely high, with the human case fatality rate ranging from 50 percent to 89 percent, depending on viral sub-type. Medical workers perform disinfection for a demarcated Ebola treatment center at the Mubende Regional Hospital in Mubende District, Uganda, Sept. 21, 2022. Uganda's Ministry of Health said it has registered four more cases of the deadly Ebola virus, bringing the country's total number of confirmed cases to 15. (Photo by Nicholas Kajoba/Xinhua) SEOUL, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) fired a short-range ballistic missile into its eastern waters, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said Sunday. The JCS said in a statement that it detected the launch from an area in or around Taechon, North Pyongan province, at 6:53 a.m. local time. It provided no further details immediately. South Korea was maintaining a full readiness posture in close cooperation with the United States while strengthening surveillance and vigilance, according to the JCS. The DPRK missile launch came two days after a U.S. nuclear-powered aircraft carrier arrived in Busan, about 390 km southeast of the capital Seoul, for combined drills with the South Korean navy being planned to take place later this month. DHAKA, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least 16 people were killed with 30 others still missing after a boat capsized in the Karatoya river in Bangladesh's northern Panchagarh district, 468 km away from the capital Dhaka, on Sunday afternoon. "The bodies of 16 people including women and children have so far been retrieved," Sujoy Kumar Roy, an officer of Panchagarh's Boda Police station, told Xinhua. According to the officer, the boat carrying some 100 people capsized at about 1:30 p.m. local time. Most of the passengers managed to swim ashore after the incident. Some 30 passengers of the vessel were still missing, said the officer, adding that a rescue operation was underway and the cause of the accident was not immediately known. Local residents participate in the Chinese Immersion Day activities in the New Zealand city of Christchurch, Sept. 25, 2022. (Photo by Walter/Xinhua) WELLINGTON, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Chinese Immersion Day was held in the New Zealand city of Christchurch on Sunday, with the local libraries receiving donations of popular Chinese books. The Chinese Consulate General in Christchurch gave popular children's books in Chinese and those about modern China to the central city library, as part of the nationwide celebration of the New Zealand Chinese Language Week which started on Sunday. "Last time when I visited the library, I was told that Chinese books are very popular and new books are often checked out as soon as they hit the shelves," Consul General He Ying told the donation ceremony. The donated books this year include children's favorite idiom stories, traditional culture and drawing books, as well as books on modern China, according to He, who said the books are expected to help fellow Chinese understand the latest development of China and help Kiwis learn and understand more about the East Asian country. Carolyn Robertson, libraries and information manager for Christchurch City Council, said the donated books were wonderful gifts for the community to enjoy, adding that the city libraries need diverse language books as part of a wide range of books offered. On the Chinese Immersion Day, an extravaganza of traditional Chinese music and Lion Dance was staged, followed by various Chinese language and culture activities, such as calligraphy, paper cutting, Chinese knots making, Chinese painting, tea art, fun language workshops and games. Consul General He said the Chinese language, which is extensive and profound, has a far-reaching influence. New Zealand has more than 260,000 people with a Chinese origin, who make the Chinese language an important part of New Zealand multicultural society. Local children participate in the Chinese Immersion Day activities in the New Zealand city of Christchurch, Sept. 25, 2022. (Photo by Walter/Xinhua) PRAGUE, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The party of former Czech Prime Minister Andrej Babis, the Action of Dissatisfied Citizens (ANO), won most of the local election seats in the country's major cities, according to the final results posted by the Czech Statistical Office (CSU) on Sunday. ANO, which lost its mandate in the parliament last fall, came ahead in 17 of 27 major Czech cities -- including eight of the 13 regional capitals. However, it came second in Prague and Brno, the two largest cities in the country. Czechs went to polls on Friday and Saturday for municipal elections, as well as the first round of elections to one-third of the Senate. Three of the 27 seats up for grabs in the 81-member upper chamber of the parliament were decided in the first round, according to the statistical body. For the second round slated for Sept. 30 and Oct. 1, ANO will have 17 candidates, the most among individual parties, followed by the ODS and KDU-CSL. However, the ruling coalition will retain its majority in the Senate regardless of the outcome of the second round. A handmade electric guitar is displayed at the Vancouver International Guitar Festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Sept. 24, 2022. After a two-year suspension due to the pandemic, the event returned to Vancouver this Saturday and Sunday, featuring more than 60 guitar makers from Canada, the United States, and European countries. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) A visitor views guitars at the Vancouver International Guitar Festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Sept. 24, 2022. After a two-year suspension due to the pandemic, the event returned to Vancouver this Saturday and Sunday, featuring more than 60 guitar makers from Canada, the United States, and European countries. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) A musician tries a handmade guitar at the Vancouver International Guitar Festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Sept. 24, 2022. After a two-year suspension due to the pandemic, the event returned to Vancouver this Saturday and Sunday, featuring more than 60 guitar makers from Canada, the United States, and European countries. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) A visitor views guitars at the Vancouver International Guitar Festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Sept. 24, 2022. After a two-year suspension due to the pandemic, the event returned to Vancouver this Saturday and Sunday, featuring more than 60 guitar makers from Canada, the United States, and European countries. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) A visitor views guitars at the Vancouver International Guitar Festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Sept. 24, 2022. After a two-year suspension due to the pandemic, the event returned to Vancouver this Saturday and Sunday, featuring more than 60 guitar makers from Canada, the United States, and European countries. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) An exhibitor presents a handmade guitar at the Vancouver International Guitar Festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Sept. 24, 2022. After a two-year suspension due to the pandemic, the event returned to Vancouver this Saturday and Sunday, featuring more than 60 guitar makers from Canada, the United States, and European countries. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) A visitor looks at a handmade electric guitar at the Vancouver International Guitar Festival in Vancouver, Canada, on Sept. 24, 2022. After a two-year suspension due to the pandemic, the event returned to Vancouver this Saturday and Sunday, featuring more than 60 guitar makers from Canada, the United States, and European countries. (Photo by Liang Sen/Xinhua) Panaji: These days action is going on against the Islamic organization Popular Front of India (PFI) involved in radical and anti-national activities across the country. The arrest of PFI members involved in unethical activities continues, in this sequence, 20 Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested from Goa. In fact, during the verification operation of tenants and foreigners in the past two months, the Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) of Goa Police had identified 20 Bangladeshi nationals living illegally in the state. Now all 20 Bangladeshi nationals have been arrested after interrogation. Goa CM Pramod Sawant has also confirmed this. At the same time, ATS Superintendent of Police Shobhit Saxena while talking to the press said that these Bangladeshi nationals were living in India illegally using fake documents. They have been living here for the last 4 to 5 years. We have got fake papers from them, which were made in other states and also had cards from Bangladesh. The Superintendent of Police has told that they have been produced before the Foreigners Regional Registration Office (FRRO) and it has passed an order banning their movement. We are preparing a report and sending it to the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) to check if there is any suspicious angle. 'Flame of corruption reaches CM's office..,' Nadda slams Left govt in Kerala Now protesting by placing dead bodies on road will be a crime in UP Owaisi announces 3 candidates for Gujarat polls, including one Hindu candidate Saudi Arabia's King Salman Center for Disability Research and SRMG have joined hands to come up with an innovative wearable flag that enables people with hearing disabilities to experience the national anthem. The wearable Hearing Flag enables people with hearing disabilities to experience their national anthem using cutting-edge haptic technology has been launched as part of a campaign celebrating the Kingdoms 92nd National Day. The flag concept was developed at SRMG and produced by London-based wearable technology brand CuteCircuit. The immersive experience brings sounds to life in a way that can be felt physically on the body using multi-force sensors sewn into the fabric of a Saudi Arabian flag, said a statement from King Salman Center for Disability Research. The campaign is a collaboration between the private and non-profit sectors, highlighting how Saudi National Day symbolizes the spirit of cooperation and empowerment of all members of society, sad a spokesman for the research centre. Using the Hearing Flag, people can immerse themselves in sound through real-time touch haptics which recreate the sensation of sound on the body, he added. In an emotional campaign film launched across social media platforms today by King Salman Center for Disability Research and SRMG, viewers witness the moment that individuals encounter the hearing flag and experience their own national anthem for the first time. Tehran: President Ibrahim Raisi said on Saturday that Iran must take decisive action to address nationwide protests in response to the death of a woman in custody by the Islamic Republic's ethics police. At least 41 people have been killed during the weeks-long protests, which have now spread to 31 provinces, according to Iran's state television. In response to anti-government protests, state-sponsored rallies were held in several Iranian cities on Friday, and the military vowed to deal with "enemies" who were causing unrest. Iran's anti-hijab violence intensified, Musk said- will activate Starlink... Raisi was quoted by state media on Saturday as saying Iran should "decisively deal with those who oppose the country's security and peace." Raisi was on the phone with the family of a Basij volunteer who was killed while participating in the suppression of unrest in Mashhad, a city in Iran's northeast. According to state media, the president "emphasized the need to distinguish between protests and disturbances to public order and security, and called the incidents a riot." Protests erupted in northwestern Iran a week ago at the funeral of Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Kurdish woman who died in a coma after being detained by ethics police, which enforced the hijab law on women's clothing. UN calls for an investigation over Iran restricts internet access as the Mahsa Amini protest deaths rises Her death has sparked renewed outrage in Iran over issues such as personal freedom restrictions, strict dress rules for women and a faltering economy as a result of the sanctions. Women are actively participating in the protest by waving curtains and setting fire. When angry mobs demanded the removal of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, some publicly cut his hair. The demonstrations that rocked the country are the largest since protests over fuel prices in 2019, when 1,500 people are said to have been killed in crackdowns on protesters - the bloodiest conflict in the Islamic republic's history. Several Iranian and Iraqi Kurds, who protested outside a UN building in the northern city of Arbil on Saturday, carried placards with Amini's image and chanted "death to the dictator" in reference to Khamenei. The Iranian Revolutionary Guards fired artillery at anti-Iranian military targets in the Kurdish region of northern Iraq, according to Iran's state television, which has accused armed Iranian Kurdish dissidents of involvement in the unrest. According to Netblocks watchdog, Iran has experienced mobile Internet outages at least three times this week. According to activists, the action is aimed at preventing video footage of the violence from being broadcast around the world. Amnesty International, a rights organization that called for an impartial UN "investigation mechanism" to look into this week's events, said security forces had reacted "spiral fatally" to protesters over the past few days. According to the report, three children were also among at least 19 victims in the security force firing on the evening of September 21. According to Amnesty International, the rise in the death toll shows "how merciless the government's attack on human life in the shadow of the Internet shutdown has been." More than 120,000 people follow activist Twitter account 1500Photos, which reported late Friday that landlines and communication channels were cut with the northwestern city of Oshanwih. Most of Iran's 10 million Kurds live in the country's northwest, and Oshanwih was one of several cities where the strike took place on Friday. On Friday, Kurdish rights organization Hangau posted a video claiming that protesters have occupied parts of the city. Late on Friday, state television broadcast footage that showed peace returned to several areas of the capital Tehran. Iranian Guard attacks militant group in Iraq amid unrest However, it shows protesters marching and throwing stones, setting garbage cans and a car on fire. "But the rioters destroyed public property in some western and northern regions of Tehran and some provinces," the article said. On Saturday, the 1500tasvir Twitter account posted videos of demonstrations near Tehran University. Riot police were seen fighting the protesters and taking some of them into custody. UK: Hundreds of Chadians were surrounded and detained on the streets of a Libyan city for the ninth day after the Chadian government detained four Libyans on suspicion of poaching endangered animals. A militia affiliated with the commander of the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, Khalifa Haftar, has so far detained at least 400 people in the city of Ajdabiya. Earlier this month, Chadian authorities detained four people from Ajdabiya for illegally entering the country and taking a rare species of antelope. It is known that a network of Libyans has been conducting poaching operations in the northeastern part of Chad for years. A security source in Libya told the Guardian that the Ajdabiya brigade, led by Khalifa Haftar's son-in-law Ayub Issa al-Farzani, has since detained at least 400 Chadids. The source added that "the campaign is still on." If something happens to the four Libyans, it could reach the point where ties with Chad are broken. The source claimed that many of these Chadians were suffering from infectious diseases. Given that many of them do not have the proper documents to stay in Libya, we intend to send them back to Chad. Pictures of prisoners sitting on the ground surrounded by soldiers are going viral on social media sites associated with the brigade. Five vehicles entered Chad from Libya near the city of Murdi, according to Chadian Environment Minister Mahmet Ahmet Lazina, who also revealed that Chadian security forces were chasing them. Three of these cars fled and crossed the border again. If found guilty, all four could face up to five years in prison. According to Lazina, poaching is a major "international embarrassment" in a nation dedicated to wildlife conservation. In north-eastern Chad, hunters chase Barbary sheep, also known in Chad as mouflon a manchets, birds of prey, and the critically endangered dama gazelle, the world's largest species of gazelle and its skin. is in high demand. According to the United Nations, poachers from Sudan and Libya killed about 4,000 elephants in Chad between 2002 and 2010. "It is inhumane that they arrest all the poor workers who came to this country to improve their lives, who went for poaching for four people," said Ajdabiya activist Mansoor Ati. An estimated 50,000 Chadians work in Libya mainly in agriculture and gold mining. The four had "accidentally" entered Chad, according to the Libyan Foreign Ministry, who said they had begun talks with Chad to secure their release. The Chadian government chose not to comment. How much debt will China write off through its interest-free loan programme to Africa? 1xBet is the new Official Regional Partner of LOSC Lille Team India announced for T20 World Cup, these players will play against Australia-Africa series New York: Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud reaffirmed his country's adherence to the United Nations Charter and urged nations to work together to tackle various global challenges. On the fifth day of the 77th United Nations General Assembly in New York City, the minister delivered a comprehensive speech in which he discussed several important geopolitical issues in the region and around the world. Prince Faisal described how Saudi Arabia's adherence to the United Nations Charter and Sustainable Development Goals is supported by its Islamic and Arab values, adding that his country is "for silencing guns, protecting civilians, and for development and peace." Is." Supports all initiatives to provide possibilities". To prevent fighting and maintain international and regional peace and security, he continued, the Kingdom "supports all efforts that can lead to a political solution to end the Russian-Ukrainian crisis." Community of Adidas Runners is attempting to empower women in Riyadh Regarding Middle East issues, the Secretary of State said that the participation of the US and nine Arab states at the Jeddah Summit for Security and Development "reaffirmed collective action for a better world in the region for our people and our countries." is of". given the opportunity." In support of a Palestinian state, he continued, "Security and stability in the Middle East require an equitable and universal solution to the Palestinian question." Commenting on Lebanon, Libya, Iraq and Afghanistan, he said that despite going through various crises of peace and stability, these countries should not be turned into "breeding places" for terrorists. The prince stressed that Afghanistan should not serve as a base for terrorist activities. Saudi Arabia's govt happy with gold reserves found in Medina Earlier in the day, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres commended Saudi Arabia for its efforts to find a political solution to the conflict in the war-torn nation of Yemen, as well as the Kingdom's campaign for a ceasefire in Yemen. Guterres made the remarks during a meeting with Prince Faisal, who spoke about the Yemeni crisis. The Foreign Minister reaffirmed the Kingdom's commitment to the ceasefire in Yemen. On the subject of Yemen's crisis, Prince Faisal told the UN General Assembly that roads should be reopened, especially in the region of Taiz, the country's third largest city. At the 77th UN General Assembly, he called on allies to "cooperate for progress" in the field of security and "urge the international community to combat the proliferation of weapons." He also said that the Kingdom is working to "free the Middle East from these weapons". Saudi Arabia's GDP will grow at the fastest rate in ten years by 2022 The foreign minister also brought in Sudan and Egypt, reiterating the state's support for the water needs of the two countries. The Kingdom, he continued, is dedicated to combating climate change, and Saudi Arabia has made significant contributions to the Paris Agreement. According to the foreign minister, the Kingdom is "committed to a gradual and responsible transition to a variety of energy sources that are more sustainable," noting that the international community must take into account the different economic and energy conditions in each nation. He referred to the Kingdom's green initiatives and said that Saudi Arabia attaches a high priority to the conservation of the natural world and its green spaces. In his closing remarks, Prince Faisal expressed the hope that the Kingdom's "sense of partnership and respect for a better world" would help spread Saudi Arabia's message to the rest of the world. Mumbai: On Thursday, the National Investigation Agency (NIA) led the raids at the premises of the Popular Front of India (PFI) in 15 states. A total of 106 persons were arrested in the raid. PFI activists gathered outside the district magistrate's office in Maharashtra's Pune city on Friday to protest against it and also raised slogans of Pakistan Zindabad. A video of PFI workers shouting Pakistan Zindabad slogans went viral on social media. However, due to the high noise there at that time, some parts of it are not clearly heard, but the media present there at that time confirmed the slogans being raised. Some PFI members were arrested by Pune Police and arrested this morning. The police also registered a case against them. Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis, reacting to the same slogan-shouting incident, said that strict action will be taken in this matter. He said that we will take strict action against anyone who raises slogans of Pakistan Zindabad in Maharashtra. Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Nitesh Rana warned those raising such slogans. Along with this, he also demanded a ban on PFI. Sources said on Saturday, the code of biggest action against the members of the Popular Front of India spread across 15 states was 'Operation Octopus'. The NIA team had continuous inputs and several shreds of evidence on the basis of which these raids were conducted. Fact check: Kremlin holds votes to annexe regions of Ukraine Due to rise in sex crimes despite digital reforms, South Korea is searching for the leader of the new "Nth Room." Modi govt removes Congress' Shashi Tharoor as parliamentary panel chairman Fact check: Kremlin holds votes to annexe regions of Ukraine Today marks seven months since the Russian-Ukraine conflict began. Even after this, neither Russia is ready to give up nor is Ukraine ready to bow down. The conventional weapons of both countries are almost finished. But despite this, Russia and Ukraine are continuing the war due to military aid from the Allied countries. A few days ago a report claimed that apart from NATO countries, Pakistan has also sent weapons to Ukraine. Several cargo planes of the Pakistani army have been seen landing in the neighbouring country of Ukraine, Romania. Now Russia has reacted strongly to these claims. Russia has said that if there is any truth to these claims, it will have a big impact on Russia-Pakistan relations. In fact, a Twitter account named Ukraine Weapons Tracker claimed that Pakistan has sent weapons to Ukraine. Many pictures of Pakistani weapons were also revealed in Ukraine. In these, 122 mm HE artillery shells made in the Pakistani Ordnance Factory were seen. It has been claimed that Pakistan is transporting its weapons through Romania instead of sending it directly to Ukraine. It has been told that the deal to supply arms to Ukraine was done during the visit of Pakistan Army Chief General Qamar Javed Bawaja to Britain. The airport in Romania where Pakistani ships landed is under British control. Now Russian Ambassador to India Denis Alipov said that if such weapons are sent somewhere, it will have a big impact on the relations between Russia and Pakistan. He said that so far all are unconfirmed reports. I do not know the correct information. If this is confirmed then there is no doubt that it will have a direct impact on Pakistan and our relations. This is being considered a direct warning of Russia from Pakistan. If there was no reality in the Pakistani weapon claim, Russian diplomats would never make a statement. Let us tell you that the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, Imran Khan had tried a lot to increase his closeness with Russia. He also did during Russia, regardless of America and Western countries. During this, an agreement was also reached to export cheap wheat and gas from Russia to Pakistan. However, Imran had alleged that due to his visit, the US had conspired to remove him from the chair of Pakistani Prime Minister. At the same time, within six months of becoming the new PM, Shahbaz Sharif met US President Joe Biden and sprinkled salt on the burns of Imran Khan, who, far from meeting during his three-year tenure, did not even talk on the phone. could do. Due to rise in sex crimes despite digital reforms, South Korea is searching for the leader of the new "Nth Room." Midst pressures on MENA security, Saudi FM requests international assistance Ind vs Aus, 3rd T20: Rishabh Pant can sit out of the decider today! Jaipur: Ahead of Navratri, the main festival of India, police have issued a notice to the administration of Hinglaj Mata temple in Barmer, Rajasthan, saying that they cannot organize any kind of religious activities inside the temple without permission. The letter asked the temple administration to first seek permission for organising any religious function. In this regard, former MP Tarun Vijay has given information by tweeting. A black day for Hindus Rajasthans Cong govt bans all dharmic activities in Indias largest Hinglaj Mata temple Barmer under a fake pretext. See police order. What Baweja and Shehbaz didnt do to Balochistan Hinglaj mata mandir Gehlot did in Rajasthan. Protest as much as you can pic.twitter.com/MJxbmxFfYE Tarun Vijay (@Tarunvijay) September 24, 2022 The former MP has accused the Congress of banning religious activities and said, "A black day for Hindus. Rajasthans Congress govt bans all dharmic activities in Indias largest Hinglaj Mata temple Barmer under a fake pretext. See police order. What Baweja and Shehbaz didn't do to Balochistan Hinglaj mata mandir Gehlot did in Rajasthan. Protest as much as you can.'' The letter shared by the former MP has the signature of the SHO of Barmer Kotlali and has the date of September 23, 2022. In this letter, the reason behind such a decision has been given that there is a dispute about mutual factionalism in the Khannai society regarding the temple, which can be fierce at any time and peace can be disturbed. In such a situation, no religious work should be organized in the temple until the dispute is completely over. If any program is to be organized even after this order, then permission will have to be taken for it. Navratri is scheduled to be celebrated from September 26 to October 5 this year. For centuries, these nine days have been celebrated with great enthusiasm in every Hindu temple in the country and abroad. During these nine days, Maa Jagatjanani is worshipped in every house. At the same time, Ramlila and Dussehra are also organized in many places. Now on such an important festival of Shakti Upasana, the Rajasthan Police has given such a decision, after knowing that people are asking the temple administration to go to court. There is a question on social media that on the one hand, Rahul Gandhi is travelling in the name of 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' and on the other hand, such partiality is happening with Hindus while in his government. Right-wingers in Italy anticipate a historic victory After Liquor-DTC, now Kejriwal govt's 'Water Scam' exposed.., LG orders probe Cuba will hold a referendum on same-sex marriage and surrogate pregnancies Military expert on Iranian Shahed-136 drones in service with Russia 25 September, 04:50 PM Exclusive According to Oleh Katkov, Russia may have purchased up to 1,000 Shahed-136 drones from Iran (Photo:DR) The Russian army has begun to use Iranian-made Shahed-136 drones more and more intensively in the war against Ukraine. The first such drone was shot down by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Sept. 12 near the town of Kupyansk in Kharkiv Oblast, and over the past week the aggressor has been using these aircraft more and more often. They have been spotted in the skies over Dnipropetrovsk, Odesa and Mykolaiv oblasts. The southern city of Odesa was attacked by three Iranian drones at once on Sept. 23. Even though one of them was shot down by Ukrainian air defenses, the other two hit a city administration building, resulting in one civilian being killed and another one being injured. Video of day During this time, Ukrainian air defenses destroyed around 18 Iranian drones, and it is known the Russian army has rebranded them as Geran-2 drones. NV asked Oleg Katkov, the editor-in-chief of the Ukrainian portal Defense Express, to explain the dangers these drones pose to the Ukrainian army. NV: Tell us, what kind of drone is this? Katkov: This is not quite a drone in the traditional sense of the word. Of course, this is an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), but it is a loitering ammunition, or, as they are also called, a kamikaze drone. This UAV does not carry out any reconnaissance, does not return to the starting point, it is disposable and is designed to hit ground targets. Judging by the appearance of Shahed-136, which can be seen in the available video and photo materials, in particular from Iran, no video camera or any other sensor is seen on this drone. Given this, it can be assumed that satellite navigation is its only source of guidance. That is, it is guided exclusively to stationary objects by the coordinates it receives from satellite navigation systems, such as GPS or GLONASS. And given that Iran is under sanctions and apparently does not have access to Western components with conventional military GPS, it uses an ordinary civilian GPS sensor that can be purchased on AliExpress. After all, there is a high probability that the Iranian drone was assembled from electronic components available on the market. Even the engine for the Shahed-136 is available on AliExpress. Im saying all this for you to understand that this is not some kind of superweapon. Regarding the characteristics of this drone (this is all according to Iranian sources): wingspan 2.5 m, length 3.5 m, maximum take-off weight 200 kg. The warhead usually accounts for about 25-30% of the take-off weight (up to 50-60 kg). As for the flight range, we have to be extremely cautious about this. The flight range of this UAV declared by Iran is a fantastic 1,500-2,500 kilometers. But this is more than doubtful. Because in that case, it would have to be much larger, much heavier, and its engine would not be a 50 horse power moped engine. In other words, it would have been a more serious device. Therefore, in the case of Shahed-136, we are talking about a maximum of several hundred kilometers of flight. NV: In your opinion, how dangerous is this weapon for us? Katkov: Due to the fact that this UAV most likely uses satellite navigation for guidance, it is completely dependent on civilian GPS. Therefore, with the means available to the Armed Forces of Ukraine, it is technically possible to effectively jam, in particular, GPS signals. Especially since jamming such a civilian class signal is not some kind of know-how. Such jammers are sold on AliExpress. The second aspect is the overall reliability of the Iranian drone. Since this equipment is assembled from low-quality parts, the reliability will be low. That is why the tactics of using these UAVs involves their use in a so-called swarm, i.e. when relatively low accuracy and relatively low reliability are compensated by mass launch. In other words, five to six, or even more, kamikaze drones are launched at one target, assuming that a few of them will fulfil their task. According to Oleg Katkov, the Iranian drone was assembled from freely available components / : DR NV: And how can we fight these drones in this case? Katkov: When such UAVs are used en masse, it is quite difficult to fight them off. Because this is actually a small-sized, low-altitude target, and it is quite a difficult task for any air defense system to deal with such a group of targets. It should be taken into account that kamikaze drones appeared on the battlefield relatively recently, somewhere in the 2010s. They were something exotic at that time, and the world had a skeptical attitude toward them. And only after it was demonstrated in Nagorno-Karabakh region that kamikaze drones can be effective on the battlefield, did these UAVs begin to be popular. But the world has not yet mass-produced extremely effective means of countering this threat. Of course, there are developments. The first of them are related to anti-aircraft artillery, which has projectiles with remote detonation. And since mass production has not yet been established, such a projectile is quite expensive. And secondly, serial production of laser complexes with a combat laser with a power of more than 50 kW is being developed now. And this is the most economically justified decision. To understand: it is unlikely that a drone assembled from components from AliExpress will cost hundreds of thousands of dollars. Therefore, it is trivially unprofitable to shoot it down with a missile, which can cost from $300,000. And the resource of automatic guns of anti-aircraft systems, such as the German Gepard or the Soviet Tunguska, is quite small, while the maintenance costs for such class systems are high. Thus, it is unprofitable to shoot these drones even from ordinary artillery anti-aircraft systems. That is why laser complexes look like a quite effective means of combating these UAVs. But the production of such complexes is still just being developed. First of all, Israel has such a system, the Iron Beam air defense system. The United States has experimental pre-series samples, and Turkey has the Alka laser complex. But here we are also talking about pieces. Therefore, GPS signal jamming, masking and changing positions, collapsing (embankments), setting false positions (layouts) are the logical means of countering Shahed-136 for now. NV: How can the use of these drones by the Russian army affect the course of the war? Katkov: If we do not neglect these UAVs, use means of radio-electronic warfare and take camouflage measures, this threat will be reduced, but it will still remain. However, to say that these drones will lead to some breakthrough on the battlefield or change the general situation on the fronts is 100% not. In the end, everything depends on the number of these weapons and the time for their manufacture. NV: And how many such drones could Russia purchase in general? Katkov: It is unknown. I would focus on a few hundred, up to a maximum of 1,000 pieces. The fact is that we do not even know how many such drones Iran itself has. But if we think logically, the first batch of weapons (presumably hundreds in number) is purchased at first, it is checked for the effectiveness, after which a decision is made whether to continue the purchase or not. After all, if Iran began to produce such UAVs, there is a risk that Russia will constantly purchase them or, perhaps, will produce a localized copy of this drone on its own. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News Over 23,000 Hasidic Jews travel to Uman on annual pilgrimage 25 September, 05:54 PM Pilgrims in Uman (Photo:United Jewish community/Telegram) More than 23,000 Hasidic Jewish pilgrims have so far travelled to Uman in Cherkasy Oblast for the annual Rosh Hashanah celebration at the tomb of Reb Nachman, founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement, the United Jewish Community of Ukraine said in a Telegram post on Sept. 25. According to the State Migration Service of Ukraine, 19,821 pilgrims were in Cherkasy Oblast, as of Sept. 23. Reb Nachmans tomb in Uman is a major religious destination for Hasidic Jews, with 20,000-40,000 pilgrims celebrating Rosh Hashanah there every year. Ukraines airspace is closed to commercial aircraft, so pilgrims had to travel to Uman within Ukraine by road and rail. Video of day Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News Russian invaders again attack Odesa with kamikaze drones 25 September, 12:09 PM Odesa was again attacked by kamikaze drones (Photo:Dumska) Invading Russian forces attacked the southern city of Odesa with kamikaze drones early on Sept. 25, Ukrainian public broadcaster Suspilne has reported. According to Suspilne, a series of explosions rocked Odesa at about 6 a.m. during an air raid alert. People could see the drone and hear the sounds of their engines in the sky. A pillar of smoke rose into the sky after that, as evidenced by the photo published by the local news outlet Dumskaya. Read also: Iran says it refused to supply drones to Russia Later the South Operational Command officially confirmed that Odesa had been attacked by enemy kamikaze drones. Video of day It is noted the Russians hit an administrative building in the city center three times. One drone was shot down by Ukrainian air defenses. Fire and rescue teams are working at the scene to extinguish the fire. Fortunately, there were no casualties as a result of the incident. The speaker of Odesa Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Bratchuk, said the attack could have been launched by Iranian-made Shahed drones, which Russia had recently purchased from Iran. Later the speaker of the South Operational Command, Vladyslav Nazarov, posted photos of the wreckage of the Iranian drones. This is not the first attack of kamikaze drones on Odesa. The Russians attacked Odesa with kamikaze drones from the sea on Sept. 23, resulting in one civilian was killed. One enemy drone was shot down by air defense forces over the sea. Shahed drones are in service with the Russians: what is known about Russias purchase of Iranian drones The media reported in late August, citing representatives of Western intelligence, that Russia had obtained hundreds of Iranian combat drones. According to CNN, Russia has officially purchased and transferred the Mohajer-6 and Shahed-series drones the Shahed-129 and Shahed-191. On Aug. 31, the White House officially confirmed the information about Russias purchase of Iranian drones. In early September, the United States imposed sanctions on an Iranian company it accused of coordinating military flights to transport Iranian drones to Russia and three other companies it said were involved in the production of Iranian drones. Tehran has vigorously denied it was providing Moscow with any kind of military assistance. Ukrainian forces first shot down an Iranian Shahed-136 loitering munition in the town of Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast, on Sept. 13. Shared-136 drones were later used to attack Odesa and Dnipro, with six of them getting shot down on Sept. 23. Read also: Top Ukrainian official accuses Iran of terrorist act in downing UIA Flight PS752 Ukraine has recently withdrawn the accreditation of the Iranian ambassador and imposed a significant reduction on the staff of the Iranian embassy in Kyiv, over Iran supplying Russia with drones to use in the war in Ukraine. The first reports that Iran might supply Russia with kamikaze drones appeared over a month ago. Ukraine has since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion over seven months ago been pleading with its allies to provide it with adequate numbers of modern air defense systems. However, only a small number of such systems have as yet been provided. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News Serbia wont recognize results of fake referendums in Ukraine 25 September, 05:38 PM Serbia will not recognize pseudo-referendums in the territories occupied by the Russian Federation (Photo:markodjuric/Twitter) Citing international law, Serbian Foreign Minister Nikola Selakovic has said that Belgrade will not recognize the results of Russias sham vote in occupied Ukrainian territories, Serbian news outlet N1 reported on Sept. 25. That would be completely contrary to our national and state interests, the preservation of sovereignty and territorial integrity and the inviolability of borders, Selakovic said during a press conference. Meanwhile, Russias ally Belarus remains ambivalent on how it will treat the outcome of the so-called referendum. Video of day We recognize Russia; nobody can foresee what exactly will happen tomorrow, Belarusian Foreign Minister Vladmir Makei told French TV channel France 24. Read also: Ukraine requests urgent UN Security Council meeting over sham referendums Well carefully examine the situation and make the decision, guided by our own national interests not some elses. Russia is staging a sham vote across occupied areas of Ukraines Donetsk, Luhansk, Zaporizhzhya, and Kherson oblasts on Sept. 23-28, hoping to legitimize their subsequent annexation. Russian media reported Russian dictator Vladimir Putin might address the Russian parliament on Sept. 30, formally including currently occupied Ukrainian territory into the Russian Federation. Follow us on Twitter, Facebook and Google News The exhibitions, conferences and events sector in Abu Dhabi is witnessing a strong comeback and has exceeded levels seen before the Covid-19 pandemic. ADNEC Group have attracted an outstanding collection of major global events, 12 of them being held for the first time in Abu Dhabi and in the Middle East, making up 57% of the overall events hosted at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre during the past four months of 2022. The number of exhibitions organised and hosted at Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre by the end of 2022 will mark a 16% increase compared to the same period in 2019, before the pandemic and its impact on the global industry of exhibitions and events. The same period will also mark an 11% increase in exhibition area for events during the last quarter of 2022 compared to the same timeframe in 2019. Accoridng to Adnec, he increase in demand by event organisers from around the world coincides with the approaching inauguration of the largest exhibition hall in Middle East and North Africa. The new hall will be built on an area of 10,000 sq m in the Arena area opposite the centre, which is set to be inaugurated officially in October, with Adnec Group developing this hall to increase its competitiveness, capacity, and ability to host a wide range of events simultaneously. Managing Director and Group CEO Humaid Matar Al Dhaheri said: "These successes achieved by Adnec are a result of the groups efforts to turn challenges into opportunities in a number of promising economic sectors that support Abu Dhabis economic diversification plans, in accordance with the aspirations of our wise leadership for the next fifty years." "This is achieved through active contribution to creating a sustainable economy, and providing platforms that enhance the relaying and localisation of advanced knowledge in the UAE, with the goal of consolidating the emirates standing as a capital for business tourism and leisure tourism sectors in the region," he added. According to Adnec, the last four months of 2022 will witness several leading events on regional and international levels. From September 12 to 14, the Centre hosted the Middle East Manufacturing & Technology Expo, the regions only event dedicated to the manufacturing and industrialisation industry. The event was co-located with Middle East Design & Build Week, aptly providing opportunities for the manufacturing and technology professionals to explore solutions in the construction and design sector. The Abu Dhabi International Hunting & Equestrian Exhibition (ADIHEX), which is the Middle East and Africas largest annual event dedicated to hunting, equestrian and the promotion and preservation of cultural heritage, takes place between September 26 and October 2. Taking place from October 7 to 9, is the biggest exhibition in the Middle East specialised in modified cars and bicycles - the Auto Moto Show. The event, which is held for the first time in Abu Dhabi, is set to host the worlds largest leading manufacturing companies for auto parts and accessories. Following this, the International Exhibition of National Security and Resilience takes place from October 10 to 12. It will offer a unique networking platform connecting regional government bodies with security solution providers from across the globe. Organised by ADNEC Group, ISNR Abu Dhabi brings the national and cyber security community together to accelerate public-private collaboration for a safer connected world. Following this, 48th Annual ISPAD Conference takes place from October 13 to 16. The worlds largest oil, gas and energy exhibition, the Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (Adipec) takes place from October 31 to November 3 hosted by the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company. Adipec is the worlds most influential meeting place for oil, gas and energy companies and professionals to convene to engage and identify the opportunities that will unlock new value in an evolving energy landscape. From November 9 to 13, the centre will witness the International Jewellery and Watches Exhibition, which provides an unmissable opportunity to meet with both international merchants and designers, and to learn about the latest diverse and limited versions of watches, jewellery and distinctive jewellery with international and regional brands, which are manufactured in various countries of the world. File: Tourists viewing a mountain range in Nepal Kathmandu, September 25 The government has decided to mark the decade from 2023 to 2033 as the Visit Nepal Decade. Tourism and Civil Aviation Secretary Suresh Adhikari says a cabinet meeting on Friday made the decision upon a proposal from the ministry. Addressing the Nepal Hospitality Conclave-2022 hosted by Hotel Association Nepal (HAN) on Saturday, he made the decision public. If the plan materialises, it will help the government revive the tourism industry hit hard by the Covid crisis. The government had declared 2020 as Visit Nepal Year. However, it was called off owing to the pandemic. Unveiling the tourism revival action plan in Kathmandu in July, Tourism Minister Jeevan Ram Shrestha said his ministry would make an official announcement of the Visit Nepal Decade within the next three months. Image for representation only Kathmandu, September 25 Nearly 58 per cent of the applicants have failed the countrys doctors licence test this year. Nepal Medical Council, the regulatory agency of medical professionals, says 2,060 applicants attended the tests held on Thursday, Friday and Saturday. But, only, 863 people passed, according to the council registrar Dr Krishna Adhikari. While 1,176 (57.68 per cent) failed, 21 were absent. Among the MBBS graduates, the pass percentage is 43.4 per cent whereas, among the BDS graduates, it is 34.64 per cent. Hi, friends! Welcome back to Week in Review, the newsletter where we very quickly sum up the most read TechCrunch stories from the past week. Want it in your inbox every Saturday morning? Get it here. most read GTA 6 footage leaks : Roughly 90 clips of the next Grand Theft Auto game leaked out this week, with the uploader claiming to have hacked Rockstar Games' internal Slack. Rockstar confirmed the "network intrusion," adding that they are "extremely disappointed" to see things leaked this way but that development will "continue as planned." Wipro fires 300 employees for moonlighting : India's IT giant Wipro "has fired 300 employees in recent months who were found to be moonlighting for competitors," writes Manish, with Wipro chairman Rishad Premji calling moonlighting an "act of integrity violation. Revolut hacked : Banking/financial services startup Revolut confirmed this week that hackers were able to breach details for a "small percentage" of its customers. The company declined to get specific about exactly how many customers that works out to, but a breach disclosure filed with authorities in the company's home country of Lithuania suggests it's around 50,000. Brelyon's wild monitor : Want something more immersive than a standard monitor but don't want a VR headset strapped to your face? Brelyon is trying to reimagine the display, and they've raised $15 million from a pretty impressive roster of investors to get it done. Kia and Hyundai sued over design flaw : Earlier this year, a TikTok went viral that publicized a not-very-complicated way to steal certain models of Kia and Hyundai vehicles. Now a class action lawsuit has been filed against the automakers, with the complaint claiming the cars were deliberately built without engine immobilizers," which Rebecca describes as an "inexpensive and very common device" meant to prevent this issue. Google's new Chromecast : Two years ago, Google launched a 4K version of the Chromecast the first Chromecast to come with a dedicated remote, rather than requiring a smartphone for everything. They're now bringing the same design plus a remote to the more affordable HD (1080p) model. The HD model will cost $30, while the 4K version will cost $50. Facebook users sue Meta over iOS tracking: "The complaint," writes Taylor, "alleges that Meta evaded Apples new restrictions by monitoring users through Facebooks in-app browser, which opens links within the app." audio roundup You like podcasts? We've got podcasts! Good ones. Great ones. Award-winning ones, even! This week: The Equity team asked, "What does breaking into venture capital look like today, and how is it changing?" My friends on Found talked to the co-founders of Change about how/why they built a crypto-centric API for charitable giving. The Chain Reaction crew talked about what else? the recent massive changes to the way Ethereum works, and the perhaps-surprising impact "the merge" had on the market. techcrunch+ Most stuff on TechCrunch is free. So what's behind the TechCrunch+ paywall? Here's what TC+ members were reading most: Successful communities are those united with common goals and visions. There are hundreds of Afro-Latino and Black businesses in Costa Rica; however, Ian and Dawn James noticed that a significant challenge has been locating them across the country. Most business owners solely rely on WhatsApp, 30% use social media platforms, and less than 10% have a website. We are entrepreneurs of Afro-Caribbean descent who have traveled the world and decided to make Costa Rica our home, says Dawn James. During our transition to become residents, we found it challenging to connect and network with others in the Black community and find Black-owned businesses to support. This is our passion project to centralize and organize Black businesses so they can thrive. Its a community site, and there are many benefits to being part of the community. Dawn and her husband, Ian, have created a solution for this dilemma with CostaRicaBlackPages.com (CRBP), a central hub for Black-owned businesses and event planners to connect to people seeking their products and services. It is also a mainstream hub to get to know and support one another as this community site offers an internal chat message system for its listed members. Many Black-owned businesses, both virtual and bricks and mortar, do not have a solid online presence or use social media to help them gain new leads and customers. With CRBP, you do not need to worry. They offer a dynamic, robust listing platform to get you connected and more leads and re-invest all their resources to drive traffic to Black business and event listings through SEO, SEM and PPC ads. In addition, members have direct access to monitor their traffic, views, clicks and messages they receive. CRBPs membership perks include monthly virtual networking meetings, mastermind business-building discussions, and getting showcased via an exclusive interview on the site, YouTube, and other media channels. For more details and/or to sign up, visit CostaRicaBlackPages.com. This article first appeared on Blacknews.com. OTTAWA, ON, Sept. 25, 2022 /CNW Telbec/ - Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Today, the Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, will travel to Japan in place of Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to attend the funeral of former Japanese prime minister Abe Shinzo. The Minister will convey Canadians' condolences for the loss of a strong ally and friend, and reaffirm Canada's commitment to our partnership with Japan. Japan is the world's third-largest economy, with a gross domestic product of $6.2 trillion in 2021. It is one of Canada's most important economic and commercial partners and Canada's largest source of bilateral foreign direct investment in Asia. Canada and Japan are also partners in the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Canada and Japan are committed to a rules-based economic order in the Indo-Pacific region and will continue to work together to drive innovation and help meet the world's climate goals. Quote "Abe Shinzo was a dedicated leader who brought Canada and Japan closer together during his time as prime minister. On behalf of all Canadians, I extend my deepest condolences to former prime minister Shinzo's family and friends, and to the Japanese people. He will be deeply missed." The Honourable Francois-Philippe Champagne, Minister of Innovation, Science and Industry Quick facts Minister Champagne was travelling in Japan when the tragic death of Prime Minister Shinzo occurred. There are over 120,000 people of Japanese origin residing in Canada, and before the COVID-19 pandemic, approximately 300,000 Japanese and Canadians travelled to each other's country annually. Associated links Stay connected Find more services and information at Canada.ca/ISED. Follow Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada on social media. Twitter: @ISED_CA, Facebook: Canadian Innovation, Instagram: @cdninnovation and LinkedIn Story continues SOURCE Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada Cision View original content: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2022/25/c7432.html TORONTO, Sept. 25, 2022 /CNW/ - Royal Bank of Canada (TSX: RY) (NYSE: RY) today announced a donation of $250,000 to the Red Cross Hurricane Fiona in Canada Appeal to support people across eastern Canada who have been impacted by this devastating hurricane. RBC Logo (CNW Group/RBC) In addition, the bank has launched a financial relief program to assist impacted RBC clients in the region, and has initiated an internal donation campaign enabling our employees' ability to support the relief efforts. Clients who have been directly impacted by the hurricane and need assistance are encouraged to call us at 1-800-769-2511. Those wanting to help support relief efforts are encouraged to donate to the Canadian Red Cross online at www.redcross.ca, by calling 1-800-418-1111, or by donating at any RBC branch in Canada starting September 27, 2022. The Government of Canada is matching any donations Canadians and corporations make to the Red Cross Hurricane Fiona in Canada Appeal over the next 29 days. RBC has deep roots across Eastern Canada. Founded in Halifax, Nova Scotia as Merchants' Bank in 1864, RBC has 110 branches and approximately 3,500 employees proudly serving our clients and communities throughout the region. About RBC Royal Bank of Canada is a global financial institution with a purpose-driven, principles-led approach to delivering leading performance. Our success comes from the 92,000+ employees who leverage their imaginations and insights to bring our vision, values and strategy to life so we can help our clients thrive and communities prosper. As Canada's biggest bank and one of the largest in the world, based on market capitalization, we have a diversified business model with a focus on innovation and providing exceptional experiences to our 17 million clients in Canada, the U.S. and 27 other countries. Learn more at rbc.com. We are proud to support a broad range of community initiatives through donations, community investments and employee volunteer activities. See how at rbc.com/community-social-impact. Story continues SOURCE RBC Cision View original content to download multimedia: http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive/September2022/25/c1807.html The Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, the only globally recognized organization providing standards for identifying legitimate animal sanctuaries, awarded verified status to Central Virginia Horse Rescue as of Aug. 30. Verification means that Central Virginia Horse Rescue meets the criteria of a true equine sanctuary/rescue and is providing humane and responsible care of the animals. To be awarded verified status, an organization must meet GFASs rigorous and peer-reviewed animal care standards which are confirmed by a site visit, and they must also adhere to a demanding set of ethical and operational principles. The verification status also provides a clear and trusted means for the public, donors and grantors to recognize Central Virginia Horse Rescue as an exceptional organization. We are proud to announce the recent verification of Central Virginia Horse Rescue, said Daryl Tropea, Ph.D., GFAS Program Director-Equine. Although established in 2010, Central Virginia Horse Rescue moved to this new location in 2020, revamping their leadership and programs. Despite a pandemic, the volunteer base of this organization remains dedicated and committed to helping at risk equines. Also, their educational programs such as the Barn Kids Club, promotes responsible horsemanship for potential future horse owners and supporters. For Central Virginia Horse Rescue, having GFAS certification means that we are meeting the gold standard for care for the equine at our farm, explained Stacy Franklin, executive director for Central Virginia Horse Rescue. CVHR aims to provide world class care at our facility and ensures that each horse under our care has a safe place to land. The GFAS Equine Accreditation Program is made possible by a generous grant from The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the Kenneth Scott Charitable Trust. Almost 21 years after he emigrated from Ethiopia to the United States, Solomon Desalegn of Stafford County returned to his neighborhood in the eastern African country. He saw new buildings and roads in the capital city of Addis Ababa, where he was born and raised, and thought, Wow, this is a great improvement. Then, he visited his old high school, which had a new shell on the outside, but few changes had been made on the inside since hed been a student there. Teachers were still instructing the old-fashioned way, standing in front of the board, writing, he recalled. There were no computers in the classroom and certainly no labs where students could learn keyboarding. In colleges he visited, professors taught computer theory and demonstrated the skills on a computer, but the students didnt get the chance to try it out themselves. Meanwhile, his oldest son had been using computer apps like Google Earth since he was 6. His parents would tell him a relatives location and the boy would pinpoint their home on the map. Desalegn realized the only difference between his three sons and other children in the Horn of Africa was the address of their birth. It was a life-changing moment for the Stafford man, now 50. You go to those elementary schools and you see all those kids have no clue whatsoever whats out there. Its heartbreaking and its difficult to express in words the emotions you feel, he said, tears forming in his eyes. Desalegn came back to the U.S., determined to make a difference. Between his full-time work for the Marine Corps, where hes an electrical engineer who tests and evaluates systems, his quest to earn his doctorate degree and his family obligations to his wife and three teens, Desalegn formed the nonprofit, Educate Africa. Last month, the group shipped 55 laptops to Wollo University, one of the institutions looted during the recent war between the government and rebel forces. Both Educate Africa and university officials had to complete mounds of paperwork to get the government to waive the typical customs fees and allow the donation. A relative, Yonhatan Goitom, helped the nonprofit register as a charitable organization in Ethiopia after it got the proper paperwork in the U.S. Fredericksburg Personal Computer Users Group also assisted by providing a $5,000 grant to help purchase the computers, replace missing or damaged hard drives or memory and ship them to East Africa. Desalegn paid the other $2,000 out of his own pocket. FPCUG board member Frank Fota helped download new operating systems, when needed, and has served as Educate Africas only volunteer, other than Desalegn, for about eight months. The two know from their work experience that federal and local governments, as well as school systems and universities, tend to replace their computers every three years and there arent many places that recycle electronics. Equipment often is auctioned and sold in bulk, and Desalegn and Fota have acquired dozens of computers that way. But were not awash with cash donations, so were just trying to get the word out, Fota said. He and Desalegn are eager to partner with other nonprofits, businesses or individuals who have the time, talent and resources to take equipment possibly headed for the landfill, and make it part of a necessary life-changing educational experience in Ethiopia and eventually other African countries, according to the website educateafricaweb.org. If theres anyone who could be the poster child for the difference education can make, its Desalegn. Being driven comes with the lifestyle of growing up in a third-world country, he said. Everybody understood the value of education and they worked hard for it. His father, who worked for a government logistics company, made it clear that Desalegns sole purpose in life, while under his roof, was to focus on his studies. While others brought their sons into family businesses, Desalegn was motivated to pursue his education. He finished high school and had a couple years of college in Ethiopia where he also was trained as an aircraft technician and worked for two years. He was 23 when his immigration papers were approved and he used his training to apply for a Federal Aviation Administration license to work on commercial aircraft. Desalegn serviced airplanes in Pennsylvania for two years, then did the same in Arizona and Minnesota until Delta Airlines transferred him to Washington. Meanwhile, he resumed his studies in the United States. While holding down various jobs, he earned his engineering degree from George Mason University, his masters in systems engineering from Johns Hopkins University and is working on his doctorate from Liberty University. Im telling you this to give you a picture of the drive and the value of education that we were told when we were kids, he said. It still impacts in some form or fashion. Desalegn has about 50 desktop computers ready to be shipped overseas and he knows exactly where theyll go. He was in Ethiopia last month when the first shipment arrived and he talked to officials at his old high school, which has become Tegbareid Polytechnic College. There are about 1,600 students there in eight different departments, and Desalegn and the dean agreed the nonprofit would provide at least 50 computers to each section. There are so many colleges, so many high schools, so many middle schools that would die to get these computers, Desalegn said. I have made a promise to him that he will get his computers, but I did not promise on the time. More information about Educate Africas mission is available at its website, educateafricaweb.org. The Dodge County Sheriffs Office has released the name of a deceased male found Thursday afternoon on U.S. Highway 275, south of Morningside Road. Law enforcement has identified the man as Yashua Martinez, 27, of La Vista. There is no risk to the public as this investigation is ongoing. Deputies were advised at approximately 2:30 p.m. Thursday of a possible deceased party discovered by construction crews. The deputies confirmed the individual was deceased. During the investigation Highway 275 was shut down at Morningside Road for approximately seven hours. Dodge County was assisted by Fremont Police, Nebraska State Patrol and the Douglas County Crime lab. The World Bank has pledged to provide about $2 billion in aid for Pakistan as the country tries to recover from record rainfall and deadly flooding. Torrential monsoon rains have left more than one-third of the country underwater and killed more than 1,600 people, and left Islamabad struggling to fund relief efforts as the floodwaters recede. On September 24, the World Bank's vice president for South Asia, Martin Raiser, announced after an official visit to Pakistan that the international lending institution was significantly boosting its earlier pledge of $850 million in emergency aid. The new $2 billion figure includes the earlier relief package. "We are deeply saddened by the loss of lives and livelihoods due to the devastating floods and we are working with the federal and provincial governments to provide immediate relief to those who are most affected," Raiser said after visiting Sindh Province. The floods have hammered the southern provinces of Sindh and Balochistan and affected more than 33 million people. Roads and other infrastructure have been wiped out, crops have been destroyed, and the World Health Organization has warned about a possible "second disaster" due to the population's vulnerability to infectious disease. On September 23, the government of Sindh Province requested that Islamabad immediately send more medical workers to deal with the spread of malaria, dysentery, and cholera. Provincial health officials said that more than 600 people had already died of various diseases, with 300 deaths recorded from malaria alone. Sindh's health department has said that at least 25,000 children are suffering from malnutrition and disease. To cover its $2 billion pledge, the World Bank will repurpose funds from existing projects. During a recent trip to Pakistan, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said that by some estimates Pakistan will need $30 billion to recover. With reporting by AP South Korea's power plant builder Doosan Enerbility Company has been awarded a 540 billion won ($383 million) contract for the construction of a combined heat and power plant in Saudi Arabia, reported the Korean Economic Daily. Doosan (formerly Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Company) had sealed a deal with Korea Electric Power Corporation (Kepco) for the key project coming up in Jafurah, 400 km east of Riyadh, it stated. As per the deal, Kepco will be in charge of business development and operation of the power plant, while Doosan will be taking care of the engineering, procurement and construction work as well as handling the supply of equipment, installation and test operations, said the KED report. With the completion of the construction work scheduled for the second half of 2025, the plant will produce 320 MW of electricity and 314 tons an hour of steam to supply electricity and heat to the Jafurah gas field, it added. A record-breaking crowd turned its gaze to the sky for the Pikes Peak Regional Airshow on Saturday, the first of two identical shows this weekend. The event gives the average person an up-close look at some of the militarys most capable aircraft, piloted by what event spokesperson John Henry said are probably the most skilled pilots that youre going to find. Thats part of the draw. As people, weve been fascinated by flight for a very long time, Henry said. Im not a pilot, I dont fly this gives somebody like me a chance to get close to the aircraft, get a good look at the aircraft, see the aircraft in a performance thats much lower in altitude. Airshow staff released a statement saying this year's attendance broke records, leading to unforeseen traffic that will be revised with the help of Colorado Springs Police Department for Sunday's show. Plan that this could take a little bit of time to get through, Henry said. The lineup features a mixture of parade-style demonstrations and out-of-the-ordinary aerobic acts. For Kyle Franklins Ben Whabnoski comedy act, the third-generation pilot stumbles out of the crowd as an apparently intoxicated visitor who proceeds to hijack an aircraft. Franklin soars so close to the ground that audience members might think hes crashed, only to wobble upright and return to the sky in a masterful display of precision piloting. Pilot Steve Hinton takes the Brewster F3A-1 Corsair for a ride, spinning upside down, nosediving, and swooping back upright again. Interspersed between the acts are narrations of each aircrafts history. The Brewster, which now captivates family audiences in whimsical demonstrations, once had an 11 to 1 kill ratio during World War II and is the only one of its kind still in flight today. In this way, the show bridges the gap between past and future, bringing a range of aircraft from vintage WWII bombers to the cutting-edge F-35A Lightning II. Many of the nearly 50 aircraft are available for visitors to hop inside and explore for themselves. Joe Niles, a father of three attending the event with his family, said the interactivity was a blast for his kids as they climbed their way through the displays. Theyre just going in there and messing everything up right now. I dont know if these will fly after they get done with them, Niles said. The kids arent the only ones giddy at the sight of these aircraft, though. Adults, too, craned their necks to watch the demonstrations above and waited in long lines to explore inside display aircraft. Some, such as Navy veteran Rich Harper, return after attending previous airshows. Theres only one thing I want. Thats an F-35, visitor Rich Harper said. I would just like to get in that thing and take a ride. If youve seen the latest 'Top Gun' movie, who wouldnt? Harper attended with his wife, Cyndi, and their grandchildren, all first-time airshow attendees. According to Cyndi Harper, thats what is most special about the event: sharing a first with those most dear to her. Thats totally why Im here, Cyndi Harper said. To have those experiences, thats true riches to me. Money cant buy that, the memories that well have. This year is the fourth Pikes Peak Regional Airshow, most recently held in 2019. Spokesperson Henry said those planning to attend should be cognizant of slow traffic on the ways in and out. The airshow returns for day two at Colorado Springs Airports A/DACG facility at 7250 Getting Heights, located on the southwest section of the property. Gates open at 8 a.m., and performances start at noon. Your morning rundown of the latest news from Colorado Springs and around the country Sign Up View all of our newsletters. Pikes Peak Regional Airshow is updating its traffic control plan after record-breaking attendance on the first day of the event led to unforeseen traffic and parking delays, according to a statement released by airshow staff. PPRA is working with Colorado Springs Police Department to revise its plan for Sundays show. The new plan involves additional CSPD staff for traffic-control management, additional parking and modifications to streamline the ticketing process. Airshow attendees and airport travelers alike faced travel delays as a result. Were not happy about that, Colorado Springs Airport Director of Aviation Greg Phillips said. I told somebody today that it was a beautiful day for an airshow, and it ended up kinda looking like every single person in the city of Colorado Springs thought the same thing. No final attendance number has been released, but Phillips said there is no question it was record-breaking for the shows four-year history. Even anticipating large numbers, the turnout still overwhelmed the plan set in place by PPRA. Its unclear how many airport travelers were impacted by traffic delays. Those whose flights were impacted by Saturdays traffic should contact their airline for more information. Phillips said he encourages anybody with a Sunday flight to come early. I feel awful about anybody who had a flight impacts, Phillips said. We tout that we always, as Colorados small airport, you can get to and from the airport quickly. Well, tomorrows a special day, so take some extra time. Make sure you get there on time. Airshow attendees are also encouraged to arrive early to ensure they have time to enjoy the displays and exhibits before the show begins, according to PPRA's statement. Attendees are also encouraged to purchase and print out their tickets in advance at www.pprairshow.org. Traffic to the show is at its worst before 10:15 a.m., according to event spokesperson John Henry. The hot ramp, where performing aircraft are parked, closes at that time to allow crews to clean up the area in preparation for the show. People wanna get as close to the performer aircraft as they can, Henry said. The hot ramp opens to attendees at 8 a.m. Leading German hospitality management group Deutsche Hospitality has announced the official opening of its IntercityHotel Muscat property at the Future Hospitality Summit (FHS) 2022, boosting its presence in Oman to three operational properties. Additionally, the group prepares to debut the Steigenberger Residence Doha, Qatar, in October this year. Commenting on the significance of the Future Hospitality Summit, Siegfried Nierhaus, Vice President Middle East, Deutsche Hospitality, said: The Middle East plays a vital role in the international hospitality industry for owners and operators alike, and FHS is the perfect destination to share and learn from one another. To navigate this new season and leading into the new year, the Summit allows for us to get valuable market insights, opportunity for networking and potential partnerships. Chief Development Officer at Deutsche Hospitality, Marie-Noele Schwartzmann, our team and I look forward to a fruitful and insightful few days ahead. IntercityHotel Muscat, Oman IntercityHotel Muscat opened its doors on September 1, 2022, and is located in the Ministry and Embassy district within the burgeoning area of Al Khuwair, Muscat. IntercityHotel Muscat comprises 273 keys, including spacious Standard rooms and Deluxe suites. The property includes a special Business Floor, which includes Business rooms and suites and added benefits of early check-ins, late check-outs, complimentary welcome drinks, and VIP in-room amenities, to name a few. Established as part of the prestigious development of the ARaya Complex, the hotel includes a luxurious spa featuring six dedicated treatment rooms, Citrine, a delightful all-day-dining restaurant serving various cuisines, and meeting rooms with a capacity of up to 135 guests. IntercityHotel Muscat is also home to Al Araya Ballroom, which can accommodate up to 1,200 guests. Steigenberger Residence Doha, Qatar Launching in October, Steigenberger Residence Doha will include 278 uniquely furnished apartments offering the comforts of a home and a stylish space that allows guests to relax and recharge. Guest facilities include a rooftop swimming pool, gym, yoga room, the GOCO Spa and the culinary offer of five restaurants and bars. The Qatar hotel segments have a lot of potential as it is accessible for all key tourism source markets, and with the country preparing to host one of the worlds largest sporting events in November, we believe the opening of Steigenberger Residence Doha will be a pivotal step in our expansion journey, Nierhaus concludes. Deutsche Hospitality continues to strengthen its foothold in the Middle East to meet the ever-growing demand for hotel rooms in the mid to upscale segment in 2022 and coming year. The groups regional portfolio currently comprises 23 properties in Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Oman, UAE and Egypt. Its worldwide footprint extends to more than 160 hotels across three continents. - TradeArabia News Service Jon Caldara is president of the Independence Institute in Denver and hosts The Devils Advocate with Jon Caldara on Colorado Public Television Channel 12. His column appears Sundays in Colorado Politics. Dubai-based low-cost airline flydubai today (September 21) celebrated the launch of its inaugural service to Samarkand, one of the oldest cities in Uzbekistan, located in Central Asia. Announcing the debut launch, flydubai said it will operate a twice-weekly service from Dubai International (DXB) to Samarkand International Airport (SKD), thus becoming the first UAE carrier to operate direct flights to the Uzbek city. With the start of flights to Samarkand, flydubai grows its network in Central Asia to seven points served by a fleet of 68 Boeing 737 aircraft, providing passengers from the UAE and the GCC with more options for travel. The inaugural flight was greeted with traditional water cannon salute on arrival at SKD. Senior local officials including Gairat Nematov, General Director at Air Marakanda welcomed the delegation led by Ghaith Al Ghaith, Chief Executive Officer at flydubai. Iowan Doug Jensen did not testify and his lawyers did not call any witnesses in his defense as he stands trial for his role in the Jan. 6 U.S. Capitol insurrection. Closing arguments are scheduled for Friday and then the federal jury in the District of Columbia is expected to begin deliberations after the weeklong trial. U.S. Capitol Police Inspector Thomas Lloyd, who testified at the trial this week, described Jensen as leader of the mob headed into the Capitol during the 2021 riot. Jensen, of Des Moines, became a widely recognized figure when video circulated on social media of him, wearing a Q T-shirt, at the front of a mob pursuing a U.S. Capitol police officer up a staircase. Defense attorney Christopher Davis said Tuesday in his opening remarks that no one is contesting that Jensen participated in the insurrection. But Jensen was not violent and did not damage federal property, he said. This is not a whodunit case, Davis said. Literally, the whole case is on video. Jurors were shown multiple well-known photos and videos of Jensens participation in the U.S. Capitol, including footage of him climbing up the side of an outside staircase as protesters attempted to break into the building. Another video showed him advancing through a cloud of spray erupting from a ruptured fire extinguisher. The trial also featured two concurrent video recordings of the altercation when Jensen was seen running up stairs in pursuit of a Capitol police officer. That officer, Eugene Goodman, testified at the trial. He told jurors Wednesday about his assignment at the Capitol rotunda that day, which was to guard U.S. senators and House members moving between chambers as they certified the results of the 2020 presidential election. Goodman was stationed outside for part of the day, where he was hit with bear spray and tear gas deployed by law enforcement, he told jurors. He went inside and vomited in a bucket once back-up officers had arrived, he said, before returning outside. When the mob broke into the Capitol, he went inside to direct politicians, including U.S. Sen. Mitt Romney, away from the crowd. As the rioters approached, Goodman said he was prodded with a Confederate flag. By the time of his confrontation with Jensen, he had no out except going up the stairs, he said. I felt like they were going to rush at any time, Goodman said. FBI Special Agent Tyler Johnson testified Thursday, describing the Q-Anon shirt Jensen wore and the 3-inch pocket knife he carried that day. As one of the people who interviewed Jensen when he turned himself in, Johnson answered questions from the defense saying that Jensen was coherent during his interview, and was not verbally aggressive. Jensen was one of the first of many arrested and charged for their actions at the U.S. Capitol that day, where supporters of former President Donald Trump gathered to contest President Joe Bidens victory in the 2020 election. Many of the participants were followers of the QAnon conspiracy theory, believing that Trump had plans to reveal and punish a child sex trafficking ring among the wealthy and influential. Nearly 900 people have been charged for federal crimes in relation to the riot, and roughly 400 have pleaded guilty. Jensen, one of eight Iowans charged in relation to the event, did not yet have any warrants out for his arrest when he walked to a police station and turned himself in the day after he returned from Washington, D.C. He has been in custody for nearly the entire 18 months since his arrest. Jensen faces charges of civil disorder, resisting or impeding officers and obstruction of an official proceeding. None of the defendants involved in the insurrection have been acquitted of their charges in jury trials. For the second time, Danvilles River District Association is a semifinalist for a national award spotlighting redevelopment. The group along with seven other organizations across the nation is in the running for the 2023 Great American Main Street Award. The honor is billed as the nations top award to recognize comprehensive preservation-based commercial district revitalization. The winner will be announced in March. This marks the second year the local association has made the semifinalist ranking. A jury of professionals in community, economic development and historic preservation reviewed a national pool of candidates to come up with the final eight, according to a news release. Those semifinals show leadership in the Main Street Approach, a way to lead community-based transformation strategies in their downtowns. The River District Association, formerly Downtown Danville Association, was formed in 1999 to coordinate efforts to revitalize downtown Danville, now called the River District, according to the group. The association and city of Danville have enjoyed accredited status under the National and Virginia Main Street Programs since 2016. The Great American Main Street Award is the highest honor that we grant to organizations within our network, said Hannah White, interim president and CEO at Main Street America. We are proud to recognize RDA and seven fellow organizations as 2023 GAMSA Semifinalists for their excellence in transforming their downtown districts through strategically implemented economic vitality, design, promotion and organization initiatives. The award spans a diversity of localities, from small towns with downtowns to commercial corridors within larger cities. Semifinalists have generated more than $872 million in local reinvestment and helped open 863 net new businesses, according to the release. Locally, more than a dozen businesses opened or expanded so far this year and about six are expected to follow suit by the end of 2022. We are very grateful for the team at the National Main Street center for recognizing the hard work that has been done in the River District for the past decade, RDA Executive Director Diana Schwartz said in a statement. We are thrilled to be selected once again as one of 8 semifinalists nationally. Schwartz called it a prestigious honor to make it to the semifinal round. She hopes residents realize Danville is known on the national stage as a model for revitalization. We look forward to the continued success of our downtown that will illuminate a bright path to move forward and share the improvements and opportunities to all areas of our city and our region. The other finalists are in Denison, Texas; Florence, South Carolina; Metuchen, New Jersey; Orlando, Florida; Ruston, Louisiana; Sheridan, Wyoming; and Sykesville, Maryland. REIDSVILLE During their recent trip to London, Neil and Karen Jacques of Reidsville were walking back to their hotel after touring Buckingham Palace and paused to look at a double rainbow appearing over the city. Little did they know then that the prismatic arc would be viewed world-wide as a symbol for the day of the death of Queen Elizabeth II. The 96-year-old died Sept. 8 at Balmoral Castle in Scotland having been the longest-serving monarch in British history with 70 years on the throne. The London tour was the last stop for the Jacques the end of a three-week European tour, which including Ireland, Northern Ireland, Scotland and Wales. After settling into their new hotel, the couple walked a mile and a half for a tour of Buckingham Palace and noticed lots of media vehicles were gathered there. We knew the queen was not in the best of health, but we had seen her (televised) meeting with the new prime minister a couple days earlier and did not think she was close to death, Neil Jacques said, recalling the sovereigns last official act, her meeting with newly-elected Liz Truss. Jacques called the palace tour magnificent, noting it included a gallery of pictures of the monarch throughout her life that were part of the Queens recent Platinum Jubilee Celebration in February. As the Jacques left the palace and walked past the Houses of Parliament, Karen Jacques stopped to take pictures of the spectacular double rainbow over the River Thames, she said. And just a short time later, the couple learned the monarch had died. Later that night, the Jacques walked back to the area around Buckingham Palace where they saw crowds of mourners had already had arrived. Suddenly, the worlds focus was on trained on London. The last time I remember (media) coverage like that was September 11, 2001, Neil Jacques said. My wife and I had always respected Queen Elizabeth. She lived a long life and was generally admired, but the response from the British people was much sadder than I expected. The next day, as the Jacques trekked to Londons Victoria and Albert Museum, they saw tribute signs to Queen Elizabeth posted in the subways and throughout the museum. Their museum guide frequently mentioned his queen, too, they said. On Sept. 10, the couple enjoyed a guided ghost walk tour through London. In addition to the usual spooky stories related on the tour, their guide added some serious anecdotes about the queen, they said. The Jacques would be the only people from the United States on another guided walk they enjoyed with Britons. They befriended a couple in their 70s who talked about their late monarch, the only sovereign they had ever known. They were losing a person who was always good, always putting the nation first, always serving, and always being kind, Neil Jacques said, noting the monarchs death seemed to make the English couple recognize their own mortality. She had become Queen when they were babies, had always been there, and now she was dead, Jacques said. Before catching their flight home on Sept. 11, the Jacques went to a church in the Peckham section of London where they joined a diverse congregation, they said. Although many locals were present, other congregants from Africa, the U.S. and Europe also were in attendance. They all joined in singing God Save the King followed by a two-minute moment of silence honoring Queen Elizabeth. It was reverent for the entire two minutes, Neil Jacques said. And part of the service featured the celebrant reading a letter of condolence from the church to the Royal Family. What was clear was that whether you were from the United Kingdom, the British Commonwealth or elsewhere the world, we were a little sad, he said, adding, The world had lost a wonderful person, someone we could look up to. The Jacques said they are glad they arrived in London to experience first-hand what most of the world was only seeing on television. We were in a city of mourning, Neil Jacques said. GREENSBORO The 6th Annual Greensboro Honors: Veterans Day Parade will be Nov. 5. The annual parade starts at noon at Elm and East Lindsay streets, and will go on rain or shine, the Disabled American VeteransChapter 20 said in a news release. The parade starts and ends in front of the Kontoor Brands building on East Lindsay Street. The parade will honor local Gold Star families. They represent those from all branches of the U.S. Armed Forces who have died in all conflicts. Veterans from World War Two, the Korean War, the Vietnam War and female veterans will also be showcased. Area high school marching bands and JROTC units, and various clubs, organizations and businesses will participate against a backdrop of military vehicles and floats provided by local businesses. The parade is being held in partnership with the city of Greensboro. Turkish Airlines has been named Best Airline in Europe by Skytrax at the prestigious 2022 World Airline Awards held in historic Langham Hotel in London September 23. Turkish Airlines won two other major awards at the ceremony, namely the World's Best Business Class Catering and the Best Airline in Southern Europe. During the evaluation of the airlines to determine the winner of the awards, an online customer survey was operated from September 2021 to August 2022, together with invitations sent to previous year respondents in the survey database. The customer survey was provided in English, French, Spanish, Russian, Japanese and Chinese. Over 100 customer nationalities participated in the 2021/2022 survey with 14.32 million eligible entries counted in the results. Receiving the awards at the ceremony, Turkish Airlines Chairman of the Board and the Executive Committee Prof Dr Ahmet Bolat said: We are very pleased to be with you again in this environment where our distinguished service approach has been appreciated many times. As the Turkish Airlines family, we would like to thank our valued passengers, who deemed us worthy of these wonderful awards, and the Skytrax team, who put this evaluation into practice. With our privileged service approach, which distinguishes us from our competitors, we continue to take firm steps towards our goal of making the Turkish Airlines brand the best in the world by building on the unmatched service we offer. Skytrax CEO Edward Plaisted stated: "We congratulate Turkish Airlines for their success at the World Airline Awards, and winning the award as the Best Airline in Europe is a fabulous achievement in what is one of the most competitive markets. Alongside this, we are delighted to see Turkish Airlines take top place for the Worlds Best Business Class Onboard Catering, reflecting the high standards achieved with their DO&CO cooperation in all aspects of meals served on Turkish Airlines flights. TradeArabia News Service Firefighting is an occupation that comes with inherent risks. In addition to the physical demands, there are also health risks associated with the job. For instance, the rate at which firefighters develop cancer outpaces the general population by 9%, and their risk of dying from cancer is 14% higher, according to a study published by the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health. It turns out, though, that some of the equipment used to keep firefighters safe also puts them at risk. Firefighters rely on turnout gear and other personal protective equipment, such as a breathing apparatus, to keep them safe when battling flames, high temperatures, smoke and other elements associated with firefighting. Firefighting turnout gear is manufactured with fluorine, one of the compounds that makes the gear heat-resistant and waterproof. When fluorine is combined with carbon compounds the union creates forever chemicals. These chemicals pose environmental and human health risks. Theyre the same chemicals that have been found to be fouling the Cape Fear River basin and have been implicated in tainted water at the Marines Camp Lejeune in Onslow County. North Carolina fire officials want to push down those cancer numbers for the more than 50,000 volunteer and career firefighters in North Carolinas more than 1,200 fire departments. I would like to see a law in place that says, North Carolina firefighters will be in PFAS-free gear by 2025, said firefighter Scott Mullins, president of Professional Firefighters and Paramedics of North Carolina. I think weve got to start cranking up the pressure on these gear manufacturers. If you touch it once, youre exposed This years North Carolina Association of Fire Chiefs 2022 Cancer Survey, which 15% of departments completed, revealed that roughly 44% of respondents said that there are people within the unit who have cancer. Prostate, skin, colon and brain cancers are the most common cited in the survey, said Wesley Hutchins, executive director of the NCAFC. Globally, 75% of firefighters whose names appeared on the International Firefighters Associations Memorial Wall between 2015-2020, died of cancer, according to the IAFF. Research shows that firefighters cancer risks are related, in part, to extended exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl compounds, also known as forever chemicals because of their lasting presence in the environment. Since the 1940s, PFAS have been used in the manufacturing of oil and water-resistant products, as well as products that resist heat and reduce friction. There are more than 12,000 different PFAS compounds used in products such as non-stick cookware, cleaning products, water-resistant clothing and firefighting foam along with firefighting turnout gear. Last month the IAFF and the Metropolitan Fire Chiefs Association released a joint statement, warning firefighters of the dangers associated with wearing firefighting turnout gear and encouraging members to only wear the gear in emergency situations. This is the challenge of our generation, and if we dont act, it will be the challenge of our childrens generation, said IAFF General President Edward A. Kelly. We cant just salute in front of the church and fight for better benefits. We need to combat whats killing us. I am committed to making sure we do everything we can to extinguish cancer from the fire service. That starts with removing PFAS from our turnout gear and, until PFAS-free options exist, reducing our exposure as best we can. Mullins said he was pleased to hear Kellys comments. He also said that he and his colleagues welcome the opportunity to wear PFAS-free gear when theyre involved in non-firefighting duties such as community engagement activities. If (were) doing events with the kids, we dont need to be getting in our gear, or we dont need to be having the kids getting into the gear or touching the gear, because weve seen that if you touch it once, youre exposed. To address this issue, the state General Assembly passed the Firefighters Fighting Cancer Act of 2021 (HB 535) which provides supplemental insurance for firefighters who receive a cancer diagnosis on or after January 1, 2022. Mullins and his colleagues pushed for the legislation for years. Were very proud of the Firefighters Fighting Cancer Act, Mullins said. We think its one of the best pieces of legislation in the nation. Aqueous film-forming foam also on its way out More attention is going to the environmental impact and human health risks associated with aqueous film-forming foam, used by firefighters, airport and military personnel to combat chemical fires. Some AFFF foams contain PFAS, which can seep into groundwater and contaminate wells in areas where it is used repeatedly, such as firefighting training facilities. Firefighting foams are some of the sources of the Camp Lejeune contamination. AFFF gets into the groundwater and we all drink it, which North Carolina is painfully sensitive to (water contamination) these days, said Graham Peaslee, professor of physics at the University of Notre Dame. Every time you put a five-gallon bucket of (AFFF) to work, youve just contaminated 400 Olympic-sized swimming pools, and thats at the 70 parts per trillion, so thats just terrifying. Currently, there are at least 15 states where AFFF is banned. The U.S. military is expected to stop using AFFF at its facilities by 2024, according to a report published in the National Fire Protection Association Journal. Traveling particles As the lead author of a study published in 2020, Peaslee and his colleagues found that in addition to aqueous film-forming foam, turnout gear is a pathway to PFAS exposure. The study revealed that PFAS compounds can degrade over time and shed or form dust and can transfer from the turnout gear to hands and skin when handled by firefighters. This is true for both new and used turnout gear. Peaslee describes how he and his graduate students discovered that PFAS particles can shed and transfer. One of the graduate students said, Hey, when I touch the gear with my gloves, my gloves get coated with fluorine. And I asked him to demonstrate it. And its true a blank glove has no fluorine on it, and he rubs his hand on the gear, and his glove has fluorine. We said, OK, gloves for everyone. Time to change standards Turnout gear manufacturers are capable of producing PFAS-free gear, according to researchers and firefighters. However, the innermost part of the turnout gear is designed to keep moisture from getting in and adding weight to the gear. This is an important feature, because firefighters work in environments where temperatures can reach into the triple digits. Since 2006, those moisture barriers have been made with Teflon, a lightweight material manufactured with PFAS, according to Peaslee. Prior to Teflon, the moisture barrier was made of polyurethane, which is PFAS-free. But there was a problem. According to Peaslee, around the time that Teflon replaced polyurethane as the industrys choice material for the moisture barrier layer, an ultraviolet light test for turnout gear was developed by a scientist. To pass the test, the material had to withstand direct exposure to the ultraviolet light for 15 minutes without cracking. Teflon was the only material that passed the test. The puzzling part of this test for researchers and firefighters is that the only part of the gear subjected to the test is the moisture barrier. If you think about it, this is the undergarment of the jacket and pants that is lined with Teflon. It never sees UV light, its not being exposed to sunlight, said Peaslee. Those firefighters, I assure you, do not glow light. So why is this test there? Its only because the manufacturer found a way to make this the preferred item. Jason Burns spoke at the Third National PFAS Meeting, held earlier this summer in Wilmington, about the loss of firefighters due to cancer. He was part of a group that submitted a resolution during the 2021 IAFF convention. We said, we want to break all relationships with these (manufacturers), all sponsorships we dont want a dime from them as long as theyre creating a product that is contributing to the death of our firefighters, Burns said. He noted that nearly three-quarters of firefighter deaths are cancer related. There is speculation that new regulations regarding moisture barrier requirements have been drafted by the National Fire Protection Association and will eliminate PFAS from turnout gear. The updated regulations are expected to be published soon. This could be the moment that researchers, firefighters and activists have spent years working toward. During his 20 years in the field of substance use disorders, Eric Morse has seen countless patients forced off their medication-assisted treatment a treatment thats often working while incarcerated. Morse is an addiction psychiatrist in Raleigh and president of Morse Clinics, which provides medications for opioid use disorder to about 1,800 patients at eight locations across the state. He said its about a weekly occurrence to have a patient get detained and face the dilemma of whether or not they will be able to continue MAT in jail. Generally, the answer has been no. But the odds of continuation should be increasing now that the U.S. Department of Justice has gotten involved. People getting MAT receive one of three U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved medications methadone, buprenorphine or naltrexone along with counseling to treat opioid use disorder. This treatment option suppresses withdrawal symptoms, reducing drug cravings. MAT is considered best practice for treating opioid use disorder and has been proven clinically effective. However, the use of MAT in jails across the state is inconsistent at best, North Carolina Health News has previously reported. The more common protocol is detoxification and withdrawal. In North Carolina, at least 19 of the states more than 100 jails have some kind of program providing one or more medications for opioid use disorder, according to the states Opioid and Substance Use Action Plan Data Dashboard. New guidance from the U.S. Department of Justice released in April, paves the way for MAT in jails to be accessible to, at least, individuals receiving the treatment in the community prior to incarceration. The DOJ guidance explains how the Americans with Disabilities Act, a federal law that covers all activities of state and local governments regardless of federal funding, protects people with opioid use disorder who are in treatment or recovery from discrimination in a number of settings, including correctional facilities. Like saying I just dont have insulin Our goal here is to ensure that people with opioid use disorders who are in treatment or who have completed treatment are not facing unnecessary and discriminatory barriers to recovery, said Katherine Armstrong, an assistant U.S. attorney for the Western District of North Carolina, during an August webinar on providing MAT in jails. Morse and others have been advocating for this MAT access and continuity of care for years. Its a major shift that puts legal pressure on jails, which have been slow to adopt MAT, to provide medications to continue incarcerated peoples treatment. If they dont, they could be open to liability and lawsuits. Eventually, you dont have an excuse, said Shuchin Shukla, a family physician focused on substance use at Mountain Area Health Education Center in Asheville who prescribes buprenorphine. Like you cant say, I dont have a MAT program. Thats like saying, I just dont have insulin. You got to get insulin. This person is under your care. That is what a jail does, he said. Its just like providing them with food and water. If you are a jailer and you had someone in your custody, even if they did a terrible crime, youre liable to give them food, water and medicine. This is a medicine treatment for substance use disorder. DOJ guidance applies to local jails Shelly Weizman, project director of the Addiction and Public Policy Initiative at the ONeill Institute for National and Global Health Law at Georgetown University Law Center, said the recent guidance makes it crystal clear that opioid use disorder is considered a disability under the ADA. According to the guidance, it is a violation of the ADA if a jail does not allow incoming inmates to continue taking medication for opioid use disorder prescribed before their detention or has a blanket policy prohibiting MAT altogether. Additionally, a blanket policy mandating people be on one specific form of medication, rather than allowing for individualized medical care, is also a violation of the ADA, said Cassie Crawford, an assistant U.S. attorney for the Middle District of North Carolina, during the August webinar. The DOJ guidance does carve out an exclusion to ADA protections for individuals engaged in the current illegal use of drugs. But Crawford cautioned against jails automatically refusing MAT if someone tests positive for an illegal drug as people are still entitled to medical care under the three-decades-old federal law. You couldnt prohibit someone from receiving insulin because they tested positive for marijuana at intake in a correctional facility, Crawford said during the webinar. You similarly cant deprive someone of legally prescribed medication for opioid use disorder just because a drug test result shows illegal use of a different drug. The DOJ has the authority to investigate potential ADA violations if an individual files a complaint. The Department of Justice can also initiate its own compliance review to look into an issue if it receives information of a potential violation. Based on the findings, the DOJ does have enforcement authority. Our first priority is trying to work out a settlement or agreement, Armstrong said, noting thats usually what happens. If that fails, and the department finds a violation, we do have enforcement authority to go to court to seek the appropriate relief. Information about filing an ADA complaint with the Department of Justice is available here. The DOJ guidance comes on the heels of several lawsuits across the country, including in Maine, Massachusetts, Washington and New York, where settlements favored plaintiffs continuing their medication for opioid use disorder while incarcerated. Implementation remains low Historically, MAT has been inaccessible to incarcerated individuals, even as federal statistics show nearly two-thirds of people in U.S. jails and prisons have a substance use disorder. The past five years have brought increased concern around overdose rates and whos most at risk. Weizman said thats got more correctional facilities taking an interest in MAT. Studies show that providing medications for opioid use disorder in criminal justice settings decreases opioid use, criminal activity once released and the spread of infectious disease. Studies have also found that overdose death rates following incarceration are lower when inmates have received medications for their addiction. In North Carolina, a study found that formerly incarcerated people are 40 times more likely than the average person to die of an opioid overdose within two weeks of release from jail or prison. Recognizing these benefits, the National Commission on Correctional Health Care issued a position statement recommending that jails and prisons take action to provide access to and continuity of medications for opioid use disorder in order to save lives and fight the opioid epidemic. The National Sheriffs Association is in agreement. The organization released a statement supporting implementation of MAT programs in jails, saying jails are on the front lines of this epidemic, and they are also in a unique position to initiate treatment in a controlled, safe environment. The North Carolina Sheriffs Association has not issued a statement on this topic, but Executive Vice President and General Counsel Eddie Caldwell said thats not unusual because the group does not issue positions on various issues. If its required by law or by federal regulation, then the sheriffs and their daily administrators and the local medical provider thats administering their local medical plan that theyre all required to have, Im sure theyre going to follow the law so theres really not any kind of statement that would be appropriate or necessary, he said. The intersection between substance use disorders and incarceration has been well documented. Even with that, and with the mounting evidence about the effectiveness of MAT, implementation in jails remains slow, and at the discretion of each county sheriff. You wouldnt stop somebody on hypertension medicine so why would you stop somebody thats taking medication for substance use disorder? asked Elijah Bazemore, who retired as a major from the Durham County Sheriffs Office in December after more than 30 years and helping launch the MAT program in 2019. Its still an illness. They would need continued treatment. New momentum for MAT in jails Weizman expects the DOJ guidance will accelerate the pace of MAT implementation in detention centers. Morse is already starting to see signs of it. After the guidance was released, he had about five counties reverse their medical decisions regarding MAT and reach out to partner with Morse Clinics. Forging such partnerships is the easiest way to bring MAT into a jail. Morse worked with the jails in Durham and Chatham counties before the DOJ guidance but Alamance, Randolph, Franklin, Vance and Nash counties have also now opened up to MAT in order to be compliant with the ADA, he said. Willingness to implement MAT in jails is a mixed bag across the state, Bazemore said. Youve got some agencies that are going to embrace it, he said. Some are going to tell you they need more information and can be swayed to go forward. Then youve got some that are just simply not going to be supportive. Money from the state helps too. State lawmakers allocated $2 million in last years state budget to help local jails start or expand their MAT programs. Originally, the grant program specified the funds could be used to provide only one of the three FDA-approved medications for opioid use disorder naltrexone but the language has since been revised in this years budget to include access to all three. After retiring from work at the Durham County Detention Center, Bazemore became a consultant specializing in jail-based opioid use disorder treatment with Vital Strategies, a public health organization working with governments to advance local policies and practices. He says its his goal to eradicate the stigma thats attached to substance use disorder to get more jails on board with providing MAT. His job makes him available to provide free support to detention facilities in North Carolina wanting to implement a MAT program. If theres the desire, Bazemore said a jail could have the logistics worked out within six months to comply with the DOJ guidance. The more jails that do it, the more its going to shine a spotlight on the fact that the other jails are depriving people of this medicine, said Evan Ashkin, director of the North Carolina Formerly Incarcerated Transition Program and a MAT provider. I think were going to cross a tipping point at some level where theres going to be quite a few jails doing it and the ones that arent are going to really stand out and be vulnerable to criticism, to lawsuits. Decreasing the burden of overdose Ben Powell, a physician assistant at SouthLight, a nonprofit opioid treatment program providing daily dosing of methadone and buprenorphine in the Triangle, said many of their clients are in and out of jail on a regular basis. He said its highly destabilizing for patients to be forced off their medication during incarceration. I can tell you its rare that someone comes back on the day that theyre released, Powell said. As a result, he said, theres almost always a return to use. Powell said maintaining stabilized treatment during incarceration is a pivotal shift that will decrease relapses. Were going to decrease the burden on the criminal justice system because its going to decrease recidivism, Powell said. Were going to decrease the burden on the health care system because were going to have fewer overdoses. Were going to increase continuity of care to decrease relapses, increase patient satisfaction and keep people from dying. The knowledge that MAT will be continued in jail could also lead more people to seek treatment, Ashkin said. In the past, he said fear of painful withdrawal if a patient ends up in jail has deterred them from being willing to even start MAT. The fact that they can stay on their meds even if they wind up in the Orange County Detention Center is enormously positive because they stay on treatment, he said. Theyre not frightened of this withdrawal. RALEIGH On Nov. 6, 2018, the people of North Carolina voted to amend their state constitution. By a 57% to 43% margin, they added a provision to protect the right to hunt and fish. By the same percentages, they also modified a section about the states income tax, setting the highest possible rate at 7% instead of the prior 10%. North Carolinians also voted to protect the rights of crime victims (62%) and require a photo ID to cast a ballot (55%). Alas, Democratic activists loudly proclaiming their commitment to democracy refused to accept the results. They hated the tax cap and photo ID provision in particular. So they resolved to overturn the will of the people. Strong words. But they describe the situation accurately. The facts arent in dispute. North Carolina voters approved the two amendments by healthy margins. Not every eligible voter participated in the 2018 election, of course, but its turnout was higher than normal for a midterm and surveys show that the 2018 electorate accurately reflected broader public opinion on capping the income tax and requiring photo IDs to vote. Moreover, there werent just four amendments on the ballot that year. There were six. Voters turned down two other amendments that would have reformed North Carolinas Board of Elections and the selection process for state judges. In other words, voters didnt reflexively approve every proposed change. They actively chose among several alternatives. This was the purest form of democracy there is, settling issues by a direct vote of the people. Democratic activists didnt like how the people voted on the tax cap and photo ID. So they sued. Democratic justices on the North Carolina Supreme Court didnt like how the people voted, either. So they sided with the plaintiffs and, in effect, threw out the two amendments (though the final shoe, a trial court determination, likely wont drop until after the 2022 election). In an Aug. 19 decision written by Anita Earls and affirmed by justices Michael Morgan, Robin Hudson and Sam Ervin IV, the four justices argued that because of a prior decision invalidating some of the electoral districts from which state lawmakers were elected, those lawmakers lacked the legitimate authority to hold the referendum in the first place. In their decision, the Democratic justices didnt just buy the plaintiffs claim that prior gerrymandering made the General Assembly an illegally constituted body. They also bought the preposterous claim that capping the income tax and requiring photo IDs to vote are forms of racial discrimination (because minorities are disproportionately less likely to earn high incomes and disproportionally more likely to lack an ID). The justices needed to do this to address a thorny problem: If the General Assembly were truly an illegally constituted body, wouldnt any state budget or law it enacted be illegal? Couldnt any aggrieved party sue for relief, such as someone convicted of a crime under a statute enacted by such a legislature? Yep so the Democrats invented a new category to serve their needs. Even if some of its members were elected in districts subsequently declared illegal, the General Assembly remains the de facto legislature when it comes to passing laws and appropriating funds. Thats established law. The justices accepted it. Then they carved out an exception for 1) amending the constitution with 2) provisions the justices consider to be discriminatory. Theres an argument here, but its a transparently bad one. If prior gerrymandering truly calls into question whether the legislature truly represents the will of the people, theres at least one form of legislative action that already has a built-in remedy: putting constitutional amendments (or bond issuances) on the ballot! If the people of North Carolina dont like them, they can vote them down as they did to two of the six amendments of 2018. Although the Democratic justices are trying desperately to pretend otherwise, they have decided to reject an unambiguously democratic vote of the people because the justices dont agree with it. On Oct. 7, 1920, a meeting of lasting significance occurred at the recently completed Guilford County Courthouse. The 19th Amendment had been ratified, giving the women of North Carolina the right to vote, and the suffragists, who had worked long and hard for this victory nationwide, realized that their work was not complete. The newly enfranchised women now needed help navigating the unfamiliar voting process and becoming informed voters. Thus, Gertrude Weil of Goldsboro, president of the Equal Suffrage Association of North Carolina, issued a call for members of all womens organizations throughout the state to come to Greensboro on Oct. 7 to found a North Carolina League of Women Voters in alliance with the newly established National League of Women Voters. The league was a nonpartisan organization designed to educate women in good citizenship and to work for progressive legislation to build a greater nation. It was to begin the work of educating the newly enfranchised voters through citizenship programs throughout the state that taught them how to register to vote, how to choose a political party and how to learn about candidates running for the various offices all in time for the presidential election in November. More than 100 women from throughout the state answered the call. Weil was elected chairman of the new organization and several prominent Guilford County women were chosen for leadership roles: Laura Cone and Helen Brooks of Greensboro; Harriet Elliot of the State College for Women; and Clara Cox of High Point. Carrie Chapman Catt of New York, the last president of the National American Equal Suffrage Association, and Maud Wood Park of Boston, the first president of the U.S. League of Women Voters, also attended. Park gave an address that evening to a full house in the Guilford County courtroom. By the November 1920 election, the league had registered more than 120,000 women to vote in North Carolina. On Oct. 7, the League of Women Voters of North Carolina and the League of Women Voters of the Piedmont Triad will host two events to commemorate that meeting long ago. At 11 a.m., inside the courtroom at the now Old Guilford County Courthouse, a program will recognize the leadership of Gertrude Weil and celebrate the 100-plus years of league service in North Carolina. Following the program, a William G. Pomeroy National Votes for Women Trail marker and a monument, a gift from the Tannenbaum-Sternberger Foundation Inc., both honoring Gertrude Weil, will be unveiled. Later that same day, at 3 p.m., at the International Civil Rights Center and Museum, the LWVNC and LWVPT will present Show up, Stand up, Speak up: This is our Time by author, scholar and activist Dr. Carolyn Jefferson-Jenkins, the only African American to serve as president of the U.S. League of Women Voters during its first 100 years. Her latest book, The Untold Story of Women of Color in the League of Women Voters, will serve as a basis for her presentation. The book is available at Scuppernong Books and a signing opportunity will follow the program. As the league celebrates more than 100 years of vital civic work in North Carolina, it remains faithful to its original purpose: a nonpartisan organization working to empower voters and to support our democracy to build a greater nation. Every day, the league, be it on the national, state or local level, does the work for which it is best known: registering voters and providing reliable, nonpartisan information about candidates and issues. After extensive research and study, we also adopt positions on issues facing our democracy and encourage the active and informed participation of citizens in government through increased understanding of major public policy issues. On Sept. 28, LWVNC and LWVPT will support democracy through the Carter Centers Trusted Elections Tour in Greensboro, one of 14 town halls across North Carolina. The goal: to provide information on the electoral process, to rebuild trust in our voting system and to strengthen civil discourse. Led by former Charlotte Mayor Jennifer Roberts and former N.C. Supreme Court Justice Bob Orr, the Trusted Elections initiative is supported by civic, business and religious leaders, and citizens from both sides of the political aisle. The Carter Center, a nonpartisan organization established in 1982, has been monitoring elections in other nations for decades. In response to concerning levels of polarization, disinformation and the loss of support for basic democratic norms, the center decided to also focus attention on elections in the U.S. The League of Women Voters and the Carter Center are working together to protect democracy. A 22-year-old Helena man whos on probation is being charged with one felony count of criminal possession with intent to distribute. According to charging documents, Montana Probation and Parole Officers met with Christian Isaac Schippers on Sept. 15 because he failed a urinalysis, testing positive for meth use. Probation officers searched Schippers residence and located some items they believed to be meth. A detective responded to the scene. Probation officers stopped their search and officers applied for a search warrant after locating the above items. A search warrant was granted for Schippers residence and vehicle. A large number of small Ziploc-style bags, digital scales, 8.3 grams of suspected meth and over two pounds of suspected marijuana were found in the search. The suspected meth tested presumptive positive for meth. Schipper was booked into the Lewis and Clark County Detention Center on Sept. 15. All are presumed innocent until proven guilty. A four-episode documentary on The Great Northern Railway will be released Sept. 30, telling the story of the man who built it. The Empire Builder: James J. Hill and The Great Northern Railway was 21 years in the making, its creators from Great Northern Filmworks said. It was produced and directed by Stephen Sadis and Kyle Kegley. The documentary captures the life of someone Sadis and Kegley describe as one of Americas greatest entrepreneurs. Hill County in Montana, where the Empire Builder, now operated by Amtrak, rolls through, bears his name. The film took a few twists and turns. It started with the idea of being a drama about an unscrupulous robber baron and turned into admiration of someone with incredible integrity, Sadis said. When the railroad ushered in one of the most transformative eras in American history, Hill built a transportation empire that stretched across North America and to the Orient. He was seen as a catalyst for the agriculture, timber and mining industries of the West. He not only changed trade; said U.S. Economics Professor, Burton Folsom, he changed the way the world worked. Hill, who was born in Canada and died in Minnesota, was interested in the development of the United States and an early advocate for the sustainable use of the nations resources, even mentioning climate change in a speech in 1909. In 1878, Hill organized a syndicate to buy a Minnesota railroad that had gone bankrupt three times. Over the span of 15 years, he blanketed the Midwests Red River Valley with lines, then pointed his rails west, crossing the Rockies and Cascades to reach Seattle. What was once derided as two streaks of rust and a right of way, Hill built into an expansive transportation network that continues today as the BNSF Railway. He sort of became a Forest Gump of his time for being a lightning rod for all these things in flux, Sadis said, adding the story is more about the evolution of America. Hill built the Montana Central Railway from Butte to Great Falls, where it connected with the Great Northern. Without the benefit of federal land grants, Hill had to build his transcontinental differently than the other railroad barons. He also had to create the market to feed his railroad, dispersing agents around the country and throughout Europe to attract tens of thousands of immigrants and settlers to the West. A considerable portion of the Great Northern now operates as the BNSF Railway. Amtrak continues to offer service on the Empire Builder passenger train. Paris Gibson, founder of the city of Great Falls, introduced Hill to the region. Hill brought investors to Great Falls to build a hydroelectric plant to power future smelting plants. Those investors included: Indiana Sen. Benjamin Harrison, meat packer Philip Armour, retail magnate Marshall Field, investor John Forbes and Charles Perkins, president of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. In episode 2, there is also a nice mention of Helena and the arrival of Hill and his wife Mary in 1887 to celebrate the railroads arrival: Today the arrival of the Hill special train was greeted in royal manner. A procession of 5,000 people marched to the depot to meet the train with flags flying and brass band music. The turnout was tremendous, and when the procession left the depot it was fully two miles long. Sadis said Hill, despite all his accomplishments, was somehow placed on the sidelines of history. His life was filled with a handful of presidents, kings and prime ministers He should be as well known as Rockefeller, Carnegie or Morgan. He somehow was dropped from pages of history." Sadis is hopeful PBS or something like Netflix picks up the documentary, but for now it will be offered for purchase on DVD or video on demand. A four-minute trailer and information on how to stream or buy the DVD can be found at: www.greatnorthernfilmworks.com. The two-DVD set is $99.99 and video on demand is $79.99. Sadis said he first wrote a one-hour script in 2001 but was unable to raise production funds through grants. In 2008, he began to underwrite the film himself, and with the help of Kegley, a two-hour script was written and nine interviews with scholars and historians were filmed. The project was shelved again until 2017, when they established Great Northern Filmworks, a nonprofit organization. Over the next five years, a shoestring budget was raised, the script evolved into a four-hour series and another 17 interviews were filmed, he said in a news release. Emily Mayer, manager of the H. Earl Clack Museum in Havre, the county seat of Hill County, was not aware of the documentary, but was excited to see it -- for several reasons. I think its fabulous, she said, adding that James Hill not only was important to Hill County, but to her family as well. She said her great-grandfather, John Mayer, was Hills right hand man, and had worked for Hill for years. John Mayer died from a job-related injury and Hill named a small town in Minnesota after him. Mayer said she knew there were several books about Hill, but had not heard of a documentary. Its going to be interesting, she said. Harness racing was the highlight of the Comal County Fair in the 1920s, but the races of November 1-3, 1930 were the last run here. E. Simons gig was trailing Humphrey when this photo was taken, but his horse prevailed and won the race. Other drivers competing were J. Ware, A. Mittendorf, and W. Sippel. These horses were pacers, their legs moving alternately right and left in lateral pairs, a difficult gait. I am surrounded by people who can speak a language completely foreign to me: the lingo of accounting. I grew up with a mother who worked in banking for decades, enjoyed bookkeeping, and felt no pangs of nausea at the thought of filing her and my fathers income taxes. I have a son who studied accounting in college, a son-in-law whos a certified public accountant, and a husband who just seems to have been born knowing all things accounting and finance related. I, on the other hand, get more out of a conversation with my babbling 1-year-old grandson than anyone talking about proprietary accounts, securities and commingling. That last one sounds R-rated. There are lots of people like my family members, folks who enjoy working with numbers and completely understand all the jargon associated with the task. And there are many who are like I am: lost. For this reason, I am in awe of a group of people who not only are whizzes at preparing taxes, but also are women and men who have big hearts and are happy to donate time and expertise to fellow humans who, like I, havent a clue. Rebecca Reeves of Conover is one of them. She and her fellow volunteer tax preparers are hoping to attract more volunteers because there are lots of people who need help, and many cant afford to pay professionals. Now, before you stop reading because you arent an accountant, let me tell you that some of the volunteers arent either. Rebecca, for example, is a retired chemist. Another volunteer used to be an elementary school principal. Rebecca said the only requirements are your time and pretty good computer skills. Nothing fancy. Mostly basics. If you choose to help out, youll get a lot of training and, ultimately, a good deal of appreciation from those you help. This will be Rebeccas 20th year of doing taxes as a volunteer. She explained that the service is connected to AARP, or the American Association of Retired Persons. At www.aarp.org, I found the following: AARP Foundation Tax-Aide provides in-person and virtual tax assistance to anyone, free of charge, with a focus on taxpayers who are over 50 and have low to moderate income. Tax-Aide volunteers are located nationwide, and are trained and IRS-certified every year to make sure they know about and understand the latest changes and additions to the tax code. Rebecca said most of the people who come for tax help are seniors who have social security and retirement benefits. Some have stocks and bonds. Some are self-employed. Some have jobs and get social security. Some own rental property. And some own no property and rent. Its amazing what some of these people live on, Rebecca shared. [Filing taxes] has gotten so complicated that the average person doesnt know how to correctly file their taxes, Rebecca pointed out. We try to get every penny we can for them Rebecca retired in 2000. She worked as a chemist but her job entailed using computers and bookkeeping. She said she began keeping books when she was only 13 and helping out her dad in his Franklin, N.C., hardware store. Currently, Rebecca works with several fellow Tax-Aide volunteers but more are needed. In an effort to stir up interest, some of the volunteers emailed me to share a little about themselves and their reasons for doing peoples taxes for free. George Quinlan said he received an MBA (Master of Business Administration) in finance from Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago while working for Union Carbide as a business analyst. He held various positions in accounting and as an IT (information technology) manager. When that division home office closed, I went to work for Silgan Corporation, retiring as plant controller in Richmond, Indiana, George wrote. My wife and I have children in the Chicago area as well as Houston, Texas. Neither area appealed to us Illinois for the snow and Texas for the heat. Through a real estate agent we ended up in Granite Falls. I volunteered for AARP Tax-Aide two years in Indiana and 12 years in Hickory. George also stated that he enjoyed contact with clients and the opportunity to keep exercising his brain. Another Hickory resident who used to live elsewhere and was a volunteer tax preparer is Bill Waldron. I do taxes for a selfish reason, he explained. It makes me feel useful and appreciated. I am also in the company of useful and appreciated people. I was in manufacturing management, both engineering and systems, for over 45 years. My only tax background was doing my own taxes. Bill added that hed done taxes for Tax-Aide in Upstate New York before moving to Hickory. Leslie Barnette, Claremont resident and current chairperson of the Catawba County Board of Education, was principal at Oxford Elementary School and Lyle Creek Elementary School before retiring in 2018 and beginning work as a volunteer with Tax-Aide. I love volunteering, she wrote, and I know others would enjoy it as well. The reasons I come back are the people both my coworkers and the people we serve. I like helping others and the sense of accomplishment that comes with serving our community. I also love working with numbers and learning new things. I like the challenge! Im grateful that God has given me the time and talents to do this service at this time. Roger Shell of Hickory described the job from which he retired as marketing executive for General Electric. He stated, Preparing tax returns for our clients gives me a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. I am able to provide a much-needed service for our clients, and that is gratifying to me. Many of our clients are not comfortable with the complicated tax returns and are happy and appreciative of our efforts. That is very satisfying for me. I am pleased that I am capable of providing tax preparation. Marty Salwen was part owner of the now-closed A. Klein & Co, Inc., in Claremont. We actually were the worlds largest heart-shaped Valentine candy box manufacturer, she emailed. In addition we created packaging for the fragrance industry, publishing and other consumer products. I continue to return each year to our AARP tax group because Im driven to volunteer and share my skills and time with others. Its my way of giving back to the community while working alongside a vibrant group of tax volunteers. I love meeting people from different backgrounds and enjoy seeing the looks of appreciation on their faces as we complete their tax returnsfor free. Anne Seitz of Granite Falls is a retired CPA. She wrote, The camaraderie amongst our group of tax volunteers and their support brings me back to meet the challenges of each tax season. Our volunteers come from many backgrounds, bringing much care and commitment to provide tax preparation to our clients. The clients are so appreciative for this free service. They, too, come from many backgrounds, providing the impetus to serve them well in all that we do. Anne continued, The opportunity to learn and grow in our expertise with the ever-changing tax requirements presents new challenges each year. Our group works diligently to meet the certification requirements. Together we help each other expand our knowledge and provide the support we need when new issues arise. We are kept young by continuously learning, interacting with others, and meeting the rigorous demands for accuracy, completeness, and timeliness of all returns. It is a joyous and fulfilling experience and a wonderful way to serve our community. So there you have it. Should you choose to volunteer, youll remain young, exercise your brain, and make lots of new friends. Training begins in November and continues into January, meeting on Fridays from 9 to 11 a.m. at West Hickory Senior Center, with a number of Fridays off for the holidays. The Catawba County Council on Aging sponsors the yearly tax preparation assistance, which takes place at a number of locations and times. Volunteers begin working with clients in early February and continue until April 13, working three days per week, usually 8:30 a.m. until 2 p.m. If you are interested in volunteering with AARP Tax-Aide, call Rebecca Reeves at 828-381-3113 or email her at reboreeves@gmail.com. You also can call the Council on Aging at 828-328-2269. Setting the record straight On a separate topic, in reference to my Sept. 18 story about Hickory Ballet & Performing Arts moving into the HDRs former building, I gave the impression that HB&PAs previous location, Foothills Gymnastics, was below par in the cleanliness department. I apologize for creating that idea. The smells associated with physically active children and teens participating in gymnastics, martial arts, and so forth are to be expected and are not a reflection of the degree to which Foothills Gymnastics owners, Shawn and Becky Bryant, strive to maintain a clean, safe, and healthy environment. My own daughter studied at Foothills Gymnastics several years ago, an experience that left her able to execute difficult movements, such as round off back handsprings. Thanks to her instructors, her cartwheels were so flawless, shed perform them on diving boards before swan diving into swimming pools. I have only good memories of this long-established, highly successful training center. Add childhood obesity to the list of problems that grew worse during the COVID-19 pandemic. While there was no clear trend of improvement prior to the pandemic, Dr. Suzanne Lazorick said, the pandemic clearly accelerated weight issues among children. There was an intense period of worsening while schools were shut down, but its now been a prolonged period of life not yet ... getting back to normal, Lazorick said. So kids who were a healthy weight tended to bump up more than they normally would during that period. The kids who were overweight or obese before that period got significantly worse over the course of that year. Lazorick, a professor of pediatrics and public health at East Carolina University, has seen evidence of the trend through her work at the ECU Pediatric Healthy Weight Research & Treatment Center in Greenville, N.C. The center treats children with obesity based on referrals from primary care doctors. She estimated the number of referrals to the center grew by 30% during the second half of 2021. Lazorick attributed that increase to children going back in for checkups and their doctors noticing concerning levels of weight gain. She said some children gained 30 pounds in a year when they should have added just five. There were also significant numbers of children gaining up to a pound a week, what Lazorick called an alarming rate of gain for an 8-year-old or a 10-year-old. Alarming is also the word Kim Pennington uses to describe what she has seen at her own clinic, the Solmaz Institute at Lenoir-Rhyne University in Hickory. The institute uses mentoring to assist school-age children and young adults. Interns work with the clinic patients to improve health through physical activity and nutrition. Since the pandemic, Pennington noted she has seen young people come in with conditions such as fatty liver. Fatty liver disease tends to be more common among older people, according to the Mayo Clinic. She attributes much of the problem to increasingly sedentary lifestyles during the pandemic, including more time spent looking at screens as well as the general loss of daily routine provided by school. Just being away from that structured school environment did a number on these kids, and they really struggled, Pennington said. Childhood obesity in NC by the numbers While there is not enough data yet to see if the childhood obesity trend has stabilized, Lazorick says she sees some signs of a potential leveling off, including fewer referrals to the center. Some of the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and other sources is from years just prior to or during the first year of the pandemic. The numbers show that while North Carolina does not have the worst childhood obesity problem in the country, there is plenty of room for improvement. Perhaps the worst piece of data: With a 19.8% rate of obesity among children aged 10 to 17, North Carolina ranks in the top 10 in the nation for obesity in that group, according to the 2019-20 National Survey of Childrens Health. The survey is conducted by the Health Resources and Services Administration Maternal and Child Health Bureau, which is part of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. The other states making up the top 10 Kentucky, Mississippi, Louisiana, West Virginia, Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas and South Carolina tend to have populations ranking toward the middle of the pack or in the lower half. North Carolina is one of only two states to place in the top 10 for both obesity in ages 10-17 and overall population, along with Texas. The state fares a bit better in data on other subgroups. Among high school-age students specifically, the state ranks 18th in obesity with 15.4% of high schoolers who are obese, on par with the national figure of 15.5%, according to 2019 data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. North Carolina is tied with Pennsylvania for the 18th spot in the data set which also includes Washington D.C. and the territories of Guam, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. North Carolinas 15.4% obesity rate for high schoolers is on par with the national figure of 15.5%. Among 2-to 4-year-olds whose families qualify for WIC, a federal program that pays for groceries considered nutritious, 14.1% were considered obese, according to 2020 CDC data. Thats a lower rate than 25 other states. Health over weight When it comes to tackling the problem of childhood obesity in North Carolina, there are not a ton of treatment options, Pennington said. You need a team approach to be effective and supportive for children and youth and thats a tough program to pull together and it can be very costly, so we dont have a lot in North Carolina, Pennington said. Some researchers on the topic of childhood obesity, such as University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill doctoral candidate Emily Welker Duffy, point to social welfare and economic programs as a means of improving the health of children and their families. Duffy specifically mentions policies promoting livable wages and expansion of programs such as food stamps and Medicaid. The last item on that list, the expansion of the Medicaid program under Obamacare, has been hotly debated for the last decade in North Carolina. North Carolina is one of 12 states opting against expanding Medicaid access to adults with incomes equal to 138% of the federal poverty rate, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation. Dr. Olga Gupta, who works with patients in the Duke University Health System, said one challenge is that the programs that are most effective tend to take significant time investments. Some families just dont have the bandwidth or the time to contribute to that, Gupta said. She added that is critical to avoid shame while in the process of trying to help children. The first step that we all need to take as health care providers and families and parents is to be able talk with children about obesity in a way thats nonjudgmental, she said. You know, to avoid the blame game and not to punish about weight or food but to really concentrate on health over weight. On Sunday, North Korea again fired a ballistic missile from near Pyongyang in the direction of the (East) Sea of Japan, the South Korean Chiefs of Staff said. According to the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the missile capable of delivering a nuclear charge traveled a distance of 600 kilometers and reached an altitude of 50 kilometers. South Koreas National Security Council (NSC) condemned Pyongyangs provocation and stated at the same time that it does not consider the missile test acceptable for any reason. According to the statement, North Koreas military activities clearly contrary to the resolutions of the UN Security Council and further inflame tensions on the Korean Peninsula and in the region. Seoul says North Korea may be preparing to launch a ballistic missile South Koreas military has detected signs that North Korea may be preparing to launch a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kisida said in a statement that Tokyo was doing everything it could to gather information about the missile launch and to ensure the safety of ships and aircraft. No injuries or damages are known at this time. South Koreas military said its chiefs of staff are consulting with U.S. military commanders on how to respond to threats posed by North Korea. South Koreas military warned on Saturday that Pyongyang may be preparing to launch a submarine-launched ballistic missile (SLBM). Seoul noticed signs of a missile launch after the US nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Ronald Reagan began heading to South Korea on Friday to take part in joint military exercises with Seoul. American nuclear aircraft carrier has reached the coast of South Korea About 28,500 US troops are currently stationed in South Korea. North Korea has accelerated its missile tests this year: since January, it has tested more than 30 short-range ballistic missiles, as well as for the first time since 2017 intercontinental weapons. The threat posed by Pyongyang is expected to remain unchanged during the visit of Kamala Harris, the vice president of the United States, to Tokyo next week. Vice President Shinzo Abe is visiting the Japanese capital on the occasion of the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. RTHK: Iran vows no leniency against protests Iran's judiciary chief vowed no leniency on Sunday against the wave of unrest that has rocked the country since the death of young Kurdish woman Mahsa Amini in the custody of the morality police. The warning from Gholamhossein Mohseni Ejei came after nine nights of protests and street clashes, and it echoed earlier comments by Iran's ultra-conservative President Ebrahim Raisi. At least 41 people have died so far, mostly protesters but including members of the Islamic republic's security forces, according to an official toll, although human rights groups say the real figure is higher. The judiciary chief "emphasised the need for decisive action without leniency" against the core instigators of the "riots", the judiciary's Mizan Online website said. Hundreds of demonstrators, reformist activists and journalists have been arrested amid the mostly night-time demonstrations that have spread to scores of cities since unrest first broke out after Amini's death on September 16. Security forces have fired live rounds and bird shots, rights groups charge, while protesters have hurled rocks, torched police cars, set ablaze state buildings, and shouted "death to the dictator". Iran's largest protests in almost three years have been led by women, triggered by anger over the Islamic republic's strictly enforced gender-based dress code. Amini, whose Kurdish first name was Jhina, was arrested on September 13 for allegedly breaching the rules that mandate tightly-fitted hijab head coverings and which ban, among other things, ripped jeans and brightly coloured clothes. Some Iranian women protesters have since removed and burnt their hijabs in the rallies and cut off their hair, some dancing near large bonfires to the applause of crowds that have chanted "zan, zendegi, azadi" or "woman, life, freedom". Iranian Academy Award-winning filmmaker Asghar Farhadi was the latest to add his voice of support for Iran's "progressive and courageous women leading protests for their human rights alongside men". "I saw outrage and hope in their faces and in the way they marched in the streets," he said in a video message on Instagram. "I deeply respect their struggle for freedom." The world has learnt of the violence largely through shaky mobile phone footage posted on social media, even as authorities have throttled internet access. Web monitor NetBlocks reported that Mobinnet, one of Iran's largest network operators, saw a "nation-scale disruption", with WhatsApp, Instagram and Skype having already been blocked. This followed older bans on Facebook, Twitter, TikTok and Telegram. Protests abroad have been held in solidarity with Iranian women in Athens, Berlin, Brussels, Istanbul, Madrid, New York and Paris, among other cities. Iran -- which is ruled by supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, 83, and which has been hit with tough economic sanctions over its nuclear programme -- has blamed "foreign plots" for the unrest. The foreign ministry said Sunday it had summoned Britain's ambassador over what it described as an "invitation to riots" by Farsi-speaking media based in London, and Norway's envoy over "unconstructive comments" made by his country's parliament speaker. Foreign ministry spokesman Hossein Amir-Abdollahian criticised "the US interventionist approach in the affairs of Iran... including its provocative actions in supporting the rioters". Iran has also organised large rallies in defence of the hijab and conservative values. Pro-government rallies were held Sunday, with the main event taking place in Enghelab (Revolution) Square in central Tehran, where demonstrators voiced support for mandatory hijab laws. "Martyrs died so that this hijab will be on our head," said demonstrator Nafiseh, 28, adding that she was opposed to making the wearing of the hijab voluntary. Another demonstrator, 21-year-old student Atyieh, called for "strong action against the people who are leading" the protests. The main reformist group inside Iran, the Union of Islamic Iran People's Party, however, has called for the repeal of the mandatory dress code. Human rights groups based abroad have sought to shine light on the turmoil rocking Iran, citing their own sources in the country. Oslo-based group Iran Human Rights has put the death toll at 54, excluding security personnel. Iranian authorities have yet to state the cause of death of Amini, who activists say died as a result of a blow to the head. Interior Minister Ahmad Vahidi has said Amini was not beaten and that "we must wait for the final opinion of the medical examiner". (AFP) This story has been published on: 2022-09-25. To contact the author, please use the contact details within the article. Ethiopian Airlines, the largest aviation group in Africa, has been named the winner of four awards at the Skytrax 2022 World Airline Awards, at a ceremony held in London on September 23. Ethiopian has taken the crown for: Best Airline in Africa 2022 for 5th consecutive years Best Business Class Airline in Africa 2022 for 4th consecutive years Best Economy Class Airline in Africa 2022 for 4th consecutive years and Best Business Class Onboard Catering in Africa Moving an incredible 11 ranks up, Ethiopian has also been placed 26th in the World's Top 100 Airlines for 2022 as voted by airline customers around the world. Ethiopian group CEO Mesfin Tasew said: We are truly honoured by the multiple prestigious awards that Ethiopian won today. It gives me great pleasure to witness such a rewarding event to the hard work Ethiopian Airlines employees and management team put in order to provide our valued passengers the best quality service. I would like to assure our customers and everyone who casted their votes in favour of Ethiopian that we will continue to provide a world class service tailored with African flavoured Ethiopian hospitality. We managed to provide our service, unbeaten by the Covid19 pandemic, the greatest challenge for the aviation industry and we will keep pace, enhancing our level of service to an even better level along the way. The World Airline Awards are independent and impartial, introduced in 1999 to provide a customer satisfaction study that was truly global. Travelers across the world vote in the largest airline passenger satisfaction survey to decide the award winners. TradeArabia News Service CHS Class of 72 reunion The Concord High Class of 1972 will celebrate its 50-year reunion on Oct. 29, from 5-10:30 p.m. at 73 & MAIN, 1467 N. Main St., Mount Pleasant. There will be a buffet dinner at 6:30 p.m. and a cash bar from 6-10 p.m., along with music and dancing. The cost is $45 per person (non-refundable). Your check/money order made payable to Delia Sherrill Moon at 22 White St. SW, Concord, NC 28027. Please note Concord High 50th Reunion on your check/money order. 55th reunion of A.L. Brown Class of 67 The A.L. Brown Class of 1967 is planning its 55-year reunion for Saturday, Oct. 8, at The Club at Irish Creek. The casual dress event will have a heavy hors doeuvres buffet and desserts. The bar will be debit and credit cards only with last call at 8:30 p.m. The cost is $35 per person and payment was due by Sept. 15. Organizers ask that you RSVP as soon as possible. Checks should be made to ALB Class of 1967 and mailed to 300 Beaver St., Landis, NC 28088. Seating will be available both indoors and on the patio. Gloves and hand sanitizer will be provided at the buffet. Masks are optional. The event is from 4-9 p.m. If you have any questions or concerns, contact Reba Smith at 707-786-2091 or rebadsmith@aim.com. MPHS Class of 1967 reunion Mount Pleasant High School Class of 1967 will celebrate its 55-year reunion on Oct. 1 from 3-7 p.m. at Bethel Bear Creek Reformed Church Fellowship Hall/Shelter, 18874 Bear Creek Church Road, Mount Pleasant. It will be casual attire. Buffet dinner at 5 p.m. RSVP as soon as possible to Bonnie Moose (bmoose2@ctc.net). It was $25/person by Sept. 17: Email Bonnie or Frances C. Helms (franceshelms@carolina.rr.com) for details about payment. A.L. Brown Class of 72 celebrates The A.L. Brown Class of 1972 will be celebrating its 50-year class reunion on Saturday, Oct. 22, from 7-11 p.m. at the Laurette Center, Kannapolis. For details and more information, call Tim Jung at 704-574-0819 or email Tim@TimJung.net. Q: Why are trees and shrubs being removed from the land around interchanges and alongside Salem Parkway? Trees and shrubs, some that bloomed beautifully in the spring and summer, have been shredded to mulch. B.J. Q: What happened to all the vegetation on Salem Parkway between the Silas Creek and Knollwood exits? It looks like someone cut back all the brush on the south side of the highway and clear cut the plantings around the Knollwood exit. M.S. Answer: The City of Winston-Salem and the N.C. Department of Transportation are cleaning up and replanting the interchanges on Salem Parkway. There have been many complaints from people about the unsightliness of the interchanges. Knollwood Street, in particular, had many people upset. Pat Ivey, the NCDOT division engineer for Forsyth County outlined the plans to improve the look of the interchanges. The original landscaping on US 421/Salem Parkway between Silas Creek Parkway and US 52 was installed in the 1990s and has become overgrown and unmanageable, resulting in numerous complaints to the City and NCDOT, he said. The money for the landscaping between Peters Creek Parkway and U.S. 52 was included in the Business 40 (now Salem Parkway) improvement project. NCDOT also received money to clean up and replant the area from Old Vineyard Road to Peters Creek Parkway, which includes the Knollwood Street interchange. The project started in June of this year with the first phase to clean up the old vegetation underway now and should be complete by the end of April 2023. The installation of new plantings can start in October 2022 with the overall project completion date of May 31, 2024. The landscape design was done in partnership with the City of Winston-Salem, who will be responsible for maintenance after the warranty period ends, Ivey said. Q: We want to settle a debate. When a song is played on the radio: 1) Who receives the royalties, the artist singing or the songwriter? 2) How much is normally paid for each song played on a radio station? R.S.K. Answer: There are several factors involved when figuring out who is due how much. Rodrick J. Enns, an attorney with Enns and Archer LLP, explained how royalties work. 1) Both the performer and the songwriter have copyrights that need to be cleared when a song is played on the radio. (Composers and lyricists can each have separate rights, for that matter.) Many copyright owners license their works through one of the collective licensing companies like BMI or ASCAP. Radio stations generally have licenses from those companies for which they pay a bulk license fee for the right to broadcast any works in the entire portfolio. The licensing company then allocates the collected license fees to the rights holders involved according to an agreed formula. 2) Because of the above arrangements, theres no way to predict exactly how much in royalties any particular play of a song on the radio generates for the performer and the songwriter. But if you were to allocate the royalties received across all of the performances, it rarely amounts to much, usually just pennies at most. Of course, that can still add up if a really popular song gets lots of plays. A man played the Virginia lottery and discovered luck runs in the family. Years after his brother scored $1 million, Danny Mudd won an even bigger prize for himself. He said he couldnt believe it when he realized his scratch-off ticket was worth $3 million, according to the Virginia Lottery. I was like, No, this cant be, he told lottery officials in a Sept. 22 news release. Mudd won his jackpot prize after stopping at a Sheetz convenience store in Sterling, about 30 miles west of Washington, D.C. While at the business Windmill Parc Drive location, he spent $20 on a ticket for the 50X The Money scratch-off game, officials said. It turns out, the ticket beat the odds to score big. Mudd opted against receiving annual installments and took his prize in a one-time payment, which amounted to $1.875 million before taxes. It hasnt sunk in yet, Mudd said in the release. Im just smiling! The moment of elation comes after Mudds brother, Terry, celebrated a Virginia Lottery win in 2019, officials wrote. Its not the first time a family has had a lucky streak. In North Carolina, a teacher won a small prize just days before her husband bought a ticket that was worth much more, McClatchy News reported in 2020. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts recently defended the integrity of the Supreme Court by offering that high-profile decisions like those in the courts last session should not lead to questions about its legitimacy. It is never a good sign when the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court must defend the institutions legitimacy. The court has always decided controversial cases and decisions always have been subject to intense criticism and that is entirely appropriate, Roberts said. But he also felt unpopular opinions should not undermine the courts legitimacy. During the last session, the conservative leaning Roberts court, on issues from climate change to immigration to the Second Amendment to the separation of church and state to abortion, flexed it judicial muscles. According to a recent Gallup poll, public opinion of this court stands at 55% disapproval. I suspect much of that is the result of high-profile rulings that run contrary to public opinion. Though the Supreme Court is not immune from public sentiment, it is not a majoritarian institution. But it does have a legitimacy perception problem. The judicial branch of government, as articulated in the Constitution, is a de facto political body. Appointments to the federal bench are made by the executive branch and confirmed with advice and consent by the legislative branchs Senate chamber. The court was hyperpoliticized when then Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell made the decision to not hold hearings for Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland in 2016, which also happened to be an election year. Some claimed Republicans were following precedent by not giving Garland a hearing while government was divided: A Democratic president and a Republican-majority legislative branch. This is mere talking point gibberish that possesses no factual basis. Heres what Sen. Lindsey Graham said in 2016 about not holding hearings for Supreme Court nominees during an election year: I want you to use my words against me. If there is a Republican president in 2016 and a vacancy occurs in the last year of the first term, you can say Lindsey Graham said, Lets let the next president whoever it might be make that nomination. But when that situation occurred in 2020, Senate Judiciary Chairman Graham laid the groundwork for Judge Amy Coney Barrett to get approved in 10 days eight days before the 2020 General Election. The political manner in which the current court achieved its 6-3 political majority cannot be ignored, but there is also a self-inflicted wound that contributes to perceptions of legitimacy. Ginni Thomas, wife of Supreme Court Associate Justice Clarence Thomas, was closely connected to more than half of the groups that lobbied the Supreme Court to overturn Roe v. Wade, which constitutionally protected womens right to abortion. According to Politico, of the 74 amicus briefs presented by conservative groups to overturn Roe, 38 had ties to Justice Thomas wife. How does this not present the optics of conflict of interests? As NYU law professor Melissa Murray stated, The Thomases are normalizing the prospect of too close an association between the Supreme Court and those who litigate before it. It is difficult to maintain the appearance of legitimacy when shrouded by political chicanery and conflict of interests. None of the aforementioned violates the law, but the strength of Americas project is grounded in perception. The court should be a non-majoritarian institution; the Constitution is a non-majoritarian document. But in Americas democratic-republican form of government, legitimacy depends as much on the journey as on the outcome. The Republican Party has won the popular vote for president once since 1988, but because of the Electoral College has won three of the eight elections, thus appointing five of the six conservative justices. In the 21st century, as the entrenched minority party, Republican politics at the federal level has invested in the instruments of minority rule as a way to ensure generational control. Success is not calibrated by its ability to be the big tent that offered market-based solutions; Republicans are now a party that too often appeals to the human conditions worst impulses as the pathway to success. If the Supreme Courts 6-3 conservative majority is viewed as an extension of Republican politics, as the evidence suggests, Chief Justice Roberts can opine all he wants about the courts legitimacy. Outside of the Republican Partys echo chamber, few will hear it; and even fewer will be convinced to the contrary. RALEIGH Violent crime is on the rise in North Carolina up 18% since 2018. Voter concern about crime is also rising. It played a key role in the 2020 elections. It will probably do so again in 2022. This is hardly the first time crime has been a hot political topic in state politics. I covered the issue as a young reporter. Indeed, on one eventful day in 1987, I became a part of the story myself. The previous year, Id completed a summer internship at the Spring Hope Enterprise, a community newspaper in Nash County. For the next two years, while completing my journalism degree at UNC-Chapel Hill, I spent many evenings, weekends and holidays at the Enterprise, working as an editor and reporter. At the end of the Spring 1987 semester, I had a few weeks to kill before heading to Washington for another internship. So I pitched in at the Enterprise. On the way to work one morning, I passed by a disheveled-looking man. A little later, I glimpsed the same man speaking animatedly to one of my Enterprise coworkers on the sidewalk outside. When I asked what happened, she explained that hed claimed to know her from high school and acted aggressively toward her. She also suggested he might be drunk. That he was. Within a few minutes, the man staggered into the office and demanded to see the young lady. Being an impetuous young man, I stood up and blocked the corridor. The man responded by punching my chest and knocking me to the floor. I wish I could say the resulting melee has earned a prominent mention in the annals of chivalry. What really happened was some shoving, some yelling and the near-instantaneous arrival of a police officer. My assailant was hauled off to jail. Not long afterward, he was hauled off back to state prison from which he had been released the very morning he attacked me! During the 1980s, North Carolina faced two related problems: rising crime and inadequate prison capacity. A group of inmates filed suit, arguing the overcrowded conditions violated their civil rights. A 1985 settlement eliminated triple-bunking in some prisons. Also that year, the legislature changed the law to allow the state to release felons 180 days before their scheduled released date. The following year, legislators liberalized the law again, allowing community service parole when an inmate had served as little as one-eight of his sentence. Then-Gov. Jim Martin, a Republican, proposed that North Carolina dramatically increase prison construction as well as the use of intensive probation and electronically monitored house arrest to divert criminals from prison. The General Assembly hadnt yet acted on Martins plan when a felon was released at 6 a.m. that May morning, attacked me around 9 a.m., and was in the slammer by noon. Because I was the only reporter available that day, I proceeded to write the story about my own assault. This prompted some consternation from the governors office when I called for a quote, though we were all chuckling by the end of the conversation. Everyone knew the leader of the North Carolina Senate, Lt. Gov. Bob Jordan, would be Martins reelection opponent in 1988. Everyone also knew crime would be a major issue in the race. Martin was pushing for the Democratic legislature to build prisons. In response, lawmakers blamed the Republican administration for mishandling the issue. You can see, then, how both sides could have spun my story to sell their narrative which is precisely what they did. In 1987, North Carolinas homicide rate was 8.1 per 100,000 residents. Its rate of aggravated assault was 352.9. As of 2020, those rates were 8.0 and 314.5, respectively. For these two offenses, at least, we are almost back to where we were in the bad old days. As for the story I wrote in 1987, whatever consternation it produced didnt keep me from writing Jim Martins biography a quarter-century later. Its the water that Ill remember, lapping and sparkling in the sun, in waves or soft undulations. Oh, the food was good. The people were nice. I found a ton of books to add to my overflowing shelves. But the water the lakes, rivers and wide sound between Currituck and Knotts Island will stay with me for some time to come. I finally made it, friends, a couple of weeks ago, out to the Inner Banks the northeastern part of the state with its flatland forests, its quiet little river towns and a scarcity of traffic lights (relatively speaking) that constantly draws me. I traveled from Elizabeth City an old friend, I call it Betty City all the way south to Little Washington, pausing along the way in Windsor, Edenton, Hertford and Plymouth then, for the first time, east across the Currituck Sound to Knotts Island. I did some hiking, ate large breakfasts and lingered over coffee, nosed around second-hand stores and sat by the water, a lot. Its been a while. The last time I was in Windsor, floodwaters had washed out the library. Now theres a new one, on higher ground. Several businesses in Betty City closed during the pandemic, but new restaurants and pubs have opened in whats called Pailins Alley, a couple blocks from the Pasquotank River. Local merchants took an unused alleyway and turned it into a mall for outdoor dining and live music. The ferry that carried me to Knotts Island was just a one-deck ro-ro ferry, good for about 10 cars, but I felt like I was on a cruise ship, standing at the bow feeling the wind push against me while heavy clouds tumbled across the sky. (Im the king of the world! I resisted yelling.) Theres not much on Knotts Island except the Mackay Island National Wildlife Refuge, the marsh-covered rest stop of migratory birds and home of indigenous snakes, where I walked a path through cordgrass and black needlerush to circle a swampy pond. Before visiting, I emailed park authorities to ask if foxes lived in the refuge. A ranger replied: Foxes are somewhat elusive on the refuge; however, it is not uncommon for them to be seen from time to time. Just like here. I didnt see any there, though. The trip there and back, along U.S. 158, was also full of mild adventures in tiny towns. The Cryptozoology & Paranormal Museum in Littleton is in a new building which, youll be surprised to hear, experiences some paranormal activity, just like the previous building. I visited Littletons Main Street Books sales benefit the local library right after a retired art teacher donated stacks of reference books, including a few on wildlife painting, with big red foxes on the front covers. Talk about serendipity. Several of the cities, including Betty City, Washington and Plymouth, had reinforced their riverside boardwalks, extensive woodworks providing firm footing for boat-docking as well as wildlife and water observation. One morning, early, I walked the boardwalk behind the College of the Albemarle in Betty City, quietly, in complete solitude. I sat at a waterfront gazebo along the southern edge. The water lapped against the wooden pilings. Sunlight reflected and shivered against the unpainted wood of the gazebos ceiling. The sound echoed gently. Time stopped. Whatever Id been thinking, that stopped, too. I dont know how long I sat there, feeling the absence of urgency and the sufficiency of the moment. Eventually it was time to go. And now Im back in the world, rushing to meet deadlines and obligations. I was disturbed to read back in August that scientists have now detected PFAS poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances, aka forever chemicals that exceed safe levels in rainwater around the globe. Its been a big problem in Eastern North Carolinas drinking water. In her recent book, Sacred Nature, religion writer Karen Armstrong talks about the connection to nature and sense of environmental responsibility expressed by proponents of every major faith tradition except for Western Christianity, which sees nature as just things. Thats sad and dangerous. For the others, nature serves as a pathway to hearing the still small voice of the inner life, she says. Not to make it sound mystical. Me, I just appreciate the sense of peace I find by the water, and also in the starry sky and in the woods of Horizons Park and Fox-a-Lago. I go there, and when I leave, I try to bring it back with me. Undermining education I hope we can all agree that public education is the bedrock of our communities and our democracy. Unfortunately, not everyone is in favor of a strong public school system. Some N.C. politicians and conservative think tanks have been pushing for the privatization of education and other ways to undermine public education. In order to achieve their goals, they dont give public schools the resources they need to be successful. They dont value teachers and staff and compensate them fairly. In 2021, 42 states spent more than North Carolina on public schools. Last year, we ranked 34th in teacher pay. Our per-student spending is 30% less than the U.S. average. In a few weeks, we will be electing new school board members. Are you paying attention? Some candidates are backed by outside conservative groups who are trying to confuse and scare us. Dont fall for it. Make sure you elect candidates who fully support public education, our teachers and staff. The future of Winston-Salem/Forsyth County schools depends on our votes. Please do your research! Valerie Brockenbrough Winston-Salem Agreement I completely agree with the other letter writers that the change to the comics and puzzles page is a disaster. I need a magnifying glass now to see the Jumble. Dagwood and Blondie have disappeared, in print and online. Why did this happen? I can only assume it is to save paper and ink costs. Whatever the reason, it is a terrible change. Rick Reed Winston-Salem Passionate Predictably, there are readers who are unhappy about the recent changes to the comics and puzzles page, but I am not among them. I appreciate the larger format of the crossword and I dont miss the comic strips that have been moved to the electronic edition. I know how to find them if I truly am interested. However, it is encouraging to observe that there are still people who are passionate about their newspaper! Donna Hatchett Winston-Salem Drawing attention I agree that Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis flew off the handle especially since he doesnt live in a border state and bear the brunt of unbridled immigration. No doubt theres a little political ambition behind his involvement. But he was right to draw attention to the problem of the porous border (Mistreating the stranger, Sept. 22). And he didnt put anyones safety at risk. He knew the asylum seekers would be seen to. Hes also right that sanctuary cities, if they believe in supporting immigrants, should do their part. Right now its the red states that are overwhelmed by too many people with no jobs and no place to go. I dont want these people to suffer. I dont want anyone to suffer. But our immigration program is broken and President Biden isnt doing enough to fix it and thats indisputable. Gary C. Parent Winston-Salem Recent cuts Weve been Journal customers for more than 50 years and seen a decline in the quality of your publication. You cut Ron Morriss birding column and now Cryptoquote and the comics. Why include the new ones, Pickles and Crabgrass and continue with The Argyle Sweater and cut out Zits, Lola and Baldo, among others? Why drop some weve become used to reading in favor of these? You dont even carry them online. Tsk, tsk! Cynthia Thompson Clemmons Fear of books A near-record 1,651 books have been challenged with bans from libraries this year, according to the American Library Associations Office for Intellectual Freedom largely books about race, gender and sexual identity. Nobody forces anyone to read these books one must decide to go to the library and check them out. The people who are challenging these books are afraid of knowledge. Theyre afraid their children will learn things they dont know and think differently from them. Theyre afraid that theyre wrong and people will learn whats right. If reading is what keeps me from being that afraid, Ill read every day. And Ill read what they tell me not to read. They should have learned long ago: Book-banners are never the good guys. Bonnie G. Vaughn Winston-Salem Warren Buffett will help light up Mahoney State Park next month. So will Oprah, Drake, JLo and 4,000 other glowing pumpkins fake and faux that will make up the parks first Jack O' Lantern World Halloween display. Traditional jack-o-lanterns. Influential women jack-o-lanterns. Famous figures jack-o-lanterns. A 45-foot dragon, a 15-foot unicorn, a U.S. flag all made from jack-o-lanterns. Youre going to see things that you would have thought people would have never put together using pumpkins, said Peter Starykowicz, whose company is staging the monthlong event. Its something that is really unique. His Illinois-based business, All Community Events, hosts races and runs and other holiday displays, like Santas Rock N Lights exhibit in Papillion. But it jumped into the jack-o-lantern business last year, hosting a show in Lake Zurich, Illinois. It was a hit. People just came out and they saw something they never expected, something like theyve never seen before. And it was an incredible experience. This year, the company expanded to four displays in four states. And that takes an army of more than 50 artisan carvers, carpenters, architects, designers and event planners who have been working for months. Some of the jack-o-lanterns are so intricate they took 20 hours to carve, Starykowicz said. For someone who's never been to something like this, its almost hard to explain, because they've never seen anything like this. At Mahoney State Park, off Interstate 80 near Ashland, guests will see 17 separate displays along a three-quarter-mile paved walking path. From one point, theyll be able to see 1,000 jack-o-lanterns at once, he said. The show runs from Sept. 30 to Oct. 30. Tickets are required and range in price from $14 to $16 for children 3 to 12, and $20 to $24 for those 13 or older. To buy tickets, and for more information, go to: thejackolanternworld.com/Omaha. But Mahoney isnt the only state park or recreation area celebrating Halloween this year: Indian Cave: Haunted Hollow, Oct. 7-8, 14-15 and 21-22 Haunted hayrack rides, trick-or-treating, outdoor movies, scavenger hunt, pumpkin rolling, craft market and campsite-decorating contest. Ponca: Hallowfest, Oct. 8, 15 Activities include crafts, a pumpkin-rolling contest, pumpkin-carving contest, haunted drive and campground-decorating contest. Details: Call the park at 402-755-2284. Johnson Lake: Halloween Haunt, Oct. 8 Pumpkin painting from 1-3 p.m. at Area C Campsite; decoration judging will begin at 6 p.m. at the main campground, with prizes going to the top three finishers. Trunk or treating will take place from 3-5 p.m. in the boat parking area. Calamus: Pumpkin Carvers Event, Oct. 15 9:30 a.m.-10 p.m. event will include pumpkin carving, games with prizes, a downhill pumpkin-rolling derby, food, campsite decorating, trick-or-treating and lighted pumpkin displays. Branched Oak: Spooktacular, Oct. 15 Middle Oak Creek Campground will host a pumpkin-rolling contest, pumpkin carving, costume contest, campsite decorating, trick-or-treating, haunted trail and haunted hayrack ride. Fremont Lakes: Oct. 15 Campers decorate campsites in a Halloween theme; children trick-or-treat from 5-7 p.m. during decoration judging. Details: 402-727-2922. Ash Hollow: Halloween in the Hollow, Oct. 22 2-6 p.m. (mountain time) event includes games, smores, pumpkin picking and decorating, a scavenger hunt, hayrack rides and a costume contest, which begins at 4:30 p.m. 5 p.m., Trunk or Treat sponsored by conservation officers, area emergency medical services and law enforcement, with their vehicles available to view. Wildcat Hills: Howl in the Hills hike, Oct. 22 This half-mile nighttime hike begins at 7 p.m. (mountain time). Hikers should bring a flashlight and hiking shoes. Register by Oct. 6 by calling 308-436-3777. Red Willow: Camp and Treat, Oct. 28-30 Campsite decorating, kids pumpkin-carving contest and trick-or-treating. Campers who bring treats for kids get reduced camping rates. After spending five days in Puerto Rico assisting in search and rescue operations following Hurricane Fiona, Nebraska Task Force 1 arrived back in Lincoln on Sunday. Lincoln Fire and Rescue Capt. Nancy Crist said in an email Sunday that the task force flew into Lincoln at about 7:30 a.m. The task force, made up of first responders and private citizens from across the state, was led by Lincoln Fire and Rescue Capt. Dan Ripley. They landed in San Juan, Puerto Rico, just after midnight on Tuesday after Fiona had made landfall on the island days prior. In a conference call with Nebraska media on Friday, Ridley said that the team faced mudslides, communications issues and "massive flooding." No injuries were reported by anyone on the crew, and Ripley did not have an exact number of rescues they aided. City leaders are asking the Lancaster County District Court, not its own Board of Zoning Appeals, to take the lead in determining if plans for the Wilderness Crossing housing development will go forward. The city's complaint, filed last week, names the Indian Center LLC, along with Kevin Abourezk, Renee Sans Souci, Erin Poor and Kathleen Danker. The defendants have led opposition to the private development adjacent to Wilderness Park and Lincoln's oldest sweat lodge that sparked controversy. Developer Sam Manzitto Jr. ultimately gained city approval earlier this year to build 162 single-family homes, 134 town homes and 205 apartments on about 75 acres south of Pioneers Boulevard between First Street and U.S. 77 purchased from the Catholic Diocese. Danker, who owns the land where the sweat lodge is located, filed an appeal of the City Councils action in Lancaster County District Court in July. The appeal to the zoning board suggests that Mayor Leirion Gaylor Baird erred in approving a project that opponents say disregarded guidance in the Lincoln-Lancaster County 2050 Comprehensive Plan, ignored environmental concerns of building next to Wilderness Park and dismissed feedback on the sites cultural and religious significance. Abourezk, part of the Niskithe Prayer Camp that set up tipis on the land in opposition to the development, believes the city's complaint is an attempt to deny their ability to appeal administrative officials' decisions that they say were made in error. "The litigation aims to silence dissent," said Rose Godinez, senior legal and policy counsel for ACLU of Nebraska. "The city of Lincoln is clearly intent on denying Native residents an opportunity to appeal a development project and to share once more how it would threaten their ability to practice their religious beliefs. We are not intimidated and we will not back down." In the complaint, City Attorney Yohance Christie says the Board of Zoning Appeals is an unelected board and does not have the jurisdiction to potentially veto a decision made by the mayor or City Council. Further, Christie says that no matter the outcome in the Board of Zoning Appeals, the city believes the upset party would take the matter to court. With Danker's appeal hearing scheduled next week, the city's complaint suggests that the zoning appeal and Danker's court action be combined to "avoid a waste of judicial resources and inconsistent rulings." A 45-year-old Lincoln man riding a motorcycle has died following a crash on West O Street on Saturday. The crash was reported around 2:30 p.m. Police said the motorcyclist was westbound when the driver of a Hyundai sedan pulled out in front of it near Southwest 20th Street. The names of the drivers were not immediately available, and no citations have been issued. For the first time in Nebraska history, a state-licensed casino opened its doors Saturday, marking the first pull of a slot machine in Lincoln. At 9:30 a.m., a half hour before the doors opened to the public, Tribal Elder and member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska's Tribal Council Ken Mallory was among the first to play a slot machine in the WarHorse Casino. "What's the difference between praying at church and praying at the casino?" Mallory joked as he pulled a slot machine alongside Wally Wollesen of the Nebraska Horsemen's and Benevolent Association. "At the casino you really mean it." By 10 a.m., over 100 guests waited outside to be some of the first inside the temporary casino to experience state-licensed gambling in Nebraska. At 10:45 a.m., just shy of 150 people were inside the 850-capacity building, with more still arriving. With the parking lots full, staff opened up overflow spaces to accommodate the morning crowd. According to Lynne McNally of horsemens group, a partner in the Lincoln casino project, that flow remained steady throughout the day, although no official numbers were yet available by 4 p.m. "I wanted to be the first through the door," said 74-year-old Monika Serie, counting down the minutes until opening on her Mickey Mouse-themed wristwatch. "I just can't wait to get in there and put my card in and have it say 'Winner!'" The initial surge was halted only by the security process, with staff checking IDs and handing out player cards as the first guests headed inside. "I'm happy to be one of the first ones in the first casino opening in Nebraska," Lincoln resident Julia Brown said. "We were really excited," her daughter, Roquayyah Brown, added. Inside, casino goers were impressed by the breadth of the space and the number of slot machines, rushing to try different ones throughout the building. Holly Glasgow, on the other hand, knew exactly where she was headed. "I have been waiting to play this machine for so long," Glasgow said, sitting in front of Huff N' More Puff a game based on the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. "I wanted to be the first one to play and win in the state of Nebraska." Six golden hard hats appeared on screen, triggering a win. Glasgow cheered, high-fiving her neighbor Lori Thomas, chief operating officer for the Nebraska Horsemen. According to Thompson, the excitement in the room was contagious as attendees celebrated having a state-licensed casino within Nebraska's borders for the first time. "We've worked so hard to get to this day that it's unbelievable, it's a dream come true," Thompson said. "For us, it's about bringing a new source of revenue to Nebraska. Watching all these people be happy is just the icing on the cake." The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission granted WarHorse Lincoln its license on Friday, a historic vote coming nearly two years after voters in the state approved casinos at the state's licensed horse racing tracks. If the casino hadn't opened this weekend, Glasgow would've found herself driving across the Iowa border to Council Bluffs, she said, adding that she was happy for the opportunity to keep the money in Nebraska. Other patrons echoed the sentiment. "We're not big gamblers, but we know how to budget our money to come out here and have a good time," Randy Homer said. According to his wife, Barbara Homer, the pair would head to Iowa casinos for special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays. With a location 10 minutes from home, she said the pair might find themselves in the casino more often, especially with the money saved on gas. "We're done with Iowa," Randy Homer said. "We're not driving up Interstate 80 to Council Bluffs when we can keep it in Nebraska." Twenty years after five people were slain in a Norfolk bank in one of the deadliest bank killings in U.S. history, the three men who shot them remain on death row with open appeals and no execution date in sight. In just 40 seconds on the morning of Sept. 26, 2002, Lola Elwood, Lisa Bryant, Jo Mausbach and Samuel Sun, employees at the US Bank branch in the northeast Nebraska town, and a customer at the counter, Evonne Tuttle, had been gunned down, the terrible crime captured on video and in the accounts of two employees who survived the nightmare. Jose Sandoval walked to the front, quickly shooting Sun, Tuttle and Mausbach. Erick Vela and Jorge Galindo went to offices on either side, Vela shooting Bryant and Galindo shooting Elwood, then firing at a customer who started to walk in. The three left empty-handed as the five died. Police later would describe the acrid smell of spent gunpowder and blood heavy in the air when they arrived. Within hours, Sandoval, Galindo and Vela would be locked up for it after stopping at a McDonald's in O'Neill, 75 miles away. But nothing else in the cases has happened quickly. The three ultimately landed on death row, Sandoval and Galindo after being found guilty at trial and Vela after pleading guilty. Separate three-judge panels found their crimes warranted death sentences. Then came automatic appeals, all rejected. But in the years since, legal twists complicated matters. First, a U.S. Supreme Court decision over how it's determined who gets life versus death. Then, Nebraska lawmakers' repeal of the death penalty in 2015, which voters reinstated the next year. Attorneys argued the sentences for everyone on the state's death row had been commuted to life in prison. And they've raised dozens of other issues that they say should lead to a new trial or a life sentence rather than death for them. In March 2019, the state filed a response in Sandoval's case arguing the district judge should deny his motion for post-conviction relief without a hearing. "The case files and records affirmatively show that the defendant is entitled to no relief," Solicitor General James Smith wrote. But court records indicate in the three and a half years since the filing, District Judge Geoffrey C. Hall of Fremont has yet to rule either way. In Vela's case, his attorney, Jerry Hug, told a federal court judge this May that he anticipated progression of the state court proceedings "with the understanding that the state court records of the petitioners capital case are voluminous and have necessarily involved considerable time to gather, review and organize. Additional time will be required for briefing, submission, and a state court decision." And Hug referenced a number of postconviction cases pending resolution in the Nebraska Supreme Court, including Galindo's. At oral arguments Sept. 1, Adam Sipple, Galindo's attorney, tried to convince the justices that a district court judge was wrong to deny a hearing on a motion for post-conviction relief. In a 138-page motion filed in 2019, he detailed a laundry list of issues, including the state's last-minute disclosure it was going to present evidence of Galindo's alleged involvement in the death of Travis Lundell, a 21-year-old who had gone missing a month before the bank robbery, in pursuit of a death sentence. "When Mr. Galindo's sentencing case is assessed and evaluated consistent with the law and consistent with the Constitution, his youth, his confession, his cooperation and his demonstrated remorse provide a strong case to spare him from execution," Sipple said. He said there were two huge issues that could have led to a life sentence if the sentencing panel had known. One, his trial counsel's failure to introduce the evidence of remorse. And two, his failure to argue Galindo's youth as a mitigating factor. Sipple said defense counsel at sentencing left sworn deposition testimony in his file from, among others, a captain at the jail who told a defense investigator that Galindo expressed remorse to him and another jail deputy, and testimony from a teacher who said he was immature and easily influenced by others. He also raised issues over a criminal investigation by the Nebraska State Patrol of the lead prosecutor, Madison County Attorney Joe Smith, "including his associations with drug-dealing suspects he called as jailhouse informants against Galindo." But Justice Jonathan Papik said, even if they found that trial counsel had been deficient and that the panel shouldn't have considered Lundell as an aggravator, "Wouldn't we then have to ask 'Well, is there prejudice?'" Is there a reasonable probability that the outcome would be different, he asked. Sipple agreed, but said the allegations created legitimate issues warranting an evidentiary hearing, which would lead to findings. On the other side, James Smith, the solicitor general, said even if the sentencing panel didn't consider the Lundell evidence and did consider Galindo's youth and remorse, it wasn't sufficient to outweigh all the aggravating circumstances. "In short, if you go in and murder five innocent people saying that 'Gee, I shouldn't get the death sentence because I really didn't kill the sixth,' that doesn't really indicate a prejudicial error in the sentencing that would justify having a futile evidentiary hearing," he argued. The Supreme Court hasn't yet ruled. Norfolk Mayor Josh Moenning wasnt living there on Sept. 25, 2002. But as a native of the area, I precisely recall the shock and bewilderment I experienced upon hearing the news, he told the Journal Star on Friday. Moenning called it an unthinkable horror that sent shockwaves throughout the community and entire state. Norfolks response, though, was telling, he said. Immediately the community embraced the victims families, supported their needs, and recognized the importance of honoring their loved ones legacies. "Ultimately created in the place of these heinous crimes was a place of solace and peace a natural landmark that to this day welcomes travelers on U.S. Highway 81 with a profound message: love and community always outlasts hate and violence. OMAHA Two people were killed and four others were injured in a three-vehicle crash in Bellevue on Friday evening. According to the Bellevue Police Department, officers were dispatched to the intersection of Cornhusker and Fort Crook roads shortly before 8:15 p.m. for reports of a crash. The preliminary investigation indicates that a Honda Odyssey was southbound on Fort Crook Road when it ran a red light and struck two cars, a GMC Envoy and a Kia Sorento, both traveling east on Cornhusker Road. Victor Munoz Garcia, a 30-year-old passenger in the Odyssey, and 23-year-old Kirsten Fritz, the driver of the GMC, were both killed, according to the police department. Garcia was pronounced dead at the scene. Fritz died at Nebraska Medical Center. All three occupants of the Kia Sorento Sally Harrington, 38; Ladell Harrington, 46; and an unidentified 16-year-old girl were injured and taken to Nebraska Medical Center. The driver of the Odyssey, 33-year-old Maria Diaz Castelan, was also injured and taken to the hospital. No citations or charges have been issued. OMAHA The Archdiocese of Omaha is not alone in attempting to tackle the gender identity issue in its schools, or in getting blowback for it. Other bishops across the country in Springfield, Illinois; Arlington, Virginia; Green Bay, Wisconsin; Sioux Falls, South Dakota; and in the state of Minnesota, to name a few have penned similar policies anchored in church teaching to guide their schools and parishes. Like in Omaha, those policies were criticized but also praised by Catholics glad to see their church leaders affirm Catholic teaching. The disputes come as a divided America wrestles to establish the right path forward on a highly emotional issue that both sides say can have life-altering consequences for children and families. John Grabowski, a Catholic theologian with Catholic University of America in Washington, said the challenge for church leaders writing the policies is to embrace church teaching while also welcoming people who are experiencing gender dysphoria. Gender dysphoria is widely described as a feeling of mismatch between ones biological sex and the gender with which one identifies, which can cause the person distress or discomfort. The church has to be true to what scripture gives us, and what we believe about the human person, said Grabowski, author of the book Unraveling Gender: The Battle Over Sexual Difference. But we have to present it in a way that can be heard as an invitation to love, an invitation to healing, not we dont want you. That is not just a tall task but an impossible one in the eyes of Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director for DignityUSA, an organization that supports the full inclusion of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and intersex people in the church and society. She is a married lesbian Catholic with two adopted children, one who is transgender. How do you feel at all at home in a church that recognizes you only as a sinner, as deeply flawed, only as the technical term is objectively disordered, as a threat to the family, Duddy-Burke said. She said that church teachings need to be drastically changed and that the LGBTQIA community and families need to be in the forefront of what is deemed an acceptable teaching. The Archdiocese of Omaha policies, originally intended to take effect Jan. 1, covered the use of pronouns, dress codes and participation in sports, saying those should be determined by biological sex at birth. They also banned gender-affirming psychotherapy, use of hormone medications and surgery, all things that run counter to Catholic tenets on human sexuality. The policies said that students, parents and volunteers who did not abide by church teaching could be dismissed from school or lose their jobs. Omaha Archbishop George Lucas delayed implementation after some critics, among them Catholics, objected. Several religious-order high schools, including Creighton Prep, Omaha Mercy, Omaha Marian and Omaha Duchesne, said they would not adopt the policies, citing a different governance structure from archdiocesan schools that they said allows them to make their own rules. Lucas wrote that the archdiocese plans to share a revised policy by the end of the calendar year for inclusion in handbooks for the 2023-24 school year. The revised policy, taking account of feedback, will be more clearly focused and will not compromise the teachings of Jesus Christ and the church, Lucas wrote. Deacon Tim McNeil, chancellor of the Archdiocese of Omaha, said the initial policies were based on the Catechism of the Catholic Church, as well as statements from popes and the Vaticans education arm. The Catholic Diocese of Lincoln does not have a written policy specifically addressing gender identity in schools, according to Dennis Kellogg, director of communications for the diocese. Kellogg said the diocese follows guidance from long-held church teachings, the Catechism of the Catholic Church, other church documents and sacred scripture. Last winter, Bishop James Conley addressed gender in a column urging people to oppose a City of Lincoln ordinance adding sexual orientation and gender identity to a list of protected classes. He wrote that children are especially harmed when they are told that they can change their sex, further, when they are given hormones that will affect their development and possibly render them infertile as adults. Yet, he wrote, people who are confused about their gender and identity deserve mercy and compassion. He wrote that mercy without truth is a false kind of mercy, a mere sentimentalism. And truth without mercy is a cold and cruel dictate that does not recognize the struggles and weaknesses of our fallen humanity. The emergence of gender identity policies at the diocese level can be traced to a perceived lack of direction from the upper echelons of the Catholic Church, according to Grabowski, a professor of moral theology and ethics who has served as a theological adviser to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Pope Francis appointed him in 2015 to serve as an expert at the Synod of Bishops on the Family. In 2009, he and his wife were appointed by Pope Benedict XVI to the Pontifical Council for the Family. Grabowski said the U.S. bishops had prepared an instruction about four or five years ago on how to deal with gender identity in Catholic parishes, schools and institutions. Grabowski was an adviser to the bishops working on the instruction, which he described as very detailed and very charitable. But the bishops heard that the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in Rome was working on its own document. The bishops didnt want to get out ahead of the Vatican, so they put theirs on the shelf. Then the Vatican ended up not moving forward on its document, which left a vacuum on how to implement church teaching more concretely, he said. So now what you have are individual bishops who see this problem in their Catholic hospitals and their Catholic schools, and are saying, Well, if we as a conference cant say something, and if the Vatican isnt going to say something more on this right now, then were going to have to try to give some policy guidance for the Catholic institutions in our diocese, he said. Grabowski said gender identity has been addressed by Popes Francis and Benedict and explained in a 2019 document issued by the Vaticans education arm, the Congregation for Catholic Education. The church has delivered a very strong no to the assertion that gender is a personal choice, he said. Theres some room, however, for prudential judgment in how church teaching is applied and implemented in a Catholic institution, he said. One of Pope Benedicts clearest statements on gender was in his final Christmas address to the Vatican bureaucracy, the Roman Curia, in 2012, Grabowski said. Benedict said that gender ideology calls into question the very notion of being of what being human really means. In a 2016 document, Pope Francis spoke of various forms of an ideology of gender that denies the difference and reciprocity in nature of a man and a woman and envisages a society without sexual differences, thereby eliminating the anthropological basis of the family. This ideology, he wrote, leads to educational programs and legislation that promote a personal identity and emotional intimacy radically separated from the biological difference between male and female. Consequently, Francis wrote, human identity becomes the choice of the individual, one which can also change over time. Francis emphasized that biological sex and the socio-cultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated. In 2019, the Congregation for Catholic Education explained church teaching in a document aimed at educators. The document, Male and Female He Created Them, carries some weight, but not the same weight as a papal exhortation or encyclical, Grabowski said. It affirmed what the popes said. Biological and medical science, it said, shows that dimorphism division into distinct male and female forms can be demonstrated by fields such as genetics, endocrinology and neurology. Male cells differ from the moment of conception from female cells, it said. But the document left room for medical professionals to intervene when a persons sex is not clearly defined. In such situations, parents cannot make an arbitrary choice on the issue, let alone society, it said. Instead, medical science should act with purely therapeutic ends, and intervene in the least invasive fashion, on the basis of objective parameters and with a view to establishing the persons constitutive identity. Grabowski said the science is on the churchs side. He said the church has to come up with a way to accompany people who are struggling but do it in a way that doesnt disrupt the identity and reality of the school or the parish as a whole. The people who are struggling with their identity are looking for love and acceptance and should be offered more than just a surgical quick fix, Grabowski said. We need to help them find that wholeness and healing elsewhere, through appropriate psychological intervention and through friendship and welcome and acceptance within the Christian community, he said. Duddy-Burke, who describes herself as Catholic to my core, says the church has it wrong. I love the churchs liturgy. I love the sacraments, I love the good that it does in the world, and I am pained every single day by the amount of trauma it is inflicting on my people. And we need to hold the entire church accountable and press for changes. Policies that require kids to be identified by their biological sex at birth are incredibly dangerous to people with gender identity issues because they suppress their identity, she said. She said shes worked with adults who recognized as children they were in the wrong body but spent decades trying to live according to the gender they were born into rather that the gender they believed themselves to be. And much of that was because of their religion, she said. Much of that was trying to pray the otherness away for many years, and it just didnt work. The Vaticans view on gender is simplistic and outdated, she said. Depicting gender dysphoria as something people can turn on and off at a whim, and make it a choice, is dismissive of what is widely understood to be a reality of the human condition for some people, she said. Polling by the Pew Research Center earlier this year showed Americans are divided about the fluidity of gender, but the percentage who believe gender is determined by ones sex at birth has grown in recent years. Six in 10 U.S. adults polled said that whether a person is a man or a woman is determined by their sex at birth. That was up from 56% one year ago and 54% in 2017, the survey said. Among Catholics in the U.S., 62% said a persons gender cannot differ from sex at birth. That number was up from 52% a year earlier and 51% in 2017. The survey found that 37% of U.S. Catholics believe society has gone too far in its acceptance of transgender individuals up from 27% in 2017. In contrast, a solid majority of atheists and agnostics responded that whether a person is a man or a woman can be different from their sex at birth. Duddy-Burke said theres a contradiction when Pope Francis calls on church members to accompany all people a word the church uses for welcoming and helping but he doesnt change church teaching. Its really hard to know how these things can coexist welcoming and affirming people without characterizing us as greater sinners, or as incomplete human beings or flawed human beings, in denying us full range of access to the church sacraments, Duddy-Burke said. Duddy-Burke said shes glad Archbishop Lucas plans to revise the policies. I appreciate the fact that he has heard the cries of the community, and I really hope that he enters into genuine and productive dialogue with people, she said. I always think that thats a really important part of the process and left out too often. Marcee Metzgers passion for helping victims of sexual and domestic abuse hasnt waned one bit over the past five decades. In 1976, as an enthusiastic University of Nebraska-Lincoln student, she answered her first call on a rape crisis line started by the Lincoln Coalition Against Rape. One day in 1977, Metzger received a call from a woman that would spur her on to seek out solutions that didnt exist at the time. The woman told Metzger that her husband had come to her workplace and raped her, and she was terrified he would kill her. Metzger met with the woman and started contacting law enforcement and community resources like the Victims Witness Unit at the Lincoln Police Department to come up with a plan to keep her safe. At the time, the county could only offer an overnight jail stay or a bed at a family shelter on the outskirts of Lincoln. Over the next few days, Metzger had conversations with former Police Chief Tom Cassidy, a detective working what would become a homicide case when the womans husband went on a three-day, three-state rampage. Im there as an advocate, asking what can we do? How can we do something different? Metzger recalled. We dont have anything, said the police chief. But changes were coming at the national level. In 1978, Metzger got a call from the Governors office asking her to testify at the National Civil Rights Consultation on Spouse Abuse before Congress. That same year, Congress passed domestic violence legislation that made money available for services and shelters. As a graduate student, Metzger became the coordinator of the Womens Resource Center on campus. The Center offered counseling, sexual harrassment support, child care and womens health resources. Metzger was one of the organizers of the Take Back the Night march, designed to raise awareness that women were more likely to be raped by someone they knew than a stranger. Growing up in a loving family with two parents who never fought in front of her, sexual and domestic abuse were hard to fathom for Metzger. I couldnt even imagine the inhumanity of one person to another. It was so surprising to me, she said. In 1989, Metzger became executive director of the Rape/Spouse Abuse Crisis Center, which changed its name to Voices of Hope in 2007. Over her 33 years as executive director, Metzger has met with thousands of women at hospitals and Voices of Hope, which provides confidential crisis intervention services. Last year, Voices of Hopes 30 staff members helped more than 2,300 women and 300 men struggling to get out from under the oppression of abuse. A 24/7 crisis hotline allows victims to call in and get needed support. Advocates are also available to meet with victims face-to-face to walk them through next steps. Metzgers mission for nearly 50 years has been to speak on behalf of the abused and be a champion for education, collaboration and solutions. How can we have this level of trauma and violence against women and children without doing something about it? she asked. Ive never been able to stop, because this problem hasnt gone away. To her, the key question is Are we going to keep the victim at the center and hold the abuser accountable? Metzger noted there has been progress during her tenure. In 1994, the U.S. Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act, which provided $1.6 billion toward investigating and prosecuting violent crimes against women, imposed automatic and mandatory restitution, and allowed victims to bring a civil suit when their cases were not prosecuted. The act also funded a Lincoln police officer, prosecuting attorney, advocate for Voices of Hope, and resulted in forming the Family Violence Council in 1996. That same year, Metzger and Voices of Hope helped form community response teams (one for domestic violence, one for sexual assault and one to assess threats). A Voices of Hope representative attends each of the monthly team meetings, which encourage collaboration between law enforcement, health care providers and other key groups involved with sexual assault and domestic abuse cases. Teams focus on the latest statistics, what is working, what laws are needed to further protect victims and how to boost public awareness, Metzger explained. The goal is to identify gaps and adapt community response systems to enhance victim safety and hold perpetrators accountable. Bob Moyer, executive director of the Family Violence Council since 1996, has worked with Metzger on these coordinated response teams and a couple dozen grants over the years. He called Metzger an exceptional community leader whos made a tremendous difference. Her vision and understanding of the need and the changes that are needed, and how to do that so its empowering, is amazing, Moyer shared. I think its motivated staff and community members. Moyer added that Metzgers vision goes beyond improving Voices of Hopes response to how to help the community serve abuse victims and end abuse. She has a way of uniting people around goals and finding common ground, added Sexual Assault Services Coordinator/Advocate Marla Sohl. Yet at the core, Metzger never loses her focus. She is always coming back down to How do the decisions we make affect our clients? Sohl shared. Both Sohl and current Voices of Hope Board Chair Michelle Sitorius noted that Metzger continues to take crisis line shifts to stay in touch with client needs. And at board meetings, Sitorius said, She (Metzger) comes with all of these ideas, and shes already talked to the partners and found solutions. Its apparent all the work shes done to make sure those relationships are stable. Metzger has done a good job reaching out into the community to network with all populations, Sitorius continued. Voices of Hope partners with close to 200 community agencies and organizations. Agreements range from sharing grants to sharing responsibilities for offering services. One example is how Voices of Hope provides case managers at El Centro de las Americas, Asian Community & Cultural Center and the Malone Center. As Metzger prepares to retire at the end of this year, she is reflecting on how the community needs to hear not only her voice, but the voices of some of those who Voices of Hope collaborates with to fulfill its mission. We thought it was important to start a dialogue with the community, Metzger said. The series of 18 videos titled Whos the Voice? Whats the Hope? is designed to give people a better view of the breadth and depth of Voices of Hopes strategic partnerships in both the public and private sectors, said board member and marketing committee member Linda Major. The video campaign can be accessed at vohlnk.org. As Metzger departs, she takes with her nuggets of wisdom that shes recorded in journals over the past 47 years. She hopes to put them into a tangible work to share with others in the field. Metzger is also crafting a mystery that features characters who are domestic violence victims that portrays their resilience. Metzgers own resilience has been witnessed by many, including Major, a friend who goes way back to their high school days at Lincoln Southeast. I truly have seen her live her commitment to this cause, both personally and professionally, said Major. If you or someone you know is a victim of domestic abuse or sexual assault, help is available. Voices of Hope - Office line: (402) 476-2110 - Crisis line: (402) 475-7273 Love is Respect - Call (866) 331-9474 or text LOVEIS to 22522 National Domestic Violence Hotline - Call (800) 799-7233 or text START to 88788 For me, fall in Nebraska is one of the best times of the year to spend outdoors. It is my favorite season. If you are looking for new and different opportunities where you can have fun, burn calories, get more Vitamin D, remain active, maintain fitness and get some fresh air, there is scarcely a better time of year to keep yourself and your family busy and healthy. Hiking, walking, running, peddling, pushing and pulling are even more enjoyable when the temperature is lower and the scenery is at its most beautiful. Here are a variety of creative ideas for stepping outside during autumn. * Pick pumpkins at a local farm or pumpkin patch. * Take a stroll along a haunted trail or through a corn maze. * Go on a hayrack ride, perhaps its a haunted hayrack ride. * Attend a bonfire gathering, roast hot dogs or marshmallows for smores. * Decorate your campsite in a festive Halloween fashion. * Plan a picnic when there is warm sunshine and slight, cool breezes. * Head out for a weekend stay at a Nebraska state park area; the crowds have left, the weather is cooler, the nights are excellent for sleeping under the stars, the fall colors are apparent and there are still plenty of activities to enjoy such as fall camping, hiking, biking, fishing, geocaching, nature journaling, wildlife watching and more. * Check the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission website calendar for state park events. Naturalist programs, bird-watching expeditions, living history demonstrations, fun Halloween functions and other themed activities can make getting some fresh air and activity even more enjoyable. * Try accessible parks and trails in your area that you havent yet explored. Visit state, city or Natural Resources District websites to get information. * Embed yourself in nature and fall foliage colors by floating a nearby water trail (stretch of river) by kayak or canoe. * Plan a fall fishing trip. Try for stocked 10-inch rainbow trout in a public water not far from your home. Fish northern and western Nebraska trout streams. Participate in the Trout Slam. Autumn is a great time to catch many different species of fish as they vigorously feed to build up fat reserves for the coming winter months. * Broaden your hunting knowledge, refresh your hunting skills and pursue a game species you have not harvested, or complete the Upland Slam or Duck Slam challenges. Take a white-tailed doe for deer management purposes on private land and perhaps donate it to someone who is need of lean, healthy protein. Introduce somebody new to the lifestyle of hunting through our Take em Hunting program. Forage for tasty, edible wild fall nuts, fruits and mushrooms. Being active, staying fit and eating healthy are all important to ward off the sedentary accumulation of pounds and feel great. Dont wait until the new year to make promises. Start early with the beauty of fall as your guide for overall wellness. Venture outdoors for an autumn adventure this year in Nebraska. 1872: The Lincoln City Council authorized installation of 40 posts to hold gas street lamps. 1882: New courses at the University of Nebraska made it necessary to hold the first afternoon recitations. 1892: Lincoln withdrew from contention as host for the next meeting of the Grand Army of the Republic. The Union military veterans organization decided to encamp at Indianapolis. 1902: The new St. Elizabeth Hospital at 11th and South streets was nearing completion. 1912: New cadets were arriving daily to attend the Nebraska Military Academy west of Lincoln. 1922: Seventy-five knights of the Ku Klux Klan marched down the main street of Nebraska City, complete with robes, fiery crosses and flags. Authorities reported the group appeared from a side street, marched up a main street and disappeared. Four firemen were overcome by smoke while fighting a fire in a stable at 233 S. 10th St. 1932: Democratic presidential candidate Franklin D. Roosevelt and U.S. Sen. George W. Norris, speaking in McCook, joined in assailing Republican leadership. The next day in Sioux City, Iowa, Roosevelt accused President Herbert Hoover of leading "the greatest spending administration in peacetime in all our history. " 1942: U.S. Sen. George W. Norris, originally elected as a Republican and later as an independent, asked that his name be placed on the ballot for re-election after petitions requesting it had been signed by 18,000 Nebraska voters. The Army's Mead ordnance plant was expected to be completed within 60 days, far ahead of schedule. 1952: Late-running trains delayed opening of the 32nd annual reunion of Burlington employees. 1962: Lincoln's immunization against polio was completed after 96,135 people finished the third in a series of oral Sabin Type II doses. 1972: Lincoln's city sales tax went from 0.5 percent to 1 percent as city authorities sought to avoid raising property taxes. The city tax was in addition to a 2.5 percent state sales levy. 1982: The Lafayette Apartments building in Lincoln was razed to make way for the convention center, parking garage and atrium portions of the Cornhusker Square project. The city of Bayard and the First National Bank of Bayard announced plans to erect lights at Chimney Rock to make the towering landmark visible during the evening. A timer would turn the lights on at dusk and off at 11 p.m. 1992: Plans were being proposed to enclose the open-air Gateway Mall, relocate the food court, build a department store on the mall's north side, add two parking structures, demolish Gateway North and relocate J.C. Penney in the expanded mall. 2002: A Norfolk bank robbery received national attention when five people were killed. RACINE They didnt know much about the topic but jumped at the chance to grow vegetables inside Horlick High School. In March, Horlick staff members Kelly Goggins and Ana Moreno were asked if they were interested in having hydroponic growers at the school. Absolutely, replied Goggins, Horlick business and culinary arts academy principal. Goggins figured it was a great opportunity to provide a hands-on activity for students, who could also learn about nutrition, food science and culinary arts. Using federal grant money, the school purchased four hydroponic growers. First, Goggins and Moreno, Horlick business and culinary arts academy counselor, spent a couple very stressful months learning how the growers worked, said Goggins. Culinary pathway students began working with the growers near the end of the 2021-22 school year and even sold homegrown salads on Fridays. Hydroponic means growing plants using liquid nutrients instead of soil. Seeds receive 24 hours of light and water every day, and the growers can produce 28 pounds of produce in 28 days. The hydroponic growing systems require constant maintenance to make sure water levels are correct, seeds are planted properly and equipment has not moved. Students planted and grew a variety of vegetables, which could be eaten on their own or serve as versatile ingredients for dishes like breakfast burritos. Horlick staffers wanted to plant as many different seeds as possible so students could stretch themselves. Giving kids the opportunity to experience different ingredients and what you can do with different ingredients just widens their horizons, Moreno said. Goggins said students were unfamiliar with some of the produce and initially reluctant to try it, but that changed once they tasted items like hummus (primarily made from chickpeas) and basil pesto. They didnt want to eat it at first; then they devoured it, Goggins said. Once students understood they had an active role in growing the plants, they became engaged and had friendly competitions about who could produce the best vegetable. When kids feel like theyre growing something, Moreno said, when they feel like theyre needed here at school, like, This is my section of plants. I can make sure that those grow, theres that extra level of buy-in. Staffers said the most rewarding part was seeing students excitement for growing and cooking. Moreno loved the proud looks on students faces when they made a tasty item that someone else enjoyed. Moreno and Goggins said working with hydroponic growers ideally helps students have ownership over their work and enjoy healthy food, which can be beneficial for the rest of their lives. Hydroponic vegetables could play a small role in providing access to healthy food, especially in urban areas like Racine. More than 70% of Horlicks students are considered economically disadvantaged. Living in a food desert here, its not super easy for people to get to some place that will offer healthy food, Moreno said. These are lifelong skills Were trying to teach that importance of not only eating healthy, but that healthy food can taste delicious. Details still need to be determined, but Goggins and Moreno said they plan to make some of the school produce available to local residents in the near future. Why not give back to the community if we can? Moreno said. The 2022-23 school year started a few weeks ago, and students began working with hydroponic growers this month. The four growers will likely be on staggered 28-day cycles so that fresh greens are available every week. Staffers will assist in the first few growing sessions, but Moreno said students should be able to get into a groove by the end of the school year and lead the hydroponic process. Hydroponic growing is a new aspect of school curriculum, but there are plans for it to become more integrated. Moreno said hydroponic growing is intended to be the foundation of a capstone project for seniors in the business and culinary arts academy, since it can involve all four pathways: culinary, business, marketing and accounting. For example, culinary students grow the plants, business students could distribute some of the products, marketing students could raise awareness about the food options and accounting students could track sales. After jumping into a new topic, staff and students have grown together over the past six months. Were living and learning, Goggins said. RACINE Body camera footage shows a Racine County Sheriffs Office deputy arresting a Black man after using a police dog and Taser to apprehend him as he ran from a traffic stop. The August 2018 interaction resulted in the Racine man, Deandre R. McCollum, filing a federal lawsuit against RCSO Deputy Edward Drewitz and Racine County. The civil suit is still pending, and a trial is scheduled for next month. In the lawsuit, which was filed March 2021, McCollum claims Drewitz violated his Fourth Amendment rights and used excessive force while apprehending him. Kelly Scroggins-Powell, executive director of Racine Women for Racial Justice, was heartbroken but not surprised by the video. She said the encounter between McCollum and Drewitz illustrates a larger issue involving police and people of color. It is about the DeAndre McCollums: African-American men in Racine County who face excessive use of force when they encounter law enforcement, in particular Racine County Sheriffs Department, Scroggins-Powell said. The county denies all allegations. It is calling McCollums injuries superficial and asserted Drewitzs qualified and discretionary immunity. In response to an email seeking comment for this article, an RCSO spokesperson sent The Journal Times the letter that Sheriff Christopher Schmaling released in July 2021. I have complete faith in our community and our court system that when all facts are presented and thoroughly reviewed, the court will conclude the quick and brave actions taken by Deputy Drewitz and K-9 was well within his training and experience and completely an appropriate use of force to stop a very dangerous and resistive suspect, Schmaling wrote in the letter. I refuse to allow ridiculous and frivolous lawsuits such as this derail my commitment and top priority being the safety of my deputies and citizens we are sworn to protect. See for yourself Body camera video of the Aug. 13, 2018, incident has been uploaded to YouTube. See it at bit.ly/3Se3qOu Committee discusses behind closed doors McCollums lawsuit against Drewitz was one of four lawsuits discussed in closed session Wednesday during a Racine County Finance and Human Resources Committee meeting. The closed session lasted about an hour, and the committee did not take action on any lawsuits. We received an update, but we are taking no action, said Supervisor Robert Miller, committee vice chairman. In the lawsuit, McCollum requested damages for physical pain, emotional pain, punitive damages and attorney fees in an amount to be determined by a jury in all three cases. McCollum claims that Drewitz allowed his K-9 partner to repeatedly bite McCollum on the legs, shoulder and arm even after McCollum was handcuffed on the ground. As a Black woman and mother of a Black man, Scroggins-Powell said she was devastated to see another human treated how McCollum was. I had to watch a person, a human being, lay on the ground, handcuffed, begging and pleading with a sworn officer whose job it is to protect and serve to call the dog off, Scroggins-Powell said of the body camera video. I watched him scream in pain as the dog tore into his leg. Lawsuit update Jacob Sosnay, the attorney representing Drewitz and the county, argued McCollum was the person breaking the law by driving with tinted windows, endangering the public by fleeing from law enforcement and having marijuana. McCollum ended up pleading guilty to two felonies, possession of marijuana and fleeing police, and spending two years in prison. Sosnay filed a motion to dismiss all of McCollums claims earlier this month. McCollums attorney, Mark Thomsen, requested that the judge deny the motion to dismiss. The judge has not ruled yet on the motion. The case is scheduled to go to a jury trial beginning Oct. 17. If there is a trial, Scroggins-Powell believes the evidence will show that DeAndre McCollum showed no threat to Deputy Drewitz and that it was unreasonable that any person already on the ground handcuffed should continue to be tased and bitten by a K-9. The arrest On Aug. 13, 2018, Drewitz reported that he observed a person get into a vehicle and get out again with a pizza box. The driver of the vehicle was McCollum. Suspicious, Drewitz attempted to conduct a traffic stop on the vehicle being driven by McCollum purportedly because the window tint on his vehicle was too dark. The deputy alleged that a vehicle pursuit ensued on Main Street that reached speeds of 65 mph before McCollum swerved to miss another vehicle and crashed. McCollum, who was unarmed, fled on foot but fell to the ground with the K-9 on his heels, after which he was repeatedly bitten. A search of the vehicle after the arrest turned up marijuana. Scroggins-Powell noted that marijuana possession is a nonviolent offense. McCollum still greatly impacted by incident Scroggins-Powell said justice for McCollum would entail fair compensation for what happened. Scroggins-Powell spoke with McCollum Wednesday and said the impact of that August 2018 day remains with him. No person goes through that and (doesnt) have some type of long-lasting trauma, Scroggins-Powell said. He has physical injuries. The emotional impact, the devastation on his life, on his familys life, the interruption of his life. I cant speak for him, but he is still greatly impacted by this. Scroggins-Powell said justice could also include discipline for Drewitz so that he understands what is expected of him as a law enforcement officer in this community. Schmaling wrote in his letter that Drewitz exemplifies the core values of professionalism in law enforcement and is highly regarded by his peers. Asking for more accountability On a wider level, Scroggins-Powell said the Racine County Sheriffs Office needs to review its policies, practices, procedures and training. We need to look at those, and we need to admit we have policies and practices and procedures in place that give our law enforcement officers carte blanche to treat human beings this way over nonviolent crimes, Scroggins-Powell said. It needs to change, and our stakeholders need to be held responsible for that change. As part of an August 2021 public letter, Racine Women for Racial Justice asked Schmaling for records on: RCSO policies on using K-9s and Tasers. The number of people, along with their race and ethnicity, apprehended by the RCSO with use of Tasers from 2018-2020. The number of people, along with their race and ethnicity, apprehended by the RCSO with use of K-9s from 2018-2020. Every excessive use of force report by the RCSO from 2018-2020 along with how these cases were reviewed and their outcomes. Sheriff Schmalings appalling defense of this incident, the RWRJ letter states, underscores the need for the community to demand increased accountability and transparency from the Racine County Sheriffs Department. Scroggins-Powell said Schmaling has not responded to the open records request, but a spokesperson said on Friday that the RCSO has no record of the Racine Women for Racial Justice actually filing a request with our office. RACINE The Comprehensive Injury Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin is currently taking project applications for the Wisconsin Community Safety Fund, a first-of-its-kind fund. The City of Racine could be one of the first recipients. The WCSF was created to support programs in a local setting, including evidence-based activities that enhance the safety and well-being of people and families of all ages throughout Wisconsin. Community organizations interested in applying for the fund are encouraged to review and submit an application at MCWs Website. Applications are designed to attract innovative projects that enhance the quality of life, safety, and well-being in communities outside of Milwaukee. The projects being considered for the fund are to help address community safety priorities such as firearm violence, sexual and gender-based violence, child abuse and neglect and youth violence. Once selected, the agencies will receive funding for projects up to the next three years, from Dec. 1, 2022, to Dec. 31, 2025. The $10.4 million fund was created through state Federal American Rescue Plan Act funding allocated by Gov. Tony Evers. The money will be distributed into 10 three-year grants that will be awarded to the chosen communities. Awarded funds will range from $300,000 to $1 million annually. Chosen communities will not only receive funding, but they will also receive direct technical support from MCW for data, evaluation and training for the duration of their funded project. Intentional injury and violence is a public health crisis that presents a lifelong risk of premature death and disability. Unintentional injury is the leading cause of death among individuals ages 1 through 44 in the United States and intentional injury (e.g., homicide and suicide) is a leading cause of death among individuals ages 10 to 34, Dr. Terri deRoon Cassini, Director of the Comprehensive Injury Center at the Medical College of Wisconsin, said in a statement Until Sept. 30, municipal, tribal, county and governmental entities or school districts or Nonprofit and nongovernmental organizations with nonprofit status serving residents outside of the city of Milwaukee are eligible to apply for the fund. Eligible organizations must also be within good standing with the Wisconsin Department of Financial Institutions and that have been based in Wisconsin since at least Jan. 1, 2019, or be sponsored by a government or nonprofit organization based in Wisconsin with nonprofit status. The funds allocated to this fund do not take away from funds being given to local law enforcement. The governor has allocated hundreds of millions of dollars for law enforcement separately that police and sheriffs departments have had access to, said Reggie Moore, director of violence prevention policy and engagement for the Comprehensive Injury Center. This is supporting community-based projects. The City of Racine has applied for the grant. In a Common Council meeting Tuesday, Mayor Mason spoke on the importance of public safety. Certainly theres no issue we have heard about, or that there is more important about in our community than public safety, and we are certainly doing everything that we can to enhance public safety and take that commitment to public services very seriously, Mason said at Tuesdays meeting. WATERFORD Two years ago, Carol Teifer-Searls husband Bob wouldnt let her have a pet dog. So she made one out of mohair, fabric, stuffing and thread. Then I went crazy, she said. She made about 30 more. Teifer-Searl is a stuffed animal artist. She began creating teddy bears about 35 years ago and has crafted about 400 stuffed animals since then besides bears and dogs, its lemurs, rabbits, fennec foxes, elephants, cats, horses, lions and sloths. I go in spurts. Ill make a bunch and then quit, she said. But its never-ending with me. Despite not allowing the pet dog, her husband has been on board with her hobby. Its amazing to watch, Bob said. I dont know how she can sculpt them. A high quality craft Teifer-Searl, 69, grew up in Michigan but has been living in Waterford for the last 18 years. She works full-time for the Air National Guard, the reserve force of the U.S. Air Force, of which she is a veteran. But shes hoping to retire soon. In her spare time, she loves to make things. She began sewing in high school in home economics. Shes taken classes here and there for special interests such as quilting and tailoring. She created porcelain dolls and furniture before she started making stuffed animals. Shes also created linked wool projects such as rugs and pillows. But it wasnt until she took a class at a quilting shop in Hales Corners on how to make mini teddy bears. Now, her home is filled with her stuffed animal creations and all sizes too. She noted no two animals end up looking exactly the same. She gives them out as gifts. Her siblings, three children, nieces and nephews all have bears and quilts of hers. She sells her work at Creative Spaces Studio, 318 East Main St. in Downtown Waterford. Donna Fearing, an owner of Creative Spaces, said the business decided to sell Teifer-Searls products because they represent everything we stand for as a business. They are handmade, high quality and beautifully crafted by a local artisan. Teifer-Searl has showcased and sold her work at various shows throughout Wisconsin, Illinois and Michigan, but hasnt gone to one recently. She mentioned she might be a vendor at future Waterford events, however. She has a Facebook page for selling her items; she eventually wants a website for her work. Get your own To purchase a Teifs Teddy Bear or stuffed animal, request a custom order, inquire about quilting or alterations, contact Carol Teifer-Searl at 262-661-9912 or cateifers@gmail.com. Teifer-Searl will ship products domestically. A forever purchase She joked that creating stuffed animals keeps her out of trouble. It gives me something to do, she said. I just like it. I enjoy it. She used to call her home business CATs Creations, based on her initials, but changed the name to Teifs Teddy Bears. The new name is a parody of the Rhode Island-based stuffed animal brand Steiff, she said. Steiff is credited with inventing the teddy bear in 1902. Teifs Teddy Bears are made to be quality, collectible animals. They range in price from $30-$300, depending on the size. Its something youre going to have forever, she said. They make great gifts. She has multiple binders of photos of bears shes done, including plenty of memory bears, which are made from clothing of a loved one who has died. Besides making stuffed animals, she creates quilts, performs alterations and otherwise is a seamstress. I keep pretty busy, she said. It takes her about 20 hours to make one animal. She begins with cutting and sewing the material, adding stuffing, joining everything together and then creating the face. What we like about the bear is the attention to detail is exceptional and the high-quality materials Carol uses, Fearing said. These pieces will last forever. They truly are family heirloom quality. Fearing added Creative Spaces Studio customers love them: They find them adorable and unique. ROCHESTER Armed with scrub brushes, water, just a little bit of Dawn soap and some cleaning solution. Thats all volunteers needed Saturday when they dedicated their morning to join Diane and Jim Kempken in restoring headstones at the Rochester Cemetery, 31440 Washington Ave. The Kempkens have been out on nice days since June 9 of this year, restoring each headstone on the older part of the cemetery. The eastern side of the cemetery was established more than a century ago, with some of the headstones dating back to the 1850s. So far, the Kempkens alone have cleaned 150 headstones. We hope we live long enough to clean the entire cemetery, Diane said. Water, as well as a tank to hold it, was provided to volunteers by the Rochester Volunteer Fire Department. Some of the departments former firefighters are buried in the cemetery. How do you restore a headstone? Restoring a headstone takes some dedication, elbow grease and a few cleaning products. Heres how to do it: Spray the headstone with a mixture of water and Dawn dish soap Scrub the headstone with a soft-bristle brush. Once most of the moss and other gunk are scrubbed off of the stone, drench it with water. Cover the headstone with D/2 cleaning liquid, but only once all the other cleaning is done. Let the the D/2 sit for about 15 minutes, then scrub it once again. Change is hard and often unwelcome at first blush. That was well-illustrated last week when Froedtert South announced plans to move the emergency room at Froedert Kenosha Hospital, 6308 Eighth Ave., and convert it to a 24/7 urgent care clinic. The announcement got a hostile reception before the Kenosha City Council. Under the plan, emergency patients will be transported to Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital and no longer to the Downtown site a distance of six miles. While council members said they liked part of the Froedtert plan, especially for mental health services, they attacked the proposed move of the emergency department in the citys Downtown, warning the longer emergency runs to Pleasant Prairie might endanger some patients lives. Ald. Daniel Prozanski said the plan was an utter betrayal to the community as the council unanimously passed a resolution which has no binding effect opposing it. People have concerns and they have every right to raise them. Froedtert South has volunteered to meet with concerned members of the council to discuss them. Lets face it, decisions of this sort always have tradeoffs. So lets look at this one. Yes, the switch to the emergency room facility at Froedtert Pleasant Prairie could add a few minutes to transport times, but so does some current transport limitations. Some emergency patients at Froedtert Kenosha Hospital, once they are stabilized, require further surgery or treatment not done Downtown and have to be transported again to operating room facilities at Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital. Since this is done now by private ambulance it can cause a delay in the secondary transport, sometimes a significant delay. Froedtert has indicated there just arent the outside, private ambulance firms available to transport patients between facilities anymore. According to Froedtert South President and CEO Ric Schmidt, only about five of 60 people each day at Froedtert Kenosha Hospital require emergency treatment. The other 55 are urgent care or walk-in patients. Doing the math, that means 91 percent of the patients at Froedtert Kenosha Hospital would still get the care they need at an urgent care clinic and less than 10 percent would go to Froedtert Pleasant Prairie Hospital immediately. Treating five patients per day hardly seems cost-effective. If a Kenosha business, any business, had five customers a day we would expect that it would soon close. Schmidt said in a statement, Froedtert Kenosha Hospital is not equipped to handle: the cardiac catheterization needs of heart patients; the general surgery needs for patients presenting with gunshot wounds, knifings, compound fractures, bowel blockages, etc. and gastrointestinal issues or stroke. They need to go to Pleasant Prairie to get those treatments. Why not automatically take them there first, eliminating the need for a secondary transport from Downtown. Now consider what the pluses are to Froedtert Souths plan. Froedtert would convert underutilized space in the Downtown hospital to inpatient and outpatient mental health services and inpatient rehabilitation services. Emergency rooms may be marked by attention-grabbing sirens outside their doors, but the fact is there is a mental health crisis going on across the nation particularly among young people and the local plan would move to address that. Consider, in the past year, the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and other groups warned of this mental health crisis. According to a report in the current issue of the AARP Bulletin, Nearly 1 in 10 high school students admitted they had tried to take their own life in the previous 12 months, according to a survey published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and 1 in 5 had seriously considered it. The AARP report said suicide rates among adolescents had risen nearly 53 percent between 2010 and 2020 and is now the second leading cause of death for people ages 10 to 18. And that was at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic with its lockdowns, virtual schooling, isolation and lack of socializing which, the report said, made everything worse. Mental health issues among adults in the past couple of years echo that anxiety. So, yes, Froedterts plans to beef up mental health treatment are sorely needed. On balance, the hospitals proposal to consolidate emergency room facilities at Pleasant Prairie to ensure no long-term waits for transport for patient services, maintain an urgent care walk-in clinic Downtown and convert Froedtert Kenosha Hospital to a hub for both mental health and other rehabilitative services appear to be sound and well-reasoned. Its a road map to provide consistent, cost-effective top flight emergency care to our community day-in and day-out and to address the dangerous and rising threat posed by mental health issues. We understand Froedterts plan and how overall, in the long run, it should be a benefit to the community, even as that change is hard now. 1. Yes. All council members should get a good idea of whats at stake for Fort Hoods future. 2. Yes. Sending a large delegation shows the citys commitment to the Army post. 3. No. Its a waste of taxpayer money. Sending a smaller group would be more efficient. 4. No. Harker Heights and Copperas Cove arent sending anyone. The trip is unnecessary. 5. Unsure. Its hard to say what the value is, before knowing how the conference turns out. Vote View Results Prize-winning artists were honored during ceremonies Saturday and Sunday at the Driftless Area Art Festival in Soldiers Grove. Young artists exhibited their works in the Youth Art tent. Eighty-five professional artists from across the Driftless region brought a wide variety of visual art including painting, sculpture, and wood, metal and fiber art. From over 100 pieces, paintings, drawings and multimedia, displayed in the Youth Art tent, seven elementary school students were awarded blue ribbons by a team of professional artists. In the KidsArt Gallery, ribbons were awarded in grade categories. They included, from grades K-2, Grace Griggs, Prairie View school. Her art teacher is Meg Buchner. Another Prairie View student of Meg Buchner, in the grades 3-5 category, was Brooklyn Hooverson. From grades 5-8, the winner was Jaycee Sondry of DeSoto Elementary. Carissa Brudos is her art teacher. Blue ribbon winner in a new category, 3-D art, Audry Yaktin, fifth grade, is from Stoddard Elementary, and her art teacher is Meg Buchner. In the Teen Art Gallery, Naomi Metz, North Crawford High School, was presented with a blue ribbon and a check for $75. Her art teacher was Michael DiPadova. A red ribbon and a check for $50 was presented to Brynn Sullivan of Kickapoo High School. Her teacher is Heather Martin. A white ribbon and a check for $25 went to Kyrie Crager of DeSoto High school. Her art teacher is Carissa Brudos. Each student was presented a ribbon and a cash award. Some of them had also received My Favorite Artist cards from kids who visited the festival. And the winners art teachers each received certificates for purchase of art at the festival. Nine schools in the Driftless region participated, along with four individuals who entered their works independently. We will continue to encourage school art programs as well as individual young artists to submit their works, said Jane Holzhauer, co-director of the Youth Art tent program. Its good for young artists to be able to show their work and be part of the festival. And co-director Jamee Stanley encouraged art teachers to begin planning ahead for participation in 2023. As the school year progresses there are going to be pieces that deserve area-wide recognition. We hope to see many of these works next year. Among professional artists, three awards were made. A jury of artists selected three of the professional artists for ribbons and cash awards. Named Best of Show, John Craig was honored for his giclee prints and collages, described as continuing to push the envelope and develop his style that is fun, engaging and well composed. The $500 award is sponsored by J Company Interior Design, now Gallery 804, of La Crosse. Merit awards were won by Jovy Rockey of Winona, Minn., and Ken and Michelle Workowski of Viola, Wis. Jurors described Rockey as a master of her craft and called her jewelry creations an elegant and professional collection of bold designs. They called the Workowskis hickory baskets well-crafted pieces of functional art always pushing the limits. The $100 awards were sponsored by VIVA Gallery of Viroqua. In balloting done throughout the weekend, Toby Skov of Nature Photography of Viola was voted the Peoples Choice. He will receive a $100 prize sponsored by Viroquas VIVA Gallery. Skov will and be a featured artist there in upcoming months. A Lifetime Achievement Award went to Bill Zierke of La Crosse/Onalaska for his 70-year career creating paintings and sculptures focusing on barns and wildlife. Bill has been a highlight of the festival for many years, said Lori Bekkum, festival chairman, and his works have brought joy to art lovers of all ages. The festivals major partners include Peoples State Bank, The Richland Hospital and Clinics, Wisconsin Public Radio, the village of Soldiers Grove and Community Development Alternatives. October is National Emotional Wellness Month. What is emotional wellness, you ask? Emotional wellness is the ability to navigate lifes challenging situations with success and bounce back when times are tough. This is a healthy and important characteristic to have in life when we all face difficult times. There are skills you can learn to help get through stressful life events. The first step is noticing your emotions and behaviors. You could write your feelings down in a journal or talk to a friend or family member. Being vulnerable allows others to feel trusted and connected. Others may open up in return. This can strengthen relationships and build connections. This mutual support is beneficial. If youd rather reach out to a professional or dont feel you have support in your personal life, you can find out if your employer has an Employee Assistance Program. Oftentimes this can get you access to a mental health professional at a reduced cost, or even free of charge. You can also reach out to your doctor or healthcare team. This is a good idea if you have an interest in starting medications or would like a mental health assessment. You can also call 2-1-1 to get a list of mental health agencies in your area. In addition, we can provide information on support groups that may be in your area or warmlines where you can simply talk to someone on the phone about the things you are going through. If you dont want to talk to anyone and would rather work on your mental health independently, there are a lot of online tools and educational videos available that can help teach healthy coping skills. Remember you are not alone and there are people that want to help. When we dont address our feelings and emotions and instead bottle them up, this can be unhealthy. It can have negative consequences on relationships in our personal lives or at work. It can even have consequences for our physical health. Take some time this month to check up on the ones you care about and check in with yourself on your own emotional wellness. We all deserve to live happy healthy lives. Great Rivers 211 is an information, referral and crisis line service serving western Wisconsin, southeastern Minnesota and northeastern Iowa. Professionally trained staff can answer your questions about local, statewide and national resources and can assist you with all kinds of life situations and challenges. Simply dial the three-digit telephone number 2-1-1 or 800-362-8255 to learn more. Language Interpretation is available. Chat with us at our website www.greatrivers211.org, or text your zip code to 898211. The percentage of female physicians is up some 5% from a decade ago, and with more women than men now enrolling in medical school, the rate will continue to rise. September is Women in Medicine Month, a time to recognize the care, expertise and efforts of female health care workers. While just 28.2% physicians were women in 2007, per the AAMCs Physician Specialty Data Reports, the Kaiser Family Foundation puts the current rate at 37%. In Wisconsin, there are around 6,500 women practicing medicine, making up 35% of the states physician workforce, Becker Hospital Review reports. State percentages range from 44% in Rhode Island to 26% in Idaho. The gender gap in most states is sizeable, but according to the American Medical Association, 53.7% of students enrolled in a 2019-2020 MD program were female. At Mayo Clinic Health System in La Crosse, family medicine residencies are largely balanced between the sexes, a stark difference from when Dr. Karen Cowen was in medical school. Cowen, family medicine practitioner and faculty member with Mayos Family Residency Program, attended UW-Madison around 40 years ago, with a class that was just 25% female. In her residency, she was the sole woman out of six. Dr. Kristina Schlecht, another family medicine practitioner and faculty member with Mayos Family Residency Program, attended medical school at the University of North Dakota, where photos featuring previous graduating classes adorned the walls. I can remember looking at some of those classes with one woman out of 40, 50, 60 medical students, Schlecht says. There would be that one woman standing in that group, and you always sort of felt that admiration for them of having gone through that and blazing that trail for you. I fully salute those women who, 50 years ahead of me, were the ones that were taking on that challenge. In Schlechts program, in the early 1990s, 51% of students were female, a rarity at the time, though only around 10-15% of the attending physicians were women. I had some awesome women who taught me and took me under their wings and wanted me very much to succeed, Schlecht says. There were, however, times when Schlecht and other female residents faced prejudice or misconduct. When she was a resident, one male attending physician treated female students very, very differently than their male peers, Schlecht says. Others were even more egregious. I do know colleagues that were touched inappropriately, that things were said inappropriately, Schlecht says. I myself was somebody who has faced sexual harassment from another physician. I think things are changing for the better, but it has not always been an easy field to be a woman in. When Dr. Nandita Ganne, family medicine resident at Mayo, was in medical school in Kansas, there was no noticeable class disparity among the sexes, but as with Schlecht when it came to rotations the majority of those leading were men. You look at the older generations of doctors, and at rural facilities all my precepting doctors were male where I trained, Ganne says. So when I did find female preceptors, that was really nice to be able to talk to them about what their practice looks like, what their life outside that look likes, because that was something I could use to model my life after. In Mayos family residency program, she has found further inspiration, noting, Its wonderful to have mentors to look up to. Schlecht hopes younger generations will consider a medical profession, saying, I just want them to see the possibilities. I dont want them to feel that they are held back. While women currently dominate in the specialties of pediatrics, obstetrics and gynecology, child and adolescent psychiatry and neonatal-perinatal medicine, just 22% of general surgeons are female, and among specialties like urology and orthopedic surgery the number is under 10%. Beyond patient care, Schlecht encourages women to consider hospital administration, research and more. Says Schlecht, I want them to feel that there are no doors that are closed to them. In the classic film Back to the Future, Marty McFly accidentally travels back in time to the 1950s. While hes there, he corrects injustices in order to fix the future. In 2022, the School District of La Crosse is seemingly taking the opposite tack with their proposal to consolidate Logan and Central. We are going back to the past, but in the process reviving historical injustices that have long plagued the North Side of La Crosse. As history teachers, we oppose this particular plan to build a new high school on the far South Side of La Crosse. Put simply, its bad for North Side students and it shows a fundamental misunderstanding of the history of La Crosse and the dynamics at play between the north and south ends of town. Lets start with a short primer. Until 1871, the North Side of La Crosse was a separate city connected to La Crosse via one, single road made of wood planks (today Copeland Avenue/the Causeway/Highway 53). When it joined the city proper, the North Side had a reputation of being rougher, more blue collar, and more dangerous in other words, it was the bad side of town. Starting in 1878, when the first high school was built in La Crosse at Eighth and Main, North Side students had to make the time consuming trek down that wood plank road to get to class and get their education. In 1909, a new high school opened even further on the South Side of La Crosse at whats now Weigent Park. That school, known as Old Central, operated until 1967. Not surprisingly, by the nineteen-teens, North Side leaders were advocating for a high school of their own as the current situation was not equitable for kids who had the misfortune of living on the north end of La Crosse. In January 1928, their vision came to fruition as Logan High School was dedicated at the current site of Logan Middle. Unfortunately for the kids who went there, the new school did not solve the economic and social disparities between the North and South sides. Since the prevailing view was that students attending Central were college bound and students attending Logan were bound for the factory floor, nothing about the schools were equal. When lockers and textbooks wore out on the South Side, they made their way north. What was no longer good enough for Central students was just fine for kids going to Logan. This is not hyperbole. In 1968, girls at Logan couldnt shower in gym class because of mold and stagnant water, while Central students attended class in a (then) new facility. This system of separate but unequal persisted until 1979 when new Logan High opened at its present site on Ranger Drive. Under the visionary leadership of legendary superintendent Dick Swantz and with a strong push from North Side business leaders and parents, the new school ensured that growing up on Prospect Street meant youd get the same opportunities as someone growing up on Losey Boulevard. Furthermore, the acrimony that once characterized relations between Logan and Central slowly faded away. Today, Logan and Central may enjoy a healthy cross-town rivalry who wins the Ark is a big deal but our staffs work together and relationships are congenial. While we may be biased, we believe that today Logan High School is amongst the best high schools in the country. As a faculty we call ourselves the Logan Family for a reason. Logan High is a school that cares about kids and makes sure they leave our building with a world-class education. Knowing the long history of historical trauma endured by North Siders gives one a better understanding of why there are so many Vote No and Save Logan signs visible all over the North Side today. Logan is interwoven in the DNA of North La Crosse. It is an indelible part of its identity. Its been nearly 100 years since La Crosse had one high school. If this referendum passes, its once again North Side students and families who will bear the burden of longer travel times. For students who miss the bus, its once again North Side students who will be more at risk of not graduating when they cant get to school. For parents and businesses, its the North Side once again who will lose their identity. No one will deny that budgetary and population trends have created a challenging environment for the School District of La Crosse. But as history teachers, we believe we should use history as a lesson not to repeat. Though not all of us are opposed to consolidation outright, the current proposals disregard for the North Side community makes it untenable to us. Over the past three years, Ive been lucky to be part of a team that has brought a lot of news to the doorsteps of La Crosse. Personally, Ive investigated climate crises and controversial priests. Ive covered presidential visits and made calls to the governor. Ive spent late nights at city halls and school board meetings. Ive run alongside protesters with my recorder and camera in hand as they marched through the streets asking for equality. Ive tallied up the deaths from COVID-19 and documented a community rallying together. Ive seen old buildings come down and new ones go up. Ive sat in living rooms and on park benches, crying and laughing with people as they told me their stories. Ive dedicated entire days to getting documents the public needed to see, and Ive sat through every boring (but important) meeting so you didnt have to. But today, the news Im sharing with you is more personal: Im leaving the La Crosse Tribune. I love this place and Im proud of everything this newsroom has accomplished. It was a hard decision to go. I grew up in La Farge, and I used to read the La Crosse Tribune at breakfast with my grandparents. My friends and I would often take weekend trips to Valley View Mall or to the movies. In high school, when I started to dream of becoming a journalist, I job-shadowed at the Tribune. So it was only fitting that my first job out of college was here. I was thrown into a lot of tough stories as a young reporter, and I launched my career almost simultaneously with the pandemic. Things werent always easy I faced backlash for my reporting on bike trails and a Catholic priest, and a lot of people doubted me as a young woman. But the joy I found in this job is immeasurable. I had a lot of fun, and it became easy to hunt for the truth for a community that I care deeply about. Im proud of the stories I told and that this community allowed me to tell, and I hope that my growing love for local government fell onto the pages for you. Thankfully, Im not going far. At the end of September, Ill be the new K-12 education reporter for the Wisconsin State Journal in Madison. Something I am particularly grateful for in the La Crosse community is the care you offered me after I lost my mom in March. Readers allowed me to be vulnerable and candid with my grief, and I hope that I connected with others who are grieving. This move is just another chapter in that grief. When you lose someone important to you, we all know the firsts will be hard. But you think of the big firsts, like your first birthday or Christmas without them. You dont think of all the lesser-known, in-between firsts. The first time you go to call them with a cooking question and realize you cant. The first time you get a whiff of their perfume, or spot someone at the grocery store that looks like them. All the situations you cant predict will be significant until they are. When I accepted the new job, it was bittersweet. I went through my list of calls. My dad, my siblings, my close friends. But I couldnt call my mom. I froze. Because something like this starting a new job, moving away felt like turning a page I couldnt return to. My mom knew me as a reporter for the La Crosse Tribune, and she knew me living in my old apartment downtown. She visited a few weeks before she died and we baked in my kitchen and watched our favorite shows. She kept copies of the Tribune with my byline in it. Part of me has thought that moving away will mean I lose more parts of her. My mom feels alive in La Crosse partly because she spent a few rowdy college years in this city while waitressing at Big Als, and we visited the city with her often as kids. She loved Rudys and always ordered a root beer cooler. But also because this is the place where the before and after happened. This move is more than just the end of a job or an apartment lease for me, this is the first new chapter of my life that my mom wont get to see. But I know somewhere in the cosmos, she knows. I hope you can allow yourself to feel these things. I hope your loss connects you to places and things, just as much as it does to memories. Grief is an extension of love, and if it can manifest in even some of the most mundane of places, I think we should consider ourselves lucky. Three years ago I got the opportunity to move back to my home area and start my career as a journalist at a paper I knew and loved. Something tells me its exactly where I needed to be at the time. My mom encouraged me to go for it back then, and I know she would have done the same now. So Im going for it. I really appreciate everything this community and this newspaper has given me. La Crosse will always have a big slice of my heart, and I will always remain a trusted reader of the Tribune and I hope you will too. Rather than giving Wisconsin citizens the freedom to make their own health care choices, Republicans want to hand that power over to radical politicians who are focused on taking away fundamental rights. Tim Michels said he supports Wisconsins 1849 abortion ban that doesnt include exceptions for rape or incest and was passed 71 years before women won the right to vote. Sen. Ron Johnson celebrated when the conservative majority on the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, calling the decision a victory despite the fact that it criminalized nearly all abortions in Wisconsin. Whatever he is saying now, Johnson has consistently supported nationwide abortion bans. Johnsons name as co-sponsor is on bills to ban abortion throughout the whole country six times in 2013, 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019, and 2021. Its obvious what Johnson thinks should happen to women: Hes pushing to make sure we lose our rights. Derek Van Orden has made it clear that he would be on board with the opportunity to vote for Republicans push for a nationwide abortion ban. Wisconsinites dont want more government mandates intruding on our personal health care decisions. We want our rights protected. On Nov. 8, please remember that Republicans are focused on forced birth and condemning pregnant people to physical and mental suffering. Im voting for Tony Evers, Mandela Barnes, Josh Kaul, and Brad Pfaff to protect independence, choice, and bodily autonomy for all people in Wisconsin and throughout the country. The 2022-2023 school year has begun, and officials from Lake Geneva schools have set goals in place to provide a quality education for students and an enjoyable work atmosphere for staff members. Superintendent Peter Wilson said he is pleased with the start of the school year as students and teachers have returned to the classroom. Its been a very positive start to the year, Wilson said. Theres been a lot of excitement and energy. The kids really enjoy being back. Wilson said new initiatives have been put in place for the Lake Geneva-Genoa City Union High School District and Lake Geneva Joint No. 1 School District to help students become effective learners. Additional math interventionists have been hired at Central-Denison Elementary School and Star Center Elementary School for students who need additional help with math. Its provided if kids need extra reteaching or double dose of information, Wilson said. They can have the support they need. Lake Geneva schools is in the process of launching the i-Ready program which provides individualized assistance for students who need help with math, reading or English. Were getting everything set up there, but that will be a way to take a dipstick on how kids are doing specifically in math, English and language arts, Wilson said. The school districts also plan to examine recent Wisconsin Forward exam scores and ACT scores to determine in which subject areas students may need more assistance. We spent a lot of time this summer administratively looking at the Wisconsin Forward exam at the elementary level and the ACT exam at the high school level, Wilson said. Were using some of that information, along with other data points, to set plans to help our kids become successful academically. Wilson said the school districts also plan to offer more extracurricular activities for students. He said Lake Geneva Middle School enhanced its music program this school year to include more offerings and instructors. Holly Eckola, director of marketing and communications for Lake Geneva schools, said there are a variety of extracurricular activities at the elementary schools, middle school and Badger High School. We have a strong extracurricular program at all our levels, Eckola said. It really gives students an opportunity to find out what they are interested in whether its STEM, after-school programs or a book reading club. So theres plenty of opportunities throughout the school year at all levels from elementary all the way up to high school for music and sports. Wilson said the school districts also are looking at methods for retaining current staff and recruiting new staff. He said the districts want to provide a quality work atmosphere for staff members. As we look at our staff, are we doing our best to make sure theres good working conditions in place for our staff, Wilson said. As staff retires and moves on, we want to recruit new staff to come to Lake Geneva. I want us to be a destination district for staff, so we have the conditions in place so people want to be here because the staff feels supported and they feel they are treated fairly. Wilson said he also wants the districts to become more involved with community organizations. Were looking for opportunities to make sure were developing relationships with community organizations, service clubs and connecting with families who no longer have children in the district, Wilson said. Dear W.C., I have recently become homeless after suffering a stroke and losing my job due to my inability to work at this time. I am 62 years old and the long wait for assistance has caused me to lose my apartment. I am presently living with my mother in her efficiency apartment, but she has been notified by her landlord that I must move out. I had to go to rehabilitation and essentially had to learn how to walk, talk and eat again. Without any income I could not pay my rent, so I was evicted and lost most of my belongings. I am looking for a part-time job to start as my energy and skills still are not what they were before. This has been one of the most difficult things I have ever had to do. And asking for help is not something that comes easy to me. I am desperate to have a place to call my own again. I am so afraid of sleeping in my car even if it is one of the few possessions I have left. I have no one else that I can ask for help as my 87-year-old mother is my only living relative and she just gets by on her Social Security. Dear Readers, We continue to receive many requests from people who are going through the distress of homelessness. It truly is a much bigger problem in our communities than most people realize. Women, men, children, senior citizens, people of all ages are affected by the loss of safe shelter. Sadly, by the time we received this letter and contacted the woman, she had already left her mothers apartment and was living in her car. When we spoke, she shared her distress over being homeless but she was even more concerned over her mother losing her apartment due to her living there with her. Eviction would be even more devastating to an 87-year-old woman. I asked the woman many questions about her life before her stroke. Where was she employed? Her family life? Her previous budget? She openly shared everything with me. We talked about her beloved mother and how her mother worried about her being homeless. It does not matter what your age is, most mothers still worry about their children. I noticed the occasional struggle with words and loss of her train of thought. The woman herself pointed it out several times, saying she was still struggling with some skills that had not returned fully since her stroke. She was hopeful these would still get better with time. The first thing we needed to do was get the woman into safe shelter with heat, a shower and bathroom, running water. For a month that would be a motel as we searched for suitable affordable housing. In that time, she was finally approved for other assistance and food stamps. Even with that assistance we would struggle for several more weeks to find the right situation for her. We spoke often over the nearly six weeks she spent living in a motel. I got to know her better and in that time I even heard her speech improve to the point she felt confident enough to apply for jobs. I felt better knowing she was warm and safe in a bed at night and able to keep up with her personal hygiene thanks to access to her own bathroom. A mini refrigerator in her room helped to allow her to purchase food with grocery gift cards we provided to allow her to eat healthy and more economically. When the right apartment was found we were ready to help her with first months rent and security deposit. We also provided a new bed, some used furniture, gift cards for groceries and other household necessities that were lost during her eviction. I spoke to her future employer who was willing to work with her minor disabilities that lingered. Everyone we spoke to, from the landlord to her employer, was a blessing as they all wanted to see this woman succeed, including all of us at The Time is Now to Help. Being homeless was a distant nightmare she no longer had to endure. Thanks to your support she is safely on her way to living independently once more. Thank You and God Bless You for making our good works possible. Health & Happiness, Love & GOD Bless Everyone, Sal Please Help: There are many coming to us in desperation. Our good fellow creations need our compassion. Together we make a big difference. Make checks payable to: The Time Is Now to Help, P.O. Box 1, Lake Geneva, WI 53147. The Time Is Now to Help is a federally recognized 5013 charitable organization. You will receive a tax deductible, itemized thank you receipt showing how 100% of your donation was used for providing poverty relief. Please visit our website for more information, to read more of our past and current columns and/or to make a donation: www.timeisnowtohelp.org A Very Special Thank You: Jeff Martin, Lake Geneva Area Realty, Mr. and Mrs. Robert Schuberth, Kunes Country Auto Group, Martin Group, John Stensland and family, Paul Ziegler, Ziegler Charitable Foundation, Peter and Rosalie Riewer, David and Genevieve Bliss, Dr. Mark and Cynthia Brower, Michael and Kathe Beach, Jeffrey and Catherine DeYoung, John and Rita Race, Bob and Millie McCormick, Nancy Ferguson, Denise Hubbard, Stanley Roelker, Jennie Pierson, Doris Wiechmann, Robert and Patricia Davis, William and Jean Isaacson, of our anonymous donors and ALL of you who support The Time Is Now to Help donation boxes. Anyone who would like a Time Is Now donation box in your business, please call (262) 249-7000. Memorials: Walter, Sarah, Barbara, Tim Halle and Molly Hegeman in honor of the life of Lois Harry (Hegeman). Katherine Melson in memory of Daryl Peck. Prayer Chain: The power of prayer and positive thoughts comes from the true healer, our Lord answering our prayers. Please pray for healing for the following people: Brian, Talyn, Mike, Sylvia, Richard, Jennifer, Jayden, Maria C., Alex, Lily, Kaitlyn, Sheila, Rhonda, Deda Lee, Betty, Marilyn, Helen, Dennis, Mary, Joseph, Jordan, Jean, Tom L., Dr. Peter, Alyce, Matthew, Pam E., Jenene B., John S., Patricia H., Darlene, Ron K., Marian K., Judy, Wendy, Eric, Anthony, Mary, Charlie, Tom P., Christina, Billy, Mike, Cheryl, and Ellie. On Cuban Missile Crisis 60th Anniversary, Moscow Warns of Washingtons Nuclear War Plans Sept. 24, 2022 (EIRNS)Statements made by Russian diplomats, among them Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov and Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov, at a conference on the 60th anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis indicate a mind set concerned with dialing down strategic tensions. A face-off with the United States and NATO, which is fraught with an open armed conflict, is not in our interests, Ryabkov told the conference by video link, reported TASS (TASS unfortunately does not tell us where the conference took place or who convened it.) We hope that the Biden administration understands the risks of uncontrolled escalation of the conflict in Ukraine, given the repeated statements by their officials that they dont plan to send American servicemen to Ukraine, he noted. Ryabkov charged that its the U.S. thats been lowering the nuclear threshold, not Russia. Ballistic missiles have been equipped aboard Trident II submarines, which have warheads of reduced power and are supposed to be used in scenarios involving a limited use of nuclear weapons. That said, the Americans are deliberately lowering the nuclear threshold, which creates an additional threat to our national security, Ryabkov stressed. He also pointed to the B61-12 nuclear bomb, with its dial-a-yield feature which in theory can reduce side-effects from its use. Ryabkov also accused the U.S. of destroying the traditional control over weapons. He said that Russia hoped to achieve results in this direction after the meeting of Russian and American leaders last summer in Geneva. The presidents reaffirmed the well-known formula that there can be no winners in a nuclear war, so it should never be unleashed. Six months later, this maxim was echoed by the entire nuclear five in a joint statement by its leaders. Besides that, at the Geneva meeting of the presidents, bilateral talks on strategic stability were launched, he said. Ryabkov recalled that after these events, the American side halted discussions on strategic stability, and then rejected draft security guarantees for the Russian Federation. After several rounds, the Americans stopped suddenly, ignoring our ideas about developing a new security balance, and then rejected the Russian initiative for legally binding security guarantees, including not expanding NATO, not deploying strike weapons near Russias borders, and returning the alliances structure to 1997 conditions, he concluded. Antonov told the conference that Moscow wants to believe that relations with Washington have not degenerated to the point of escalating into a full-fledged nuclear conflict. I would like to believe that despite all the difficulties, we have not approached the dangerous threshold of falling into the abyss of a nuclear conflict with the Americans, he said. He recalled that the U.S. has torpedoed practically everything that has been created in the field of arms control in recent decades. The prospects for future agreements on strategic stability remain dim, he stressed. Antonov recalled that the notion of peaceful coexistence emerged after the Cuban Missile Crisis, but that today the U.S. is trying to inflict a strategic defeat on Russia. Whereas the consequence of the Cuban Missile Crisis was the recognition of the possibility of peaceful co-existence of two great powers, now, over the past decades, Washington has set out to subvert Russia, bring it to its knees, or even betterto dismember it into several separate principalities, and, naturally, to deprive it of nuclear weapons and a legal place as a permanent member of the United Nations Security Council, he said. He pointed to the United States tough pressure along all of Russias borders, where Ukraine is used as a testing ground of the most hostile scenario. It is difficult to anticipate now how far Washington is ready to go in its standoff with Russia. Will the U.S. ruling circles be able to stop at the brink, as it was during the Cuban Missile Crisis? he demanded to know. EIR LEAD EDITORIAL FOR SUNDAY SEPTEMBER 25, 2022 Swiss Weekly Editorializes, Are We Actually Governed by Lunatics? Forcing World to Nuclear Doom Sept. 24, 2022 (EIRNS)For once, a European mainstream publication has written the truth! Weltwoche, the Swiss website with news and interviews, published an editorial under the above title. Pointing to Joe Biden, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and Swiss President Ignazio Cassis, the publisher and editor-in-chief of Weltwoche, Roger Koppel wrote: The more the Americans and the Europeans get caught up in their feverish spiral of aggression, the longer and more globally and more dangerous this war will become. To get out of the quagmire, he writes, Europe would have to restrain the Biden administration, set limits to the Ukrainians with their camera-toting charisma President Zelenskyy, who could yet fall ill with the Messiah syndrome. Risking a world war against Russia is madness. Peace negotiations are called for.... Geopolitically, they have let it come to a nuclear war against Russia, not because Putin is crazy, but because they do not take the Russians seriously, probably also under deep-seated racist prejudices, treating them disparagingly, whistle at their interests, while one puts ones own interestpower-hungry and self-intoxicatedabove everything. Meanwhile, with the Doomsday Clock now only seconds before midnight, the military, the media, and the U.S. and British political leadership rant that it is all Russias fault. It is obvious to the entire world that President Putin means exactly what he says, when he states that once the referendums are completed, Moscow will quickly accept all four oblasts into the Russian Federation. With that, any military assault on one or more of the new states of Russia will be viewed as a foreign invasion of the motherland, and the Russian military will respond. As is the clearly articulated nuclear posture of the Russian Federation, if the existence of the motherland is threatened, the use of nuclear weapons may be used. Do the lunatics believe that Putin is bluffing? Do they truly believe that the referendums are a sham, as they claim? Will they drag the world into nuclear holocaust in a desperate effort to save their crumbling dollar-based financial system? It cannot be doubted. Matthew Kroenig, the acting director of the Scowcroft Center for Strategy and Security at the Atlantic Council (one of Londons primary assets in the U.S.), who wrote in a Sept. 16 Memo to the President, was quoted by the Washington Post on Sept. 22 as saying: If its Russian forces in Ukraine that launched the nuclear attack, the United States could strike directly against those forces. It would be calibrated to send a message that this is not a major war coming, this is a limited strike. This is insane on many counts. First, Russia has made it abundantly clear that there are no targets warranting a nuclear strike in Ukraine. Russia has not even used conventional weapons on civilian targets in Ukraine, and would never launch a nuclear war there. Second, the idea that there could be a limited war is a utopian fantasy. The moment one nuclear weapon is used, all or nearly all would be launched immediately, on both sides. However, in about ten days, four oblasts which are now part of Ukraine will become part of Russia. Any shelling or troop movement within those regions will be considered an invasion. Russia saw two fascist armies mass on their border and then invadethat of Napoleon (the first fascist), and that of Hitler. They will not allow it to happen again. Adm. Charles Richard, the commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, who last year said that a nuclear war was now likely due to the rise of China, told a panel at the Air Force Association conference this past week: All of us in this room are back in the business of contemplating competition through crisis and potential direct armed conflict with a nuclear-capable peer. The implications of that are profound.... And this is no longer theoretical. The Russians, meanwhile, held a conference commemorating the 60th Anniversary of the Cuban Missile Crisis. Sergei Ryabkov, the Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation, noted that ballistic missiles have been equipped aboard Trident submarines, which have warheads of reduced power.... The Americans are deliberately lowering the nuclear threshold. The Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Anatoly Antonov told the same conference: While the Cuban missile crisis resulted in the recognition of the possibility of peaceful coexistence of the two great powers, nowadays Washington pursues the goal of defeating Russia and bringing it to its knees. Even better option seems to be to divide of our country and subsequently establish several separate principalities within our territory, depriving it of nuclear weapons and a legitimate permanent member seat in the UN Security Council. The Schiller Institute and the Foundation to Battle Injustice have issued an open letter to the United Nations, under the title: UNGA Must Remove the Causes for the War Danger! calling for the UN to convoke an emergency conference to reach an agreement to stop the rush to nuclear war. Please sign the letter and join this critical effort: Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) The Communist Party of China will convene its 20th National Congress in Beijing next month, Wang said, adding that this Congress will, in response to the expectation of all the Chinese people, set well-conceived goals and tasks for China's development in the next five years and beyond, and that it will draw an overarching plan for China's future development. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday called on the international community to make every effort for peace and development, and shoulder the responsibility for solidarity and progress. While delivering a speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Wang said the world is at a time fraught with challenges. The world has entered a new phase of turbulence and transformation, and changes unseen in a century are accelerating, Wang said, adding that this era, however, is also full of hope. Peace and development remain the underlying trend of the times, and around the world, the people's call for progress and cooperation is getting louder than ever before, Wang said. China's answer, Wang said, is firm and clear on how to respond to the call of the times and ride on the trend of history to build a community with a shared future for mankind advocated by Chinese President Xi Jinping. First, countries must uphold peace and oppose war and turbulence, Wang said, calling on all countries to remain committed to addressing differences through peaceful means and resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation. Second, countries must pursue development and eliminate poverty, Wang said. Noting the world should place development at the center of the international agenda and build international consensus on promoting development, Wang said that the world should see that everyone in every country benefits more from the fruits of development in a more equitable way. Third, countries must remain open and oppose exclusion, Wang said, adding that countries should stay true to openness and inclusiveness, uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core and endeavor to build an open world economy. Fourth, countries must stay engaged in cooperation and oppose confrontation, Wang said. Urging countries to engage in dialogue, consultation and win-win cooperation, and reject conflict, coercion and zero-sum game, Wang stressed that countries should jointly oppose group politics and bloc confrontation. Fifth, countries must strengthen solidarity and oppose division, Wang said, calling on the international community to stand against drawing lines on ideological grounds, and work together to expand common ground and convergence of interests to promote world peace and development. Sixth, countries must uphold equity and oppose bullying, Wang said, adding that countries should promote and practice true multilateralism, promote equality of all countries in terms of rights, rules and opportunities, and build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, equity and justice, and win-win cooperation. China, he said, is a builder of world peace. In the face of various challenges nowadays, Xi has put forward the Global Security Initiative, contributing China's vision to reducing the peace deficit facing humanity and providing China's input to meeting global security challenges, Wang added. China is a contributor to global development, Wang said, adding that China has endeavored to build a system of high-standard opening-up and safeguard the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui) Noting that China is a major trading partner of over 130 countries and regions, Wang pointed out that China contributes about 30 percent of annual global growth and is the biggest engine driving the global economy. China is also an active participant in global governance and South-South cooperation, Wang said, noting that China has set up the China-UN Peace and Development Trust Fund and the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund. It has provided development aid to more than 160 countries in need, and extended more debt-service payments owed by developing countries than any other G20 member state. China, Wang added, is a defender of the international order as the country always firmly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and United Nations' central role in the international system, as well as the international order based on international law. China has been involved in multilateral affairs in all fields and is a member of almost all universal inter-governmental organizations and a party to over 600 international conventions, Wang said, adding that China has concluded more than 27,000 bilateral treaties and fulfilled in good faith its international obligations. China will continue to speak up for other developing countries, help them overcome difficulties and fully support efforts in raising the representation and say of developing countries in international affairs, Wang added. China is a provider of public goods, Wang added. In the face of COVID-19, China has made all-out efforts to advance and engage in global cooperation against the pandemic, and has done its best to provide anti-pandemic supplies and shared its practices on combating the virus, he said. China is among the first to promise making COVID-19 vaccines a global public good and to support waiving intellectual property rights on the vaccines, Wang noted, adding that China has provided over 2.2 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. In response to tough challenges confronting global development, President Xi proposed to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, an initiative that has been widely endorsed by the international community, Wang said, adding that China has signed cooperation documents with 149 countries and 32 international organizations, and has also set up the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund. China also serves as a mediator of hotspot issues, Wang said. As a responsible major country, China strives to explore and practice a way with Chinese characteristic to resolve hotspot issues. While adhering to the principle of non-interference in others' domestic affairs and respecting the will and needs of the countries concerned, China has endeavored to help settle hotspot issues in a constructive way, he said. On the Taiwan question, Wang stressed that since ancient times, Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China's territory. China's sovereignty and territorial integrity has never been severed, and the fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and same China has never changed, he said. All of the Chinese have never ceased their efforts to realize China's reunification, he added. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi delivers a speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly at the UN headquarters in New York, on Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Wang Ying) The one-China principle, Wang said, has become a basic norm in international relations and a general consensus of the international community. Fifty-one years ago, right in this august hall, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority, which decided to restore the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the UN and to expel the "representatives" of the Taiwan authorities from the place which they had unlawfully occupied, Wang recalled. Once and for all, Resolution 2758 resolved politically, legally and procedurally the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the UN and international institutions, and it completely blocked any attempt by anyone or any country to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," Wang said. China will continue to endeavor to achieve peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and greatest efforts, he said, adding that to realize this goal, China must combat "Taiwan independence" separatist activities with the firmest resolve and take the most forceful steps to repulse interference by external groups. Any scheme to interfere in China's internal affairs is bound to meet the strong opposition of all the Chinese, and any move to obstruct China's cause of reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history, he added. Meanwhile, Wang said China is fully implementing a new development philosophy featuring innovative, coordinated, green and open development for all, and that it is pursuing high-quality development and fostering a new development paradigm. China will enjoy sustained and sound development, usher in even brighter prospects, and make more splendid miracles come true, he said. As China has one-fifth of the global population, its march toward modernization has important and far-reaching significance for the world, Wang said. The path that China pursues is one of peace and development, not one of plunder and colonialism; it is a path of win-win cooperation, not one of zero-sum game; and it is one of harmony between man and nature, not one of destructive exploitation of resources, Wang said. He added China will continue to contribute its input to meeting the challenges facing human development, and make its contribution to creating a new form of human advancement. The Communist Party of China will convene its 20th National Congress in Beijing next month, Wang said, adding that this Congress will, in response to the expectation of all the Chinese people, set well-conceived goals and tasks for China's development in the next five years and beyond, and that it will draw an overarching plan for China's future development. Having reached a new historical starting point, China will follow the Chinese path to modernization to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Wang said. China, Wang said, will work with other countries to make every effort for peace and development, shoulder the responsibility for solidarity and progress, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and embrace an even better world. Wang, on the occasion, also announced that China has decided to launch its domestic procedure to ratify the United Nations' Firearms Protocol, a step that will contribute to strengthening global cooperation on gun control and closing the security deficit. On the same day, Wang also met respectively with the president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly and the foreign ministers of the Maldives, Egypt, Algeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Costa Rica. The L.A. Standard Newspaper needs your support so that we can continue to create positive stories about Black communities. $20, $50, $100, $500, $1,000. Any amount would be greatly appreciated. -Jason Douglas Lewis, Owner/Publisher. Donations can be made through Cash App https://cash.app/$LAStandard, Venmo https://venmo.com @LA-Standard-Newspaper, PayPal https://www.paypal.com/paypalme/lastandardnewspaper, and GoFundMe https://www.gofundme.com/f/support-blackowned-los-angeles-standard-newspaper. Checks can be mailed to 2415 W. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90008 By Jason Lewis Los Angeles is having a housing crisis. Typically when this issue is discussed, its more about the homelessness issue, which is one of the most pressing issues in the city. But many people who are employed are struggling to afford the rising rents and they are being priced out of buying a house. Jan Perry, who is running for Californias 37th congressional district in November against California State Senator Sydney Kamlager, discussed the homelessness issue in the August edition of the Los Angeles Standard Newspaper. This month she discusses the housing crisis. Our current housing crisis has been decades in the making, and responding to it has been my top priority, Perry said. I have aggressively worked with non-profit housing developers to build housing and to develop policies to expedite construction. If youre serious about helping people and achieving true social justice we have to meet peoples basic needs. While working as a Los Angeles City Councilmember, Perry served South Los Angeless 8th district. She is also the executive director of a non-profit organization that engages in infrastructure and economic development projects. Perry has a 30-year-old daughter who has a college degree and is employed, but she is having similar struggles that other millennials are having. Its very hard for these millennials, Perry said. Im a big believer and historically have supported first-time home-buyers programs and programs geared to create new housing stock that is affordable to encourage young people and also people on fixed incomes to be able to rent to own, which is something that people dont talk a lot about. Its another pathway to homeownership. The price for homes in many of Los Angeles predominantly Black communities are topping $1 million, sparking outcries of gentrification. Gentrification is a very loaded word, Perry said. Its most often identified with people coming from other places to take advantage of an area where they can come in at a lower price. Some of it has to do with redlining and financing small businesses in areas that have been left behind. When people begin to move from the west to the east, the prices start to go up. I saw a listing on 7th Avenue that sold for $795,000. It was a three-bedroom, two bath. The square footage was about 1,500 square feet. Its a beautiful house, but my God. One issue that leads to gentrification is people inheriting homes and then quickly selling the property instead of holding onto the house. As a member of congress, Perry plans to address this. In South Los Angeles, so many peoples parents and grandparents acquired their properties initially after World War II with the G.I. Bill, she said. Theyve had the homes for many years and theyve been able to build up quite a bit of equity. Instead of walking away from those properties so that speculators can come in and take your single-family home or your duplex or triplex, and then put two boxes on it that are actually not affordable and are market rate, so it doesnt do anything to solve the affordability crisis. I would say that its much wiser to hang on to the equity that your family has built, and pass it from one generation the next. Those are programs that I would seek to build out and bulk up, and to create more aggressive educational policies on generational wealth so that people can not only stay in their community, but build up their community. Its a process of educating people, and then creating incentives through legislation to try to make sure that people can stay in their communities. I as an elected official, a legislator and a public servant, have to also be mindful that we have to continue to build for the future and for younger people; to create those opportunities through support and through subsidies so that we can continue to grow the housing stock for the generations coming online now so that theyll have a place to live. Its entirely possible to create those opportunities within those communities without destroying the character of a single-family neighborhood. You run the risk of diminishing the equity in peoples homes, especially those whose parents got it right after the war. If you start tearing down single family homes and put in three units in the front, three units in the back. Perry would also have to deal with developers, who are transforming residential neighborhoods. She pointed out one street just south of Washington Boulevard and east La Brea Avenue where a developer has built multiple-family housing on a street that has single-family homes. It looks like one developer went through there and must have bought up a lot of property because the architecture is nearly identical from one spot to the next, she said. Its a box in front, box in back. When I spoke to some of the property owners over there, they said that the kids came in after their parents passed away and they just didnt want to deal with it. So I have to be very thoughtful looking forward to see what incentives that we can create for people to stabilize, and not diminish the value of what their parents and grandparents were able to acquire. For more information about Perrys campaign and to find out her stance on affordable housing, land use, policy development, and social justice, visit www.janperry.com and follow her on social media. Deadly diseases like measles, tetanus and whooping cough are on the rise in Ethiopias Tigray area. Vaccination rates have fallen sharply there during the almost two-year-long civil war. The percentage of children receiving usual vaccinations has fallen below 10 percent this year, data from the Tigray Health Bureau shows. That has undone years of government efforts to increase vaccination rates. "The hopes of the children in the region to grow healthier and happier were snatched away in the blink of an eye," the agency wrote in a letter this month to the international vaccine group Gavi. The letter said attacks on Tigray by Ethiopian government forces led to supply shortages that reduced the number of vaccinations. The Tigray agency also wrote that power outages have disrupted vaccine supply chains. The agency added that it is difficult for people in rural areas to get to health centers. A ceasefire from March to late August made it possible for foreign medical aid to enter the area. But humanitarian access has been suspended since fighting began again, U.N. human rights experts said Monday. The experts said in a report that they had reason to believe that the denial of access to healthcare and other aid by federal officials is a crime against humanity. Ethiopian government officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment about the U.N. report. The government has denied blocking aid and says the Tigray Peoples Liberation Front (TPLF), the party leading the area government, is responsible for the conflict. The fighting has killed thousands of civilians in Tigray. Measles outbreaks Health Minister Lia Tadesse said vaccines had been provided to Tigray this year. She said that more were ready to be provided once conditions improved. In its letter, the Tigray Health Bureau said the percentage of children receiving the full dosage of vaccines had dropped to very low levels. Vaccination rates against several diseases including whooping cough, tetanus, and hepatitis B dropped from 99.3 percent in 2020 to 36 percent in 2021. This year, the vaccination rate is seven percent. The rate across Ethiopia was 65 percent in 2021, said the U.N. children's agency UNICEF. The letter also reports a drop in percentages of children being vaccinated against tuberculosis and measles. The vaccination rate was above 90 percent in 2020 and is below 10 percent this year. The letter said measles have spread in 10 of Tigrays 35 districts since the war began. The nonprofit organization Gavi pays for and ships vaccines to developing countries. It said it had provided measles and COVID-19 vaccines during the ceasefire in Tigray, but that some activities had been suspended since fighting began again. Ethiopia's Lia said 860,000 doses of measles vaccines were sent to Tigray last December and more doses were provided on April 2. And she said the U.N. World Food Program (WFP) is delaying a planned transport of humanitarian aid into Tigray. But WFP spokesperson Claire Nevill said the agency was waiting on approval from Ethiopias government. Without the clearances, she said, lifesaving humanitarian supplies, including food, nutrition and medical items, will have to be on hold. Im Dan Novak. Dan Novak adapted this story for VOA Learning English based on reporting by Reuters. ____________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story region n. a part of a country, of the world, etc., that is different or separate from other parts in some way snatch v. to take (something) quickly or eagerly in the blink of an eye n. very quickly disrupt v. to cause something to be unable to continue in the normal way access n. a way of getting near, at, or to something or someone dose n. the amount of a medicine, drug, or vitamin that is taken at one time district n. an area established by a government for official government business clearance n. an official decision saying that someone has permission to do something nutrition n. the process of eating the right kind of food so you can grow properly and be healthy A new online bird guide documents the extraordinary paths of numerous species in the United States. The recently published guide is called the Bird Migration Explorer. It is a mapping tool created from a huge collection of scientific and community data. It covers the travel paths of about 450 bird species in the Americas. The guide, which is free to the public, is an ongoing project between 11 groups that collect and examine data on bird movements. Among them are the Smithsonian Migratory Bird Center, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), Georgetown University, Colorado State University, and the National Audubon Society. For the first time, the online tool brings together online data from hundreds of scientific studies that use GPS markers to follow, or track, bird movements. The guide also includes more than 100 years of bird data collected by the USGS, community science observations and genetic information of feathers. The past twenty years have seen a true renaissance in different technologies to track bird migrations around the world, said Peter Marra. He is a bird migration expert at Georgetown University who took part in the project. The online guide permits users to enter a species and then watch bird movements over the period of a year. For example, data from 378 tracked osprey birds show up as yellow dots that move between coastal North America and South America. Users can also enter the city where they live and choose another place on the map for a list of birds that migrate between the two areas. For example, ospreys, bobolinks and at least 12 other species migrate between Washington, D.C. and Fonte Boa, Brazil. Melanie Smith is the program director for the guide. She told The Associated Press that as new tracking data becomes available, the site will continue to expand. The next plan for expansion will add more data about seabirds. Michael Herrera lives in Washington, D.C. and started birdwatching about four months ago. He said the guide quickly became a favorite. It's almost like this hidden world that's right in front of your eyes," he said. Once you start paying attention, all these details that were like background noise suddenly have meaning." Georgetown's Marra hopes increasing public interest will help people understand the conservation difficulties currently facing birds. These include loss of natural environments and climate change. During the past 50 years, the population of birds in the U.S. and Canada has dropped nearly 30 percent, with migratory species facing some of the biggest drops. But some birds still make extraordinary trips. One example is the bay-breasted warbler, a small songbird. Two times a year, the bird flies nearly 6,437 kilometers between Canadian forest and its wintering grounds in northern South America. Jill Deppe is the director of the migratory bird program at the National Audubon Society. She told the AP she sees migratory birds as little globetrotters. Im Bryan Lynn. The Associated Press reported this story. Bryan Lynn adapted the report VOA Learning English. __________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story species n. a group of animals or plants that are similar and can produce young animals or plants renaissance n. a time when something becomes popular again conservation n. the protection of animals, plants, and natural resources globetrotter n. someone who often travels to a lot of different countries ______________________________________________________________________ What do you think of this story? We want to hear from you. We have a new comment system. Here is how it works: 1. Write your comment in the box. 2. Under the box, you can see four images for social media accounts. They are for Disqus, Facebook, Twitter and Google. 3. Click on one image and a box appears. Enter the login for your social media account. Or you may create one on the Disqus system. It is the blue circle with D on it. It is free. Each time you return to comment on the Learning English site, you can use your account and see your comments and replies to them. Our comment policy is here. The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is recommending that all new vehicles in the United States have blood alcohol monitoring systems. The systems are designed to stop people who have had too much to drink from driving. If the recommendation is approved by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), it could reduce the number of alcohol-related crashes, one of the biggest causes of highway deaths in the United States. NHTSA said this week that road deaths in the U.S. are at crisis levels. Nearly 40,000 people were killed last year, the greatest number in 16 years, as Americans returned to the roads after pandemic stay-at-home orders. The agency says 11,654 people died in 2020 from alcohol-related crashes. That is the most recent year the data is available. That number represents about 30 percent of all U.S. traffic deaths. The NTSB, which has no legal power and can only ask other agencies to act, said the recommendation is designed to put pressure on NHTSA to take action. It could be effective as early as three years from now. We need NHTSA to act. We see the numbers, NTSB Chairman Jennifer Homendy said. We need to make sure that were doing all we can to save lives. The NTSB, she said, has been pushing NHTSA to explore alcohol monitoring technology since 2012. The faster the technology is implemented the more lives that will be saved, she said. The recommendation also calls for systems to monitor a drivers behavior, making sure they are paying attention, or alert. She said many cars now have cameras pointed at the driver, which could possibly limit drunk driving. But Homendy says she also understands that perfecting the alcohol tests will take time. We also know that its going to take time for NHTSA to evaluate what technologies are available and how to develop a standard, she said. The agency and a group of 16 automakers have been supporting research on alcohol monitoring since 2008. They formed a group called Driver Alcohol Detection System for Safety. The group has hired a Swedish company to research technology that would automatically test a drivers breath for alcohol and stop a vehicle from moving if the driver has had too much to drink, said Jake McCook, spokesman for the group. The driver would not have to blow into a tube. Instead, a sensor would check the drivers breath, McCook said. Another company is working on light technology that could test for blood alcohol in a persons finger, he said. Breath technology could be ready by the end of 2024, while touch technology would come about a year later. It could take one or two more model years after carmakers get the technology for it to be in new vehicles, McCook said. Once the technology is ready, it will take years for it to be in most of the cars on U.S. roads. Under last years law to rebuild highways, the U.S. Congress required NHTSA to make automakers install alcohol monitoring systems within three years. The law does not name the exact technology, only that it must passively monitor a driver to see if they are affected by alcohol. Im Ashley Thompson. Tom Krisher reported on this story for the Associated Press. John Russell adapted it for VOA Learning English. ________________________________________________________________________ Words in This Story recommend -- v. to suggest that someone do (something) monitor -- v. to watch, observe, listen to, or check (something) for a special purpose over a period of time highway n. a main road that connects cities, towns, etc. implement v. to begin to do or use (something, such as a plan) : to make (something) active or effective evaluate -- v. to judge the value or condition of (someone or something) in a careful and thoughtful way standard n. a level of quality, achievement, etc., that is considered acceptable or desirable passively adv. used to describe someone who allows things to happen or who accepts what other people do or decide without trying to change anything It only took a few steps into the apple orchard at Sutter's Ridge Farm to understand the health of this year's crop. Off Highway 92 between Mount Horeb and Mount Vernon, the trees are encircled with a towering fence to ward off the deer and separated into 56 rows that hold varieties such as Honey Crisp, Cameo, Courtland and Nova Spy. Among the first varieties encountered Saturday by the growing number of guests, who pulled wagons and carried empty bags, was a row of Jonagold. Each piece of fruit was covered in droplets of freshly fallen mist, and many were the size of small grapefruit. In short, the nearly 2,000 trees here are loaded with plump apples, thanks to cooperative weather. "It's a record-breaking crop," said Matt Sutter, who established the first of his trees in 2004. "Right when they were sizing up (in August) we got this perfect rain." Orchards like Sutter's and others around Wisconsin are prime destinations each fall and have expanded into corn mazes, activity areas with games, gift shops, hay rides, petting zoos and pumpkin patches all of which have contributed to the state's more than $104 billion agricultural economy. Unlike cranberry production in Wisconsin, which accounts for about 60% of the crop nationally, apples are a relatively small player, although critical to many individual businesses, whether they be near Richland Center, on the Ridge near Gays Mills or at the Elegant Farmer near Mukwonago, known for its apple pies baked in a paper bag. Nationally, according to the U.S. Apple Association, production this fall will be more than 10.7 billion pounds or 255 million bushels, a 2.7% increase compared to 2021 production. The increase comes despite what is expected to be an 11% drop in apple production in the state of Washington, which accounts for about 60% of the production from the country's top seven apple producing states, none of which is Wisconsin. In Bayfield County, where orchards take advantage of a microclimate created by the land's relationship with Lake Superior, prime harvest time has yet to arrive, said Laura Gervasi, a manager at Bayfield Apple Company, just north of its namesake city and home to more than 30 varieties of apples on 40 acres. "They're doing great, and we'll be at peak in another two weeks, just in time for apple fest," Gervasi said Saturday by phone. "We had a cold spring, so they're a little bit slower (to ripen) this year." At the other end of the state, it's already a bumper crop for Henry Morren, who for the past 23 years has owned and operated Morren Orchard & Nursery near Orfordville, about 16 miles west of Janesville. On Saturday, Morren was set up at the Dane County Farmers' Market at the corner of West Washington Avenue and Carrol Street. Despite the cool, damp conditions, his stand was bustling with customers, some who sipped $2 cups of fresh apple cider while others chose 3-pound bags of apples for $8 each with names like Mother, Liberty, Brown and King of Tompkins County, an apple thought to have originated in New York. By gradually planting smaller and shorter trees that can be planted closer together, Morren has been able to increase his tree count from about 200 trees per acre to 1,000 trees per acre. The smaller trees, supported by trellises, make for easier pruning, picking and spraying. "You're much more efficient," said Morren, who has a 10-acre orchard. His apples largely avoided major hail storms, while robust pollination required more thinning than usual. He expects to harvest about 3,000 boxes of apples this season. "For me, it's one of the better years," Morren said. "It's a pretty nice crop. Much better than last year." On the other side of Capitol Square was Rob Ten Eyck, a fifth-generation owner of his family orchard that was established in 1839 near Brodhead. Ten Eyck, who has been coming to the market every Saturday since the late 1970s, has about 20 acres of orchard, which is down from the 50 acres his company used to farm. Most of his apples are sold at the orchard to customers who drive north from Illinois. Ten Eyck's 2021 crop was impacted by cold temperatures that killed some buds during the 2020-21 winter and a spring frost. This season's crop comes after near-perfect conditions that featured the right amount of rain, stable temperatures, only a small amount of frost damage and no hail. "This is a very risky business. Ten seconds of hail can ruin us for the year," Ten Eyck said. "Our crop, it could be 50% bigger than last year." BOISE The Idaho Supreme Court has overturned a law allowing grandparents to seek visitation rights after finding that it unconstitutionally violates the fundamental right to parent. In the ruling handed down Friday, the high court said parents have a fundamental right to maintain family relationships and to the custody, care and control of their children. But the Idaho state law seemingly allows grandparents to seek visitation over the objection of fit parents, Justice John Stegner wrote for the unanimous court. That makes the visitation law unconstitutional, the court found. The case arose in 2017 after Dennis and Linda Nelson asked a magistrate judge to award them visitation with their grandchildren after the grandchildrens parents, Brian and Stephanie Evans, cut off contact. Neither attorneys for the Nelsons nor the Evanses immediately responded to requests for comment from The Associated Press. But the family members relationship had been full of strife for some time, in part because the grandmother strongly objected to the parents marriage resulting in no communication between the two sides for nearly a year and in part because the Evanses felt the grandmother was manipulative and repeatedly violated their boundaries. The Nelsons and Evanses also had disputes over a jointly owned California home and over the Evanses decision to move to Idaho, according to the ruling. The discord continued when it came to childrearing, with the grandparents taking the grandchildren on extravagant playdates to places like Disneyland and frequently returning the children home later than had been requested. The Evanses said the grandparents frequently showed up even though they hadnt been invited, and that they used emotional manipulation and pressuring tactics to get what they wanted. Stephanie and Brian asked the Nelsons to refrain from spending so much money and to instead go on more simple playdates such as to parks; however, these requests were frequently ignored, Stegner wrote. The Nelsons seemed intent on spoiling the grandchildren contrary to the expressed wishes of the Evanses. The lower court where the case began ruled in favor of the parents, finding that the Nelsons lacked the legal standing to seek visitation. The grandparents appealed and lost at the district court level, and appealed again to the Idaho Supreme Court. In 2020, the Idaho Supreme Court found that state law did give the Nelsons the right to seek visitation rights and bounced the case back to the lower court. Last year, the lower court acknowledged that the grandparents had inserted themselves into the Evans family to an exorbitant extent, and that the grandmothers behavior had undermined the parents in the eyes of the children. Still, the lower court took issue with how the Evans family severed their childrens relationship with the grandparents, saying they may not have sufficiently explained their concern to the grandparents before cutting off ties. Despite finding the Nelsons had harmed the grandchildren by acting in the way that they had, the magistrate court then ordered visitation, as long as the grandparents first underwent counseling, according to court documents. Meanwhile, the Evans family filed a motion asking the court to find the visitation law unconstitutional. They argued the law did not serve any compelling state interest and that it allowed fit parents to be hauled into court by overzealous grandparents. The high court agreed that the law was unconstitutional, and noted the toll the case had placed on the Evans family including more than $50,000 worth of legal bills. The Nelsons conduct in this case has placed a significant financial and emotional strain on Stephanie and Brian, and likely their three daughters as well, Stegner wrote. Sending the case back to the magistrate court would just result in additional litigation, the Supreme Court justices found, and so they dismissed the visitation case outright. KIMBERLY Its billed as 48 minutes of fun. When Simon Olsen steps onto the floor with a bunch of students from Stricker Elementary in Kimberly, it wont be to teach math or history, but to instill in students, even at their young age, the importance of getting plenty of exercise and staying physically fit. But this physical education teacher is not there to have them spend large amounts of time doing sit ups and pushups, but to have fun. We are here to be the fun teachers and give the kids one more reason to come to school, Olsen said. Plus, it gives them a break from the regular studies of reading, writing and arithmetic. In Kimberly Elementary School, Kayla Hutcheson, has some of the same philosophies. I love to see them laughing, having a good time, and socializing, Hutcheson said. That is my favorite part of the job. The pair of PE teachers instruct students from kindergarten through the fifth grade, with older students having one 48-minute class per week, and the younger ones having two classes of 25 minutes each per week. But that by itself, including the 50 minutes of recess time, is not enough to guarantee that students will stay physically fit, Hutcheson said. I think it takes a team effort, from parents, teachers and friends even the lunch ladies, she said. The point Olsen tries to make to his students is to find something physical you enjoy doing, and do it. You dont have to go to a gym, he said. It doesnt matter how you exercise, but you can have fun. He teaches students lots of games that get their hearts pumping. Those games can also be used outside of class. Olsens classes begin with a warmup, often to a YouTube video. It might involve a crazy video where students pretend to be Minions running down a street, avoiding obstacles. Once warmup is complete, they might play tag. The kids play a lot of tag, Olsen said. It gets cardio in and teaches other skills as well. One favorite activity of Hutchesons students is dodgeball, played with foam balls, not the hard rubber balls of years past. They are always asking, Is it dodgeball day? she said. Olsen said one challenge he deals with centers around kids wanting to play video games or watch TV for extended amounts of time. Its easy to waste a few hours just watching a screen, he said. But for the most part, Hutcheson said students in Kimberly stay active through the many opportunities available to them. In addition to emphasizing physical fitness, she also talks to students about healthy eating and about being a good person. Sportsmanship and good citizenship are big in my book, she said. Bridget Tilton, district secretary, said she was impressed by the efforts of Olsen and Hutcheson. Both of these PE teachers are outstanding and are able to help students learn how to increase health through movement and play, she said, as well as the importance of teamwork. Despite their increasingly bitter differences, Democrats and Republicans generally agree that content moderation by social media companies is haphazard at best. But while Democrats tend to think the main problem is too much speech of the wrong sort, Republicans complain that platforms like Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are biased against them. The government cannot resolve this dispute and should not try. Siding with the critics who complain about online misinformation poses an obvious threat to free inquiry and open debate. And while attempting to mandate evenhandedness might seem more consistent with those values, it undermines the freedoms guaranteed by the First Amendment in a more subtle but equally troubling way. Under a Texas law that the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 5th Circuit declined to block last week, the leading social media platforms are forbidden to discriminate against users or messages based on viewpoint. The censorship that Texas has banned includes not just outright removal of content and cancellation of accounts but also any steps that make posts less visible, accessible or lucrative. That means platforms are obliged to treat all posts equally, no matter how objectionable their content. With narrow exceptions for speech that is not constitutionally protected, Facebook et al. are not allowed to favor tolerance over bigotry, peace over violence, or verifiably true historical or scientific claims over demonstrably false ones. While such neutrality is constitutionally mandatory for the government, imposing it on private actors violates the First Amendment right to exercise editorial discretion. The companies that challenged the law cited a line of Supreme Court decisions recognizing that right in a wide range of contexts, including a newspapers selection of articles, a utilitys control over the content of its newsletter, and a private organizations vetting of participants in a St. Patricks Day Parade. Even assuming those cases established a general right to exercise editorial discretion, the 5th Circuit said, that is not an accurate description of what social media platforms are doing when they decide that certain posts are beyond the pale. Because they rely heavily on algorithms, do not review content before publication and take action against only a tiny percentage of messages, Judge Andrew Oldham declared in the majority opinion, Facebook et al. are nothing like a newspaper. Writing in dissent, Judge Leslie Southwick objected to that characterization. While none of the precedents fit seamlessly, Southwick said, a social media platforms right to curate content is analogous to the right of newspapers to control what they do and do not print. That right has never been contingent on whether editors do their jobs thoughtfully, consistently or fairly. As the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 11th Circuit observed when it blocked enforcement of Floridas social media law in May, private actors have a First Amendment right to be unfair which is to say, a right to have and express their own points of view. Oldham rejected the argument that social media companies are expressing a point of view when they make moderation decisions based on amorphous goals like maintaining a welcoming community (YouTube), fostering authenticity, safety, privacy, and dignity (Facebook), or ensuring that all people can participate in the public conversation freely and safely (Twitter). Yet the conservatives who want the government to restrict moderation decisions take it for granted that social media companies have an ideological agenda one that is hostile to people on the right. If social media platforms pursued that agenda more explicitly and systematically, Oldhams argument implies, the government might be obliged to respect their decisions. The more proactive and heavy-handed they were, the stronger their First Amendment claim would be. Should the Supreme Court resolve the split between the 5th and 11th circuits by endorsing Oldhams reasoning, platforms that want to escape Texas-style regulation might decide that broader and tighter content restrictions are the way to go. By trying to mandate a diversity of opinions, the government could achieve the opposite result. When the Arctic Council was formed in 1996, its member nations regarded the Arctic as a low tension area what a NATO study called a zone of depoliticized cooperation. As instructive background, here are the Council members: eight countries that control some Arctic territory (U.S., Canada, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Sweden, Russia) and six Arctic indigenous groups. Denmark, a peninsula in the Baltic Sea, has major Arctic interests. Greenland is a Danish possession, and the island has an immense Arctic Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ). That means Greenland has legit claims to immense Arctic mineral deposits and maritime resources. Greenland, the worlds biggest island, is also in North America, along with Mexico, the U.S. and Canada. Check out the continental plate or ask a geologist. Heres more instructive background to further discussion of accelerating Arctic competition. Lets stipulate 9/11 ended the Faux Pax (Fake Peace with historical echoes) that followed the Cold War and its phony Peace Dividend. However, as the 21st centurys second decade began Chinese and Russian imperialism began a new era Great Power conflict with global stakes and nuclear weapons. Concrete examples of Beijings and Moscows escalating treachery: (1) Chinas artificial island invasion of the South China Sea (slow, calculated territorial conquest toward Singapore, with the Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia en-route victims); (2) Russias 2014 Crimea invasion and annexation; (3) Russias 2014 invasion of Ukraines Donbas and its all-out assault in February 2022. Until 2010 or kinda-sorta, the Arctic low tension condition held. Were in 2022. Low tension is history. In August 2019, then-Secretary of State Mike Pompeo addressed the reality. Were entering a new age of strategic engagement in the Arctic, Pompeo said, complete with new threats to the Arctic and its real estate, and to all of our interests in that region. Pompeo named the threats: China and Russia. China? Yes, China now claims its a near-Arctic state. When China made that claim I read it as a threat to Russian Siberia. According to Beijings propagandists, Siberia belongs to China. The current border (approximately 2,740 miles) is an artifact of the 1860 Convention of Peking. In 1917, the Bolsheviks acknowledged that czarist treaties forced on China were coercive and predatory. Russia, however, has never returned any Siberian territory. Xi Jinpings communist China wants it back, because its a route to global domination. Seeing Chinas big game (strategic goal is the fancy phrase), Pompeo didnt bother with nerdish historical footnotes. He hit Chinas propaganda claim head-on: There are only arctic states and non-arctic states. No third category exists and claiming otherwise entitles China to exactly nothing. He also made the correct contemporary connection that exposes Chinas game. Do we want the Arctic Ocean to transform into a new South China Sea, fraught with militarization and competing territorial claims? Which brings us back to now. This week Breaking Defense published an interesting article recommending the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) invite Greenland and Denmark to join the command, reflecting the fact that Greenland is a strategically integral part of North America, and Denmark has sovereignty over it. Why? ...increasing numbers of aerial intrusions. By whom? Russia The biggest factor is Russias invasion of Ukraine. Outright aggression. Breaking Defenses invite makes so much sense a critic might say its 60 years late. However, the immediate diplomatic and political message is useful. The New York Times and mainstream media will miss it, but Moscow wont. An administrative-strategic move to consider: include Greenland in NORTHCOM (U.S. Northern Command). Admittedly an obscure rearrangement but defending Greenland would be regarded as defending the U.S. and Canada. For what its worth, Mexico is a de facto member of NORTHCOM because clued-in and fully cleared in Mexican military liaison officers contribute to hemispheric defense at NORTHCOMs headquarters in Colorado. At the moment Greenland is assigned to European headquarters. I say, follow the science. Let geography and geology rule. And stick it in Moscows face. President Joe Bidens Department of Justice is going after conservatives in a way eerily reminiscent of the tactics employed when the state of Alabama went after the NAACP in the 1950s. In 1956, Alabama did not pass a law to shutter the civil rights group; it simply asked for the groups membership rolls and figured fate could take care of the rest. Instead, the NAACP went to court to fight the law, and the U.S. Supreme Court ruled unanimously in the NAACPs favor. The court understood that forcing the members to forfeit their anonymity was a threat to their free speech rights. Its a lesson todays DOJ apparently forgot. The U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Alabama is going after the conservative Eagle Forum of Alabama because the group supported an Alabama law to prohibit gender-altering medical treatment for minors. To many, it might seem the measure, which went into effect in May, went too far by barring parental involvement in such decisions. Thats my instinct. And if the DOJ went to court to fight the new Alabama laws constitutionality, that would be great. But thats not what is happening in a case that has attracted precious little media attention. Rather than simply fight against the Alabama anti-transgender law on its legal merits, the DOJ has commanded Eagle Forum to deliver reams of its proprietary documentation because, Several public statements suggest that Eagle Forum of Alabama staff may have had some involvement in drafting (SB184) or its predecessor bills. Be it noted, the feds arent even arguing the Eagle Forum drafted parts of the measure which it has a right to do but it might have had some involvement. Why should you care? Eagle Forum president Kristen A. Ullman sees no legitimate reason for the DOJ to subpoena her organization. If this administration can command that advocacy groups hand over their internal communications to the government, its not going to end with Eagle Forum. It will be open season on conservative donors and advocates, while a precedent to harass and intimidate activists of all stripes takes root. Youre a liberal and dont care what happens to conservative groups? OK, but with a new president from a different party, the same rules could apply. The DOJ move is especially troubling because, an amicus brief sympathetic to Eagle Forum noted, it forces a small nonprofit with only one full-time employee to pony up resources to fight the Department of Justice, the worlds largest law firm. This isnt law enforcement. Its harassment. Westside meeting Martinsville City Council will have a neighborhood tour of Westside at 5:30 p.m. Monday. Meet at the rear entrance to the Municipal Building. After the tour, a community meeting will be held at 7 p.m. at Albert Harris Elementary School at 710 Smith Road. The meeting is expected to last about an hour and will include an update of the neighborhood tour, a review of prior inspection concerns and hearing questions and comments from citizens. City Council Martinsville City Council will meet at 7 p.m. Tuesday at Council Chambers in the City Municipal Building. City Council will meet in closed session at 6:45 p.m. The agenda of the 7 p.m. regular session includes: An overview of the West End neighborhood meeting from Monday A proclamation acknowledging the 20th anniversary of The Harvest Foundation Hear public input regarding the possible demolition of the Paradise Inn on Fayette Street Henry County The Henry County Board of Supervisors will meet at 3 p.m. Tuesday at the Henry County Administration building. The agenda includes: Resolutions honoring Sandra Adams for her years of service on the Board of Zoning Appeals, the 20th anniversary of The Harvest Foundation, the 20th anniversary of the Dan River Basis Association and the 50th anniversary of the Mount Olivet Ruritan Club Monthly report on delinquent tax collection efforts Monthly update from the Martinsville-Henry County Economic Development Corporatoin Financial matters: part-time Clerk of Court clerical position and additional appropriation on Virginia Avenue Enhancement Project by the Department of Planning, Zoning and Inspections Closed meeting to discuss appointees to the Blue Ridge Regional Library Board, Parks and Recreation Board, Southern Virginia Recreation Facilities Authority, and the Patrick & Henry Community College Board, and the discussion of personnel matters; pending legal matters; real estate; and pending contract for as-yet unannounced industries General highway matters Public hearings on a rezoning application by Amanullah Sarwary and a proposed amendment of a 40-by-50-foot turn-around on Pioneer Trail Credit: Pixabay/CC0 Public Domain Babies in the womb are big fans of carrots but not so much leafy green vegetablesand show it in their faces, scientists said in a new study published Thursday. Researchers at Durham University in northeast England said the findings were the first direct evidence that babies react differently to various smells and tastes before they are born. A team of scientists studied 4D ultrasound scans of 100 pregnant women and discovered that babies exposed to carrot flavours showed "laughter-face" responses. Those exposed to kale flavours in contrast showed more "cry-face" responses. Lead postgraduate researcher Beyza Ustun said: "A number of studies have suggested that babies can taste and smell in the womb, but they are based on post-birth outcomes while our study is the first to see these reactions prior to birth. "As a result, we think that this repeated exposure to flavours before birth could help to establish food preferences post-birth, which could be important when thinking about messaging around healthy eating and the potential for avoiding 'food-fussiness' when weaning." Humans experience flavour through a combination of taste and smell. In foetuses, it is thought that this might happen through inhaling and swallowing the amniotic fluid in the womb. The study, published in the journal Psychological Science, included scientists from Durham's Fetal and Neonatal Research Lab and Aston University in Birmingham, central England. A team from the National Centre for Scientific Research in Burgundy, France, was also involved. The teams believe the findings could deepen understanding of the development of human taste and smell receptors as well as perception and memory. Research co-author Professor Jackie Blissett, of Aston University, said: "It could be argued that repeated prenatal flavour exposures may lead to preferences for those flavours experienced postnatally. "In other words, exposing the foetus to less 'liked' flavours, such as kale, might mean they get used to those flavours in utero. "The next step is to examine whether foetuses show less 'negative' responses to these flavours over time, resulting in greater acceptance of those flavours when babies first taste them outside of the womb." Explore further First direct evidence that babies react to taste and smell in the womb More information: Flavour Sensing in Utero and Emerging Discriminative Behaviours in the Human Fetus, Psychological Science (2022). Journal information: Psychological Science Flavour Sensing in Utero and Emerging Discriminative Behaviours in the Human Fetus,(2022). DOI: 10.1177/09567976221105460 2022 AFP If you care about reproductive rights and health care, you will want to attend The Dark Reproductive Days: Illegal Abortion in Montana Before Roe v. Wade. On Oct. 3 at the Roxy Theater, you can learn about the history of reproductive care in Montana prior to 1973 when Roe v. Wade was decided. Knowing this history, and what steps can be taken locally to protect reproductive rights, is essential so we are not doomed to repeat the same mistakes. The information provided at the event is important because in June of this year, the Supreme Court turned reproductive rights decisions over to the states by overturning the federal protections provided in Roe v. Wade. Montanas history shows that having access to full reproductive health care, including access to safe and legal abortions, is essential for the health and well-being of Montanans. Before Roe was decided in 1973, the Montana government had a disturbing history of criminally prosecuting medical providers for providing essential medical care. Montanas newspaper archives tell the story of Montana families seeking family planning care and what can happen when abortion care is not safe and legal. Starting in the 1800s, this Montana history includes that in December of 1882, Dr. Elijah Hoyt of Missoula was sentenced to two years imprisonment in the state prison. He was convicted and sentenced to prison for procuring an abortion - for providing a woman with needed health care. With abortion care not being legal, womens lives were at risk when they sought this care. This can be seen when a Polson woman died from receiving medical care from Rose Husted in the 1930s. Husted was convicted of manslaughter for causing the womans death when performing an abortion, even though Husted indicated the procedure may have been necessary to try to save the woman's life. She was sentenced in May of 1939 to serve one year at the state prison. When a family made the difficult decision to end a pregnancy because the fetus was deceased while the woman was still carrying it, criminal prosecution of the doctor providing this care occurred. Dr. J.L. Yuhas was charged in 1960 for performing an abortion in 1955 that was not necessary to save a womans life. However, Dr. Yuhas testified that he performed the surgical procedure because the fetus the woman was carrying was already deceased before she came to him for medical care. He was still charged and tried for committing the crime of abortion. Knowing the danger of government overreach into family planning and health care issues is important as we face elections and a legislative session. Tickets for the event are available at the Public Policy Institute of the Rockies website for the Choice Project, publicpolicyinstituteoftherockies.com/choiceproject. MCAT streaming available on MCAT channel 189. Many agree that the most impressive way to arrive in St. Augustine is by crossing the Intracoastal Waterway on the Bridge of Lions. After doing a good bit of walking earlier in the day, we relaxed and took a short siesta. Upon getting up, we decided to head on out. Guanajuato was a fine place to stroll and just take in the different plazas. Like Plaza de Los Angeles. We needed to grab something from Oxxo, so we went down the stairs onto busy Avenida Benito Juarez and enjoyed the colorful buildings on the street. We had made very early dinner reservations with one stop in mind before our meal which was almost right across the street from the restaurant. Artist Diego Rivera was born in Guanajuato and though his family only lived there for a few years, the home he lived in has been made into a a museum. Since we had already visited La Casa Azul earlier on the trip, I thought a visit here would be a nice "bookend". The building's restoration and conversion to a museum was initiated by Diego Rivera's daughter, Guadalupe Rivera Marin. As to how many children Diego Rivera had, well the numbers vary based on the source.... The museum is fairly small, but we enjoyed seeing the scope of Diego Rivera's work and the different styles he embraced from Cubism to Impressionism, to Post-Impressionism, and Muralism. To be perfectly honest, before this trip, while I had read (and seen the movie) and seen the works of Frida Kahlo, I really did not know much about Diego Rivera. Visiting Casa Azul, Museo Diego Rivera, and reading the various tales like how Leon Trotsky lived with the pair while in exile (Trotsky was assassinated in Coyoacan in 1940). According to this wonderful website Rivera feared for his life (it was uncovered in the 1990's that he was a informant for the US) and went the the American Embassy and ended up in San Francisco. During that time Frida and Diego got remarried and he lived out his life in Casa Azul. Man, talk about real life being more interesting than fiction! Museo Casa Diego Rivera Positos 47 Zona Centro, 36000 Guanajuato, Mexico Even though Mestizo is basically a few buildings over from the museum, it was still a bit early, so we decided to drop off the stuff we got from Oxxo at the hotel. We noticed that the Basilica Guanajuato (full name - Basilica Colegiata de Nuestra Senora de Guanajuato) was open as we exited the hotel, so we decided to take a peek. And then headed off to dinner. We had enjoyed our previous meal at Mestizo so much that we had made reservations for a follow-up dinner on our last night in the city. Service was just as friendly this time around and we ordered our favorites from that earlier meal along with one addition. We did notice something different on this visit. The flavors and presentation for the Tartar de Atun en Chile Viejo and the Chinchulines con Guacamole weren't quite as on the mark as on our previous visit. We tried the Carpaccio de Pulpo con Xoconostle y Polvo de Chili Secos. Basically octopus with prickly pear and chili de arbol powder. As before the tortillas were up to the task though not outstanding. The pulpo was on the tougher end of things and we thought more citrus/sour tones were needed as well. We enjoyed the lemony-peppery-slightly anise tones of the epazote. The one saving grace was that the Tuetano was just as wonderfully buttery and beefy as on the first visit. So, while it seems that perhaps the "B" team was in charge on this evening, things ended on a high note for us. Mestizo Positos 69 Zona Centro, 36000 Guanajuato, Mexico We then headed to La Clave Azul for a nightcap. Since this was our last evening in Guanajuato and we had really enjoyed ourselves, we decided to do a little victory lap...starting with Jardin de la Union. Where folks were out in full force. We ran into the sweet gal selling cheesecake and we ended up paying for two and asked her to "pay it forward"! As we got back to the hotel we noticed an interesting "scene"..... Hmmm, this fella looks familiar, right? There seems to always be something going on in Guanajuato! We slept well, got up, packed, and had breakfast at the hotel. The Nopales con Huevo were quite good. After breakfast, we checked out, and met our driver Aaron, who as always was right on time and got us to the airport. It was time to head on home...... But....I'm sure we'll be back someday! Thanks for stopping by! Fiona, now a post-tropical cyclone after a destructive run as a hurricane, has already washed away homes, toppled trees and left thousands without power in Atlantic Canada after the storm made landfall early Saturday. The Canadian Hurricane Centre called Fiona a "historic storm for eastern Canada" and a "potential landmark weather event" in a region where hurricanes are rare. Many storms weaken when they reach colder waters. Fiona is expected to continue to gradually weaken over the next few days. Hundreds of thousands of people in Atlantic Canada remained without power Sunday and Canadian officials continue to assess the scope of the devastation. Fiona brought widespread power outages. More than 400,000 Nova Scotia Power customers had been affected by outages Saturday, the company reported. As of Sunday evening, more than 211,000 Nova Scotia Power customers and over 81,000 Maritime Electric customers in the province of Prince Edward Island were without power. So were more than 20,600 homes and businesses in New Brunswick. Nova Scotia Power was able to restore power to over 225,000 customers Sunday evening. Ian Livingstone surveys the damage to his house from a fallen tree early in the morning in Halifax on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022 as post tropical storm Fiona continues to batter the area. Strong rains and winds lashed the Atlantic Canada region as Fiona closed in early Saturday as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone, and Canadian forecasters warned it could be one of the most severe storms in the country's history. Where is Fiona? After making landfall in eastern Nova Scotia Saturday morning, Fiona moved north and over the eastern Gulf of St. Lawrence on Saturday evening. As of Sunday afternoon, the storm is departing the Labrador Sea. Before passing through Bermuda on Friday, the storm devastated large swaths of the Caribbean, including Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, and the Turks and Caicos Islands. Officials in Bermuda reported no serious damage. Story continues At least five people have died after Hurricane Fiona two in Puerto Rico, two in the Dominican Republic and one in the French island of Guadeloupe. PUERTO RICAN INDEPENDENCE: After Hurricane Fiona, will Puerto Rico ever become a state or an independent nation? Georgina Scott surveys the damage on her street in Halifax as post tropical storm Fiona continues to batter the area on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. Strong rains and winds lashed the Atlantic Canada region as Fiona closed in early Saturday as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone, and Canadian forecasters warned it could be one of the most severe storms in the country's history. Storm washes homes away, collapses roofs As Fiona ripped through Atlantic Canada, it washed away homes, toppled trees and power lines, and tore roofs off houses. One death was confirmed. Authorities found the body of a 73-year-old woman in the water who was missing in Channel-Port Aux Basques, a town on the southern coast of Newfoundland, late Sunday afternoon. Canadian police said the woman was last seen inside the residence moments before a wave struck the home Saturday morning, tearing away a portion of the basement. Brian Button, mayor of Channel-Port Aux Basques, said houses were already being washed away by floodwaters, and residents were fleeing to higher grounds. "Im seeing homes in the ocean," said Rene J. Roy, a resident of Channel-Port Aux Basques and chief editor at Wreckhouse Press. "Im seeing rubble floating all over the place. Its complete and utter destruction. Theres an apartment that is gone, that is literally just rubble." A woman in Channel-Port Aux Basques was rescued after being "tossed into the water as her home collapsed," said Jolene Garland, a spokeswoman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police in Newfoundland and Labrador. Amanda McDougall, mayor of Cape Breton Regional Municipality, also said there were downed trees, torn-off roofs and debris scattered through roadways in her area. Mike Savage, mayor of Nova Scotia's capital, Halifax, told CNN that 100 people were displaced when an apartment roof collapsed. Police in Charlottetown on Prince Edward Island reported downed trees and posted photos of the damage on Twitter, including one that shows the roof of a home collapsed. "Conditions are like nothing we've ever seen," the police department said on Twitter. Fiona makes landfall in Canada Fiona made landfall in Canada early Saturday morning with sustained winds of up to 100 mph, the equivalent of a Category 2 hurricane, according to AccuWeather. AccuWeather meteorologists forecast Fiona may be "one of the strongest storms on record" in eastern Canada. This could be the storm of a lifetime for some people, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter said. The storm is the "lowest pressured land falling storm on record in Canada," according to the Canadian Hurricane Centre. Typically, the farther barometric pressure drops, the stronger the storm will be. THE AFTERMATH: In Puerto Rico, Hurricane Fiona leaves a 'nightmare.' The storm was about the same size as post-tropical storm Dorian, which pounded Canada in 2019, said Bob Robichaud, warning preparedness meteorologist for the Canadian Hurricane Centre. But Fiona was expected to be stronger. "Its certainly going to be an historic, extreme event for eastern Canada," Robichaud said. 5 YEARS AFTER MARIA: Puerto Ricans were still struggling with Hurricane Maria's devastation. Then came Fiona. A lobster boat is seen grounded on the rocks at the wharf in Stanley Bridge, Prince Edward Island. After hammering Atlantic Canada, post-tropical storm Fiona has moved inland in southeastern Quebec, with Environment Canada saying the storm will continue to weaken as it tracks across southeastern Labrador and over the Labrador Sea. Puerto Ricans furious over lack of power Half of Puerto Rico was still without power more than five days after Hurricane Fiona struck, and Puerto Ricans were growing frustrated with the island's private electricity transmission and distribution company. The situation was worsened by fuel disruptions that forced grocery stores, gas stations and other essential businesses to close. Puerto Rico's power grid was already struggling in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria, which razed the system in 2017. HOW TO HELP: Mutual aid, nonprofits to support Contributing: The Associated Press Contact News Now Reporter Christine Fernando at cfernando@usatoday.com or follow her on Twitter at @christinetfern. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Fiona sweeps away homes and knocks off power in eastern Canada In his 50 years of service as chief of West End Fire Department, Randall Brackett has had a hand in every move the department has made. Joining in 1972 when progress on the departments first fire station stalled while members worked to rack up support, as the only chief the department has ever known, hes overseen every piece of equipment the department has acquired, the launch of its medical first responder program, the creation of two substations and expansion of the fire district, and helped create a junior firefighter program for the department. And those are just the accolades that fit into the North Carolina State Firefighters Associations resolution honoring Bracketts service. West End Fire Department members gathered Sept. 17 to celebrate the departments 50th anniversary, a celebration that doubled as one for Bracketts years of service. Bracketts daughter, Leah Causby, worked with Dan Berg from the NCSFA for nearly a year and a half to find out a way to honor Brackett. The association ended up approving a resolution to honor Bracketts service, something that will be recorded in their permanent records, and presented him with a pin for 50 years of service. The fire department also presented Brackett with a commemorative ax to honor the occasion. The resolution wasnt the only recognition the department had up its sleeve. Brackett also was presented with the North Carolina Department of Insurances Order of the Guardian. North Carolina State House Rep. Hugh Blackwell presented Brackett with the North Carolina Department of Insurances Order of the Guardian. Randall has been demonstrating the very best standards for you guys for 50 years. Its my pleasure, on behalf of Mike Causey, our commissioner of insurance, Randall, to present you, the Order of the Guardian, in recognition of your character, integrity, service and honor, Blackwell said. The department also honored Brackett with a plaque featuring his portrait and a message celebrating his 50 years of service, which will hang by the front door of the fire department. Department members shared the impact Brackett has made on their lives, with Lt. Brian McElrath taking attendees back to 1980 when the department responded to an outside fire. Some kid thought it would be a good idea to set an old pig pen on fire, which (that kid) wouldve been me, he said. That was the day I met Chief Brackett and after cleaning up my mess, chief asked me if I wanted to be a firemen. He joined the departments junior firefighter program and he was mentored by several people, including Brackett. In the summer of 1986, when I turned 18, I was accepted into the fire department as a volunteer fireman, McElrath said. He said he didnt think the departments growth wouldve been possible had it not been for Brackett. From acquiring new apparatuses to expanding the building, to obtaining paid staff, medical responders and officers positions, Randall has been there to oversee and see through the up-building of this great organization, McElrath said. Tonight, we celebrate our department, but also our Chief Randall Brackett for 50 years of service and dedication to not just the citizens of West End fire district and not just the citizens of Burke County, but to the men and women, both then and now, in this department, who are beyond grateful to have such a wonderful leader, mentor and a friend. Board of directors member Gerald Allen said Brackett has been a vital part of the department since its start.. When you talk about West End Fire Department, youll be talking about Randall Brackett, Allen said. Randall Brackett is a good man. His heart has been with West End Fire Department since the beginning, 50 years ago. I remember the day when Randall and Bob Morrison came by our house and asked if we would support a fire department, and we said we would. Now, I want you to look at the department. We send our guys into fires with the best training, top-notch equipment, next to none. Assistant Chief Jason Lambert remembered the early days of the department, reflecting on his father and uncle who were charter members of the department. 1981 hit, and my grandfather died, and I took a pretty big hit because I was 12 and I needed something to fill the void, Lambert said. I think my grandmother called chief to see if I could start coming out on Tuesday nights to the meetings. That was April or May of 1981 there was like 15 of us juniors running around here at one time. Like McElrath, Lambert was voted into the department in 1986, which he said was thanks to Brackett. Hes always been a friend to me, Lambert said. I found out several years ago I had some health issues, but every procedure, every hospital visit, every doctors appointment, he always checks. He can probably tell you more about me than I can Hes a mentor. Ive sat back three years and Ive watched him, Ive watched how hes approached situations. Brackett has been an integral part of the community, Lambert said. Hes meant so much to this community and this fire department, Lambert said. We have a firm foundation here, its as good as its ever been. We have as good of people as you could ever ask for. Hes provided leadership in the past, present and the future. Lt. Jon Lowdermilk spoke about the difference Brackett has made in his life. Its been a long time since they accepted me into this department, Lowdermilk said. Ive learned a lot from this man, and I hope everybody else has learned a lot from him Sometimes he would use a strong hand, sometimes he would use a gentle hand, but over the years that Ive been here, hes always respected everybody. Brackett, who had not been told about the recognition he would be receiving during the anniversary dinner, gave his thanks to the department. I dont have any doubt in my mind that whats been said here tonight is not because of me, its because of you, the firefighters and the board of directors and the people in this community that have made this happen, Brackett said. Ive just been lucky enough to be along for the ride, and I hope to continue to do that for a little while. NorthWestern Energy recently announced Shane Colman as manager of the Montana Wildfire Mitigation division. Colman manages and directs the operations and administration of NorthWestern Energys enhanced Wildfire Mitigation Plan. He earned a bachelors degree in forestry-resource conservation from the University of Montana. Colman worked as a wildland firefighter for nine years. The majority of his time was spent on initial attack crews including hand crews, hotshots and helitack. After pursuing his forest service career, he returned to school to earn a bachelors degree in civil engineering from Montana Tech. He has nearly 10 years of wildland experienced coupled with over a decade of engineering experience. Colman joined NorthWestern Energy in 2016 as the Gas Operations Supervisor of the Missoula Division. Charles Tuss is joining NorthWestern Energy as a Wildfire Mitigation Specialist. He has been with the Bureau of Land Management for more than 20 years, most recently as the fire management specialist for the Western Montana District. Tuss, of Anaconda, earned a bachelors degree in Forestry Resource Conservation from the University of Montana and completed graduate course work at Colorado State University. NorthWestern Energys enhanced Wildfire Mitigation plan increases situational awareness of local environmental conditions and uses operational practices based on that awareness, said NorthWestern Energy Vice President Asset Management & Business Development Curt Pohl. Shanes background in firefighting and experience in the energy industry is ideal for this role. Charles advanced expertise in fire management brings exceptional value to this critical program, which address the elevated environmental changes affecting wildfire risks in Montana. Last week, as world leaders gathered at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the American people got their first glimpse of a mass murderer on their TV sets. As many in the U.S. government already know, the president of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ebrahim Raiisi, is a mass murderer who was subjected to sanctions by the United States Department of State due to massive violations of human rights against the people of Iran. Raiisi was a member of the so-called Death Committee, which executed nearly 5,000 Iranians in the summer of 1988. Handpicked by Irans Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, Raiisi became the president of the Islamic regime in August 2021 after an election that was boycotted by the overwhelming majority of the Iranian people. Raiisi arrived in New York a few days after massive anti-government demonstrations spread across Iran in reaction to the brutal murder of a 22-year-old Kurdish-Iranian woman, Mahsa Amini. Mahsa was arrested by the so-called Moral Police for an improper hijab or head covering. A few hours after she had been detained, Mahsas motionless body was rushed to a hospital with clear signs of massive brain injury caused by beatings to the head. The murder of Mahsa has ignited the anger and rage of millions of Iranians across the country and has resulted into thousands of women chopping off their hair in public and setting their veils on fire. In response, Mr. Raiisi and his boss, Khamenei, have sent their security forces, including bands of thugs and goons to the streets to shoot and kill the protestors. Given Raiisis appalling human rights record and his repeated denials of the Holocaust, one expects the president of the Islamic regime to be shunned by the leaders of western democracies, who claim that they stand for the defense of human rights across the globe. To the shock and dismay of many, however, the first person to meet and hob nob with the leader of the murderous regime in Iran was Emmanuel Macron of France. Determined to use Iranian markets for European investments and goods, France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Italy, etc., have joined Russia and China in a policy of appeasement toward Tehran, and intentionally ignoring the plight of the Iranian people, including millions of women who have refused to obey the draconian rules and regulations imposed by the Islamic regime. Violent clashes continue over the death of Mahsa, offering the latest opportunity to challenge the authority of a totalitarian regime that uses Islam as an ideological weapon to defend its fascistic policies. In their latest protests, Iranian demonstrators have called for an end to the Islamic regime and the abolition of all discriminatory laws, including the compulsory head covering for women. It is incumbent on all citizens of democratic countries in the world especially those of the United States to express their solidarity with Irans pro-democracy protesters, especially Iranian women, and denounce the appearance of a mass murderer and a Holocaust denier in their midst. It is also essential for all those who care about and support human rights across the globe to demand that their representatives in Congress oppose any form of negotiation with a regime that has systematically brutalized its own citizens and denied them their most basic human rights. Negotiations with regimes such as the Islamic Republic in Iran and the Taliban in Afghanistan will only make such governments more self-confident and brazen in their repressive policies toward their own people. DES MOINES When working with children who have obesity, addressing nutrition is one of the first places to start, and sometimes among the hardest, said Stacey Milani, a pediatric physician at a MercyOne pediatric clinic in Pleasant Hill. Milani is in the process of obtaining a certification as an obesity medicine physician, and she has experience with patients dealing with negative health outcomes related to obesity. For younger children, getting the parents on board to work on health behaviors is sometimes difficult, she said. It's always a bit of an issue on whether or not the parent is even going to accept that there's a problem, she said. Obviously, with children, it's got to be the parent that decides that something needs to be done and to make the changes. Working with parents to manage their childs nutrition can also be hard because pediatricians have to see patients in a small window of time that doesnt allow for long and detailed discussions. Insurance companies often do not pay for nutritionist consultations, Milani said. Obesity in children has the potential to present a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, early heart problems, and Type 2 diabetes, she said. As of 2019, Iowas childhood obesity rate is slightly above the national average. Among high school students, the states obesity rate is 17% compared to a nationwide 15.5%, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among children aged 10-17, 16.9% are obese, according to the State of Childhood Obesity. Iowa ranks 18th among the 50 states for that age group. The rate in Iowa as measured by the CDC has increased in the past decade. The obesity rate was 13.2% in 2011 and 15.3% in 2017. State initiatives The state of Iowa has several initiatives addressing nutrition, fitness and food insecurity aimed at reducing obesity among children. 5-2-1-0: Healthy Choices Count is one of the most public of these campaigns. The program, which has origins in Maine, came to Iowa in 2016, when the Central Iowa Healthy Kids Coalition wanted to create messaging that was easy to communicate and understand. Now, the program is promoted by the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Healthiest State Initiative, and dozens of nonprofits and schools throughout the state. The campaign aims to address health by encouraging kids to follow four easy guidelines: eat five servings of fruits or vegetables a day, use screens for no more than two hours a day, engage in physical activity for one hour a day, and have zero sugar-sweetened beverages. The program is based on proven ways to improve health and reduce obesity, Healthiest State Executive Director Jami Haberl said. The Healthiest State Initiative is a nonprofit with the goal of making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation. 5-2-1-0, its evidence based, she said. We know that Iowans arent eating enough fruits and vegetables, and this is for kids as well as adults. The program has registered sites, from schools to workplaces to child care centers, in 83 Iowa counties. For the past three years, the state has funded 16 communities with grants from a childhood obesity prevention program to create sustainable and equitable environmental and policy changes that support active living and healthy eating, according to a 2021 report. Five more cities in Iowa have been selected to begin receiving funding in 2022. Working together, Iowa [Department of Health and Human Services] and the Healthiest State Initiative provide strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, community funding, and evaluation to the initiative, Iowa HHS spokesperson Sarah Ekstrand said. When it comes to making healthy choices, Iowas data stacks up differently to national data depending on the metrics. In 2019, according to the CDCs High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Iowa students scored lower than their national peers on most nutrition metrics. They were more likely than their national peers to have not eaten fruit or vegetables in the last seven days, and to have drank soda or multiple servings of soda in a day. On physical activity metrics, Iowa students mostly fared better than the national averages. They were more likely to have participated in physical activity for at least 60 minutes on a single or multiple days in the last week. They were also less likely to have played video games or used a computer three or more hours a day, and less likely to have not attended physical education classes on one or multiple days. Federal assistance Like other states, Iowa participates in federal programs providing nutrition assistance to low-income families and children. Iowas obesity rate for 2-4-year-olds participating in WIC, a federal nutrition assistance program for women, infants and children, was 15.8% in 2020, according to the CDC. In 2019, 58,064 Iowa residents were enrolled in WIC, according to a report from the State of Childhood Obesity. The report also found that 46.8% of residents eligible for the assistance participated in 2016. The state also administers the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, in which 144,000 children participated in 2018, or 43.4% of those eligible, according to the report. The Healthiest State initiative also offers a double up food bucks program, which allows SNAP recipients to increase the buying power of their assistance on fresh produce at participating stores. SNAP recipients can get up to an extra $10 a day to put toward produce from the program. They can go to a participating location, whether it be a farmers market or a grocery store and they can use their SNAP EBT card to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and for every fresh fruit and vegetable they purchase they can receive a dollar of Double Up Food Bucks, Haberl said. Social and environmental factors When looking at the causes of childhood obesity, United Way Community Impact Coordinator for Health Jessica Nelson said it helps to understand the social determinants of childrens health, including environmental factors. Nelson said obesity rates are about more than just eating healthy foods and being more active. The prevalence of childhood obesity is also dependent on the built environments children live in. Things like prevalence of sidewalks, green space, and food availability in a neighborhood are all correlated to health and obesity, and these are things that can be solved with community or policy changes, not necessarily individual actions. How can we make sure that folks understand the importance of that, that it's not just about making those healthy choices and choosing an apple over chips, but really, do they have the option of the apple in their community? she said. Do they have walkable, safe communities where they can be active? Nelson said the 5-2-1-0 campaign has moved toward seeing childhood obesity through this lens, looking to influence systems for better health. Grants through the program in recent years have gone toward setting up water-filling stations at schools and parks and setting up storywalks to encourage physical activity. It really started with looking at that messaging that impacts individual behavior, but its moved to more of looking at environments and systems that can help create healthy communities, Nelson said. These issues pop up in clinical settings as well. Milani, the pediatrician from Pleasant Hill, said she often has parents express concern about their child getting physical activity because they dont have a backyard, or there's no convenient or safe way to get activity outside the home. Some families live in food deserts and dont have easy access to fresh produce. Milani said her office asks questions about food insecurity in intake forms, asking whether a family needs help obtaining food or other living essentials. We have some health workers that will look at those and then try to help people that are struggling and might need some extra food or might need help with certain social situations, she said. LOS ANGELES (AP) The Crown will return to its Netflix throne in early November. The drama series about Queen Elizabeth II and her extended family will begin its fifth season on Nov. 9, the streaming service said Saturday. The debut will come two months after the queen's Sept. 8 death at the age of 96. Production on the sixth season was suspended on the day of the queen's death and again for the funeral of Britain's longest-serving monarch. In the upcoming season, Imelda Staunton becomes the latest in a succession of actors who have played Elizabeth through the decades of her life and reign. The first two seasons starred Claire Foy as the young princess Elizabeth ascending to the throne and growing into her role as queen. Seasons three and four featured Olivia Colman as a more mature queen. The show has won 22 Emmy Awards, including a best drama series trophy and top drama actress honors for Foy and Colman. Josh OConnor, who played Prince Charles as a young man in 13 episodes, won a best drama actor Emmy. The pivotal role of Princess Diana passed from Emma Corrin in season four to Elizabeth Debicki ("Tenet") for seasons five and six. She plays opposite Dominic West as Prince Charles. The prince, Elizabeth's oldest child, became King Charles III upon her death. Other cast newcomers include Lesley Manville as Princess Margaret and Jonathan Pryce as Prince Philip. Season five of The Crown is expected to cover the royal family's turbulent 1990s, when Charles and Diana's marriage messily fell apart. The Princess of Wales died following a Paris car crash in August 1997. The series has been widely acclaimed as a drama, but some have criticized it for lapses of historical accuracy. Two years ago, Netflix rejected calls for a disclaimer to be added to the series. Peter Morgan, creator of The Crown and the writer of other recent-history dramas including The Queen and Frost/Nixon, has defended his work, calling it thoroughly researched and true in spirit. I know nothing about Christian heavy metal music, yet here I was in SoCal for the funeral of one of its celebrated performers, Michael Bloodgood. My connection with Bloodgood, he of the Christian Music Hall of Fame, was Cheryl. He was married to one of her high school besties, Marilyn, for almost a half century. Michael suffered a stroke last spring. While recovering this summer in a rehab facility, he was upended by COVID. I never met Bloodgood, but Cheryl had told compelling stories. He and Marilyn were a power Christian couple. They raised three sons who became ballet dancers. Michael performed with his band, Bloodgood, while pastoring a church in Washington State. And while his surname sounded made up a moniker designed to sell albums it wasnt. Michael was born a Bloodgood. The funeral was set for Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, which isnt the Forest Lawn where all the stars are buried. That Forest Lawn is in Hollywood. But the Glendale Forest Lawn is the original and the largest, with more than a quarter million people resting for eternity on 300 serene acres. And as for celebrities, Michael Jackson and Humphrey Bogart lie here, which isnt too shabby in the stars department. In coming to pay respects and bolster Marilyn, Cheryl was joined by two childhood buddies, Sue and Nina. They had been an inseparable foursome at Crescenta Valley High School. I had only a slight role to play, that of supportive partner. We gathered in a stone chapel to hear tearful tributes by the Bloodgood sons and watch a montage of family and band photos accompanied by Bloodgood songs. The bands outfits were outrageous, which is to say they were real rockers. While many dabbed at their eyes, I sat quietly, trying to comprehend a genre of music and a faith-based life so far removed from my own. My attention kept returning to the stoic widow, dressed in black, who sat two rows ahead. What do you do when your life partner, someone larger than life, is gone? What kind of existence do you reconstruct for yourself? After the service, everyone gathered outside while the coffin was positioned for the ride to the grave site. When I returned from a restroom detour, I found Cheryl gathered with Sue, Nina and the widow. This will be awkward as hell, I thought. What can I contribute but perfunctory condolences? Thats not how it played out. Before I could say a word, Marilyn had words for me. Looking me straight in the eye, she said, I bet youre looking for an angle for your column. Nothing had prepared me for this. How does a woman whom Ive never met even know I have a column? Do I not belong here? Should I slink away? Marilyn wasnt done. I bet your brain is whirring for an angle, she continued. My brain hadnt been whirring not about a future column, anyway. The very notion seemed crass. Then I realized Marilyn wasnt rebuking me. Wise to journalists and their ways, she was teasing and smiling. After the funeral, we all gathered on a rooftop in downtown Glendale for light eats and socializing. I sat with Sue and Nina and their husbands as they processed a dear friends loss. All of us surely carried a heightened sense of our own mortality. Marilyn circulated through the crowd, projecting great composure. When she joined the La Crescenta alums, she spoke of the uncertainties that lay ahead. The number of issues to be resolved was staggering. When she occasionally struck notes of humor, her sharing became unbearable poignant. Having no role to play in this group catharsis, I wandered off to take photos, then stood gobsmacked at the magnificence of San Fernando Valley vista the silhouetted palms, the imposing San Gabriels, the fiery orb of orange that was sinking toward the Pacific. It was overwhelmingly beautiful. I had never felt so alive. In the end, Donald Teixeiras life included two significant women: his daughter Tami Teel, and his former fiancee and partner, Karen Bennett. Both said they loved him. Yet Teel and Bennett disagreed on what, and who, they thought was best for this elderly Napan. And one of them would go to jail because of it. 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. Before Teixeira died in 2019, Teel accused Bennett of stealing her fathers identity, diverting his monthly Social Security check and other funds, selling his belongings, neglecting him, destroying his house and taking advantage of an elderly man suffering from Alzheimers disease. Bennett who is now homeless was sentenced this month to 30 days in jail for identity theft and ordered to pay more than $80,000 in restitution. Teel said she has no expectation any of the money will be repaid. A daughters story According to Teel, who is 50, Teixeira met Bennett through his uncle around the year 2000. My father missed my mother even though the two were divorced. He was vulnerable, and Teixeira and Bennett began an intimate relationship, Teel said. But she felt Bennett was taking advantage of her father. Bennett manipulated her father through sexual favors which gave my dad the indication they might have some sort of connection that led to a dysfunctional relationship (and) exchanging favors for money," said Teel. Tami Teels mother-in-law, Dee Dee Teel, remembers this time. When Karen came into Dons life, we thought, 'Well, hes got somebody he can talk to,' and keep him company. He was lonely and she promised to care for him. In the beginning, it seemed like a good thing, but as the years went by, everything started going downhill. When Teixeiras mother died in 2013, Bennett offered to help him clean out her house and get it ready to sell. Bennett then moved into that house, located on Hemlock Street in Napa. Teixeira lived around the corner at 95 Arboreo St., in a house he had inherited from his brother. After the Hemlock Street house sold, Bennett then moved into Teixeiras garage and later a bedroom. The arrangement didnt sit right with Teel, she said. But her father assured her all was well. He was doing a favor for a friend, Teixeira explained to his daughter. He and Bennett who had a 25-year age gap between them werent officially a couple, he told Teel. Teel, who lives north of Sacramento, said she visited her father about once a month and talked on the phone twice a week. They had a close relationship, especially because she was his only daughter, said Teel. Tami was the apple of her dads eye, said Dee Dee Teel. You could just tell he adored his daughter. But when Teel arrived for lunch dates or other outings, her father always met her at the sidewalk, she recalled. And hed say good-bye at the driveway. Teel realized she hadnt actually been inside his home for some time. During those visits, theyd talk, but the conversation didnt get into serious topics such as finances or bank balances, she said. She didnt have reason to worry about her father ... yet. Then Teixeira had a heart attack. When he was released from the hospital, Bennett volunteered to be his caretaker, including providing meals. According to a police report, Bennett did not claim that Teixeira agreed to pay her or authorize her to write checks from his account to pay for cooking or cleaning services. During an unannounced visit to the Arboreo Street house, Teel said she was shocked to see the condition of her fathers home. Teel saw bags of food from Jack in the Box, not home-cooked meals. Her father had gained about 100 pounds. Utilities, including water, phone and cable, were disconnected for lack of payment. Photos taken by Teel showed a home in disarray. The kitchen cabinets, flooring and countertops were missing. Buckets of water were stored in the bathroom. It looked as if someone was doing laundry in the bathtub. People that Teel described as squatters also moved into the house. Some of Teixeiras furniture and belongings were missing. Her father was not a wealthy man, said Teel. In fact, his only real financial stability came from a $76,000 inheritance from his mother and a reverse mortgage on the Napa home he inherited from his brother. He received $1,050 a month from Social Security. Teel said she begged her father to ask Bennett to leave, but my dad was afraid of Karen. She was a bully. She was bigger than my father. He would say, I dont want her to lash out at me. I will handle it. My dad couldnt handle it, she said. Teel was fed up. On Jan. 8, 2018, Teel drove to Napa, picked up her father, and took him straight to her house. He later moved into a care home. Teel also called the police. Her father was a victim of elder abuse, she claimed. Bennett had stolen his identity, opened at least one credit card in his name, and was siphoning off his monthly Social Security deposit. The house was a mess. After a lengthy process, Teel evicted Bennett from the Arboreo house. The home was later sold and has since been remodeled. Donald Teixeira died on Nov. 21, 2019. A second story Bennett has a completely different version of what happened. All of this is a lie, said Bennett, who is 59. She was once engaged to Teixeira, and although they did not marry, I wouldnt have harmed a hair on his head. Don loved me, and I loved Don," she said. Im innocent of all these charges. She and Teixeira had been together on and off since around 1996, said Bennett. Though 25 years younger, she was attracted to his good looks, charm, and the way he carried himself, said Bennett. He was funny, had a great smile, and beautiful blue eyes." According to Bennett, Tami never liked me from day one. She didnt want her dad to remarry anybody. And after Teels mother died, Tami held Don accountable" and blamed him. Bennett said that Teel visited her father in Napa about three times a year at the most. Don cared for his daughter; he loved her to a certain extent but they didnt see each other all the time. I knew more about Don and his family than she did. She was taking fine care of Teixeira, Bennett insisted. I fed him three squares a day, she recalled, but because he loved the breakfast pancakes from Jack in the Box, she indulged him. Teixeira also liked to help others, perhaps to a fault, said a friend, Susan Hughes. After he received his inheritance from his mother, Don wasnt frugal with his money, Hughes acknowledged. I think he thought the money was never-ending. That man had a rich taste, Bennett said. He liked what he liked, and it didnt matter what it cost. Hed buy the best, top of the line. If he wanted something, that was that. Dont worry about it; thats my business, he reportedly said. Bennett said the kitchen had been partially demolished because said she found black mold under the sink. She was in the process of buying drywall and other supplies to fix it and make other repairs. A case is launched In October 2020, the Napa County District Attorney's Office filed a complaint alleging theft, embezzlement, forgery, fraud and identity theft targeting an elder adult. The agency is asking for a total of $80,768 to be paid in restitution. In addition to listing Karen Bennett as the defendant, the complaint includes four other names that Bennett has been known to use. Almost two years later, on Sept. 14, Bennett entered a no-contest plea to three charges of felony identity theft, as well as to taking advantage of a vulnerable elderly man. The three felonies correlate to how Bennett stole from the victim: one count for draining his bank account, another for rerouting his Social Security checks, and a third for opening up (and then maxing out) a credit card in his name, explained Napa County Assistant District Attorney Paul Gero. The court also took into consideration her prior convictions. Bennett acknowledged she has been in prison in the past. The first time as a result of her fourth arrest for driving under the influence, she explained. After threatening to kill both Teixeira and her sister, while Bennett was on parole, Bennett served another prison sentence. Under the current plea, Bennett will serve 30 days in the Napa County jail, remain on probation for two years and pay $80,768 to Teixeiras family. That includes $71,318 in funds from Teixeiras savings and checking accounts and $9,450 in rerouted Social Security checks. When asked if Bennett was facing a second strike, Gero said she was not. Technically, the new crimes are not strikes, he said. At the sentencing, Napa County Deputy District Attorney Nina Jehle gave details about the seriousness of the case. Bennett isolated and took advantage of one of the most vulnerable victims imaginable a man who knew and trusted her, who offered her a place to live when she needed it, and a man who had very advanced dementia, yet no understanding of his limitations due to the cruelty of his disease, wrote Jehle. A report from a doctor diagnosed Teixeira with Alzheimers disease. Bennett deceived Teixeira and left him living in squalor, wrote Jehle. His saving and checking account balances show a clear story of victimization: a sudden sharp increase after receiving his mothers inheritance, followed by a steady decline to negative balances. Then when the inheritance was dry, a closing of his longstanding accounts, the redirection of his Social Security check without his knowledge, and opening and maxing out a credit card in his name. Meanwhile, Teixeiras bills went unpaid and Bennett took complete control of his communication with his daughter. While Bennett claims she spent Teixeiras money with his permission, his dementia was such that he lacked the awareness of his finances to legally give permission, Jehle said. While she was living off of his inheritance, the victims mental deficits were apparent and increasing. Due to his inability to manage his own activities of daily living, he went into skilled nursing care shortly after his daughter discovered the full extent of his situation, Jehle said. Bennett, who said shes been homeless for several years and currently lives in an encampment at Kennedy Park, said she agreed to the no-contest plea because she doesnt trust the court system and is worried that she wouldnt get a fair trial. Additionally, If I lost for any reason they would have threw the maximum of each charge up my butt, and it would have been like 30 years in prison. Ive been in prison; I dont want to go back, said Bennett. I dont think Id make it back out of there. My heart is failing me. Ive had four heart attacks. Yet she still has some regrets about her no-contest plea. I hated to do it, said Bennett. I could honestly say I wish I could have took it to the box, she said, referring to a jury trial. I dont feel good about it because its not true. I didnt open up any accounts. I didnt close any of his accounts. I didnt spend all of his money. I didnt take his car without his authorization. Bennett said she wanted to share her story because I need to stand (up) for myself. Im not just going to lay down and take a beating. Elder fraud costs millions Thirty days in jail is not a punishment for her, said Teel in an interview following the sentencing. To her, such a sentence is merely an opportunity to have three square meals and a bed to sleep in. Teel said that by talking publicly about her father, she hopes it will prevent someone elses family from enduring such a loss. Elder abuse doesnt just affect the rich, she said. There are people like her father who are barely making it, and then lose every last measly dime to such opportunists. According to statistics from the consumer cybersecurity and privacy company Comparitech, in 2022, California seniors have reported $459 million in elder fraud losses. Many cases are never reported, but the total amount lost is estimated at $10.7 billion. A total of 39,508 such cases were reported. The U.S. Financial Crimes Enforcement Network reported that deposit accounts were the most common product involved with elder fraud cases (60%), followed by debit cards (24%) and credit cards (7%). Gero said Bennetts sentence of 30 days in jail, two years probation and restitution is commensurate with other cases of its nature, particularly given several major hurdles we faced: the victim is deceased and the funds stolen were commingled with the living expenses of the victim. Bennett pleaded to three felonies and admitted to two aggravating factors, including that the victim was vulnerable, noted Gero. If she violates her probation, she faces a potential state prison sentence, he added. California voters will decide whether to reinforce the state's abortion protections under Proposition 1, a measure that is expected to drive voters to the polls this November. And that was the whole point, opponents say. The state's Democratic-controlled Legislature placed Proposition 1 on the ballot in response to the U.S. Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe vs. Wade, with lawmakers arguing that the ruling made it clear Californians need a safety net for their own reproductive rights. The meagerly-funded opposition campaign argues that the measure is simply a ploy by Democratic lawmakers to latch onto a hot-button issue that will motivate liberal voters still reeling from the ruling. If the measure passes, the state's Constitution would explicitly say that California can't deny or interfere with a person's reproductive decisions, including "their fundamental right to choose to have an abortion and their fundamental right to choose or refuse contraceptives." The measure, which has a significant lead in a recent opinion poll, follows a tidal wave of politically polarized reactions across the country, as conservative states have instituted abortion bans and liberal states have pushed to increase access. Gov. Gavin Newsom is expected to sign more than a dozen abortion bills passed by the Legislature this year after including $200 million in the state budget to expand reproductive services, including for out-of-state residents now unable to obtain reproductive care. "California will not back down from the fight to protect abortion rights as more than half the states in this country, enabled by the Supreme Court, ban or severely restrict access," Newsom said after Proposition 1 was placed on the ballot. "We are ensuring Californians will have the opportunity this November to enshrine the right to choose in our state Constitution." The state's Constitution currently guarantees a person's right to privacy, but does not define what that right includes. The California Supreme Court found the right to privacy included decisions related to reproductive choice, including whether to have an abortion or use birth control. Lawmakers have also added abortion rights into state law, but supporters of Proposition 1 said hostile attacks on abortion access have convinced them those aren't enough. Laws and court rulings can be changed, supporters say. Proposition 1 would ensure abortion protections couldn't be changed without voters weighing in. However, opponents of the measure have argued that the language of Proposition 1 is overly broad and does not limit when abortions can be performed. Lawmakers placed the measure on the ballot by approving Senate Constitutional Amendment 10, which was authored by Senate President Pro Tem Toni Atkins (D-San Diego). It passed the Senate and Assembly with two-thirds approval in each house. Most bills require only a simple majority. Atkins said the measure would make it "undeniably clear that in California, abortion and contraception are healthcare and are a private matter between a patient and their medical provider." "I have seen what is at stake when people don't have access to abortion the real lives and real families that are at risk," Atkins said. "In California, we are resolute in our determination to protect women and families, no matter who happens to be wielding power at the federal level." California law allows a woman to have an abortion until the point that a physician determines "there is a reasonable likelihood of the fetus' sustained survival outside the uterus without the application of extraordinary medical measures." An abortion can be performed after viability if the procedure is necessary in order to "protect the life or health of the woman." Those protections apply to anyone who becomes pregnant, including minors, who under state law can consent to an abortion without a parent's knowledge. The exact point of viability is not defined in state law. That decision is left for physicians to make based on "good faith medical judgment." In most cases, doctors have considered a fetus viable at 24 weeks. Opponents of the measure say the overly broad language in Proposition 1, which does not mention viability restrictions, will override state law and allow abortions into the third trimester. Supporters and legal experts have said that is not the case and that the ballot measure will work in tandem with state laws. "Even pro-choice voters oppose legalizing late-term, taxpayer funded abortion for any reason up until birth," said Karen England, executive director of the conservative group Capitol Resource Institute. "Abortion on demand is not the answer voters are looking for." Other opponents point out that Proposition 1 will actually not do anything if passed, since it codifies existing statutes and precedents, making the measure an expensive waste of time that they say is only to score political points or drive Democratic voters to the polls and possibly sway close races for Congress and the Legislature. Opponents argue that the measure will likely be challenged in court, which could threaten abortion rights in the state. Polling for Proposition 1 has shown the measure is on track for victory this fall, according to a UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll last month. Seven in 10 California voters supported the proposed constitutional amendment. Fundraising has been even more lopsided. Atkins' ballot measure committee has raised more than $7 million in just the past two months, while opponents have raised $1,000. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law on Friday that will simplify the rules for street vendors to obtain health permits, easing bureaucratic barriers for taco stand and fruit cart owners. The law, authored by Sen. Lena Gonzalez, D-Long Beach, will lessen the equipment requirements, fees and design standards to push for more permitting among vendors. Senate Bill 972 will also remove criminal penalties for health code violations, replacing them with fines. 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. It will allow street food vendors to take their rightful place in our food economy, Gonzalez said in a statement. Modernizing the California Retail Food Code to include them will benefit all of us. These micro-entrepreneurs are often low-income families, people of color and women of color, who will now be able to make a living in peace and contribute to the states economy as micro-entrepreneurs. In 2018, former Gov. Jerry Brown signed a law decriminalizing street vending practices, but the code was tailored toward larger mobile food operations like food trucks and catering operations. Operators, regardless of size, were required to have costly equipment such as a three-basin sink and mechanical exhaust ventilation. They were also not allowed to slice fruit or reheat cooked food on unenclosed carts. That prohibited most taco stands and fruit cartstwo of the most iconic street vending operations. Advocates have long argued that the code needed modernization to include individuals with non-motorized operations. They pointed to the low number of permits as evidence that the rules were outdated. Since 2018, only 165 of the estimated 10,000 sidewalk street vendors in Los Angeles obtained a permit, according to a 2021 study from the UCLA School of Law Community Economic Development Clinic and Public Counsel. Opportunity for street vendors The new law creates a separate category for pushcart vendors, allowing them to meet requirements with smaller and cheaper equipment. Additionally, street cart vendors will be able to cut fruit or reheat previously cooked food. The previous rules werent set up for pushcart vendors, said Carolina Martinez, CEO of CAMEO, an organization that backed the bill. Martinez said the new law will remove systemic barriers to starting a business and further economic opportunity for people of color. Californias existing regulatory system was often too expensive and complicated for street vendors to obtain necessary permits leaving them vulnerable to fines or even arrest.Under SB 972, street vendors will be able to conduct business without fear of repercussions and reach their full economic potential, said Martinez. Opponents criticized the law, saying it would diminish local governments ability to regulate street vending. They pushed for more requirements around labeling, sanitation and food safety. California businesses wanted local control Randall Scott, executive director of the Fishermans Wharf Community Benefit District in San Francisco, said any new legislation needed to retain the local level of control. They continue to offer no provisions for local authorities to be able to protect public spaces from being overwhelmed, said Scott. Again, SB 946 was good intentions, bad legislation. SB 972 just made the situation worse. The honest hardworking people working their carts in earnest to put food on the table will be overrun by the gangs and illegal organizations who know how exploit the law. Newsom announced signing SB 972 along with several other bills that aim to support immigrants, including Assembly Bill 1766 allowing undocumented residents to get California identification cards. The cards are intended for people who are non-drivers, and are not able to use a drivers license as identification. Undocumented Californians already are able to obtain a drivers license. California is expanding opportunity for everyone, regardless of immigration status, said Newsom in a statement. Were a state of refuge a majority-minority state, where 27% of us are immigrants. Thats why Im proud to announce the signing of todays bills to further support our immigrant community, which makes our state stronger every single day. Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a state bill on Friday, California Native American Day, that will remove the word squaw, now widely considered a slur, from California places by 2025. This racist and sexist term will be removed from all geographic features and place names in the state, and a process to review petitions to change offensive or derogatory place names will be created, a news release issued by the Governors Office about Assembly Bill 2022 states. 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. This comes on the heels of federal action this month to complete the removal of this slur from nearly 650 geographic features across the country, including several name changes advanced by California based on extensive tribal engagement, the statement continues. The Newsom Administration has launched a series of ongoing actions to identify and redress discriminatory names of features attached to the State Parks and transportation systems. The law also follows a two-year campaign to change the name of Squaw Valley, led by a local Native American man, Roman Rain Tree. Fresno County Supervisor Nathan Magsig led the first public meeting in Squaw Valley earlier this week about renaming proposals, which were largely rebuffed by an angry crowd. More than 100 California places contain the S-word, said Assemblymember James Ramos of Southern California, who introduced the new law along with the chair of Californias Legislative Womens Caucus, Assemblymember Cristina Garcia. The bill has 13 co-authors, including Assemblymember Joaquin Arambula, D-Fresno. AB 2022 was unanimously passed by state legislators last month. It is an idiom that came into use during the westward expansion of America, and it is not a tribal word, Ramos wrote of the S-word in a news release. For decades, Native Americans have argued against the designations use because behind that expression is the disparagement of Native women that contributes to the crisis of missing and murdered people in our community. AB 2022 is among seven new laws signed by Newsom on Friday related to American Indian communities, the majority of them authored by Ramos, the first California Native American elected to the states legislature. One of those is AB 1314, which enables a Feather Alert, similar to an Amber or Silver alert, to assist in the search for missing Native American people. The signing of AB 2022 came the same day the governor declared Sept. 23, 2022 Native American Day in California, and followed the days 55th annual celebration, held on the steps of the state Capitol. Its speakers included Ramos and Tribal Affairs Secretary Christina Snider of the Governors Office of Tribal Affairs. Newsom released a written statement as the event was underway. Our path forward demands that we replace systems and symbols of oppression with a new vision of California that appreciates, as a baseline, the unique cultures and histories of the first people of this place and reflects the diversity and contributions of all peoples who now call California home, Newsom said in the statement about Native American Day. Over the course of the last year, we have strived in partnership with California Native peoples to transform the state and our collective culture in ways that many could only dream of. We have worked with tribal nations to restore ancestral names and cultural practices to many of the places where Native people have lived, survived and thrived in since time immemorial. It wasnt immediately clear how AB 2022 will impact a federal review of Squaw Valleys name by the Interior Department and U.S. Board on Geographic Names. The federal agencies announced this month that they removed the word squaw from nearly 650 geographic features, but not the town of Squaw Valley and six other populated unincorporated places. They are conducting an additional federal review of those seven place names because there are unique concerns regarding their renaming. California law AB 2022 and Squaw Valley The bill has various benchmark dates to be met along the way to changing squaw names by Jan. 1, 2025. If the local governing body fails to recommend a replacement, the law states the California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names established by the Natural Resources Agency to be a liaison to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names will need to choose replacements, under its discretion, and in consultation with advisory bodies. Magsig said his office mailed 1,400 questionnaires this week to Squaw Valley households to give residents of the town a chance to suggest new names. Hes planning to present the findings at an Oct. 11 Board of Supervisors meeting. Magsig previously asked Newsom to veto AB 2022, saying the bill lacked local input. The law requires tribes be consulted about the name changes, too, including those that are not federally recognized and listed by the California Native American Heritage Commission. In Squaw Valley, places that would be affected by the legislation include a school, ambulance and fire stations, a cemetery and a post office. The law says the California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Magsig said during the Squaw Valley meeting that he doesnt know if the state will pay for related costs incurred by residents for things like updating vital records. Rain Tree hopes local leaders will help create an online fund to assist residents with related costs if needed. No geographic feature or place name in the State of California should have a name that includes racial and sexual slurs and stereotypes targeting Native Americans, which perpetuate prejudice, disparage racial minorities, and contribute to the current crisis of missing and murdered indigenous people, the law states. AB 2022 states the California Advisory Committee on Geographic Names can also submit requests to its federal counterpart, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, to render decisions on proposed name changes. The law doesnt mention business names. It describes geographic features as any publicly owned structure in the state, including navigable waters, geographic features, parks, state and local roads, bridges, and publicly owned buildings. It describes a place as any natural geographic feature or street, alley, or other road within the jurisdiction of the state or political subdivision of the state. The law doesnt explicitly say town names would be covered. But it can be implied, since it directs agencies and local governing bodies to work to find new place names, said Maria Lopez, communications director for Ramos office. What could the Fresno County towns new name be? Yokuts Valley is the preferred new name for the town of Squaw Valley in the name change proposal Rain Tree sent to the U.S. Board on Geographic Names earlier in January. It was revised from a previous request to call it Nuum Valley, which means the people in the Mono language, Rain Tree said. The physical basin of Squaw Valley was renamed to Yokuts Basin earlier this month by the Interior Department. Yokuts is a regional term that encompasses many traditional tribes. Rain Tree said an activity center connected to Squaw Valleys library in the small town denied a recent request from him to lead an educational program there about Yokuts, in addition to denying his request to use the space last year to hold a meeting about a name change. Many residents at the meeting held this week by Magsig defiantly proclaimed that the towns name should remain Squaw Valley. There was almost no discussion during that meeting about what a new name could be. Kenneth Woodrow, chairman of the Wuksachi tribe, said an indigenous word for a traditional village in the Squaw Valley area is related to the bear, and that the towns library, Bear Mountain, isnt far off from it. He said his great-grandmother was born there. Rain Tree called the signing of AB 2022 the beginning of a healing process for Mother Earth, and all Native American women, girls and their families. Thank you Assemblymember Ramos for authoring this much needed piece of legislation, Rain Tree continued. Thank you Gov. Newsom. And thank you Assemblymember Arambula for making time to listen to me. Bosnia and Herzegovina presidential candidate announces his victory US National Archives says it still didnt get all documents from Trump administration Donald Trump-Kim Jong-un personal letters published Armenia, Azerbaijan FMs underscore introduction of international mechanisms for border situation control RBC: Number of cases for evading army in Russia from spring to announcement of mobilization reaches maximum in 10 years Minister: Italy will be able to survive winter with current level of gas flow, if 'catastrophic events' do not occur Russia extradites Norwegian accused of major fraud to Norway German power producer RWE to buy clean energy company for $6.8 billion Armenian and Azerbaijani FMs start meeting in Geneva Eslami: Iran's nuclear power generation capacity is scheduled to reach 10,000 megawatts Spanish MP to Ursula von der Leyen about murder of Armenian POWs: And this is your reliable partner? Armenian FM discusses video of execution of Armenian POWs with Philip Reeker Bloomberg: OPEC+ group to consider cutting oil production by more than 1 million barrels per day Delegation from Bundestag arrives in Taiwan: China protests Secretary of Armenian Security Council to go on working visit to Brussels Afghan authorities disperse women's rally in Herat Pope appeals to Vladimir Putin to 'stop this spiral of violence and death' Crown Prince of Kuwait accepts resignation of government after parliamentary elections in country Armenian FM meets with EU Special Representative Toivo Klaar in Geneva Former Ombudsman: Armenia must immediately apply to International Criminal Court Address by Alen Simonyan to National Minorities: You have been and continue to be members of our extended family Denmark declares gas leakage in damaged Nord Stream 1 pipeline stopped Ombudsman's Office about video of Armenian soldiers' shooting: We have identified the authenticity of the video Liz Truss says she should have done more to set stage for her economic plan Foreign Ministry: Armenia demands clear evaluation of blatant war crimes by Azerbaijani Armed Forces Pashinyan: Armenia will use all available international mechanisms to bring Azerbaijan to justice Latvian Prime Minister's Party wins parliamentary elections Marukyan: Azerbaijani political and military authorities must be hold accountable for this and other atrocities Armenian PM sends congratulatory message on National Minorities Day Applications to international courts will be filed tomorrow in connection with shooting of Armenian POWs Bosnia holds presidential and parliamentary elections Armenian Defense Ministry on video of execution of Armenian POWs: No doubts about authenticity Le Figaro: International media and authorities verify gruesome video of execution of Armenian POWs by Azerbaijanis Brazil's presidential and parliamentary elections begin Toivo Klaar: Another horrible video has emerged of Armenian prisoners of war apparently being executed Blinken says U.S. will help Ukraine on issue of territories Defense Ministry: As of 10 am, situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains unchanged At least 129 killed in stampede at football match in Indonesia EU leaders to discuss security of their critical infrastructure Lebanon says it received proposal from US for maritime border agreement with Israel Italy's Eni works with Gazprom to solve the problem of Russian gas supplies stoppage Prime Minister: There are problems in relations between OSCE Minsk Group co-chairs France can supply Ukraine with up to twelve new Caesar howitzers Over half of Britons think Liz Truss should step down as PM Kyiv's bid for accelerated NATO membership comes as surprise to Biden administration Baykar plant in Ukraine to start assembling high-altitude UAV model Bayraktar Akinci Erdogan sues German MP for calling him cesspool rat OSCE may send mission to Armenian-Azerbaijani border Erdogan doesn't rule out meeting with Pashinyan Armenian Defense Ministry urges to stop collecting food, clothing, money for servicemen Kuwait government tenders resignation following parliamentary elections Joint command and staff exercise held during CSTO military exercises in Kazakhstan Over 30 killed in Iran terrorist attack Aliyev announces plans to double Azerbaijan natural gas supply to Europe by 2027 Pashinyan: I am confident that Armenia-Cyprus cooperation will continue to be strengthened, expanded Finland, Sweden, Turkey may discuss NATO membership process this month Artsakh security council meeting to be held at parliamentary forces proposal US court orders Iran to pay $34.8M in compensation to late journalists family Armenian parliament speaker to leave for Moscow Hurricane Ian death toll exceeds 40 in Florida Armenian community stages protest ahead of Azerbaijan presidents Bulgaria visit (PHOTOS) California Governor signs bill declaring April 24 state holiday in remembrance of Armenian Genocide 2 Azerbaijanis severely injured after stepping on landmine in Karabakh FM: Artsakh will never be part of Azerbaijan Turkey does not recognize joining of 4 regions to Russia South Korea leader threatens with crushing response to North if it uses nuclear weapons Group of soldiers stage coup in Burkina Faso Biden signs law providing $12.4bn in additional aid to Ukraine Japan envoy to Armenia expresses concern about current situation after recent Azerbaijan military aggression Nicaragua severs diplomatic ties with Netherlands Armenia PM congratulates on 73rd anniversary of People's Republic of China World Bank approves additional $530M in aid to Ukraine Newspaper: Russians getting familiarized with options Armenia is discussing with the West Armenia soldier, 19, found dead in combat position Newspaper: Artsakh, Azerbaijan representatives to negotiate with each other? Italy strengthens naval surveillance and control of pipelines Russia vetoes UN Security Council draft resolution that does not recognize unification of new territories In phone conversation with Erdogan, Putin gives principled assessment of sabotage of Nord Streams First African-American woman to officially join U.S. Supreme Court Biden warns Putin that he will not get away with annexation of new territories to Russia U.S. Congress approves $12.3 billion in aid for Ukraine 'Armenian Crossroads': Pashinyan talks about difficulties in unblocking communications with Azerbaijan Pashinyan: Russian authorities must not take actions which cast doubt on sincerity of official positions Pashinyan: Next session of delimitation and demarcation working group to be held in November Nikol Pashinyan does not rule out meeting with Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Prague Blinken: U.S. will take action in UN Security Council to hold Russia accountable for referendums Defense Ministry: As of 10 pm situation on Armenian-Azerbaijani border remains unchanged Pashinyan: Statement of Ministry of Defense says Russian Federation, but my statement does not say anything about Russia Israel says it will not recognize results of referendums on annexation of new territories to Russia Germany allowed arms exports to Saudi Arabia Putin speaks at rally-concert on Red Square: We know to whom we owe today Pashinyan: Nancy Pelosi's visit to Armenia is not anti-Russian Stoltenberg: Ukraine's admission to NATO requires consent of all members of alliance Pashinyan about Ter-Petrosyan's proposal: Quite wide range of people are aware of negotiation process Pashinyan: We don't close door to anyone Pashinyan: It is impossible to speak of memorial service for era of peace that has not yet begun Pashinyan: Names of deceased should be published through institutionally planned mechanism Japan spends record 2.8 trillion yen on interventions in foreign exchange market Nikol Pashinyan interviews with Public Television Poghosyan: During global rift, Armenia may have to choose one side During his speech Saturday at the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Azerbaijani Foreign Minister Jeyhun Bayramov said that Azerbaijan "is resolute in further repelling any threat to its sovereignty and territorial integrity," reports Interfax. Two days ago we listened to the statement delivered here by the Prime Minister of Armenia. Regretfully, this was yet another evidence demonstrating that the Armenian side seems focused on continuing the confrontation instead of normalization. In Azerbaijan we believe that our region has seen enough confrontation, destruction and suffering. It is high time for both our nations to engage fully and wholeheartedly in the post-conflict normalization, so we can finally turn over the tragic page of our history and start building a better future for our children. The commitment of Azerbaijan side is there, Bayramov said, in particular. Also, the Azerbaijani FM expressed hope that the current leadership of Armenia is not following the path of its predecessors by deliberately closing for yet another time the window of opportunity for peace and security in the region. Also, Bayramov said that Azerbaijan is resolute in further repelling any threat to its sovereignty and territorial integrity, as well as safety of its citizens, and urges Armenia to refrain from further escalating the situation. Azerbaijan is committed to regional peace, stability, and development. Establishment of good neighborly relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan is a key for building secure, stable and prosperous South Caucasus through full-fledged regional normalization, the Azerbaijani FM added, in particular. YEREVAN. Minister of Foreign Affairs of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan on Saturday had a meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates of Syria, Faisal al-Mekdad, within the framework of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly in New York, Armenian News-NEWS.am has learned from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Armenia. The two FMs discussed matters related to the development of bilateral relations based on traditional friendly ties, and exchanged views on the prospects of cooperation in areas of mutual interest. During the meeting, the interlocutors emphasized the role of the Armenian community of Syria in the development of relations between Armenia and Syria, stressing that despite the difficulties experienced during the Syrian crisis, it continues to play the role of a unique bridge between the two countries. Also, Mirzoyan and Al-Mekdad addressed the issues of regional security and stability, stressing the need to resolve them through peaceful negotiations and dialogue. FM Mirzoyan briefed his Syrian counterpart on the situation resulting from the military aggression unleashed by Azerbaijan against the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Armenia, highlighting the importance of establishing stability and security in the region as well as restraining the aggressor through efficient steps and relevant mechanisms by the international community. The Foreign Minister of Armenia touched also upon the normalization process of Armenia-Turkey relations. The Kurdistan Communities Union (KCK) Executive Council Co-Presidency issued a statement condemning the government of Armenia for handing over two People's Defense Forces (HPG) guerrillas to Turkey, ANF reported. The statement reads as follows: "Our friends Leheng (Atilla Cicek) and Aliser (Huseyin Yldrm), who were allegedly captured by the Turkish state in an operation, have recently been handed over to Turkey by the Armenian state. It is not true that our friends were captured by the Turkish state in an operation. In reality, our friends Leheng and Aliser, who had been held captive by the Armenian government since November 2021, were handed over to the Turkish state as a result of a betrayal. With this fake news, an attempt was made to cover up the betrayal of the Armenian government. It is very revealing that the Armenian government handed over two Kurdish revolutionaries who fought for the freedom of the Kurdish people and who traveled to Armenia on a revolutionary mission to the Turkish state at a time when Armenias territory is being occupied due to the provocations and support of the Turkish state. This has clearly revealed that the Pashinyan government cooperates with the genocidal colonialist Turkish state and the fascist AKP-MHP government. As the Kurdish Freedom Movement, we strongly condemn the Pashinyan government, which has handed over our two friends to the Turkish state, for its attitude of collaboration. This attitude of the Pashinyan government has also confirmed the criticisms and accusations made against it regarding the occupation of Armenian lands. This is evident in the fact that in a period when Armenian land is being occupied, instead of supporting those who struggled against the genocidal colonialist Turkish state, they were handed over to this state. This situation also constitutes a betrayal of the Armenian peoples struggle against the genocide. The handing over of these two friends to the Turkish state has revealed the collaborative and treasonous stance of the Pashinyan government, which had been taken covertly until today. We are making this statement primarily for the Armenian people to better understand the truth of the Pashinyan government and for the democratic public of our people to receive accurate information regarding the issue at hand. The handing over of these two friends of ours to the Turkish state reveals that the Pashinyan government betrays the cause of the peoples, especially the cause of the Armenian people. This also shows that it collaborates with the genocidal colonialist Turkish state, which has committed genocide against the Armenian people in the past and makes others occupy the remaining Armenian land today, and that this government therefore supports the policy of occupation and genocide. We call on all peoples and friends, especially the Armenian people, to take a stand against this collaborators government. We believe that the Armenian people will take the necessary attitude towards this government and will hold it to account for its collaboration and betrayal. The Kurdistan Freedom Struggle does not only fight for the freedom of the Kurdish people, but also for the freedom and liberation of all the peoples of the region, especially the Armenian people. The Kurdish people see the Armenian people as their fellow people and the country they live in as a Common Homeland. They approach the Armenian people based on these feelings and support their cause. Both the Armenian people and the Kurdish people know this very well. Accordingly, both peoples have positive feelings towards each other. The actions of the collaborators will not undermine the brotherhood of the Kurdish and Armenian peoples and their partnership in the struggle. On the contrary, these approaches will enable the Kurdish and Armenian peoples to engage in an even stronger common struggle. The attitude of the Pashinyan government causes great harm to the cause of the Armenian people and their struggle for existence. One can only be honorable and live in the right way by resisting and struggling, not by collaborating. As the Kurdish Freedom Movement, we call on the Pashinyan government to immediately renounce its collaborative relations with the genocidal colonialist Turkish state and apologize to the Armenian and Kurdish people for this incident." According to the information publicized in the DataLex Judicial Information System of Armenia, Atilla Cicek and Huseyin Yildirim were charged with illegally crossing the Armenian border through the Araks River on August 16, 2021, and smuggling weapons and ammunition. In January 2022, the first instance court of Armenias Syunik Province sentenced Yildirim and Cicek to 7 years in prison; there was also a decision to confiscate funds. But later, the Court of Appeal of Armenia reduced the prison terms of these two KCK members to conditional imprisonment with 3 years of probation. Nearly a month into the fall semester, the Office of Multicultural Student Affairs (MSA) continues to drive forward their mission of providing leadership and advocacy for underrepresented and ethnically diverse students. Directed by Christopher Clarke, the MSA staff promotes a fall lineup full of engaging, communal events that foster the University of Miamis culture of belonging. From personal development workshops to mentoring programs to bringing awareness to diversity and multicultural topics, the offices services and resources support the academic mission of the University. A big charge of the University is to create a culture of belonging here, and community is at the center of a lot of the programming that we do, said Kennedy Robinson, associate director of MSA. Also, awareness and creating pride for your community. We do a lot of events around diversity and inclusion, too. MSA invites any campus community members passionate about diversity, social justice, and identity-based programming to join MSA to get involved. There is something for everyone. The Beyond the Horizons mentoring program pairs incoming multicultural students with trained student mentors for the academic year to help their transition into the University. MSA also offers Enough, a shared mentorship approach through village-based community for women on campus. Those who participate can receive transformational experiences that foster support and self-evaluation. Though she is excited for every event this year, Robinson said there will be a few special announcements happening at this years Diversity Weekwhich kicks off at noon on Nov. 14 on the Lakeside Patio. During this time, the unique and varied cultures of the University community are celebrated. There is an effort to foster leadership and skill development, enrich the campus environment, and enhance the sense of community through the week of programming. Stephanie Nunez, assistant director of MSA, said one of the most anticipated spring events, Students of Color Symposium, is accepting applications this fall for committee members. The Students of Color Symposium is one of our most anticipated and best attended programs of the year, she said. Applications for students interested in being on the committee or serving as the chair will be going out later this month. Oftentimes, MSA will collaborate with other campus departments to bring twice the fun and support for the campus community. This fall, MSA has joined forces with the Toppel Career Center to host the return of Brave Spaces, a safe space for student dialogue to provide a platform for education, thought, expression, and resolve. On Oct. 20 at 6 p.m., Robinson said, we will talk about a popular topic: So, I got the job, now what, the notion of quiet quitting, job-belonging, and so much more. From the MSA Crew Leadership Retreat to the Latin Leadership Crew, MSA also provides programming that aims to increase collaboration among the diverse student body and help cultivate student leaders and mentors for the next generations of Canes. There are so many noted benefits of students participating in our events and programs and community. And raising awareness and self-pride are among the top, said Robinson. Whether it is talking about real issues that are happening in our community or whether it is becoming a diversity and inclusion facilitator, theres so much richness in getting involved. Visit the MSA website for more information. HURRICANE IAN ADVISORY 4 Wednesday, Sept. 28: 2 p.m. The University of Miami continues to closely monitor the progress of Hurricane Ian, currently located approximately 150 miles west-northwest of Miami. Below is an update on classes and campus operations for Thursday: Coral Gables and Marine campuses: Will resume normal operations, including normal academic delivery, on Thursday and we continue to encourage supervisors to remain flexible, where possible. Medical Campus & UHealth: Classes at the Miller School of Medicine will resume normal schedules Thursday. UHealth clinical facilities, with the exception of BPEI Naples, continue on normal schedules. Intermittent rain bands and gusty winds are expected to continue into Thursday and the University community should allow extra time while traveling to and from campus and exercise caution on the roadways. This is expected to be final University communication issued for Hurricane Ian. Any additional updates will be provided via UM Emergency Management social media accounts www.facebook.com/UMiamiENN and www.twitter.com/UMiamiENN. As Hurricane Ian impacts the West Coast, our thoughts are with all in FL being affected. On the UM Campuses, we will see gusts of wind of up to 35-45mph and bands of rain, but remain outside the primary area of greatest concern. pic.twitter.com/jTKXut24D1 UMiami ENN Alerts (@UMiamiENN) September 28, 2022 HURRICANE IAN ADVISORY 3 Tuesday, Sept. 27: 12 p.m. The safety of our University community is a top priority. Based on the current track of Hurricane Ian and the latest update from the National Hurricane Center, the University of Miami is sharing the following information regarding classes and campus operations to ensure the safety of the University community: Coral Gables and Marine campuses: Beginning at 2 p.m. Tuesday, and continuing throughout all of Wednesday, all classes on the Coral Gables and Marine campuses will move to an online format. Faculty should immediately convey to students how to access the course online, or any alternative academic continuity plans. Staff should follow the direction of their supervisor regarding whether you should report to campus or work remotely on Wednesday. The following locations on the Coral Gables Campus will be closed as of 5 p.m. Tuesday and remain closed through Wednesday: Campus Store Herbert Wellness Center Hurricane Food Court Shalala Student Center and Student Center Complex University Libraries As of 5 p.m. Tuesday, and continuing throughout the day Wednesday, all on-campus events will be cancelled. Dining halls remain open. Athletics will continue normal schedules. Medical Campus & UHealth: Beginning at 2 p.m. Tuesday and continuing through Wednesday, Miller School of Medicine preclinical Phase I classes will move to online format and clinical students (Phase II and III) will continue in person training. UHealth clinical facilities, with the exception of BPEI Naples, continue on normal schedules. The University community is urged to monitor UM Emergency Management social media accounts www.facebook.com/UMiamiENN and www.twitter.com/UMiamiENN for interim updates. ************************************************************************************* General Emergency Preparedness Information Students, Faculty, and Staff are encouraged to review the general emergency preparedness steps below: Emergency Alerts: Verify that your personal and emergency contact information is up to date in CaneLink or Workday. Continue to monitor official communications issued by the University. When a situation warrants, the University will issue emergency information via mass text, voice messages, and emails. The latest critical information is also posted on the UM homepage. CaneLink or Workday. Continue to monitor official communications issued by the University. When a situation warrants, the University will issue emergency information via mass text, voice messages, and emails. The latest critical information is also posted on the UM homepage. Ensure you have an emergency kit with essential supplies you would need for a minimum of 72 hours after a disaster. emergency kit with essential supplies you would need for a minimum of 72 hours after a disaster. Supervisors and unit emergency planners should confirm their units continuity plan is up-to-date in the UReady Continuity Planning System. UReady Continuity Planning System. Each units human resources partner can use the UM Emergency Contact Information Report in Workday to provide management with the latest contact information for all employees in the unit. Printed copies of this report should be maintained by managers and a copy uploaded into UReady. Faculty should begin preparing their course academic continuity plan, which would typically anticipate a period of online instruction, alternative methods for access to course materials, and assignments. Additional information on hurricane preparedness can be found on the UM Hurricane Preparedness website. HURRICANE IAN ADVISORY 2 Tuesday, Sept. 27: 8 a.m. The University of Miami continues to closely monitor Hurricane Ian, which is currently located approximately 300 miles south-southwest (SSW) of Miami-Dade County. The latest forecast track for the system keeps the center off the west coast of Florida. Outer bands have started moving through South Florida. Through Wednesday we expect intermittent heavy rainfall, gusty winds, and the potential for an isolated tornado. At this time classes, events, and clinical activities on the Coral Gables, Medical, and Marine campuses continue to operate on normal schedules. Slight changes are being made to operations at BPEI Naples; employees and patients impacted have already been notified. Any significant changes to campus operations would be communicated through the Emergency Notification Network (ENN), if this were to occur. As South Floridians we regularly encounter inclement weather, but we encourage the University community to allow extra time while traveling to and from campus and exercise caution while on the roadways. The safety of our University community continues to be a top priority, University of Miami leadership and Emergency Management will continue to actively monitor the progress of Hurricane Ian. The University community is urged to monitor UM Emergency Management social media accounts www.facebook.com/UMiamiENN and www.twitter.com/UMiamiENN for interim updates. *********************************************************************************** General Emergency Preparedness Information Students, Faculty, and Staff are encouraged to review the general emergency preparedness steps below: Emergency Alerts: Verify that your personal and emergency contact information is up to date in CaneLink or Workday. Continue to monitor official communications issued by the University. When a situation warrants, the University will issue emergency information via mass text, voice messages, and emails. The latest critical information is also posted on the UM homepage. CaneLink or Workday. Continue to monitor official communications issued by the University. When a situation warrants, the University will issue emergency information via mass text, voice messages, and emails. The latest critical information is also posted on the UM homepage. Ensure you have an emergency kit with essential supplies you would need for a minimum of 72 hours after a disaster. emergency kit with essential supplies you would need for a minimum of 72 hours after a disaster. Supervisors and unit emergency planners should confirm their units continuity plan is up-to-date in the UReady Continuity Planning System. UReady Continuity Planning System. Each units human resources partner can use the UM Emergency Contact Information Report in Workday to provide management with the latest contact information for all employees in the unit. Printed copies of this report should be maintained by managers and a copy uploaded into UReady. Faculty should begin preparing their course academic continuity plan, which would typically anticipate a period of online instruction, alternative methods for access to course materials, and assignments. Additional information on hurricane preparedness can be found on the UM Hurricane Preparedness website. HURRICANE IAN Monday, Sept. 26: 10:30 a.m. We are continuing to closely monitor now Hurricane Ian, currently located about 525 miles south-southwest of Miami. All University classes, operations, and events continue on normal schedules. A direct landfall in South Florida is unlikely at this time, but hazardous conditions can extend well away from the center, and are possible in South Florida. The worst of the conditions are expected Tuesday and Wednesday. This may include rounds of heavy rainfall and associated potential flooding, gusty winds, and isolated tornadoes. No tropical storm/hurricane watches or warnings have been issued for the Coral Gables, Medical, or Rosenstiel campuses. TROPICAL STORM IAN Saturday, Sept. 24: 8:30 p.m. The University of Miami continues to monitor Tropical Storm Ian (previously TD 9), which has maximum winds of 45 mph and is currently located approximately 800 miles south-southeast (SSE) of Miami. The National Hurricane Center track has shifted west and favorably for South Florida. There continues to be no changes to University classes, operations, or events at this time. University of Miami Emergency Management will continue to closely monitor the system and provide additional updates to the University community as necessary. University of Miami continues to monitor Tropical Storm Ian, max winds of 45 mph, and located approx. 800 miles SSE of Miami. Forecast track has shifted west & favorably for S. FL. There continues to be no changes to University classes, operations, or events at this time. pic.twitter.com/gOQxRv54mt UMiami ENN Alerts (@UMiamiENN) September 25, 2022 TROPICAL DEPRESSION NINE ADVISORY 1 Friday, Sept. 23: 3 p.m. The University of Miami continues to closely monitor Tropical Depression Nine (TD 9), which is currently located approximately 1,000 miles south-southeast (SSE) of Miami-Dade County. Keeping the University community safe and informed are the top priorities as we continue to monitor TD 9. At this time all campuses, classes, events, and clinical activities are operating on a regular schedule. The current forecast track has TD 9 strengthening into a tropical storm later today and then becoming a hurricane in the next two to three days. TD 9 is currently forecast to approach the Florida peninsula early to middle of next week. Given the distance from South Florida, and margin of error in the forecast, the potential of the storm impacting South Florida cannot be ruled out. If TD 9 were to continue towards South Florida, then the earliest reasonable time impacts would be experienced is very late Monday or early Tuesday. University of Miami Emergency Management will continue to actively monitor and assess the situation over the coming days. The University community is urged to monitor UM Emergency Management social media accounts www.facebook.com/UMiamiENN and www.twitter.com/UMiamiENN for interim updates. The next update will be sent to the University community no later than Saturday evening. *********************************************************************************** General Emergency Preparedness Information North Korea fires ballistic missile: South's military Japan's public broadcaster NHK said the object appeared to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. Photo: AFP North Korea fired a ballistic missile on Sunday, Seoul's military said, just days after a US aircraft carrier arrived for joint drills with the South in a show of force against Pyongyang. South Korea had earlier detected signs the North was preparing to fire a Submarine Launched Ballistic Missile (SLBM), the president's office said on Saturday, a weapon Pyongyang last tested in May. The Sunday launch is the latest in a record-breaking blitz of weapons tests by nuclear-armed Pyongyang this year, including firing an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile at full range. In May, the North test-fired a short range ballistic missile from Sinpo, a major naval shipyard in North Korea. "North Korea fired an unidentified ballistic missile into the East Sea," Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff said early on Sunday, without giving any further details. Japan's coast guard also confirmed a likely ballistic missile launch, citing information from Tokyo's defence ministry. "Vessels please be vigilant for new information and if you spot any foreign objects please don't get closer to them but inform the coast guard," the coast guard said. Japan's public broadcaster NHK said the object appeared to have fallen outside Japan's exclusive economic zone. South Korea's hawkish President Yoon Suk-yeol, who took office in May, has vowed to beef up joint military exercises with the United States after years of failed diplomacy with North Korea under his predecessor. On Friday, the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan and vessels from its strike group docked in the southern port city of Busan, part of a push by Seoul and Washington to have more US strategic assets operating in the region. Yoon is also due to meet US Vice President Kamala Harris on Thursday when she visits Seoul this week, following a visit by President Joe Biden in May, and US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi last month. The USS Reagan will take part in joint drills off South Korea's east coast this month. Washington is Seoul's key security ally and stations about 28,500 troops in South Korea to protect it from the North. The two countries have long carried out joint exercises, which they insist are purely defensive but North Korea sees them as rehearsals for an invasion. "Pyongyang could be making a show of strength while a US aircraft carrier is visiting South Korea for defense exercises," said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor at Ewha University in Seoul. "But North Korea's major tests are, most of all, part of a long-term campaign for advancing offensive military capabilities." South Korean and US officials have been warning for months that North Korean leader Kim Jong-un is preparing to conduct another nuclear test. The isolated regime has tested nuclear weapons six times since 2006. Its last and most powerful one in 2017 which Pyongyang claimed was a hydrogen bomb had an estimated yield of 250 kilotons. "North Korea might be delaying its seventh nuclear test out of respect for China's upcoming political conference that Xi Jinping is tightly scripting to extend his leadership," Easley said. "But there are limits to Pyongyang's self-restraint." (AFP) PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry has claimed that 100 hours-long conversations of Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif have been put up for sale on the dark web for $3.5 million and criticised security agencies for overlooking the "sensitive" matter of audio leaks, media reports said. Expressing shock over purported leaked audio clips of government officials, he said: "Even the office of the prime minister of the nuclear-armed country is not safe," Express Tribune reported. Commenting on one of the leaked audio clips featuring a conversation between the Premier and a government official, Fawad said the conversation showed that decisions were being made in London. "(In the audio clip) Maryam Nawaz is demanding Shehbaz Sharif to clear the way for her son-in-law's machinery import from India," he remarked. Separately in a tweet, Chaudhry criticised the country's security agencies, saying: "They would have cared about this sensitive matter if they had got time from political matters." He also expressed surprise over the silence of the government officials on the matter, Express Tribune reported. Another PTI leader Mirza Shahzad Akbar said the audio leak scandal was not a hacking but definitely an inside job, aimed at influencing the government's decision-making ahead of crucial appointments. "First it's not a hack into the system (and) hacker (and) dark web seems cover story, our systems are based on analogue and not digital, in fact, that's one way of Pak cyber security," he said while sharing his sources-based information on the matter. Akbar, who served as PM's aide on accountability during PTI's tenure in power, added that timing of the leak was important "as it's just before crucial appointment, target seems clearly to influence the decision, which way though only time will tell!". Pakistan Information and Broadcasting Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb on Sunday said the audio leak has proved that neither an illegal act was committed nor any undue advantage was given to anyone. In a statement, she claimed that the power plant was imported from India under a policy and law formulated during Imran Khan's tenure, Samaa TV reported. "There is a high court order on installation of grid station on 18 July 2022," she said while clarifying the two issues discussed in the audio leak of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Samaa TV reported. An alleged telephonic conversation of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif with a Prime Minister House's official is making rounds on social media in which the latter could be heard talking with the Prime Minister regarding Maryam Nawaz's alleged influence in government affairs. In the audio tape, the government official is talking with PM Shehbaz Sharif about importing a power plant from India on behalf of the son-in-law of Maryam Nawaz Sharif. During the conversation, the PM House official could be heard advising the premier to not import a plant from India as the step will harm the reputation of government. "The problem is that that matter will first go to AC and then to the cabinet and importing machinery from India on the instructions of the Prime Minister won't be easy as it can become an issue," the official could be heard replying to PM, Samaa TV reported. Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) Chairman and former Prime Minister Imran Khan on Sunday said that Maryam Nawaz and Shehbaz Sharif's audio leaks prove that the Sharif family can illegally import machinery from India for their personal benefit, Samaa TV reported. About the alleged audio leak, he said that Maryam wanted to illegally import machinery from India for her son-in-law's factory. He added that Pakistan cut off all trade ties with India after it abolished Kashmiris' right to self-determination and violated the UN charter. But, this government is trying to restore ties with India, they are ready to neglect the struggle of Kashmiris for their personal benefit, he added, Samaa TV reported. Imran Khan said that the audio leak proves that the Sharif family's only purpose is to hoard money and nothing else, adding that 60 per cent of the federal cabinet was facing corruption charges and that it had derailed the accountability process by amending the NAB laws. --IANS san/vd ( 703 Words) 2022-09-25-22:12:01 (IANS) The 'Jug Jugg Jeeyo' actor took to Instagram and shared a stylish monochrome picture where he can be seen wearing a black-checked blazer. "And #TheNightManagerofIndia is off duty! #Thatsawrap for Shailendra Rungta a.k.a Shelly! Based on: The Night Manager; by John le Carre. @the_ink_factory_ @disneyplushotstar @banijayasia @adityaroykapur @sobhitad @sandeipm @picsofpinks @jasper_ben", he captioned the post. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci5e_l7v9gq/ As soon as he shared the post, his close friend Karan Johar commented, "Rocker" while his 'The Night Manager' co-star Sobhita Dhulipala wrote, "Shelly, beloved". Netizens also praised his stunning look in the comment section. A fan wrote, "Kamaal n jakaass", while another commented, "King Kapoor" in the comment section. 'The Night Manager' is an espionage thriller that has a tense cat-and-mouse chase between a covert agent and a secret arms dealer. The 2016 series features Tom Hiddleston in the lead role. In the remake, Anil will essay the role which was originally played by Hugh Laurie. It will also feature Aditya Roy Kapur and Sobhita Dhulipala in lead roles. The original British series became a massive hit across the globe and earned several awards at the 74th Golden Globe Awards. The series will be released on Disney+ Hotstar. A major update on the web series is expected to be out very soon. Anil Kapoor, who was last seen in 'Jug Jugg Jeeyo', is all set to share screen space with Hrithik Roshan and Deepika Padukone in 'Fighter', which is being helmed by Siddharth Anand. He also has Ranbir Kapoor's Animal as one of his upcoming movies. (ANI) Lakhs of devotees on Sunday took a bath in the holy waters of Rameswaram's Agnitheertham, on the occasion of Mahalaya Paksha Amavasya, in which people commemorate their ancestors. Mahalaya Amavasya, in the Tamil month of Puratasi, is considered to be the day when our deceased ancestors come to earth. The 15 days before Puratasi Amavasya is the Mahalaya paksha period where paksha refers to 15 days. The fortnight starting from the full moon of the Tamil month of Avani and ending with Amavasya of the Puratasi month is known as Mahalaya Paksham. Swami Anmolanand Giriji Maharaj, a priest in Rameswaram, told ANI, "Today is Amavasya, people visit Rameswaram to offer prayers to their ancestors. This Amavasya has great significance everyone performs Pitru Dosh during Pitru Paksha. These 15 days are dedicated to the Pitru. Pind Daan from Havan material is done here in Rameswaram for worship. Rameswaram is a jyotirlinga and a Dham, and performing such rituals at a Dham has its own significance." Devotees waited in long lines to take a dip in 22 theerathams in the temple. The month is considered an auspicious time to offer prayers to the departed souls of our ancestors. As per traditions, it is believed that those who are not able to pay Amavasi Tithi every month and those who have forgotten the Tithi date of their ancestors, can pay homage during this time. The occasion is associated with different practices and rituals. Many people perform 'tarpan' on this day to offer prayers to the departed souls of their ancestors and give 'bhog' to the Brahmins, along with food and materials to the needy. People even prefer listening to the Mahishasuramardini composition. Generally, people believe that on this day, Goddess Durga officially begins her journey from Mount Kailash -- where she resides with her husband Lord Shiva -- to her maternal home on Earth. As per the Hindu calendar, the celebrations of Mahalaya begin a week before the Durga Pooja celebrations. (ANI) Taking to Instagram, Chris shared a video which he captioned, "We're landing helicopters on moving trains WE ARE BACK for Extraction 2 - where the on-camera stunt-work is just as mind-blowing as the behind-the-scenes effort it takes to shoot it! #RakeLives #TUDUM." https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci5i0K2Jkmt/?hl=en In the BTS video, the 'Avengers: Endgame' actor could be seen performing hard action sequences along with other star casts of the film. Soon after the 'Thor' actor shared the glimpse of 'Extraction 2' fans flooded the comment section with red heart and fire emoticons. "omg this looks so bloody good!!! Ahhh I can't wait!!," a fan commented. Another fan wrote, "Very Excited to see this movie!!" Helmed by Sam Hargrave, the film will premiere exclusively on Netflix. The official release date of the film is still awaited. Released in 2020, 'Extraction' was a big hit. It featured black-ops mercenary Tyler Rake (Hemsworth) travelling to Bangladesh to rescue the kidnapped son of a drug lord. At the end of the film, Tyler Rake (Hemsworth) took a bullet to the neck while protecting the child. The climax made fans wonder if Tyler Rake survived. Bollywood actor Randeep Hooda was also a part of the first instalment of the film. Upon its release, the film was viewed on Netflix by an estimated 90 million households. Chris Hemsworth will reteam with director Sam Hargrave for 'Extraction 2' which is produced by Joe and Anthony Russo via their AGBO banner, from a script by 'Avengers: Endgame' filmmaker Joe Russo, who also penned the first instalment of the film. (ANI) Miss Universe 2021 Harnaaz Kaur Sandhu, on Sunday shared a picture featuring former Miss World Priyanka Chopra Jonas on social media. Taking to her Instagram handle, Harnaaz dropped a picture from the meet-up with Priyanka. https://www.instagram.com/p/Ci6jSnDDoj_/ Harnaaz meets the 'Bajirao Mastani' actor at the Global Citizen Festival. In the picture, Harnaaz could be seen standing next to the 40-year-old actor, who was dressed in a white crop top that she paired with an abstract printed shrug and trousers. On the other hand Miss Universe was seen wearing a black tee that she teamed up printed blazer and blue flared pants. They were also accompanied by two girls in the picture. Sharing the picture, Harnaaz wrote, "I couldn't have asked for us to meet in any other way. Thanks @priyankachopra for your kindness at @glblctzn ... you killed it!" As soon as the picture was posted, the fans and industry friends chimed into the comment section. Former Miss World reacted with a heart and smile with red heart emojis. One of the users wrote, "ICONIC." Another comment reads, "It happened!!!!! Two influential woman creating history and making India so proud." Harnaaz is the first Indian woman to secure the Miss Universe win in 21 years after Lara Dutta won the pageant in 2000. 22-year-old defeated contestants from 79 countries to bring home the title. The 70th Miss Universe 21 was held in Eilat, Israel. Harnaaz, who belongs to Chandigarh, Punjab, has previously bagged numerous pageant titles including LIVA Miss Diva Universe 2021 and Femina Miss India Punjab 2019. Priyanka is the UNICEF global goodwill ambassador. She has been working with the organisation for more than a decade now. Recently, she addressed the United Nations General Assembly and spoke in depth about the problems the world is currently facing. Meanwhile, on the work front, Priyanka will be seen in international projects such as 'It's All Coming Back To Me', and the series 'Citadel'. Produced by Russo Brothers, 'Citadel' will hit the OTT on Prime Video. The upcoming sci-fi drama series is being directed by Patrick Morgan and stars Richard Madden alongside Priyanka. In Bollywood, she will be starring with Alia Bhatt and Katrina Kaif in Farhan Akhtar's 'Jee Le Zaraa', which promises to be another tale of friendship following the lineage of 'Dil Chahta Hai' and 'Zindagi Na Milegi Dobara', both of which have become cult classics over the years. 'Jee Le Zaraa' is reportedly going on floors around September 2022 and will be ready for release in the summer of 2023. (ANI) Author Valentine Low has written a book about the staff who work for the royal families called 'Courtiers: The Hidden Power Behind the Crown'. In the book, she quoted many staff who worked for Meghan Markle and Prince Harry during their term as senior royals in the UK. According to the New York Post, The book details the alleged bad behaviour by Meghan and her husband, Prince Harry, towards their staff. In the book, the author has even quoted a royal staffer calling Meghan, a "narcissistic sociopath" According to the New York Post, staff members coined the epithet for the Duchess of Sussex, according to a report in The Sun citing excepts from the explosive tome. According to Page Six, "There were a lot of broken people," an insider claimed to author Valentine Low. "Young women were broken by their behaviour," the palace source added. Valentine Low cites one alleged occasion in her book, in which Markle scolded a young female coworker in front of other co-workers. "Don't worry. If there was literally anyone else I could ask to do this, I would be asking them instead of you," Markle allegedly told the staffer, with whom she had been working to execute a plan of sorts. According to Page Six, the book also recalls numerous occasions when Meghan verbally attacked staffers. She allegedly became furious with one employee over a mishap involving the press at a public engagement. A former royal aide said that Harry and Meghan contacted them frequently while out to dinner on a Friday night, only to scold the worker. "Every 10 minutes I had to go outside to be screamed at by her and Harry. It was, 'I can't believe you've done this. You've let me down. What were you thinking?'" they alleged. "It went on for a couple of hours." According to Page Six, the book further reads that the calls allegedly began the next morning again and ensued "for days." The ex-employee elaborated, "You could not escape them." Meghan and Harry stepped down as senior members of the Royal Family in 2020. And, after relieving themselves of all royal obligations, Harry and Meghan relocated to Montecito, California. The couple recently visited the UK to be around family during the Queen's demise. (ANI) Shah Rukh Khan posted a photo of himself on his social media account and well, we just can't keep our eyes off! SRK posted a shirtless photo of himself on Instagram and wrote, "Tum hoti toh kaisa hota....Tum iss baat pe hairaan hoti, Tum iss baat pe kitni hansti.......Tum hoti toh aisa hota..Me also waiting for #Pathaan." As soon as he uploaded the photo of his ripped body, his fans couldn't help but flood his comment section with love and appreciation. But one special comment came from his wife Gauri Khan who wrote, "Oh God! Now he's talking to his shirts also.....!!!" Actor Richa Chadha, who is soon going to marry Ali Fazal, wrote a funny comment. She wrote, "Jin logon ki shaadiyan hone ko hai... ehtiyat baratna hoga". Tiger Shroff took inspiration from SRK and wrote, "I was thinking of taking a rest day. And then I saw this. Legend" Helmed by Siddharth Anand, 'Pathaan' also stars Deepika Padukone and John Abraham in the lead roles and is slated to hit the theatres on January 25, 2023. Earlier, the makers unveiled the motion posters and a short teaser of the film, which increased the excitement among the fans. "I'm thrilled with the unanimously positive response to every asset of the film that we have launched so far. Starting with the announcement video, to Shah Rukh Khan's first look at the film, to us unveiling a glimpse of Deepika Padukone. We are fortunate that everything has been loved by audiences. What the audience thinks and feels is of utmost importance to us all and we are happy that Pathaan has started off on such a strong note with them. I always endeavour to give audiences a theatrical experience that sets new benchmarks in Indian cinema. We are all working very hard so that Pathaan, hopefully, does the same when it releases," he added. 'Pathaan' marks the fourth on-screen collaboration of Deepika and Shah Rukh Khan after 'Om Shanti Om', 'Happy New Year' and 'Chennai Express'.Produced by Yash Raj Films, the film is slated to release on January 25, 2023, in Hindi, Tamil and Telugu. Apart from 'Pathaan', SRK will be also seen in Rajkumar Hirani's upcoming film 'Dunki' alongside Taapsee Pannu and in south director Atlee's upcoming action thriller film 'Jawan' opposite south actor Nayanthara, which is all set to hit the theatres on June 2, 2023. (ANI) A small section of the 30,401 Myanmar nationals, who have taken shelter in Mizoram in different phases since the military junta seized power in February last year, are trying to purchase lands and conduct petty business, or opening shops forced the state government to issue strict order restraining the migrants from doing so. Mizoram police officers said that after the starting of the arrival of refugees, the smuggling of varied and highly addictive drugs, arms and ammunition, exotic animals, dried areca nuts, foreign cigarettes, various tobacco products and many other contraband from Myanmar increased to a large extent. Police and para-military officials on condition of anonymity said that both the nationals of Myanmar and India are involved in the illegal trades. In the latest such smuggling case on September 21, Assam Rifles troopers seized huge quantities of Myanmar-bound arms, war-like items, air gun, air gun pellets, combat uniforms, radio sets, tactical vests, tactical gloves and boots valued at around Rs 16 lakh from Mizoram's Siaha district and arrested seven people, including five Myanmar nationals. The alarming increase in smuggling activities involving Myanmar in Mizoram has also prompted the Central committee of Young Mizo Association (CYMA) to form Central Anti-Drug Squad (CADS) recently to deal with the growing illegal trades of contrabands especially drugs. The Mizoram government has instructed the Myanmar refugees, presently taking shelter in all the 11 districts of the state, not to purchase land, house and run business without prior permission from the state government. The government order has come after the several reports that the Myanmar migrants are trying to purchase lands, opening up of small shops and running up of small business in the districts along the Myanmar border. The state government order also barred refugees from any attempt to enroll for Aadhaar card, voter identity card, driving license or any other government documents. The Mizoram government has provided temporary identity cards to the refugees for identification purposes to differentiate the holder from Indian citizens and the ID card is not valid for availing the government's scheme and outside Mizoram. As per official records, majority of around 30,400 Myanmar refugees including 11,798 children and 10,047 women are sheltered in Mizoram in over 156 camps in all the 11 districts while a large number of them took shelter in the relatives' houses, community, centers, rented houses, government buildings and shelter houses set up by various NGOs including the CYMA, northeast India's one of the largest NGOs. There are 14 lawmakers of Myanmar who are also among those who fled the trouble-torn country and took refuge in Mizoram. The Myanmarese are provided with food, medicines and other relief materials by the state government, NGOs, churches and village authorities. The government notification also asked the refugees to inform the concerned authority or village level committee on Myanmar refugees about their vehicles, which they have brought from their country. "All local or village level committees must ensure that the government order is strictly followed and report to the chairman of the district task group on Myanmar refugees in case of violation of the order," the notification said. Mountainous Mizoram with a population of 1.1 million (2011 census), India's second least populous state shares a 510-km long porous and unfenced border with Myanmar. The Myanmar nationals, who took shelter in Mizoram, are mostly from Chin communities, who share ethnicity and ancestry with the Mizos. Since last year, Chief Minister Zoramthanga, two Parliament Members -- C. Lalrosanga (Lok Sabha) and K. Vanlalvena (Rajya Sabha) have been urging Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Home Minister Amit Shah, DoNER Minister G. Kishan Reddy and other top central officials to provide humanitarian assistance to the Myanmar nationals. Mizoram Chief Minister Zoramthanga, who also met Union Home Minister on Thursday (Sep 22) and discussed the Myanmar refugee issue, had written several letters to Prime Minister urging him to provide relief, required aid and asylum to the Myanmar nationals as the state government was facing a financial crisis to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic and related problems. The state government had constituted a high level committee headed by Home Minister Lalchamliana to monitor the Myanmar refugees due to a continuous rise in the number of refugees fleeing to the state. Apart from this, the government also set up a task group on Myanmar refugees, district level committees chaired by Deputy Commissioners and village or local level committees (under the chairmanship of village council president) to oversee the refugee issue. A fresh wave of refugees from Myanmar crossed into Mizoram earlier this month for shelter after the Myanmar armed forces launched a fresh offensive against civilians and Arakan Army militants. Officials, quoting the sources across the border, said that the Myanmar Army started attacking different villages of Chin state along the India-Myanmar borders since August 30, and residents of Varang and adjoining villages had started vacating their homes and taking shelter in Mizoram. The Myanmar villagers used boats to bring all their belongings, rations and livestock into Mizoram. The hapless men, women and children had crossed the Tiau river by small country boat and were tracking the forested routes before reaching Mizoram. Around 31,000 Myanmar nationals, including 11,798 children and 10,047 women, have taken shelter in 11 districts of Mizoram since the military junta led by army chief General Min Aung Hlaing seized power in the neighbouring country in February last year. There are 14 lawmakers of Myanmar who are also among those who fled the trouble-torn country and took refuge in Mizoram, which shares a 510 km unfenced border with the neighbouring country. The majority of the Myanmarese who have taken shelter belong to the Chin community, also known as the Zo community, who share the same ancestry, ethnicity and culture as the Mizos, who dominate Mizoram. The Myanmar nationals taking shelter in Mizoram since the military junta led by army chief General Min Aung Hlaing seized power in the neighbouring country in February last year. (Sujit Chakraborty can be contacted at sujit.c@ians.in) --IANS sc/pgh ( 1014 Words) 2022-09-24-20:46:01 (IANS) The State Investigation Agency (SIA) of J&K police on Saturday filed a charge-sheet against a former minister and two others in a terror funding case. A statement issued by the SIA said that a charge-sheet has been filed against ex-minister Jatinder Singh alias Babu Singh, Muhammad Shareef Shah and Muhammad Hussain Khateeb in a case lodged at Gandhi Nagar police station in Jammu district, which was later transferred to the SIA, with a request to the court that a supplementary charge-sheet will be filed in near future. Babu Singh, a former Congress leader, was a minister in the Congress-PDP coalition government in J&K. Of the three accused, Muhammad Hussain Khateeb is believed to be hiding in Pakistan at present. "Muhammad Shareef Shah was arrested by Jammu police along with militancy fund amounting to Rs 6,90,000 which was meant for Jatinder Singh alias Babu Singh and was intended to be used for the anti-national activities of Babu Singh and his party, namely 'Nature Mankind Friendly Global Party'," the SIA statement said. Babu Singh was in touch with the militants of terror outfit Hizbul Mujahideen and separatists of JKLF (an unlawful association), it added. "These inimical entities had sent this militancy fund from Pakistan through their associates for Babu Singh's party. The vision document of this party floated by accused Babu Singh was to make J&K, PoK and Gilgit Baltistan as one independent country by making a condominium of Pakistan and India for having joint control over currency, external affairs and finance. "During investigation, it has been revealed that Babu Singh was in contact with Muhammad Hussain Khateeb over encrypted social media applications and had clandestinely visited Dubai for arranging funds. Muhammad Shareef Shah was designated as secretary of this party, who received these funds in Kashmir through unknown person and travelled to Jammu to handover these funds to Babu Singh. This fund was arranged by Muhammad Hussain Khateeb, but Muhammad Shareef Shah was arrested before he could hand over this militancy fund to Babu Singh. "The investigation has established that Babu Singh was conducting online meetings and interviews with the adversary and in his online address, he compared a militant, Maqbool Bhat, with Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev and termed Maqbool Bhat as freedom fighter and martyr of J&K, who laid down his life for the independence of Jammu and Kashmir. "In one such online interview, Babu Singh has challenged and threatened the government of India to desist from further breaking Jammu and Kashmir, this reference is in context of abrogation of Article 370. "The association of Babu Singh with Muhammad Hussain Khateeb and other cadres of Hizbul operating from Pakistan has also been established in the course of the investigation. "Anti-national and highly inflammatory content has been recovered by SIA from the mobile phone of Babu Singh, which establishes his intention to damage and threaten the unity, integrity and sovereignty of India," the SIA statement said. --IANS sq/arm ( 501 Words) 2022-09-24-22:52:03 (IANS) Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on Saturday said that the main aim to organize the Chintan Shivir is to prepare a roadmap for the holistic development of the state by 2026. Assam Chief Minister and Spiritual Guru Sadhguru inaugurated the three-day Chintan Shivir organized by the Assam government in Kaziranga starting from Saturday. "The Assam government has organized a 3-day Chintan Shivir at Kaziranga starting from today. All ministers of the state government and the head of all government departments will participate in the shivir. Today Spiritual Guru Sadhguru was present in the shivir and on Sunday Sri Sri Ravi Shankar of the Art of Living will attend. Apart from it, the Chief Secretaries of Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh and some officials of different states will participate in the shivir. Economic Advisory Council to the Prime Minister will also attend in the last day of the shivir. Our main aim is for organizing the shivir to prepare a roadmap for holistic development in the state by 2026 and how to carry forward the state," Sarma said. The Assam Chief Minister also said that a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev was signed on the 'Save Soil' movement spearheaded by his Isha Foundation. [{f1272a2b-2d28-41e2-9f6f-40674b5aac75:intradmin/ANI-20220924224707.jpg}] "The MoU will be a policy document for our government to promote sustainable use of soil and prevent its degradation," Sarma added. In a move to draw a roadmap for holistic development of the state and to create a blueprint for expediting its growth as we all making it a model on all sectors, Assam Chief Minister along with spiritual leader Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev held discussion deliberations with cabinet ministers, senior bureaucrats of the state, bureaucrats from other states, functionaries from Prime Minister's Economic Advisory Council at Kaziranga. Speaking on the occasion, Chief Minister Sarma said that Assam was once a very flourishing state and its State GDP growth was more than the national average. "The per capita income of the state was also more than the national average, he said. Though the state is contributing greatly to the growth of the nation, in the last 75 years the growth of the state has not been as encouraging as it should have been," Sarma said. Referring to the devastation caused by the great earthquake and subsequent floods and other developments, the Chief Minister said that all these had a negative effect on the common psychology of the people. The Assam Chief Minister thanked Sadhguru for having come all the way to Kaziranga to address the Chintan Shivir. He said Sadguru's wisdom and his idea would really help the government to build and promote a socio-cultural-economic and academic empowerment narrative in the state to spread the fruits of development to all sections of the state. Sadhguru also addressed the congregation at the Chintan Shivir. Chief Minister also signed an MoU on behalf of the state government with Sadhguru who represented Isha Foundation. The MoU signed on 'Save Soil Movement' will essentially guide the state on the sustainable use of soil for agricultural practices. Later, Chief Minister Sarma unveiled three rhino statues at Mihimukh in Kaziranga along with Sadhguru. These rhino statues have been created using the ashes collected from burning rhino horns. It may be noted that on 22 September 2021, the Assam government made history when a stockpile of 2479 rhino horns were consigned to flames to send across a strong message to the poachers and illegal horn traders that rhino horns have no medicinal value. The rhino statues thus created are an attempt to immortalize the efforts and dedication of those who selflessly protect Assam's pride, the great one-horned rhinoceros. The Assam Chief Minister along with Sadhguru also opened the Kaziranga National Park for the tourists for this season. On this occasion, Sadhguru led a jeep Safari from Mihimukh when he drove a jeep with the Chief Minister sitting alongside. Assam Tourism Minister Jayanta Malla Baruah was also present. (ANI) Actor and BJP leader Mithun Chakraborty on Saturday claimed that nearly 21 Trinamool Congress (TMC) MLAs are in touch with him. Mithun while addressing a press conference here said that he stood by what he said in July- 38 MLAs of TMC are in touch with the Opposition party, and of them, 21 are directly in contact with him. "I have said before and I stand by what I had said earlier even today. Please wait for some time, you will see. There is an objection within the party to induct TMC leaders. Many leaders have said that we will not take rotten potatoes," said Mithun Chakraborty. Earlier, the Leader of the Opposition in West Bengal, Suvendu Adhikari said that the ruling Trinamool Congress (TMC) won't last even for the next six months in the state. His remarks came after the ruling party put up posters claiming that a "new and reformed TMC" come in the next six months. "Enforcement Directorate(ED) and Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are doing their job. This party (TMC) will not last for even six months, December is their deadline," LoP Suvendu Adhikari had said in Purba Medinipur. Chakraborty was among the BJP's star campaigners in the 2021 Assembly elections in West Bengal but had restrained from making public appearances until now after the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC won 213 seats in the West Bengal Assembly election and the BJP garnered 77 seats in the 294-seat state assembly. Meanwhile, Mousumi Das, district Vice President of Mahila Morcha Bhartiya Janata Party (BJP) was allegedly attacked by "Trinamool Congress-backed" goons at her residence in the Malatipur area of Malda on September 23. However, Shuvomoay Basu, spokesperson of Trinamool Congress (TMC), Malda refuted the allegation. He said, "We have faith in the police investigation. They will find out the reason behind the attack if it has happened." Bengal BJP leaders have often complained of attacks on party cadres and claimed that the law and order situation in the state has deteriorated. Violence gripped West Bengal as several party workers died and many were injured in clashes, immediately after the result of the state assembly poll was declared on May 2. Several party workers were allegedly killed in a clash that broke out between the TMC and the BJP in West Bengal. Following that the BJP had alleged Trinamool Congress of "sponsoring" the post-poll violence through the police in West Bengal. (ANI) Telangana's state festival Bathukamma is all set to commence from Sunday. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao extended greetings to the people. He said that the Bathukamma festivities, which are held in the midst of joyous celebrations by women at their birthplaces by decorating Bathukamma with flowers, dance and singing, reflects the uniqueness of the villages. KCR, as the chief minister is popularly known, said that the cultural extravaganza will be on display across the state during the nine-day long festival celebration. He recalled that the Telangana government recognized Bathukamma as state festival and accorded a big importance to the Telangana culture and the self-respect of the women folk. The chief minister said the state government is distributing sarees to one crore women at a cost of Rs 350 crore. The government is honoring women by distributing specially made one crore sarees as Bathukamma gift. He noted that 'Bathukamma' has become a part of people's life and spread to the continents with the Telangana culture proliferating across the world. KCR said the state government made all arrangements to celebrate the Bathukamma festival. He prayed to the goddess of nature Bathukamma to bless the people of the state with happiness and good health. The state festival is set to be celebrated in a grand manner across Telangana from September 25 to October 3. The main celebrations will be held on October 3 which will be celebrated as Saddula Bathukamma. During the nine-day annual festival, women and girls sing and dance around specially arranged flowers. At the end of the festival, they immerse the specially arranged flowers called Bathukamma in local ponds. Ever since the formation of Telangana state in 2014, Bathukamma has been celebrated as the state festival. Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar has directed officials to illuminate important traffic islands and buildings during the festival. They have been asked to undertake improvement of roads, barricading of immersion points, provision of uninterrupted power supply and organise cultural programmes. Swimmers will be deployed near Hussain Sagar and at all the immersion points as a precautionary measure. --IANS ms/pgh ( 356 Words) 2022-09-24-23:14:03 (IANS) The Congress on Saturday urged Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla to ensure the party as the principal opposition party, it is given the chairmanship of at least one of the four major substantive parliament committees -- Home Affairs, External Affairs, Defence and Finance. The party also said that at least three of these four have traditionally been chaired by the opposition. In a letter to Om Birla, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said: "Further to my letter of 21st September 2022 on the government's decision to withdraw the only Departmentally-Related Standing Committee assigned to the Congress Party by seizing the chairmanship of the IT Committee for itself, I write to demand honourable treatment for the Indian National Congress, the principal Opposition party in the Lok Sabha, in keeping with well-established parliamentary conventions." "While I am still awaiting a reply to my letter, it has been made orally clear to me that the decision in respect of the IT Committee will not be reversed. I wish to formally lodge my strong protest against this peremptory action, taken without the slightest justification," Chowdhury said. Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury further alleged: "The government is reducing Parliamentary Committees to a farce if they are unprepared to deal with a committee Chair doing his work seriously and professionally, and a committee serving as an independent voice expressing views that may not always be to the taste of the government of the day." He claimed the government is unprepared to deal with a committee chair doing his work seriously and professionally, and a committee serving as an independent voice expressing views that may not always be to the taste of the government of the day. "If the government is determined to retain the IT Committee for the ruling party, the Congress leader said, he would insist that as the principal opposition party, the Congress has every right to ask for one of the major substantive committees -- Home Affairs, External Affairs, Defence or Finance," said Chowdhury in the letter. --IANS avr/pgh ( 350 Words) 2022-09-24-23:26:01 (IANS) Congress legislative party meeting will be held at Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot's residence in Jaipur on Sunday evening in which a resolution will be passed relating to the change of leadership in Rajasthan. The resolution will be passed that decision on change of face in Rajasthan will be taken by the Congress interim chief Sonia Gandhi. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is also likely to resign from his post before filing his nomination for the Congress President poll. All India Congress Committee (AICC) in-charge of Rajasthan Ajay Maken, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge will be present in the meeting which is scheduled to be held at 7 pm on Sunday. Earlier on Saturday, Ajay Maken had a meeting with Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi. AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the Congress president had appointed Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken as observers for the Rajasthan CLP meeting to be held on Sunday at 7 pm in Jaipur. "Congress President has appointed Mallikarjun Kharge as Observer along with Ajay Maken, Gen. Secretary AICC, Incharge of Rajasthan, to attend the meeting of Congress Legislature Party (CLP) of Rajasthan Legislative Assembly slated to be held on 25th September at 7 pm," Venugopal said in a tweet. Filing of nominations for the post of Congress president began on Saturday with a contest between Ashok Gehlot and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on the cards. The nominations will be filed till September 30 and results declaring the new Congress chief will be announced on October 19. This will be the first time in 25 years that Congress will see a non-Gandhi chief after Sonia Gandhi replaced Sitaraman Kesri as party chief in 1998. The last time the party had a non-Gandhi chief was in 1997 when Sitaram Kesri defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot. Chairman of Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistri will be available in Congress headquarters in the national capital to take the nomination papers as returning officer of the election. Gehlot had earlier made it clear that there will be no candidate from the Gandhi family this time. Speaking to ANI Gehlot said, "I have requested him (Congress MP Rahul Gandhi) multiple times to accept everyone's proposal of becoming the Congress President. He clarified that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next chief." Till now, Gehlot has made it clear publically that he will contest the elections, while another name that is most likely to give him a contest is Shashi Tharoor who is also in the fray and had met Madhusudan Mistri. Sources close to former union minister Manish Tewari had also said that he is also considering the possibility of contesting the polls. The crux of the story that emerges is that the Congress party is all set to witness a tripartite or more contest. Earlier, Madhusudan Mistri said that more than 9,000 delegates will be voting in the polls. Anybody can contest and 10 delegates will be needed to support his or her candidature. The last date for filing a nomination is September 30. (ANI) A CBI Court at Rouse Avenue complex accepted the unconditional apology tendered by businessman Robert Vadra for violating the terms and conditions of permission to travel abroad. However, the court warned him to be careful in the future. He was granted permission to travel to the UK via Dubai, Italy and Spain on August 12, 2022. It was stated that the Vadra had to stay in Dubai due to medical exigency. The Court also discharged the show cause notice issued to Vadra. He was issued a show cause notice to explain why not his FDR be forfeited for the violation of the condition. The notice was issued to him for his stay in Dubai. While issuing notice the court had expressed its displeasure on the violation He was granted permission to travel to the UK via Dubai. It was stated that Vadra had to stay 4 days in Dubai due to medical exigency. Special CBI Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen said, "The applicant has tendered an unqualified and unconditional apology for the lapse which is accepted in the circumstances noted above, however, the applicant is warned to remain careful in future. The Show cause notice stand accordingly discharged." The applicant has shown sufficient cause and satisfactory explanation for the 4 days stop over at UAE, the compliance report is taken on record. As the applicant has returned to the country in terms of the permission granted, the FDR deposited on August 22, 2022, is ordered to be released in terms of the authorization letter filed with the application in favour of Shambhu Prasad upon due identification and against receipt, the CBI Judge said in the order of September 24. The Court observed, " Though the omission in seeking modification of the order of August 12, 2022, cannot be condoned as such however from the contents of the affidavit I am satisfied that the mission is not intentional the explanation is not an afterthought and conduct of the applicant does not lack in bona fides and good faith." It was submitted on behalf of Robert Vadra that a mistake has occurred in as much as an amended application seeking permission to stay over at Dubai for four days during the trip to the UK pursuant to permission granted by this Hon'ble Court to travel abroad was required to be filed and that it is deeply regretted that out of inadvertence the same was not filed, however, the conduct of the applicant throughout has been nothing less than bonafide. It was also submitted that this buffer of a brief stay in Dubai was necessitated in the wake of the sudden medical emergency and that the itinerary and travel tickets were duly filed disclosing the break in journey, that the applicant would have adhered to any and every direction in the event that a query had been raised to the itinerary depicting 4 days break in the journey and would have filed amended itinerary. That it is under such circumstances that a purely bonafide mistake has occurred, and for the same, the applicant has also tendered an unconditional and unequivocal apology. An affidavit was filed on behalf of Vadra stating that in pursuance to the order of August 12, 2022, he left for the UK on August 25, 2022, via UAE and returned to India on September 8, 2022, within the stipulated period. It was also stated that he stayed in UAE before embarking on his further journey because he had DeepVein Thrombosis (DVT) in his left leg and he had been advised to take proper rest between long-haul flights, and during the said trip, since there was inflammation and pain in his left leg, he had to stop and seek medical advice in Dubai on August 27, 2022, at the LGA medical Facilitation Centre is meant for medical emergencies of travellers in Dubai where he was advised for further medical treatment in this respect. The Enforcement Directorate alleged that the violation is deliberate and intentional and the applicant has tried to circumvent the order of the Court, for the Directorate, as is duly noted in the order of August 12, 2022, had opposed the permission sought to travel to UAE as well as the UK. The Court noted that the record also reflects that copy of itinerary/travel tickets/places of stay documents submitted with the application on August 22, 2022, was also with the Directorate. The Directorate had due notice of the itinerary and the tickets were also on record before the applicant had embarked on the journey, no demurral is recorded at that stage. Vadra was granted permission to travel to the UK via UAE, to Spain and Italy for four weeks with the direction that the applicant shall restrict his stay in the UK to 10 days and subject to certain terms and conditions. (ANI) With an aim to unite the entire Opposition to counter the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar and Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief Lalu Prasad will meet Congress President Sonia Gandhi in the national capital on Sunday. It is pertinent to mention that it will be the first meeting between the three parties in more than five years. Both the leaders are arriving in Delhi to attend a rally to be held in Fatehabad district on the birth anniversary of Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) founder late Chaudhary Devi Lal by INLD leader OP Chautala. Earlier on Tuesday, Lalu had said he, along with Nitish Kumar, will meet Sonia in Delhi. "Everyone needs to be alert, BJP needs to be uprooted in 2024. I will go to Delhi and meet Sonia Gandhi soon. I will also meet Rahul Gandhi after the completion of his padyatra," said the RJD supremo. However, Poll strategist Prashant Kishor said there is a need for a "credible face" and mass movement to seek people's vote in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, and opined that meeting leaders of various political parties "would not make much of a difference". He said such meetings cannot be seen as Opposition unity or political development. He further said, "Those who don't believe this need to wait and watch. It will certainly happen. I won't comment on whatever someone says". During his last visit to Delhi, Nitish Kumar met Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, Samajwadi Party leaders Mulayam Singh Yadav and Akhilesh Yadav, Communist Party of India (Marxist) general secretary Sitaram Yechury, and Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal. Kumar met with the Opposition leaders after he broke his alliance with the BJP and joined hands with Tejashwi Yadav's Rashtriya Janata Dal, the Congress and other parties to form a 'Mahagathbandhan' government in Bihar. Earlier Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had also visited Bihar and met Nitish Kumar, and RJD leader Tejashwi Yadav as part of efforts toward forging opposition unity. Meanwhile, various posters of Nitish Kumar projecting him as a prime ministerial candidate in the 2024 Lok Sabha election were seen in Patna last month. The posters put up by JD(U) promised good governance, and gave the slogan 'Pradesh mein dikha, desh mein dikhega'. Taking a swipe at BJP, another poster carried the caption, "Jumla Nahi Haqiqat Hai" (No lies only reality). Additionally, Tejashwi Yadav had earlier stated that Kumar could be a "strong candidate" for the Prime Minister's post in the 2024 elections. In 2020, the BJP-JD(U) fought election in an alliance and went on to form the government with Nitish Kumar being given the Chief Minister's post. In less than two years' time, Nitish Kumar flipped his choices and in a surprise move went on to stitch an alliance with RJD and Congress to form a 'Grand Alliance' government in Bihar. (ANI) Congress MP Rahul Gandhi along with party leaders and workers resumed the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' on Day 18 in Thrissur in Kerala on Sunday. The Yatra started at 6.30 am from Patturaykkal Junction, Thrissur district. The morning halt time is at 10 am at St Francis Xavier Church. The yatra will again resume at 4 pm from Vadakkamchery bus stop. The Yatra will finish at 7 at Vettikkattiri and will halt at Jyoti Engineering College, Cheruthuruthi, Thrissur district. Earlier on Saturday, the Congress resumed its Bharat Jodo Yatra, after a day's break, from Perambra junction in the Thrissur district of Kerala. Yesterday, workers and people of Thrissur came out in large numbers to support Rahul Gandhi and all the Padyatris as the Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed after a break. The march aims to cover as many as 12 states in five months. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next few days, reaching Karnataka on September 30. It will be in Karnataka for 21 days before moving north. The Padyatra (march) will cover a distance of 25 km every day. The Bharat Jodo Yatra took a break right before the day of the filing of the nominations for the Congress presidential poll in the national capital which will be concluded on September 30. Congress' presidential election will be held on October 17 and the election results would be declared on October 19. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot on Friday, while confirming his candidature for the upcoming Congress president election, said that Rahul Gandhi has made it clear that "no member of the Gandhi family" would become the next party chief. "I said earlier that I will request him (Rahul Gandhi) to accept this post when all the Congress Committees are passing resolutions in this regard. He made it clear that no one from the Gandhi family will become the next chief. He said he has decided this due to some reasons, a non-Gandhi family member will become the party chief," Gehlot had said addressing the mediapersons while being a part of Bharat Jodo Yatra in Kerala. Earlier Rahul Gandhi emphasised the "one person, one post" norm and said he believes the commitment to the party's Udaipur declaration would be maintained in the election for the party's topmost post. Describing the post of Congress president as an "ideological post", Rahul Gandhi had said that the position "represents a set of ideas and belief system and vision of India". The Congress had decided on a set of organisational reforms during the Udaipur Chintan Shivir held earlier this year. The declaration said that the principle of "one person, one post" should be followed. Party MP Shashi Tharoor has also given an indication of contesting polls and had met Sonia Gandhi on Monday. He met Congress Central Election Authority chief Madhusudan Mistry on Wednesday. (ANI) The drugs weighed around 55.80 kgs. The officials also detained a woman in connection with the incident. The drugs were recovered in Melbuk Village, Champhai district on September 23 during an operation carried out by the joint team of Assam Rifles and Zokhawthar Police based on specific information. "A vehicle was spotted by the joint team moving suspiciously and on being intercepted and checked, it was found to be carrying Methamphetamine tablets (5,05,000 in number). The drugs were being carried by a woman in the vehicle and had a market value of approximately Rs 167,86,20,000 (167.86 crore)," said an official statement. The seized items and detained woman were handed over to Zokhawthar Police Station on September 24 for further investigation and legal proceedings. "In the past year and more, Assam Rifles has been actively chasing the illegal movement of drugs, weapons and explosives. The disturbed internal situation in Myanmar has led to a spike in this illegal trans-border movement of contraband and people. If the number of migrants moving into Mizoram from Myanmar increases, these illegal activities are likely to get further accentuated," added the statement. Earlier on Saturday, Assam Police on Saturday evening seized 504 grams of heroin in Karimganj district and arrested one person. "Based on secret information, a team of Karimganj district police led by Deputy Superintendent of Police (HQ) recovered and seized 504 grams of heroin packed in 43 soap cases near toll gate under Karimganj police station. Police arrested one person and registered a case," said Gitartha Dev Sarma, DSP of Karimganj. The Police have registered a case and further investigation is underway. On Thursday, Assam Police recovered and seized 270 packets of ganja weighing 1,483 kg from a vehicle at the Gossaigaon Police Station area in Kokrajhar district. The police also arrested the accused. (ANI) Punjab Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Sunday permitted Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann's government in the state to convene its Assembly session in the Vidhan Sabha on September 27. This will be the Punjab government's third Assembly session that is scheduled to take place at 11 am in Chandigarh. "The Hon. Governor, Punjab, has very kindly acceded to our request and summoned the Punjab Vidhan Sabha to meet for it's third session on 27.9.2022 at 11.00 AM at Chandigarh," tweeted Kultar Singh Sandhwan, Speaker, Punjab Assembly. The Mann government's Assembly session to present the trust vote was earlier scheduled to be held on Thursday (September 22), whose permit orders were withdrawn by Governor Banwarilal Purohit a day before (Wednesday) citing the "absence of specific rules" to do so (hold a confidence motion). The assembly was called through the third special session of the sixteenth Vidhan Sabha. "I, Banwarilal Purohit, Governor of Punjab hereby withdraw my orders, regarding summoning of the sixteenth Vidhan Sabha of the state of Punjab to meet for its third (Special) session on Thursday in the Punjab Vidhan Sabha hall", the order on Wednesday read. Addressing a letter to Secretary Punjab Vidhan Sabha, governor Purohit had said that a legal opinion was sought on the entire matter from the Additional Solicitor General of India Satya Pal Jain. "This matter was examined and a legal opinion was sought from Satya Pal Jain, Additional Solicitor General of India. He has given his legal opinion that there is no specific provision regarding the summoning of the Assembly for considering 'confidence motion' only, in Punjab Vidhan Sabha Rules of procedure and conduct of business", read the letter. In light of the above provision, the Punjab Governor had withdrawn his offer dated September 20. Earlier, there were speculations about the session to be held on Tuesday as the Governor had asked the state government for the details of legislative work to be done in this session, but Mann's government raised questions on the governor and alleged that in 75 years no governor has ever asked the government for its legislative functions. Reacting to the allegations, Governor Purohit further advised the state government to "read the Constitution". (ANI) Amid the ongoing fracas over the viral video doing rounds on the web for alleged Pakistan zindabad slogans in a PFI protest in Pune, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Pune president Jagdish Mulik will meet the city's police commissioner on Sunday. The BJP leader will meet Pune Police Commissioner Amitabh Gupta to file a complaint against anti-social elements who raised pro-Pakistan slogans during the PFI protest. Earlier the Maharashtra BJP president Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Saturday said that he will speak to Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to ban the Popular Front of India (PFI), which is involved in anti-national work in the state and country. His remarks came after a video surfaced on social media, which shows that a "Pakistan Zindabad" slogan was allegedly raised during a protest organised by the PFI in Pune.The BJP chief further said that those who raised the "Pakistan Zindabad" slogans should be arrested under cases of sedition. "I will speak with the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister to ban PFI, which is involved in anti-national work in the state and country. I will demand from the Chief Minister and Deputy Chief Minister that wherever they are in Maharashtra, find them and arrest them by filing a case of sedition against them," Bawankule. With a video showing that 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were allegedly raised during a PFI protest outside the District Collector's office here on Friday against the crackdown by NIA-led multi-agencies, Pune Police have said they will probe and verify the videos and action will be taken accordingly. "We have received some videos, we will investigate and verify them completely and take action accordingly," said Sagar Patil, DCP Zone II, Pune. 'Pakistan Zindabad' slogans were heard outside the District Collector's office yesterday in Pune city where PFI cadres gathered against the recent ED-CBI-Police raids across 15 states. Due to the high ambience noise in the original video feed some parts of the slogans in the video were faint. Information about slogans was further corroborated by reporters at the spot. Some protestors were detained by Pune police and a case was registered for unlawful assembly against protestors. Police also arrested some protestors. Joint teams of the National Investigation Agency, Enforcement Directorate and police had conducted multiple raids across 15 states of the country against PFI on September 22 and arrested over 106 members. (ANI) Kerala LoP VD Satheesan slammed the state's Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan for not calling off the protests and said that there was no intervention by the police in the matter. His remarks came on Saturday while addressing the media. "We have already deplored the violent hartal conducted by the PFI. There was widespread violence across Kerala. But the police was a silent witness. There was no intervention by the Kerala Police. And yesterday the Kerala CM made a speech at a political function. He was not even ready to denounce the hartal conducted by the PFI," said Satheesan. He further alleged that the police helped the protestors. "It was with the help of the Police that the PFI conducted widespread violence across Kerala. They never intervened. So many persons were attacked, and so many public assets were damaged," he added. He also called out the communalism in the region and said," In Kerala, we have taken a strong stand. We will never compromise majority communalism as well as minority communalism. Our stand is that both these forces are harmful to the nation. When one group is doing mischief, that will help the existence of the other. That will create insecurity among the others. That insecurity itself helps for growing these types of outfits on both sides." The PFI on Friday called for a 12-hour shutdown in Kerala, which turned violent in parts of the state. Stone-pelting was witnessed at various places, including at the RSS office at Mattannur in Kannur. Two police officials were also injured in the incident in Kollam. The Kerala High Court initiated a suo motu case against PFI leaders who called for a strike in the state against the arrest of its members by the NIA. Notably, as per a Kerala HC order on January 7, 2019, nobody can call for a bandh in the state without prior notice of seven days. Taking cognizance of the matter, the court directed the police to ensure that "adequate measures are put in place to prevent any damage/destruction to public/private property of Government/citizens who do not support the call for hartal." (ANI) Nineteen persons who vandalised properties during the protest against the NIA's raids on houses of the PFI leaders are arrested and sent to remand, informed the Tamil Nadu Director General of Police C Sylendrababu on Sunday. "Nineteen persons who vandalised properties are arrested and sent to remand. Few from specific organizations hurled petrol bombs on a few organization functionaries' residences and cars," Tamil Nadu DGP told ANI. "Those who involve in criminal acts which disturb public peace will be booked under the National Security Act," warned Tamil Nadu DGP. "Criminal cases have been registered on this and investigations to nab the anti-social elements are going on. Special teams have been formed to nab them. So far, 250 suspects have been investigated on this matter. Over 100 suspects are still under investigation," he added. Condemning this arrest, PFI demonstrated protest and 1,410 persons were arrested during the protest and later were released. A few persons who threw petrol bombs at the house of PFI leaders were arrested. The investigation is underway while their two-wheelers were seized. RAF, State Commando, and Special Force are stationed at Coimbatore. Over 3,500 police personnel are providing security at Coimbatore". Post the NIA raid on PFI and SDPI, multiple petrol bombs were hurled at the house of RSS members. Earlier on Sunday, as many as three petrol bombs were hurled into the house of a Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) member in the Madurai district of Tamil Nadu. While in the earlier hours of Saturday, a petrol bomb was hurled at the house of an RSS leader near Tambaram near Chennai, said the police. Another bottle bomb was hurdled at BJP worker Sarath's residence in Kuniyamuthur city in Tamil Nadu on Friday night in which a car parked on the premises was damaged. (ANI) The arrested people have been identified as Mofajjul Hussain and Biman Debnath. They are residents of Dinhanta and Coochbehar respectively. According to police, acting on credible intelligence, the accused were detained at Jatiakali when they were travelling from Coochbehar towards Siliguri in a Maruti Swift vehicle. In search of the persons and the vehicle, 10,000 yaba tablets were recovered and seized from their exclusive possession. The market value of the seized contraband articles is Rs 30 lakhs. A specific case under the relevant sections of the NDPS Act has been initiated at New Jalpaiguri Police station, Siliguri, and further investigation is going on, police said. (ANI) The incident was reported in Assam's Nalbari district. According to reports, locals of the Mukalmua market area on Sunday morning caught two criminals with arms while they allegedly attempted to rob a businessman in the area. "We arrested both the accused and recovered one country-made pistol with magazine and a sharp weapon in possession from them," Superintendent of Police of Nalbari district, Pabindra Kumar Nath, told ANI. "They had attempted robbery of a businessman in the area. One among them is a wanted criminal who was earlier arrested by Karnataka police in a robbery case," the top police official added. A case has been registered in connection with the incident. Further investigations are underway. (ANI) The cadet was found hanging in his room. The police have also recovered a seven-page note from the site, as per police. The brother of the deceased cadet Ankit Kumar Jha has filed a police complaint alleging murder by six IAF officials, according to the complaint. He also alleged that the IAF officials were also involved in the tampering with evidence and demanded to charge them for that, as per the complaint. The cadet's brother further demanded the immediate arrest of the IAF officials. He also urged to stop the autopsy of his deceased brother's body as the case needs to be investigated by the Central Bureau of Investigation( CBI). A case has been registered under section 302 IPC by the Jalahalli Police. (ANI) Union Minister Anurag Thakur strongly reacted to Congress leader Digvijay Singh's statement comparing RSS with PFI, and said that the Congress is in this condition today because of Singh's "Badbolapan" (or impudence). Anurag Thakur on Sunday targeted Digvijay Singh and said, "If someone calls terrorist Osama as "Osama Ji" when strict action is taken against the terrorists, then it can be understood that it is being done for the vote bank." Taking a jibe at the Congress and the Gandhi family, Thakur further said "During the UPA government, the government used to run not from 7 Race Course Road but from 10 Janpath." Claiming to strengthen the security of the country, Anurag Thakur said, "The government has been working continuously and rapidly to strengthen both internal and external security and development. Continuous action is being taken against infiltrators and terrorists. After the abrogation of 370 and 35A, Jammu and Kashmir are developing rapidly. In the states of the North East, work has been done rapidly from road to rail and airstrip." The Union Minister also took a jibe at both Shivanand Tiwari and Owaisi, saying that "Jungle Raj" would return to Bihar. He further claimed that the government is continuously working for the welfare of the Muslim community through various schemes such as the abolition of Triple Talaq. Earlier in the day, Anurag Thakur listened to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Mann Ki Baat program with senior party leaders at the BJP National Office and paid tributes to Pandit Deendayal Upadhyay at a wreath-laying program organized at the party office on his birth anniversary. (ANI) Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Sunday called on Governor Lieutenant General Gurmit Singh (Retd) at the Raj Bhavan and informed him about the action taken in the death case of Ankita Bhandari. Ankita Bhandari had gone missing a few days ago, and her body was recovered in the early hours of Saturday from the Chilla canal in Uttarakhand's Rishikesh. She worked as a receptionist at the Vanatara resort whose owner, Pulkit Arya is the main accused in her death. As per the police, Arya had confessed to his crime during the probe and had said that he pushed the girl into a canal after an altercation after which she had drowned. "The Chief Minister assured that the culprits wouldn't be spared under any circumstances," informed Raj Bhawan. It further said that the Governor expressed his condolences to the bereaved family while condoling the "heinous crime". In the meeting with the governor, CM Dhami also held a detailed discussion on the development plans of the state, law and order and the action taken in relation to irregular appointments in the Vidhan Sabha. The SIT on Sunday told ANI that the Whatsapp chats were also being probed. The SIT In-charge of Ankita Bhandari's murder case, DIG PR Devi, told ANI that Ankita's WhatsApp chats that have surfaced are also being probed. As per a viral chat, it is alleged that it was being said that the guest would get 'extra service' for Rs 10,000. In the WhatsApp chat, there is talk of providing 'extra service' in the name of providing spa treatment at the Vanatara Resort. An employee at the resort also alleged that Ankita Bhandari had called him crying on September 17 and asked him to take her bags out of the resort. He also confirmed that he saw Ankita at around 3 PM with three other people while only the rest of them returned except Ankita. He also confirmed that the owner Pulkit Arya's brother Ankit Arya came at 8 AM on September 18 and talked about preparing dinner for four people and said that he would have dinner in Ankita's room. This was countered by the employee as he said that the service boy can make the dinner, however, the resort's helper alleged that Ankit wanted to mislead the staff as Ankita had not returned. (ANI) On September 26, the President will inaugurate the Mysuru Dasara Festival at Chamundi Hills, Mysuru. On the same day, she will attend the felicitation function 'Poura Sanmana' organized by the Hubli-Dharwad Municipal Corporation at Hubali. She will also inaugurate the new campus of the Indian Institute of Information Technology Dharwad at Dharwad. On Tuesday, the president will inaugurate an Integrated Cryogenic Engines Manufacturing Facility of Hindustan Aeronautics Limited in Bengaluru, followed by laying the foundation stone for the Zonal Institute of Virology (South Zone) virtually. She will further grace the inaugural function of St. Joseph's University on the same day and later attend a civic reception hosted by the Government of Karnataka in her honour in Bengaluru. President Murmu will then return to the national capital on Wednesday, September 28. (ANI) Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Vivek Venkat Swamy on Sunday said that Telangana Rashtriya Samithi (TRS) is in "terrible shape" and not in a position to declare a candidate for Munugode by-election. He exuded confidence that the BJP would win with a thumping majority of more than 50,000 votes in the upcoming elections. The BJP held a steering committee meeting on Munugode by-elections. The people of Munugode expect BJP to win a thumping majority of more than fifty thousand votes in the upcoming elections, said the Chairman of the BJP steering committee for the Munugodu election. Ex-MP Swamy said, "We have discussed in detail the state of Munugodu today. The people of Munugodu are all in support of the BJP as they are fed up with the poor rule of the TRS (Telangana Rashtra Samithi) government. KCR is just trying to mislead the public by announcing unfulfilled promises." "The TRS party is in a terrible state. They couldn't even decide on their election candidate. Munugodu will be a one-sided election in the future," he added. Earlier on Thursday, Bharatiya Janata Party Telangana chief Bandi Sanjay expressed his party's willingness to fight Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao in the upcoming Munugode polls, by terming the BJP as "the sons and force of saffron". "We will fight CM KCR and are ready to show our strength. We are the sons of saffron and the force of saffron. If you 'Kasim Chandrashekar Rizvi' want to bring MIM (All India Majlis-E-Ittehadul Muslimeen) party, please bring them, decide a place and time, we are ready to show our strength," Bandi Sanjay had said while addressing a public meeting at the conclusion of his fourth-phase of Praja Sangrama Yatra at Pedda Amberpet on the outskirts of Hyderabad) In his address, Sanjay had said that the by-election to the Munugode assembly seat is going to spell doom for the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) government and said, "KCR's game is up and his shop is going to be wound up soon." Stating that the BJP is rearing for the showdown with the TRS, he had said his party was ready to fight even if the TRS joins hands with the All India Majlis-e-Ittehad-ul-Muslimeen (AIMIM).He had further mentioned that it is high time for the people of Telangana if they want a Ram Rajya or Ravan Rajya. "Now, the time has come for the people of Telangana to decide whether they want the democratic rule or an autocratic rule; a government of the poor or of the feudal; and Ram Rajya or Ravana Rajya," Sanjay had asked. Further emphasizing how the fourth phase of the yatra brought him closer to the people, he said that he was "deeply moved" by the people's plight here and also announced that the fifth phase of Praja Sangrama Yatra will come into effect from October 15. Sanjay had further declared that if the BJP was voted to power, it would rename Ibrahimpatnam as 'Veerapatnam', because of the valour displayed by the people of the constituency.He had reiterated that the BJP had been demanding the celebration of September 17 as 'Telangana Liberation Day' for several years. (ANI) The Economic Offences Wing of the Delhi Police on Sunday arrested five accused for cheating on the pretext of providing a work order from the Ministry of Health for the transportation of Covid vaccines. The accused have been identified as Harmann Sabharwal, Govind Tulsian, Diprana Tiwari, Trilok Singh, and Mrityunjoy Roy. The accused duped more than six people of Rs 14 crore. As per the police, the accused prepared forged documents from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare and were arrested after several complaints were received from Sunil Kaushik. "In all complainants, the complainants narrated about the same modus operandi and leveled allegations against the common accused. All the complainants claimed that they were made to sit inside the conference room of the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare in order to execute the work order for the transportation of Covid vaccines", informed the police. The police added, "After a preliminary inquiry, the case was registered and an investigation was taken up by the Economic Offences Wing (EOW). A total of 6 complainants have come forward whereas the cheated amount comes out to be Rs. 15 crore". The investigation has revealed that in May 2021, alleged persons came in contact with complainants and offered them that they could manage the work order from the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare for transportation of Covid vaccines. To gain the trust of the complainants, they brought the victims to the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, which is located inside the premises of Nirman Bhavan. Accused persons also impersonated themselves as officers of the Ministry and obtained signatures of the complainants on forged work orders. In lieu of such forged work orders, they obtained Rs 15 crore from the complainants. The police scrutinised and analyzed the bank accounts and other details of the alleged persons and revealed that there has been a huge cash deposit in the bank accounts of the alleged persons. According to special CP, EOW Ravinder Yadav, accused Harmann Sabherwal was arrested from Agartala, where he was hiding in the hotel Polo Ground while other accused were arrested from Delhi. The role of the other accused person is under probe. (ANI) Senior advocate Mukul Rohatgi has declined the central government's proposal to be appointed as the next Attorney General for India. Rohatgi was set to be appointed as the fourteenth Attorney General of India replacing the incumbent KK Venugopal. Asked about his decision to decline the Centre's offer, Rohatgi told ANI that there is no particular reason for declining the offer and he "thought about it again" and decided not to take up the offer. If Rohatgi had accepted the offer, it would have his second tenure as an AG, after he served the post for the first time between June 2014 and June 2017. Earlier, the veteran lawyer and present Attorney General KK Venugopal expressed unwillingness to continue in the top law officer's post beyond September 30 citing health problems. Widely respected as a constitutional law expert, Venugopal succeeded Rohatgi as Attorney General on July 1, 2017, for a three-year term. The 91-year-old Venugopal, who was given two one-year extensions beyond his three-year term by the Union government, repeatedly expressed his unwillingness to continue in the post. In June this year, Venugopal's term was extended by three more months by the Centre. The government urged him to continue for three more months. He had finally agreed for a three months extension, till September 30, to allow the government to search for a new face. The 67-year-old Rohatgi was offered to be appointed as the Attorney General. Rohatgi held the office of AG for three years starting from 2014 to 2017 after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance government came to power. Rohatgi is a senior advocate at the Supreme Court of India and has earlier served as Additional Solicitor General of India. (ANI) From October 1, Home Minister Amit Shah will be on a two-day tour of Jammu and Kashmir, during which he will address public gatherings in the two border districts of Rajouri and Kupwara. These two districts have a majority population of hill tribes, which have struggled for more than five decades for the demand of ST status. The hill tribe people have a lot of expectations from this visit of the Union Home Minister because according to reports published in national and local newspapers, the minister is going to make an important announcement regarding giving ST status to the hill tribe during this visit. In both places, the rallies are being organized under the auspices of the Bharatiya Janata Party, for which the party leaders and workers are also working day and night, while the members of other hill tribes are also participating in these rallies beyond their political affiliations. On Saturday, a meeting was held at Sarnakot by senior Pahari leader Syed Mushtaq Ahmed Bukhari, which was attended by various personalities of the region, who appealed to leave all work and reach the Rajouri bus stand on October 1 to participate in the rally. Meetings were also held at various places in Mendhar, Rajouri, Poonch, and Mandi while important meetings will be held tomorrow in other areas of Thana Mandi, Manjakot and Rajouri. (ANI) The central government has decided to withdraw multiple incentives and allowances given to the All India Service (AIS) Officers for posting in the North-East region, said the Ministry of Personnel order. The order was implemented with immediate effect from September 23. These officers belong to the Assam-Meghalaya joint cadre, Sikkim, Nagaland, Tripura and Manipur cadres. "The Government, after review of the various incentives/Special Allowances being granted to the AIS officers working in the North Eastern Region, has decided that the incentives/Special Allowances granted be withdrawn with immediate effect," said the Ministry of Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions notification. (ANI) In a statement, Capt. Amarinder said it was his government that had pursued the matter with the Centre since 2017 when he took over as the Chief Minister. He said it was a long-pending demand of the Punjabis that the airport must be named after Shaheed Bhagat Singh, who is an outstanding symbol of valour, courage and sacrifice for the country. "Bhagat Singh is an inspiration for millions of youth of the country and it will be a befitting tribute to his great and glorious memory", the former Chief Minister remarked. --IANS vg/pgh ( 129 Words) 2022-09-25-19:28:01 (IANS) As the majority of Congress MLAs from the Ashok Gehlot camp are submitting their resignations, party interim president Sonia Gandhi on Sunday directed observers Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken to conduct one-on-one talks with Rajasthan MLAs to resolve the issue. Both the observers are likely to meet around 90 MLAs who have tendered their resignation to Assembly Speaker. We are not going to Delhi at the moment, we have been instructed by Congress interim president Sonia Gandhi to conduct one-to-one talks with Rajasthan Congress MLAs. We will meet them tonight," Maken told ANI. Congress leader KC Venugopal said that things would be sorted out soon. "Neither did I talk to CM Ashok Gehlot, nor did he call me, things will be sorted out soon," said Venugopal. Meanwhile, disgruntled with the party, Rajasthan ministers Pratap Singh Khachariyawas and Shanti Dhariwal are meeting AICC observers Ajay Maken and Mallikarjun Kharge at CM Ashok Gehlot's residence. Earlier, state legislator Pratap Singh Khachariyawas said that all the MLAs are angry and are resigning as they were not consulted before the decision. "All the MLAs are angry and are resigning. We are going to the speaker for that. MLAs are upset how can CM Ashok Gehlot take a decision without consulting them", said Khachariyawas. He further said that alleged that the party doesn't listen to them and decisions are being taken without any discussion. "10 to15 MLAs are being heard while other MLAs are being neglected. Party doesn't listen to us, decisions are being taken without it," said Khachariyawas. Meanwhile, CM Ashok had expressed their willingness to contest for the party's topmost position. He said, "It's decided that I'll contest (for the post of Congress President). I'll fix the date soon (to file his nomination). There's the need for the Opposition to be strong, looking at the current position of the country." Khachariyawas said, "CM Gehlot should pay heed to the suggestions of MLAs. We have 92 MLAs with us". In the meeting, there are chances that a resolution will be passed relating to the change of leadership in Rajasthan. Rajasthan CM Ashok Gehlot is also likely to resign from his post before filing his nomination for the Congress President poll. On Saturday, Ajay Maken had a meeting with Congress interim President Sonia Gandhi. AICC general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal said the Congress president had appointed Mallikarjun Kharge and Ajay Maken as observers for the Rajasthan CLP meeting to be held on Sunday at 7 pm in Jaipur. Filing of nominations for the post of Congress president began on Saturday with a contest between Ashok Gehlot and former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor on the cards. The nominations will be filed till September 30 and results declaring the new Congress chief will be announced on October 19. This will be the first time in 25 years that Congress will see a non-Gandhi chief after Sonia Gandhi replaced Sitaraman Kesri as party chief in 1998. The last time the party had a non-Gandhi chief was in 1997 when Sitaram Kesri defeated Sharad Pawar and Rajesh Pilot. Chairman of Central Election Authority Madhusudan Mistri will be available in Congress headquarters in the national capital to take the nomination papers as returning officer of the election. Gehlot had earlier made it clear that there will be no candidate from the Gandhi family this time. Speaking to ANI Gehlot said, "I have requested him (Congress MP Rahul Gandhi) multiple times to accept everyone's proposal of becoming the Congress President. He clarified that no one from the Gandhi family should become the next chief." (ANI) AIADMK's interim General Secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, K. Palaniswami on Sunday came out strongly against the Andhra Pradesh government's move to raise the capacity of Pullur check dam near the inter-state border. The AIADMK leader, in a statement, called upon the Tamil Nadu government under M.K. Stalin to "wake up from its slumber" and to take appropriate action to prevent the move of Andhra Pradesh to raise the capacity of the Pullur check dam by 2 TMC. He said that the agreement between Karnataka, Andhra Pradesh, and Tamil Nadu is to get 20 TMC, 20 TMC, and 40 TMC, respectively from the inter-state river, and the move of the Andhra Pradesh government to raise the capacity by 2 TMC would adversely affect the farmers of Tamil Nadu. Coming out heavily against the Stalin government and the Tamil Nadu water resources department, in particular, the AIADMK leader called upon the government to stop diverting people in the name of the Dravidian Model. Palaniswami also called upon the Tamil Nadu government to approach the courts to find a solution to this issue. --IANS aal/vd ( 197 Words) 2022-09-25-20:24:02 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah will be visiting Jammu and Kashmir from September 30 to October 2, said BJP national general secretary Tarun Chugh on Sunday. This will be Shah's second visit to the Union Territory since the abrogation of Article 370. Last year in October the Home Minister visited Kashmir in the wake of rising attacks on minority community members by the terrorists in the Valley. During his visit, Shah will meet the intellectuals and prominent personalities and will address two public meetings on October 1 in Rajouri and will also address another rally in Baramullah on October 2. "Amit Shah will visit different areas in this visit and this is a special occasion just like a festival as he was the key person to finish the controversial Articles 370 and 35(a) and broke the shackles of Jammu and Kashmir residents to free them from long bondage. SCs, women, Gujjars-Bakkarwals and other communities were empowered after being neglected for 70 years," said Chugh. He further said that Rajouri and Baramullah areas have been neglected for all these years, hence Amit Shah has decided to visit these areas and address the rallies there. "BJP has tried to politically empower all who were denied due space for 70 years," said Chugh. The BJP leader further said that the Central government led by PM Narendra Modi has ensured the development of Jammu and Kashmir constantly despite COVID-19 and other difficulties. "Modi government is committed for "Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas" and not only the Vikas of Abdullah and Muftis, Modi government has ensured the development of Jammu and Kashmir constantly despite Covid and other difficulties. Today, Jammu and Kashmir airports are flooded with private airlines. Tourist places like Pahalgam, and religious yatras like Vaishno Mata, and Amarnath are flooded with visitors. Now 'Pani and Jawani' of Jammu and Kashmir are being utilized for the development of the region," he said. Chugh said that earlier governments have routed Jammu and Kashmir youth towards terrorism and handed over stones to them, whereas the Modi government has given them the power to use those stones for the construction of their careers. Meanwhile, BJP leader Ravinder Raina, in his address said that people from Rajouri, Poonch, Mendhar, Surakote, Matargote, Rajouri, Thanamandi, Darhal, Budhal, Nowshera, Sunderbani, Kalakote, Dhangri, Doongi and other border areas will be able to listen to Amit Shah at Bus Stand Ground in Rajouri. "In Baramullah of North Kashmir, people from Baramullah District, Kupwara District and Bandipora District including areas of Gurez, Bandipora, Karnah, Kandhal, Kithwal, Trigam, Uri, Rafiabad, Handwara, Langate will participate in mega rallies of Amit Shah," he said. "The residents of border areas were raising demand for the rallies of Amit Shah and he affirmatively responded to our request for both the rallies," Raina added. Last year, the Home Minister was on a three-day visit to the union territory for the first time since the abrogation of Article 370 in August 2019. His visit had come amid several incidents of killings of civilians by the terrorists in Jammu and Kashmir which have sparked fear in the valley. (ANI) Politics in Rajasthan took a new twist on Sunday with around 70 MLAs, who are staunch supporters of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot, gathering at the residence of state minister Shanti Dhariwal, to chalk out a strategy to eliminate Sachin Pilot from the race to select his successor. As per state minister Pratap Khachriyawas, 92 MLAs are together and have decided to resign. "We have all the right to choose our leader and we will decide our leader," he said. These MLAs reached the residence of Assembly Speaker C.P. Joshi to submit their resignation. Khachriyawas said that their only demand is that the new Chief Minister should be from those 101 MLAs who helped in saving the government during the rebellion and not from those who were a part of the rebels. "If 10-15 MLAs will be lent an ear, why not the majority of the MLAs," he asked. --IANS arc/vd ( 165 Words) 2022-09-25-21:56:02 (IANS) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday said that he and his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov discussed various issues including Ukraine, G20 and UN reforms. While responding to a query over meeting with the Russian counterpart, Jaishankar at the special briefing said that they have discussed host of issues. "We discussed a number of issues. Some part of my meeting was focused on our bilateral cooperation because you know, Russia is a major partner in many domains. And obviously, there are big issues, which focus on both the Russians and the rest of the world. The relationship has to address its own requirements and its processes and its objectives... Then we some detail about issues related to Ukraine. A lot of it was he briefed me about various developments from the Russian perspective. I also shared with him, you know, what I picked up from some of the others. So that was a back and forth conversation," he said. External Affairs Minister further said that they also held deliberations on G20 and at last, they had a conversation on UN reforms. Recalling the meeting with Lavrov, Jaishankar said that have met for four times, one was "in Pnom Penh and then Bali and he had come to Delhi before that." During the conference, he also said that there is a need for reforms and to develop some kind of practical path towards it. While answering a question over America's refusal to expand the UN Security Council, Jaishankar said that there were many member countries who spoke about this "explicitly" on this from the podium. "I think everybody says to shift and it's something which others actually brought up with me. So now, what the US said, and to some extent, what Russia has said. And by the way, there were some other countries as well, who spoke very explicitly on the from the podium." During a meeting with Ukrainian Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal, Jaishankar said, "he gave me his perception, his assessment of what you know, what was happening in Ukraine. In terms of India. I think. We had a discussion on what was our position and my sense was that he clearly appreciated the fact that we were good against the continuation of the conflict and for the return to dialogue and diplomacy." "Of course, he had his own views on who you know why this was not happening. I mean, go nothing. He said, you will be surprised but then I think the humanitarian assistance issue came up. And there were some specific aspects of the ground situation that he brought up, which he believed were concerns for the international community as a whole. This included you know, there was discussion on the what had what had been the progress on grain the concern about fertiliser the ... there's a nuclear power plant issue. So, so you know, all this we're part of this is overall sort of description," he added. Jaishankar also recalled the meeting of ambassadors with Ukrainian since the conflict began. "So from our perspective, it was the first contact at that high level that we had, so I think it was natural that he should spend some time giving us the Ukrainian view of the contract," he added. During the briefing, Jaishankar told about his various engagements with other counterparts. He also said that India has been perceived today as the voice of the Global South. "There is a huge crisis right now in the world economy under where the costs of food the cost of fuel, you know, the worry about fertilisers. These are very deep anxieties for a lot of countries' debt, the debt situation for example, and there is great frustration that these issues are not being heard. They're not being voiced." While elaborating about having numerous engagements with over 100 counterparts of other countries, he said that India is one such country which became a voice for unheard countries on the global platforms. " They're not going up the chain in the global consoles. And to the extent, there is anybody at all who's speaking up and voicing the sentiments it is India and therefore, part of the reason why I think there were so many meetings with my counterparts was the gut feeling that you know, this is a country which speaks for many of us," he added. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday (local time) met UN Security Council Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on the margins of the 77th Session of the UN General Assembly in New York and discussed global challenges including Ukraine conflict. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar said, "An extensive discussion on pressing global challenges with UN Secretary-General @antonioguterres. Agenda included the Ukraine conflict, UN reform, G20, climate action, food security and data for development." External Affairs Minister, who is on a 10-day visit to the US, has met his Belarusian counterpart Vladimir Makei, Maldivian Foreign Minister Abdulla Shahid, Foreign Minister of Armenia Ararat Mirzoyan, Saudi Arabian counterpart Faisal bin Farhan and Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Achim Steiner. "Pleasure to meet FM @AraratMirzoyan of Armenia. Appreciate his briefing on recent developments," Jaishankar said in a tweet. Earlier in the day, Jaishankar held bilateral meetings with his counterparts from Russia, Cyprus, Jordan and Venezuela in New York. Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Jaishankar held wide-ranging discussions. Jaishankar earlier met Lavrov at the BRICS Foreign Ministers' annual meeting on the margins of UNGA, where members exchanged their support for the continued cooperation of BRICS members in areas of mutual interest, including through regular exchanges amongst their Permanent Missions to the UN. Apart from Lavrov, Jaishankar also held discussions with Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides on Europe. In a tweet, Jaishankar wrote, "Continued the tradition of the India-Cyprus meeting on the sidelines of UNGA. Thank FM Ioannis Kasoulides for his warm sentiments towards India and his many insights on Europe." India had earlier thanked Cyprus for its unstinted backing of India's candidature for expanded United Nations Security Council (UNSC). Among the other bilaterals was the meeting of Jaishankar with the Jordanian Foreign Minister. Ayman Safadi. Both the leaders exchanged views on West Asia and the global economy. "Great to see my good friend FM Ayman Safadi of Jordan. His perspectives on West Asia and the global economy were extremely useful," wrote Jaishankar following the meeting with the Jordanian counterpart. Jaishankar also exchanged views on the global political and economic scenarios in his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Venezuela Carlos Faria. The EAM will be in New York from September 18 to 24, while he will visit Washington DC from September 25 to 28, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA). After concluding his visit to New York on Saturday, he is scheduled to visit Washington for three days starting Sunday for what the External Affairs Ministry said for "a high-level review of the multifaceted bilateral agenda and strengthen cooperation on regional and global issues to further consolidate the India-US strategic partnership". (ANI) Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov backed India for becoming a permanent member of the UN Security Council. While addressing the 77th United Nations General Assembly, Lavrov said, "We see prospective of making Security Council more democratic via representation of countries from Africa, Asia & Latin America. India and Brazil, in particular, are key international actors and should be counted for permanent membership in the council." While addressing the Assembly, Lavrov accused Western countries of "throwing a fit" over the referendum that is being conducted in Russian-controlled areas of Ukraine on becoming a part of their federation. The Russian Foreign Minister said the crises surrounding the war were growing, and the international situation was rapidly deteriorating, but instead of having an honest dialogue and searching for a compromise, the West was "undermining confidence in international institutions" and encouraging negative tendencies within the United Nations as well, according to UN News. He said the United States was trying to turn the whole world into its "backyard", and together with its partners, punishing dissenters from its world view, through what he called "illegal unilateral sanctions" which violate the UN Charter, and hurt poor citizens in poorer countries, targeting their medicines, vaccines and food imports. Earlier, India with 31 other countries in a joint statement on reforms stated that an expansion of the Security Council in both permanent and non-permanent categories, as well as reform in its working methods, is indispensable to making this body more representative, legitimate and effective, delegations reiterated. The signatories of the joint statement stated that they reaffirm that adapting the United Nations to contemporary world realities necessarily requires urgent and comprehensive reform of the Security Council, the principal organ for international peace and security. According to the statement, the heads of delegations were convinced of the need to restore faith in effective multilateralism, "we stand united, as a group of pro-reform like-minded States, determined to work towards a more inclusive, responsive and participatory international governance architecture," the statement reads. "We further recognize that lack of progress in Security Council reform has serious implications, not only for the continued relevance of global governance institutions but also for global peace and security and delivering on the purposes, principles and promises of the United Nations Charter," it added. The head of delegations recognised that a reformed Security Council must better reflect the contemporary United Nations membership, including through enhanced representation of Small Island Developing States (SIDS), which comprise approximately 20 per cent of the United Nations' membership. (ANI) Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif is accused of facilitating one of his relatives after an alleged conversation between the premier and a government official was leaked on Saturday. An over a two-minute audio recording of Shehbaz Sharif's conversation was shared by Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry on his Twitter account yesterday, claiming that it shows the Prime Minister putting his family's business interests before those of the state. In the clip, a voice -- said to be that of Shehbaz Sharif -- can be heard saying that Maryam Nawaz Sharif had asked him to facilitate her son-in-law Raheel for the import of machinery for a power plant from India. "If we do so, we will get a lot of flak when this matter goes to the ECC and cabinet," the official can be heard saying in the audio clip, as per Dawn. At this, Prime Minister's alleged voice can be heard saying: "The son-in-law is very dear to Maryam Nawaz. Tell her very logically about this and then I will talk to her." The same voice also agrees with the perception that this would be bad for optics and may cause political trouble, according to the Dawn. Notably, Maryam Nawaz's daughter Mehrunnisa married industrialist Chaudhry Munir's son Raheel in December 2015. According to the publication, at the end of the audio clip, there is a mention of former Justice Maqbool Baqir, whose name was being considered as the next head of the National Accountability Bureau. The official is heard conveying to the premier the 'suggestion' of two media persons, asking him not to consider the former judge for the slot of NAB chairman, in view of their experience with former NAB chief Javed Iqbal, who was also a retired judge appointed by the PML-N government. This exchange helps to put a timeline on the purported audio, as the matter of the NAB chief's appointment was in the news around two months ago, as per Dawn. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad on the sidelines of the United National General Assembly (UNGA) on Saturday and discussed bilateral ties between the two nations alongside education, training and capacity building. Jaishankar also welcomed Faisal Mekdad's appreciation of the Jaipur Foot Camp in Syria which has transformed numerous lives worldwide. Taking to Twitter, Jaishankar wrote, "Good to have met Foreign Minister Dr Faisal Mekdad of Syria. Welcomed his appreciation of the Jaipur Foot Camp in his country. Spoke about education, training and capacity building.#UNGA" The iconic Jaipur foot is a scientific innovation from India that is lighter than all other artificial limbs, providing differently-abled persons with a sense of freedom and mobility. Moreover, Jaishankar also met his counterparts from Russia, Cyprus, Jordan and Venezuela and had wide-ranging discussions. Jaishankar earlier met his Russian counterpart Sergey Lavrov at the BRICS Foreign Ministers' annual meeting on the margins of UNGA, where members exchanged their support for the continued cooperation of BRICS members in areas of mutual interest. Apart from Lavrov, Jaishankar also held discussions with Cyprus Foreign Minister Ioannis Kasoulides on Europe. In a tweet, Jaishankar wrote, "Continued the tradition of the India-Cyprus meeting on the sidelines of UNGA. Thank FM Ioannis Kasoulides for his warm sentiments towards India and his many insights on Europe." Among the other bilaterals was the meeting of Jaishankar with the Jordanian Foreign Minister. Ayman Safadi. Both the leaders exchanged views on West Asia and the global economy. "Great to see my good friend FM Ayman Safadi of Jordan. His perspectives on West Asia and the global economy were extremely useful," wrote Jaishankar following the meeting with the Jordanian counterpart. Jaishankar also exchanged views on the global political and economic scenarios in his meeting with the Foreign Minister of Venezuela Carlos Faria. After concluding his visit to New York on Saturday, he is scheduled to visit Washington for three days starting Sunday for what the MEA said is "a high-level review of the multifaceted bilateral agenda and strengthen cooperation on regional and global issues to further consolidate the India-US strategic partnership". In Washington, Jaishsnkar is expected to meet US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and other senior officials of the Biden Administration. A round table focused on science and technology is also on the agenda for Washington. (ANI) The Defence Ministry in Moscow on Saturday said that Army General Dmitry Bulgakov has been relieved of the post of Deputy Minister of Defence, Al Jazeera reported. While Russian news agency TASS reported citing the ministry's statement that Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev, chief of Russia's National Defense Management Center, was appointed as deputy defence minister for logistics. "Colonel General Mikhail Mizintsev was appointed as deputy defence minister for logistics. Colonel General M. Mizintsev previously held the post of chief of Russia's National Defense Management Center," the ministry said. This comes after Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree toughening penalties for voluntary surrender to enemy forces, desertion and refusal to fight by up to 10 years in prison, just days after ordering a partial mobilisation of 300,000 reservists to fight in Ukraine. Russia launched its military operation in Ukraine on February 24. Meanwhile, Moscow's mandatory military draft sparked protests on Saturday. Citing an independent monitoring group OVD-Info, Al Jazeera reported that more than 700 people have been detained in 32 cities across the country. On September 21, President Vladimir Putin announced that he had signed a decree on partial mobilization in Russia amid the ongoing war in Ukraine, asserting that the purpose of the West is to weaken, divide and ultimately destroy Russia. "In order to protect our homeland, its sovereignty and territorial integrity, to ensure the security of our people and people in the liberated territories, I consider it necessary to support the proposal of the Ministry of Defense and the General Staff to conduct partial mobilization in the Russian Federation," he said during a national address today, CNN reported. The US and the G7 nations and European Union (EU) have imposed severe and immediate economic costs on Russia for its "atrocities in Ukraine, including in Bucha". (ANI) A leaked conversation between Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and a government official reveals PML-N Vice President Maryam Nawaz had asked the premier for machinery for a power plant to be imported from India for her son-in-law. The alleged tape was shared by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leader Fawad Chaudhry, on his Twitter account yesterday. The clip contains a discussion regarding Maryam Nawaz's son-in-law, reported local media. In an over two-minute audio recording clip, a voice -- said to be that of Shehbaz Sharif -- can be heard saying that Maryam Nawaz Sharif had asked him to facilitate her son-in-law Raheel for the import of machinery for a power plant from India. "If we do so, we will get a lot of flak when this matter goes to the ECC and cabinet," the official can be heard saying in the audio clip, as per Dawn. At this, Prime Minister's purported voice can be heard saying: "The son-in-law is very dear to Maryam Nawaz. Tell her very logically about this and then I will talk to her." The same voice also agrees with the perception that this would be bad for optics and may cause political trouble, according to the Dawn. Notably, Maryam Nawaz's daughter Mehrunnisa married industrialist Chaudhry Munir's son Raheel in December 2015. Meanwhile, more audio clips featuring leaders of the ruling coalition surfaced on Sunday. The clips which surfaced today, shared on Twitter by several PTI leaders, concerned embattled Finance Minister Miftah Ismail and the resignations of PTI lawmakers from the National Assembly. Today's leaked clip featured Maryam Nawaz's alleged audio conversation in which she can be heard advising the Prime Minister to jack up fuel prices, ARY News reported. The PML-N leader also complained about Finance Minister Miftah Ismail in an alleged leaked audio. "Uncle! US dollar is increasing and Miftah Ismail even not taking responsibility of the hike," she said as quoted by ARY News. While praising Ishaq Dar, Maryam can be heard in the audio leak, saying "Dar sahab has control on things, he knows what to do, but Miftah does not." She said Miftah Ismail does not even know what he is doing and what results his actions will bring in the future. While the next clip allegedly concerns a conversation between the premier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Tarar, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and former NA speaker Ayaz Sadiq about the resignations of PTI lawmakers from the lower house of parliament. The leaders of Imran Khan's party raised questions over the security of the Prime Minister's Office. (ANI) External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, on Saturday said one of the key takeaways from his visit to the 77th United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) in New York was how India is being perceived as the "Voice of the Global South." " We are today perceived very widely as the voice of the Global South. There is a huge crisis right now in the world economy, where the costs of food the cost of fuel...there is worry about fertilisers. There is great frustration that these issues are not being heard," Jaishankar said. At UNGA, India used the global stage to step up its diplomatic engagements in the bilateral and plurilateral formats stressing on South-South cooperation which is a broad framework of collaboration among countries of the South in the political, economic, social, cultural, environmental and technical domains. "These are very deep anxieties for a lot of countries. The debt situation for example, and there is great frustration that these issues are not being heard. They're not being voiced. They're not going up the chain in the global consoles. And to the extent, there is anybody at all who's speaking up and voicing the sentiments it is India. Therefore, part of the reason why I think there were so many meetings with my counterparts was the gut feeling that you know, this is a country which speaks for many of us," Jaishankar told reporters as he concluded the New York leg of his 10-day visit to the United States on Saturday. During his visit, the External Affairs Minister interacted with more than 100 counterparts, some bilaterals, multilateral and the others plurilateral on the sidelines of the UNGA. After concluding his high-level discussions on Saturday afternoon, Jaishankar interacted with a group of reporters. On being asked whether India's focus on Global South or South-South was returning in some ways to an early adopter of Indian foreign policy, Jaishankar asserted, " Global South solidarity has always been with us, it's part of our DNA." Jaishankar said that there have been a number of initiatives and partnerships that India has taken the lead in the establishment of the International Solar Alliance, Coalition for Disaster Resilient Infrastructure and Vaccine Maitri that have scaled up under the Modi administration. "We have approved, implemented completed something like about 700 projects in 70 countries ...i think translating vision into delivery is Prime Minister Modi's strong point. So, therefore, much more of it is visible on the ground. And because more is visible on the ground, the other party also feels more things are happening." Jaishankar added. Earlier today at a special event India@75 and India's unique partnership with the United Nations (UN), was organised by the Permanent Mission of India to the UN, led by India's permanent representative Ruchira Kamboj. India was lauded by some of the top officials of the United Nations along with leaders from the global south who highlighted India's partnership with the UN and particularly its South-South Cooperation. The 90-minute discussion was attended by the President of the UN General Assembly, UN Deputy Secretary-General and foreign ministers of Armenia, Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Jamaica, Tanzania, Maldives, Gambia, Timor-Leste, Cyprus and Yemen lauding India's contribution om vaccines, food security, development projects and international peacekeeping Jamaica's Foreign Minister, Kamina Johnson Smith, recalled the devastating consequences of the pandemic for her country and hailed India's Vaccine Maitri stating that her country was "Deeply grateful to people of India led by PM Modi, Jaishankar." Guyana's Foreign Minister, Hugh Hilton Todd, spoke about the role India has played in helping countries in the Caribbean with its pandemic management, especially with the provision of vaccines, there was emotion and a sense of deep gratitude in his voice. "Can you imagine this is a country which has to take care of 1.3 billion of its citizens, yet finds time to help the world?", he added. Tanzania's Foreign Minister, Liberata Mulamula, said, "Our countries agree on everything. We are committed to ending colonialism, to non-alignment, to south-south cooperation, combating climate change, SDGs and work together in maintaining global peace and participate together in peacekeeping operations." (ANI) Union minister Jitendra Singh, who is on a 5-day visit to the US on Saturday interacted with the Indian diaspora in New York and encouraged them to invest in India, as this is "the best time" to do so. Jitendra Singh told the Indian diaspora in New York that this is "the best time" to invest in the country, as India is fast becoming the investment destination for the world, an official statement read. A community reception was hosted for the minister at New York, where he pointed out that the pro-business reforms unleashed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in the last eight years like reduction in compliance requirements, removal of retrospective taxation, simplification of the corporate tax rate structure, Insolvency and Bankruptcy Code (IBC) have improved India's "rank in ease of doing business from 142 in 2014 to 63 in 2022, as per World Bank report. Jitendra Singh was speaking after returning from the Joint Ministerial Plenary of Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM13) and Mission Innovation (MI-7) at the "Global Clean Energy Action Forum- 2022", at Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He led a high-level Joint Indian Ministerial Delegation of Ministry of Power, New & Renewable Energy and Ministry of Science & Technology at the Energy Summit from September 21-23 and presented India's view on clean energy initiatives and climate actions at various Roundtables and Joint Ministerial Plenary. Jitendra Singh also invited the NRIs (Non-resident Indians) and PIOs (Persons of Indian origins) to come and explore the great start-up boom in India, the success of which has become a global talking point. He said that with over 77,000 start-ups and 105 unicorns, Indian innovators, incubators, and entrepreneurs are making a mark for themselves and this may inspire and encourage you to look at opportunities in India. There is tremendous focus in the country on sunrise sectors such as 5G, artificial intelligence, drones, semiconductors, blockchain, green energy and space economy, the minister added. Referring to the National Education Policy 2020, Jitendra Singh said that it opens myriad avenues to enhance our university-to-university links, joint academic programs, credit portability and research partnership. He said, India is now open to foreign universities setting campuses in the country and we are hopeful that US Universities will take advantage of these opportunities. As per the official statement, Jitendra Singh further said that as two democracies with shared values, open exchange of knowledge remains key to our strong partnership. Indian students in the United States of America are integral to it, and so are our ties between universities and educational institutions on both sides. We also have a large number of Indian academicians and research scholars in the USA. The Minister informed that Indian students are the second largest cohort in the US and what makes them stand out is that most of them are enrolled in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) courses. He said, they contribute to cross flow of knowledge, technology, research and prosperity between the two countries and honing talent in this niche area has special importance for the digital age, for powering knowledge economy and for building a greener planet. He said that at present, there are so many Fortune 500 companies, be it Google and its parent company Alphabet, Microsoft, Adobe, IBM, Alphabet, Twitter, FedEx, NetApp and Starbucks - who have Indians either heading them or playing an important role in the senior management. He further said that Indo-US ties have emerged as the defining partnership of the 21st century and as per government data, merchandise exports from India reached a new high at USD 417.81 billion during the financial year (FY) 2021-22, marking a surge of 43.18 per cent over the USD 291.18 billion recorded in the previous fiscal. He said, this is the first time India has achieved its ambitious target of crossing the USD 400 billion mark in merchandise exports and this also shows that India has started to emerge as a trusted partner as global firms are looking to diversify their supply chains and reduce their dependence on China. The minister concluded by saying that we, in India and around the world, are celebrating 75 years of India's independence and its incredible journey as a vibrant democracy and a thriving economy. The minister told the Indian diaspora that they represent the aspirations of a new India, an India that is on the march towards 'Amrit Kaal', the golden age of progress and growth. It is also heartening to know that the largest India Day Parade in New York City was held on August 21 this year, by Federation of Indian Associations (FIA) in collaboration with the Indian Consulate, the statement read. The minister called upon them to join hands in celebrating India's diversity, art, innovation, sporting achievements, and much more and contribute to India's onward march as a nation. Singh departed for India after a 5-day fruitful visit to the USA to participate in Global Clean Energy Action Forum and meaningful interaction with eminent academicians as well as the Indian diaspora. (ANI) India as an observer attended the Partners in the Blue Pacific (PBP) Foreign Ministers meeting, in which the partners aimed to support the Pacific region and committed to working with the region to consider additional prospective initiatives including areas like education and infrastructure. Issuing a joint statement, the ministers and representatives of PBP, along with observers and Pacific ministers, on September 22 met to discuss progress in implementing in PBP. Australia, Japan, New Zealand, the United Kingdom and the United States welcomed Germany and Canada's increased focus and commitment to genuine partnership with the Pacific and their announcement of intent to join the Partners in the Blue Pacific. Partners reinforced that this inclusive, informal mechanism will be guided by the PIF's 2050 Strategy for the Blue Pacific Continent and existing Pacific regional architecture. This included ongoing engagement and consultation with the PIF and respect for the concept of Pacific regionalism and related regional mechanisms, sovereignty, transparency, accountability, and we are committed to being led and guided by the Pacific islands, the statement issued by the Uk government read. Partners noted that the Partners in the Blue Pacific aims to support the Pacific region and its priorities more effectively and efficiently. Together and individually, our countries will enhance our existing efforts to support Pacific priorities. Working together with the PIF and in response to the upcoming implementation plan for the 2050 Strategy, we will map existing projects and plan future ones, seeking to drive resources, remove duplication, and close gaps, which will avoid greater burdens and lost opportunities for Pacific governments and Pacific peoples. In parallel, each of our governments will continue to increase the ambition of our individual efforts in the region and in alignment with national and regional goals and priorities. Six prospective Lines of Effort and initial projects for PBP were discussed, aligned with the thematic areas of the Forum's 2050 Strategy. Participants agreed to further dialogue ahead of finalizing the Lines of Effort. The Lines of Effort discussed include -- Climate Change Resilience, Adaptation, and DisastersSecure and Resilient Technology and Connectivity, Protection of the Ocean and Environmentpeople-centred Development, Resources and Economic Development and Political Leadership and Regionalism. The statement further read that the participants discussed some prospective initiatives that could be considered initially under the informal, inclusive Partners in the Blue Pacific. These included -- Pacific humanitarian warehousing to preposition humanitarian and emergency supplies as agreed by PIF Ministers at the inaugural Pacific Disaster Risk Reduction Ministers Meeting in Nadi; an annual Pacific cyber capacity conference; further support to the Pacific Climate Change Centre in Samoa; and support to access climate finance. Participants agreed to further discussion of prospective initiatives in 2022 based on preferred timeframes of the Pacific Islands. Partners further committed to working with the region to consider additional prospective initiatives for Pacific consultation and consideration, including in areas such as education and scholarships, infrastructure, gender, and countering Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing. Partners committed to regular and ongoing engagement with Pacific Island governments, the PIF and other Council of Regional Organisations in the Pacific (CROP) agencies, and to periodic engagement to review and guide implementation in partnership with the Pacific in alignment with the views of the Pacific Islands. Partners committed to regular, enduring engagement and consultation with Forum members on Partners in the Blue Pacific to ensure it meets Pacific priorities. Partners reinforced their long-term commitment to the Pacific and to ensuring that this informal, inclusive mechanism delivers practical, tangible results aligned with existing regional architecture and guided by the Pacific at every stage, the statement read. Apart from India, attendees included representatives from Australia, Fiji, French Polynesia, Japan, Kiribati, Nauru, New Zealand, Niue, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Republic of Marshall Islands, Samoa, Solomon Islands, Tonga, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Vanuatu, as well as Canada, France, Germany, Republic of Korea, the Pacific Islands Forum, and the European Union were also presented there, as per the statement. (ANI) As the last batch of 55 Afghan Sikhs and Hindu refugees is set to arrive in India on Sunday, Punjab Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament and International President of World Punjabi Organisation Vikramjit Singh Sahney said that he would support and rehabilitate these families. "I will continue to support and rehabilitate these families by providing them free houses on rent, monthly household expenditure, medical insurance and by skilling and educating the youth," Sahney said. Sahney is running a programme "My family My responsibility" under which 543 Afghan Sikhs and Hindu families are being rehabilitated in West Delhi by providing them with all facilities. He thanked SGPC for their support in evacuating these refugees. As part of efforts to evacuate distressed minorities from Afghanistan, a special flight number 315 operated by Ariana Afghan and organised by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee, Amritsar will arrive at Terminal 3 of Indira Gandhi International Airport in the national capital at around 4:30 pm today. They will disembark at Delhi airport around 5:30 pm after completion of the requisite formalities. After arrival, they will proceed towards Gurdwara Sri Guru Arjan Dev Ji, K Block, New Mahavir Nagar. MEA had granted them e-visas earlier and both governments evacuated their facilitation. Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee in coordination with the Indian World Forum and the Government of India is facilitating the evacuation of distressed minorities from the Islamic nation. 68 Afghan Hindus and Sikhs have arrived till date after the attack at Gurudwara Karte Parwan in Kabul. SGPC is bearing the airfare for the same. On August 3, at least 30 Afghan Sikhs including children and infants, arrived in Delhi by a non-scheduled commercial flight from Kabul, operated by Kam Air. On July 14, a total of 21 Afghan Sikhs, including an infant, were evacuated from Kabul to New Delhi on Kam Air, the largest private Afghan airline. Indian World Forum has coordinated and facilitated humanitarian evacuation for more than 300 Afghan Hindus and Sikhs post the regime change in Kabul. There were about 700 Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan in 2020, but a large number of them left the country following the Taliban's takeover on August 15, 2021. It is pertinent to mention here, as of date, 43 Hindus and Sikhs remain in Afghanistan and nine visa applications are still pending with the Government of India for issuance. Four Saroop of Sri Guru Granth Sahib still remain in Afghanistan. Due to a lack of cooperation from the local administration in Kabul, the same could not be transferred to India as per religious protocol. SGPC provides humanitarian assistance to Afghan minorities by paying for their airfare.There was a spate of attacks on Sikhs in Afghanistan recently. On June 18 this year, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) attacked Karte Parwan Gurdwara in Kabul which claimed the lives of about 50 people. In October, last year 15 to 20 terrorists entered a Gurdwara in the Kart-e-Parwan District of Kabul and tied up the guards. In March 2020, a deadly attack took place at Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurudwara in Kabul's Short Bazaar area in which 27 Sikhs were killed and several were injured. Islamic State terrorists claimed responsibility for the attack. (ANI) China, with the help of Confucius Institutes operational across countries, threatens its students studying abroad for not toeing Beijing's line, media reports said. These Chinese students are increasingly becoming China's pawn which tries to enforce control over these students and propagate its agenda. However, it is not just its students abroad where China plays out its coercive tactic, reported Sagarmatha. There is substantial evidence that under the garb of carrying out academic activities these institutes indulged in espionage activities. Slipping away from this if we look at this with a broader lens, we will see that there are many government-sponsored cultural institutes teaching a nation's language, culture and values to others. But what is worth noting is that there cannot be a campaign to shut down these institutes as long they do not censor certain information for geopolitical gain or misrepresents history, reported Sagarmatha. The case is not the same with the Chinese Confucius Institutes. A host of countries have expressed there concerns over whether these institutes are operating effectively at all. Another accusation which is laid on these so-called academic institutes is their meddling in teacher recruitment, dictating curricula, staging protests and choosing lessons that distort history especially related to Taiwan, Tiananmen and Tibet. China and Taiwan have been at daggers drawn for a long time over sovereignty claims. China claims that the island nation of Taiwan is its own part however Tapei denies the same. To push its Taiwan agenda, these institutes pressure universities to cancel the conference in Taiwan and the Dalai Lama's visit. One big advantage that China exploits via Confucius Institutes is their contacts. These institutes gives the Chinese Communist Party direct access to officials at the universities. With this contact, Beijing spreads a positive image of China and veers away from conversations around sensitive issues that negatively impact the image of the CCP. Confucius Institutes were established in 2004. There are 541 institutes and about 2000 Confucius classes operating in 162 countries at the primary, secondary and university levels. These institutes are public educational partnerships between colleges and universities in China and colleges and universities in other countries. Named after the ancient Chinese philosopher, these institutes are expected to promote Confucius' famous principles of honesty, righteousness and morality, but in recent years there has been growing concern over whether these institutes are operating effectively. The operation of Confucius Institutes has come under increased scrutiny in Western countries, leading to the closure of institutions not only in the United States, but also in Australia, Belgium, Canada, Denmark, France, Germany, the Netherlands, and Sweden, reported Sagarmatha. Of the 118 such institutes in the US, 104 have closed by the end of 2021, and many other CIs are in the process of closing. However, Chinese authorities are trying to persuade colleges and universities to reopen similar programs. Many European countries, including the UK, France, Germany, Sweden, etc., are either shutting down CIs out of concern that they are being used for espionage and are censoring topics on political grounds. (ANI) Former Russian President Vladimir Putin's economic advisor, Andrei Illarionov, said it was likely Chinese President Xi Jinping and not Ukraine's counteroffensive that pushed the Russian President Vladimir Putin to make his recent announcements on mobilization, referendums, in the four occupied regions of Ukraine. Speaking with DW News, Illarionov said, "It seems that Putin had some conversations at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) that forced him to make all those decisions. The only meaningful person who could have such a conversation with Putin is Chairman Xi. So Xi seems to have told Putin something that forced Putin to reverse his attitudes towards the war, to radically change his previous plans for 'referendums,' for mobilization and for nuclear blackmail." Illarionov said that these decisions go against the policy Putin has been pursuing thus far, and against his previously known plans, reported DW News. "For example, referendums were expected to be held either at the end of this year or next year. All of a sudden, the Kremlin has given orders that they are held right away, within the space of just a few days: from September 23 to 27. This is a sham even by Kremlin standards. This is a sham even by the standards of the so-called Crimea referendum in 2014. We need to find an explanation for all these decisions," said the ex-Russian advisor. All these decisions were announced within three days, between September 19 and 21, reported DW News. Negating that Ukraine's counteroffensive in Kharkiv is one of the reasons behind Putin's decision, he said, "It doesn't look like the Ukrainian counteroffensive in Kharkiv oblast is the cause of any changes in Putin's decisions and way of thinking. I have a different feeling. All those decisions were announced within the space of three days, between September 19 and 21. It means that those decisions were made by the Kremlin at least one or two days before that, meaning on September 17 and 18." Illarionov further said that the two leaders' body language (Putin and Xi) suggested that Xi influenced Putin's decision, reported DW News. "Based on some leaks and on their body language, I would not exclude the possibility that Xi suggested to his junior partner to finish his business against Ukraine as soon as possible -- for example, before the National Congress of the Chinese Communist Party in October -- and not with Putin's defeat. The fact that Russia has been waging war for seven months and has not been victorious is an embarrassment to Xi and makes him look weak before the most important event in his life. But Xi cannot allow himself to look weak," said Illarionov. (ANI) Taking swipe at the failed security architecture in Pakistan, a Supreme Court judge questioned whether negotiations are being made with the terrorists and regretted that law against honour killings are not being implemented, media reports said. A senior Supreme Court judge Qazi Faez Isa was speaking at the 9th judicial conference organised by the Law and Justice Commission of Pakistan at the SC Building on Saturday, reported Dawn. Justice Isa expressed surprise over negotiations with the terrorists and wondered what was being offered to them and by whom. He also expressed concerns over the situation in Swat, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in Pakistan where terrorist activities are rampant. "Are we saying to them 'please bomb five schools and not six and please take some money and weapons'," he remarked and asked where the negotiations were taking place and who authorised them?" reported Dawn. Addressing the conference, Justice Isa raised concerns that constitutional guarantees of the right to life and compulsory education for everyone have come under attack in Pakistan. He also shared data from the Global Terrorism Database from 1970 to 2019 in front of the conference to put out the grave picture of the current law and order situation in the country. Turning attention toward attacks on educational institutions, he apprised the gathering that there were about 1,000 attacks on these institutions in the country. Speaking further on issues like honour killings and climate change, he called the law against honour killings 'dead letter' regretting that the law is merely on paper and has never been put into practice. "This is one of a few laws which has been derived directly from the Holy Quran and deals with the offence of Qazf," he added. He exhorted the conference to take concrete steps to bring about holistic reforms to address the issue of climate change. This comes in the backdrop of flash floods in Pakistan which have claimed thousands of lives in the country and destroyed livestock and damaged crops. (ANI) If the convict, identified as Fan Rongui, 32, fails to give a fine of Bangladeshi taka 50,000 he will have to suffer three more months of imprisonment, reported Dhaka Tribune. Chittagong Metropolitan Sessions Judge Dr Jebunnesa gave the order, said state counsel Md Fakhruddin Chowdhury. The court made the decision after hearing the evidence of nine witnesses. The convict has been sent to jail. The prosecution said that flight BG-148 arrived from Dubai and landed around 7:30am on May 8, 2019. The Custom Officials detained Rongui along with 24 gold bars weighing 2.8kg. The estimated market value of the gold bars is 1.20 crore, reported Dhaka Tribune. Sharhriar Hossain, the assistant revenue officer of Airport Custom House lodged a complaint against the Chinese national at Patenga police station. Patenga police filed a chargesheet in the court in September 2019. On February 8, 2021, charges were lodged against him. (ANI) The Apex Court of Nepal on Sunday issued a show cause notice to the office of the President Bidhya Devi Bhandari for not authenticating the citizenship bill passed by both the lower and upper houses of the country's Parliament. A single bench of Justice Hari Prasad Phuyal ordered the President's Office to submit the reason for not authenticating the bill to the Supreme Court, within 15 days. Five separate writ petitions were filed on Thursday against the Office of the President. The writ petition was filed by an advocate Sagar Baral, a student from Tribhuwan University, Raj Baral and Kathmandu School of Law, Abinesh Adhikari and a resident of Morang's Rangeli Municipality, Dev Sharma. In the writ petition, the Office of the President has been made an opponent in the case as President directly can't be indicted in any of the cases. The petitioners have claimed President Bhandari did not fulfil the constitutional obligation as per Act 113 (4) of the Constitution of Nepal seeking a mandamus from the apex court. The petitioners also have claimed that the President doesn't have the right of discretion as per the constitution and also have asked the verdict from the court over the case to be set as precedent. It is also claimed that the latest decision of the President has jolted the fundamental human rights ensured by the constitution in Articles 10 to 15. Nepal President Bidhya Devi Bhandari on Tuesday midnight let the deadline for authenticating Citizenship Bill sent by the Federal Parliament pass. President's political advisor Lalbabu Yadav confirmed that Bhandari has refused to authenticate the bill "in order to safeguard the constitution." As per the provision, the president is constitutionally bounded to authenticate any bill that is resubmitted by the House after sending it back to the House for reconsideration once. Tuesday past midnight was the deadline for the president to authenticate the bill, which has been missed, leading the nation into a situation of a constitutional crisis. The Constitution of Nepal -2072 only gives the timeframe of 15 days to the President to authenticate the bill. The controversial citizenship bill was sent to the president by the then Speaker of the house Agni Prasad Sapkota for the second time on September 5. Therefore, as mentioned in Article 113, Sub-section 4 of the Constitution, the President had to certify it if the same Bill was submitted for authentication for the second time. "If the President returns a bill with a message, both Houses will reconsider such a bill and if such a bill is passed as presented or resubmitted with amendments, the President will certify it within fifteen days of its submission," according to the Constitution. Earlier on August 14, President Bhandari returned the Citizenship Bill passed by the House of Representatives and the National Assembly and sent for authentication. She had sent a seven-point message to inform the federal parliament and for deliberation, and another eight-point message to draw attention. Even though the President returned the Bill to the House for reconsideration, the House of Representatives and the National Assembly made no changes to the Bill. (ANI) China's campaign against Uyghurs has spilled across its borders, entangling hundreds of Pakistanis who have suffered from China's suppression of Muslims in the Xinjiang territory which is home to about 10 million ethnic Uyghurs. Alice Su, Shashank Bengali, Shah Meer Baloch, writing in Los Angeles Times, shared a Pakistani father's ordeal - Sakandar Hayat, a garment trader, who, with his wife, raised three children while trapped between the politics and ambitions of two countries. He and his son Arafat left north-western China and crossed the border into Hayat's native Pakistan. It was a journey to bring father and son closer together. But it would end up tearing their family apart. The two had been in Pakistan for three weeks when they received a phone call from back home in the Chinese region of Xinjiang. Hayat's wife, an ethnic Uyghur, had been detained. He and Arafat raced to the border, where Chinese police were waiting. They arrested Arafat, a Uyghur like his mother, saying he would be questioned on what he had done in Pakistan. "Don't separate us," Hayat begged the police. "Question him in front of me. I'll be silent and he will speak the truth." "You'll have your son back in a week," the police told him that day in 2017. Arafat would be lost to him for two years, reported Alice, Bengali, and Baloch. Hayat's saga reflects how Chinese Leader Xi Jinping's hard-line vision of crushing dissent extends beyond consolidation of power at home to blocking criticism from foreign governments, even when their own citizens are mistreated. The silence of Pakistan, which has been outspoken on the oppression of Muslims worldwide but has refrained from criticizing China -- a significant economic benefactor and potential provider of COVID-19 vaccines -- reflects how many nations are wary of jeopardizing their ties with Beijing, reported Los Angeles Times. The Los Angeles Times interviewed four Pakistanis married to Uyghurs who have been separated from their families, two Pakistani Uyghurs who have been threatened by Pakistani security forces, and one Chinese Uyghur who fled abroad via Pakistan after being detained in a camp. Fearing retaliation from authorities in both countries, several of them asked not to be named, reported Los Angeles Times. "It is very hard to leave your heart, your children, to live in a place worse than a prison," Hayat said. After his wife and Arafat, then 19, were detained, Hayat was denied a visa to China for two years. The couple's two daughters, who were 7 and 12 at the time, were sent to an orphanage in Kashgar without his consent. He pleaded with Chinese and Pakistani officials for information on his family with no response until 2019, when Chinese officials said his son was receiving "education," a euphemism for the camps where Beijing says minorities are receiving "vocational training" to combat "extremism, separatism and terrorism," reported Alice, Bengali, and Baloch. Those who have been inside the camps tell a different story. Mohammed, an Uyghur from southern Xinjiang who had been doing business between China and Pakistan since the early 2000s, told Los Angeles Times that he had been detained for seven months. He was arrested when he crossed the border in June 2018, he said, then held in a camp with his hands chained together in a room of 35 people. Every morning, they woke up at 4 for lectures about the Chinese Communist Party's care for Uyghurs, he said. "The party is feeding you," he remembered being told. "Uyghurs are nothing without this party. If there was no Communist Party, Uyghurs would have died of hunger." Pakistan is one of many Muslim nations that has refused to criticize China's oppression of Uyghurs. China provides Pakistan with tens of billions of dollars in loans and expands military cooperation, reported Times. It is also the flagship site for Xi's Belt and Road global infrastructure initiative, which includes a 2,000-mile "China-Pakistan Economic Corridor" of roads and railways from Kashgar to the Arabian Sea. Given this relationship, Pakistan has always felt "obliged to be accommodating" with Chinese requests, "even when it wasn't entirely comfortable," reported Alice, Bengali, and Baloch. Rich in minerals, gas and oil, the vast region is dotted with concentration camps where Chinese authorities have locked up more than a million Uyghurs and other Muslim minorities, according to human rights groups, survivors, victims' families and United Nations experts. (ANI) As more purported audio clips featuring leaders of the Pakistan ruling coalition surfaced on Sunday, opposition PTI questioned the security of the Prime Minister's Office but the government said there was "nothing illegal" in the audio leaks, local media reported. The opposition leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) questioned the security of the Prime Minister's Office saying that the audio leaks show the state of the country's cybersecurity and prove that the ruling coalition came into power to make money, reported Dawn. "This is a failure of our intelligence agencies, especially the Intelligence Bureau (IB). Obviously, apart from political issues, important discussions on security and foreign issues are now in everyone's hands," said PTI's Fawad Chaudhry. In the clips which were shared by several PTI leaders today, conversations between PML-N Vice President Maryam, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Tarar, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and former NA speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were heard. The first clip purportedly features a conversation between PML-N Vice President Maryam and PM Shehbaz about the country's finance minister Miftah Ismail, who has reportedly faced criticism from within the party for taking tough economic measures, reported Dawn. The PML-N vice president has publicly stated that she does not agree with the decision to hike petrol and electricity prices, saying she did not own such decisions, whether her party was in government or not. "He doesn't take responsibility...says strange things on TV which people make fun of him for... he doesn't know what he is doing," the voice said to be Maryam's says in the alleged clip. In response, the voice said to be of PM says, "He clearly cut corners." "Uncle, he doesn't know what he is doing," Maryam purportedly says, as she wishes for the return of PML-N stalwart Ishaq Dar, who is set to return to the country next week to facilitate PM Shehbaz on the economic front, reported Dawn. The second clip allegedly features a conversation between the premier, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Tarar, Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah and former NA speaker Ayaz Sadiq about the resignations of PTI lawmakers from the lower house of parliament. And the third clip was purportedly of a conversation between Maryam and PM Shehbaz regarding the return of Pakistan's former military leader Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf's family in June publicly confirmed that he was "going through a difficult stage" where recovery was not possible while Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Major General Babar Iftikhar said Musharraf's family was in contact with the military regarding his planned return. He also said that the military leadership believes that the former army chief should return to Pakistan. Discussing the same in the alleged clip, the voice alleged to be Maryam's was heard saying that she "sees this coming", adding that she said the same to Nawaz in a phone call. "I told him to tweet this. He listened to me immediately," Maryam allegedly said, adding that the move was "opposed" by several people. She allegedly reasons that showing "magnanimity" in this situation would help the government save face. PML-N supremo Nawaz Sharif in June had asked the coalition government to facilitate Musharraf if he wishes to return to Pakistan, adding that he does not have any "personal enmity or tussle" with the ex-dictator. His tweet came hours after Gen Iftikhar's comments were aired in June. "I have no personal enmity or tussle with Pervez Musharraf. I do not want anyone else to suffer the traumas that I have to endure for my loved ones," Nawaz tweeted. A day earlier, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry shared a two-minute-long clip on his Twitter handle, claiming that it shows the PM is putting his family's business interests before the state's. In an over a two-minute audio recording, a voice -- said to be that of Shehbaz Sharif -- can be heard saying that Maryam Nawaz Sharif had asked him to facilitate her son-in-law Raheel for the import of machinery for a power plant from India, reported Dawn. "If we do so, we will get a lot of flak when this matter goes to the ECC and cabinet," the official can be heard saying in the audio clip, as per Dawn. At this, Prime Minister's alleged voice can be heard saying: "The son-in-law is very dear to Maryam Nawaz. Tell her very logically about this and then I will talk to her." The same voice also agrees with the perception that this would be bad for optics and may cause political trouble, according to the Dawn. Notably, Maryam Nawaz's daughter Mehrunnisa married industrialist Chaudhry Munir's son Raheel in December 2015, reported Dawn. According to the publication, at the end of the audio clip, there is a mention of former Justice Maqbool Baqir, whose name was being considered as the next head of the National Accountability Bureau. The official is heard conveying to the premier the 'suggestion' of two media persons, asking him not to consider the former judge for the slot of NAB chairman, in view of their experience with former NAB chief Javed Iqbal, who was also a retired judge appointed by the PML-N government. Raising concerns over the leaked audio, the opposition leaders said that the matter was very concerning and required strict action. PTI Chairman Imran Khan, at a rally in Karak, chastised Maryam, alleging that "she is involved in corruption and illegal acts since coming into power." Imran said that the leaks had also made it clear that the "PML-N came into power only to make money" and claimed that its whole political dynasty was involved in corruption. (ANI) Authorities in the Philippines were on high alert as Noru began to blast through the country's eastern islands on a path toward its main Luzon island, reported CNN. Authorities previously issued an extreme emergency alert as the storm reached super typhoon status early on Sunday morning local time, after suddenly intensifying. "The highest emergency preparedness and response protocol have been activated in Metro Manila, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, and the Bicol region," said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council. It urged the public to take care, adding strong winds were expected to hit within the next 18 hours, reported CNN. Schools in multiple cities including Muntinlupa City and Aurora suspended classes for Monday, September 26, due to the approaching storm. The eyewall of the storm, known locally as Super Typhoon Karding, made landfall in the Polillo Islands at 5 p.m. local (5 a.m. ET) and shortly afterwards it hit the municipality of Burdeos, in Quezon Province, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). The storm has sustained winds of 240 kph (149 mph), with gusts up to 295 kph (183 mph), according to the Joint Typhoon Warning Center. PAGASA reports that the Super Typhoon is forecast to track westward in the next 6 to 12 hours, then west-north-westward for the rest of the day. There is a high to very high risk of storm surge more than 3 meters in height in the low-lying and exposed coastal areas of northern Quezon Province. According to CNN Weather, Noru now has winds equal to a category 5 US hurricane. It is expected to bring large waves and storm surge, torrential rains, and winds in excess of 200 kph (124 mph) to Luzon over the next 24 hours. PAGASA issued a signal warning level four for the Polillo Islands in anticipation of extensive damage that could be caused by the storm. The warning came after the storm rapidly intensified in the early hours of Sunday. The Joint Typhoon Warning Center said it had strengthened from a 140 kph (85 mph) typhoon to a 250 kph (155 mph) super typhoon in just six hours, reported CNN. PAGASA also issued level two and three warnings for much of Luzon, including metro Manila. (ANI) Pakistan Finance Minister Miftah Ismail has stepped down as the finance minister of the country and a senior PML-N leader Ishaq Dar is all set to become Pakistan's new financial czar, media reports said. The decision to appoint Dar as finance minister appears to be a desperate move by PML-N heavyweights not only to tackle the country's debilitating economy but also to regain its lost political clout right ahead of the next general elections, reported The Express Tribune. Dar, the senator-elect, is likely to take oath as the finance minister as early as the coming Tuesday. The decision on the change of guards in the finance department came following an important party meeting which was held in London under the chairmanship of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif in London on Sunday, reported The Express Tribune. Among the leaders who attended the meeting were Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, Information Minister Marriyum Aurangzeb, outgoing finance minister Miftah Ismail and other party leaders including Ishaq Dar and Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan. Even at this huddle, the government leaders did not fall short of blaming former PM Imran Khan-led PTI for bringing the economy of the country to ruins. The participants said that the incumbent government had to "put out the fire of economic disaster" caused by the previous PTI-led regime. For weeks, there has been speculation that incumbent Finance Minister Miftah Ismail would be replaced by Dar, with certain top members of the PML-N -- like Maryam Nawaz and Javed Latif -- on several occasions publicly attacking and disowning his policies, in particular, the inevitable reversal of the costly fuel subsidy introduced by the previous PTI government, the Dawn reported. It is pertinent to mention here that the former finance minister left Pakistan four years back and is wanted in Pakistan in multiple cases. A day ago, an accountability court had suspended an outstanding arrest warrant against Dar, paving the way for the former finance minister's return from London, where he has been living in 'self-exile' for the past five years or so. Accountability Court Judge Mohammad Bashir issued a suspension order for a perpetual warrant of arrest against Dar, which was issued on December 11, 2017, after he absconded from an assets-beyond-means case. The warrants were suspended until October 7, giving the senator-elect a fortnight to surrender to the law. The court suspended his arrest warrants on his lawyer Qazi Misbah's guarantee that Dar would come straight to the court after landing at the airport. Earlier, in May, the Pakistan court issued a perpetual arrest warrant against former Finance Minister Ishaq Dar in "corruption reference". The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) had filed the reference against Dar, who has been declared an absconder in the case since he has missed hearings owing to his prolonged stay in London, that the former Minister had acquired assets beyond his known sources of income, Dawn newspaper reported. (ANI) US intelligence agency, in its museum, has displayed the replica of Ayman al-Zawahiri's hideout which was used to plan the US drone operation that killed the Al-Qaeda chief last month, media reports said. US Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) Virginia headquarters is the organization's museum, which has a scale replica of the five-story house with white walls and three partially covered balconies where the al-Qaeda chief was killed, reported Khaama Press. The museum is only open to guests and staff of the agency; it is not open to the public. However, to highlight the agency's history and accomplishments, the CIA has reportedly allowed the journalists to tour the museum. The museum had recently been renovated on the occasion of the CIA's 75th anniversary, reported Khaama Press. On July 31, the United States conducted a precision counterterrorism strike in Afghanistan that killed Ayman al-Zawahiri, Osama bin Laden's deputy and successor as leader of Al-Qaeda. Al- Zawahiri was one of the masterminds of the attacks against the United States on September 11, 2001, and had continued to urge his followers to attack the United States. President Joe Biden in a televised address announced that Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri was killed in an air strike by the United States stating that "Justice has been delivered." "He will never again, never again, allow Afghanistan to become a terrorist safe haven because he is gone and we're going to make sure that nothing else happens," he had said. The strike was conducted by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and was carried out by an Air Force drone. The official claimed that al-Zawahiri was the only person killed in the strike and that none of his family members was injured. A senior US official noted that Zawahiri's presence in the Afghan capital Kabul was a "clear violation" of a deal the Taliban had signed with the US in Doha in 2020 that paved the way for the US withdrawal from Afghanistan. (ANI) Photo: Eric Brunt Eric Brunt with the late veteran Frank Krepps at Bernieres-sur-Mer, France in June 2019, during the 75th anniversary of D-Day. Victoria-raised filmmaker Eric Brunt wants to preserve the legacy of as many Second World War veterans as he can, a task that he considers a huge honour. I sometimes have to pinch myself, said the Oak Bay Secondary graduate, who now lives in Montreal. You talk to someone on the phone whos 98 and has this incredible story. They say come on over and all of a sudden before you know it youre being welcomed into their home and you get to spend a morning or an afternoon with them. Brunt, 29, was majoring in film at the University of British Columbia when his grandfather, Clifford Brunt a Second World War veteran died at the age of 95. With no record of his grandfathers war experience, Eric Brunt began thinking about other veterans stories that hadnt been told. Thats kind of what set the whole ball in motion. He set out from Victoria in a van in 2018 to start talking to veterans, and has since ended up compiling interviews with more than 475 of them. Brunt said of the 1.1 million Canadians who served in the Second World War, fewer than 20,000 are still alive. Their average age is 97. In fact, of the hundreds of interviews Ive filmed, well over half of these veterans have since passed away. He said the remaining veterans can often be found tucked away on the periphery of society they helped save, living quietly away from the limelight and largely forgotten. Brunts work has been getting noticed. Montreal-based Melki Films Inc. has announced it is producing Brunts film project for the Canadian War Museum, so the Eric Brunt Collection will become part of a new digital project at the museum to be launched in late 2024. Before it was sort of an independent project that I was motivated to get done myself and thankfully now have found a home for it, which is pretty exciting, said Brunt, who now has funding from the museum and Melki Films. Brunt said edited versions of the interviews will go on the museums webpage, and it will store the interviews in its archive so people can access the unedited versions for future research. The museums acting vice-president, Dean F. Oliver, said Brunts work will be used in conjunction with other online tools, future exhibitions and educational products, as well. Brunt has been been back in B.C. lately interviewing more veterans on Vancouver Island and the Lower Mainland. He plans to keep that up until the end of the month. The main thing right now is trying to find any veterans Ive missed. He expects to drive back east in October. Im anticipating being done this last round of interviews by the end of January, and Ill finish in Halifax. He will then set to work on the final product, while at the same time working on a feature-length film looking at the projects highlights. Brunts work has found the perfect home at the museum, said Viveka Melki, owner and president of Melki Films. So many of these first-person stories are being lost as the generation of the Second World War dies off, but Erics record of their experiences told to him in their intimate filmed conversations will serve as an invaluable historical record and a tribute to our veterans service and sacrifice. If you know of a veteran Brunt could interview, call 778-714-0071 or email [email protected] Afghan Hindu and Sikh Association in Dubai United Arab Emirates has written to the government seeking e-visas for India, and thanked India's efforts in helping the distressed Afghan minorities in the Taliban-led nation. In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Kartar Singh and Goshi Chand of the Afghan Hindu and Sikh Association UAE, said, "At the outset, we thank the Government of India for undertaking proactive steps for the welfare of Afghanistan and in particular for the minorities living there." The letter further mentioned that the Afghan national Hindus and Sikhs living in the United Arab Emirates have wide International travel history including long-term visas for India too. But after the Taliban took over Afghanistan last year, all the valid visas issued by the consulate in Dubai were invalidated overnight. "After that, we applied for an emergency e-visa with the Ministry of Home Affairs but till date, none of these applications has been granted. There have been emotional circumstances where our close family members such as our father or mother passed away in India and the family couldn't attend or perform the last right due to non-issuance of e-visas. We do have businesses and investments Including estate in India and maintaining the same has been affected due to this," the letter mentioned. Kartar Singh and Goshi Chand requested the government to consider and grant the e-visa and ease and grant Overseas Citizenship of India (OCI) and Indian Citizenship to the Afghan Hindu and Sikh in Dubai through a single window facility. They said that the Afghan Hindu and Sikh Community is living in the United Arab Emirates since 1980, has actively contributed to the local economy and also has investments and families living in India. "Many members of our community have been recognized by the local authorities here and granted prestigious golden visas too." "India is our backbone and our primary home as no other country has ever facilitated distressed Afghan minorities at the highest level like your leadership," they said hailing India's efforts to evacuate and rehabilitate the Afghan minorities refugees. In line, around 55 Afghan Sikh refugees including 38 adults, 14 children and 3 infants fled from Afghanistan today in a special flight number 315 operated by Ariana Afghan and organised by the Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee, Amritsar. Shiromani Gurudwara Prabandak Committee in coordination with the Indian World Forum and the Government of India is facilitating the evacuation of distressed minorities from the Islamic nation. 68 Afghan Hindus and Sikhs have arrived till date after the attack at Gurudwara Karte Parwan in Kabul. SGPC is bearing the airfare for the same. Indian World Forum has coordinated and facilitated humanitarian evacuation for more than 300 Afghan Hindus and Sikhs post the regime change in Kabul. There were about 700 Hindus and Sikhs in Afghanistan in 2020, but a large number of them left the country following the Taliban's takeover on August 15, 2021. On June 18 this year, Islamic State Khorasan Province (ISKP) attacked Karte Parwan Gurdwara in Kabul which claimed the lives of about 50 people. In October, last year 15 to 20 terrorists entered a Gurdwara in the Kart-e-Parwan District of Kabul and tied up the guards. In March 2020, a deadly attack took place at Sri Guru Har Rai Sahib Gurudwara in Kabul's Short Bazaar area in which 27 Sikhs were killed and several were injured. Islamic State terrorists claimed responsibility for the attack. (ANI) Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah on Sunday said that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has taken notice of audio leaks involving the prime minister and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) leader and an inquiry has been initiated. Sanaullah said that the inquiry of leaked audio would involve high-level officials from all agencies. He further said that the inquiry will determine whether the PM's House's security was breached or not, reported ARY News. This statement came after the opposition leaders of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) questioned the security of the Prime Minister's Office saying that the audio leaks show the state of the country's cybersecurity and prove that the ruling coalition came into power to make money, reported Dawn. In the clips which were shared by several PTI leaders, the conversations between Pakistan Muslim League-N Vice President Maryam, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif, Law Minister Azam Tarar, Sanaullah and former NA speaker Ayaz Sadiq and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif were heard. The first clip purportedly features a conversation between PML-N Vice President Maryam and PM Shehbaz about the country's finance minister Miftah Ismail, who has reportedly faced criticism from within the party for taking tough economic measures, reported Dawn. The PML-N vice president has publicly stated that she does not agree with the decision to hike petrol and electricity prices, saying she did not own such decisions, whether her party was in government or not. However, the minister said that there is nothing to be embarrassed about after the audio leaks, reported ARY News. In the clip, one can be heard advising Sharif to not import a plant from India as the step will harm the reputation of the government. "The problem is that that matter will first go to AC and then to the cabinet and importing machinery from India on the instructions of the Prime Minister won't be easy as it can become an issue," the official could be heard replying to a PM. A day earlier, PTI leader Fawad Chaudhry shared a two-minute-long clip on his Twitter handle, claiming that it shows the PM is putting his family's business interests before the state's. In an over a two-minute audio recording, a voice -- said to be that of Shehbaz Sharif -- can be heard saying that Maryam Nawaz Sharif had asked him to facilitate her son-in-law Raheel for the import of machinery for a power plant from India, reported Dawn. "If we do so, we will get a lot of flak when this matter goes to the ECC and cabinet," the official can be heard saying in the audio clip, as per Dawn. At this, Prime Minister's alleged voice can be heard saying: "The son-in-law is very dear to Maryam Nawaz. Tell her very logically about this and then I will talk to her." The same voice also agrees with the perception that this would be bad for optics and may cause political trouble, according to the Dawn. Notably, Maryam Nawaz's daughter Mehrunnisa married industrialist Chaudhry Munir's son Raheel in December 2015. (ANI) Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) vice president Maryam Nawaz's another alleged audio conversation has leaked in which she can be heard advising Pakistan PM Shehbaz Sharif to jack up fuel prices, the media reported. Maryam Nawaz who had been opposing increase in fuel prices in the media in an alleged audio leak can be heard suggesting PM Shehbaz Sharif to raise fuel prices, ARY News reported. Jacking up fuel prices is inevitable, the PML-N leader can be heard in the alleged audio leak. The PML-N stalwart also complained about Pakistan Finance Minister Miftah Ismail in an alleged leaked audio conversation with PM Shehbaz Sharif, ARY News reported. "Uncle! The US dollar is increasing and Miftah Ismail is not even taking responsibility for the hike," she said. Praising Ishaq Dar, Maryam can be heard in the audio leak, saying "Dar sahab has control on things, he knows what to do, but Miftah does not." She said Miftah Ismail even does not know what he is doing and what results his actions will bring in the future. He has disappointed, his complaints are coming from everywhere, said the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz vice president in the alleged audio leak, ARY News reported. "He doesn't take responsibility... says strange things on TV which people make fun of him for... he doesn't know what he is doing," the voice said to be Maryam's says in the alleged clip, Dawn reported. "He clearly cut corners," the voice said to be PM Shehbaz's is heard as saying. "Uncle, he doesn't know what he is doing," Maryam purportedly says, as she wishes for the return of PML-N stalwart Ishaq Dar. Former finance minister Dar is set to to return next week to facilitate PM Shehbaz on the economic front, Dawn reported. --IANS san/pgh ( 306 Words) 2022-09-25-21:10:03 (IANS) Inside a dorm room at Bryn Mawr College. Bryn Mawr College The Princeton Review recently revealed its list of the best college dorms for 2023. Some of the included schools are Bryn Mawr College, High Point University, and Emory University. Their residence halls have been recognized for their spacious rooms, luxurious amenities, and more. 10. Marist College A view of the Marist College campus in Poughkeepsie, New York. Getty Marist College is a liberal-arts school in Poughkeepsie, New York, that houses more than 3,000 students each year. Its dorms are designed with "state-of-the-art" standards in mind, the school's website says, including co-ed spaces, laundry rooms, and study lounges that feature TVs for freshman students. Upperclassmen, on the other hand, can live in a variety of dorms, including townhouses that allow mini-fridges and have balconies that overlook the Hudson River. 9. Scripps College A dorm room inside Scripps College. Scripps College At Scripps College in Claremont, California, students can live in one of the school's 11 residence halls. Each is designed to create a "sense of home and belonging," according to the school's website, with shared courtyards and in-house mentors. The dorms also aren't divided by different groups of students, like freshmen in one building and seniors in another. Instead, students all live together in an equal setting. 8. Bowdoin College Inside a dorm room at Bowdoin College. Bowdoin College At Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine, you'll find both residential halls for freshmen and apartments for older students. All students are required to live on campus, according to the school. All buildings have on-site laundry machines, and some feature bicycle storage, elevators to reach upper levels, and housekeepers who maintain shared living spaces. The school also notes online that some dorms are designated as substance-free buildings. 7. Christopher Newport University Inside a dorm room at Christopher Newport University. Christopher Newport University Located in Newport News, Virginia, Christopher Newport University has 11 different residence halls. The school's website describes them as modern with air conditioning, internet access, and either a kitchen or mini-fridge and microwave. Many of the dormitories for upperclassmen are designed like apartments, with two, three, or four bedrooms inside each, while rooms for freshmen have suite setups with shared living rooms and bathrooms. There are also residence halls designated for students involved in Greek life. Story continues 6. Bryn Mawr College Inside a dorm room at Bryn Mawr College. Bryn Mawr College Bryn Mawr College located across three townships in Pennsylvania is the place to go if you're looking for a cozy residence. Dorms are located in both modern and historic houses constructed between 1879 and 2015. Though they're not air-conditioned, according to the school, each room is said to have a unique design and is located near a common living area and vending machines. Because Bryn Mawr College is a residential school, as it says on its website, "students are expected to live in campus housing and participate fully in the college meal plan for all four years." 5. Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Inside a dorm room at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. Bryan Cantwell/Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology is located in Terre Haute, Indiana. Freshmen are required to live on campus, according to the school's website, but upperclassmen can choose to commute. There are 10 residence halls on campus, which include apartments, standard dorms, some energy-efficient rooms, and more. Additionally, there are lounges, laundry rooms, and vending machines included. 4. High Point University Inside a dorm room at High Point University. High Point University High Point University in North Carolina has some of the chicest housing options for students. There are 10 residence options for freshmen, each of which has a different focus. One offers full-time academic assistance, while another is more focused on after-school activities and features a cinema and "upscale restaurant" inside, according to the school. Upperclassmen have 15 residence-hall options, such as the Greek Village for sororities and fraternities and multiple buildings with outdoor pools. And if you want to try something different, you could also try living in the school's community of tiny homes. 3. Emory University Inside the Raoul Hall residence at Emory University. Emory University Photo Video Emory University, located in Atlanta, Georgia, is home to a variety of co-ed residence halls. Some floors are divided by gender while others are shared, but each building features similar modern kitchens, free laundry machines, communal lounging spaces, and internet access, according to the school's website. 2. Texas Christian University Inside a dorm room at Texas Christian University. Texas Christian University Texas Christian University has sat in Fort Worth, Texas, since 1873. Its residence halls, however, are modern. There are 16 buildings on campus, according to the school, with specific areas dedicated to first-year, sophomore, junior, and senior students. The university also says there are multiple amenities on-site in each building. Some standouts include free laundry rooms, study lounges, pool tables, arcades, and movie theaters. 1. Washington University in St. Louis Inside a dorm room at Washington University in St. Louis. Washington University in Saint Louis Located in east Missouri, Washington University in St. Louis tops the Princeton Review's 2022 list of best college dorms. There are numerous housing areas on campus, according to the school's website, including a space dedicated to freshmen and sophomores called the South 40. The latter has both modern and traditional buildings with rooms that fit between two and six students each. According to the school, the South 40 also stands out because it features a "fitness center, dining facilities, technology center, meeting rooms, intramural fields, basketball and sand volleyball courts," and more. Read the original article on Insider UPDATE: 9/26/22 11 A.M. Memphis Police have canceled a City Watch for Mikayla Rhodes, 14. MPD said Rhodes has been found. ORIGINAL STORY: A 14-year-old girl is missing after she never returned home from school, according to Memphis Police. Police asked for help finding 14-year-old Mikayla Rhodes who was last seen in the 6600 block of May Springs Road on Thursday, September 22. Rhodes was dropped off at school that day and never returned home, according to police. The 14-year-old has medical conditions which require medication but she has not taken that medication, police said. Rhodes is about 5-foot-6 and 110 pounds with black hair and brown eyes. Her hair may still be in two twists, according to police. If youve seen her or have any idea where she may be, Memphis Police want you to call the Missing Persons Bureau at 901-636-4479. Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Trending stories: These East Coast beaches have blue waters, soft sand, and fun activities for everyone. DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images The East Coast of the U.S. is home to some seriously stunning landscapes, from rugged mountains to pastoral valleys. But no area showcases that natural artistry more than its gorgeous coastline. The states bordering the eastern shore encompass nearly 30,000 miles of coastline, according to the NOAA Office for Coastal Management, stretching from Maine to Florida. But with all that coastline, it may be hard to whittle down which beach to visit. Before we dig into our picks, though, let us start by saying there are plenty more beaches worthy of their day in the sun and your vacation time. So, by no means is this list ranked, exhaustive, or a slight to other local favorites. However, to keep things simple, we've compiled a list of two beaches per state along the coast. Here are 28 of the best beaches on the East Coast. Maine KenCanning/Getty Images Sand Beach Acadia National Park is one of the most stunning places to explore in the spring, summer, and fall. After hiking through its endless trails, make your way to Sand Beach, a small, 290-yard stretch of shoreline accessible via Park Loop Road. The water will be cold, but the refreshing feeling is worth it, thanks to the solitude and stellar views. Gooch's Beach Those looking for more action can head to Gooch's Beach in Kennebunk. The soft-sand stretch is popular with surfers, thanks to a clean break typically best experienced in the fall, though the waves have been known to pick up in the summer if a good storm is on the way. While there's no snack bar here, there are lifeguards, making it an excellent place for families. New Hampshire Walter Bibikow/Getty Images Hampton Beach For miles of sandy shore, head to Hampton Beach State Park. Visitors here can camp, fish, picnic, and, of course, swim in the Atlantic waters. And because it's a state park, it comes with all the necessary facilities, including bathrooms, to make it a comfortable experience. Pets are not permitted in summer, though they can visit between Oct. 1 to April 30. Story continues Weirs Beach Technically, this beach is at a lake Lake Winnipesaukee, to be precise but it's just as glorious as a seaside escape along the Atlantic. Come for plenty of sand and calm waters that are perfect for small children. The beach also has a lively boardwalk and other happenings, including lake cruises, tons of dining options, and live music every once in a while. Check the community calendar before your visit. Massachusetts Ronald Wilson Photography/Getty Images Race Point Beach Race Point Beach, located in Provincetown, comes with miles of silky sand. It's a prime place to get a summertime glow or sit with a cozy sweater to watch a fall sunrise or sunset. It even has its own lighthouse up on the dunes (though you will have to hike about two miles to get there, according to the local Chamber of Commerce). Coast Guard Beach For a gentler shoreline, head to Coast Guard Beach, a popular spot for families, locals, and travelers alike. Though it's just 25 miles from Race Point Beach, the waters here tend to be much calmer, plus it features facilities, including a bathroom and rinse-off showers, along with lifeguards all summer long. Rhode Island Faina Gurevich/Getty Images Easton's Beach Easton's Beach in Newport is as idyllic as they come. The charming beach is also Newport's largest, making it easy to find a spot to lay down your blanket. In addition to amenities like a snack bar and bathrooms, it also has the bonus of a carousel and the on-site Save the Bay Aquarium. East Matunuck State Beach As the Ocean State, Rhode Island has its fair share of spectacular beaches, but none come with as much charm as East Matunuck. Nestled at the far end of the state, East Matunuck State Beach is equipped with typical perks such as a snack bar, bathrooms, and summertime lifeguards keeping a watchful eye, as well as gorgeous dunes and a view of Block Island. Plus, it's down the street from the famed Matunuck Oyster Bar, which is deserving of the short walk for a dozen oysters and a cocktail for lunch. Connecticut KyleDunne/Getty Images Compo Beach Westport has several beaches ideal for exploration, but one that stands out is Compo. The 29-acre park includes a large sandy beach that looks out onto the Long Island Sound, as well as a wheelchair-friendly boardwalk and pavilion areas, where visitors will also find the concession stand. For those looking to break a sweat and have a little fun, the beach also has two sand volleyball courts. Harvey's Beach Harvey's Beach in Old Saybrook is the stuff of small-town dreams. The sandy beach, lined with gorgeous dunes, is a place where visitors can swim, fish, boat, and hunt for shells. There's a concession stand, changing rooms, and a small playground for kids too. New York Kirkikis/Getty Images Rockaway Beach For New Yorkers, Rockaway Beach is as convenient as it gets. It's accessible via public transit and is a stellar spot to escape the hustle and bustle for a quick swim or a paddle out to surf. (It's technically the only beach in New York City where it's legal to surf.) Cooper's Beach There's no bad beach in the Hamptons, but for a more local vibe, make your way to Cooper's Beach. It's a gorgeous little pocket of sand along the Atlantic that's near restaurants. Even better, it's known for being just a little quieter in the summer than more popular nearby locales. New Jersey Richard T. Nowitz/Getty Images The Cove The beaches along Cape May go on for some 2.5 miles, and the best part about them is that they're within walking distance of many local accommodations and all the top attractions (a.k.a. those famous Victorian homes). But Cape May isn't just one beach; it's made up of many. One of the best is The Cove, ideal for everyone from families to solo surfers, kayakers, and those seeking a break from the more active beach scene down the sand. Sandy Hook Further north, beachgoers should make their way to Sandy Hook. The expansive stretch is, once again, perfect for a swim, fish, or paddle. The beach is also part of the larger Gateway National Recreation Area, which has miles of hiking and biking trails for when you've had enough of the sand. Delaware Tetra Images/Getty Images Bethany Beach Picturesque Bethany Beach is speckled with grassy dunes sprouting up around the wooden boardwalk that goes on for a half mile. Come here for a stroll or sit and savor the sun for as long as you can before checking out the nearby shops and food vendors. (Note: No dogs, roller skates, or skateboards on the boardwalk.) Cape Henlopen State Park Cape Henlopen State Park, which be found at the mouth of the Delaware Bay, features more than six miles of pristine coastline, including the Point, the exact spot where the bay meets the Atlantic Ocean. After spending some time at the beach, head to the Seaside Nature Center to learn more about the plants and animals that call the park home. Maryland abriggs21/Getty Images Ocean City Looking for a really, really big beach? Then, it's time to plan a trip to Ocean City, home to 10 jaw-dropping miles of sand. The beach here is ideal for everything you'd ever want to do by the shore: surf, kayak, build sandcastles, play volleyball, and more. Ocean City also prides itself on its plentiful free activities in the summer, including free movie nights and concerts. Assateague Island Yes, there are two miles of beaches you can relax on at Assateague Island. But rather than park yourself in one spot for an entire day, stop in, get some sun, then go off and explore the rest of what this fantastic island has to offer. Hike, see the lighthouse, and, if you're lucky, spot one of their famed wild horses running down the shore. (Just don't try and touch or feed them for your own safety.) Virginia DenisTangneyJr/Getty Images Virginia Beach Virginia Beach is an energetic slice of land where the Chesapeake Bay and Atlantic Ocean meet. It's a destination known for its lively boardwalk, plentiful events, and spectacular dining scene, all just steps from the sand, making it easy to go back and forth between the water and a good snack all day long. Buckroe Beach Further north, beach lovers will find Buckroe Beach, a smaller stretch that feels scaled back compared to its more bustling counterpart. At Buckroe, visitors can head out for a swim, walk the pier, and take the kids to the nautical-themed playground for a laid-back yet equally pleasurable day at the beach. North Carolina catnap72/Getty Images Nags Head What would a list of great eastern seaboard beaches be without mention of the Outer Banks? For the ultimate in solitude on the Outer Banks, head to Nags Head and its 12 miles of sandy shoreline. There are plenty of public access points all you need to do is find a patch that's ideal for you and set up shop. Just make sure to pack enough water and snacks to last the day. Emerald Isle For another island beach experience, make your way to Emerald Isle, which has fewer than 4,000 permanent residents, but swells to a much larger size when the weather is nice, thanks to its striking beach. Those looking to get out on the water can book a fishing charter to see the beach from a whole new perspective (and perhaps catch dinner while they're at it). South Carolina John Coletti/Getty Images Burkes Beach North Carolina isn't the only state with island paradise beaches. Just look to Burkes Beach in the ever-popular Hilton Head Island for proof. Burkes Beach is often considered the more local of the island's beaches, meaning it's both a bit more relaxed and comes with fewer restaurants nearby. That said, the trade-off of peace and quiet just might be worth having to pack a sandwich. Myrtle Beach Located along South Carolina's Grand Strand coast sits Myrtle Beach, one of the most popular beach destinations in the state. Made up of several connected beaches, the sand here goes on for miles. It's ideal for families, friends, and all who want to soak in the rays together. Plus, its proximity to nearby restaurants, accommodations, and attractions makes it easy to either pop in or spend the day. Georgia sestevens/Getty Images Driftwood Beach Find a little peace and a whole lot of picture-perfect views at Driftwood Beach on Jekyll Island. With beautiful sand, sea, and massive driftwood washed ashore, the beach is a real photographer's dream. North Beach North Beach on Tybee Island is made for those who enjoy long walks on the sand and hunting down the perfect seashells. It's a beachcomber paradise, and one that's easy to hop on and off between town shopping and dining excursions. Book a bed-and-breakfast for a charming stay. Florida Jeff Greenberg/Getty Images South Beach The iconic South Beach has made its way into movies, music videos, and television series because it's that vibrant, eclectic, and downright stunning, thanks to its azure waters lapping the white sand. During your visit to one of the most happening beaches in America, you may want to splurge on a chaise lounger for the day. Vero Beach Seeking something a bit more low-key? Head to Vero Beach, a peaceful area that's actually home to several beaches worth exploring. Want to bring home a little souvenir? Try treasure hunting at Seagrape Trail Beach. Want photos of sand dunes? Go to Treasure Shores Park. Want to hang 10? Try Wabasso Beach. See all of Vero Beach's smaller shoreline stops here. Hundreds of thousands of Canadians were without power Saturday after former hurricane Fiona slammed into the countrys Atlantic provinces, causing what officials called a shocking and devastating amount of damage. Trees were downed and power poles were snapped in half, and roofs were ripped off buildings and homes washed away after Fiona made landfall in eastern Nova Scotia around 3 a.m., officials said. When Fiona made landfall near Whitehead it was a post-tropical cyclone with hurricane-force winds of 90 mph, officials said. Its shocking the damage that were seeing, Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston said Saturday. A storm surge of over 6 feet hit Prince Edward Island. The damage is likely the worst ever seen in the province, and the recovery will take weeks or longer, Premier Dennis King said. No deaths associated with the storm had been reported by Saturday afternoon. More than 471,000 customers across Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island New Brunswick and Newfoundland were without power Saturday, according to utilities. Nova Scotia Power CEO Peter Gregg said that some will be without power for multiple days. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau canceled plans to attend a state funeral in Japan for murdered former prime minister Shinzo Abe. He said the storm was having a terrible impact. Were seeing devastating images come out of Port aux Basques, Trudeau said. PEI (Prince Edward Island) has experienced storm damage like theyve never seen. Cape Breton is being hit hard, too, as is Quebec. He said the countrys armed forces would be deployed to assist in the aftermath, and the federal government would be ready to help. Defense Minister Anita Anand said on Saturday that troops would help remove fallen trees and other debris, restore transportation links and do whatever else is required for as long as it takes. She did not specify how many troops would be deployed. In Port aux Basques on the southwestern coast of Newfoundland, evacuations were ordered and Mayor Brian Button said total devastation was occurring, the CBC reported. Story continues Video from the news agency showed homes being washed away. Phil Boyles fled because of the storm surge. I took everything out that I could try to keep, and now it dont look like I can even get back, he said, according to the CBC. Fiona had been a Category 4 hurricane as it approached Bermuda. It caused major damage in Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic earlier this week when it was Category 1 storm. Fifteen deaths in Puerto Rico and two deaths in the Dominican Republic have been tied to the storm, officials there said. The hurricane had been forecast to be a historic weather event for eastern Canada. In Prince Edward Island, King, the premier, said Saturday that the damage is most likely the worst the province has ever seen. "It was billed as one of the most severe storms to ever hit our province, and by all accounts hurricane Fiona has lived up to that billing," he said. He was grateful that there had been no reports of serious injuries or worse, but said "our road to recovery will be weeks or longer." At 6 p.m. local time, Fiona was 80 miles northwest of Port aux Basques and was moving northeast at 8 mph, the National Hurricane Center in the U.S. said. The storm had maximum sustained winds of 70 mph and was forecast to move across Labrador and over the Labrador Sea late Saturday and into Sunday. It will produce large swells and life-threatening rip currents, the center said. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Getty Images A 74-year-old Colorado woman said she's been fired from her convenience store clerk job after explaining a robbery to her boss. Mary Moreno had attempted to fend off a robber in October 2020 who had come into the store during her night shift. But her boss, she said, did not believe that the robbery occurred as Moreno described. A 74-year-old woman says she was fired after she told her boss at a convenience store that a robber who had come in during one of her shifts had a knife on him, CBS Colorado reported. The woman, Mary Moreno, said a robber came in to Circle-K in Westminster, Colorado, where she worked during one of her night shifts when she had been scheduled to work alone, CBS Colorado reported. Moreno said a man came in holding "two hunting knives," according to CBS Colorado, and asked her for cigarettes. "He kept insisting 'you have to give them to me.' He said 'you have to give them to me,'" Moreno said. She refused to hand over the cigarettes and then the man walked around the counter toward her. So Moreno, in an effort to fend him off, said she "pushed his arm" and he "took off," CBS Colorado reported. "I was shaking so bad that I couldn't hold myself still," she said. "I was just wanting to get him out of there." After the incident, she told her boss what happened and said he didn't believe it, she said, despite video footage of the night. "He took me in the office, and he said, well, I don't see a knife, because he watched the video, I guess. And I said, 'Well there was a knife,'" Moreno said. The boss, she said, insisted that Moreno apologize. When Moreno refused, she was fired. Now she's taking legal action against the store. "I'm not doing it for money. I'm doing it because of the way they treat their employees," she said, per CBS Colorado. Prior to the robbery, Moreno said she's been a good employee at Circle-K for 16 years. "I went on and beyond what they expected of me," she said, per CBS Colorado. But then new management took over, and her boss suddenly started to schedule her shifts so that she'd work alone in the store and during night hours without breaks. Couche-Tard, which acquired Circle-K in 2003, did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Insider ABILENE, Texas (AP) Ethan Long threw two touchdowns passes, Rovaughn Banks Jr. and Jermiah Dobbins each had more than 100 yards rushing and Abilene Christian cruised to a 34-7 victory over Division II-member Western New Mexico on Saturday night. Long was 22-of-34 passing for 251 yards. Banks had a pair of touchdown runs and finished with 143 yards rushing on 21 carries. Dobbins had 18 carries for 105 yards. Each of Banks' scoring runs came in the second quarter and from inside the 5 as Abilene Christian (3-1) built a 17-7 halftime lead. Long threw a 20-yard touchdown pass to Kobe Clark and a 3-yarder to Rece Stafford in the fourth quarter. Devin Larsen completed 21 of 44 passes for 165 yards with a touchdown and interception for Western New Mexico. ___ More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the APs college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Demani Richardson got the ball just like he wanted, and the defensive back sprinted the final 82 yards down the sideline on a wild fumble return touchdown for No. 23 Texas A&M. Big momentum play. That helped us a lot, Aggies running back Devon Acane said. Richardson had the big return while Acane ran for 159 yards and a touchdown as Texas A&M scored 23 consecutive points after falling behind early, eventually beating the 10th-ranked Razorbacks 23-21 on Saturday night. KJ Jefferson lost the ball when inexplicably trying to leap over the blocking linemen on a first-down play from 3 when Arkansas had a chance for a 21-7 lead late in the first half. The Arkansas quarterback instead ended up going straight up and the ball was knocked out of his hands by linebacker Chris Russell. We cant do that on first down. If it was fourth down, thats a different story. Unfortunately, it just got popped out," Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman said. "He wanted to score, and that happened. Tyreek Chappell picked the ball out of the air, but he found himself in the standing grasp of running back Raheim Sanders near the 20, he handed the ball to Richardson who was calling for the ball, and later said he would have taken it had it not been handed to him. "I don't know if it saved us, but it made it a lot easier to win, Texas A&M coach Jimbo Fisher said. The Razorbacks (3-1, 1-1 SEC) still had a chance to take the lead with 1:30 left in the game, but Cam Little's 42-yard field goal attempt from the left hashmark hit near the top of the right upright and fluttered to the ground in the end zone no good. That drive came right after the Aggies had missed a longer field goal attempt. Texas A&M (3-1, 1-0) has back-to-back wins over ranked teams since that embarrassing 17-14 home loss to Appalachian State two weeks ago. The conference opener for the Aggies came a week after a 17-9 win over then-No. 13 Miami, which then dropped 12 spots and now will be unranked after a 45-31 loss at home against Middle Tennessee State earlier Saturday. Story continues Were by far not close to where we need. We have to fix some self-inflicted wounds, got to clean things up, Fisher said. But we beat two good football teams not playing very well, not at the top of our game, but playing well at times and still competing and making plays when we had to, and it's very encouraging. Arkansas led 14-0 after TD passes by Jefferson on consecutive drives in the first quarter. He first threw a screen that Ketron Jackson turned into a 32-yard score before finding Warren Thompson wide open behind the secondary for a 56-yarder. But after the Razorbacks responded to Max Johnson's 10-yard TD pass to Evan Stewart by driving 72 yards in 11 plays to the 3, Jefferson had the big turnover. Thats a tough one. Give A&M all the credit in the world, they fought back from 14 down, Razorbacks coach Sam Pittman said. They had a couple of big plays ... and certainly a big fumble recovery. Even though the Aggies failed to convert the tying extra point after the return, they did go ahead to stay on Achane's 9-yard TD that capped the opening drive of the second half for a 20-14 lead. THE QBs Johnson, the LSU transfer, was 11-of-21 passing for 151 yards in his second A&M start. Jefferson completed 12 of 19 passes for 171 yards and ran 18 times for 105 yards. Jefferson had a 6-yard scoring run with 10 minutes left in the game. THE TAKEAWAY Texas A&M: The Aggies recovered from their slow start offensively, when they went 3-and-out on their first four drives. They trailed 14-0 before getting their initial first down on a 63-yard run by Achane midway through the second quarter. Arkansas: The Razorbacks missed a chance to have consecutive 4-0 starts for the first time since 1988-89, which was still a couple of seasons before joining the SEC. The Hogs haven't won their first two SEC games since 2006. They got to 4-0 overall last year with a win over the Aggies, who had won nine in a row in the series before that. POLL IMPLICATIONS The Aggies will regain a few of the spots they've lost since being sixth in the preseason and through the first week, but they will still be quite a way from being back in the top 10. Arkansas will certainly slip. IN THE HOUSE The 12th series meeting at the home stadium of the NFLs Dallas Cowboys was Texas A&Ms home game. The announced attendance was 63,580 or almost 40,000 less than capacity at Kyle Field in College Station. That was higher than the crowd of 57,992 for last years Southwest Classic. UP NEXT Arkansas is at home to play No. 2 Alabama next Saturday. Texas A&M travels to Mississippi State next Saturday for the second of four consecutive games away from Kyle Field. ___ More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the APs college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2 Photo: . Scott Graham, 67, was last seen in Madrid when he visited the Canadian Embassy in the Spanish capital on July 15. VIA VICTORIA POLICE Victoria MP Laurel Collins continued to press the federal government this week for answers about a Victoria mans disappearance in Europe. Scott Graham, 67, travelled to Amsterdam alone this summer, then headed to Portugal and Spain. Graham, who requires medication for a kidney transplant and may be experiencing some form of cognitive impairment, was left behind at a rest stop when the bus he was travelling on drove off, taking his medicine, phone and passport with it. Graham was last seen at the Canadian Embassy in Madrid on July 15. He had an appointment to return to the embassy on July 18 to pick up a new passport, but he did not show, nor was he at Amsterdam airport to catch his return flight home on July 29. In August, Grahams daughters Kaiza and Georgia and Georgias partner James travelled to Madrid to try to find him. They became concerned about how Graham was treated by embassy staff. On Sept. 9, Collins wrote to Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly outlining the familys concerns about how Graham was treated by embassy staff. At the embassy, Graham could not remember his email passwords or contact information for his family, but did want to speak to his three children and his brother. He told staff he had tried to replace his missing medication at a local hospital but failed because he did not speak Spanish, wrote Collins. He also had a noticeable gash on his forehead. Embassy staff did not take Mr. Graham back to the hospital to help with translation, despite his visible injuries and his need for daily medication, wrote Collins. Before he left, Graham remembered the email address of one of his daughters and wrote it on the emergency contact line of his passport application, but embassy staff did not contact the family that day, or July 18 when Graham missed his appointment to pick up his passport, wrote Collins. Embassy staff told the family they did not consider his case urgent. In her letter, Collins said she is gravely concerned by the lack of support the Graham family has received and hopes the embassy would offer more support for the family. She asked Foreign Affairs to look into his disappearance to determine what went wrong. Scott reached out for help, but Canadas system to support people in an emergency failed, Collins said Tuesday in the House of Commons. When Canadians go to their embassy, they expect to get help. When loved ones go missing abroad, they expect real action for families. What is the minister doing to support the family while making sure this never happens again? The government is very concerned for Grahams well-being, Robert Oliphant, parliamentary secretary for Foreign Affairs, replied. Consular officials in Ottawa and Spain have taken this very seriously and will continue to advise us as we continue to search for information about his well-being and will be in contact with friends and families as well, said Oliphant. The minister has asked for a complete understanding of how the department and the embassy have dealt with the situation and will report back to the House at a later date, he said. A Facebook page called Help Find Scott Graham at facebook.com/FindCanadianScottGraham features posters with information translated into six languages for sharing. Anyone with information can email [email protected] PureWow Kelly Ripa's new memoir, Live Wire: Long-Winded Short Stories, is officially out in stores, and besides her U.S. tour, the Live with Kelly and Ryan co-host is finding other creative ways to promote her new book. In a recent post on Instagram, the 51-year-old talk show host shared an alternate cover, which featured none other than her husband, Mark Consuelos, 51. And as to be expected, it was quite a cheeky pic. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Kelly Ripa (@kellyripa) Ripa shared th January 6th Committee Holds Surprise Hearing During Congressional Break Brandon Bell / Getty Images Rep. Adam Schiff criticized the slow pace of the Department of Justice's investigation on January 6. Schiff called the initial communication of information between the committee and the DOJ "breathtaking." Schiff questioned why the DOJ left Fulton County, Georgia, to conduct its own investigation, according to CNN. Rep. Adam Schiff, who is currently serving on the January 6 House committee, criticized the slow pace of the Department of Justice's investigation of the January 6 attack on the US Capitol on Saturday at the Texas Tribune Festival. "They have been very slow, though, on the much more comprehensive, and I believe, even more, significant investigation of January 6," Schiff said, according to CNN. Schiff said he believed that it was a mistake for the DOJ to start the investigation with those who broke into the Capitol, adding that there are multiple efforts to overturn the 2020 election, according to CNN. "That works when you have one plot, one conspiracy. It doesn't work when there are multiple lines of effort to overturn an election, multiple plots that may be all part of the same whole, but nonetheless, each operating independently," Schiff said, criticizing the DOJ strategy, according to CNN. Schiff also criticized the DOJ for allowing Fulton County, Georgia, to conduct its own investigation, where former Trump lawyer John Eastman will appear before a grand jury after he authored a memo that illustrates a six-step plan for former Vice President Mike Pence to overturn the election. Schiff called the initial process of communicating between the committee and the DOJ "breathtaking," according to CNN. "It would be equally breathtaking if we were to say to the Justice Department, 'Turn over all of your files,'" Schiff said, according to CNN. "My first reaction when we got the request -- 'Turn over all your files to us' -- was: 'Why don't you have your own damn files? Why haven't you been conducting your own investigation? Why do you need us to do it?'" Story continues According to CNN, Schiff did, however, say that the DOJ's investigation was increasing. "It does appear now that they have interviewed many of the same significant witnesses that we have," Schiff said according to CNN. Read the original article on Insider An arial view of the Salem airport during a flight on the Farmers Airship Tuesday, Aug. 17, 2010. The Salem City Council on Monday is set to consider accepting an $850,000 grant to bring air service to the Salem Airport. The city was awarded the U.S. Department of Transportation's Small Community Air Service Grant to recruit, initiate and support new air service to California, Nevada and Arizona. More:Salem gets $850K federal grant to attract airlines According to city staff, the $850,000 grant will provide at least 70.83% of the funds and the $350,000 in local matching funds raised by the community will provide the remaining 29.17%. Travel Salem will be the fiduciary agent for the reimbursement of local matching funds. According to a city report, should the communitys local matching funds fall short of the $350,000 pledged, the grant will cease and be returned to the Department of Transportation. No city funds will be used to backfill any shortfall of local matching funds. Other agenda items include: Authorizing the city manager to execute an agreement with the Department of Land Conservation and Development to evaluate walkable, mixed-use areas and develop a community engagement plan. Naming an unnamed connection between streets in West Salem near Capital Manor. Staff are hoping that naming the street Westside Circle NW will help first responders reach the multifamily complex known as Westside Villas in the retirement community. Reversing the City Councils denial of a driveway approach permit for a 26-building apartment complex that was appealed to the Land Use Board of Appeals. Public hearing for Community Development Block Grant and HOME investment partnership program's Consolidated Annual Performance and Evaluation Report. Explainer: What are the rules around public meetings and public comment in Oregon? The meeting is at 6 p.m. It is virtual and can be watched on Comcast Cable CCTV Channel 21 or on the Salem YouTube channel in English/American Sign Language and Spanish. Written public comments on agenda items can be emailed by 5 p.m. Monday to cityrecorder@cityofsalem.net. Or pre-register between 8 a.m. and 2 p.m. Monday at cityofsalem.net/Pages/Public-Comment-at-Salem-City-Council-Meeting.aspx to speak during the meeting via Zoom. For questions, comments and news tips, email reporter Whitney Woodworth at wmwoodworth@statesmanjournal.com, call 503-910-6616 or follow on Twitter @wmwoodworth This article originally appeared on Salem Statesman Journal: On the agenda: Salem City Council considers air service grant VALENTYNA ROMANENKO SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022, 19:09 Anti-aircraft gunners of the Ukrainian Air Force have shot down a Russian attack jet which was attacking Ukrainian positions and a helicopter over Kherson Oblast. Source: press service of the Ukrainian Air Force Quote: "On 25 September at approximately 17:00, the Odesa anti-aircraft missile brigade of Air Command Pivden (South) shot down an enemy Su-25 attack jet which was attacking our troops. The occupiers sent a Mi-8 helicopter with a crew on board to rescue the Russian pilot, and this was also successfully destroyed by the anti-aircraft gunners of the Odesa brigade." Details: In the last 24 hours, air defence units have also shot down two Shahed-136 kamikaze drones in Mykolaiv and Odesa oblasts. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! A worker at Boston Logan International Airport. David L. Ryan/Getty Images Some airport workers told Insider they felt the pressure this summer amid the travel chaos. One trash-truck driver said she had to fill in as a cabin cleaner because of the staff shortage. A cleaner at Logan airport said airlines sometimes ask his team to clean a plane in 10 minutes. Airport staff working behind the scenes say the travel chaos this summer has put them under pressure to work harder and fill in for other jobs. After letting workers go during the COVID-19 pandemic, the airline industry has struggled to handle the strong travel demand with a depleted workforce. The situation has left passengers stranded, forced crews to time out, and led to many flight delays and cancellations. It's also taken a toll on airport workers across the US. Truck drivers, wheelchair helpers, and cleaners in airports have all said the disruption this summer has been the worst it's ever been. Lashonda Barber, a trash-trucker driver who works for ground services company Jetstream at Charlotte Douglas International Airport in North Carolina, told Insider that she takes heavy garbage bags off at least 30 aircraft sometimes more every day. Flight delays mean planes arrive at similar times, forcing employees like Barber to work back-to-back. Barber said she has to remove around nine trash bags from planes with the help of another employee in 10 to 15 minutes. Her team has halved in size this summer to three workers after two quit and one was promoted, she said. Due to staffing issues, Barber is occasionally asked to step in as a cabin cleaner after she's removed trash from the plane. She said the airline gives her on average just seven minutes to clean the seats and toilets, check compartments, and dispose of garbage. "That's not enough time to actually clean what they want you to clean," she said, referring to the airlines. This summer has been the worst because there aren't enough staff to do the job, Barber said. On top of this, she believes being paid $18.50 an hour isn't sufficient. She joined the Airport Workers United union, which represents 35,000 airport workers at 22 US airports, to demand pay raises. Story continues A representative from the union confirmed to Insider the wages of the workers who were interviewed and said it was about what someone in that role would be paid. Frantz Genisca is a cabin cleaner at Boston Logan International Airport in Massachusetts who works for aviation services company Swissport and is paid $18 an hour around $4 above the state's minimum wage of $14.25 an hour. He told Insider it can take at least 30 minutes to clean a plane, but airlines have asked his team to finish the job in 10 minutes, which wasn't enough time to clean the whole aircraft properly. "The airplanes have been arriving with a lot of trash and are often very, very dirty," Genisca said. He added that he once left some trash on the plane because he didn't have enough time, but got into trouble for it. The labor shortage this summer has posed issues for his team. When the planes arrive at the same time, there's a lot more work to do and one person ends up doing a job that four people should be doing, he said. Staffing issues have also been evident at Dallas Fort-Worth Airport in Texas, according to Larry Allen, a wheelchair agent for a Delta Air Lines contractor. He told Insider many older airport workers retired during the pandemic. At 69 years old, he earns $10 an hour with tips by pushing people in wheelchairs around the airport from the gate all the way to the plane. The minimum wage in Texas is $7.25 an hour. Allen said he makes around 10 trips in a working day. Allen said the hardest thing about the job is pushing 250- to 300-pound people up a steep hill. He hustles for the tips by putting on a smile and being nice, he said. "Minimum that they give you is $5, and if you do a really excellent job, you might make more, you might get $20," Allen said. "It's still not enough." A Delta spokesperson told Insider the airline has a "strong track record" of offering compensation and benefits to staff. Delta requires its vendors to also provide "fair and competitive compensation and maintain a proper working environment". Jetstream and Swissport didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Read the original article on Business Insider Everton midfielder Allan has joined Abu Dhabi side Al Wahda on a two-year deal (Nick Potts/PA) (PA Wire) Everton midfielder Allan has joined Abu Dhabi side Al Wahda on a two-year deal after falling out of favour at Goodison Park. The 31-year-old, who arrived from Napoli in the summer of 2020 as one of Carlo Ancelottis signings, has not played a single minute of football for Frank Lampards team this season. He was deemed surplus to requirements after the arrivals of Idrissa Gana Gueye and Amadou Onana and as a result a deal was struck to allow him to join the UAE Pro League club. Al Wahda Football Club has contracted the Brazilian player Allan Marcos in a permanent transfer deal from the English club Everton with a two-season contract as part of the clubs efforts to strengthen the ranks of the first team and meet the requirements of success, said the club in a statement on Twitter. Pauletti Lasley was just 38 years old in 1992 when she suffered a major stroke, cutting her nursing career short. She turned her focus to being a full-time mom and a "professional community volunteer," at Israel Hospice House, Mary Greeley Medical Center and Ames United Church of Christ, according to her husband, Paul Lasley. "She opened her home as a safe haven for troubled girls and young women who would seek her out for moral support as they worked through personal challenges," Paul wrote in a short biography about her. Pauletti Lasley is one of the women being honored in the Ames History Museum's Luminary Women Initiative. The initiative is a way to shine light on the contributions of local women while simultaneously helping raise funds for a major renovation and expansion of the museum. Her biography will be displayed as part of the Ames History Museum's Luminary Women Initiative, a new exhibit that will shine light on the often underrepresented contributions of local women. It will be displayed around the base of the skylight in the Thelma and Marvin Miller Reading and Research Room at the museum, 416 Douglas Ave. The exhibit also will help raise funds for a major renovation and expansion of the museum into the Pantorium building, which will add nearly five times the exhibit space, as well as a conference space available for rent and rooms for exhibit design and storage. More: Interactive Dinkey, restored Pantorium sign lights planned for Ames History Museum expansion Paul Lasley is one of two inaugural contributors to the Luminary Women Initiative. Phil Baumel also contributed to the initiative in honor of his late wife, Rita Baumel. Pauletti Lasley grew up on her familys farm near Coatsville, Missouri. In 1976, she graduated with a nursing degree from Iowa Methodist School of Nursing in Des Moines. For five years, she was a pediatric nurse at the University of Missouri Medical Center. The couple moved to Ames in 1981, where she earned a bachelors in family studies from Iowa State. The planned permanent exhibit at the Ames History Museum will include an interactive model of "The Dinkey," the steam engine that connected Ames' Main Street to Iowa State's campus. As a nurse at ISUs Student Health Center from 1982 to 1992, she was the centers first certified HIV counselor. Pauletti "spent many hours being a patient advocate for those who felt abandoned or marginalized," Paul wrote. Story continues Pauletti died July 12, 2019. "In spite of difficult medical issues, Pauletti demonstrated throughout her life the importance of giving to others. Many Ames residents and ISU students were touched by her generosity and her gifts of stitchery, recipes, a warm smile and the twinkle of her eyes," the biography says. Biographies and photos of Pauletti and other Luminary Women will be accessible to the public. "Three generations down the road, if someone wants to come in and look up their great-grandmother, they will be able to find their biographies in our system," said Sharon Wirth, Ames History Museum board member and chair of the Making History Capital Campaign, which is raising funds for the museum's $4.2 million expansion and renovation. It costs $5,000 to submit a woman to the Luminary Women Initiative. Funds will go toward the expansion into the neighboring Pantorium building to the south. But its not just about money. Its also about shining a light on an underrepresented demographic of community members, Wirth said. The Ames History Museum plans to expand into the Pantorium building, which will add nearly five times the exhibit space, as well as a conference space available for rent and rooms for exhibit design and storage. "Many of these women worked behind the scenes volunteering, working at their church, doing funeral dinners, coaching, mentoring, just all so many things that women do. Historically, that kind of history is not recorded. But it's so important in terms of being the glue that really holds our community together," Wirth said. "If you tried to find information on many of those women, youd be very hard pressed to find it. So we're out to change that," she said. The reading and research room is part of the historic Pantorium building. The ground-level room in the back of the building was originally the dry cleaners cleaning room. The original skylight was likely used for both light and to allow fumes to escape as clothes were being cleaned, Wirth said. The room will be renovated, but several of the original architectural features will remain, including the tin ceiling and a big heavy fire door that moves on a rail system. Expansion into the Pantorium building will give the museum five times its current exhibit gallery space. It also will provide room to house and care for artifacts in a controlled environment many are stored off-site in less controlled conditions and create gathering spaces for community use. The museum plans to bid the project in November, start construction in 2023 and open in 2024. Donations are welcome and can be made through the Ames History Museums website, ameshistory.org. Ronna Faaborg covers business and the arts for the Ames Tribune. Reach her at rlawless@gannett.com. This article originally appeared on Ames Tribune: Luminary Women Initiative to honor area women at Ames History Museum UKRAINSKA PRAVDA SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022, 17:27 Residents of the village of Endirey in the Republic of Dagestan blocked the Khasavyurt-Makhachkala highway with an anti-mobilisation protest on the afternoon of Sunday, 25 September. The police opened fire into the air. Source: Meduzas Telegram channel Details: 110 people have been called up from the village as part of the mobilisation, and people came to the demonstration to protect their sons, brothers and husbands. Footage filmed by eyewitnesses shows the police attempting to disperse the protesters by firing into the air. It is not known whether there are any casualties or detainees. According to Meduza, anti-mobilisation demonstrations began in various regions of Russia on 21 September, the first day of the draft. Since then, more than two thousand people have been detained in various cities in Russia, the largest number on 21 September, when over 1,300 people were detained. Ukrainska Pravda reported that a protest has been held in Ordzhonikidze Square in Yakutsk, Russia, where women came out to demand an "end to the genocide" and the return home of their men from the war against Ukraine. Background: On the morning of 21 September, Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilisation. Later it turned out that there was a hidden seventh paragraph in the Russian Presidents decree on partial mobilisation that allows the Ministry of Defence of Russia to call up 1 million people, mostly from rural areas. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Original leather address books with embossed USAAF logos ($39) are nice additions to any collection. The United States is the country that it is today thanks to a lot of things, not least of which is its armed forces. Beginning with the creation of the Continental Army in June of 1775, America's military has been there for us for nearly 250 years. Today, there are six branches of services: the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, Coast Guard, and the newly created Space Force. While most of the original services have stayed pretty much the same over the years in terms of names and ranks, there was a time when the Air Force was part of the Army and indeed known as the US Army Air Force. Many militaria collectors love USAAF artifacts, and for good reason. Let's do a fly-by. The USAAF didn't even begin with that name. Upon taking notice of the Wright Brothers' groundbreaking work in aviation, the US Army Signal Corps established a tiny Aeronautical Division in 1907 to stay on top of events. Early results with balloons and dirigibles had been mixed, but attention quickly turned to the Wright's newfangled aircraft. One year later, the Division had its first of many casualties when a lieutenant was killed in a crash landing but a year after that Airplane Number One was acquired and the era of military flight was underway. Sweetheart bracelets made from enamel and sterling silver ($79) were popular send-home gifts. A few years later, WWI in Europe began to loom and the Signal Corps stepped up its activities. The 1st Provisional Aero Squadron was formed in 1913, its first duty being to patrol the Mexican border. As things heated up overseas, the aviation section was reorganized into an Air Service that contributed significantly (if perhaps not critically) to the war's end in 1918. Further reorganizations took place following the armistice, and in 1926, the name US Army Air Corps came into being. By then, the Army's aviation efforts had grown to around 1,000 aircraft and some 10,000 men. Growth continued steadily during the 1930s, but the American military hierarchy was shocked when the German Luftwaffe suddenly emerged in 1938 as a massive and powerful fighting force. The time for complacency was over. Story continues As it turned out, the next seven years were transformative. By 1945, the USAAF had swelled to more than 2.2 million members and nearly 64,000 aircraft. New regional Air Districts were created, including in areas such as Alaska, Hawaii and Panama, and unit designations such as wings, groups and squadrons were introduced. If not pivotal to the outcome of the first world war, there is little doubt that the USAAF was an enormous contributor to the Allies' success in WWII. Once again, however, change was swift following war's end, and the National Security Act of 1947 established the United States Air Force as a separate branch of the military headed by its own chief of staff. The USAAF had become the USAF. WWII artifacts like this packet of assorted goggle lenses ($50) show just how far flight gear has come. While today's Air Force is one of drones and jets and stealth, there are those who pine for artifacts from the old days of propellers. Original USAAF-marked items are still out there, if increasingly hard to find. Vintage manuals and flight equipment bear evidence to earlier days of aviation, and sweetheart bracelets bought by airmen and sent home to their loved ones reflect a proud sentiment to service. You can see a range of such items at our own Palm Springs Air Museum, and antique galleries like ours often have a fascinating selection. It's the stuff to make aviation buffs dreamy-eyed. Mike Rivkin and his wife, Linda, are longtime residents of Rancho Mirage. For many years, he was an award-winning catalogue publisher and has authored seven books, along with countless articles. Now, he's the owner of Antique Galleries of Palm Springs. His antiques column appears Sundays in The Desert Sun. Want to send Mike a question about antiques? Drop him a line at info@silverfishpress.com. This article originally appeared on Palm Springs Desert Sun: Antiques: Artifacts from the Army's Air Force keep its history alive Mykhailo Dianov before and after being in Russian captivity Defense of Ukraine More than $130,000 has been raised for a Ukrainian man who was held as a POW by Russian captors. Photos of Dianov show him severely emaciated and scarred after his time in prison. He has a scar on his elbow caused by rusty pliers being used to pull a foreign object out of his arm. More than $130,000 has been raised for a Ukrainian soldier who was held as a prisoner of war by Russian captors. Mykhailo Dianov, a musician who served in the Azov regiment, was one of the 215 PoWs freed in a surprise prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia earlier this week. The swap was brokered by Saudi Arabia, according to reports. Photos of Dianov shared by the Ukrainian military show him emaciated, bruised, and scarred after his time in a Russian prison. In one photo, he shows his arm to the camera, which features a ragged scar over a deformed elbow. His sister, Alona Lavrushko, told Ukrainian news outlet Pravada that the scar was the result of rusty pliers being used to pull a foreign object out of his arm without an anesthetic. She added that, while Dianov may be struggling physically, "mentally, Mykhailo is very strong. He is extremely happy that he is back. He says, 'I am walking and breathing clean, free air.'" Lavrushko has been accepting PayPal donations for her brother, and Kyiv Independent journalist Illia Ponomarenko has said that over five million Ukrainian hryvnias ($134,543.85) have been raised to help with Dianov's medical expenses. Russian captors were brutal, say POWs Aiden Aslin, 28, (right) a British man released by Russia in POW swap on September 22, 2022 Reuters Some of the POWs freed earlier this week have given accounts of brutal treatment and torture by their Russian captors. Speaking to the Sun on Sunday, Aiden Aslin, 28, a British man released, said he was "treated worse than a dog" and kept in solitary confinement for five months. He was captured fighting as a volunteer alongside Ukrainians in the southern port city of Mariupol, which was under siege by Russian forces for more than two months. Story continues He said he was punched in the face, stabbed, and asked if he wanted a quick or "beautiful death." He said the prisoners were kept in overcrowded cells and forced to sing the Russian national anthem. "If you didn't sing it, you would get punished for it. You would get beaten," he said. A prisoner who was freed in June told The Times that the Russians "torture, they thrash people so bad they break a limb or pierce a lung. "I witnessed one guy who had a heart attack and passed out while being beaten. They didn't help, they just pulled him to the side. I don't know what happened to him," they said. The UN has previously said that Russian trials of Ukrainian prisoners of war could be war crimes, and has also described the treatment of these prisoners as having "suffered torture and ill-treatment, and in some places of detention lack adequate food, water, healthcare, and sanitation." Read the original article on Business Insider Photo: BCFNJC. Doug White, Chair of the BCFNJC The B.C. First Nations Justice Council (BCFNJC) has received funding from the province to design a pilot program to address structural factors contributing to Indigenous overrepresentation in the criminal justice system. Recommendations from an independent investigation into repeat offenders were announced by the province on Sept. 23 and among these was a recommendation for the design of the pilot program. The pilot will be developed and, if fully funded, led by the BCFNJC Indigenous Justice Centre (IJC) in Prince George which houses a diverse team committed to providing wrap-around legal services to the city and surrounding communities. The BCFNJC said it remains concerned that the investigation into repeat offenders was conducted without disaggregated race-based data, it is pleased with the provinces swift actions in accepting the recommendation. The organization asserts that Indigenous-led initiatives, rooted in Indigenous culture and laws, are the only way to build strong solutions and the BC First Nations Justice Strategy and the IJCs have the potential to be that solution, promoting diversion and offering comprehensive services to the most vulnerable Indigenous people in BC. We welcome the Provinces announcement as a step in the right direction said BCFNJC Chair, Doug White. Too often the underlying factors driving contact with the criminal justice system go ignored. Funding dedicated to better understanding these factors is limited, and the existing culturally appropriate supports and programs are insufficient. With this pilot, the BCFNJC intends to focus on harm reduction, education, and providing the necessary supports that promote diversion and healing for our people and communities. The BCFNJC said that ensuring that individuals can develop and maintain a personal connection at IJCs across British Columbia, but especially in Prince George, is important for ensuring that the cycle of harm is no longer repeated and that individuals can grow and heal to find safety and security in a good way. The BC First Nations Justice Council has been entrusted with the mandate to transform the justice system and create better outcomes for Indigenous people through implementation of the BC First Nations Justice Strategy. The Strategy, signed on March 6, 2020, was jointly developed by the BC First Nations Justice Council, BC First Nations communities and the Province of British Columbia. It includes 43 actions along two paths which involve the reformation of the current system as well as the restoration of First Nations legal traditions and structures. An Arizona man wielding a samurai sword was shot and killed by police outside a police precinct earlier this month after he began to move toward officers with the sword raised, authorities said Friday. The incident happened on Sept. 10 n the area of 39th Avenue and Cactus Road near the employee parking lot entrance of the Phoenix Police Cactus Park Precinct, the Phoenix Police Department said. Witnesses called 911 and reported that a man pulled out a samurai sword from his waistband and began striking the police station fence near the employee gate for several minutes, police said. When two officers on patrol arrived on the scene, the man moved toward the officers with the sword raised and ignored multiple commands to drop the sword, according to authorities. CALIFORNIA DEPUTY HOSPITALIZED AFTER MAN ARMED WITH KNIFE HITS HIM WITH VEHICLE Officers then fired shots at the man, striking him. The man was later identified as 40-year-old Aaron Baughman. Baughman was rushed to a hospital where he died from his injuries. Another man arrived at the scene and approached Baughman. Officers ordered the man to stop and detained him. It was later determined that he was Baughmans father. Police recovered the samurai sword from the scene. The investigation remains ongoing. An internal investigation is also underway to determine whether the actions of the officers involved were consistent with department policy and the law. Usually, when one insider buys stock, it might not be a monumental event. But when multiple insiders are buying like they did in the case of Artrya Limited (ASX:AYA), that sends out a positive message to the company's shareholders. Although we don't think shareholders should simply follow insider transactions, we do think it is perfectly logical to keep tabs on what insiders are doing. Check out our latest analysis for Artrya Artrya Insider Transactions Over The Last Year Over the last year, we can see that the biggest insider purchase was by Independent Non-Executive Chair Bernard Ridgeway for AU$318k worth of shares, at about AU$1.06 per share. So it's clear an insider wanted to buy, even at a higher price than the current share price (being AU$0.65). Their view may have changed since then, but at least it shows they felt optimistic at the time. In our view, the price an insider pays for shares is very important. Generally speaking, it catches our eye when insiders have purchased shares at above current prices, as it suggests they believed the shares were worth buying, even at a higher price. Artrya insiders may have bought shares in the last year, but they didn't sell any. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. By clicking on the graph below, you can see the precise details of each insider transaction! There are plenty of other companies that have insiders buying up shares. You probably do not want to miss this free list of growing companies that insiders are buying. Insiders At Artrya Have Bought Stock Recently There was some insider buying at Artrya over the last quarter. Independent Non-Executive Chair Bernard Ridgeway purchased AU$56k worth of shares in that period. It's good to see the insider buying, as well as the lack of recent sellers. But in this case the amount purchased means the recent transaction may not be very meaningful on its own. Story continues Insider Ownership Of Artrya Many investors like to check how much of a company is owned by insiders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Artrya insiders own about AU$16m worth of shares. That equates to 32% of the company. While this is a strong but not outstanding level of insider ownership, it's enough to indicate some alignment between management and smaller shareholders. So What Does This Data Suggest About Artrya Insiders? It's certainly positive to see the recent insider purchase. And an analysis of the transactions over the last year also gives us confidence. But we don't feel the same about the fact the company is making losses. Insiders likely see value in Artrya shares, given these transactions (along with notable insider ownership of the company). So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. For instance, we've identified 3 warning signs for Artrya (1 makes us a bit uncomfortable) you should be aware of. But note: Artrya may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Reuters Russia's first mobilisation since World War Two, declared by President Vladimir Putin on Sept. 21, has led to widespread discontent among officials and citizens over the way the draft has been handled, including complaints about enlistment officers sending call-up papers to clearly ineligible men. "In 10 days, several thousand of our countrymen received summons and arrived at the military registration and enlistment offices," Mikhail Degtyarev, the governor of the Khabarovsk region in Russia's Far East, said in a video post on the Telegram messaging app. Degtyarev said the removal of the commissar, Yuri Laiko, would not affect the mobilisation plan set by Putin. Happy senior man When you reach retirement age, Medicare insurance offers basic medical insurance protection for your health needs. However, this coverage is basic and does not cover all of the costs for covered medical services and supplies. Medicare supplemental insurance policies are known as Medigap insurance and they fill in the gaps in Medicare coverage. A financial advisor could also help you create or adjust a financial plan for your medical care needs in retirement. Lets break down the average cost of Medicare supplemental insurance. What Is Medicare Supplemental Insurance? Medicare supplemental insurance plans cover the costs that youre responsible for with Original Medicare. These policies are offered by private insurance companies and are on top of your Part A and Part B benefits. Supplement insurance policies offer a predictable monthly expense versus the unknown cost of visiting a doctor or going into the hospital. Original Medicare insurance policies are offered by the government to provide medical insurance for senior citizens through Part A and Part B policies. Unfortunately, these policies do not pay for all of the costs of covered medical services and supplies. Medicare supplemental insurance (aka Medigap insurance) fills in these gaps to help pay for some of the remaining health care costs. Medigap insurance policies help pay for co-payments, co-insurance amounts and deductibles. Additionally, some Medigap policies cover medical care when you travel outside the U.S. Traditional Medicare policies (Part A and Part B) do not cover international medical care. Medicare Supplemental Insurance Exclusions Some Medigap policies include prescription drug benefits as part of their plan. When a plan does not include prescription drug coverage, then you can buy a standalone Medicare Part D insurance policy. Medicare supplemental insurance provides additional benefits and reduces your out-of-pocket expense for covered services. However, some services are excluded from these policies, including: Story continues Long-term care Vision care and eyeglasses Dental care Hearing aids Private-duty nursing Medigap vs. Medicare Advantage No, these are two different options that seniors have for their healthcare needs. Medigap policies take care of the unpaid costs of Original Medicare. By comparison, Medicare Advantage policies are an alternative to Original Medicare and offer different levels of benefits that Medigap policies do not. Advantage Plans also help pay uncovered medical expenses that Original Medicare doesnt. With a Medigap policy, youll have multiple insurance policies and insurance cards for your care, but you can see any doctor that accepts Medicare. Medicare Advantage is more like insurance that you had during your working years. You pay one company for your insurance and many Advantage Plans include extra benefits like dental, vision and prescription drug coverage. However, many Advantage plans require you to see in-network doctors and may not cover out-of-network care. Costs of Medicare Supplemental Insurance Medicare Supplemental Insurance application Insurance companies often charge different premiums for the same Medicare Supplemental insurance policy. It pays to shop around to find the best price. Medigap policies are standardized and must follow federal and state laws to offer the same basic benefits. Price strategies vary by state and are determined in one of three ways: Community-rated: The same price for everyone that has the same policy, no matter what your age is. Everyone in the state is treated the same. Issue-age-rated: Price is based on the age when you first buy the policy and will not increase as you get older. Youre rewarded for buying your policy at a young age and not changing your coverage. Attained-age-rated: Premiums are based on your age for the current year of coverage. Premiums start out lower for younger buyers, then increase as you get older. The average cost of Medigap supplemental insurance depends on your age, where you live, if you use tobacco and which Medigap Plan you are purchasing. The chart below shows 12 different Medigap policy options for a 70-year-old woman. It includes the range of premiums for someone living in Tennessee who does not use tobacco. Medigap Policy Options for a 70-Year-Old Woman Medicare Plan Monthly Premium Co-Pay/Deductible Benefits Plan A $65 to $244 $0 copay, $1,484 hospital deduct., $203 medical deduct. None Plan B $109 to $306 $0 copay, $0 hospital deduct., $203 medical deduct. Part A deductible Plan C $125 to $369 $0 copay, $0 hospital deduct., $0 medical deduct. Skilled nursing, Part A&B deduct., Foreign travel emergency Plan D $118 to $265 $0 copay, $0 hospital deduct., $203 medical deduct. Skilled nursing, Part A deduct., Foreign travel emergency Plan F $116 to $371 $0 copay, $0 hospital deduct., $0 medical deduct. Skilled nursing, Part A & B deduct., Part B excess charges, Foreign travel emergency Plan F High deductible $28 to $83 $0 copay after $2,370 deductible Skilled nursing, Part A & B deduct., Part B excess charges, Foreign travel emergency Plan G $98 to $341 $0 copay, $0 hospital deduct., $203 medical deduct. Skilled nursing, Part A deduct., Part B excess charges, Foreign travel emergency Plan G High deductible $25 to $80 $0 copay after $2,370 deductible + $203 medical deduct. Skilled nursing, Part A deduct., Part B excess charges, Foreign travel emergency Plan K $48 to $131 10% coinsurance up to $6,220, then $0 the rest of the year, $742 hospital deduct., $203 medical deduct. Skilled nursing, Part A deduct. Part L $66 to $216 5% coinsurance up to $3,110, then $0 the rest of the year, $371 hospital deduct., $203 medical deduct. Skilled nursing, Part A deduct. Plan M $111 to $272 $0 copay, $742 hospital deduct., $203 medical deduct. Skilled nursing, Part A deduct., Foreign travel emergency Plan N $73 to $315 $0 copays, $0 hospital deduct., $203 medical deduct. Skilled nursing, Part A deduct., Foreign travel emergency *These policy options are available at Medicare.gov. Plans C and F are not available for people who turned 65 on or after Jan. 1, 2020. Bottom Line "MEDIGAP" written ona card with a stethoscope next to it Medicare supplement insurance is an important tool to control your healthcare costs in retirement. It turns the unknown into a fixed monthly expense, which makes it easier to budget for. There are numerous Medicare Plans to consider and premiums vary based on your age, gender, state and tobacco use. It helps to consult with a professional to determine which plan is right for you. Tips for Insurance in Retirement Picking the right Medicare supplement insurance policy can be a challenge. Working with a financial advisor can help you calculate those costs and plan accordingly with your retirement savings. Finding a qualified financial advisor doesnt have to be hard. SmartAssets free tool matches you with up to three financial advisors who serve your area, and you can interview your advisor matches at no cost to decide which one is right for you. If youre ready to find an advisor who can help you achieve your financial goals, get started now. Medical insurance can be a significant expense in retirement. Understanding what those costs are will help you plan for these costs in your budget. Our retirement calculator helps you figure out your projected income and expense in retirement. Photo credit: iStock.com/monkeybusinessimages, iStock.com/Johnrob, iStock.com/Mohamad Faizal Bin Ramli The post Average Cost of Medicare Supplemental Insurance appeared first on SmartAsset Blog. (Getty Images) Northern Ireland football manager Ian Baraclough has suggested goalkeeper Bailey Peacock-Farrell may need to leave Burnley in January to be sure of keeping his place in the national team. Although late goalscorers Josh Magennis and Gavin Whyte took the headlines, Peacock-Farrell was arguably Northern Irelands man of the match in Saturdays vital come-from-behind 2-1 win over Kosovo, making crucial saves to keep his side in the match. He got down smartly to deny Vedat Muriqi his second of the night with Northern Ireland trailing 1-0, and then stood up strong to prevent Zymer Bytyqi putting Kosovo back in front after Whytes equaliser. The 25-year-old has been Northern Irelands number one since Michael ONeill gave him his debut in 2018 and has not let them down in 34 appearances to date, but he came into this international window with his place in question as the only goalkeeper not getting regular playing time at club level. Conor Hazard has joined Finnish club HJK on loan from Celtic, while Luke Southwood is at Cheltenham on loan from Reading. Peacock-Farrell spent last season with Sheffield Wednesday but is now back at Burnley and playing back-up to Aro Muric the man who was in goal for Kosovo at Windsor Park. We have spoken about that, Baraclough said after praising Peacock-Farrells display. Ive spoken to Conor Hazard and to Luke Southwood. Bailey was the only one not playing. He knows hes got competition, so obviously hes keeping himself in shape. If the next (international) window is March, hes got six months to get in the team or in January move on. Peacock-Farrell said in the Northern Ireland matchday programme he had received offers in the summer but had been told by new Burnley manager Vincent Kompany he was wanted at Turf Moor. I havent played as many games as I would have liked so far, but I feel like I can build on the back of a really good season and Im in a positive place, he said. There were a few clubs here and there interested in taking me on loan, but after talks with Burnley it was clear I was going to be staying there this season. Story continues With the change of manager and that kind of thing, it was up in the air a little bit and with lots of players going in and out they wanted me to stay and if they want that, thats what happens and I am happy to do that and fight for my spot. Saturdays win finally put Northern Irelands long winless run in the Nations League to bed as they picked up three points for the first time in 15 attempts although Cypruss surprise win over group leaders Greece later in the day meant the battle to avoid relegation to League D continues. The victory eased the pressure that had been building on Baraclough, who hopes the result can be a turning point. Every win means something, but a Nations League win, the first one weve managed, Im really pleased with that, he said. It gives us a platform to build on. We know were not the finished article, but we are still building, trying to bring in young players Those players create a squad, a competitive squad and we need to keep building on that. SYDNEY (AP) Bec Allen was instrumental in Australia's 69-54 win over Serbia scoring 16 points on Sunday in the World Cup. But her status for the rest of the tournament is in question after getting hurt in the fourth quarter. Allen was diving for a loose ball in front of the Australia bench when she took a knee to her midsection. She was down on the court for a few minutes before she was helped off by team trainers. She was later taken in a wheelchair to the back with about 20 seconds left in the game. Well have to wait for the doctor and see, Australia coach Sandy Brondello said. It would be really unfortunate as shes played really well for us and shes a key member of our team. Australia (2-1) avenged a loss to Serbia earlier in the year in a World Cup qualifier. In other games on Sunday, France beat Mali 74-59 and Canada topped Japan 70-56. The Opals jumped out to a 18-10 lead after one quarter which delighted the pro-Australian crowd of 9,329 fans. Lauren Jackson scored five points in the period and the team played stellar defense, forcing Serbia into four shotclock violations. Australia still led by eight at the half and started to pull away in the third quarter. Sami Whitcomb, who added 10 points, had to briefly leave the game in the third quarter when she took a shot to the bridge of her nose, opening up a cut. She sat out for a few minutes while medics stopped the bleeding before returning. Serbia never really threatened the rest of the way. Yvonne Anderson scored 16 points to lead Serbia (1-2). CANADA 70, JAPAN 56 Bridget Carleton scored 19 points and Shay Colley added 13 to help Canada stay perfect in pool play and advance to the quarterfinals. Canada (3-0) led 28-25 in the second quarter before scoring the final 13 points of the half to blow the game open. Colley had five points during the game-changing run. Every time Japan (1-2) tried to make a run in the second half, Canada would have an answer. Japan, which won the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics last year, is in danger of missing the quarterfinals. Story continues Maki Takada scored 11 to lead Japan. FRANCE 74, MALI 59 Gabby Williams scored 14 points and Alexia Chartereau added 12 to help France beat Mali. France (2-1) got off to a slow start, trailing 21-17 after the first quarter. Mali led 29-26 midway through the second period before the French closed the half on a 16-3 run. Mali (0-3) was able to get within 65-57 midway through the fourth quarter before Williams found Sarah Michel for a 3-pointer and France led by double-digits the rest of the way. Williams also had seven rebounds and six assists. They played really tough tonight, Williams said. It wasn't as pretty a win as you wanted. They played really hard, but I'm proud of my team. Sika Kone led Mali (0-3) with 18 points and 18 rebounds, one short of the World Cup record held by three players, including U.S. great Katrina McClain. ___ More AP womens basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/womens-basketball and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Texas Democratic gubernatorial candidate Beto O'Rourke speaks during a campaign rally at Republic Square on December 04, 2021. Brandon Bell/Getty Images Beto O'Rourke doesn't regret confronting Gov. Greg Abbott at a Uvalde press conference in May. He accused Abbott of "doing nothing" a day after 21 people were killed at Robb Elementary. "I don't regret being there. I wanted to fight for those families in Uvalde, for our families across the state," O'Rourke said Saturday. Beto O'Rourke stands by his decision to publicly confront Texas Gov. Greg Abbott about gun control following the Uvalde school shooting. He made the comments at the Texas Tribune Festival in the city of Austin on Saturday, Fox News reported, and blasted Abbott for attending a political fundraiser hours after the mass shooting at Robb Elementary, which left 19 children and two teachers dead. "Not until the next day does he show up in Uvalde, and the first words out of his mouth He said, 'It could have been worse,' to those families of those children," O'Rouke said, per Fox News. Earlier this year, O' Rourke interrupted Abbott and other high-ranking Texas officials at a press conference a day after the May 24 tragedy, telling them, "you are doing nothing." "You are offering us nothing. You said this was not predictable," he added. "This is totally predictable when you choose not to do anything." Uvalde Mayor Don McLaughlin responded to O'Rourke, calling him a "sick son of a bitch," as Insider previously reported. O'Rourke was escorted out of the building and continued to reprimand Abbott's lack of support to ban AR-15s. The Democrat, who has been firm on his stance against AR-15s and AK-47s, doubled down on his actions, adding that he was standing up for the families who were impacted by the shooting. "So no, I don't regret being there. I wanted to fight for those families in Uvalde, for our families across the state. The best time to stop the next school shooting is right now, and that means at a minimum, raising the age of purchase for an AR-15 to 21 years," O'Rourke said Saturday, Fox News reported. Read the original article on Business Insider President Biden on Saturday issued an emergency declaration for the state of Florida as Tropical Storm Ian intensifies in the Caribbean. Bidens move directs federal assistance to supplement Floridas storm response, authorizing the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Department of Homeland Security to help coordinate emergency relief efforts, according to the White House. The presidents planned trip to Florida Tuesday was also canceled due to the storm. As Florida braces for the storms forecasted arrival, Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) on Saturday extended an emergency declaration initially set for a handful of Florida counties to apply statewide. DeSantis has urged Floridians to monitor the storm and take precautions as it approaches. Tropical Storm Ian comes just a week after Hurricane Fiona hit Puerto Rico, bringing dangerous wind and flash flooding conditions and at one point cutting power to the entire U.S. territory. After tearing past Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic in the Caribbean, Fiona made its way north to hit Nova Scotia and other parts of Canada as a post-tropical cyclone. Ian is expected to push past Jamaica and Cuba before approaching the Florida Keys and becoming a major hurricane by the time it nears Floridas west coast, according to the most recent forecasts from the National Hurricane Center. Regardless of Ians exact track and intensity, there is a risk of dangerous storm surge, hurricane-force winds, and heavy rainfall along the west coast of Florida and the Florida Panhandle by the middle of the week, the forecast reads. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- Brazils Jair Bolsonaro was the main target of attacks during a debate marked by the absence of his leftist challenger just eight days before presidential elections. Most Read from Bloomberg The right-wing president faced questions about alleged corruption cases in his government and the use of the federal budget to buy congressional support in a debate organized by a pool of local media Saturday evening. Front-runner Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, meanwhile, was criticized for skipping the discussion. Lula didnt show up because hes overconfident, he thinks hes already won, said Ciro Gomes, who places third in opinion polls and is struggling to stop some of his supporters from casting a strategic pro-Lula vote in the first round of the election. Or because he cant explain his unfulfilled promises and corruption allegations. On Sunday morning experts and local media described Bolsonaros performance as restrained and overall positive for his campaign, but said it would do little to tilt the vote in his favor. The debates repercussion is minimal, because of its low audience but also the state of the race at this point, said Josue Medeiros, a political scientist with the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Lula didnt lose much with his absence. Other experts agree about Lulas absence. Its not good for voters when a candidate doesnt show up. But strategically, the one whos leading the race usually has more to lose than to win, said Graziella Testa, a professor at the School of Public Policy and Government at Getulio Vargas Foundation in Brasilia. Read More: Bolsonaro, Lula Battle for Votes in Brazils Largest State Story continues Bolsonaro tried to fend off attacks from his adversaries by focusing on his Auxilio Brasil program that currently pays 600 reais a month to vulnerable Brazilians, as well as measures to lower fuel prices and to cancel part of student debts. He repeatedly said his government has rooted out corruption. This is a government that has a special eye for the most needy, he said. Bolsonaros focus on social programs is part of a strategy to reduce Lulas lead among the poor. The former president has 57% of voting intention among Brazilians earning less than two minimum wages, versus 24% for the incumbent, according to a Datafolha poll released Thursday. Read More: Lula Could Clinch First-Round Election Win, Datafolha Says During the debate, Bolsonaro received the support of an unusual candidate: a self-declared Orthodox priest replacing former congressman Roberto Jefferson, who was barred from running for his involvement in a corruption scandal. Father Kelmon defended the incumbent on numerous occasions, saying he had helped the country a lot and was suffering a concerted attack from all other participants. Gomes and Senator Simone Tebet, the fourth placed in the opinion polls, also made an effort to dissuade their followers from casting a strategic vote for one of the front-runners, an idea some Brazilians have been considering to resolve the election on Oct. 2. According to Brazils electoral law, a candidate needs more than 50% of the votes to win. If no one gets enough support in the first round, a run-off will be held on Oct. 30. Strategic voting is voting with your conscience, Tebet said. Next Debate In an event at a samba school in Rios industrial north side, Lula said he wants to participate in a televised debate scheduled for next Thursday, the last one before Election Day. I want to take advantage of that space to talk to voters, he said as he made a push to convince undecided voters, pledging to improve the economy. As part of his campaign schedule for this Sunday, hes expected to meet with social media influencers. When Lula ruled, we could buy groceries and not worry, said Irene Accioly, a 50-year-old bar owner who joined a crowd at the rally swaying to campaign jingles and shooting Ls into the air with their thumb and index finger, a symbol of support for the leftist leader. The economy remains one of the main concerns for voters, though their views are improving amid stronger than forecast activity and easing inflationary pressures. (Updates with candidate comments on next debate on last three graphs) Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. VALENTYNA ROMANENKO SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022, 10:46 AM Nine border guards, released during the prisoners of war (POW) exchange on 21 September, are undergoing rehabilitation in medical institutions. Source: Andrii Demchenko, spokesman of the State Border Guard Service of Ukraine on air during the national 24/7 news broadcast on 25 September; the department's press service Quote: "At the moment they stay in medical institutions, we have immediately sent them for examination there. Their physical and psychological condition was extremely difficult, although we understand the conditions in which the Russians kept them, and how they were treated. As far as their physical condition is concerned, they lost a lot of weight (tens of kilograms), they are simply physically exhausted. At the moment, they are receiving all the necessary medical assistance, most of them have already had the opportunity to meet their families, which also contributes to the improvement of their condition. We are restoring their lost [identity] documents, the documents confirming their participation in hostilities, etc." Details: The press office of the State Border Guard Service has also released a video of the border guard Ihor Kucher; he was released as part of the biggest prisoner exchange so far, coming to the border guards academy to congratulate his son, who was taking the oath of loyalty to Ukrainian people. Background: On 21 September, as part of a POW exchange round with the Russian occupiers, Ukraine succeeded in freeing 215 Ukrainian defenders. Among the liberated people are border guards, policemen, marines, members of the National Guard of Ukraine, members of Ukraines Territorial Defence Forces, customs officials and civilians. Among the liberated border guards there is Valerii Padytel, head of the Donetsk border guard unit, as well as the officers and a staff sergeant of this unit. Viktor Medvedchuk [Ukrainian businessman and pro-Russian politician; Putin is his daughters godfather - ed.] and 55 Russian occupiers returned to Russia as a result of the exchange. This is the largest round of exchange of prisoners of war since the beginning of the full-scale invasion of the Russian Federation on 24 February. A long process of rehabilitation, adaptation, recovery and treatment awaits the liberated defenders. It was reported that the freed Ukrainians are in a state of shock almost all 215 people have an extreme degree of anorexia. More than 2,000 defenders of Mariupol remain in Russian captivity. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! When youre watching a promotional screening of a big summer picture, and the movie is more or less doing its job without really taking off, its instructive to listen to the audience. And then figure out if what works for them works for you. In the matter of Men in Black: International, what works is whats funny. This is the fourth of the now-and-then MIB franchise. In the supporting ranks, Kumail Nanjiani provides the voice of a tiny alien chess piece, named Pawny, who spends much of the film perched on the shoulder of Agent M, played by Tessa Thompson. Hes there for wisecracks and running commentary, and the occasional foray into battle against the aliens among us. Advertisement What happens with Pawny? He opens his tiny digitized mouth and boom: the audience laughs. The theater fills with laughter. The semi-shameless character works because Nanjianis line readings are reliable killers. The standup-trained actor, a wizard of timing and inflection, has a way of turning scripted material into spontaneous-sounding material. (Some of it likely was improv-sprung by Nanjiani in the recording booth.) Nanjianis hardly alone, but you surely miss the lil piece of tie-in merchandising when hes not around. Men in Black: International isnt bad; its an improvement over Men in Black II (2002) and Men in Black 3 (2012), sequels that even their makers may have forgotten. As a species we appear destined to revisit this basic concept and renew the hunt for fresh variations on the zingy, disarming first picture, which brought the Lowell Cunningham comics to the screen so shrewdly and well in 1997. Advertisement Barry Sonnenfeld directed the first three MIBs; this ones handled by F. Gary Gray (The Fate of the Furious, Straight Outta Compton), from a script by Iron Man scribes Art Marcum and Matt Holloway. Thompson plays Molly, who encounters a friendly alien as a child. Twenty years later, she lands her dream job when Agent O (Emma Thompson, doing wondrous things with the simplest conversational tactics) takes a chance on the brainy, driven, socially isolated woman before her. Teamed up with arrogant pretty boy Agent H (Chris Hemsworth), M travels the world in search of a mole within the organization now run by High T (Liam Neeson). The Hive, a shape-shifting alien race, is causing trouble and threatening Earths existence. The movie skips from New York to London to Marrakech to Paris to Naples, apparently having borrowed an itinerary from a 1960s spy thriller. Rebecca Ferguson shows up as a three-armed intergalactic arms dealer and former paramour of the Hemsworth character. Is it fun? Some of its fun. But the action is more straight-up violence than comically tinged action violence. Sonnenfeld found a magically right balance of tones and styles in that first MIB outing, and he never quite found it again. Director Gray likewise struggles to locate the right mixture, though you can tell he appreciates what, and who, he has in Tessa Thompson. Shes one of my favorite movie stars right now, partly because she has such natural authority and ease on screen, and yet refuses to behave like a movie star. Shes simply interesting and funny and real, while also floating slightly above each new outsized absurdity. Thompson does here what Tommy Lee Jones did so well in the first Men in Black and never quite managed again. By not overtly giving a rip about the demands or dictates of the franchise machinery clanking all around her, she lightens the load and keeps everything moving efficiently. The ideal Men in Black: International sequel, should one come to pass, would star both Thompsons, and to hell with the men. Does that make me a man-hating feminist? Of course it does. It also marks me as a film lover who doesnt really need another medium-pretty-decent effort to sort-of-kind-of entertain me and remind me of other, better movies just out for a good time. Michael Phillips is a Tribune critic. mjphillips@chicagotribune.com Twitter @phillipstribune Advertisement Men in Black: International 2.5 stars MPAA rating: PG-13 (for sci-fi action, some language and suggestive material) Running time: 1:54 Opens: Thursday evening [ 'Late Night' review: A writers' room of one's own, with Mindy Kaling and Emma Thompson ] [ 'Last Black Man in San Francisco' review: This old house tells a story ] Border Patrol agents rescued 13 illegal immigrants locked in a U-Haul truck without oxygen, Customs and Border Protection announced Friday. It was one of a number of rescues made by the men and women in green. CBP said the agents in the El Paso Sector located the migrants, all from Mexico, in a box truck. They were being smuggled without access to oxygen and were locked inside. Officials said the migrants were all uninjured, did not need additional medical attention and were later expelled under the Title 42 public health order, which allows for the rapid expulsion of migrants from the U.S. due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Biden administration has been moving to end Title 42 but has so far been blocked by court order. The driver will face charges for conspiracy to transport. US, MEXICAN AUTHORITIES STOP TRUCK SMUGGLING 150 ILLEGAL MIGRANTS IN DANGEROUS HEAT Its the latest incident of migrants being found in potentially deadly conditions as they are smuggled into the U.S. Fox News learned last month that Mexican authorities stopped the smuggling of over 150 migrants crammed into a large truck at dangerously high temperatures. All the migrants survived. That attempt came less than two months after 53 migrants were found dead inside an abandoned commercial truck in San Antonio, Texas. HOUSE REPUBLICANS SOUND ALARM OVER REPORT VENEZUELA IS SENDING VIOLENT CRIMINALS TO US BORDER The dead included a 13-year-old and 14-year-old from Guatemala and two 16-year-olds from Mexico , authorities said. The truck was carrying 73 people when it was discovered June 27. On Wednesday, agents also rescued two smuggled migrants who had been abandoned by their smuggler. Both were suffering from dehydration and were transported to a local hospital for treatment. CBP said that agents in the sector, in a single week, had disrupted 18 human smuggling schemes involving vehicles, as well as rescues and arrests of gang members and criminals. "These events within the last seven days highlight how complex our border environment has become and the determination by our Border Patrol agents to adjust operationally as needed to address any situation on the border," El Paso Sector Chief Patrol Agent Gloria I. Chavez said in a statement. So far this fiscal year, Border Patrol agents have made 20,464 rescues, compared to 12,833 last year. Fox News Louis Casiano and Bill Melugin contributed to this report. The damaged windshield on the BA plane after it made an emergency landing in Athens on Saturday. Caroline Edmunds/Twitter A British Airways flight made an emergency diversion after its windshield shattered mid-flight. Caroline Edwards, who said she was on the flight, tweeted a picture of the jet's broken window. BA told Insider the flight diverted to Athens due to a technical issue. A British Airways flight made an emergency diversion after its windshield shattered mid-flight, according to a passenger. Caroline Edmunds tweeted that she was on BA0624 from London to Rhodes, Greece, on Saturday afternoon when it was forced to land in Athens after the windshield "broke". Edmunds, who posted a picture of the Airbus's windshield after landing in Athens, said the experience was "terrifying" while thanking the pilots for diverting the plane safely. "Now happily waiting for another not so dramatic flight to Rhodes!" she added. Data from FlightRadar24 shows the flight was diverted to Athens on Saturday afternoon. It quickly descended from about 36,000 feet, suggesting the incident occurred at high altitude. A BA spokesperson told Insider in an email: "Due to a technical issue, the flight diverted to Athens and landed safely. We apologised to the customers and a replacement aircraft was arranged to get them to their final destination." Flight tracking data shows the flight eventually departed again from Athens to complete its trip to Rhodes early on Sunday morning. British Airways told Insider it was operated by a different aircraft. Shattered windows might be more closely associated with a plane hitting a foreign object, such as a bird strike at a low altitude, but a faltering windshield at higher levels is not unheard of. In April, a Delta flight from Salt Lake City to Washington, DC, was forced to make an emergency landing in Denver when the windshield cracked in mid-air. Read the original article on Business Insider By Alistair Smout LONDON (Reuters) -British Prime Minister Liz Truss said allies should stand firm on Ukraine and ignore Russian President Vladimir Putin's "sabre-rattling". Truss, who met U.S. President Joe Biden and France's Emmanuel Macron on her first foreign trip as prime minister to New York last week, in an interview with CNN called on like-minded democracies to be firm against "autocratic regimes". Putin last week ordered a partial mobilisation of troops and raised the possibility of nuclear conflict. Truss said Putin was escalating his invasion of Ukraine because he wasn't winning and had made a strategic mistake. "I think he didn't anticipate the strength of reaction from the free world," Truss said in the interview broadcast on Sunday. "We should not be listening to his sabre-rattling and his bogus threats. Instead, what we need to do is continue to put sanctions on Russia and continue to support the Ukrainians." Truss, who became prime minister earlier this month, has pledged to raise defence spending to 3% of Britain's GDP. Defence minister Ben Wallace told the Sunday Telegraph newspaper that that amounted to an annual defence budget of about 100 billion pounds ($108.56 billion) by 2030 - around double the current level. Truss has taken a hard line against Russia and China, but has also been in dispute with some traditional allies, especially in Europe and the United States, over post-Brexit trading arrangements with the European Union. She said she still wanted a negotiated solution on the so-called Northern Ireland protocol, that she and Biden agreed peace in the province needs to be preserved, and she still believed in the "special relationship" between Britain and the United States. "I do think our relationship is special, and it's increasingly important at a time when we're facing threats from Russia, (and) increased assertiveness from China," Truss said. Story continues "I'm determined that we make the special relationship even more special over the coming years." Truss said she had a "very good meeting" with French President Macron in New York. She faced questions over Britain's relationship with France after she said during her campaign to become prime minister that "the jury's out" on whether Macron was friend or foe. "I'm looking forward to working with him in the future," Truss said. She said that Britain's allies needed to work together on their stance on China as well as Russia. Asked if Britain would defend Taiwan militarily if China invades, Truss said: "We are determined to work with our allies to make sure that Taiwan is able to defend itself." ($1 = 0.9211 pounds) (Reporting by Alistair Smout; Editing by David Clarke, Toby Chopra and Susan Fenton) CINCINNATI (AP) Ben Bryant passed for 314 of his 354 yards in the first half with a career-high four touchdowns, and Tyler Scott had career-highs with 185 receiving yards and three TDs, as Cincinnati defeated Indiana 45-24 on Saturday. It didn't feel as good afterward as the score might indicate, said Bearcats head coach Luke Fickell. This is a team that still needs to do a good job of finishing. But it's another opportunity to learn and grow. This is a good football team. The Bearcats (3-1) won in Bloomington last season, a victory they believe helped jumpstart a 13-1 season and College Football Playoff berth. IU had won the previous five meetings. Byron Threats' first career interception and a 28-yard return gave Cincinnati first-and-goal at the six. The Bearcats settled for a 24-yard field goal by Ryan Coe to go ahead 3-0. On the Bearcats' first play from scrimmage after the Hoosiers tied the score with a field goal, Bryant found Scott wide open for a 75-yard touchdown making the score 10-3. It was the longest pass play for the Bearcats since Scott's 81-yard TD against Miami (OH) last season. Bryant's 5-yard TD pass to Tre Tucker made the score 17-3 early in the second quarter. He did a good job spreading things around, Fickell said. He's going to take what's given to him. We continue to focus on Ben's strengths. The Hoosiers (3-1) answered back on Connor Bazelak's 19-yard TD pass to senior running back Josh Henderson, but Bryant's second TD pass to Scott put Cincinnati ahead 24-10 with 4:33 left in the first half. Bazelak completed 31 of a school-record 66 pass attempts for 280 yards and two TDs with two interceptions. Shaun Shivers rushed for 79 yards and a TD. Bryant was 17 of 21 passing for 314 yards and four touchdowns in the first half. It was the most passing yards for a Bearcats QB in the first half since Gunner Kiel had 302 against Houston in 2015. I'm really nit-picky on myself and the offense, Bryant said. We preach starting strong, but we have to get better. Story continues Scott had three touchdown receptions in the first half giving him 10 for his career, all for more than 20 yards. It's the first time in program history that a Bearcats player had three TD catches in a half. The coaching staff has really trusted in me, said Scott, who played running back in high school. The trust between Ben (Bryant) and I gets better every week. We talk after every play. It's been great. Just before halftime, redshirt sophomore nose tackle Dominique Perry who scooped up a Bazelak fumble forced by Eric Phillips and returned it 14 yards for a touchdown to give the Bearcats a 38-10 lead at halftime. It was Perry's first game after missing the previous three due to injury. Shivers' career-long 47-yard TD run cut Cincinnati's lead to 38-24 with 14:01 remaining. But the Hoosiers wouldn't get any closer. Our defense let us down in the first half, said IU head coach Tom Allen. "We stopped the run today. We have to stop the pass. We werent consistent in our execution. It snowballed on us. Were still struggling to get off to a fast start. THE TAKEAWAY Indiana: Hoosiers third-string center Caleb Murphy started his second straight game after an emergency start in last weeks win over Western Kentucky when Zach Carpenter was injured in warmups. Backup Cameron Knight also is out injured. Cincinnati: Fickell has been urging Bryant to take more chances downfield and get the ball in the hands of his playmakers. He did that on Saturday with TD passes of 75, 34, and 32 yards. Bryant averaged 14 yards per completion. PASS HAPPY Throwing the ball 66 times and completing 31 isn't a recipe for success. But trailing by 28 points at halftime, and Cincinnati's defensive scheme, forced the Hoosiers' hand. We knew coming in we would have to throw the ball over their heads, Bazelak said. "Credit to them. They did a good job stopping us. TALE OF TWO The Bearcats offense went dormant in the second half with an interception, six punts, and a failed fourth-down on their first eight possessions. They had four first downs and 71 total yards after halftime, and only 30 rushing yards on the day. In the second half, they loaded things up," Fickell said. "They have some big guys up front and we couldn't get to the second level. UP NEXT Indiana: At Nebraska next Saturday. Cincinnati: At Tulsa next Saturday. Wearing T-shirts showing Russian bears, waving flags with "Z" symbols, and holding pictures of Putin aloft -- the Ukraine war has not deterred Bulgarian Russophiles, who rallied in the centre of the country on Sunday to show their support. The Balkan state -- an EU and NATO member with historically close ties to Russia -- still has many citizens nostalgic for the former Communist regime. The pro-Moscow rally came as Sofia readies to return to the polls and the country grapples with its identity. Hristo Ganev, a 60-year-old driver, had arrived at Sunday's event early and bought a T-shirt emblazoned with the "Z" of the Ukraine offensive from one of the many stalls selling trinkets and souvenirs. "Without Russia, Bulgaria would not have existed," he told AFP, referring to the Russo-Turkish war of 1877-1878, in which Russia freed Bulgaria from five centuries of Ottoman domination. Ganev is married to a Russian he met when he was working in Siberia in the 1980s, and says he supports President Vladimir Putin's invasion of Ukraine. He believes Putin's claim that the troops are needed to "fight Nazism" and says he is even in favour of a nuclear war, "if that is the price to pay to free yourself from American domination". - 'Like loving your sister'- Unlike in most other European countries, regular pro-Russian rallies have been held alongside pro-Ukrainian gatherings. Sunday's event was due to be held on the shore of Lake Koprinka -- but the local mayor refused to host it due to the sensitivities of the Ukraine war. Instead, it took place half an hour away in a mountainous spot overlooking the town of Kalofer. "It's the only free gathering in the world," said Nikolay Malinov, the leader of the organisation that brings together Bulgarian Russophiles. Bulgarian prosecutors in 2019 accused Malinov of spying for Moscow -- the same year Putin decorated him with a state award, the Order of Friendship. His idea of bringing together Bulgarians in an "international Russophile movement" also gained the approval of Sergei Lavrov -- Russia's foreign minister -- when the two men met recently in Moscow, he said. Story continues "For Bulgarians, loving Russia is like loving your sister, your mother," he told the crowd on Sunday to wide applause. Among the youngest to join the rally was 17-year-old Georgi Ivanov, who was wrapped in a flag honouring Soviet leader Joseph Stalin. "I appreciate authoritarian regimes because they guarantee unity without worrying about ethnic and sexual minorities," the high school student said, saying he didn't believe claims that Russian troops have carried out war crimes in Ukraine. - Deadlock - Most middle-aged Bulgarians studied Russian in school, understand the language and some regularly follow Russian news. The two countries share close cultures, with the Cyrillic alphabet and Orthodox Christianity. In the Communist years, Sofia was considered Moscow's staunchest ally. One attendee in her seventies, who gave her name as Veneta, was carrying a banner supporting the referendums on joining Russia being carried out by pro-Moscow authorities in four Ukrainian regions. She would welcome the same opportunity in Bulgaria, she told AFP. A poll carried out in April found that nearly half of Bulgarians considered that Russia was not responsible for the situation in Ukraine, and many did not support the delivery of arms to Kyiv. And a week before new legislative elections, many have concerns about the country's political direction. "It is unfortunate that Bulgarians, who are largely Russophiles, have let themselves be governed by a handful of pro-Westerners," said 66-year-old Tatiana Ivanova, a Russian who has lived in Bulgaria for four decades. Staunch pro-European Prime Minister Kiril Petkov will seek to return to power in the upcoming election on October 2. He won the last ballot in November 2021, but his cabinet was overthrown by a motion of no-confidence in June. The conservative Boiko Borissov, who led the country almost continuously between 2009 and 2021, is the contender almost certain to win. But analysts warn that he may have difficulty building a coalition, and some are predicting another poll in the months to come. vs/anb/rox/lcm California Gov. Gavin Newsom on Saturday appeared to flout his own states laws by speaking at an event in Texas, one of 22 states for which California has banned official government travel. Speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas, Newsom called for an overhaul of Democrats' political strategy saying the party is "getting crushed" by Republicans in part because they are too timid, often forced to play defense while Republicans "dominate with illusion." California Gov. Gavin Newsom has repeatedly denied any ambitions to run for president. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images California has banned state-funded travel to states with "discriminatory laws." The state first passed the law in 2017 in reaction to North Carolina preventing transgender people from using restrooms that aligned with their own identity. In the ensuing years, the list of banned states ballooned from four to nearly two dozen. One of those states on Californias naughty list is Montana, where Newsom vacationed earlier this summer to visit his in-laws. Newsoms team said he did not violate the law as he was traveling in his personal capacity despite having a security detail. GAVIN NEWSOM SAYS PEOPLE LEFT CALIFORNIA BECAUSE OF TRUMP'S VISA POLICIES Fox News has reached out to California Attorney General Rob Bontas office, which is ultimately responsible for deciding which states make the list. FILE: California Gov. Gavin Newsom speaks during a visit to Chabot Space & Science Center with U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris on August 12, 2022, in Oakland, California. Newsom has accused Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis of breaking laws by flying illegal migrants to Martha's Vineyard, but Newsom appears to have broken California's law banning travel to some states. Justin Sullivan/Getty Images Newsom, who is running for reelection as governor of California, has spent millions of dollars in his campaign account on TV ads in Florida urging people to move to California, newspaper ads in Texas decrying the state's gun laws, and putting up billboards in seven states urging women to come to California if they need an abortion. Florida and Texas are among the top states Californians are moving to over the past few years. Newsom's actions have increased speculation he might be running for president, an idea he has repeatedly denied doing so again on Saturday in Texas. Asked if he was considering running for president in 2024 or 2028, Newsom said: "No, not happening." "I cannot say it enough," he said. "I never trust politicians, so I get why you keep asking." The Associated Press contributed to this report. A note passed among seatmates during the alleged incident. Courtesy of Faraaz Sareshwala Google software engineer Faraaz Sareshwala said his wife was assaulted on a Southwest flight to Phoenix. In a thread of tweets, he called out Southwest Airlines for not reprimanding the man he said is responsible. The Phoenix Police Department handed the case over to the FBI since it occurred in the air. A California man is accusing a Southwest Airlines passenger of physically and verbally assaulting his wife who was a passenger on a Saturday morning flight from Orlando to Phoenix. In a series of tweets, Google software engineer Faraaz Sareshwala detailed an encounter in which he said a man sitting in front of his wife, Saarah, allegedly "violently pushed his seat back" repeatedly in an attempt to physically harm her, while also making several "racial slurs (and) misogynistic comments." Sareshwala said that his wife, Saarah, was sleeping with her head on the tray area when she was awoken by the alleged outburst, which he said was witnessed by his wife's seatmates. Although she was initially unaware of what happened and got up to use the restroom, he wrote that the passengers next to her attempted to confront the man and informed Saarah of the incident upon her return. Sareshwala wrote that the man allegedly told the seatmates to "fuck off" and said "that bitch got what was coming for her." As drink service began in the cabin, Sareshwala said the man also made comments to a woman sitting next to him that he should resume hitting the seat in an effort to spill Saarah's drink. After struggling to get help from flight attendants, Saarah and her seatmates began passing notes back and forth to communicate about the issue, he said. Sareshwala shared what he said was a note from one particular witness, Gabi, who detailed her account of events. Courtesy of Faraaz Sareshwala In his Twitter thread, Sareshwala expressed frustration with Southwest, alleging that though one flight attendant offered to change his wife's seat, they never confronted the man, while another employee only offered to call the police after one of Saarah's seatmates spoke up. Story continues Southwest said in a statement to Insider: "After being made aware of a situation on a Southwest flight yesterday, the Crew requested law enforcement meet the aircraft upon arrival. Southwest Airlines maintains zero-tolerance for any type of alleged harassment or assault on our Customers or Employees." Sareshwala didn't responded to Insider's request for comment. Everyone involved was questioned by the Phoenix Police Department, and the case was turned over to the Federal Bureau of Investigation because the incident occurred in the air, Sareshwala said. "We don't have an FBI case number but the Phoenix police said that if the FBI thinks there is enough evidence to press charges they will reach back out," Sareshwala said in a tweet. He went on to highlight the roles race and gender may have played in the alleged incident. "We still don't know why he became so violent. However, I do know that my wife has never felt so violated, voiceless, and powerless," he wrote. "He used racial slurs and misogynistic comments so I guess it was that she was Indian and a woman (read: not white and not a man)." The Federal Aviation Administration has a strict zero tolerance for unruly or dangerous behavior on flights. On Wednesday, a man was arrested and banned from American Airlines after being seen punching a flight attendant in the back of the head. Read the original article on Business Insider ABC News Florida Sen. Rick Scott, a member of Republican leadership in the upper chamber, said Sunday that he does not "condone violence" after Donald Trump lashed out at Senate GOP leader Mitch McConnell and suggested McConnell had a "death wish"-- but Scott stopped short of condemning the former president. Trump, in a post on his Truth Social website last week, wrote that McConnell must have a "death wish" after supporting a continuing resolution to fund the federal government. Trump went on to criticize McConnell's wife in racist terms, writing that he should "seek help and advise [sic] from his China loving wife, Coco Chow!" Trump was referring to Elaine Chao, who is Taiwanese. Kamilah Moore, chair of the California Reparations Task Force, speaks Friday at a Los Angeles meeting seeking public input on the work of compensating Black residents whose families suffered from slavery. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) If California is to make reparations to Black residents whose families have been harmed by slavery and its ongoing economic repercussions, how should the program be structured? Should reparations be given as cash payments to individuals? Or should they come in other forms of government assistance in Black communities? What legal challenges exist? These and many other questions were the subject of a two-day hearing by California's Reparations Task Force, a first-in-the-nation panel established in 2020 to develop proposals for potential reparations for Black families who have been harmed for generations by enslavement, segregation, redlining and other racist state policies and laws. Many questions over the logistics of a state reparations program remain unanswered. Christian Flagg, 33, of Los Angeles, shares his thoughts during Friday's meeting of the California Reparations Task Force at the California Science Center. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) But the panel discussions Friday and Saturday at the California Science Center in South Los Angeles drew into clearer focus the heavy task of the nine-member panel: to create a program that could greatly impact the lives and socioeconomic fortunes of hundreds of thousands of people, if not more. Amos Brown, the panel's vice chair and a longtime civil rights leader, said the process came down to three "A's" admitting the problems of the past; atoning for them by identifying appropriate reparations; and acting on that information in a unified way to make sure state legislators, who would finalize a program, follow through and get the work done. "That means getting all the sectors of the African American community and our allies to start respectfully, peaceably, sensibly, factually asking them to support reparations in this state," Brown said. By the end of Saturday's meeting, the panel decided upon specific factors in the lives of Black residents that could warrant monetary compensation. Such factors include the government's unjust taking of property through eminent domain; the devaluation of Black businesses; disproportionate incarceration and over-policing in Black communities; and discrimination in housing, healthcare and education. Story continues In each of those areas, the panel found that it needs to make additional decisions about the timeframe within which such harms should be considered, and whom should be compensated including whether recipients should be limited to California residents. Walter Foster, 80, of Los Angeles, raises a sign calling for a focus on financial compensation as the California Reparations Task Force takes public comment Friday. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) The panel also identified factors for which monetary compensation may not be possible to calculate, but that still need to be addressed, including political disenfranchisement; the pathologizing of Black families by authorities; the wresting of control over creative, cultural and intellectual Black life by others in society; and the wealth gap between Black people and others. The panel said it would also have to decide how the state should apologize. The discussions follow a report in June in which the panel defined what it found to be harms against African Americans from the time of slavery through the present day, and outlined preliminary recommendations for providing reparations. The panel is working on a second report, due in June, in which it is expected to provide a detailed plan to the state Legislature. The task force heard from experts on other reparations movements throughout history, including those for Holocaust victims in Germany, apartheid victims in South Africa, and Japanese American victims in the U.S. whose families were stripped of their assets and incarcerated in prison camps during World War II. The panel also heard from members of the public including some who criticized the task force's decision in March to limit its focus to reparations for descendants of enslaved African Americans and free Black people who were living in the country before the end of the 19th century. Jovan Lewis, foreground, and other members of the California Reparations Task Force listen to public input at Friday's meeting. (Carolyn Cole / Los Angeles Times) Those critics argued that all Black Californians, including more recent immigrants, have been impacted by the legacy of slavery and other racist policies, and deserve reparations, too. Others defended the limits, saying descendants of the enslaved have suffered in specific ways that other Black Americans, including recent immigrants and their children, have not. Several panelists said they hoped that, in future meetings, the panel would be able to hear more from the public including personal stories from individuals and families. The panel's next meetings are scheduled for Dec. 14 and15. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A cow, gaunt due to hunger and thirst, walks to a river in Kenya At least 11 people have been killed by cattle rustlers during an ambush in northern Kenya, police said. Eight officers, two civilians and a local chief are said to be among the victims of the violence in Turkana County on Saturday. Members of the National Police Service were pursuing bandits who had earlier raided a village and stolen livestock. Clashes over livestock and water are common in the area, which is also facing a worsening climate. The area has been one of the hardest hit in one of the harshest droughts East Africa has seen in four decades. A fourth season of failed rains has resulted in large numbers of livestock dying and crops failing to grow. People are desperate for food and water, and the UN's World Food Programme said up to 20 million people in East Africa are at risk of severe hunger. Kenya's police called the attack a "criminal and cowardly ambush" on "innocent members of the public and police". Additional officers have been dispatched to the village in Turkana East to bolster security and continue the pursuit of those responsible, who they said are members of the Pokot ethnic group. It follows an incident last month in which at least seven people were burnt to death in the same county during a raid by suspected Pokot militiamen. Jeremiah Lomorukai, the Governor of Turkana, said locals are "tired of mourning deaths of their family members". Who would buy something that doesnt look like a bridge, doesnt act like a bridge, but is offered for sale as a bridge? That is what Atlas Arteria recently did. The Australian company spent $2 billion to acquire a 67% interest in the Chicago Skyway. The word bridge suggests a structure that passes over a river or a lake. Perhaps railroad tracks. But for most of its 7.8 miles, the Chicago Skyway, officially a toll bridge, just hovers over cross streets that were buried in its path. Advertisement Stretching between the Dan Ryan Expressway and the Illinois-Indiana border, the Skyway has an effect similar to that of the Berlin Wall, which separated East and West Germany, in how it slices up Chicagos Southeast Side. Looking up at it from the streets below, the mind conjures a preteen Romeo living in the 7400 block of South Greenwood Avenue, cut off by the towering expressway from a Juliet in the 7500 block. Could their schoolyard romance survive the Skyway? In 1966, Donald Bonniwell, a state highway commissioner, decried the Chicago Skyway as a concrete curtain cutting off access by people in the southeast section of the city. Advertisement Its construction was the result of a spitball Indiana threw at Chicago in 1953. The Cold War was on, prompting the building of intercity superhighways so urbanites could be evacuated if atomic warfare threatened. Illinois planners assumed that Indianas expressway network would join their states network south of Chicago, thus avoiding the congestion of a metropolis. The main span of the Calumet Skyway soars over the Calumet River in May 1958. The Skyway opened in April 1958 with tolls ranging from 25 cents to $1 and was later renamed the Chicago Skyway. (Jack Mulcahy / Chicago Tribune) Then Indiana announced it was building a toll road straight across the state from Ohio that would abruptly end at Chicagos border, at 106th Street and Indianapolis Boulevard. Indiana has been selfish in its planning, Ald. Emil Pacini of the 10th Ward, which included that intersection, protested to the Tribune. Pacinis ward and adjacent neighborhoods were patchwork quilts of industrial plants and streets lined with the homes of workers. A subdivision of the neighboring South Chicago community was known as The Bush because the houses were so densely packed they resembled shrubbery. The new superhighway would dump at least 18,000 cars a day into Chicago at a place that cant handle the traffic properly now, Pacini told his City Council colleagues. Indiana's Lt. Gov. Crawford Parker, left, and Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley on April 16, 1958, at a barricade-lifting ceremony at the state line as the Calumet Skyway toll road opens to traffic. (Chicago Tribune) It seemed clear that the Southeast Side needed a superhighway to disperse the traffic that Indiana would send Chicagos way. But Republicans who controlled the Illinois Toll Highway Commission refused to pay for a superhighway connection to the Indiana Toll Road. Chicago then as now was a Democratic stronghold, and the GOP wasnt about to bail it out. So Chicago had to fund a connecting road. Under Illinois law, the city was prohibited from operating a toll road. But it could put up a toll bridge, a legal distinction that allowed construction of the Skyway to move forward. Advertisement The Skyway had to cross the Calumet River on its way toward the Illinois-Indiana border. That portion was built with spans of steel plates supported by structural-steel trusses, and the result looks like a picture-book bridge. Any bridge needs an entrance ramp, and the Skyways is wondrously formidable: an embankment stretching from the Calumets western bank to State Street at 66th Street, where it joins the Dan Ryan. The Skyways construction was a tragedy for many of those living or running a business along its route. In 1957, Adeline Field, a retired phone operator, came to her door at 6815 Anthony Ave. with a shotgun in her hand. All the other buildings on the block had been torn down for the Skyway. She was offered $6,500 for her two-flat. Having refused, her home was condemned by the city. She was living without heat or water and faced eviction. The steel girder framework is in place for an exit ramp at Stony Island Avenue and 79th Street during construction for the Calumet Skyway in 1957. (Chicago Tribune) I think these older people feel theyre being pushed around, that something is being taken from them, an investigator said when Field refused to leave. But I wouldnt want to put her out. Not while she has that shotgun. Chicagos Last Department store sued for $100,000 in damages, alleging the Skyway prevented customers from entering its building at 10520 Indianapolis Blvd. At the other end of the elevated roadway, the Michigan Avenue Church of Christ claimed the Skyways entrance ramp made it dark, close, uncomfortable, unwholesome, and unfit for church purposes. But such complaints had little effect. At the 1956 dedication of the Indiana Toll Road, Chicagos mayor foresaw great tidings for its forthcoming link with what was originally called the Calumet Skyway. This improvement is as much an asset to Chicago as it is to Indiana, Richard J. Daley said. Advertisement But when the Skyway opened two years later, call it what you want a toll bridge or a toll road it was clearly a white elephant. Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley, right, shakes hands with children on April 16, 1958, aboard the first vehicle to cross the Calumet Skyway. The children, from the Jane. A. Neil school, wrote a letter asking for the honor. (Chicago Tribune) Fewer than half the motorists forecast to use it actually did in April of 1958, its first month in operation, and traffic remained well under expectations for years. That tore a big hole in the ledger paper on which the skyways financing had been calculated. Chicago had issued municipal bonds to raise the cash needed to pay the contractors that built it. A bond is a loan; its holder is due the amount of the loan, plus interest. Thats why they bought the bond, to make a profit. Chicagos bondholders had been assured that enough coins would be dropped in the Skyways collection boxes to keep repayment installments coming their way. But the numbers didnt add up; revenue generated by the Skyway was far less than what bondholders were owed. Some conjectured that it was because the name of the road/bridge was confusing. Locals knew the area as the Calumet Region, so the Calumet Skyway seemed a logical choice. But the name was widely used, including by a Chicago suburb known for its raunchy bars. Calumet Skyway in itself is not a good name, the Tribune editorialized. To a New Yorker it might connote a route to the Calumet City strip tease joints rather than Chicagos central business district. The paper suggested Skyway Express as an alternative. Advertisement Eventually the name was changed. But the Chicago Skyway didnt attract significantly more motorists than the Calumet Skyway had. Pricey engineering firms were hired to find out why. But a truck driver, taxi cab driver, or police patrolman could furnish free advice, the Tribune noted. Chicago Skyway worker William Jender shows a new sign informing motorists the toll has gone up from 25 to 30 cents on Jan. 12, 1962. (Luigi Mendicino / Chicago Tribune) Indianapolis Boulevard paralleled the Skyway, offering a free route to Indiana. The Skyway was further handicapped in 1964, when U.S. Interstate 94 in Indiana crossed into Illinois and was hooked up to the Tri-State Expressway, giving motorists and truck drivers another way to avoid the Skyways toll booths. By 1963, the Skyways bonds were in default. But as time went on and more motorists opted for convenience over cost, traffic on the Skyway picked up, and in 2004 Mayor Richard M. Daley seemed to have found a way for the city to make some money from the road. Vintage Chicago Tribune Weekly The Vintage Tribune newsletter is a deep dive into the Chicago Tribune's archives featuring photos and stories about the people, places and events that shape the city's past, present and future. > Daley leased the Skyway to an Australian private fund that, in partnership with a Spanish construction firm, paid $1.8 billion to operate the toll bridge for 99 years. Advertisement Ald. Ed Burke saluted the deal as the greatest single financial coup in the history of Chicago, comparing it to the purchase of Manhattan Island from Native Americans for a few strings of beads. But the Skyways problems, made worse by a scandal at the private fund that had bought the lease, continued. In 2011, investment bankers were warning clients that it was worth zero dollars. The Skyway changed hands a couple of times in the last decade, most recently with the Australian firms deal for a majority stake. Tolls have steadily increased under private ownership, and figure to continue to do so. Nonetheless, Mayor Lori Lightfoot was the latest city leader to tout the Skyways blessings, with her office calling the most recent sale a win for the city, generating a tax payment in the tens of millions of dollars. Sign up to receive the Vintage Chicago Tribune newsletter at chicagotribune.com/newsletters for more photos and stories from the Tribunes archives. Have an idea for Vintage Chicago Tribune? Share it with Ron Grossman and Marianne Mather at rgrossman@chicagotribune.com and mmather@chicagotribune.com. An Orange County jury awarded a Polk County woman a $923,000 verdict for injuries she suffered in a 2018 fall outside the Caribe Royale resort in Orlando. On June 12, 2018, 52-year-old Melissa Allen, was walking toward the resorts entrance when an improperly secured irrigation box cover gave way that caused causing her to fall into a knee-deep hole. >>> STREAM CHANNEL 9 EYEWITNESS NEWS LIVE <<< The fall caused severe joint dysfunction which required four surgeries. According to a new release, during the five-day trial attorneys for Caribe Royale blamed Allen for the fall. Read: Parts of Cuba are now under hurricane warning, Central Florida remains in Ians path In the end, jurors found Caribe Royale responsible for Allens injuries and ordered them to pay $923,000 to cover her medical expenses and pain and suffering. Property owners have an imperative duty to keep their grounds free from hazards like the one that caused life-altering injuries to our client, attorney Varun Ramnarine said. Were pleased that the jury vindicated Ms. Allen and saw that this fall - and the recurring pain, multiple surgeries, and mental anguish it caused her - were not her fault. My team and I are pleased we obtained a just result for Mrs. Allen, and we hope it sends a message to property owners throughout Florida that negligent groundskeeping has severe consequences. Read: Gov. DeSantis gives updates on Floridas emergency response to Ian In March, an Orange County jury awarded a Clay County woman Melissa Allen after she was injured in a different incident at the Caribe Royale in 2016. Read: Second rower dies after lightning strike, Orlando rowing club says 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. Two years after the incident, Central Park Karen continues to feel the ramifications of the actions she didnt need to take. Call it poetry in motion. 2020 was a year of social and political upheaval, and it was incredibly eventful on the news front. One major story concerned Amy Cooper, a white woman who called the police on Christian Cooper, a Black birdwatcher in Central Park. Amy told the 911 dispatcher that Christian threatened her life, when all he did was ask her to please put her dog on a leash. This earned her the moniker Central Park Karen, by those who recognized her racism and entitlement. Shortly after video of the incident went viral, Franklin Templeton Investments fired Amy. She sued the company the following year, claiming racial and gender discrimination played a role in her termination. In the lawsuit, Amy demanded back pay and bonus, loss of unvested funds and other benefits, emotional distress damages and attorneys fees, among other things. She also claimed Franklin Templeton had treated her differently than three male employees who had engaged in misconduct ranging from insider trading to domestic violence. But U.S. District Judge Ronnie Abrams didnt buy it. According to CBS News, the judge rejected those claims in a 17-page ruling on Wednesday. As to the question of the male employees, he ruled the cases werent similar enough to prove bias, partly given that Cooper herself described her own incident as international news as a racial flashpoint. Judge Abrams added, Amy cannot plausibly allege that she was subjected to a company-wide double standard merely by identifying three male comparators who engaged in another form of misconduct, but werent fired. Meanwhile, good fortune has smiled on Christian Cooper. National Geographic tapped him to host a program called Extraordinary Birder. Outgoing Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., reiterated this weekend that she would campaign against election deniers, singling out Republican gubernatorial nominees in Arizona and Pennsylvania who've floated conspiracy theories about the 2020 presidential race. Cheney, who lost her primary last month to a challenger endorsed by former President Donald Trump, said at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin on Saturday that she would seek to prevent Arizona Republican Kari Lake and Pennsylvania Republican Doug Mastriano from being elected to their states' governors' mansions. "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure Kari Lake is not elected," Cheney said at the closing night of the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin. "I think we have to do everything we can in '22 to make sure those people don't get elected," she added. Turning to the governor's race in Pennsylvania, she said, "We have to make sure [Doug] Mastriano doesn't win." She also criticized Republican leaders like Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin for, in her words, accommodating election deniers even as she praised Youngkin because he "hasn't bought into the toxin of Donald Trump." When asked if her efforts to stop Lake, Mastriano and others could include campaigning for Democrats, Cheney simply replied, "Yes." MORE: Election denials take on new relevance in battleground states: The Note "In this election, you have to vote for the person who actually believes in democracy," she said. "And that is just crucial, because if we elect election deniers, if we elect people who said that they're not going to certify results or who are going to try to steal elections, then we really are putting the republic at risk." Cheney's latest comments offer more specificity on a vow she made earlier this year while being interviewed by ABC News: to make faith in the electoral process a litmus test in the midterms. "I'm going to be very focused on working to ensure that we do everything we can not to elect election deniers. ... We've got election deniers that have been nominated for really important positions all across the country. And I'm going to work against those people, I'm going to work to support their opponents; I think it matters that much," she told ABC News's Jonathan Karl in August. Story continues In taking on Lake and Mastriano, Cheney is challenging two far-right Republicans who are popular with conservative voters and who could have outsized sway in two key presidential battlegrounds. PHOTO: Rep. Liz Cheney speaks about her role on the January 6th Committee and how she feels Donald Trump is a continued threat to our democracy, during an interview at the Texas Tribune Festival in Austin, Texas, Sept. 24, 2022. (Bob Daemmrich/ZumaPress) Lake has been adamant in making unfounded claims that election fraud threw the 2020 White House race and has said she wouldn't have certified Arizona's results from that year. Mastriano, who has promoted similar groundless allegations, would have the power as governor to appoint Pennsylvania's secretary of state, who oversees elections there. After Cheney's criticism Saturday, Lake shot back in an interview on Fox News, pointing to Cheney's loss in Wyoming last month. "That might be the biggest, best gift I've ever received. I mean, the people of Wyoming can't stand her. I'm pretty much sure that the people of Arizona don't like Liz Cheney," Lake said Sunday. (Mastrianos campaign did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Cheney from ABC News.) MORE: TRANSCRIPT: ABC News' Jonathan Karl interviews Rep. Liz Cheney Beyond Lake and Mastriano, Cheney called out Youngkin, who has said President Joe Biden was legitimately elected but who will campaign soon with Lake. "That's the kind of thing we cannot see in our party. We cannot see an accommodation like that," Cheney said on Saturday. In response to Cheney's criticism, Youngkin's office referred ABC News to what he said he appeared at the Texas Tribune Festival. There, when asked about campaigning for Lake given her attacks on elections, he cited Virginia's issues grappling with the COVID-19 pandemic -- relating in particular to school closures and "economic progress" -- and said, "I was elected in 2021 and therefore was able to go to work in a state that had been blue and demonstrate what I believe are conservative commonsense solutions to problems and progress that we've made. I think I'm uniquely positioned to share this perspective." Cheney's own electoral future is unclear. After her primary loss, she launched a political group that some saw as a potential vehicle for a 2024 presidential bid of her own -- a prospect she has not ruled out. However, one thing she has ruled out is supporting Trump if he runs in two years, even going so far as to say she could leave a party that was once nearly synonymous with her last name. "I'm going to do everything I can to make sure he is not the nominee," she said. "And if he is the nominee, I won't be a Republican." ABC News' Will McDuffie contributed to this report. Cheney says she'll campaign against Lake and Mastriano because of their election denials originally appeared on abcnews.go.com Read also: Russian police detain hundreds of people at anti-mobilization protests According to his daughter, the lieutenant (reserve) was served a mobilization notice at work on Sept. 22, ordering him to report to the commissars office next morning. He reported in the morning, expecting the medical exam to exempt him, as he suffers from skin cancer, kidney stones, is blind in one eye, and is hard of hearing, the surgeons daughter told Novaya Gazeta. Read also: Russia disproportionally targets ethnic minorities with mobilization notices There was no medical exam. The hospital staff (at his workplace) did not object; everyone is following orders from above. He was then sent to military training grounds in Volgograd Oblast, where he was made a squad commander. Read also: Putin plans to mobilize a lot more than 300,000 troops, analyst says His daughter said his squad is scheduled to deploy to occupied Ukrainian territories in two weeks. (My) dad is in shock; he was told to replace his phone with an old model, with physical buttons, she added. Putin declared partial mobilization in Russia on Sept. 21, ostensibly planning to call-up 300,000 men to the Russian army. Several Russian media later reported that up to 1.2 million men are going to get mobilized, with ethnic minorities across Russia bearing the brunt of the call-up. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine The CIA on Saturday unveiled the model of Ayman al-Zawahiris safe house in Kabul used to plan the U.S. drone strike that killed the Al-Qaeda leader last month. The scale model of Zawahiris house was shown to reporters as part of a tour of a newly refurbished museum at the agency's headquarters. This was the model that was used to brief President Biden on the Zawahiri mission, said Janelle Neises, deputy director of the CIA museum. The model, about a foot long with precise detail, shows a miniature four-story white structure surrounded by a wall topped with concertina wire. Zawahiri was struck by a Hellfire missile as he stood on the balcony of the house, U.S. officials say. A balcony is clearly visible on the model. Biden gave the green light for the drone strike after he was assured that there was a low risk of civilian casualties given the weapon to be used and the structure of the house, U.S. officials say. In announcing the successful strike, Biden described al-Zawahiri as a mastermind of the 9/11 attacks and said he also played a key role in the bombings of U.S. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998. He carved a trail of murder and violence against American citizens, American service members, American diplomats and American interests, Biden said. The model was only recently declassified and is one of more than 600 artifacts in the newly revamped museum, which is not open to the public. Next to the model in the same display case is the rifle used by the first American to die in combat in the war in Afghanistan, CIA officer Mike Spann, as well as his vest. Spann, part of a CIA paramilitary team, was killed in a prison uprising by Taliban fighters in Qala-i-Jangi. The museum also includes exhibits and artifacts covering the Cold War and the post-9/11 era, including hidden cameras and dead drop objects meant to conceal messages passed to and from foreign sources. In one case, a crushed Russian milk carton was used to hide a message, and in another, a gutted dead rat. Story continues There are also items used in the successful rescue of six State Department staff from Iran in 1980, portrayed in the Ben Affleck film Argo. The exhibit features several props, including a never-before-seen briefcase, that were used as part of a fake Hollywood company, Studio Six, created as a cover to get a rescue team into Iran. Although the museum touts the agencys successes and intrepid officers, it looks at some of the agencys more disastrous episodes. There is a display on the 1961 Bay of Pigs fiasco, when President John F. Kennedy approved an invasion of Cuba by CIA-backed exiles that quickly collapsed. The display is titled What Went Wrong? There is also an exhibit on counter-intelligence that addresses the damage done by moles inside the intelligence agency, including Aldrich Ames, the CIA officer convicted of passing secrets to the Soviets for years. Another exhibit examines the CIAs flawed assessment of Iraqi dictator Saddam Husseins weapons programs and its reliance on a Iraqi defector code-named Curveball, who relayed information that turned out to be false. Officials said they want the museum to give employees an accurate picture of the agencys history and allow them to reflect on the CIAs mission. You can learn a lot from past successes and failures, said Neises. Our museum is operational, she said. We use it to educate our workforce and also our partners across the U.S. government. Although the museum is not open to the public, agency officials said elements will be periodically featured on the CIAs website. The agency also plans to post photos of the museums ceilings, which have messages written in various codes, and challenge outsiders to decipher the encrypted messages. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Vice President Francia Elena Marquez poses for a picture in August with 35 Colombian students in Bogota set to visit NASA's space center in Houston as part of the "She's an Astronaut" program. (Chepa Beltran / Long Visual Press/Universal Images Group via Getty Images) Shovel and wooden pan in hand, rubber boots hoisted up to his shins, Leider Ocoro Ambuila strolled past the zapote tree, past the stands of ripening bananas, past the cow pen, down to the banks of the Ovejas river. Leider Ocoro Ambuila, 41, pans for gold in the Ovejas river in La Toma, Colombia. He says he played as a child with Francia Elena Marquez, who also panned for gold there. (Liliana Nieto del Rio / For The Times) He was soon crouched at waterways edge shoveling silt into a concave pan, or batea, a ritual passed down for generations. He splashed water on the grit and tilted the pan to help separate mud and pebbles from the real stuff gold, minuscule flecks of which soon sparkled from the muck. Francia also worked hard to find gold, said Ocoro Ambuila, 41. I grew up with her. We played together. She is one of us. In these remote parts, where destiny is shaped by water and gold, the reference was clear: Francia Elena Marquez, the most eminent, and provocative, citizen of La Toma, a string of villages and farmsteads spread over verdant hills and valleys that is home to some 8,000 people, overwhelmingly of African ancestry. Most are descendants of slaves brought to South America centuries ago by the Spanish to work in mines and on plantations. The view from a hilltop in La Toma, Colombia, hometown of Vice President Francia Elena Marquez. (Liliana Nieto del Rio / For The Times) Marquez is a single mother and former live-in maid who escaped rural poverty and threats to become an outspoken social activist winner of the Goldman Prize, the so-called environmental Nobel, awarded for her battle against large-scale illegal gold mining. Today, Marquez, 40, sits improbably as Colombias vice president. She took office last month alongside President Gustavo Petro, 62, an ex-urban guerrilla and the first leftist chief executive of this nation of 50 million, long a key U.S. strategic ally. The meteoric rise and ballot-box draw of Marquez her charismatic appeal with minority, female and young voters helped boost Petro over the top in his third presidential bid is a singular development, even at a moment when the left is again on the upswing in Latin America. President Gustavo Petro greets Vice President Francia Elena Marquez as Senate President Roy Barreras, left, and Chamber of Representatives President David Racero look on during the Aug. 7 inauguration in Bogota. (Guillermo Legaria / Getty Images) Marquez, who had never before held elective office, is the first person of African heritage to attain such a high post in Colombia, a country where discussion of race has mostly been muted, if not taboo. That is often the case in Latin America, where racism has persisted, typically in a less institutional, albeit no less insidious, manner than in the United States. Story continues Her high-profile advocacy has placed Marquez at the vanguard of an awakening of identity and push for equality among the countrys long-marginalized Afro-Colombian masses, who officially tally less than 10% of Colombias population. Advocates call that a vast undercount, reflecting centuries of neglect. Colombian Vice President Francia Elena Marquez takes part in a ritual during a traditional ceremony in her home municipality of Suarez on Aug. 13, 2022. (Joaquin Sarmiento/ AFP/Getty Images) People of African descent are at the bottom of the pyramid in terms of inequality, said Helmer Quinones, an activist who wears a Black Lives Matter pin on his lapel. Francia Marquez is not the first great political leader in Colombia of African descent. But she also has a global profile, not just domestic. Marquezs big jewelry and multi-patterned outfits have emerged as a style point for admirers from backgrounds rural and urban, poor and wealthy. Her face stares from flamboyant wall murals, many proclaiming her campaign slogan: Vivir sabroso roughly, live life to the fullest. Afro-Colombians were major participants in nationwide protests last year against what was then a conservative government. The massive street mobilizations, and police violence against protesters, set the stage for a change agenda in this years national voting. Still, many didnt take Marquezs chances seriously last year when she announced her bid for the presidency. But, in a March primary of the leftist Historic Pact coalition, she garnered almost 800,000 votes. People in Suarez, Colombia, watch the inauguration of President Gustavo Petro and Vice President Francia Elena Marquez on Aug. 7, 2022. (Joaquin Sarmiento / AFP/Getty Images) Petro, a sitting senator and former mayor of Bogota, the capital, won the primary and named Marquez his running mate; in a June runoff, the pair narrowly beat a conservative businessman. Their platform vowed social and political reformation of a nation battered by decades of civil war, narco-violence and deepening inequality. Marquez calls herself a champion of the nobodies the countys Black and Indigenous minorities, the poor, working-class women and others at the fringes of a nation historically dominated by a white-mestizo male elite based in the cool Andean climes of Bogota. Most of Colombias Afro-descendant peoples hail from the torrid zones along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts. Beyond race, Marquez has unabashedly challenged sexism, classism, inequality and gender prejudice, among other incendiary topics. She has weathered threats against her life, racist taunts and denied allegations of links to armed guerrillas. Internationally, Marquez has developed a kind of rock-star following as a fearless crusader for environmental, racial and gender justice, climate change and other timely issues. I am part of the struggle against structural racism, she declared in her 2018 Goldman Prize speech in San Francisco. Among those women who raise their voices to stop the destruction of rivers, forests and wetlands. Among those who dream that, one day, all human beings are going to change the economic model of death to an economic model of life. Her critics label her a divisive figure who deploys multicultural rhetoric to mask a lack of government experience in her ambitious march to the Casa de Narino, the presidential palace. A man holds a cardboard cutout of Colombia's President Gustavo Petro and Vice President Francia Elena Marquez in Bogota on Aug. 7, 2022. (Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) Its very convenient for her and her followers to construct a defensive wall that characterizes as racist or classist any type of criticism, Luis Guillermo Velez, an opposition politician, wrote during the presidential campaign. Francia Marquezs personal story may be admirable.... But that doesnt exempt her from responding to questions about her political ideas. After less than two months in office, Marquezs exact role in the new administration remains largely undefined, a fact that has unsettled some of her supporters. Marquez has pushed for the creation of a Ministry of Equality, with her at the helm. But that has yet to happen as Petro faces various daunting challenges, notably pacifying a deeply polarized nation. The time has come to build peace, a peace that implies social justice, Marquez said after the election. Marquezs activist roots lie here in La Toma, one of a number of predominantly Afro-Colombian townships in Colombias southwestern Cauca department. The regions breathtaking beauty belies a harsh reality: It is a largely lawless, conflict-ridden zone where narco-traffickers harvest swaths of coca and marijuana, wildcat miners poison waterways and fell forests, and sundry armed groups guerrillas, killers for hire, paramilitaries, criminal bands hold sinister sway and grab land. Colombia perennially ranks among the worlds most perilous places for activists protecting land and water resources. Scores are killed each year. And Cauca is ground zero. For the people of La Toma and environs, gold mining has historically been a key source of income, supplementing subsistence farming. But gold, and gold fever, have inevitably spurred conflict. Residents of La Toma have long practiced both alluvial mining panning in the Ovejas for gold washed down from the hills and digging for ore in tunnels cut deep into dirt and rock. In an autobiographical article for Colombias El Espectador newspaper, Marquez recalled that Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays were always dedicated to family gold mining. When she finished primary school, Marquez wrote, her mother a midwife who had 11 children said there was no money for further studies. But an aunt invited the young Marquez to work in a mine, a job that provided cash to buy a school uniform, books and cover other educational costs. She was very studious, very extroverted and very involved with her process of education, said Azael Balanta, 54, who was Marquezs primary school teacher in her home village, Yolombo, one of five villages that make up La Toma, part of the municipality of Suarez. But I never thought that the Francia Elena who was my student would so quickly become vice president of the Republic of Colombia. La Toma, Marquez wrote in El Espectador, has a history of land battles. Her grandfather and other elders were thrown into jail in a dispute with a landlord. Relatives gathered gold to pay a lawyer to help free them. The struggle in my territory, in my community ... has passed from generation to generation, Marquez wrote. In her youth, she wrote, outsiders would casually fling racist insults You are descendants of slaves. Or: You come from Africa, a miserable place. Early on, Marquez also heard about environmental injustice. The 1980s construction of the Salvajina Dam, on the Cauca River, near La Toma, was widely condemned. The project flooded the lands of thousands of Afro-Colombian and other farmers and devastated traditional fishing, mining and agricultural activities, residents say. As a teenager, Marquez joined her La Toma neighbors in protesting a multinational companys plan to divert the Ovejas river La Tomas essential water source to boost power for the Salvajina Dam. The rising price of gold eventually drew the interest of multinational companies and others keen to cash in on the areas treasures. Marquez became a plaintiff in a 2010 lawsuit alleging that Colombian authorities had awarded mining rights in La Toma without soliciting community input, as required by law. Colombias highest court agreed and suspended the concessions, a major victory and a signal to Marquez that the legal system could be an ally. People work at a street market in Suarez, Colombia. (Joaquin Sarmiento / AFP/Getty Images) Still, the situation in La Toma and surrounding areas was becoming more fraught. In April 2010, gunmen killed eight miners along the Ovejas. Residents blamed right-wing paramilitary forces in the employ of mining interests. Authorities pointed to leftist guerrillas who impose extortion fees on anyone mining on their turf. Soon, a rash of bulldozers and backhoes moved into La Toma, tearing up the riverbank and hillsides in search of gold. Gunmen threatened anyone who stood in the miners way, residents said. The influx worsened deforestation and increased dumping into the Ovejas of mercury and cyanide, two highly toxic chemicals widely used to separate gold from rock. The mass intrusion into La Toma provided the impetus for Marquezs signature act: In November 2014, she burst onto the national stage leading a march of 80 Black women known as the March of the Turbans, after their African-inspired head attire from La Toma to Bogota, more than 300 miles away, protesting the presence of the illegal miners. The demonstrators remained outside the Interior Ministry for three weeks, demanding a solution. Finally, the government relented and agreed to evict the illegal miners. By then, Marquez was a single mother of two, and had received threats. Joining the ranks of millions of Colombians displaced by violence, she had left vulnerable La Toma for the city of Cali, home to a large Afro-Colombian population, and began studying law. In 2015, Marquez received a national human rights award. Three years later, she won the Goldman Prize, which thrust her into international prominence. She overcame sexism, racism and corruption to lead La Tomas struggle, the Goldman citation said. Not long afterward, while working at cleaning houses, Marquez told a newspaper editor: Im going to be president one day. In La Toma, reached on a bumpy two-hour drive from the nearest major city, Marquez is a figure of adulation. She has also raised some modest expectations that running water will finally be widely available, that more roads will be paved, that educational opportunities will improve, that the pervasive sense of insecurity will diminish. A mural portrays Colombian Vice President Francia Elena Marquez in Suarez. (Joaquin Sarmiento / AFP/Getty Images) We want to be able to keep on studying to become better people, just like Francia did, said Doris Adriana Ocoro, 22, a nursing student who was panning for gold on a recent morning with her husband, as her daughter, 3, watched. We have learned a lot from Francia, and from our ancestors. Over at the Santa Rosa de Lima school, students said Marquezs ascension had also inspired them. At an outdoor musical performance, Jinller Leany, 12, and Andrea Torres, 15, sang a song about dignity and pride: I was born Black and my companion is the sun To the rhythm of the marimba and first the drum My name is African mixed with Spanish ... I am proud of my race and I give thanks to God Proud of my race and I give thanks to God Black I was born, and Black I am. Special correspondents Liliana Nieto del Rio in La Toma and Cecilia Sanchez in Mexico City contributed to this report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. The Columbia Police Department is mourning the death of one of its officers. Master Police Officer Tyrell Owens-Riley died Saturday, police said in a news release. It was with a heavy heart that Columbia Police Chief (Skip) Holbrook shares the passing of a dedicated police officer, the release said. The Columbia Police Department said Master Police Officer Tyrell Owens Riley died. Columbia Police Department Owens-Riley suffered a medical emergency while participating in a Columbia police SWAT assessment, according to the release. During the physical fitness training portion of the assessment, Owens-Riley got sick and was taken to a hospital in downtown Columbia where he suffered cardiac arrest and could not be revived, police said. The Columbia native was a member of the Columbia Police Department for more than 7 years and was most recently assigned as a patrol officer in Metro Region, according to the release. Prior to joining the Columbia police, Owens-Riley served with distinction with the United States Marine Corps, police said. The Columbia Police Department memorialized Master Police Officer Tyrell Owens Riley after he died. Columbia Police Department Flags at Columbia Police Headquarters were lowered to half staff Saturday in memory of Owens-Riley, and his patrol car was draped in black along with mourning flower bouquets. No funeral arrangements have been publicly released. Our prayers and support are with the family of Master Police Officer Tyrell Owens-Riley and the Columbia Police Department, the Lexington Police Department said on Twitter. There wouldn't be many who think Philip Morris International Inc.'s (NYSE:PM) price-to-earnings (or "P/E") ratio of 15.7x is worth a mention when the median P/E in the United States is similar at about 14x. However, investors might be overlooking a clear opportunity or potential setback if there is no rational basis for the P/E. Philip Morris International could be doing better as it's been growing earnings less than most other companies lately. One possibility is that the P/E is moderate because investors think this lacklustre earnings performance will turn around. If not, then existing shareholders may be a little nervous about the viability of the share price. Check out our latest analysis for Philip Morris International pe Keen to find out how analysts think Philip Morris International's future stacks up against the industry? In that case, our free report is a great place to start. Is There Some Growth For Philip Morris International? In order to justify its P/E ratio, Philip Morris International would need to produce growth that's similar to the market. Retrospectively, the last year delivered a decent 2.6% gain to the company's bottom line. The latest three year period has also seen a 16% overall rise in EPS, aided somewhat by its short-term performance. Therefore, it's fair to say the earnings growth recently has been respectable for the company. Turning to the outlook, the next three years should generate growth of 3.5% per annum as estimated by the analysts watching the company. That's shaping up to be materially lower than the 9.6% each year growth forecast for the broader market. With this information, we find it interesting that Philip Morris International is trading at a fairly similar P/E to the market. It seems most investors are ignoring the fairly limited growth expectations and are willing to pay up for exposure to the stock. These shareholders may be setting themselves up for future disappointment if the P/E falls to levels more in line with the growth outlook. Story continues The Final Word Typically, we'd caution against reading too much into price-to-earnings ratios when settling on investment decisions, though it can reveal plenty about what other market participants think about the company. Our examination of Philip Morris International's analyst forecasts revealed that its inferior earnings outlook isn't impacting its P/E as much as we would have predicted. When we see a weak earnings outlook with slower than market growth, we suspect the share price is at risk of declining, sending the moderate P/E lower. This places shareholders' investments at risk and potential investors in danger of paying an unnecessary premium. Having said that, be aware Philip Morris International is showing 1 warning sign in our investment analysis, you should know about. You might be able to find a better investment than Philip Morris International. If you want a selection of possible candidates, check out this free list of interesting companies that trade on a P/E below 20x (but have proven they can grow earnings). Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here In this photo provided by Wreckhouse Press a home fights against high winds caused by post Tropical Storm Fiona in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland and Labrador, Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. The home has since been lost at sea. (Rene Roy/AP Photo) TORONTO Hundreds of thousands of people in Atlantic Canada remained without power Sunday and officials tried to assess the scope of devastation of from former Hurricane Fiona, which swept away houses, stripped off roofs and knocked out power across the countrys Atlantic provinces. After surging north from the Caribbean, Fiona came ashore before dawn Saturday as a post-tropical cyclone, battering Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec with hurricane-strength winds, heavy rains and huge waves. Advertisement Defense Minister Anita Anand said Canadian troops would help remove fallen trees throughout Eastern Canada, restore transportation links and do whatever else is required for as long as it takes. She didnt specify how many troops would be deployed. Fiona was blamed for at least five deaths in the Caribbean, and while there were no confirmed fatalities in Canada, authorities on Sunday were searching for a woman missing in the hardest hit town of Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland. Advertisement Shes likely washed out to sea but we havent been able to confirm that, said Cpl. Jolene Garland, a spokeswoman for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. As of Sunday morning, more than 256,000 Nova Scotia Power customers and over 82,000 Maritime Electric customers in the province of Prince Edward Island about 95% of the total remained in the dark. So were more than 20,600 homes and businesses in New Brunswick. More than 415,000 Nova Scotia Power customers about 80% in the province of almost 1 million people had been affected by outages Saturday. Utility companies say it could be days before the lights are back on for everyone. Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor Amanda McDougall said Sunday over 200 people had been displaced and were in temporary shelters. Over 70 roads are completely inaccessible in her region, which declared a state of emergency. She said she couldnt count the number of homes damaged in her own neighborhood. She said it was critical for the military to arrive and help clear debris, noting that the road to the airport is inaccessible and the tower has significant damage. McDougall said it is amazing there are no injuries. People listened to the warnings and did what they were supposed to do and this was the result, she said Advertisement Prince Edward Island Premier Dennis King said few communities were spared damage, with the devastation seemingly beyond anything before seen in the province. Entire structures were washed into the sea as raging surf pounded Port Aux Basques, Newfoundland. Thankfully the weather is a lot better on the outside this morning which will give us opportunities to have a look and assess the damage, Mayor Brian Button said on social media. This is not a one-day situation where we can all go back to normal. Unfortunately, this is going to take days, it could take weeks, it could take months in some cases. Much of the town of 4,000 had been evacuated and Button said officials on Sunday will identify areas where people can safely go back to their homes. He asked for patience, noting some residents are showing up at barricades angry and wanting to go to home. Government officials across Eastern Canada were assessing the full scope of damage caused by the storm now that the fierce winds have subsided in most places. Fiona had moved inland over southeastern Quebec. Advertisement The disaster caused Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to cancel his trip to Japan for the funeral for assassinated former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. We are seeing devastating images coming out of Port aux Basques. PEI (Prince Edward Island) has experienced storm damage like theyve never seen. Cape Breton is being hit hard, too, Trudeau said. There are people who see their houses destroyed, people who are very worried. We will be there for you, Trudeau added. Mike Savage, mayor of Halifax, said the roof of an apartment building collapsed in Nova Scotias biggest city and officials had moved 100 people to an evacuation center. He said no one was seriously hurt. The Canadian Hurricane Centre tweeted that Fiona had the lowest pressure a key sign of storm strength ever recorded for a storm making landfall in Canada. Were getting more severe storms more frequently, Trudeau said. Advertisement He said more resilient infrastructure is needed to withstand extreme weather events, saying that what was once a 1-in-100 year storm might now arrive every few years because of climate change. Peter MacKay, a former foreign and defense minister who lives in Nova Scotia, said he had never seen anything to match Fiona, with winds raging through the night and into the afternoon. We had put everything we could out of harms way, but the house got hammered pretty hard. Lost lots of shingles, heavy water damage in ceilings, walls, our deck is destroyed. A garage that I was building blew away, MacKay said in an email to The Associated Press. Our top crime stories for the week of Sept. 19: Mother accused of hitting her 9-year-old daughter at Litchfield Park restaurant; Phoenix firefighter arrested, accused of assaulting Scottsdale officers; Arizona man arrested after police find 'one of the most significant' child sex abuse image collections ever; Woman shoots, kills man who tried to break into her north Phoenix home; Man, woman found dead outside west Phoenix home. WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Representative Adam Schiff, a Democratic member of the special panel investigating the Jan. 6, 2021, attack on the Capitol, on Sunday said he likely would support approving criminal referrals against those involved in the violence, but that it would take a unanimous decision by its nine members. The committee has focused much of its year-long investigation on the actions of then-President Donald Trump and his associates in the aftermath of the November 2020 presidential election culminating with the deadly Jan. 6 storming of the Capitol. Trump has falsely claimed without evidence that widespread voter fraud tainted the election result and that he should have been declared winner. "It is, I think, apparent that there is evidence that Donald Trump was involved in breaking several of those laws" in relation to the Jan. 6 attack, Schiff told CNN's "State of the Union." He did not provide further details, but criticized the Justice Department for being "slow" in its independent investigation of the attack. Representative Liz Cheney, an outspoken critic of Trump and one of two Republican members of the committee, this summer also raised the possibility of the Justice Department charging Trump with criminal behavior, even before the panel wraps up its work. The committee is due to meet on Wednesday, which Chairman Bennie Thompson has said likely would be the final investigative hearing following a series of eight such sessions this summer. Democratic Representative Pete Aguilar told CBS-TV's "Face the Nation" that Wednesday's hearing will expose new details about the investigation. He did not elaborate. Asked about the possibility of former Vice President Mike Pence being subpoenaed to testify, Aguilar said: "I think it's important that we hear from the vice president, but the committee's work continues. We haven't made a determination on where we go with the vice president, specifically." Story continues Pence was presiding over Congress' formal certification of Joe Biden's victory in the 2020 election when Trump supporters stormed through barricades, fighting with police and smashing their way into the Capitol. Trump repeatedly urged Pence to refuse to certify Biden's win. Pence declined, saying he had no such power. Democratic Representative Jamie Raskin, also a panel member, told NBC-TV's "Meet the Press" that there could be an additional hearing to publicize legislative recommendations stemming from its probe. "I'm hopeful ... that we will have a hearing that lays out all of our legislative recommendations about how to prevent, coups, insurrections, political violence and electoral sabotage in the future because that is a clear and present danger that is continuing up right to this day," Raskin said. Raskin said he did not know whether that report would be finished before the Nov. 8 congressional elections that will determine whether Democrats continue to control the U.S. House and Senate. "Our plan is to complete our report before the end of this Congress" in December, he said. (Reporting by Richard Cowan and Daniel Burns; Editing by Daniel Wallis) Milos Zeman I think we should give visas to these people just like to Ukrainian refugees, Zeman said. A person fleeing from Russia does not pose a security threat. Read also: Russians google how to leave Russia, get deferred from conscription ahead of Putins address If there are any political changes in Russia, the military will not be the initiators, added Zeman, who has expressed pro-Kremlin views in the past. The military has shown such enormous incompetence that they will not initiate any changes, business opportunities are limited by sanctions, not to mention the seizure of yachts, the Czech president said. Read also: Russia disproportionally targets ethnic minorities with mobilization notices If there are political changes, I will consider it as pressure from economic circles. Prime Minister of the Czech Republic Petr Fiala on Sept. 21 said a partial mobilization in Russia declared by Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is another proof that Russia is the only aggressor. Czech Foreign Minister Jan Lipavsky said on Sept. 22 that the Czech Republic opposes issuing humanitarian visas to Russians fleeing mobilization. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine OXFORD, Miss. (AP) Although consistency for four quarters continues to be a top priority for No. 16 Mississippi, the Rebels relied on a 28-point outburst in the second quarter to cruise to a win against Tulsa on Saturday. Jaxson Dart and Quinshon Judkins accounted for four touchdowns in the big quarter as Mississippi rallied from an early deficit to beat Tulsa 35-27. We harp on consistency and we really executed at a high level in the second quarter, said quarterback Jaxson Dart, a Southern California transfer, efficiently directing consecutive touchdown drives of 75, 64, 93 and 46 yards to build a 35-14 cushion. Ole Miss (4-0) trailed for the first time this season, 14-7 before the Dart threw 31-yard touchdown passes to Malik Heath and Jonathan Mingo, and Judkins had scoring runs of 1 and 4 yards. The lack of consistency was not lost on Mississippi coach Lane Kiffin, who preferred to focus on the positive outcome, despite a scoreless second half and a late Tulsa charge. The bottom line is we are 4-0 and thats the best you can be, Kiffin said. Its a lot better than being 2-2 which is what a lot of people around the country are right now. Dart finished 13 of 24 passing with 154 yards, adding 116 yards rushing on 13 carries. The Rebels had 462 yards of total offense, including 308 yards on 51 carries highlighted by 140 yards rushing on 27 carries by Judkins. Were a talented team but weve got to make the next step in consistency because in the second half, we shot ourselves in the foot, Dart said. Tulsa (2-2) was led by Davis Brin, throwing for a 20-yard touchdown pass to Isaiah Epps and adding a 1-yard touchdown run. Brin was 7 of 13 passing for 112 yards before exiting with an injury in the second quarter. However, he remained on the sideline in uniform in the second half. We had adversity and fought through it, Tulsa coach Philip Montgomery said. We gave ourselves a chance to win it late. Braylon Braxton replaced Brin to finish 9 of 22 passing for 83 yards, including a 17-yard touchdown pass to Epps to pull Tulsa to 35-27 in the fourth quarter. The Golden Hurricane, despite 457 yards of total offense, did not cross midfield on their final three possessions. Story continues The defense stopped them on the last few drives and that was big, Kiffin said. But we got shut out in the second half on offense and its clear weve got a lot of work to do. THE TAKEAWAY Mississippi: All September goals have been accomplished. The No. 16 Rebels are 4-0, seamlessly meshed 30-plus new players, a different lineup of assistant coaches and coordinators along with establishing a starting quarterback. The competition ratchets up significantly, but Ole Miss is in the best possible position heading into the start of SEC play. Tulsa: Before Brin was sidelined with a lower body injury, he raced 87 and 75 yards in the opening 12 minutes to take a 14-7 lead. The defense has given up 127 points in four games, but the offense has enough firepower, 5 of 5 in the red zone, to make a serious challenge for the American Conference title. I thought we played a full 60-minute game, Montgomery said. Im really proud of our players and our running game was better, but weve still got room to grow. RUSHING NUMBERS POP Ole Miss had a 100-yard rusher for the fourth consecutive game to open the season for the first time in this century. Zach Evans, Judkins and Dart have taken turns breaking the barrier in the four-game start. The Rebels lead the SEC in rushing yardage with 1,123 yards. Judkins, a true freshman, is the team leader with 429 yards while Evans has 365. It solves a lot of problems when you can do that, Dart said. Weve got talented running backs and it probably doesnt need to be me (running the ball). I need to be a little smarter about not taking those hits. POLL IMPLICATIONS The win allows the No. 16 Rebels to at least maintain the pace in the AP Top 25 poll. Ole Miss is sixth of the eight SEC ranked teams, making a major jump unlikely. UP NEXT Tulsa: The Golden Hurricane host defending AAC champion Cincinnati in the conference opener for both teams. Mississippi: The No. 16 Rebels host No. 8 Kentucky in a high-stakes SEC match of ranked teams. A Miami man was charged with murder Sunday following a road-rage incident that took place Saturday night. Police charged accused shooter Ricardo Allen Gibbs, 35, of Miami, with first-degree murder. He was being held Sunday in the Volusia County Branch Jail without bail. The victim, motorcyclist Tomas Lee Bouknight, 25, was taken to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach Saturday night with a bullet wound to his upper body and died Sunday morning, said police Sgt. Tim Ehrenkaufer. Bouknight's father told police his son had gone out on his motorcycle to get food, and that he called him saying he had been shot, police said. More: Woman's vehicle shot 7 times in road rage incident near Deltona More: Woman found dead in Ormond car crash was being sought in double Lake County homicide More: A group of strangers band together to help a Volusia County teen who could face life in prison Daytona Beach police said the shooting occurred around 7:30 p.m. Saturday in the 900 block of Vine Street. After the shooting, Gibbs stopped at Third Street and Dal Maso Drive and called 9-1-1 dispatchers to report it, police said. A witness, who was driving south in the 900 block of Vine Street, said Gibbs and Bouknight were standing in the road arguing. Gibbs then started shooting at Bouknight, prompting him to pull out his firearm shoot back at Gibbs, the witness account in reports state. Gibbs drove forward a few feet, stopped, exited his vehicle and shot at the victim over the hood of his vehicle, the witness said, according to the report. The witness said Bouknight fell to the ground and Gibbs drove off, the report noted. Gibbs claimed Bouknight cut him off at a four-way stop with a flashing red light at Brentwood Drive and Vine Street. He said Bouknight flipped him off as he drove away. Gibbs said he then turned left to go north on Vine Street and saw the motorcyclist waiting for him in the roadway. Gibbs told police Bouknight lifted up his shirt to show him a firearm in his waistband, so he ducked in his vehicle and reached for his own firearm. Gibbs said he heard gunfire, so he shot at Bouknight through the driver's window, according to a charging affidavit. Story continues Daytona Beach police reviewed video footage from the nearby Yvonne Scarlett Golden Cultural and Education Center at 1000 Vine Street which showed Gibbs speeding past Bouknight's motorcycle while northbound on Vine Street. Gibbs then stopped in the roadway and a few seconds later Bouknight fell from his motorcycle, the footage showed. "Although the footage is from a distance, it does not appear as though the victim produces a firearm and no muzzle flash can be observed," investigators wrote in their report. This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Daytona man man dies in road rage gun battle diptych of Charlie Crist and Ron DeSantis Credit - Crist: Thomas WheelockBloomberg/Getty Images; DeSantis: Jeff SwensenGetty Images The man who thinks he can stop Ron DeSantis slides into a booth at a dimly lit bar in Tallahassee, around the corner from the Florida Capitol. The stuff he keeps doing to remind Floridians how bad he is, itsI cant believe it, former Rep. Charlie Crist says, doing his best to sound genuinely astonished. The day before, DeSantis, Floridas swaggering right-wing governor, had drawn national headlines by shipping about 50 Venezuelan asylum seekers from Texas to Marthas Vineyard without warning. I mean, whats that got to do with Florida? Crist says. I think hes overreached. DeSantis, as you may have forgotten, is running for reelection this year, and Crist is the Democratic nominee opposing him. Crist isnt upset about DeSantiss alleged overreach. Hes delighted. Im not a psychologist, he says, dumping a creamer into his cup of coffee. But I think hes so laser focused on 2024 and the Republican nominationI think hes intoxicated by it, and I think that is messing up his judgment. And, you know, Im not complaining about it. I think its helping us. I think were going to win. The political world is not so convinced. While DeSantis dominates the news, his reelection this year has been all but taken for granted, and Crist, a former Republican governor and two-time statewide loser, has been all but ignored. To most political observers in both parties, the race is barely a speedbump as DeSantis steamrolls to national prominence. Amid the daily drumbeat of speculation about DeSantis vs. former President Donald Trump, his constituent and frenemy, DeSantis vs. Crist merits barely a mention. Yet DeSantis, 44, is hardly battle-tested. Four years ago, he was a little-known Republican congressman who got elected governor in a historic squeaker, defeating the since-indicted Democrat Andrew Gillum after a recount by less than half a pointjust 30,000 votes out of more than 8 million cast. Since then, DeSantis has made a splash on the national stage thanks to his handling of COVID-19 and talent for culture-war provocations, from taking on Disney and critical race theory to the recent migrant gambit. Hes increasingly seen as a frontrunner for the GOP presidential nomination, whether or not Trump enters the race. And Democrats seem powerless to stop him. Story continues Its a befuddling situation in what used to be Americas paradigmatic swing state: rather than mount a massive effort to take out or at least bruise DeSantis, Democrats are effectively allowing the Republican they fear most to coast to reelection. Crist, 66, is a party-switching, baggage-laden retread more disliked by Floridians than DeSantis. He was forced out of his congressional seat by DeSantis-engineered redistricting and wound up with the nomination after other potential candidates passed on the race, intimidated by DeSantiss war chest and iron grip on the states political landscape. Crists fundraising is paltrybarely a tenth of DeSantiss staggering $180 million. Polls show him lagging by an average of 6 points, according to FiveThirtyEight. And while national Democrats privately lament the situation, they have no plans to invest heavily in the campaign. Florida was once the ultimate swing state, and if you look at the stuff DeSantis does, you would think there would be a major backlash, says Jessica Taylor of the nonpartisan Cook Political Report, which has rated the race Likely R. But hes only gotten stronger, and now we see him emboldened to do other controversial things. Many Democrats wish this was the year they could take him out, but it doesnt seem to be shaping up that way. Crist, of course, rejects this perception. Asked for evidence, he cites mainly vibes. Theres an energy here, and its palpable, he says, particularly since the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, triggering a national womens mobilization. If DeSantis wins reelection, he warns, it would be a disaster for the United States of America, because he immediately starts running for President on November 9. After our interview, Crist and I walk out of the bar, a storefront in a two-story strip mall. Theres a big banner hanging from the upper balcony. It says: Reelect Governor Ron DeSantis. Earlier that day, Crist arrives at Floridas historic capitol, a glass-domed building whose red-and-white striped awnings and surrounding palm trees give it a banana-republic feel. A motley group of three dozen supporters have gathered on the stone steps, holding purple abortion-rights placards that say The Choice Is Choice. (Oddly, the placard on the lectern has it the other way around: Choice Is the Choice.) By the numbers, Florida is the most pro-choice red state in the country, and Crist hopes to make abortion the campaigns central issue. Taking the lectern in a gray plaid suit and yellow-striped tie, a little black fan whirring at his feet to keep him cool, Crist accuses DeSantis of using the migrant issue to change the subject from abortion. The governor signed a 15-week abortion ban with no exceptions in April, but has conspicuously avoided the issue since praising the Supreme Courts decision in June. This governor is an extremist, no question about it, Crist says. If Ron DeSantis wins, and he will not, he will ban abortion completely. Crist was once the bright new hope of his partythe Republican Party. As a GOP state legislator, attorney general and governor starting in the 1990s, he long described himself as pro-life. But in practice, he repeatedly opposed abortion restrictions, angering the right. Elected governor as a Republican in 2006, he promised conservatives he would sign an abortion ban, then publicly disavowed it. Crists critics say its part of a career-long pattern of trying to have things both ways. In our interview, I ask if he now supports any limits on abortion. He dodges the question. I support Roe v. WadeI think thats appropriate, he says. I think the real question, though, is why doesnt Ron DeSantis trust women to make their own decisions? Its not about what restrictions or where are you on the scale. Crists breaking point with the GOP wasnt over abortion. In 2009, he accepted Floridas allotment of stimulus funds from the Obama administrationthe only Republican governor to do soand hugged the Democratic president when he came to Ft. Myers to tout the investment. When Crist tried to go from the governors mansion to the U.S. Senate the following year, the Obama hug became Exhibit A for his Republican primary opponent, a little-known conservative state legislator named Marco Rubio, who called Crist a squish and rode that years Tea Party wave. Crist dropped out and ran as an independent instead, but lost by 20 points. Read More: How Democrats are Responding to DeSantis Migrant Stunt. Today, he has recast his ejection from the GOP as a sort of martyrdom for his loyalty to Obama and refusal to pander to the racist right. He argues that he spotted where Republicans were headed long before Trump. I dont want to ever paint with too broad a brush here, there are fine Republicans in Florida and in America, he tells me. But I saw an element that wasnt just upset with me because I was with the Democratic president. I was with the first Black President. And that really disturbed me, and I just couldnt stay there anymore. Crist spoke at the 2012 Democratic convention, then ran for governor as a Democrat in 2014 and narrowly lost to now-Sen. Rick Scott. In 2016, he won a Democratic-leaning congressional seat in his hometown of St. Petersburg. He served three terms in Congress, compiling an unremarkable record as a reliable Democratic vote. But this year, congressional redistricting turned Crists district deep red, and GOP nominee Anna Paulina Luna, a Trump-endorsed election denier, is heavily favored to win it. The aggressive redistricting plan was the work of DeSantis, who pushed to give the GOP an even bigger advantage than the Republican legislature had dared and defied court challenges to keep it in place. The resulting map eliminates four Democratic-leaning seats to give the GOP as many as 20 seats in Congress to just 8 for Democrats, despite the states narrow partisan divide. Its among the ways Democrats have been strong-armed out of power in Florida in recent years, leading many to argue that the state Trump now calls home has become more red than purple. Last year, the number of registered Republicans in Florida surpassed the number of Democrats for the first time in history, an edge that is now 270,000 strong. Things looked different just four years ago. Democrats came close to winning both top-of-the-ticket races in 2018: in addition to the narrow loss for Gillum, Republican Rick Scott defeated then-Senator Bill Nelson by just one-tenth of a percentage point, the closest Senate race in state history. Demoralized Florida Democrats commissioned a soul-searching report that faulted the partys voter registration, messaging, candidate recruitment, outreach and turnout efforts, and stressed the need to rebuild from the ground up. 2020 will be one of the most consequential years in history, and we must act now, the report stated. The path to a Democratic White House will go through Florida, and we will waste no time charting that path. That hopeful prediction would not come to pass. Biden and the Democrats spent tens of millions on Florida in 2020, but Trump won the state by 3 pointsthe biggest presidential win there for any candidate in more than two decades. To some Democrats, it was proof the state was a lost cause. The increasing diversity they long hoped would work in their favor has been offset by an influx of white retirees and a slippage among working-class voters of color, particularly Black and Latino men. Is Florida really a swing state? I think Democrats are pretty clear-eyed about the demographic trends working against us, says Joel Payne, a Democratic strategist. It does feel like DeSantis has consolidated Republican power in the state. I dont think its gone forever, but I think its solidly red for now. DeSantiss strength and Crists early entry into this years gubernatorial primary drove other potential candidates out of the race. Democrats privately mutter that some of them might have posed a greater threat to DeSantis. Rep. Val Demings, a former Orlando police chief briefly touted as a potential Biden running mate, was poised to run for governor, but decided to run for Senate against Rubio instead. (Polls show that race closer than the gubernatorial contest, though Rubio, too, is favored to win.) That in turn pushed out Rep. Stephanie Murphy, who had been eyeing a Senate run; she declined to run for reelection, depriving the partys already-thin bench of a moderate seen as a rising star. Another candidate in the gubernatorial primary, state Sen. Annette Taddeo, eventually dropped out to run for Congress, leaving state agriculture commissioner Nikki Fried, 44, as Crists only opponent. Fried argued that, as a fresh face and a woman, shed be the stronger candidate against DeSantis. But she was no match for Crists name ID, and he easily defeated her in the Aug. 23 primary. Hopeful Democrats tout Crist as a Joe Biden-like candidate: a broadly acceptable moderate who can turn the race into a referendum on his polarizing opponent without drawing too much attention to himself. Unlike some Democrats this cycle, Crist doesnt shy away from the unpopular president. I think hes the man for the moment, Crist tells me, pointing to Bidens foreign policy and legislative achievements. I think people are really beginning to appreciate more and more how blessed we are to have him as our President right now. Crist plans to appear with Biden when he visits Orlando this week, and is hoping to campaign with Obama as well, though the former president has yet to commit. Crists own campaign admits its an uphill battle, particularly without an influx of cash from the national party. The Republican spin machine has been working overtime since 2016 to market Florida as some kind of Republican stronghold as a way of deterring Democratic investment in a swing state, says Joshua Karp, Crists senior adviser. There are multiple statewide races with Florida Democrats in striking distance if we have allies who join us in the fight. DeSantiss critics fret that the failure to put up more of a fight against him enables Republicans to spend money elsewhere and allows DeSantis to save his own campaign cash for a future race. DeSantiss apparent strength, they say, is partly due to Democrats weakness. If there was a functional Democratic Party in the state of Florida that could get out of its own way, they could do it, says Rick Wilson, the anti-Trump Lincoln Project cofounder who was formerly a longtime GOP consultant in Tallahassee. Theres a pool of votes out there sufficient for a Democratic majority at the statewide level. But these guys couldnt organize a two-car motorcade. Shortly after my talk with Crist, DeSantis strides into an airplane hangar in Daytona Beach, four hours to the south, drawing loud cheers from the business-attired crowd seated on folding chairs. Hes there to announce $30 million in new state funding for aeronautics and tech workforce training. But the press conference naturally centers on DeSantiss surprise migrant scheme. Republican governors in Texas and Arizonastates that are actually on the border, which has seen an unprecedented surge this yearhad previously staged similar provocations; Texas Gov. Greg Abbott even sent a busload to Vice President Kamala Harriss residence. But it was DeSantis who managed to hijack the news cycle. Read More: Inside Migrants Journeys On Greg Abbotts Free Buses to Washington. Questioned about the ploy, DeSantis seizes on reports that Biden has convened an emergency meeting of his Cabinet to deal with the issue: He didnt scramble when we had millions of people pouring across the southern border, the governor taunts. Its only when you have 50 illegal aliens in a wealthy, rich enclave that he scrambles. As for what business Florida has taking people from Texas and sending them to New England, DeSantis claims they had been profiled as the types of would-be immigrants who are likely to eventually get to Florida. Its as if hes already running against Bidenand any other Democrat who might get in his way. Gavin Newsom, the governor of California, has just challenged him to a debate, and DeSantis gets off a final zinger about Newsom before ending the event: I think his hair gel is interfering with his brain function. The press rarely gets to ask questions of DeSantis, who has made the mainstream media one of his many punching bags. In August, he released a swashbuckling minute-long campaign video modeled on Top Gun (Top Gov) that showed DeSantis, a Navy veteran, strutting around in a flight suit and aviator sunglasses interspersed with clips of him berating reporters at press conferences. He prefers to speak to his partys base, appearing on Fox News and Newsmax and doling out administration announcements to Breitbart and the like. This is not the typical posture of a politician trying to win over the electorate of a purple state. But DeSantis, whose campaign naturally did not respond to my emails, is clearly feeling confidentand looking beyond November. For his first couple years in office, he rebuffed offers to speak at candidate or interest-group events in other states, insisting he was focused on Florida. But since last year, hes been crisscrossing the country stumping for GOP candidates, a sign of both his star power in the party and his lack of concern for the perception that, as Crist puts it, he cares more about the White House than any Floridians house. The typical purple-state political strategy would be to tack to the center, but DeSantis has not done that either. The fact that he has gone hard-right and remained broadly popularone recent poll put his approval rating at 51%, vs. 43% for Cristis a major component of his appeal to Republicans. Just as Bernie Sanders liberal acolytes contend that his socialist vision would galvanize the electorate more powerfully than the centrists the Democrats tend to nominate, DeSantiss many fans in the GOP see him as proof that right-wing policies, far from provoking a backlash, actually appeal to voters. He would, they hope, do to America what hes done to Florida: turn the political current to his will rather than bending in the wind. The bigger the margin hes able to rack up as he sails to reelection, the greater the currency this argument would have in a GOP presidential primary. Many conservatives see him as a smarter version of Trump, with the shrewdness and focus to implement a vision Trump only flailed at haphazardly. Plenty of liberals agree. To them, this makes DeSantis a more dangerous version of Trump. But when I ask Crist if he believes this to be the case, he doesnt seem to have followed the debate. He may well be, I dont know, he says. I think hes very calculating. You know, for a guy who went to Harvard and Yale to be this ogre-like, its hard to explain, except that hes politically ambitious. Crist is a famously touchy-feely, feel-your-pain kind of pol, the kind of campaigner who remembers everyone hes ever met, cites the Golden Rule as his lodestar, and will stay on the selfie line till hes kicked out of the building. Its no surprise hes not interested in abstract debates about authoritarianism. Hes a feeler, not a thinker. Its not as if Florida doesnt have problems: the economy is roaring, but housing prices and insurance rates have skyrocketed, creating an affordability crisis. And its not as if DeSantis doesnt have liabilities: as his 2024 stock rises, GOP insiders have grumbled about his brusque manner and tight inner circle. Several of his campaign ads feature constituents praising his policies while he is barely seen, suggesting his own team may grasp that, as with Trump, many of his supporters like what hes done better than they like him personally. DeSantis and Crist briefly served in the same state delegation in the House, but they only interacted once that Crist can recall. My first term in Congress was his last, and I remember the encounter we had, Crist tells me. The two congressmen were in the Capitol and had just emerged from neighboring elevators on the way to the House floor for a vote. Im a friendly guy, and I said, Hey, Ron, how are you? And he goes, Fine, Crist recalls, face drooping in imitation of DeSantiss flat affect. That was it. I mean, weird! And so I said to myself, well, youre a good guy, Charlie, press on. And I told him, I heard the rumors that youre thinking about running for governor next year, and as one whos been one, if it works out for you, youll find out that its the greatest job you can ever have. And he goes, Thanks, and turns around and walks away. Crist passes his hand up and down in front of his perma-tanned face, the universal gesture for stone-faced. To him, there is nothing stranger than an introvert, nothing stranger than a disagreeable person. That was it. And I thought, where is the soul in that person? Its just odd to me that anyone would be that cold. Unsettling, a little bit. And I guess now I know why, seeing what hes done for four years. Then Crist turns the subject back to abortion, the issue hes sure will turn the race in his favor and give DeSantis a shock. But if Democrats cant stop DeSantis, they may only end up making him stronger. A deputy is in an area hospital after killing the man who shot him, the Sumter County Sheriffs Office said Sunday. The incident happened at about 8 a.m., after deputies responded to reports of a domestic disturbance at a Cains Mill Road home, the sheriffs office said in a news release. Thats in Sumter, near the intersection with Kolb Road. As the first deputy arrived on scene, he saw the garage area of the home was on fire, according to the release. The deputy was attempting to put the fire out when Leroy Quick, Jr. opened fire at him, the sheriffs office said. The deputy returned fire, and when other deputies arrived on scene they discovered Quick unresponsive in the backyard, according to the release. Quick was pronounced dead at a hospital in Columbia from a gun shot wound later in the morning, the sheriffs office said. The deputy, who has not been publicly identified, is being treated for a gunshot wound and is in serious condition, according to the release. No other injuries were reported as a result of the shooting or fire. It appears that our deputies acted appropriately and I commend them on their quick actions in defense of themselves and others, Sheriff Anthony Dennis said in the release. Dennis requested that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division investigate both the shooting and the arson, the sheriffs office said. Information about which law enforcement agency is leading the investigation into the domestic violence incident was not available. SLED spokesperson Renee Wunderlich said the investigation is ongoing and declined to answer further questions. AUSTIN, Texas (AP) When Texas' new abortion law made no exceptions in cases of rape, Republican Gov. Greg Abbott defended it with an assurance: Texas would get to work eliminating rapes. One year later, Lindsey LeBlanc is busy as ever helping rape victims in a college town outside Houston. The numbers have stayed consistently high, said LeBlanc, executive director of the Sexual Assault Resource Center in Bryan, near Texas A&M University. Despite hiring two additional counselors in the past six months, she still has a waitlist for victims. We are struggling to keep up with demand," she said. The constant caseloads in Texas are another example of how Republicans have struggled to defend zero-exception abortion bans that are unpopular in public polling, have caused uproar in high-profile cases and are inviting political risk heading into Novembers midterm elections. A year since Texas' law went into effect in September 2021, at least a dozen states also have bans that make no exceptions in cases of rape or incest. The absence of exceptions has caused divisions among Republicans, including in West Virginia, where a new law signed this month allows a brief window for rape and incest victims to obtain abortions only if they report to law enforcement first. Recently, South Carolina Republicans scuttled a proposed ban after failing to get enough GOP support. It really disgusts me, said Republican South Carolina state Sen. Katrina Shealy, ripping into her male colleagues on the floor of the state Senate. Republican U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham, also of South Carolina, allowed exceptions under the proposed national abortion ban he introduced last week. The proposal has virtually no chance of passing, with even GOP leaders not immediately backing it, reflecting how Republicans have broadly struggled to navigate the issue of abortion with voters since the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade this summer. Overwhelming majorities of voters think their state should generally allow abortion in specific cases, including rape, incest or if the health of the pregnant person is endangered. Even Republicans are seeing it as a line with some voters. Story continues It's a very gray issue, said Claudia Alcazar, the GOP chairwoman in Starr County along the Texas-Mexico border that has become a new political battleground after Republicans made big gains with more conservative Hispanic voters in 2020. She said she knows those who are hardcore, never have abortion for any reason, period. And then I have the other ones that are like, Well, you know, it depends. In Texas, the blowback was swift when Abbott said last September: Texas will work tirelessly to make sure that we eliminate all rapists from the streets." Critics called it detached from reality. A sexual assault hotline in Houston has answered almost 4,800 calls through August this year putting it on track to exceed last years volume of 4,843. As of this summer, all abortions were banned in Texas except if it would save a mothers life. Asked what Abbott has done in the past year to eliminate rape, spokeswoman Renae Eze highlighted older measures to clear rape test kit backlogs, a law signed in June aimed at coordinating and expanding sexual assault resources and a task force his office launched in 2019 to address the issue. To prevent such heinous crimes before they happen, and to prosecute any criminals to the full extent of the law, Governor Abbott has aggressively fought against defunding the police and led bail reform efforts to prevent the release of dangerous criminals, Eze said in a statement. More than 14,000 rape crimes have been reported in Texas since the law took effect last year, according to data from the Texas Department of Public Safety. That was slightly down from the year before and consistent with a decline in other violent crime figures across the state. Crisis centers in Texas say the number of rape victims theyve accompanied to hospitals for exams is rebounding since the pandemic restrictions kept advocates from entering. The Womens Center in Fort Worth has made more than 650 visits to counsel victims undergoing exams in the past year compared to about 340 in the year prior, said Alisha Mathenia, the assistant director of crisis services at the center. The majority of sexual assaults are never reported to police, making any available data an incomplete picture. And about 8 out of 10 sexual assaults are committed by a person known to the victim, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network. Were not talking about a large of number of rapists walking around on the street. Thats a myth, said Democrat Donna Howard, a state representative in Austin who co-authored the bill creating Abbott's task force. At The SAFE Alliance in Austin, where sexual assault victims can get exams and medical care at its Eloise House, senior director Juliana Gonzales said its admirable for Texas to work on rape prevention. But I also think its important for the state to live in the reality that we have to respond to sexual assault, she said. ___ Stengle reported from Dallas. ___ Find more AP coverage of the abortion issue: https://apnews.com/hub/abortion Photo Illustration by Erin O'Flynn/The Daily Beast/Warner Bros. and Netflix The discourse surrounding the psychological thriller Dont Worry Darling has been more inescapable than Julia Fox in a revealing outfit. Youve surely read the flurry of negative reviews highlighting Harry Styles acting ability (or lack thereof), or the tabloid gossip about rumored on-set drama between director Olivia Wilde and star Florence Miss Flo Pugh, or seen the leaked video by fired actor Shia LaBeouf, or parsed the SpitGate video like the Zapruder film. But now that the film is out, we must discuss its absurd, logic-defying twist ending, which bears striking similarities to USS Callister, one of the finest episodes of Netflixs sci-fi anthology series Black Mirror. Alice (Pugh) and Jack Chambers (Styles) look like a picture-perfect couple. Its the 1950s in Victory, California, a sunny, pastel-hued oasis with palm tree-lined streets that resembles Palm Springs. While Jack is off in the desert working on the top-secret Victory Project that employs all the townsmen, Alice spends her days shopping and gabbing with the fellow housewives, drinking cocktails by the pool, tidying up the house, and marinating meats so theyre nice and ready for when hubby comes home. Lording over paradise is Frank (Chris Pine), the sexy, charismatic founder of the Victory Project whose employees worship the ground he walks on. When Alicewho is haunted by visions of spooky ballerinaswitnesses Margaret (KiKi Layne), one of the housewives, become detached and then later slit her own throat, and then sees an airplane mysteriously crash over the desert mountains, she starts to question her existence and embarks on a mission to find out what exactly the Victory Project is. Dont Worry Darling Review: Harry Styles Looks Totally Lost But Florence Pugh Shines What she discovers, sadly, doesnt make a whole lot of sense. You see, in the present-day, Jack is an unemployed, bespectacled loser with patchy facial hair who feels emasculated and overlooked by his wife Alice, an ER surgeon dedicated to her life-saving work. Instead of looking for jobs or being grateful that he somehow landed a beautiful doctor (what she sees in this sad sack is a mystery), Jack spends his days glued to YouTube, consuming videos by Frank, a prominent mens rights activist in the Jordan Peterson mold. The films most unintentionally-funny moment is Styles incel reveal, because really Harry Styles as an incel?! Story continues Frank doesnt just preach about a toxically masculine dreamscape where women are the subservient housewives and men the alpha breadwinners, but has created a virtual simulationthe Victory Projectthat all the men in the town have signed up for, and few of the women (Alice was sedated and hooked up to it; Bunny, another housewife played by Wilde, chose to be transported there in order to reunite with her dead children). In this 1950s-set simulation, gone are Jacks unfortunate facial hair and glasses. He has morphed into a dashing, confusingly accented Brit who still cannot act. He must exit the simulation for eight hours a day (while hes at his job as a technical engineer for the Victory Project) to do some unspecified real-life labor in order to compensate for living his best fantasy-life, and its during his absence that Alice investigates the Victory Project headquarters and plots her escape. Which brings us to USS Callister. The episode aired back in December 2017, serving as the fourth season premiere of Netflixs Black Mirror. Directed by Toby Haynes (Doctor Who) and scripted by William Bridges and series creator Charlie Brooker, it tells the tale of Robert Daly (Jesse Plemons), a gifted programmer and CTO of Callister Inc., a company he co-founded with James Walton (Jimmi Simpson) thats most famous for the open-world multiplayer online game Infinity, which inserts users into a simulation where they control a spaceship. Despite his status as the co-founder of Callister and chief architect of Infinity, Dalyrotund, balding, and bespectacledis routinely mocked by his colleagues, who see him as a leering creep, and looked down upon by James, who treats him like a low-level employee. As the episode slowly reveals, Daly has created a retro, 1960s Star Trek-like simulation based on his favorite TV series, Space Fleet, where he is the alpha-male captain (Plemons does a wonderful Captain Kirk impression). Hes created clones of the real-life colleagues he resents and/or covets, most of whom are women or people of color, by stealing their DNA (this process remains opaque at best) and inserting them into the simulation, forcing them to act as his docile crewheeding his every command, accepting his deeply unwanted kisses, and generally being digital slaves. Colleagues who refuse his demands are turned into villains or giant, slimy alien-bugs. Hes so vindictive that hes even stripped them of their genitals. When Daly clones a new programmer, Nanette (Cristin Milioti), hes taken a liking to and plugs her into the Space Fleet simulation, she leads a crew rebellion against Daly, hoping to free them from his bondage. Both Dont Worry Darling and USS Callister are social commentaries of incel culturethe online community of men known as involuntary celibates who believe theyre unable to land a sexual partner and have allowed their bitterness over this to translate to misogyny and racismand toxic masculinity that center an aggrieved incel who partakes in a period simulation where the object of their affection has been inserted against their will and forced to bend to the mans every whim and desire. The woman ultimately causes an uprising and breaks out of the simulation, forming and executing her plot during the incels downtime. Even the simulation tech looks similar: two small circular disks inserted on the temples that cause ones eyes to roll back into their head. Two years after USS Callister aired to near-universal acclaim, eventually winning four Emmysincluding Outstanding Television Movie and Outstanding Writing for a Limited Series, Movie, or Dramatic Specialthe initial script for what would become Dont Worry Darling, written by Dick Van Dykes grandsons Carey and Shane Van Dyke, landed on the 2019 Black List of the best unproduced screenplays. When Wilde boarded the project, she brought on writer Katie Silberman, whod previously collaborated with her on Booksmart, to overhaul the storyin the process drastically altering its ending. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Donald Trump called Mitch McConnell a "piece of shit," according to a forthcoming book by Maggie Haberman. The former president said he thought congressional leaders would rule "with an iron fist." Trump spoke with Haberman for her book "Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America." Former President Donald Trump called his political-ally-turned-nemesis Mitch McConnell a "piece of shit," according to a new book. Trump made the comments about the Senate Minority Leader to New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman in her upcoming book "Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America," an excerpt of which was published Sunday in The Atlantic. According to Haberman, Trump thought congressional lawmakers would govern like Meade Esposito a longtime "political fixer" in New York City politics who Trump said "ruled with an iron fist" or like China's President Xi Jinping, per The Atlantic. "Well, I figured that the Mitch McConnells would be like him, in the sense of strength," Trump told Haberman, according to The Atlantic. McConnell was once a staunch ally of Trump's who "kept Republican senators in line over and over to advance Trump's policy and personnel concerns and generally protect his political standing as the leader of the Republican party," Haberman wrote in The Atlantic. Their relationship teetered during Trump's presidency but largely soured after McConnell disavowed Trump following the January 6, 2021 attack on the Capitol. McConnell said at the time that Trump was "practically and morally responsible for provoking," Insider previously reported. In one of Haberman's later interviews with Trump for her book, he said of McConnell: "The Old Crow's a piece of shit." A spokesperson for McConnell did not immediately respond to Insider's request for comment on Sunday. Read the original article on Business Insider The Archdiocese of Chicago has asked three retired priests to stay out of ministry while it investigates allegations of sexual abuse of minors from nearly 50 years ago, according to a news release from the archdiocese. The allegations against the Revs. John J. Rudnik, 87, James E. Flynn, 80, and John W. Clemens, 75, are being investigated by the archdioceses Independent Review Board, the news release said. Each of the retired priests has one allegation against him from nearly 50 years ago. All of the priests are cooperating with the investigation. Advertisement We take every allegation seriously and follow the policies and procedures we have had in place for decades, Cardinal Blase J. Cupich, archbishop of Chicago, said. Only by conducting an impartial and thorough investigation can we fulfill our promise to protect the young people in our care and, if the results warrant, restore the good name of one so accused. The people who brought forth the allegations were offered Archdiocese Victim Assistance Ministry services, according to the release. Authorities and parishes where the priests served were also notified. Advertisement The results of the investigation will be released once the process is complete, the archdiocese said. EUROPEAN PRAVDA SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022, 21:34 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine does not believe that Russian leader Vladimir Putin is bluffing when he suggests Russia might deploy nuclear weapons. Source: Zelenskyy on CBS Details: Margaret Brennan, the presenter of Face the Nation TV program asked Zelenskyy whether he thought that Putin was bluffing when he threatened to use nuclear weapons. Quote from Zelenskyy: "Look, maybe yesterday it was bluff. Now, it could be the reality. Let's look, what [does the] use of nuclear weapons or nuclear blackmail [look like under the current circumstances]? He targeted and occupied our nuclear power plant and the city of Enerhodar. This nuclear station has six [power units] [] This is [the equivalent] of six Chornobyl nuclear [power] plants. Several days ago, they started shooting at another nuclear power plant. It's called Pivdenna, or Southern, Nuclear Power Plant. The missile hit the area that was 300 metres from the nuclear plant. [A]ll windows and doors [at the power plant have shattered]. So, he wants to scare the whole world. These are the first steps of his nuclear blackmail. I don't think he's bluffing. I think the world is deterring it and containing this threat. We need to keep putting pressure on him and not allow him to continue." Previously: Jake Sullivan, the White House National Security Adviser, said that President Joe Bidens administration had privately told the Kremlin that any use of nuclear weapons in the war in Ukraine would have "catastrophic consequences" for Russia. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Time to talk about the back of the ballot. The very last item on many two-sided sample ballots for the Nov. 8 general election in Iowa is uncommonly important. It rivals the front-side races for governor and Congress and so on for its influence on what kind of state Iowans will live in. Iowans should vote "no" on a proposed constitutional amendment that would make it dangerously difficult to regulate firearms. Rejecting the amendment is a critical step toward preserving the possibility of changing gun laws to keep Iowans safer. The measure is labeled "right to keep and bear arms," but the proposed Iowa amendment goes beyond echoing the right established by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The full wording: "The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed. The sovereign state of Iowa affirms and recognizes this right to be a fundamental individual right. Any and all restrictions of this right shall be subject to strict scrutiny." If a majority of voters approve the amendment, judges hearing challenges to laws would be required to look skeptically on any restrictions on possessing firearms. At minimum, the provision would complicate elected lawmakers' efforts to thoughtfully regulate guns, whether proactively or in response to large- and small-scale killings and maimings. Worse, it could lead to challenges of what little remains of gun regulations in our state. Iowans enjoy robust gun rights. The state's Republican lawmakers already have eliminated the need for permits to carry a handgun and expanded the "stand your ground" defense, among other moves. If Iowa judges must weigh these laws using strict scrutiny, there's little chance a future Statehouse could ever reverse or even moderate them. Some proponents of the amendment call these arguments fearmongering, saying that "common sense" restrictions on guns, such as barring felons from having them, would not be invalidated, maybe not even challenged. Well, these are many of the same people who have argued that overturning Roe v. Wade is all upside and couldn't imperil the lives of girls and women. Story continues More: Editorial: We can do something in Iowa about gun violence. We can vote against tying our hands. More: What you need to know on the gun rights amendment Some observers also say that state provisions became less important in June when the U.S. Supreme Court struck down New York state's permitting regime and radically altered how courts should interpret the right "to keep and bear arms" in the federal Bill of Rights. That might be so. If anything has unified legal experts' writings over the summer, it's uncertainty about exactly what the practical effects of the Supreme Court ruling and state amendments like Iowa's will be. Iowans should not compound the problem created by the U.S. Supreme Court. There is no justification for undertaking a "strict scrutiny" experiment here in Iowa. The case against this amendment stands even if it were not going before Iowa voters in the same year as gunmen slaughtered 19 children and two teachers at an elementary school in Uvalde, Texas; two young women in a church parking lot in Ames; or three campers, including a child, at Maquoketa Caves State Park. Another View: Protect the right to keep and bear arms, reject fear, and pass Iowa's Freedom Amendment Amending the Iowa Constitution is usually about a four-year process. It isn't easy because the implications can be profound and difficult to reverse. This proposal is not beneficial, and its potential for catastrophic harm is considerable. Repeal could be well-nigh impossible. Changes to the Iowa Constitution should be careful. This idea is haphazard and harmful. Iowans should flip over their ballots and vote no. FURTHER READING: Does Bruen herald the end of constitutional strict-scrutiny amendments like Iowa's? FURTHER READING: State gun regulations are a messy patchwork. Bruen won't help. Lucas Grundmeier, on behalf of the Register editorial board This editorial is the opinion of the Des Moines Register's editorial board: Carol Hunter, executive editor; Lucas Grundmeier, opinion editor; Rachelle Chase, opinion columnist; and Richard Doak and Rox Laird, editorial board members. Want more opinions? Read other perspectives with our free newsletter, follow us on Facebook or visit us at DesMoinesRegister.com/opinion. Respond to any opinion by submitting a Letter to the Editor at DesMoinesRegister.com/letters. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Opinion: Reject gun amendment to protect Iowans' safety An elderly pro-life volunteer in Michigan was shot in the shoulder while canvassing a neighborhood to discuss an abortion ballot proposal, according to the Right to Life of Michigan. The "victim said that she was shot in the back/shoulder while leaving a residence during a heated conversation, and that the man who shot her was not a part of her conversation," the pro-life group wrote in a press release Saturday. The unidentified woman is 83-years-old, according to police, though the Right to Life of Michigan identified her as 84 years old in the press release. The woman was canvassing a neighborhood in Lake Odessa to discuss the states vote on Proposal 3, which would protect abortion access in the state. The state will vote on the proposal on Nov. 8 on the general election ballot. "The victim does not know the identity or motive of her shooter. The victim is still recovering from her gunshot wound and wishes to remain anonymous while the criminal investigation proceeds," the Michigan Right to Life press release stated. ZERO ARRESTS IN AT LEAST 17 JANE'S REVENGE ATTACKS ON PRO-LIFE ORGANIZATIONS Michigan State Police told Fox News Digital Saturday that the elderly woman was shot after a "verbal altercation while she was passing out pamphlets." LETTER SIGNED BY RADICAL ABORTION GROUP JANE'S REVENGE DECLARES OPEN SEASON ON PRO-LIFE PREGNANCY CENTERS The victim drove herself to the Lake Odessa Police Department after she was shot in the shoulder, according to state police. She was then taken to an area hospital, where she was treated and released. The Michigan State Police is investigating the incident and the case remains open. PRO-LIFE PREGNANCY CLINICS STILL BEING TARGETED BY VIOLENCE, 3 MONTHS AFTER SUPREME COURT LEAK "Were glad the victim is recovering, and our volunteers will continue knocking doors on Proposal 3," Right to Life of Michigan official Chris Gast told Fox News Digital on Saturday. The incident comes just months after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which ended the recognition of a constitutional right to abortion. KARACHI, Pakistan (AP) Pakistan pulled off a thrilling three-run win to level the seven-match T20 series 2-2 as England self-destructed in the last two overs on Sunday with the loss of a key batter followed by a golden duck and a run out. Chasing Pakistan's 166-4, England still needed 33 off 18 balls in the fourth Twenty20 international but greatly improved its chances when Liam Dawson (34 off 17) smacked fast bowler Mohammad Hasnain for 24 runs in the 18th over including four boundaries and a six. Dawson then pulled pacer Haris Rauf for another boundary early in the penultimate over. At 162-7, and needing only five runs off 10 balls, England looked almost certain to win. But Rauf (3-32) refused to give up and grabbed the vital wicket of Dawson, who was caught at midwicket, before rattling the stumps of T20 debutant Olly Stone for a golden duck. With four required off the final over, Reece Topley was run out at the non-strikers end as England was dismissed for 163 with four balls to spare. I had a plan where to bowl at Dawson and, after getting his wicket, I knew we can run through the two tailenders, Rauf said. It was a pressure game and thankfully we finished on the right side of the result. England captain Moeen Ali earlier won his third straight toss and opted to field. Top-ranked batter Mohammad Rizwan made 88 off 67 balls and anchored Pakistans innings with his third half century of the series. Pakistans most accomplished T20 opening pair of Rizwan and captain Babar Azam (36 off 28) once against provided a solid start of 97 off 71 balls, but England pulled back nicely once Dawson broke the stand in the 12th over. Babar holed out against the left-arm spinner in the deep and Pakistan's middle order struggled for boundaries to accelerate in the second half of the innings. Rizwan raised his half century off 38 balls, but Shan Masood (21 off 19) struggled to accelerate while batting at No. 3 against either spin or pace. Story continues Left-arm seamer Topley (2-37) got the wickets of Khushdil Shah and Rizwan in the last over before Pakistans power-hitter Asif Ali (13 not out), playing his first game of the series, lifted the total with two sixes in his three-ball innings. England's top order crumbled against Hasnain and Nawaz inside the first two overs. Alex Hales (5), one of the three changes England made from the previous game, was caught brilliantly by Usman Qadir off the bowling of Hasnain and Will Jacks, playing only his second T20, was bowled by Hasnain without scoring. Rauf could have got dangerman Harry Brook off his first ball in the last over of the batting powerplay but Nawaz dropped a sitter before Ben Duckett (33) struck three successive fours against Mohammad Wasim, who was playing his first game of the series after recovering from side strain. Duckett fell in Nawazs return spell when the left-arm spinner had the left-hander trapped leg before wicket and then clean bowled Moeen Ali (29). Brook finally got caught at fine leg in the 15th over before Rauf kept his nerve against Dawson's belligerence in front of 32,000 home team fans to seal the game for Pakistan. Amazing game of cricket, Moeen Ali said. We felt like we should have chased that down Daws (Dawson) had a brilliant game, sad for him he couldnt get us over the line, but these things happen and they bowled really well. Lahore will host the remaining three games of the series which is a warmup for next months T20 World Cup in Australia. ___ More AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket and https://twitter.com/AP_Sports Does the September share price for Chevron Corporation (NYSE:CVX) reflect what it's really worth? Today, we will estimate the stock's intrinsic value by projecting its future cash flows and then discounting them to today's value. One way to achieve this is by employing the Discounted Cash Flow (DCF) model. Before you think you won't be able to understand it, just read on! It's actually much less complex than you'd imagine. We would caution that there are many ways of valuing a company and, like the DCF, each technique has advantages and disadvantages in certain scenarios. If you want to learn more about discounted cash flow, the rationale behind this calculation can be read in detail in the Simply Wall St analysis model. View our latest analysis for Chevron What's The Estimated Valuation? We are going to use a two-stage DCF model, which, as the name states, takes into account two stages of growth. The first stage is generally a higher growth period which levels off heading towards the terminal value, captured in the second 'steady growth' period. To begin with, we have to get estimates of the next ten years of cash flows. Where possible we use analyst estimates, but when these aren't available we extrapolate the previous free cash flow (FCF) from the last estimate or reported value. We assume companies with shrinking free cash flow will slow their rate of shrinkage, and that companies with growing free cash flow will see their growth rate slow, over this period. We do this to reflect that growth tends to slow more in the early years than it does in later years. Generally we assume that a dollar today is more valuable than a dollar in the future, so we discount the value of these future cash flows to their estimated value in today's dollars: 10-year free cash flow (FCF) estimate 2023 2024 2025 2026 2027 2028 2029 2030 2031 2032 Levered FCF ($, Millions) US$32.9b US$29.2b US$24.2b US$20.9b US$19.1b US$18.1b US$17.5b US$17.2b US$17.1b US$17.1b Growth Rate Estimate Source Analyst x11 Analyst x6 Analyst x3 Analyst x2 Est @ -8.69% Est @ -5.5% Est @ -3.27% Est @ -1.71% Est @ -0.61% Est @ 0.15% Present Value ($, Millions) Discounted @ 7.1% US$30.7k US$25.5k US$19.7k US$15.9k US$13.6k US$12.0k US$10.8k US$9.9k US$9.2k US$8.6k ("Est" = FCF growth rate estimated by Simply Wall St) Present Value of 10-year Cash Flow (PVCF) = US$156b Story continues The second stage is also known as Terminal Value, this is the business's cash flow after the first stage. For a number of reasons a very conservative growth rate is used that cannot exceed that of a country's GDP growth. In this case we have used the 5-year average of the 10-year government bond yield (1.9%) to estimate future growth. In the same way as with the 10-year 'growth' period, we discount future cash flows to today's value, using a cost of equity of 7.1%. Terminal Value (TV)= FCF 2032 (1 + g) (r g) = US$17b (1 + 1.9%) (7.1% 1.9%) = US$337b Present Value of Terminal Value (PVTV)= TV / (1 + r)10= US$337b ( 1 + 7.1%)10= US$170b The total value is the sum of cash flows for the next ten years plus the discounted terminal value, which results in the Total Equity Value, which in this case is US$326b. To get the intrinsic value per share, we divide this by the total number of shares outstanding. Relative to the current share price of US$145, the company appears about fair value at a 13% discount to where the stock price trades currently. The assumptions in any calculation have a big impact on the valuation, so it is better to view this as a rough estimate, not precise down to the last cent. dcf Important Assumptions Now the most important inputs to a discounted cash flow are the discount rate, and of course, the actual cash flows. You don't have to agree with these inputs, I recommend redoing the calculations yourself and playing with them. The DCF also does not consider the possible cyclicality of an industry, or a company's future capital requirements, so it does not give a full picture of a company's potential performance. Given that we are looking at Chevron as potential shareholders, the cost of equity is used as the discount rate, rather than the cost of capital (or weighted average cost of capital, WACC) which accounts for debt. In this calculation we've used 7.1%, which is based on a levered beta of 1.219. Beta is a measure of a stock's volatility, compared to the market as a whole. We get our beta from the industry average beta of globally comparable companies, with an imposed limit between 0.8 and 2.0, which is a reasonable range for a stable business. Next Steps: Whilst important, the DCF calculation ideally won't be the sole piece of analysis you scrutinize for a company. DCF models are not the be-all and end-all of investment valuation. Preferably you'd apply different cases and assumptions and see how they would impact the company's valuation. If a company grows at a different rate, or if its cost of equity or risk free rate changes sharply, the output can look very different. For Chevron, we've compiled three pertinent elements you should further examine: Risks: Consider for instance, the ever-present spectre of investment risk. We've identified 1 warning sign with Chevron , and understanding it should be part of your investment process. Future Earnings: How does CVX's growth rate compare to its peers and the wider market? Dig deeper into the analyst consensus number for the upcoming years by interacting with our free analyst growth expectation chart. Other High Quality Alternatives: Do you like a good all-rounder? Explore our interactive list of high quality stocks to get an idea of what else is out there you may be missing! PS. Simply Wall St updates its DCF calculation for every American stock every day, so if you want to find the intrinsic value of any other stock just search here. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here By Gabriela Baczynska and Philip Blenkinsop BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union must stop importing diamonds from Russia, five of the bloc's 27 countries said in a joint proposal seen by Reuters, as the EU prepares new sanctions against Moscow for waging war against Ukraine. The EU, which has so far implemented six rounds of sanctions since Russia invaded Ukraine on Feb. 24, needs unanimity to agree any such ban that Belgium - home to the world's biggest diamond trading hub Antwerp - has rejected in the past. The bloc was spurred into fresh action after President Vladimir Putin ordered a partial military mobilisation last week and moved to annex parts of eastern Ukraine. The EU's executive European Commission is expected to present a formal proposal for more sanctions to member states this week. Poland, Ireland, Lithuania, Estonia and Latvia proposed introducing a retaliatory ban on imports of diamonds from Russia, where Alrosa is the world's largest producer of rough gems. The Antwerp World Diamond Centre said sanctions would take away some 30% of business and benefit rival trade hubs, adding clients should be allowed to decide themselves if they wanted Russian gems. Belgium's foreign ministry and the diplomatic representation to the EU did not respond to requests for comment. But on Sept. 14, Prime Minister Alexander de Croo told an international diamonds conference that such a ban would be a "huge loss" and would hurt an industry accounting for 5% of Belgium's exports and supporting some 30,000 jobs. An EU official and a diplomat involved in preparations of new measures against Russia said, however, that Belgium was now expected to lift its veto. Following the Commission's proposal on new sanctions, diplomats and ministers will negotiate until they reach consensus, failing which the matter goes to the 27 national leaders when they meet in Prague on Oct.6-7. (Writing by Gabriela Baczynska; Editing by Emelia Sithole-Matarise) A short speech defending the role of the family has become Giorgia Melonis calling card at campaign rallies. I am Giorgia. I am a woman. I am a mother. I am Italian. I am Christian. You cant take this away from me, she said. The woman widely expected to become Italys first female prime minister in Sundays election is far from typical, however: A far-right nationalist accused by political rivals and experts of spreading white supremacist ideas, who advocates naval blockades to stop unauthorized migration from Africa, Meloni is also a committed J.R.R. Tolkien fan and has embraced the internet memes and music remixes of her famously fiery speeches. Related video: Italy's far-right leader accuses media of scaremongering Her victory, as the leader of a right-wing coalition, would make Italy the latest European country after Sweden to see a far-right party win power, months after Marine Le Pen staged a strong challenge to President Emmanual Macron in France. Meloni leads the Brothers of Italy Party (Fratelli dItalia, or FdI), a populist party with roots in Italys post-war fascist movement. Fdl is predicted to get 25% of the vote on Sunday, six times more than it received in the last election, in 2018, and enough to give it a clear majority in both houses of Parliament. Image: (Alessandra Tarantino / AP) If elected, Meloni, 45, a mother of one, would head a coalition government made up of Matteo Salvinis Lega Party (League) and Forza Italia (Forward Italy), led by 85-year-old media baron and former Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who is making another return to politics. What shes trying to do is to both say shes a traditional conservative but at the same time put within that frame ideas that are conspiracist, extreme and fascistic, David Broder, a writer who lives in Berlin but specializes in Italian politics. His forthcoming book is titled Mussolinis Grandchildren: Fascism in Contemporary Italy. Meloni is widely presented as the partys face of moderation, because shes a mother and can speak in cordial terms with other politicians, but she herself promotes white nationalist ideas, he said. Story continues Melonis office and the Brothers of Italy Party did not answer requests for comment by NBC News. Meloni caught the publics attention in 2019 when video of her I am Giorgia speech went viral. It was turned into an electronic dance music track by two DJs from Milan that has had 12 million views and counting on YouTube. Her autobiography was titled Io Sono Giorgia (I am Giorgia) and topped sales charts on its release last year. She has compared her party to the center-right Conservative Party in Britain, but Melonis views will be familiar to anyone who has followed the rightward movement of Poland, the self-styled illiberal democracy of Hungary, and the nationalist populism of the Republican Party in the United States. She has defended Viktor Orban, Hungarys authoritarian leader, who is accused of demolishing democracy by packing his countrys judiciary and Parliament with supporters and giving himself the ability to easily create or change laws. Meloni has bemoaned the chronically low birthrate in Italy just 1.2 babies per woman, according to the World Bank, one of the lowest in the world and spoken of a left-wing government plot to finance the invasion to replace Italians with immigrants, a main tenet of the great replacement, a conspiracy theory that accuses shadowy global elites of the wholesale importing of nonwhite migrants to majority white countries. Her partys manifesto says on its first page: We are determined not to surrender to the economic, social, cultural and political decline of the nation, before going on to link illegal immigration to drug dealing and urban decline. We live in a time in which everything we stand for is under attack, she told the American conservative conference CPAC in February. In a speech on Tuesday in Palermo, she warned of the violence of Islam. Brothers of Italy, whose name is based on the first line of the Italian national anthem, has roundly rejected any accusation of fascism or racial politics, describing such criticism as a left-wing smear from rival parties with nothing else to talk about. In the DNA of Fratelli dItalia, there is no fascist, racist, antisemitic nostalgia, Meloni has said. Image: ITALY-POLITICS-VOTE-PARTIES (Andreas Solaro / AFP - Getty Images) Her reputation may be largely positive her personal approval ratings during the campaign have been higher than any other party leaders but the partys membership continues to draw accusations of fascist tendencies. This week the party sacked one candidate, Calogero Pisano, after a newspaper uncovered eight-year-old social media posts in which he praised Hitler as a great statesman. Pisano, who was running in Sicily, in 2016 also praised someone for describing Meloni as a modern fascist, adding that Brothers of Italy had never hidden its true ideals. From this moment on, Pisano no longer represents [the party] at any level, Brothers of Italy said in a statement Tuesday, Reuters reported. Also this week, Romano La Russa, a member of the European Parliament and brother of the partys co-founder Ignazio La Russa, was shown in a video that spread widely online doing a controversial salute at a funeral. The salute, an outstretched right arm with a flattened palm, was adopted by Mussolinis Fascist regime and then Hitlers Nazi Party, although some Italian nationalists have since sought to reclaim it as an act of defiance. Brothers of Italy did not respond to a request for comment on the incident. Conscious of the shadow cast by her partys past, Meloni released a video statement last month in English, French and Spanish denying there would be an anti-democratic shift or authoritarian turn should her party win power on Sunday. She has released similar statements in the past. And, unlike some other right-wingpopulists, Meloni is a pro-NATO Atlanticist who supports the Western backing of the war in Ukraine. By contrast, her would-be coalition partner, Salvini, is a longstanding admirer of Russian President Vladimir Putin and has argued for scrapping Western sanctions on Russia. Nevertheless, Meloni has faced questions throughout the campaign about the partys fascist roots. Brothers was formed from the remains of the National Alliance, which descended from the Italian Social Movement (MSI), a fascist party formed by allies of Mussolini after 1945, and which has largely been restricted to the fringes of Italian politics and never been in government. Mussolini, the original fascist leader, seized power in 1922 in his famous March on Rome and was prime minister until he was deposed in 1943, having turned Italy into a one-party dictatorship that supported Hitler in World War II. National Alliance split from Berlusconis The People of Freedom Party in 2012 when its leadership, including Meloni, went on to form the Brothers of Italy, eventually adopting MSIs tricolor flame logo with its fascist connotations, which it still uses today. Speaking to a French TV crew while she was a MSI youth activist, Meloni praised Mussolini unequivocally. Everything he did, he did for Italy and there have been no politicians like him for 50 years, she said in recently resurfaced footage. Italy never dealt properly with its history of fascism the same way Germany did with Nazism. In Germany Nazism has long been taboo. If a politician there makes a Roman salute, his or her career is over, the historian Francesco Filippi told NBC News. His book Mussolini Also Did a Lot of Good dispels lingering myths about the dictators legacy. The association with fascism is not enough to dissuade Melonis supporters, including young people. I believe she is popular now because she has been so coherent with her ideas and her basic values, which most Italians share, said Maicol Busilacchi, 28, a law student from Potenza Picena, near the eastern city of Ancona, and regional president of Gioventu Nazionale, the youth wing of the Brothers of Italy. He rejects any assertion that the party is far-right. The short answer is no. Fratelli dItalia is something completely new. Many times in the history of the Italian right, the leaders have made changes to build a trustworthy party to govern Italy, he said. Image: TOPSHOT-ITALY-VOTE-POLITICS-PROTEST (Igor Petyx / AFP - Getty Images) Although a minister under Berlusconi from 2008 to 2011, the multilingual, charismatic Meloni, from a working-class suburb of Rome, is relatively new to front-line politics. The snap election Sunday comes two months after the government led by Mario Draghi collapsed after its unlikely mixture of left and right-wing ministers refused to implement a post-Covid economic stimulus plan. The Brothers of Italy was the only party with significant support that refused to join Draghis emergency coalition, giving it the sheen of an unspoiled outsider as Italy faces a crippling cost-of-living crisis. Meloni may succeed where others have failed. Le Pen, having presented herself as a moderate, conservative opposed to the liberal groupthink of French and European elites, won the support of both traditional right-wing and left-wing voters. But in the end Macron held on to win 58.5% of the second-round run-off votes. Many Macron voters were unhappy with his record, but were willing to join la barrage republicain the republican dam to keep Le Pen and her extreme anti-migrant policies at bay. In Italy, Meloni has similarly worked to soften her image and appeal to moderate patriots but there wont be any French-style electoral block on her ambitions, said Lorenzo Pregliasco, from the Italian polling company YouTrend, partly due to a fractured center-left opposition that failed to keep fragile pre-election cooperation pacts alive. We have only one round of elections the coalition which is more cohesive and united has a very significant edge over the other coalitions and parties, and thats the case for the right in Italy, he said. You have the united front for the center-right, headed by Meloni and Salvini, and the other [left-wing] camp is splintered, fractured into at least three parts, Pregliasco said. In France all the non-Le Pen voters could consolidate behind Macron. Italy may be drawn to an authoritative figure in times of economic strife, Filippi said. Since the fall of fascism, Italians have kept looking for the strong man, one with a strong personality that would take care of its people as a father of the nation. It happened with Berlusconi, for instance. And now its happening with Giorgia Meloni, he said. Voters who support Meloni are not necessarily fascists or from the far-right, Filippi adds. Many are just disillusioned with politics, tired of the failure of the traditional parties from the left and right, and simply want to try something new and disruptive. Patrick Smith reported from London, and Claudio Lavanga from Rome. Matteo Moschella contributed. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Felix Auger-Aliassime got the better of Novak Djokovic to put Team World 10-8 up against Team Europe (John Walton/PA) (PA Wire) Felix Auger-Aliassime stunned Novak Djokovic to help Team World turn the tables on their European rivals and move one win away from a maiden Laver Cup title in London. Auger-Aliassime produced an excellent display in a 6-3 7-6 (2) victory that married big serving with wonderful groundstrokes against Wimbledon champion Djokovic. It was Auger-Aliassimes second consecutive match on the final day of the Ryder Cup-style team event at the O2 after the Canadian teamed up with Jack Sock to down Andy Murray and Matteo Berrettini in the doubles. Team Europe held a four-point advantage after Saturdays action, but with matches worth three points on the third day Team World went into the 11th contest of the competition with a 10-8 lead in the race to 13. Auger-Aliassime said on-court: Today has been fantastic so far. Right now it is one of the best performances in my career so far. I think I have been close a few times in recent times against these great champions so it feels great to get a win like this, especially in this great arena and for Team World. Auger-Aliassime barely had time to register his doubles success with team-mate Sock before he was back on court to face Djokovic. When 21-time grand-slam winner Djokovic claimed a break in the opening game of the match, it appeared a tall task for world number 13 Auger-Aliassime. (PA Wire) But the 22-year-old remained undeterred and quickly got the set back on serve before he reeled off three games in a row at a critical moment to take the opener in 40 minutes. Djokovic and Team Europe looked shell-shocked and despite breaks being exchanged at the start of the second set, it was the Canadian who kept bringing his A-game when needed to ease to victory in the tie-break. It made it back-to-back triumphs for Auger-Aliassime, who also shone alongside Sock to beat Murray and Berrettini 2-6 6-3 10-8 at the start of Sundays action. The thrilling 95-minute encounter opened up proceedings at the O2, with Roger Federer watching on from the Team Europe bench hoping to lift silverware for one last time. Federer will now be relying on Stefanos Tsitsipas to come good against US Open semi-finalist Frances Tiafoe, who has already been party pooper once this weekend when he and Sock beat the Swiss great and Rafael Nadal in Federers final professional match on Friday. Hurricane Fionas impact on Puerto Rico is drawing renewed attention to the territorys embattled power system. The storm left millions of Puerto Ricans without power for several days, and as of Friday hundreds of thousands of people were still without power. Puerto Ricos power problems have been compounded by an electric grid that has not been fully rebuilt after the destruction of Hurricane Maria due to bureaucratic struggles, among other things. The system was in a state of disrepair five years ago [and] remains in a state of disrepair today without much improvement at all, said Tom Sanzillo, director of financial analysis at the Institute for Energy Economics and Financial Analysis. It took years for the federal government to fully allocate federal aid to Puerto Ricos recovery, and only a small fraction of that has actually been used. In 2020, the Trump administration released billions of dollars of funding for Puerto Ricos electric grid, but the release raised questions about why the funds were not dispersed until 3 years later. The administration was generally hesitant to provide assistance to Puerto Rico, expressing concerns about corruption and its ability to manage the money. Manuel Laboy, the executive director of Puerto Ricos Office for Recovery, Reconstruction and Resiliency, said the delay is one reason why the countrys grid has not fully recovered. If we had the obligation before 2020, yes, we would have made more progress, Laboy said. Since its release, spending on the project has been slow-going. According to a recent Government Accountability Office report, Puerto Rico has only spent about $5.3 billion, or 19 percent, of the $28 billion it received from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) for its recovery in general. The vast majority 81 percent of those expenditures were used for emergency work, while just 8 percent was spent on permanent projects. Sergio Marxuach, policy director at the Center for a New Economy, a Puerto Rican think tank, said that very little of the post-Maria disaster aid has actually been spent because of what he described as a tug-of-war between the Puerto Rican and federal governments over what the money can be spent on. Story continues Usually FEMA only rebuilds up to what was there before the storm. However, Congress authorized FEMA, in the case of hurricane Maria, to expand the scope and actually, literally, build back better, he said. He added that the legislative language was vague, so some of the details will have to be worked out between the federal and territorial governments. Laboy noted that much of the funding didnt come through until 2020, so the projects couldnt start until recently. The permanent work obligations started to happen in 2020, he said. He said that when he took office in 2021, FEMA and Puerto Ricos energy regulator hadnt authorized any projects for repairing the electric grid, but they have since approved 47. He also said another delay was caused because these projects could not get the cash in advance until June of this year through a new program to give projects 25 percent of the cash up front. All those power projects for permanent work, now they can benefit from the 25 percent advance, and so that is going to create a major boost to get more projects on the ground, Laboy said. Meanwhile, Puerto Ricos power utility, PREPA, has also struggled with debt and filed for bankruptcy in 2017 prior to Maria. While it still owns the grid equipment, the Puerto Rican government has since contracted with a private company known as LUMA for its operation. Marxuach said that even prior to Hurricane Fiona, having two separate entities in charge created a confusing situation. Even before Fiona, we would have an outage and it was not even raining. PREPA would say it was LUMAs fault, LUMA would say it was PREPAs fault, and we had that kind of dynamic already going, he said. It appears it has gotten a little bit more intense since the hurricane. There have also been disputes about how exactly to rebuild Puerto Ricos grid. A 2019 law adopted by the islands government requires it to transition to renewable power by 2050, including 40 percent renewable by 2025. But the status quo is nowhere close. Between July 2020 and June 2021, 97 percent of its power came from fossil fuels. In March, PREPAs executive director, Josue Colon, said he doesnt think its possible for the goals in the 2019 law to be met and called for them to be revisited. Sanzillo raised concerns that, regardless of the law, if Puerto Rico builds up infrastructure largely based on fossil fuels, that infrastructure will be set in place. If they go forward and sign the contracts and do the deal, the law doesnt matter, he said. But Laboy stressed the governments commitment to renewable energy. One of the key components at the core of being resilient and also [adapting] to climate change is renewable energy, so it is at the forefront of our strategy, Laboy said. He added that Puerto Ricos government has awarded contracts for 18 renewable energy projects. Liang Min, managing director for a Stanford University initiative that conducts grid research, said that Puerto Rico would benefit from increasing its use of distributed solar energy that is, solar energy thats built on either individual homes or within communities and batteries, as opposed to from a large solar farm. But he also noted that theres not just one solution to grid problems, adding that electricity transmission and distribution lines need to be hardened. Min added that if Puerto Rico continues with the status quo, its electrical problems will be recurring. If they do business as usual, as the existing structure they have, as the existing utility planning process they have, this will happen every year, he said. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. PARIS (AP) A billowing column of dark smoke towered over Paris Sunday, from a warehouse blaze at a massive produce market that supplies the French capital and surrounding region with much of its fresh food and bills itself as the largest of its kind in the world. Firefighters urged people to stay away from the area, in Paris' southern suburbs, while they tackled the blaze at the warehouse in the Rungis International Market. There were no immediate reports of injuries. The sprawling wholesale market is a veritable town unto itself, with more than 12,000 people working there and warehouses filled with fruit and vegetables, seafood, meats, dairy products and flowers from across France and around the world. Three people were shot Saturday night during a gathering on the South Side, according to Chicago police. The gathering was taking place in the 1200 block of West 103rd Street when a man opened a back door at 9:40 p.m. and fired shots, according to police. Advertisement The Fire Department transported a 27-year-old man to Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn in good condition with gunshot wounds to both of his legs, police said. A 29-year-old man was transported to Roseland Community Hospital in good condition with a gunshot wound to his right hand. Another 27-year-old man was also transported to Advocate Christ Medical Center in good condition after being shot in his right leg. Advertisement No one had been arrested in connection to the shooting as of Sunday morning, police said, and detectives were investigating. adperez@chicagotribune.com Now-suspended Dover Mayor P. Richard Homrighausen sits in the courtroom of Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Judge Elizabeth Lehigh Thomakos during his March 30 arraignment at the Tuscarawas County Courthouse in New Philadelphia. NEW PHILADELPHIA The criminal trial of suspended Dover Mayor Richard P. Homrighausen is scheduled to start at 9 a.m. Tuesday with jury selection. A pretrial hearing will be held at 2:30 p.m. Monday to handle any issues requiring resolution before the trial. Tuscarawas County Common Pleas Judge Elizabeth Lehigh Thomakos will preside. The mayoral drama began about two years ago when Homrighausen stopped attending City Council meetings and showing up for work, prompting a council investigation into his physical and mental well-being. Council members repeatedly called upon him to resign, citing declining faith in his ability to lead the city. The longtime mayor returned in July 2021 and found himself at the center of a state investigation with three special prosecutors from the Ohio Auditor's Office assigned to the case. He also has been peppered with critical questions from the council about hiring, firing three employees who helped council and cost overruns at the city's power plant. He was suspended in April by a special commission appointed by Ohio Supreme Court Chief Justice Maureen O'Connor. "I will comply with the order of the special commission," the mayor said in a prepared statement at the time. "My compliance with the order of the special commission is not an admission of any wrongdoing as mayor. I will continue to defend the allegations brought by the special prosecutor. I maintain my innocence." Here are five things to know about the case. Now-suspended Dover Mayor Richard P. Homrighausen returns to his office Dec. 21 in Dover after firing Service Director David Douglas. Richard Homrighausen has pleaded not guilty to all charges. Following his March indictment, Homrighausen pleaded not guilty to charges of theft in office, four counts of soliciting improper compensation, two counts of dereliction of duty, having an unlawful interest in a public contract and representation by a public official. Seven charges relate to the collection of fees for officiating at weddings. The theft-in-office charge alleges that he pocketed $9,295 for some 270 ceremonies. Story continues The charges of soliciting improper compensation involve accusations that Homrighausen took money for performing four weddings. The prosecutor has said those charges are meant to put "flesh on the bones" of all the theft charges. They are expected to be examined in detail at the trial. Both dereliction of duty charges allege that Homrighausen failed to turn over wedding fees to the city treasury between Jan. 1, 2014, and Jan. 4, 2021. The charge of having an unlawful interest in a public contract relates to his involvement, from Nov. 1, 2012, to March 4, 2013, in the city's hiring of his son, Peter. The charge of representation by a public official arises from Homrighausen participating in, and ruling on, an overtime grievance filed by the same son, then a city light plant employee, on Feb. 21, 2016. Tax charges were previously dismissed. The prosecution dismissed six tax charges in July. Special Prosecutor Robert F. Smith, of the Ohio Auditor's Office, declined to explain why he dropped the charges in July. The tax charges had alleged Homrighausen failed to report income from fees he collected for officiating at weddings. He could go to prison and lose his pension. Theft in office, a third-degree felony, carries a possible penalty of nine months to three years in prison and a maximum fine of $10,000. A theft-in-office conviction would also result in forfeiture of his state pension. He could be barred from holding public office. Conviction on either theft in office or having an unlawful interest in a public contract charge would cause Homrighausen's removal from office, as both are felonies. Now-suspended Dover Mayor Richard P. Homrighausen answers questions during a city council meeting on Jan. 18. He's still collecting a paycheck. Under terms of state law, Homrighausen has continued to receive his annual salary of $100,542.48 since his May 4 suspension from office by a three-judge panel appointed by the Ohio Supreme Court. Homrighausen is in his eighth term as mayor. He was first elected in 1991 and most recently reelected in 2019. The next mayoral election will be in 2023. Now-suspended Mayor Richard P. Homrighausen appears at the Christmas parade Dec. 4, 2021 in Dover. More:Fired Dover employees return to work Reach Nancy at 330-364-8402 or nancy.molnar@timesreporter.com. On Twitter: @nmolnarTR This article originally appeared on The Times-Reporter: Dover Mayor Richard Homrighausen trial to start Tuesday ROMAN PETRENKO SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022, 09:33 Russian propaganda media have reported that two people, including a former member of the Ukrainian Parliament, the Verkhovna Rada, have been killed in Kherson as a result of an alleged strike. Source: Kremlin-aligned news outlets RBC and RIA Novosti Details: It has been reported that Oleksii Zhuravko, a former "rehional" [representative of the Party of Regions which was a pro-Russian political party in Ukraine], is allegedly among those killed. He published a video on 23 September in which he "voted" in the sham referendum in Kherson. As has become customary, the occupiers are blaming Ukraine for his death. For reference: Zhuravko has been a member of the Party of Regions faction since 2006, and since 2015 he fled to Russia, where he has lived until now. When he was a member of parliament, Zhuravko attacked a Ukrainska Pravda journalist in the parliament building. He has supported the Russian aggression against Ukraine since the beginning of the war. Previously: On 29 August, Oleksii Kovalov, a former member of the Ukrainian parliament and recently a collaborator with Russia, was killed in the Russian-occupied territory of Kherson Oblast. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Former top Pence aide Marc Short on Friday rejected a recent claim from former President Trump that presidents can declassify documents by thinking about it, calling the notion absurd. Thats absurd, obviously, Short told CBS News. I think it would make it very difficult for the intelligence community to have a classification system if that was the case. Short, who served as chief of staff to former Vice President Pence, added that he and the former vice president did not operate on that standard. Trump told Fox News host Sean Hannity on Wednesday that presidents can declassify materials simply by thinking about it. There doesnt have to be a process, as I understand it, Trump said. If youre the president of the United States, you can declassify just by saying, Its declassified. Even by thinking about it. The former president has repeatedly claimed that he declassified the more than 300 classified documents recovered from his Mar-a-Lago home since he left office. Trump and the Justice Department are currently battling in court over the status of the documents. Trumps legal team faced pushback in court this week over its declassification claims. Judge Raymond Dearie, the special master assigned to review documents recovered from Mar-a-Lago, reportedly seemed irked at a meeting on Tuesday when Trumps team resisted his request to further elaborate on a filing that noted the former president could have declassified the records. An appeals court also noted this week that the record contains no evidence that any of these records were declassified. The court granted the Justice Departments appeal to exempt classified documents from the special masters review. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. (Bloomberg) -- France plans to raise the retirement age as part of a second attempt by President Emmanuel Macron to reform the pension system, a top minister told Le Journal du Dimanche. Budget Minister Gabriel Attal said the countrys pension system faces a deficit and the government doesnt want to increase taxes or see national debt balloon further. The only way to secure the system for future generations, he said, is to raise the age of eligibility for retirement benefits. The current minimum retirement age in France is 62. Id rather tell the truth to the French, even if it can be sometimes hard to hear, Attal told the newspaper. Attal didnt say what the new retirement age would be, but he said adopting the reforms would save a gross amount of 8 billion euros ($7.75 billion) by 2027. Frances government will try to consult with the opposition, Attal said, even though the prospects for getting their backing may be tricky since Macrons party no longer holds an absolute majority in Parliament since Junes elections. Macron previously tried to make pension reform but it was put on hold in 2020 during the coronavirus pandemic. In late 2019 and early 2020, Macrons government faced rolling strikes, at times paralyzing transport in Paris, over concerns about changes to pensions. Attal didnt dismiss the possibility of resorting to article 49.3 of the French constitution, which under certain conditions allows the government to adopt a law without approval from parliament. On Monday, Attal will present the budget for next year with Finance Minister Bruno Le Maire. Its expected to cap the increase in gas and electricity bills to 15%, and bring in income tax cuts worth 6.2 billion euros. Attal said the government plans to reduce the share of public spending through to 2027 to 53.8% of GDP from 57.6%. Attal also said Macrons government will reduce inheritance taxes over his term, which ends in 2027, but the measure wont be included in next years budget. More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com 2022 Bloomberg L.P. The following is the full transcript of an interview with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy airing Sunday, Sept. 25, 2022, on "Face the Nation." MARGARET BRENNAN: We turn now to the President of Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky. Mr. President, thank you for talking to us. I want to ask you right away about these referenda that are happening in Eastern Ukraine. The U.S. says they're a "sham" and intended to take about 15 percent of your territory away. What happens to Ukrainians living in these areas if they respond 'no' when they are asked if they want to be part of Russia? PRESIDENT VOLODYMYR ZELENSKYY: Thank you very much for your question. Thank you for an opportunity to talk to you today and with American people. Thank you very much for a very strong position from the White House and Joe- President Biden. The referendum can lead to very tragic moments. You started your question with an answer that is correct. Those people who don't come to referendum, you know, Russians can turn off their electricity and won't give them an opportunity to live a normal human life. They force people, they throw them in prisons. They force them to come to these pseudo-referenda. And also, they also announced mobilization. They're forcing people to fight, people from the temporarily occupied territories. A lot of people will be forced to do this. However, it's a very low percentage of people: even among those who are forced to show up to vote to this sham referendum, we see that there is no support in the society for this referendum. However, I see other threats when they complete, if they succeed with these referenda. The ballots have been- had been already prepared. The Russia of- the Russian government can officially announce that the referendum had been completed, and the results will be announced. This would make it impossible, in any case, to continue any diplomatic negotiations with the President of Russian Federation, and he knows it very well. I have spoken about it publicly. I think it's a very dangerous signal from President Putin that tells us that Putin is not going to finish this war. That is what's going on. Story continues MARGARET BRENNAN: The Biden administration has built its entire policy around avoiding direct conflict with Russia. Once this annexation happens, does it change that dynamic? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Where the- the dynamic will change, what specifically do you mean, what kind of dynamic? The dynamic of the support from the United States? MARGARET BRENNAN: Is Russia using this as an excuse to say that it is being attacked, because the West is providing Ukraine with weapons if it is seizing Eastern Ukraine to annex it? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Yes, that's exactly so. That is correct. Look, he knows. He feels it, and his military leadership reports to him. He knows that he's losing the war. In the battlefield, Ukraine has seized the initiative. He cannot explain to his society why, and he is looking for answers to these questions. His society does not understand what kind of second army in the world it is that is not capable to win and to defeat Ukraine. Yesterday, President Putin said they will win Ukraine in three days, but now it's seven months. Today, it's seven months since Russia occupied- tried to occupy Ukraine, but they couldn't. And now he has to justify. He has to take steps to justify. He says, 'See, let's look at it. I am not afraid of Ukraine. It was a special operation, but now it's Russia. It's our territory. Look, we conducted referenda. Now, it's the West who attacks Russia. Now, the West attacks our territories. We have let the society join Russia, the society that wanted to be with Russia. And you see that he has completed he has announced the mobilization. It used to be hidden. Now, you see that it has been announced publicly. For several months, they've been secretly mobilizing. But now, they admitted that their army is not able to fight with Ukraine anymore. Their top level officers have been killed in Ukraine on our battlefield. They did not expect the resistance that they received from us. MARGARET BRENNAN: Vladimir Putin continues to dangle the threat of nuclear weapons use. You've called this nuclear blackmail. Do you think he's bluffing right now? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Look, maybe yesterday it was bluff. Now, it could be a reality. Let's look, what is a contemporary use of nuclear weapons or nuclear blackmail? He targeted and occupied our nuclear power plant and the city of Enerhodar. This nuclear station has six blocks. And on top of that, a few days ago, apart from this station, he- blackmails, he continues his blackmail related to us exporting electricity to Europe. I have mentioned before in Enerhodar, we have six- the size of six of Chernobyl nuclear plants. Several days ago, they started shooting at another nuclear power plant. It's called Pivdenna, or Southern Nuclear Power Plant. The missile hit the area that was 300 meters from the nuclear plant. The nuclear plant lost all the windows and doors, etc. So, he wants to scare the whole world. These are the first steps of his nuclear blackmail. I don't think he's bluffing. I think the world is deterring it and containing this threat. We need to keep putting pressure on him and not allow him to continue. MARGARET BRENNAN: For seven months, the strategy of the West has been to put sanctions on Vladimir Putin. President Biden says more are coming. What kind of financial punishment would make a difference now? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Would you explain what financial punishment means? What kind of sanctions? MARGARET BRENNAN: President Biden has said more sanctions are coming. PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: I see. Let me explain this. I think that there's sanctions that must be implemented towards the very end, completely. I respect the leadership of the United States and the position of President Biden. If we cut Russian banks from SWIFT, we need to cut all Russian banks from SWIFT, but we need to make sure and I will repeat this, some countries do not follow and they are not completely involved in these sanctions. So Russian banks, the whole system, the whole Russian banking system must be cut from SWIFT. Also, if we talk about an embargo for energy, we need not to look for compromises, or we need to make sure that this embargo will be working and all the prices would be implemented according to the embargo because the profits from these imports support the Russian army and fund the war. We see that it's a very expensive toy for Putin. It's a very bloody toy. So he needs more money, all the money and super profits from oil and gas Russia's using, and we need to limit that. We need to stay united, the United States and Europe together implement these sanctions and they have to be implemented not only by the United States, but by the whole democratic world. We cannot say that one country has implemented it, the other country has partially implemented it, and in the third country- the society doesn't support sanctions. And what can the United States do? We would love that- after the de-occupation, we see a very cruel, horrible picture; we see torture, we see killings of our civilians; and I'll give you more detail, but after Bucha, it's not the first case we see- the United States could show its leadership position and recognize Russia as a sponsor of terrorism. I understand there will be implications. These implications will make diplomatic negotiations impossible, however, they are terrorists, and we cannot let them do it out of fear. They will not surrender. We need to keep applying pressure. Again, they do not want any dialogue. We see referenda, we see mobilization, that's emphasizing their will. The United States can help the whole world. The sanctions are fair, 100 percent fair. We de-occupied Kharkiv region. We see many journalists, journalists came back and they will show their videos. We started exhumations, we lifted 500 bodies. The whole families were tortured and killed. Their families were buried together. Adults, men and women, and little children with bullets in their heads. Some of their body parts were missing. They are terrorists, we need to recognize them. Who they are, they will only understand dialogue, when they will feel that somebody supports them if they feel someone's weakness. However, if the world is ignoring them, not supporting them, not dealing with them because they are terrorists, they don't have honor. They cannot keep their word. They do not kill military personnel. They rape, torture and kill civilians. Imagine, I was there a few days ago. We found a big mass grave of half of a thousand people. Today I received more information. The journalists are on their way. They found two more mass graves, big graves with hundreds of people. Also and we're talking about a little town of Izium. Do you know? There are two more mass graves in a small town. This is what's going on. The sanctions need to continue. These sanctions will have political impact, as well as financial impact. MARGARET BRENNAN: The US has released intelligence about Russia's filtration centers that it is putting Ukrainians into, and estimate that hundreds of thousands of Ukrainian children are being taken to Russia. Does forcibly separating kids from their families constitute genocide? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: These are horrible elements of genocide of the Ukrainian population. The tortures that I've mentioned. Unfortunately, we have not de-occupied the full territory of Ukraine that has has been occupied by Russia since February 24. So a lot of these tortures and other events are still ahead of us. And we're talking about big cities. Right now, in small towns, we find graves of hundreds and thousands of people. Could you imagine when we will come to de-occupy a city that had a population of 300,000 or half a million before the Russian occupation? I can't even imagine what happens there. We have all the information about filtration camps, isolation camps, people are being tortured with various means. They apply pressure, they torture with electric current and so on. And apart from that there's deportation, I can't say exact numbers. I don't want to lie, I want you to know all the truth. I can't say, or confirm that hundreds of thousands of children have been deported because families have been separated. Partially, some people have been forced to stay in the occupied territory. Some families have been separated and children have been forced to leave into Russia. We do not - cannot confirm the number of children and have been able to stay in the occupied territories or were forced to go to Russia. But it's absolutely true that there are thousands of these children, we have confirmed that. MARGARET BRENNAN: Offensive operations are more expensive than defensive operations. The White House is asking Congress for $12 billion more to provide to Ukraine. What do you need this money for? What is essential right now? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: I don't know if we talk- If you talk about the whole amount that will be given specifically to Ukraine. I'm not sure. God bless you, if you're right. I have not received the details from this new development. I can tell you for sure what's the most vital for us right now. This should be an offensive that will result in the de-occupation of Ukrainian territories. De-occupation is very important for us to, as fast as possible, save our civilians. Do you see what happens within the seven months of occupation? Thousands of people have been killed, raped, tortured. That's why we need this help to de-occupy our territories to make sure that more people survive. I don't think that this is the highest price in the world to save thousands of lives. I'm so thankful for the people of (unintelligible) for the U.S. Congress, to President Biden, that you work on this issue. And I also would like to see this issue supported. So as of today, number one, we're very thankful for HIMARS and other MLRSs that give us an ability to conduct our offensive. Our army seizes the initiative, cuts the technical capabilities of Russia. Second, artillery. Artillery helps us to save the lives of our warriors, our fighters, they need an opportunity to get supplies of tanks from the United States as well as Europe. If the US will be able to show its leadership and will be able to get the tanks, then the Germany- then Germany and other European countries will follow. I think if we get tanks from the US, European allies will also help us to de-occupy Ukrainian cities with tanks. And don't follow Russian false narratives that say that tanks will be given to Ukraine in order to shoot or target Russia, it's not true. Even if we wanted this. Our task is to protect our own territory. We do not need a foreign country, we do not need a foreign nation. We want to protect our land and save our people. That's why tanks are very important as an example for the whole world. Number three air defense systems. We absolutely need the United States to show leadership and give Ukraine, the air defense systems. I want to thank President Biden for a positive decision that has been already made. And to the US Congress, we received NASAMS. It's the air defense systems. But believe me, it's not even nearly enough to cover the civilian infrastructure, schools, hospitals, universities, homes of Ukrainians. Why do we need this? We need the security in order to attract our Ukrainians to come back home. If it's safe, they will come, settle, work here and will pay taxes and then we won't have a deficit of $5 billion in our budget. So it will be a positive for everybody. Because as of today the United States gives us $1.5 billion every month to support our budget to fight- fight this war. However, if our people will come back- and they do want to come back very much, they have a lot of motivation- they will work here. And then the United States will not have to continue, give us this support. I'm sorry, I'm using this language about the war, but it will be a win-win for everybody. For the United States, it will be significant savings, but for us, it will be an opportunity to secure our territory and make it safe for our population. MARGARET BRENNAN: We're heading into those cold winter months, and a possible global economic crisis. Do you trust that the West will provide that financial support you need? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: We all need to live through this winter. It's the most complicated winter. And I'm convinced that if we talk about Ukraine, you see what's happening. They blocked the ports to prevent our grain to leave for Africa, Asia, some countries of Europe to create chaos there, political chaos and famine. They want to cause famine. And that's why- and therefore instability in some countries. The second crisis that Russia created is energy. they have created it before the full scale invasion. The world has no right to listen to Russia's false narratives. They say that because of the war and sanctions, the energy prices are going up. It's untrue. Remember, before the full scale invasion, Russia had already done that. Russia had- has done that, and the energy prices have been inflated. The second risk- risk and now they understood that Ukraine is capable- because Ukraine has been connected to the European grid- to help Europe, Poland, Romania, our neighbors, Moldova, we have started negotiations with Germany, everybody sees that we have a surplus of electricity. Because we have a well developed nuclear power system. We have 15 power- stations, 15 blocks, and they understood that we will export our electricity to Europe. It means that Europe will have a big volume, enough volume, but also the price will be different. So it won't hurt Europeans, and Europeans will be satisfied and leaders in Europe know about that. And then they decided to attack our nuclear power plant. Now, it's been disconnected, six units out of 15 do not work but our country has enough electricity. So we see that 1/3 of our capacity could be working for Europe right now. That's what Russia is doing. Yes, of course, winter will be very difficult. September 11th. They did it on purpose, you know what a symbolic, tragic symbol it is. 11th of September, and specifically on this day, they attacked our electric infrastructure. They left 1.5 million people without power, you understand? All infrastructure is interconnected: the pumps, the water control systems. So they created this crisis. We have corrected it. We worked so hard, over the three weeks and we fixed everything. Nevertheless, you see what they do. So in cold winter, of course, they will shoot missiles, and they will target our electric grid. This is a challenge, but we are not afraid of that. We will fight, and we will not surrender. It's very important that they won't force other countries, United States of America and Europe to suffer. Now we suffer. We fight and we give our lives for the future of democracy and of the open world. MARGARET BRENNAN: Can there be stability in Europe if Vladimir Putin remains in power? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: No. MARGARET BRENNAN: No? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: I don't have anything to add. My opinion is no. We have observed this over the years, we don't see stability. Specifically, we see challenges and risks, political, economic, food crisis. Obviously, it is not- COVID-19 was not enough for them. COVID took so many lives, caused economic consequences. This is life. Unfortunately, it did take place. However, simultaneously, we see Russia creating, artificially, other kinds of crisis and they are very openly discussing the threats to the rest of the world. They started threatening us with nuclear weapons. Will the world depend on one country or one person? The world has to make a decision. We have made our decision. We will not depend on one person, who is not a citizen of our country. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. President, thank you for your time today. I do want to ask before I let you go, you have kept Ukraine united during this war. Have you seen evidence that Vladimir Putin will now come and target you in this moment of desperation? PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: I think that the military strategy of military and political leadership of Russia has not changed: its occupation of our country. And of course, they want to destabilize our country from inside. You are very right in saying that we are united. We have become even more united now than ever, over the 31 years of our independence from the Soviet Union. So he does everything possible to destabilize our country to make sure we're weaker. And for that he wants to divide us of course, I'm one of the targets, of course, it goes without saying. It's not because of my personality, just because- because the President is a leader of their country. MARGARET BRENNAN: Mr. President, thank you for your time. And good luck to you, sir. PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY: Thank you very much. We will need it. We wish you peace and everything. Thank you very much for your support, the United States. MARGARET BRENNAN: And Face the Nation will be back in one minute. Stay with us. Gwyneth Paltrow on turning 50, family, and Goop The real people behind "The Greatest Beer Run Ever" "For the Birds": Art, music and birdsong (Bloomberg) -- Most Read from Bloomberg German Chancellor Olaf Scholz secured just one shipment of liquefied natural gas from the United Arab Emirates, with a non-binding agreement for more, as Europes biggest economy struggles to replace Russian supplies. The cargo -- 137,000 cubic meters -- will be delivered by Abu Dhabi National Oil Co. to German utility RWE AG by early 2023. ADNOC also signed a memorandum of understanding to make more deliveries next year. An ensuing trip to Qatar didnt immediately yield any more deals. Securing additional supplies is crucial for Germany after the Kremlin shut down a key pipeline. Officials have grown increasingly concerned about blackouts and rationing this winter, and the economy is hurtling toward a recession. The deal announced Sunday shows how difficult it will be for the country to get more gas in the near-term. We must ensure that the coalition on liquefied natural gas in the world is advancing to the point where the high demand can be met, Scholz said in Abu Dhabi. The comments came a day after Scholz visited Saudi Arabia, where he met with the OPEC kingpins crown prince for talks that focused on future cooperation and importing hydrogen. Those issues bear more relevance to long-term security than the ongoing shortage as winter approaches. After the UAE, Scholz traveled to Qatar, where he and the nations emir were expected to discuss long-term plans for shipments of gas and hydrogen. Germany and Qatar have been discussing LNG supplies for several months, with Germany being reluctant to commit to long-term contracts at record prices for LNG. Scholz issued a statement after the Qatar meeting that didnt reference any agreements on supply. Qatars energy minister said Saturday that talks with RWE and Uniper SE for long-term LNG contracts are ongoing. Story continues Read also: Scholz Says Energy Crisis Presenting One Hurdle After Another Under the terms of the deal with ADNOC, the LNG would be delivered to RWEs floating terminal at Brunsbuttel, near Hamburg, as soon as late December. Germany is setting up floating LNG import terminals, and some facilities are expected to be ready this winter. ADNOC also agreed with fuel distributor Wilhelm Hoyer GmbH & Co. KG to supply as much as 250,000 tons of diesel per month in 2023, according to the UAEs state-run news agency, WAM. The energy company made it first direct delivery of diesel to Germany in September. Separately, Abu Dhabi-based Masdar will pursue more opportunities for wind power in northern Europe and Germanys Baltic Sea area to boost renewable energy output to 10 gigwatts by 2030, according to WAM. Most Read from Bloomberg Businessweek 2022 Bloomberg L.P. Reshma Saujani speaks on "Maria Bartiromo's Wall Street" at Fox Business Network Studios in 2019 in New York City Steven Ferdman/Getty Images Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani is speaking out after her company's book series was banned from a Pennsylvania school district. The books were just added to PEN America's Index of School Book Bans, a list of restricted literature around the country. "This is about controlling women and it starts with controlling our girls and what info they have access to," Saujani told Insider. Girls Who Code founder Reshma Saujani was enjoying a quiet Saturday morning with her two young children when a news alert hit her phone her company's book series had been placed on a list of banned books in schools. The series, which chronicles a group of young girls and their adventures as part of a coding club at their school, was just added to PEN America's Index of School Book Bans, a comprehensive, nationwide list of restricted literature. The index is updated annually by the organization, which advocates protecting free expression through the advancement of literature and human rights. Related video: The evolution of queer characters in children's animation "I was just shocked," Saujani told Insider. "This is about controlling women and it starts with controlling our girls and what info they have access to." The Girls Who Code books were banned specifically by Pennsylvania's Central York School District, located in a critical political swing region where Saujani said the organization has an active club. But she said the move is part of a larger effort by Moms for Liberty, a conservative organization that advocates for parental rights in schools, including oversight of educational material. "In some ways we know that book banning has been an extreme political tool by the right banning books to protect our kids from things that are 'obscene' or 'provocative' but there is nothing obscene or provocative about these books," she told Insider. Moms for Liberty did not immediately respond to Insider's request to comment on the ban. Story continues The books were joined by other recent additions to the list several of which tackle racial, women's, and LGBTQ+ rights issues including "The Handmaid's Tale," "Speak," and "Fun Home: A Family Tragicomic." "We use these stories to teach kids to code," she said. "It felt very much like a direct attack on the movement we've been building to get girls coding. Especially in districts that don't have the technology or have disparate Wi-Fi, books are a great way to learn to code and a way to equalize access to coding." Saujani added that removing the books not only hinders visibility for women in technology fields, but also diversity in the industry, as many of the protagonists in the series are young girls of color. "You cannot be what you cannot see," she said. "They don't want girls to learn how to code because that's a way to be economically secure." The authors of the Girls Who Code books Stacia Deutsch, Michelle Schusterman, and Jo Whittemore joined Saujani in speaking out about the ban. "Yep. I've been banned. Because some people choose not to focus on how awesome and empowering and inspiring these books are but instead choose fear," Whittemore wrote on Twitter on Saturday. Since learning of the ban, Saujani said she has reached out to the Central York School District president and several teachers in the area to understand why the books ended up on the list and to get the series back into schools. The Central York School District did not immediately respond to Insider's request to comment. "This is an opportunity to realize how big this movement is against our kids and how much we need to fight," Saujani told Insider. "This is opportunity to start more clubs, get more girls to code, and get more girls to become economically free." Read the original article on Business Insider Sen. Mike Lee of Utah. AP Photo/Phelan M. Ebenhack, File Mike Lee leads Evan McMullin 36%-34% in a new Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll. The Utah Senate race is shaping up to be one of the most competitive statewide contests in years. The key to victory is the support of the state's moderate voters, per Hinckley director Jason Perry. Republican Sen. Mike Lee holds a narrow lead over independent candidate Evan McMullin in the Utah Senate race, in what is shaping up to be one of the most competitive statewide races in recent memory in the longtime GOP stronghold. In the latest Deseret News/Hinckley Institute of Politics poll among registered voters Lee earned the support of 36% of respondents, while 34% backed McMullin and 13% opted for another candidate. Per the polling results, 16% of respondents also indicated that they were undecided. Among likely voters, the race remains largely unchanged, with Lee leading McMullin 37% to 34%, with 16% of respondents stating that they were undecided. The poll surveyed 815 registered voters from Sept. 3 through Sept. 21 and had a margin of error of plus or minus 3.43 percentage points. Jason Perry, the director of the Hinckley Institute of Politics at the University of Utah, told Deseret News that the polling indicated that a swath of moderates who are still not sold on giving Lee a third term in Washington, DC is the key to the incumbent winning in November and are also critical to McMullin if he is to upset the Republican lawmaker. "Mike Lee continues to be in the driver's seat, but the most interesting aspect of this poll is who the undecided voters are moderates and liberals," Perry told the publication. "Mike Lee needs some of the moderates and Evan McMullin needs all the moderates and liberals he can convince, but those groups are in a quandary." Utah Independent Senate candidate Evan McMullin. AP Photo/Rick Bowmer Utah Democrats in April threw their support behind McMullin in the November contest, in turn passing over a nominee from their own party. In endorsing McMullin, Democrats lined up behind a former CIA officer who unsuccessfully sought the presidency in 2016, but performed strongly in the Beehive State winning 22% of the statewide vote and holding Donald Trump below 50% of the vote in one of the most Republican states in the country. Story continues While Lee overwhelmingly votes in line with most Republican senators, McMullin told NBC News in July that he wouldn't caucus with either major party should he be elected to office this fall. And while Republican candidates generally enjoy a healthy financial advantage in Utah, McMullin has been able to remain competitive with the incumbent. According to OpenSecrets, Lee has raised $7.9 million and had nearly $2.5 million in cash on hand, while McMullin has taken in over $3.2 million and had nearly $1.3 million in cash on hand. In the last Deseret News/Hinckley poll which was conducted in July Lee held a 41%-36% lead over McMullin. The latest results show some erosion in support for the senator, as there has since been an increase in the number of voters who are undecided. Read the original article on Business Insider Sep. 25Taxpayers didn't waste any time telling Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham how they felt about her plan to spend $10 million to build a clinic near the Texas border that would provide abortion services and other reproductive health care. Within hours of announcing she was designating the funding from her capital outlay money in the upcoming legislative session, the governor started to receive emails from New Mexicans who were incensed by the decision, according to documents obtained under a public records request. Some of the initial emails were laced with insults. "I know you don't believe it, and that's OK, but you'll stand before God one day and be judged for your satanic beliefs against humanity and the slaughter of innocent children," wrote Carl Parker of Albuquerque, the first person to send the governor an email about the proposed clinic. "True, born again believers will be able to watch you get thrown in the lake of fire forever. I can hardly wait." A few hours later, another Albuquerque resident, Carol Meyers, also invoked Christianity, calling the allocation an "offense to God." "I will do everything I can to be sure Mark Ronchetti becomes New Mexico's next governor!" she wrote, referring to Lujan Grisham's Republican challenger in the Nov. 8 general election. The New Mexican filed a public records request Sept. 6 for all communication the governor received about the proposed clinic since Aug. 31, when she signed an executive order designating the funds for the project. The request turned up 57 emails and other records. Of the 57, 36 expressed opposition and 19 indicated support. The rest didn't take an explicit position on the issue. Maddy Hayden, a spokeswoman for Lujan Grisham, didn't specifically answer whether the governor read the emails but said Lujan Grisham appreciates hearing from all New Mexicans about the issues that impact their lives. Story continues Hayden noted recent polling by the Albuquerque Journal showed many New Mexicans support abortion rights. The poll, conducted in August, found 35 percent of New Mexicans think abortion should always be legal while 22 percent think it should be legal "with some limitations." "As neighboring states pass extremist abortion bans that limit women's healthcare, New Mexico's reproductive health care providers are seeing a strain on our system," Hayden wrote in an email. "The governor committed to funding this facility after hearing from medical providers and community members that there is a critical need for more access to women's healthcare in the Las Cruces area. This includes abortion care, but also routine gynecological services like exams, birth control access, and screenings." The decision to fund a clinic in Dona Ana County "is a necessary piece of the healthcare delivery system," resulting in healthier women in the southwestern part of the state, Hayden wrote. Abortion has turned into a top issue in the fiercely competitive governor's race since the U.S. Supreme Court in late June overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 ruling that established a constitutional right to abortion. Lujan Grisham, a staunch abortion rights supporter, has used the issue as a rallying point and fundraising mechanism among her supporters. She has also used the issue as ammunition against Ronchetti, saying a woman's right to choose is at stake in November. Ronchetti, who has described himself as strongly pro-life, has tried to take a more moderate approach in recent weeks. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, Ronchetti said he is personally pro-life but would seek a middle ground with the Legislature "that ends the practice of late-term and partial-birth abortion." He has also said he believes permitting abortion up to 15 weeks and in cases involving rape, incest and when a mother's life is at risk is a "very reasonable position" most New Mexicans would support regardless of party affiliation. Ronchetti recently proposed a state constitutional amendment to allow voters to directly decide on abortion rights in New Mexico, drawing criticism from opponents who say women already have the right to decide in a state with few restrictions on the medical procedure. Emails sent to the governor on the issue of a taxpayer-funded clinic that would provide abortion services show division on the issue, though most of the communication expressed opposition or displeasure. "I support a women's choice and hope for some reasonable laws. However I DO NOT support you using our tax dollars to fund abortions," Elizabeth Grinnell of Las Cruces wrote. "WRONG WRONG WRONG." While a majority of people who emailed the governor about the proposed clinic voiced disapproval, others expressed support, including several from out of state and even Canada. "Thank you for having the guts to establish a reproductive clinic," Pauline James of Casa Grande, Ariz., wrote. "Every woman deserves health care, no matter where. I would like to donate and would be willing to help any woman from Arizona get to the facility." Patricia Homison, a 73-year-old from New York, also thanked the governor for "supporting the Texas border abortion clinic" and demonstrably supporting women's rights. "Bless your bravery and decency. We need you in this world!" she wrote. Two people who wrote to the governor called her a "hero." "I just wanted to say thank you for fighting for the rights of women of NM and Texas by committing to build an abortion clinic near the border," Dana Oddo of Illinois wrote. "As they say, not all heroes wear capes, and you, Ma'am, are a hero." Kathleen Sobba, who lives in the Canadian province of Manitoba, said there are "many" like her who appreciate the governor's stance. "Hopefully, women who need the use of such facilities can do so without retribution from the idiots who believe they have a right to tell a women what to do with an unwanted pregnancy," she wrote. "It continues to surprise me that other women allow men to tell us what to do with our bodies," Sobba added. Follow Daniel J. Chacon on Twitter @danieljchacon. Queen Elizabeth IIs death Sept. 8 and the days of mourning and celebration of her life were marked by some God things, I think. First were those rainbows that appeared shortly after the 96-year-old Queen of Englands passing was announced. A brilliant one decorated the sky over the large, round tower of Windsor Castle, Elizabeths home outside London, just as the British Union Jack flag was being lowered to half-staff. The Union flag is lowered on Windsor Castle as a rainbow covers the sky on Sept. 8, 2022 in Windsor, England. Queen Elizabeth II died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on Sept. 8, 2022, and is survived by her four children, Charles, Prince of Wales, Anne, Princess Royal, Andrew, Duke Of York and Edward, Duke of Wessex. And a double rainbow materialized at Buckingham Palace, the residence where the queen spent much of each working week, in sight of the Queen Victoria Memorial. A statue of Victoria there is joined by representations of courage, constancy, victory, charity, truth and motherhood all concepts that certainly applied to Queen Elizabeth, too. A TV commentator remarked that it was fitting that the queen died after the pandemic restrictions in the United Kingdom had been lifted, enabling huge crowds to show their love and appreciation from Scotland, where she spent her last days, to London to Windsor and on roadways in between. Thats not to mention the line of people, peaking at seven miles, who waited along the River Thames as long as 24 hours to file past the queens coffin in Westminster Hall. Mike Haynes For me, my wife, Kathy, and mother-in-law, Peggy, the timing also seemed appropriate because Elizabeth and our friend, Iris Houghton, died just a month apart. Iris, a 45-year-member of Amarillos Paramount Terrace now Hillside Christian Church, was 99 when she died in Bryan. As believers, we wonder whether she finally will get to meet the queen in heaven. Iris and Elizabeth both were young women in London who endured German bombing and other hardships of World War II. Elizabeth went on to become queen, while Iris married American solider Wayne Houghton and wound up in Amarillo. (See https://www.amarillo.com/story/news/2016/07/01/sometimes-all-it-takes-faithgod/13185893007/ for my column about the very English woman who made Amarillo her home.) Story continues I cant say for sure that such occurrences were God-driven, but it makes sense considering the obvious Christian life that Elizabeth lived. As the monarch, she was the official head of the Church of England, but that doesnt necessarily make a person devout. Her words and actions did. Consider these comments from two of Elizabeths Christmas messages, first in 2000: In his early thirties, He was arrested, tortured and crucified with two criminals. His death might have been the end of the story, but then came the resurrection and with it the foundation of the Christian faith. And in 2011: Although we are capable of great acts of kindness, history teaches us that we sometimes need saving from ourselves from our recklessness or our greed. God sent into the world a unique person neither a philosopher nor a general, important though they are, but a Saviour, with the power to forgive It is my prayer that on this Christmas day we might all find room in our lives for the message of the angels and for the love of God through Christ our Lord. If youve seen the TV series, The Crown, you know that the queen met American evangelist Billy Graham when he was preaching in London in the 1950s. In Grahams book, Just As I Am, he wrote, Her official position has prevented her from openly endorsing our Crusade meetings. But by welcoming us and having me preach on several occasions to the royal family at Windsor and Sandringham, she has gone out of her way to be quietly supportive of our mission. I always found her very interested in the Bible and its message. After preaching at Windsor one Sunday, I was sitting next the the Queen at lunch. I told her I had been undecided until the last minute about my choice of sermon and had almost preached on the healing of the crippled man in John 5. Her eyes sparkled and she bubbled over with enthusiasm, as she could do on occasion. I wish you had! she exclaimed. That is my favorite story. Elizabeth died just a year and a half after the love of her life, Prince Philip, who was 99. They were married for 73 years. Philip wasnt the only man who had a crush on the queen, though. My Texan dad remembers thinking she was pretty cute in her teenage years, as did a British guy named Paul McCartney. The Beatle wrote a ditty at the end of the Abbey Road album that included these lines: Her Majesty is a pretty nice girl, But she doesnt have a lot to say I wanna tell her that I love her a lot Someday Im gonna make her mine, oh yeah, Someday Im gonna make her mine. The queens 4-year-old great-grandson, Prince Louis, had a more serious comment last week. According to his mom, Princess Kate, Louis said, At least Grannie is with Great-Grandpa now. I believe she is. Mike Haynes taught journalism at Amarillo College from 1991 to 2016 and has written for the Faith section since 1997. He can be reached at haynescolumn@gmail.com. Go to www.haynescolumn.blogspot.com for other recent columns. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: God-driven occurrences appear in the sky, timing after queen's death Devout Catholics gather in the rain outside the shuttered St. Adalbert Catholic Church in Chicago to pray on Sept. 20, 2022, the 108th anniversary of the church's dedication. The church was closed in 2019. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Rain started pouring and plastic tablecloths flapped in the wind as the women said their prayers, rosary in hand. First in Polish, then Spanish, then English. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners now, and at the hour of our death. Amen, a chorus of voices said in sync with the woman leading the English prayer. Advertisement The weather didnt deter about 50 parishioners and supporters last week from gathering to celebrate St. Adalberts 108th anniversary in the alley behind the church, just as it hasnt deterred them from praying outside since it closed in 2019, or from spending the last couple of weeks, 24/7 on rotating shifts, to help prevent a statue from being removed. Since 2017, after parishioners learned St. Adalberts, 1650 W. 17th St., would close, a group of them has been fighting to reopen St. Adalbert. Advertisement Their fight intensified a couple of weeks ago, when they learned workers were on site drilling through a back wall of the church to remove the statue of La Pieta, which depicts Mary sitting and holding Jesus body on her lap after hes brought down from the cross. Since then, the group of about 25 parishioners has rotated shifts, making sure at least one person is always in the alley near the back gate leading to the partially drilled wall to prevent workers from completing the job. The shuttered St. Adalbert Catholic Church in Chicago on Sept. 20, 2022. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) On Sept. 20, the group invited supporters and neighbors to celebrate St. Adalberts anniversary. People shared flautas, Spanish rice and beans and a Polish soup while a man played guitar and another sang in Spanish. Around midnight, after the celebration ended and the group helped clean the area and pack up tables and chairs, Judy Vazquez stayed at the site, sleeping in an SUV. Shes done so six of the last 14 nights, and has spent a lot of her days there, visiting with parishioners and neighbors. I really think that God is here, Vazquez said. Earlier this month, Dalia Radecki, who lives behind St. Adalbert, heard a loud noise coming from the alley in the morning, she said. She walked out to a cloud of dust. Radecki called one of the parishioners and word spread among the St. Adalberts group, she said. They showed up to protest the construction and eventually police arrived and the workers left. But the parishioners knew the workers would return, so they decided to stay on site day and night to stop them. Advertisement Its been an amazing community effort, Vazquez said. Its been an eye opener because this is uncharted territory. The next time the workers returned with a permit to continue their job, Rosemarie Dominguez said she sat in front of the gate, refusing to move. This has been a home for a lot of us, me especially, Dominguez said last week. Ive been coming here since I was a fetus. My mom was part of the choir. My dads a deacon; he served this parish. Dominguez, 30, is one of the youngest in the group fighting for St. Adalbert to reopen. She said she sometimes works at the site, using a hot spot and charging her laptop in Radeckis home. Dominguez is the community engagement and housing organizer for The Resurrection Project, a nonprofit that works to promote peace and safety in Chicagos Southwest Side by helping families find affordable housing and providing immigration legal services, among other assistance. St. Adalberts was one of six parishes that contributed seed money for The Resurrection Project in 1990. This is near and dear to my heart, Dominguez said. This is where my activism started. Advertisement Not only is the group upset the statue is to be removed, many of them said they are upset at the way in which the church is going about the removal, drilling a hole through the church wall instead of carrying it out through the front doors. For them to come and damage the church, that hurts a lot to the parishioners that have been here, Radecki said. The Archdiocese of Chicago said the replica of Michelangelos La Pieta statue was to be moved from St. Adelbert to St. Paul Catholic Church, about a mile southwest. An altar outside the shuttered St. Adalbert Catholic Church in Chicago on Sept. 20, 2022, the 108th anniversary of the church's dedication. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune) Parishioners will have access to worship before and better enjoy the sculpture in its new home, according to the statement. Moreover, this valued community treasure can be better safeguarded and preserved in an active parish church. The archdiocese said a post has been up on the parish website since April 19 informing people of the statues removal. The parish has followed the proper permitting process and consulted with engineers who advised on the safest way to move the statue to its new home, the statement said. Advertisement In 2016, the archdiocese announced that St. Adalberts would close as part of a plan to consolidate the six Catholic churches in the Pilsen neighborhood into three. In that announcement, the archdiocese cited the $2.5 million it would cost to repair St. Adalberts 185-foot bell towers and a decline of Mass attendance by about 2,000 people since the year 2000. In October 2020, the city moved to grant St. Adalbert official landmark status, but that process has since stalled. Ald. Byron Sigcho-Lopez, 25th, who represents the Pilsen area, sponsored an ordinance to reclassify zoning at the churchs location from residential to parks and open space district. That ordinance was deferred to a future council meeting. An archdiocese document from August lists St. Adalberts for sale for $3.95 million. Demetrio Reyes lives across the street from the church. Its where he married his wife in 2007, where he celebrated Mass on Sundays and attended events and celebrations. Advertisement Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. > Its your home, he said in Spanish. You find refuge there for your problems. You go to church to give thanks to God for your life. And then suddenly you learn itll close. Reyes said hes found hope in seeing people continue to come together to pray, him and his wife included. Its incredible, the faith of the people, he said. Neighbors have been meeting in the church parking lot, on the West Side of the building, to pray daily since the first Sunday St. Adalbert closed in summer 2019. On Fridays, Polish parishioners join the group and the St. Adalberts Spanish Polish Rosary Group prays the rosary in three languages. Additionally, on Sundays parishioners pray as a form of protest outside Holy Name Cathedral, 735 N. State St., where Cardinal Blase Cupich lives. Were out here en la lucha (in the fight) saying OK, whats going to happen next? Vazquez said. And if we dont organize and really bring this to another level, the management of the Catholic religion will keep doing this. Advertisement scasanova@chicagotribune.com When Illinois state Sen. Napoleon Harris (15th District) was a boy, he would play near the Little Calumet River, a few blocks from his house on 133rd Street, throwing rocks in the river and running around noticing broken boats. He had no idea he was on a site that was once a safe haven for enslaved people who were escaping north between the 1830s and the Civil War, he said during a marker dedication ceremony of the former Underground Railroad site at Chicagos Finest Marina, 577 E. 134th Place. Its bittersweet because I saw what this place used to be, Harris said. And now to see it today, it brings joy to my heart to see what Mr. Gaines has done with the property. And to see the historic value that as a kid I didnt know existed. Ronald Gaines, a retired sergeant of the Chicago Police Department, owns Chicagos Finest Marina. Formerly the Ton Farm, the site was a place where freedom seekers sought refuge. The Ton family was one of several Dutch families that settled in the area between 1847 and 1849. People escaping the South used what was known as the Riverdale Crossing, now the Indiana Avenue Bridge just west of the marina, then sought refuge and rest with Dutch settlers helping them before they continued north to Chicago or Detroit and eventually Canada. About four years ago, Larry McClellan, professor emeritus of Governors State University, called Gaines to tell him about the history of the property, Gaines told a crowd of about 100 people on Saturday afternoon. McClellan was involved in the civil rights movement in the 1960s and studied at the University of Ghana in West Africa. He made it his lifes work to study and teach African American history, wanting to explore how Black and white people come to understand each other and each others history, he said. Black history matters, McClellan said. Because it enriches all of our history. Since making that phone call to Gaines, McClellan has worked with local leaders and community residents to highlight the history of the marina on Chicagos Far South Side, forming the Little Calumet River Underground Railroad Project. Story continues In 2019, the Jan and Agje Ton Farm became part of the National Park Service Network to Freedom program, which recognizes Underground Railroad locations across the nation. On Saturday, an Illinois State Historical Society marker was unveiled. At Saturdays ceremony, members of the project were joined by local and state government representatives, descendants of the Ton family, nearby residents and other supporters. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said the Underground Railroad symbolizes not just the historic acts of bravery, but also a collective strength of what can be accomplished when people work together to face challenges. We stand here, proud, humbled, and hopeful that we are our ancestors wildest dreams, Stratton said. You see, we look back into the past to help inform our future. Stratton visited the site two years ago as she was learning about Black history. Her journey, she said, took her to parts of the Underground Railroad in Illinois, deepening her understanding of the discomfort and pain people faced on their path to freedom. The work of liberating others is never easy, but its always worth it, Stratton said. Here at Ton Farm, I was reminded that wherever slavery and bondage existed, so did courageous efforts to escape, often assisted by regular people, like all of us here today. The new historic marker, she said, will give people the opportunity to sit with and understand the struggle of the past but also understand the hope the site represents. U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, whose district includes the site, said the Underground Railroad provides important lessons for current and future generations. She said she hopes people who learn about and visit the site will be encouraged and inspired. Besides the educational and cultural value, these sites serve as a reminder of our nations hateful history, and of why we can never go back to those ways, Kelly said. These sites serve as an inspiration to always do what is right no matter the risk. After the unveiling, people ate a light meal and visited the marina; children ran around as adults talked. A woman led a group in yoga, and others walked around a room where an art exhibit titled Witness by artists Mama Edie Armstrong and Nathan Miller was on display. Portraits of Black youths were spread around the room; on the back of each portrait was an I am from poem written by the youth in the portrait. The youths were participants of the summers Witness program at the Altgeld Library. These works are a continuation of their ancestors stories of Black liberation, a description of the art exhibit said. Kelly Flowers, assistant principal at W.E.B. Du Bois Elementary School, took her 4-year-old granddaughter to the event. She said she was excited to learn about the history of the site within walking distance of the school. Flowers said she plans to share what she learned with social studies teachers so they can incorporate it in their curriculum. She also plans to share what she learned with her network of educators in other South Side schools. To just know you live in a historical area, how profound is that? Flowers said. For them to be proud of where they are actually get the information about where they are and who they are, where they come from. And that its touchable, its reachable. So for me, this was huge. Nearby residents who visited the ceremony, and some who stopped by for what they thought was Marina Days, where the marina is open to the public and offers food and family activities, said they were surprised to learn of its history. All these years I never knew, said Danasha Thomas, who went to the marina with her daughter and stepchildren after the ceremony. Thomas said it was important for people to know about their history and was excited to learn about the new marker out front of the marina entrance. Gaines, the marina owner, plans to continue working with McClellan and members of the Little Calumet River Underground Railroad Project to open the marina to the public and offer tours and other ways to continue educating people on its historical significance. If we dont learn about our past, it takes away from our future, Gaines said. And I think even though slavery was something we never focus on being up north, that its kind of rewarding to know that we up here had an active part in the survival of freedom seekers. McClellan said it was deeply satisfying to see so many people attend the dedication and confirm what hes always known that Black history is important. A lot of people have told him, I didnt know that happened here, he said, adding that hes glad hes been able to share that history with people. History isnt some distant thing, McClellan said. History is right here in our backyards. I mean, good Lord, were standing right where people who were running for their lives, they stood in this right, same spot. Editors note: The last name of a professor emeritus at Governors State University was misspelled in an earlier version of this story. It should be Larry McClellan. HMS Queen Elizabeth arrives in New York (Royal Navy) HMS Queen Elizabeth has arrived in New York for its deployment to the United States to host an Anglo-American military conference. The Royal Navys flagship dropped anchor within sight of the Statue of Liberty in New York Harbour on Sunday. The ship set sail for the US from Portsmouth on September 7 in place of its sister ship HMS Prince of Wales which broke down off the Isle of Wight days before the trip. The 65,000-tonne warship will be the floating venue for the Atlantic Future Forum (AFF) a defence conference focusing on Anglo-American military, political and strategic relations. Big ship in the Big Apple. Royal Navy flagship @HMSQNLZ is anchored off Manhattan and the Statue of Liberty ready for a high-profile few days in #NYC. The ship is hosting the @FutureAtlantic forum - a meeting of the brightest and minds https://t.co/xhFyYg7ACx pic.twitter.com/HUdGcou6P3 Royal Navy (@RoyalNavy) September 25, 2022 The arrival of HMS Queen Elizabeth in New York comes hours after Liz Truss spoke about her intentions to make the UKs special relationship with the US even more special in the next few years. In an interview on CNNs State Of The Union programme, the Prime Minister was asked about concerns in US president Joe Bidens administration that she does not share the same belief in the special relationship as some of her predecessors in No 10. Ms Truss said: I do think our relationship is special and its increasingly important at a time when were facing threats from Russia, increased assertiveness from China. Story continues Im determined that we make the special relationship even more special over the coming years. HMS Queen Elizabeth was welcomed into New York by the UKs Ambassador to the United States, Dame Karen Pierce. Dame Karen said: HMS Queen Elizabeth is not only the United Kingdoms flagship, but is a fantastic demonstration of the soft power and the close working relationship between the United Kingdom and the United States, as well as the transatlantic relationship. Its an enormous honour to sail into New York on her. We share an endeavour in remaining the United States closest ally and I am very proud of what the ship has achieved for Britain in her deployment to the Indo-Pacific last year. Captain Ian Feasey, HMS Queen Elizabeths commanding officer, said: It is an amazing privilege to bring HMS Queen Elizabeth back to New York and to be formally welcomed to the United States by His Majestys Ambassador. We are very much looking forward to hosting the fifth Atlantic Future Forum and welcoming onboard senior leaders that embody our deep and special relationship with the United States. Meanwhile, AFF director Stephen Watson said the fifth iteration of the forum would see political, military and business leaders to address some of the challenging questions of our time. The welcome which has been offered to the UKs flagship by our American hosts is testament to the strength and currency of the relationship between our two nations, he said. I hope that our Forum will continue to build on the understanding and bonds between us. HMS Queen Elizabeth has been joined in New York by her frigate escort, HMS Richmond, which sailed up the Hudson River for a berth on Manhattan Island. The couple's contribution was described as "humbling and heavenly" The actor Hugh Grant and his wife Anna Eberstein have donated 10,000 to an organisation that provides free plumbing to vulnerable people. James Anderson, who founded Depher, described the actor as a "foundation and rock" after he contributed 55,000 over the past year. "But this time with it being from Anna as well, it feels more personal as it's from one family to others," the Burnley-based plumber said. "It's been humbling and heavenly." The couple made the donation on Saturday to a crowdfunder so the organisation can provide services across the UK amid rising energy costs. James Anderson said many people were asking the organisation for help Mr Anderson, who was born in Liverpool, set up Depher - Disability and Elderly Plumbing and Heating Emergency Repair - in 2017 after dealing with people in deprived circumstances suffering from poor heating and plumbing. He earned worldwide attention after he refused to charge an elderly customer for work on her boiler. As a community interest company (CIC), he said it relied on donations to provide free services during the winter. He told BBC Breakfast earlier this week: "All the time, people are coming for food, gas, electric - the plumbing and heating obviously, because now it's getting colder. "And we're getting a lot of people asking for other help - with building issues, debts, loan sharks." Last year, Mr Anderson had said he feared he would have to shut down Depher because of a lack of funding caused by the pandemic and said he had not taken a salary since the start of the first lockdown. A massive thank you to everyone who has Donated to @Depheruk, your support is amazing. A big heart & hug to @HackedOffHugh & Anna Grant for another wonderful 10,000 donation today. We can help so many because of all the hearts that support ushttps://t.co/z7MQ5W1xYB pic.twitter.com/bEAvYSONWX Depher cic uk - James Anderson (@Depheruk) September 24, 2022 Mr Anderson said tax cuts announced by Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng on Friday were "not relevant at all". Story continues "There's going to be a lot of people left out in the cold and a lot of people are going to be left to die if the government don't do it correctly." Mr Kwarteng said the top rate of income tax and planned rises in business taxes would be scrapped, but it drew criticism that they would benefit the richest. On Sunday, the chancellor said there would be further tax cuts in the future so people can "retain more of their income". Why not follow BBC North West on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram? You can also send story ideas to northwest.newsonline@bbc.co.uk The year was 1987, and Earth's shield against the giant thermonuclear reaction in the sky was failing. Human-made chemicals in aerosol cans and refrigeration were eating up a thin protective layer of atmospheric gas called ozone, and heavy doses of radiation from the sun were leaking through. Scientists warned of a dangerous weak spot over Antarctica the ozone hole and a dire future. Unless the world's 5 billion people took collective action, they said, the hole would grow and new ones would form at higher latitudes and roam the planet. Rates of skin cancer and blindness would increase, and plant and animal life would suffer unpredictable harm. But that fate was averted. In September 1987, the United States and dozens of key nations signed the Montreal Protocol, a binding agreement to phase out the ozone-depleting substances, particularly chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and halons. Three decades later, emissions of the substances have dropped more than 99%, their presence in the atmosphere has halved, and the ozone hole is on track to fully heal by 2070. "We've reached a critical milestone," said Stephanie Haysmith, a communications officer with the United Nations' Ozone Secretariat. "We're on the right path." Ozone-depleting gases peaked in the Earth's atmosphere around the turn of the 21st century, more then a decade after the Montreal Protocol was signed. Scientists expect that if trends continue, the ozone should be fully healed by 2070. But while the ozone risk has diminished, another global threat has ramped up: human-caused climate change. Experts say that challenge is more complex and more pressing than ozone depletion and drives a need to learn from the Montreal Protocol and repeat its success. And unlike ozone, humanity is "heading in the wrong direction" on climate, a United Nations report warned this month. In 2021, carbon dioxide, the most problematic greenhouse gas, reached its highest concentration in the atmosphere in at least 3 million years. Humanity now has less than 30 years left until 2050, when the U.N. warns the world must reach "net zero," a point of equilibrium where any greenhouse gases emitted into the atmosphere are offset by methods to remove them. Story continues Otherwise, the risks of devastating natural disasters will escalate beyond the already rapid-fire rate they're striking now, transforming the planet into one less hospitable to human life. Carbon dioxide, the most prevalent greenhouse gas, continues to build up in the atmosphere, causing global warming and climate change. Susan Solomon, an atmospheric chemist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, who has studied both ozone loss and climate change, has seen the world tackle one major threat. Now she wonders, what did we learn about how to do it again? "We avoided a global catastrophe. It's really quite an achievement." Solomon said. "How did we do that?" Monsoon rains in the Dadu district of Sindh Province in Pakistan this month triggered flooding and landslides. More than 1,300 people were killed and 600,000 left homeless. Lessons learned Haysmith, whose office at the U.N. administers and enforces the Montreal Protocol worldwide, says there was an early key to its success: Policymakers listened to scientists. Then they acted. There was sound, science-based decision-making, followed by solid policy implementation, Haysmith said. In the U.S., Congress ratified the Montreal Protocol and in 1990 passed ozone amendments to the Clean Air Act. The Environmental Protection Agency rolled out a number of regulations and phased out CFCs. Internationally, key countries such as Germany and the United Kingdom took similar measures, said Michael Oppenheimer, a professor of geosciences and international affairs at Princeton University. And crucially, such wealthy nations provided funding for developing nations to phase out their use of ozone-depleting chemicals. "Countries like India and China didn't see any benefit of getting into the business" of making harmful chemicals, Oppenheimer said. "Especially with this fund setup." Finally, the protocol balanced carrots with sticks measures to nudge countries toward compliance. If a country doesn't meet its reduction commitments under the protocol, it's first given a chance to return to compliance and may be offered additional financial or technical assistance. But if it continues to emit the substances, it risks losing the financial aid and could face bans on imports underpinning its emissions. Nations can even be suspended from the treaty. But that penalty has never been exercised, according to Liazzat Rabbiosi, a compliance officer with the U.N.'s Ozone Secretariat. Secretary of State John Kerry delivers a speech to the 28th Meeting of the Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer, in Kigali, Rwanda on Friday. Nations struck a deal to phase out hydrofluorocarbons from air conditioners and refrigerators as part of efforts to fight climate change. Experts says these measures contrast sharply with developments on climate change. In 1997, the international community gathered in Japan to sign the Kyoto Protocol, a similar treaty seeking to decrease greenhouse gas emissions. But there were key differences, experts say. Enforcement mechanisms were weaker. Some nations, most notably the United States, never joined. Then-President Bill Clinton signed the agreement, but the Senate signaled disapproval and the protocol was never submitted for ratification. Results have been shaky even for countries that did sign. Global greenhouse gas emissions have continued to increase. The international community tried a fresh approach by ratifying the Paris Agreement in 2015, but that too has run into trouble. In the U.S., efforts by the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions have been successfully challenged in court, and Congress failed to pass meaningful legislation until the climate-heavy Inflation Reduction Act this year. More: 'Big problems': The Supreme Court handcuffed EPA on climate change. What comes next? Meanwhile, China has grown into the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases in large part because of heavy use of coal. And Europe, a world leader to date, risks backsliding amid an energy crunch spurred by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and COVID-19-related market shocks, experts say. Key momentum growing? Yet hope remains. To solve any environmental challenge, Solomon said, it must meet the "Three P's": Is it easily perceptible, are the stakes personal, and are the solutions practical? When the world confronted the ozone hole, the answer to each question was yes, Solomon said. Most people understand sunburn, and many fear developing skin cancer or cataracts from overexposure. Plus, a large part of the solution was as simple as switching deodorants. It was an amazingly practical thing that people did, which the American public should be proud of, Solomon said. We stopped buying new cans of hairspray and underarm deodorant and switched to roll-on. What could be easier than that? Susan Solomon, an atmospheric chemist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, stand on the roof of a hut in Antarctica, where she took some of the first measurements showing atmospheric ozone was being depleted by CFCs. Public concern over the ozone hole also was instrumental in motivating regulators and industry to change, Solomon said. Affordable replacement chemicals for ozone-depleting substances were developed, further accelerating solutions. Climate change has been more challenging. It can be difficult for humans to perceive how climate change amplifies naturally occurring weather phenomena, which also means it's hard to understand how it personally affects them. We're very good at fighting hot crises, Solomon said. But we're bad at problems that are slow but very serious. A boat cruises along Lake Powell near Page, Ariz., on July 31, 2021. Prolonged drought, climate change and overuse are jeopardizing the water supply that more than 40 million people rely on. The solutions for climate change don't come so easily. Where most ozone-eating substances were used in just a handful of sectors, virtually the entire world economy is built around fossil fuels. But Solomon feels the tides are changing. As more Americans are affected by extreme weather and global disasters strike wealthy and developing nations alike, polling shows concern over climate change is increasing. Activism is rising alongside, particularly among younger generations who will inherit the post-2050 Earth and are starting to come into economic and professional power. More: The kids are all fight: How millennials, Gen Z are driving change on climate And perhaps even more important, solutions are becoming attainable. Rapid drops in the costs of solar energy have made it the most cost-effective power source available in the United States. Adoption of technologies such as electric cars appear to be reaching inflection points. Consumer choice matters, Oppenheimer said. Just as Americans switched deodorants to heal the atmosphere, they can combat climate change by choosing sustainable products with lower carbon emissions. But that consumer choice has its limits, especially when solutions cost more. That's where Oppenheimer believes government intervention is essential to research new solutions, bring down their costs and require industries to adopt them. More: 'Shouting distance': That's how close the Inflation Reduction Act would get US to its climate goals Industry, when it has an incentive like the threat of regulation, is quite capable of producing what we need, he said. Building on successes Humanity's fight against the ozone hole is already paying direct dividends on climate change. Healing the ozone and preventing an increase in UV radiation has averted substantial global warming to date, scientists say, a benefit that could extend to 2.5 degrees by end of century. That has given humanity a chance to limit overall warming below 1.5 degrees, a crucial threshold in keeping the planet hospitable. This Water Vapor Millimeter-wave Spectrometer (WVMS) has been measuring changes in water vapor 18 to 49 miles above Mauna Loa, Hawaii, since 1996. Water vapor at these altitudes is affected by increased methane emission from the surface, as well as by temperature changes. Remote measurements of ozone at these altitudes are also made from this hut. Even a global network of climate monitoring equipment established to measure ozone is now proving useful, according to Gerald Nedoluha, a research physicist with the Naval Research Laboratory. "All of these instruments set up to monitor ozone destruction are now being used detect climate change," Nedoluha said. The data produced by the machines shows potential. It took years after the Montreal Protocol was signed for atmospheric concentrations of CFCs to peak, but then they rapidly dropped. Global trends in carbon dioxide emissions show a slight plateauing over the past decade. But emissions increased in 2021, and must dramatically decrease to "net zero" by 2050. In a similar fashion, data shows humanity flattening its annual emissions of carbon dioxide in recent years after a century of mostly meteoric rise. While the total amount in the atmosphere remains as high as ever, the possibility of a similar downturn remains in the cards, as long as humans resolve to do it. "You can't say that people can't change the system," Solomon said. "But it has to be powered by public demand." This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Can the success stopping the ozone hole be applied to climate change? Irans foreign ministry summoned the ambassadors of the U.K. and Norway over issues it argued constitute meddling in the countrys ongoing unrest, according to state media. The director-general of Western Europe within Irans foreign ministry called out Norways Parliament Speaker for allegedly prejudicing and unrealistic comments about recent protests in Iran, according to Irans official news agency, IRNA. The U.K. ambassador, meanwhile, was chastised for a London-based, Persian-language hosting of the media that Iran believes has produced provocation and invitation to turbulence and expansion of riots in Iran on top of their agenda, according to a second report from IRNA. The two issues could be considered by Iran as meddling in Irans internal affairs, state media notes. Iran has experiencing unrest in the week since a 22-year-old woman died in the custody of Irans morality police as protesters demonstrate against the countrys strict dress code and clash with security forces. Mahsa Amini had been arrested for allegedly wearing a hijab improperly and later died while in police custody. Though Iran denies that Amini was mistreated, reports suggest she was beaten while detained, according to a release from the United Nations human rights office. Protests broke out nationwide following news of Aminis death, and Irans police and paramilitary forces have reportedly since been trying to quell the demonstrations, at times with tear gas, pellet guns and live ammunition, the U.N. reports. International attention turned to Iran as global leaders have moved to criticize Irans treatment of women as well as its treatment of the protesters. The ambassadors of Norway and the U.K. have reportedly brought Irans concerns to officials in their respective capitals of Oslo and London. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. STORY: Protesters denounced what they called Irans "terrorist regime", chanting slogans demanding the ouster of Iranian Prime Minister Ebrahim Raisi and the country's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Im here for solidarity with the Iranian uprising and Mahsa Aminis family. I want to tell them that Im here with them, Im supporting them, said demonstrator Tara Shafaiee. Some protesters told Reuters they are also calling for the U.S. government and international community to stand up for Iranians. One man, Majed Sadeghpour, said, It is impossible to ask a population that is really facing absolute brutality to change the regime on their own without any moral support. The demonstration was orchestrated by the 'Organization of Iranian American Communities' (OIAC), who describe themselves as a "nonprofit, nonpartisan network of Iranian-American societies from across the country." The OIAC is known to be allied with the People's Mujahideen Organization of Iran (PMOI), which calls for the overthrow of Irans clerical leaders and fought alongside Saddams forces in the Iran-Iraq war in the 1980s. The PMOI is also known as the Mujahideen-e-Khalq (MEK), which was listed as a terrorist organization by the U.S. State Department until 2012. The MEK led a guerrilla campaign against the U.S.-backed Shah of Iran during the 1970s, including attacks on American targets. It has since renounced violence. Protesters at the rally in Washington, D.C., also voiced support for the leader of the MEK, Maryam Rajavi and her resistance efforts. Tim Sullivan Online platforms such as PayPal, Venmo, Airbnb, Facebook Marketplace and eBay among others have altered how individuals earn money and, more significantly, how they get paid for these goods and services. However, a short paragraph in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 may create unintended consequences for the IRS and big headaches for those receiving payments through these Third-Party Settlement Organizations." First, the Congressional Research Service points out that the rules for taxpayers reporting individual income are not new. Reporting requirements do not change the tax obligations of taxpayers. Taxpayers are required to report all the income they receive, in any form they receive it, whether it is reported by a third party to the IRS or not, unless the income is statutorily or otherwise excepted from the computation of taxable income. Nevertheless, it should come as no surprise that much of the income derived on these platforms is never reported to the IRS. Why? First, millions of people use these platforms on a regular basis and do not consider their relatively few transactions to be a real business. Second, when specifically using PayPal and Venmo, users often tag payments to friends and family when sending money for goods and services to avoid fees and reporting requirements. The friends and family option is supposed to be selected when paying someone back a debt or gifting money think splitting a restaurant bill or sending funds to a kid in college. Venmos website directs, Venmo may NOT otherwise be used to receive business, commercial or merchant transactions, meaning you CANNOT use Venmo to accept payment from (or send payment to) another user for a good or service, unless explicitly authorized by Venmo. However, it is the buyer who ultimately chooses (at least for now) whether to tag a transaction as a good or service when paying a personal account. They go on to say, All payments sent to business profiles on Venmo are tagged as purchases automatically and are therefore considered to be for goods and services. Those businesses pay a fee that typically falls in the 2% to 3% range that provides some level of fraud protection for both the buyer and the seller. Story continues Internal Revenue Service How a buyer tags a transaction with an individual, though, highlights the potential issues. Prior to 2022, it likely did not matter how a transaction was tagged because a seller had to receive at least 200 payments for goods and services in a year and at least $20,000 in gross payments. The law changed the reporting requirements for these TSPOs to a threshold of just $600 in a calendar year for those receiving payments for a good or service with no minimum transaction number. Imagine this scenario: An individual lists a dozen items over the course of the year on Marketplace at an average price of $100. On half the transactions, the buyer completes the purchase through the Marketplace payment platform. Per the new reporting requirements, the seller will receive a 1099-K in January 2023 reporting $600 of income. The seller now has reportable income of $600 that must go on their 2022 tax return. The IRS and most TSPOs point out that individuals can offset income by deducting the cost of the good sold essentially the basis of the item. But how are people supposed to prove what they paid for a bicycle or a couch, table saw or handbag they may have had for years? What about dozens of clothing items? Should consumers now be expected to keep a receipt indefinitely for any item they may someday sell? When reached for comment, Venmo pointed to their 2022 Tax FAQ web page. To their credit, it is quite thorough in outlining these changes. Meta, the parent company of Facebook, did not respond to a request for comment, and their web page on 1099-K reporting has not been updated with the new tax rules as it still outlines 2021 requirements. This new rule will only encourage tagging transactions as a payment to friends and family when it clearly is not, which inevitably will lead to more scammers successfully ripping people off. It is not really an option when selling through Marketplace or eBay to argue that a sale is for anything but a good or service. As such, selling Aunt Marthas Hummel collection on eBay for $1,000 that she paid $10,000 for will come with the bonus of a 1099-K better hope she kept those receipts. Tim Sullivan is the owner of Clarity Financial LLC, a fee-only advisory firm in Columbia, a CFP practitioner and member of the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors and has earned the Enrolled Agent designation from the IRS. This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: IRS sets sights on small online sellers By Raneen Sawafta NABLUS, West Bank (Reuters) - Israeli forces shot and killed a Palestinian militant on Sunday during an army operation in the occupied West Bank, Palestinian officials said, in the latest in a series of incidents in recent months around the volatile town of Nablus. "The Dens of Lions", a Palestinian umbrella group formed of militants from different factions, said the man, Said Al-Kawni, was a "hero of resistance" and died during "clashes with occupation forces". Medical workers said three other Palestinians were wounded by Israeli gunfire in the incident, which was confirmed by the Israeli military. "Overnight, during IDF (Israel Defense Forces) routine activity, IDF soldiers spotted armed suspects driving in a vehicle and motorcycle adjacent to the city of Nablus," the military said. "IDF soldiers responded by firing towards the armed suspects. Hits were identified." The latest in a near-daily series of incidents around Nablus and the nearby town of Jenin underlined once more the volatile security climate on the West Bank as Israel heads towards elections on Nov. 1. In Nablus, site of one of the largest refugee camps in the West Bank, most shops were closed on Sunday after militant factions called for a general strike. About 70 Palestinians have been killed in the West Bank since the Israeli military launched its Operation Breakwater against militants on March 31 in response to a string of fatal Palestinian street attacks in Israel. The toll includes militants and civilians. Israeli Prime Minister Yair Lapid last week called for a revival of long-dormant efforts to secure a two state solution to the conflict, following an appeal last month by U.S. President Joe Biden. However, there has been little sign of an end to the clashes and with pre-election polls favouring former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, a strong opponent of a two state solution, expectations of any immediate breakthrough are low. Story continues U.S.-brokered peace talks aimed at establishing a Palestinian state in the West Bank, Gaza and East Jerusalem, collapsed in 2014 and the steady expansion of Israeli settlements since then has made reviving the talks increasingly problematic. Israeli security officials have called on the Palestinian Authority to do more to rein in violence by gunmen associated with factions like Islamic Jihad, which are well entrenched in cities like Jenin and Nablus. However the Palestinian Authority, increasingly unpopular among many in the West Bank, says its ability to exert its rule has been systematically undermined by Israel. On Sunday, 30 Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails began a hunger strike in protest at their conditions of detention. (Reporting by Ali Sawafta; Writing by Nidal al-Mughrabi, Editing by Alexandra Hudson) BEIT IJZA, West Bank (AP) Relatives pushed back Sunday against Israeli claims that a Palestinian teacher intentionally rammed an Israeli police car before he was shot dead by security forces. The family of 36-year-old Mohammed Abu Kafieh said he had no possible reason to carry out an attack, noting that he was a father of three and had just opened a new business. His relatives said they believe he accidentally crashed into a police car Saturday before troops opened fire. He is not the kind of man that commits attacks, said Abu Kafiehs cousin, Mohammed Nimer. The army has said soldiers spotted a car attempting to ram them and then shot Abu Kafieh. Photos of the incident published online by Palestinian media show an Israeli police car and another vehicle, both with smashed front ends. Palestinian assailants have carried out dozens of attempted stabbings and car rammings in recent years. Palestinians and human rights groups say that Israeli troops often use excessive force, and in some cases, have shot people who did not pose a threat. The incident took place near the city of Nablus in the northern West Bank the focal point of the deadliest Israeli-Palestinian violence in the occupied territory since 2015. While mourning together in the village of Beit Ijza near Jerusalem, family members told The Associated Press that Abu Kafieh was a loving father and well-liked in the community. He mentored students and had invited the community to an opening ceremony for a new business venture selling mobile phones and accessories. He was on the road to Nablus to buy supplies for the opening of his shop when he was shot, his family said. The opening ceremony was today, he invited everybody, Abu Kafiehs sister Nuha said through tears while standing next to one of his three kids. With God as my witness, he was not going to commit an attack or anything, he was looking out for his livelihood and the livelihood of his children. Dozens of people at the gathering of mourners paid respects beneath banners of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas Fatah party. Another poster was a collage of Abu Kafieh alongside Abbas predecessor, the late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat, a key Islamic shrine as well as a Fatah-linked gunman recently killed in an Israeli raid in Nablus. Story continues It was not immediately clear what Abu Kafiehs relationship to Fatah or its armed offshoot was, if any. At times, factions lay claim to Palestinians killed by Israel during the mourning period. Nimer said the family is awaiting the return of the body from the army and hopes to be able to view footage from surveillance cameras from the area of the incident. The army did not immediately respond to questions Sunday about the body but said that there was no surveillance video. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry alleged that Israeli forces had engaged in a criminal execution. Israeli troops have stepped up operations in the northern West Bank since a series of deadly Palestinian attacks inside Israel in the spring. Several attackers came from the area. Dozens of Palestinians have been killed, making 2022 the deadliest year in the occupied territory since 2015. Most of the Palestinians killed have been wanted militants or young men and teenagers who throw stones or firebombs at soldiers invading their towns. But some civilians, including an Al Jazeera journalist and a lawyer who inadvertently drove into a battle zone, have also been killed in the violence. In another incident, Israeli soldiers shot and killed a suspected Palestinian gunman during an arrest raid overnight in the northern West Bank, according to Israeli and Palestinian reports. The army said it spotted a group of armed men traveling in a car and on a motorcycle during an operation near the city of Nablus and opened fire. The Den of Lions, a local militant group, said one of its members, Sayid al-Kuni, was killed in a clash with the occupation forces. Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton, left, and U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, center right, help unveil an Illinois State Historical Society marker at the site of the former Ton Farm, now known as Chicago's Finest Marina, 557 E. 134th Place, Sept. 24, 2022, in Chicago. Enslaved people who escaped the South between the 1830s and the Civil War and traveled north to Chicago, Detroit, and Canada, sought and received refuge at the site from Dutch immigrant farmers Jan and Aagje Ton, which became recognized as part of the Underground Railroad network. In 2019 the Ton Farm was accepted into the National Park Service Network to Freedom program. (John J. Kim / Chicago Tribune) When Illinois state Sen. Napoleon Harris (15th District) was a boy, he would play near the Little Calumet River, a few blocks from his house on 133rd Street, throwing rocks in the river and running around noticing broken boats. He had no idea he was on a site that was once a safe haven for enslaved people who were escaping north between the 1830s and the Civil War, he said during a marker dedication ceremony of the former Underground Railroad site at Chicagos Finest Marina, 577 E. 134th Place. Advertisement Its bittersweet because I saw what this place used to be, Harris said. And now to see it today, it brings joy to my heart to see what Mr. Gaines has done with the property. And to see the historic value that as a kid I didnt know existed. Ronald Gaines, a retired sergeant of the Chicago Police Department, owns Chicagos Finest Marina. Formerly the Ton Farm, the site was a place where freedom seekers sought refuge. The Ton family was one of several Dutch families that settled in the area between 1847 and 1849. Advertisement People escaping the South used what was known as the Riverdale Crossing, now the Indiana Avenue Bridge just west of the marina, then sought refuge and rest with Dutch settlers helping them before they continued north to Chicago or Detroit and eventually Canada. About four years ago, Larry McClellan, professor emeritus of Governors State University, called Gaines to tell him about the history of the property, Gaines told a crowd of about 100 people on Saturday afternoon. McClellan was involved in the civil rights movement in the 1960s and studied at the University of Ghana in West Africa. He made it his lifes work to study and teach African American history, wanting to explore how Black and white people come to understand each other and each others history, he said. Black history matters, McClellan said. Because it enriches all of our history. Since making that phone call to Gaines, McClellan has worked with local leaders and community residents to highlight the history of the marina on Chicagos Far South Side, forming the Little Calumet River Underground Railroad Project. In 2019, the Jan and Agje Ton Farm became part of the National Park Service Network to Freedom program, which recognizes Underground Railroad locations across the nation. On Saturday, an Illinois State Historical Society marker was unveiled. At Saturdays ceremony, members of the project were joined by local and state government representatives, descendants of the Ton family, nearby residents and other supporters. Advertisement Lt. Gov. Juliana Stratton said the Underground Railroad symbolizes not just the historic acts of bravery, but also a collective strength of what can be accomplished when people work together to face challenges. We stand here, proud, humbled, and hopeful that we are our ancestors wildest dreams, Stratton said. You see, we look back into the past to help inform our future. Stratton visited the site two years ago as she was learning about Black history. Her journey, she said, took her to parts of the Underground Railroad in Illinois, deepening her understanding of the discomfort and pain people faced on their path to freedom. The work of liberating others is never easy, but its always worth it, Stratton said. Here at Ton Farm, I was reminded that wherever slavery and bondage existed, so did courageous efforts to escape, often assisted by regular people, like all of us here today. The new historic marker, she said, will give people the opportunity to sit with and understand the struggle of the past but also understand the hope the site represents. U.S. Rep. Robin Kelly, whose district includes the site, said the Underground Railroad provides important lessons for current and future generations. She said she hopes people who learn about and visit the site will be encouraged and inspired. Advertisement Besides the educational and cultural value, these sites serve as a reminder of our nations hateful history, and of why we can never go back to those ways, Kelly said. These sites serve as an inspiration to always do what is right no matter the risk. After the unveiling, people ate a light meal and visited the marina; children ran around as adults talked. A woman led a group in yoga, and others walked around a room where an art exhibit titled Witness by artists Mama Edie Armstrong and Nathan Miller was on display. Portraits of Black youths were spread around the room; on the back of each portrait was an I am from poem written by the youth in the portrait. The youths were participants of the summers Witness program at the Altgeld Library. These works are a continuation of their ancestors stories of Black liberation, a description of the art exhibit said. Kelly Flowers, assistant principal at W.E.B. Du Bois Elementary School, took her 4-year-old granddaughter to the event. She said she was excited to learn about the history of the site within walking distance of the school. Flowers said she plans to share what she learned with social studies teachers so they can incorporate it in their curriculum. She also plans to share what she learned with her network of educators in other South Side schools. To just know you live in a historical area, how profound is that? Flowers said. For them to be proud of where they are actually get the information about where they are and who they are, where they come from. And that its touchable, its reachable. So for me, this was huge. Advertisement Afternoon Briefing Daily Chicago Tribune editors' top story picks, delivered to your inbox each afternoon. > Nearby residents who visited the ceremony, and some who stopped by for what they thought was Marina Days, where the marina is open to the public and offers food and family activities, said they were surprised to learn of its history. All these years I never knew, said Danasha Thomas, who went to the marina with her daughter and stepchildren after the ceremony. Thomas said it was important for people to know about their history and was excited to learn about the new marker out front of the marina entrance. Gaines, the marina owner, plans to continue working with McClellan and members of the Little Calumet River Underground Railroad Project to open the marina to the public and offer tours and other ways to continue educating people on its historical significance. If we dont learn about our past, it takes away from our future, Gaines said. And I think even though slavery was something we never focus on being up north, that its kind of rewarding to know that we up here had an active part in the survival of freedom seekers. McClellan said it was deeply satisfying to see so many people attend the dedication and confirm what hes always known that Black history is important. A lot of people have told him, I didnt know that happened here, he said, adding that hes glad hes been able to share that history with people. History isnt some distant thing, McClellan said. History is right here in our backyards. I mean, good Lord, were standing right where people who were running for their lives, they stood in this right, same spot. Advertisement Editors note: The last name of a professor emeritus at Governors State University was misspelled in an earlier version of this story. It should be Larry McClellan. ROME (AP) A party with neo-fascist roots, the Brothers of Italy, won the most votes in Italys national elections, looking set to deliver the countrys first far-right-led government since World War II and make its leader, Giorgia Meloni, Italy's first woman premier, near-final results showed Monday. Italys lurch to the far right immediately shifted Europes geopolitical reality, placing a euroskeptic party in position to lead a founding member of the European Union and its third-largest economy. Right-wing leaders across Europe immediately hailed Melonis victory and her partys meteoric rise as sending a historic message to Brussels. Near-final results showed the center-right coalition netting some 44% of the parliamentary vote, with Melonis Brothers of Italy snatching some 26%. Her coalition partners divided up the remainder, with the anti-immigrant League of Matteo Salvini winning nearly 9% and the more moderate Forza Italia of ex-Premier Silvio Berlusconi taking around 8%. The center-left Democratic Party and its allies had around 26%, while the 5-Star Movement which had been the biggest vote-getter in 2018 Parliamentary elections saw its share of the vote halved to some 15% this time around. Turnout was a historic low 64%. Pollsters suggested voters stayed home in part in protest and also because they were disenchanted by the backroom deals that had created the three governments since the previous election. Meloni, whose party traces its origins to the postwar, neo-fascist Italian Social Movement, sounded a moderate, unifying tone in a victory speech early Monday that noted that Italians had finally been able to clearly determine who they wanted to govern. If we are called to govern this nation, we will do it for everyone, we will do it for all Italians and we will do it with the aim of uniting the people (of this country), Meloni said. Italy chose us. We will not betray (the country) as we never have. Story continues While the center-right was the clear winner, the formation of a government is still weeks away and will involve consultations among party leaders and with President Sergio Mattarella. In the meantime, outgoing Premier Mario Draghi remains in a caretaker role. The elections, which took place some six months early after Draghis government collapsed, came at a crucial time for Europe as it faces Russias war in Ukraine and the related soaring energy costs that have hit ordinary Italian pocketbooks as well as industry. A Meloni-led government is largely expected to follow Italys current foreign policy, including her pro-NATO stance and strong support for supplying Ukraine with weapons to defend against Russias invasion, even as her coalition allies stake a slightly different tone. Both Berlusconi and Salvini have ties to Russian President Vladimir Putin. While both have distanced themselves from his invasion, Salvini has warned that sanctions against Moscow are hurting Italian industry, and even Berlusconi has excused Putins invasion as foisted on him by pro-Moscow separatists in the Donbas. A bigger shift and one likely to cause friction with European powers is likely to come over migration. Meloni has called for a naval blockade to prevent migrant boats from leaving North African shores, and has proposed screening potential asylum-seekers in Africa, before they set out on smugglers boats to Europe. Salvini has made clear he wants to return to the interior ministry, where he imposed a tough anti-migrant policy as minister. But its not clear he would get the post given he is currently on trial in Sicily for keeping migrants at sea. On relations with the European Union, analysts note that for all her euroskeptic rhetoric, Meloni moderated her message during the campaign and has little room to maneuver given the economic windfall Italy is receiving from Brussels in coronavirus recovery funds. Italy secured some 191.5 billion euros, the biggest chunk of the EUs 750 billion-euro recovery package, and is bound by certain reform and investment milestones it must hit to receive it all. That said, Meloni has criticized the EUs recent recommendation to suspend 7.5 billion euros in funding to Hungary over concerns about democratic backsliding, defending Viktor Orban as the elected leader in a democratic system. Orban's political director, Balazs Orban, was among the first to congratulate Meloni. In these difficult times, we need more than ever friends who share a common vision and approach to Europes challenges, he tweeted. French politician Marine Le Pens party hailed the result as a lesson in humility for the EU. Santiago Abascal, the leader of Spains far-right Vox opposition party, tweeted that Meloni has shown the way for a proud and free Europe of sovereign nations that can cooperate on behalf of everybodys security and prosperity. Meloni is chair of the right-wing European Conservative and Reformist group in the European Parliament, which gathers her Brothers of Italy, Polands Law and Justice Party, Spains Vox and the Sweden Democrats, which just won big in elections on a platform of cracking down on crime and limiting immigration. Thomas Christiansen, professor of political science at Romes Luiss University and the executive editor of the Journal of European Integration, noted that Italy has a tradition of pursuing a consistent foreign and European policy that is in some ways bigger than individual party interests. Whatever Meloni might be up to will have to be moderated by her coalition partners and indeed with the established consensus of Italian foreign policy, Christiansen said in an interview. The vice president of the European Parliament, Katharina Barley of the Social Democrats of German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, said Meloni's victory was worrying given her affiliations with Orban and Donald Trump. Her electoral lip service to Europe cannot hide the fact that she represents a danger to constructive coexistence in Europe," she was quoted as saying by German daily WELT. Meloni proudly touts her roots as a militant in the neo-fascist Italian Social Movement, or MSI, which was formed in the aftermath of WWII with the remnants of Mussolinis fascist supporters. Meloni joined in 1992 as a 15-year-old. During the campaign, Meloni was forced to respond after the Democrats used her partys origins to paint Meloni as a danger to democracy. The Italian Right has handed fascism over to history for decades now, unambiguously condemning the suppression of democracy and the ignominious anti-Jewish laws, she said in a multilingual campaign video. Italy's parliamentary election on Sunday is expected to make history as a right-wing candidate who campaigned on a nationalist platform is expected to become the countrys first female prime minister. Italians will head to the polls on Sunday to elect a new parliament and determine who will govern the country next. Polls forecast the countrys Brothers of Italy party will take 25% of the vote on Sunday, and elect party leader Giorgia Meloni as the countrys first female prime minister. "I am Giorgia, I am a woman, I am a mother, I am Italian, I am Christian," Giorgia Meloni told supporters in central Rome at a now-viral rally moment in 2019, according to France 24. "No one will take that away from me." The Brothers of Italy party is described as a conservative and right-wing populist political party that has seen a meteoric rise in popularity since 2018, when it just received 4% of the vote, Reuters reported. FROM FRINGE LEADER TO FRONT-RUNNER: ITALIANS SET TO ELECT FIRST FEMALE PRIME MINISTER Giorgia Meloni, leader of the Brothers of Italy party, takes a selfie during a rally in Duomo square ahead of the Sept. 25 snap election, in Milan, Italy, September 11, 2022. Reuters/Flavio Lo Scalzo Political commentators have described the Brothers of Italy party as "neo-fascist," and Melonis potential win would notch the countrys most right-wing government since World War II. Meloni has campaigned on a platform of cracking down on illegal immigration by rolling out a blockade to patrol the Mediterranean, cutting taxes, and protecting traditional family values. She argues the European Union is too bureaucratic but has said she wouldnt push for any "Italexit," and depicts herself as a staunch backer of NATO. She rallies against what she calls LGBT "lobbies" and promotes a "Christian identity" in Europe. "My greatest desire is to lift up, to lift our nation up again from decline," Meloni, 45, told Reuters in a recent interview. ITALY'S POPULATION MAY SHRINK BY 11 MILLION PEOPLE WITHIN 50 YEARS, STUDY SHOWS Leader of the Brothers of Italy party, Giorgia Meloni arrives in her car to attend a political rally in Rome, Italy January 23, 2018. Picture taken January 23, 2018. Reuters/Remo Casilli Analyst Luigi Scazzieri of the Centre for European Reform told Voice of America that Melonis rise in popularity is credited to her policy and economic views, as well as her "down to earth" approach to voters. Story continues "In part it's about her policy platform, her socially conservative views, her economic views which are also quite social in a way in terms of, for example, raising people's pensions or benefits," said analyst Luigi Scazzieri of the Centre for European Reform. MILAN AIRPORT DOGS SNIFF OUT 30 POUNDS OF COCAINE HIDDEN IN WHEELCHAIR "But it's also in large part due to her own personal appeal. And I would single out here, for example, her way of talking, which is very down to earth. Its very effective in connecting with ordinary voters," Scazzieri added. "Finally, she also benefits from not having been anywhere near government for the past 10 years, and so she can credibly say that she represents something new." Melonis chief election rival is Enrico Letta, 56-year-old leader of the Democratic Party, Italys main center-left force. The Associated Press contributed to this article. AFP via Getty WASHINGTON, D.C. When the far-right blog The Gateway Pundit said a Jan. 6 rally in support of Capitol rioters on Saturday afternoon would be the biggest J6 event to date, crowds were expected. But instead of big crowds, the Truth Rally attracted around the same number of counter-protesters as rally attendeesa few dozen, at best. The event on Capitol grounds, organized and attended by a cornucopia of far-right groups with a variety of missions, predominantly attracted right-wing members of what was once The Peoples Convoy, now better known as the 1776 Restoration Movement. And on Saturday, organizers rallied to stand united against the political persecution of the January 6th political prisoners. As upside-down flags waved in the wind overlooking the Capitol building, 1776 Restoration Movement leader David Santa Riddell brushed off the violent crimes carried out on that dark winter day by political prisoners. Zachary Petrizzo for The Daily Beast To treat everybody just because they are part of a day like they were vicious criminals...I know theyre not, he told The Daily Beast when asked about the Jan. 6 defendant who allegedly attempted to beat a police officer with a metal bat. Other notable speakers included 2020 election denier David Clements, who has since had a falling out with MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, and D-list podcaster Joe Oltmann. Likewise, Clements downplayed the violent actions of the Jan. 6 defendants. So far, at least 75 defendants have been charged by the Department of Justice for using a deadly or dangerous weapon or causing serious bodily injury to an officer. There are people being held on misdemeanor charges, having their due process rights violated, Clements told The Daily Beast when asked why he attended the rally. Isnt that enough? Trump Dangles Pardons for Jan. 6 Rioters if He Wins in 2024 But the event didnt exactly go down as planned. Counter demonstrators arrived on Capitol grounds at the beginning of the event. They circled the lawn chair-sitting rally-goers throughout the afternoon, yelling and chanting over speakers attempting to say their piece. Story continues Zachary Petrizzo for The Daily Beast Trump is a loser, a little baby loser, the demonstrators declared, as many beat on buckets serving the role of drums and yelled into bullhorns. The counter demonstrators, who also totaled in the dozens, wouldnt be the only sinister force organizers believed were working against the cause of freedom. A nearby Mexican festival, Fiesta D.C., less than a block away from the Truth Rallys makeshift stage, also appeared to derail the train of thoughts of speakers. Turns out the Jan 6th Truth Rally towards the end was being drowned out by Fiesta DC and not the sinister forces they thought. pic.twitter.com/SrAhUjtquK Zachary Petrizzo (@ZTPetrizzo) September 24, 2022 With mixed messages flying as one speaker replaced the next, one thing remained constant: confusion over whether to be proud of the events of Jan. 6, bill it as a set-up by the feds, or say rioters did nothing wrong. Some rally goers settled for straight-up denying the events of that day had been violent. Not true, Maria R. from Sugarland, Texas, told The Daily Beast when asked about violence on Jan 6. That didnt happen. But before long, after being pressed with examples of violence, she changed her tune, stating: It was a trap. Read more at The Daily Beast. Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. UMAN, Ukraine (AP) Thousands of Hasidic Jewish pilgrims flocked to central Ukraine to mark the Jewish new year Sunday, ignoring international travel warnings as Russia struck more targets from the air and mobilized its citizens to stem losses in the war that has entered its eighth month. The pilgrims, many traveling from Israel and further afield, converged on the small city of Uman, the burial site of Nachman of Breslov, a respected Hasidic rabbi who died in 1810. The streets of one of Uman's central neighborhoods were packed with men of all ages wearing traditional black coats and long side curls. Some chanted prayers. Others screamed, shouted and danced. Advertisements and directional signs in Hebrew blanketed the area. Some visitors, like Nahum Markowitz from Israel, have been making the journey for years and weren't about to let the war get in the way this year. We are not afraid. If we come to Rabbi Nachman, he will protect us for the whole year, said Markowitz, who has been visiting Uman since 1991, when the collapse of the Soviet Union made the pilgrimage accessible to foreign visitors. Besides, he said, he is already familiar with the risk of war and the wail of sirens that comes from living in Israel. The city, 200 kilometers (125 miles) south of the capital, Kyiv, typically attracts thousands of pilgrims for Rosh Hashana, the Jewish new year, which begins in the evening Sunday and ends on Tuesday. The Ukrainian embassy to Israel repeatedly urged those planning a pilgrimage to stay home, warning on Facebook that Russia has repeatedly targeted heavily populated areas and that attacks cause real danger to your lives! The Israeli and American governments also cautioned citizens not to make the trip this year and some of those warnings may have worked. More than 35,000 pilgrims visited last year even in the face of pandemic travel restrictions, said local official Oleh Hanich. This year's turnout was smaller, though still substantial, considering that no commercial flights are arriving in the country. The United Jewish Community of Ukraine said 23,000 pilgrims were in Uman as of Sunday. Story continues Neither coronavirus nor war stops them. For them, this is a holy place," Hanich said, while acknowledging we cant guarantee their complete safety." Rav Mota Frank, 54, initially had reservations about making the trip from Israel this year. But he decided it was worth the risk after realizing that the situation in Uman is calmer than at the front and seeing how Ukrainians themselves have reacted to the dangers of war. When there are air alarms, they do not hide in the basement, but try to be near the shelter, he said of the Ukrainians. We in Israel are used to it there is also a constant war. We are used to what life is like. And thats why it doesnt scare us much. Uman is relatively far from the front lines in Ukraine's east and south, though it is within the range of Russian missiles and has been struck before. In 2020, thousands of pilgrims failed to reach Uman after Ukraine closed its borders due to a surge in COVID-19 infections. ___ Associated Press writer Adam Schreck in Kyiv contributed reporting. ___ Follow the APs coverage of the war at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine JK Rowling received an online threat in response to her tweet showing support to Sir Salman Rushdie after he was stabbed (Ian West/PA) (PA Wire) A police investigation into an online threat to JK Rowling over her support for stabbing victim Salman Rushdie has been dropped. The Harry Potter author, 57, shared screenshots of a message from a user who wrote: Dont worry you are next in response to her tweet about Rushdie last month. The Indian-born British author, whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was stabbed in August ahead of a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, 65 miles from Buffalo in New York. Rushdie has faced years of threats over his book The Satanic Verses, which has been banned in Iran since 1988 as many Muslims view it as blasphemous. Rowling had said she felt very sick after hearing the news and hoped the novelist would be OK. The same Twitter account to have messaged Rowling also posted messages praising the man who carried out the attack. The tweet, which came from an account in Pakistan, was later removed. (PA Wire) A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: Following a report made to police on Saturday August 13 2022 regarding an online threat, enquiries have been carried out into this matter and it has been established that it was made outwith the UK. Enquiries are now complete and there is no further police action at this time. Additional reporting by Press Association. Former Mayor of New York Rudy Giuliani ran for president as a Republican in 2008. Charles Ommanney/Getty Images A judge ordered Rudy Giuliani to pay his ex-wife more than $225,000 by next month or risk jail. The New York Post reported the former mayor of New York City didn't attend a court hearing on Friday. Giuliani told the outlet he didn't know about the court date: "I have never missed a court date." A Manhattan judge has ordered Rudy Giuliani to pay his ex-wife at least $225,000 by next month or risk going to jail, according to The New York Post. The Post reported the former mayor of New York City didn't attend a court hearing on Friday involving his former wife, Judith Giuliani. In a lawsuit, Judith Giuliani, to whom he was married from 2003 to 2018 and had no children, claimed her former spouse had fallen behind on alimony payments totaling $262,000 from their 2019 divorce settlement, as per the outlet. "If the amount is not paid by that date, I'm going to be forced unfortunately because it's not something I want to do I'm going to be forced to remand the defendant into custody," Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Michael Katz said, according to The Post. Related video: Trump's inner circle round on Giuliani after mishaps in 2020 On Saturday, Giuliani told The Post he didn't know about the court date: "I have never missed a court date. I am a pretty busy guy one of the busiest in the United States and I have never missed a court date." Judith Giuliani filed for divorce in 2018 after 15 years of marriage. In journalist Andrew Kirtzman's book, "Giuliani: The Rise and Tragic Fall of America's Mayor," Judith Giuliani said her ex couldn't get over losing the Republican nomination for president in 2008 and was "always falling shitfaced somewhere." Giuliani's mounting legal troubles also include a federal criminal investigation into whether he broke foreign lobbying laws through his Ukrainian connections and charges filed against him in June alleging he promoted unsubstantiated voter fraud claims in Pennsylvania. Story continues In 2021, Giuliani fired at least five members of his entourage to help cut costs in order to pay his legal fees. Rudy Giuliani did not respond to Insider's request for comment before publication. Read the original article on Business Insider Queen Elizabeth II's death earlier this month prompted a flood of tributes -- but not from everyone. In Britain's black community, many asked: what had she ever done for us? The question gave her eldest son and successor, Charles III, an early taste of what he will have to confront as king, with feelings still running high about the toxic legacy of Britain's colonial past. At her death, the queen was head of state of 14 countries outside Britain, including nations in the Caribbean exploited by the slave trade. Charles immediately succeeded his mother as their distant head of state but the question of for how long is increasingly being discussed as republican movements gather pace. Kehinde Andrews, professor of black studies at the University of Birmingham, wrote the day after the queen's death on September 8 that he did not share the country's loss. "For the children of the British empire, those of us who were born here and those of us who were born in the 15 nations of the 'commonwealth', the Queen is the number one symbol of white supremacy. "She may have been seen as an institution but for us, she was the manifestation of the institutional racism that we have to encounter on a daily basis," he wrote on the Politico website. - Royals accused - Many black Britons no longer want to stay silent about the racism that they see as rooted at the heart of many British institutions. The subject came to fore in Black Lives Matter anti-racism protests, which saw calls for statues of historical figures linked to slavery to be torn down. During the national mourning period which ended with the queen's funeral on September 19, protests were held about the death of Chris Kaba, an unarmed black man who was shot dead by police in London. The monarchy itself had previously been drawn into the debate when Charles's youngest son, Prince Harry, and his mixed-race wife, Meghan, accused the royal family of racism. That claim saw the queen promise to investigate but prompted an outright rejection from Harry's brother William. "We are very much not a racist family," he told reporters. Story continues Harry and Meghan quit royal life in early 2020 and moved to California, winning many fans among younger people and in the black community for taking on the British establishment. - 'Mass awakening' - Unresolved questions about race and colonialism are all the more significant as Charles stands to succeed his mother as head of the 56-nation Commonwealth group of nations. Many members are former British colonies, while most of the body's 2.6 billion people are not white and most are aged under 30. David Olusoga, author of "Black and British: A Forgotten History", said there had been a "mass awakening to the realities and legacies of imperialism and slavery" in the Commonwealth. But the British historian wrote in The Guardian that Buckingham Palace had failed to recognise or understand the "shift of consciousness". He highlighted William and his wife Catherine's Caribbean tour earlier this year, which was widely criticised as smacking of colonialism. William also faced calls to apologise for slavery and for the monarchy to pay reparations. "Historians might well look back at that tour as the first portent of the age in which we now find ourselves: the post-Elizabethan age," Olusoga said. Since then, William has praised the "immense contribution" of the "Windrush" generation of Caribbean migrants, who came to Britain after World War II to help the country rebuild. Despite arriving legally, many found themselves later wrongly detained and even deported under the government's hardline immigration policies. - Race equality - Ashok Viswanathan, deputy director of Operation Black Vote, said Charles's record, via his Prince's Trust charity, of working with disadvantaged young people and the black community "speaks for itself". But he said that to convince black Britons and especially the young, "he will have to foster that relationship in his new role". Charles is said to have been working behind the scenes to counter discrimination. In early September, before he became king, he was invited to guest-edit The Voice, a newspaper for the African-Caribbean community. But not all readers were happy, given the continued lack of apology for slavery, including from the royal family, the monthly's editor, Lester Holloway, said. He told the BBC: "We agreed to collaborate with the Prince of Wales after looking at the work he had done on race equality over 40 years and the parallels with our campaigning over the same period." mig/gmo/phz/gil/it FBI agents raided the Beverly Hills branch of US Private Vaults in March 2021. Mandel Ngan/Getty Images Deposit-box holders whose property was seized in a March 2021 FBI raid are suing the bureau. The FBI raided a US Private Vaults branch and seized the contents of 1,400 safe-deposit boxes. A lawyer involved in the class action said the raid was the "largest armed robbery in US history." A lawsuit that was filed after FBI agents raided a vault company, seizing more than $86 million in cash as well as jewelry and gold from 1,400 safe-deposit boxes, says the owners' items have still not been returned and that agents misled a judge to get the warrant. Agents raided the Beverly Hills, California, branch of US Private Vaults in March 2021 and seized assets from boxes held by hundreds of people who were not suspected in any crimes, court papers reported on by the Los Angeles Times say. The lawsuit alleges the FBI and the US attorney's office in Los Angeles obtained search-and-seizure warrants against US Private Vaults by concealing critical details from the judge who approved them. Robert Frommer, a lawyer with the Institute for Justice, which filed the lawsuit, said in the court papers: "The government did not know what was in those boxes, who owned them, or what, if anything, those people had done." After the raid, many box holders asked the FBI for their property back, Frommer told Insider. "We brought suit on behalf of seven clients, but we were representing a class of at least 400 people. What we've been trying to show for the past several months is that the government's actions violated the search-and-seizure protections of the US Constitution in the Fourth Amendment," he said. "The scope of what the FBI did is unprecedented," Frommer added. "This was the largest armed robbery in United States history, and it was committed by the FBI." After a two-year investigation that began in 2019, leaders of the FBI's Los Angeles office said they believed boxes at US Private Vaults were being used by criminals to store illicit proceeds. The FBI requested and obtained warrants to seize US Private Vaults' business property. But the LA Times reported a senior FBI agent recently testified that the warrant omitted a key part of the bureau's plan to permanently seize everything in every box that contained at least $5,000 in cash or goods. Story continues Frommer said in an Institute for Justice press release last month: "The FBI lied about its intentions in claiming to only be interested in the property of the business, and not the box holders. Ultimately, the lure of civil forfeiture turned these federal cops into robbers." Laura Eimiller, an FBI spokesperson, told the LA Times the warrants were lawfully executed "based on allegations of widespread criminal wrongdoing." She added: "At no time was a magistrate misled as to the probable cause used to obtain the warrants." US Private Vaults has pleaded guilty to conspiracy to launder drug money, and the investigation is ongoing, Eimiller added. The FBI and Department of Justice did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Frommer wants the government to destroy any information or records obtained from customers' boxes in what he said was a violation of the Fourth Amendment. The Fourth Amendment protects against "unreasonable searches and seizures." It requires the government to get a warrant by showing probable cause explaining why a location needs to be searched and describing specifically what it is seizing. The plaintiffs in the lawsuit have asked for the FBI raid to be deemed unconstitutional by a district judge, the LA Times reported. Doing so could force the return of assets worth millions of dollars to box holders. Read the original article on Business Insider Jackson Hole, Wy - August 16 : Rep. Liz Cheney, R-Wyo., speaks to reporters as she arrives to vote at the Teton County Library during the Republican primary election on Tuesday, Aug 16, 2022 in Jackson Hole, WY. Photo by Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post via Getty Images Liz Cheney called out Republican party members who continue to defend Donald Trump. Speaking at Texas Tribune Fest, Cheney said members of the GOP are "going through contortions." Cheney said it shows how "fundamentally destructive Donald Trump has been." Wyoming Rep. Liz Cheney said Republicans continuing to defend Donald Trump in the midst of his storing highly classified documents at his Mar-a-Lago estate shows how "fundamentally destructive" the former president has been to the GOP. Speaking at the Texas Tribune Festival, Cheney called out senior members of the GOP who are "going through contortions" to support Trump, such as those who slammed federal agents who executed a search warrant at his Florida residence on August 8. "I think it's the latest example of how fundamentally destructive Donald Trump has been and part of the destruction that he's caused is the behavior that my party apparently now will accept," she told Evan Smith, CEO of The Texas Tribune. The vice chair of the Jan 6 committee has been one of the few outspoken GOP critics of Trump. In August, she lot her congressional seat to Trump-backed candidate Harriet Hageman. During the interview, Cheney hinted that new information and evidence will be heard during the televised meeting on Wednesday in Washington, DC. When asked by Smith whether former Vice President Mike Pence would testify, Cheney said she is hopeful. "The vice president played a crucial role that day," she said, referring to the events of January 6, in which Pence resisted pressure from Trump to reverse the outcome of the election: "What Donald Trump was pressuring Mike Pence to do was illegal and was unconstitutional and Mike Pence refused to do that and so we owe him a huge gratitude because he did the right thing that day." On Monday, in one of her first speeches since her primary defeat in August, Cheney said Pence was "essentially the president for most of that day." Read the original article on Business Insider Liz Truss, the United Kingdom's newly appointed prime minister, called the United States "an incredibly close partner" Sunday, adding the countries' relationship "is special." I do think our relationship is special, and its increasingly important at a time when were facing threats from Russia, increased assertiveness from China," Truss said Sunday on CNN's "State of the Union." Truss said she is "personally a huge fan of the United States of America," and that she has traveled to the U.S. often. "I'm determined that we, you know, make the special relationship even more special over the coming years, and we work with our friends and allies around the world," Truss said. Truss was specifically asked about Taiwan, which President Joe Biden said last week the U.S. would defend if China invades. All of our allies need to make sure Taiwan is able to defend itself," and there should be a common response, Truss said. The West should "learn the lessons from Ukraine" in countering aggression early, she added. "We can't see that situation happen in other parts of the world," Truss said, referring to Russia's invasion of Ukraine. The term "special relationship," coined by Winston Churchill, is typically used to describe the diplomatic closeness between the United States and the United Kingdom. Truss was responding to a question from CNN host Jake Tapper, who pointed out Truss has previously described the relationship as "special but not exclusive." Uganda is finalizing the approval of a Chinese language teaching syllabus that will see students at the upper secondary school level learn the language, a government official said Friday. Henry Adramunguni, a specialist in foreign language curriculum at the state-run National Curriculum Development Center (NCDC) said the syllabus is awaiting final approval by the NCDC Governing Council. The Academic Steering Board already approved the syllabus, he said. Adramunguni was speaking at the opening of a two-day capacity-building workshop of local Chinese language teachers held at the Confucius Classroom at Luyanzi Institute of Technology here in the central Ugandan district of Wakiso. The seminar and competition were organized by the Confucius Institute at Makerere University. He said with the help of China, 500 local language teachers are going to be trained in teaching the Chinese language. He said some of the teachers will upgrade to teach upper secondary school. The specialist said China, through the Confucius Institute at Makerere University, is willing to support the writing of textbooks for implementing the Chinese language syllabus for upper secondary. Uganda is already teaching the Chinese language at the lower secondary school level after batches of local language teachers were trained. According to NCDC, students who take on Chinese language learning at the upper secondary school level, stand to be admitted to several training institutions, where they can advance their studies. Gilbert Gumoshabe, the Ugandan director of the Confucius Institute at Makerere University said at the end of the two-day training and competition, the best teachers will be rewarded. The competition helps teachers to measure and gauge their competence in Chinese language teaching, Gumoshabe said. "It is more of a refresher course for these teachers. We can gauge their competence in teaching the Chinese language. Through speaking it or using it as a medium of communication, it enriches your vocabulary," the director said. KATERYNA TYSHCHENKO SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022, 20:12 Arrests and clashes with the police are taking place at an anti-mobilisation demonstration in Makhachkala (the capital of Dagestan, the Russian Federation), shots are heard, protesters are trying to help detainees to fight off police. Source: Novaya Gazeta.Europe, citing local Telegram channels; Meduza Telegram channel Details: In the evening, a large number of security forces arrived at the demonstration. Protesters shout "No to war!" and "Our children are not fertiliser", and argue with policemen and help the detainees fight off the police. One of the videos shows a policeman hitting a detained protester in the face, who was being forcibly held by two other security officers. The protester headbutted the policeman in response. Another video showed a policeman in Dagestan running away from protesters. Earlier in the day on Sunday, 25 September, Sergey Melikov, Head of the Republic of Dagestan, said that it is necessary to correct the mistakes that were made at the very beginning of the mobilisation. He said that many were mobilised who did not meet the criteria for mobilisation, amongst them students and parents of large families with young children, as well as "boys who have never held a weapon in their hands." Background: Residents of the village of Endirey in the Republic of Dagestan blocked the Khasavyurt-Makhachkala highway with an anti-mobilisation protest on the afternoon of Sunday, 25 September. The police opened fire into the air. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! Byron Allen speaking at the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Larry French/Getty Images McDonald's faces a lawsuit from Byron Allen over its advertising spend with Black-owned media. He can try to prove in court that McDonald's violated civil rights laws, court documents show. The media mogul said: "The economic exclusion must stop immediately." McDonald's is facing a $10 billion lawsuit from media mogul Byron Allen, who has accused the fast food giant of failing to advertise with Black-owned media. Allen and his company, Allen Media Group, will argue in court that McDonald's violated civil rights laws after a federal court judge found that oral argument was not enough to resolve the case, court documents show. Allen claimed that McDonald's spends just $5 million of its $1.6 billion annual advertising budget on African American-owned media, and has "refused to advertise" on his networks, which include the Weather Channel and Comedy.TV, per the lawsuit. The media mogul accuses McDonald's of relegating his TV networks to an "African-American tier" that has a smaller budget. In a press release on Thursday, Allen said: "This is about economic inclusion of African American-owned businesses in the US economy. McDonald's takes billions from African American consumers and gives almost nothing back. The biggest trade deficit in America is the trade deficit between White corporate America and Black America, and McDonald's is guilty of perpetuating this disparity." "The economic exclusion must stop immediately," he added. Loretta Lynch at law firm Paul Weiss, which is acting for McDonald's, told CNN that Allen's claims were "meritless." "Their complaint is about revenue, not race, and plaintiffs' groundless allegations ignore both McDonald's legitimate business reasons for not investing more on their channels and the company's long-standing business relationships with many other diverse-owned partners," said Lynch, who was President Obama's attorney-general. McDonald's didn't immediately respond to Insider's request for comment. Story continues Allen's legal counsel, David Schecter and Skip Miller, said: "As alleged in our complaint, McDonald's has engaged in pernicious racial discrimination in violation of federal and state law. We are confident the jury will recognize the injustice that has occurred here and will award significant damages. We are looking forward to our day in court." The case is due to be heard in May 2023. In 2021, the Black owner of 14 McDonald's franchises in Ohio filed a lawsuit against the restaurant chain, accusing it of discriminating against Black franchisees. Before that, another complaint filed by 52 Black former McDonald's franchisees in 2020 accused the fast-food giant of "systematic and covert racial discrimination." McDonald's announced last year that it will increase advertising with Black-owned companies from 2% to 5% of its total budget by 2024. Read the original article on Business Insider Men of mobilisation age will be banned from leaving Russia after sham referendums in Ukraine, Russian mass media have reported, referring to sources in the government. Source: Meduza [Russian news outlet], citing sources close to the administration of the President of the Russian Federation Details: According to the first source, the most likely date of the ban to be introduced is 28 September. Another source, which is also close to the Administration of the President, says that this will happen after the sham referendums are held in the self-proclaimed DPR, LPR [Donetsk and Luhansk Peoples Republics, respectively] and in the occupied territories of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia oblasts. The referendums are supposed to be over on the evening of 27 September. The interlocutor noted that there will be "exit visas": in order to leave Russia, men will have to obtain permission from military enlistment offices. Background: The Kremlin is discussing the possibility of introducing martial law and banning men from leaving the country. Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda! MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) For Middle Tennessee State, big plays brought the biggest win in program history. And for Miami, there are big problems. Chase Cunningham passed for 408 yards and three touchdowns, including a 98-yarder to DJ England-Chisholm, and Middle Tennessee State stunned No. 25 Miami 45-31 for its first win in 21 tries against ranked opponents. It was a butt-kicking from the very beginning," MTSU coach Rick Stockstill said. He wasn't wrong. MTSU (3-1) never trailed, forced turnovers on Miami's first three possessions, stopped the Hurricanes (2-2) on downs on three other occasions and scored on passes of 69, 71 and 98 yards and had another 89-yard pass in there for good measure. Those four plays alone added up to 327 yards, or 63 more than Miami allowed in its entire game a week earlier at Texas A&M. They coached better than us, they played better than us," Miami coach Mario Cristobal said. They were better. We didn't do a good enough job. There's no excuse. Real men look in the mirror and do something about it and don't allow any cracks to happen from the inside. We all came here for a purpose and a reason. We've got a lot of work to do." England-Chisholm caught two passes the first of them being a 71-yard touchdown in the first quarter, the other being the 98-yarder in the fourth to help the Blue Raiders seal the upset. Cunningham completed 16 of 25 passes for Middle Tennessee State, including a 69-yard scoring throw to Elijah Metcalf. Cunningham and Frank Peasant also ran for scores for the Blue Raiders, and defensive end Zaylin Wood returned an interception for a touchdown. I trust my guys to the end, and they won every single time," Cunningham said. KeyShawn Smith returned a kickoff 91 yards for a touchdown for Miami, which turned the ball over on its first three possessions and never escaped the early hole it dug. Quarterback Tyler Van Dyke the Atlantic Coast Conference rookie of the year last season was pulled in the third quarter and replaced by Jake Garcia. Story continues Van Dyke completed 16 of 32 passes for 138 yards, one touchdown to Henry Parrish Jr., and two interceptions those coming on Miamis first and third plays from scrimmage. Garcia completed 10 of 19 passes for 161 yards for the Hurricanes, who heard plenty of boos from the fans who showed up to what was not even a half-filled stadium; most were long gone before the final whistle. We looked at that team, Oh, were going to win this game,' Miami offensive lineman Jalen Rivers said. So we came in obviously unmotivated ... and we got punched in the mouth. Defensive back Kam Kinchens was more direct: Everybody played horrible." Garcia entered midway through the third quarter and brought an immediate spark. He engineered a five-play, 72-yard touchdown drive fueled by passes of 39 and 23 yards, Miamis two biggest gains of the day to that point and got the Hurricanes within 31-17 on a 1-yard rush by Thad Franklin, the first of his two scores on the day. The win was a long time coming for Stockstill, who played his college football at Florida State Miamis rival. The Seminoles went 0-2 in games that Stockstill played against the Hurricanes in 1980 and 1981. Those games were close. This one wasnt. And while a blowout might have been expected with Miami entering as a 25.5-point favorite, few, if anyone, would have dared to say it would be the Blue Raiders doing the romping. It even had oddsmakers scrambling; MTSU actually became the betting favorite to win by the midpoint of the second quarter, according to FanDuel Sportsbook. We came down here and I told them Michael Irvin and Ray Lewis and those guys weren't coming out of that tunnel," said Stockstill, who had some family, friends and former FSU teammates on the trip. We came down here with a strong belief and just a great, great competitive spirit." It was 10-0 before Miami got on the board, 24-3 early in the second quarter when Cunningham scored on a 9-yard rush. The Hurricanes never got closer than 14 points the rest of the way. Miami had a chance to get within a touchdown on a 4th-and-goal from the Middle Tennessee 1 on the opening play of the fourth quarter; Garcias pass couldnt be controlled by tight end Will Mallory, causing a turnover on downs. The next play, England-Chisolm got loose down the left sideline for the second-longest pass play ever allowed by the Hurricanes; Jamison Crowder had a 99-yard TD reception for Duke in a loss to Miami in 2012. From there, it was only a matter of time before MTSU could truly start the celebration. A lot of people doubted us," said receiver Jaylin Lane, who had the 89-yard catch. But this shows all about our perseverance." THE TAKEAWAY Middle Tennessee State: The Blue Raiders went to the upper level of college football, now called FBS, in 1999. Entering Saturday, they were 0-20 against opponents that were ranked in the AP Top 25 poll when those games were played and outscored by 585 points 868-283. Miami: According to SportRadar, the Hurricanes became the first Power 5 school this season to commit three turnovers in a first quarter. The last Power 5 school to achieve that ignominious feat was ... Miami, last season against Florida State. POLL IMPLICATIONS Its over for Miami, for now. The Hurricanes were No. 25 and will fall out of the poll Sunday. At 2-2, itll be difficult for the Hurricanes to be considered again by many voters anytime soon. NEVER LED MTSU is now 3-0 all-time against Miami, with the other wins coming in 1931 and 1932. The Hurricanes never held the lead in any of those games. UP NEXT Middle Tennessee State: Hosts UTSA on Friday in the Conference USA opener for both clubs. Miami: A bye week, then Atlantic Coast Conference play starts Oct. 8 at home against North Carolina. ___ More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25 While GOP governors are facing an uproar for sending migrants to blue states and cities, it is not the first time a Republican had suggested the tactic. Years before Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) and Floridas Ron DeSantis (R) bused and flew migrants to liberal enclaves, senior Trump adviser Stephen Miller reportedly floated a similar strategy at the federal level, only to have the idea fizzle due to legal concerns. But the moves by Abbott and DeSantis, which have been cheered by Miller, reflect how the former Trump adviser and the Trump White House more broadly still have their fingerprints all over the Republican Partys approach to immigration. The playbook was established during the Trump administration, said Robert Law, who served as chief of policy at U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services during the Trump administration. Those policies resonated with the American people, with border patrol agents and other law enforcement. Its simply a passing of the baton, and these governors are recognizing this is the path forward to ensure we have a secure border, added Law, who now works at the America First Policy Institute. The issue of a surge in migrants at the U.S.-Mexico border was brought to the forefront over the past week as Abbott bused migrants from his state to Washington, D.C., where they were dropped off near Vice President Harriss residence. DeSantis, who does not govern a border state, joined in on the effort by organizing a flight to send roughly 50 migrants from Texas to Marthas Vineyard, a wealthy island near Cape Cod that is home to fewer than 20,000 people and known to be a favored destination for Democrats. The move caused an uproar at the White House and among liberals who decried it as a political stunt that used human beings as props. But the strategy was embraced by Miller, who was central in crafting immigration policy in the Trump White House and who reportedly discussed a plan in 2018 to release undocumented immigrants into Democrat-led sanctuary cities. The Washington Post reported the White House did not follow through on the idea because of concerns from agency officials. Story continues Until the open border is closed & illegal immigrants swiftly deported, all border-crossers should be sent to the wealthiest Democrat neighborhoodsfrom Silicon Valley to the Hamptonsso that Biden Megadonors can enjoy the blessings of the policies they have so proudly championed, Miller tweeted last Friday after the first flight of immigrants arrived at Marthas Vineyard. If youre upset because rich Democrats had to share their island resort with 50 illegals for 1 day, but not upset by Joe Bidens policy of letting cartels criminally transport millions of illegals across our border & sell children into sexual slavery, then you have no conscience, he added days later, doubling down on the idea. Miller did not respond to a request for comment through his organization, America First Legal. While some Republican strategists dont believe DeSantis and Abbott were inspired directly by the idea first proposed during the Trump administration, they agreed that the latest controversy over the border has direct roots in the way Miller and the former president reshaped the conversation around immigration. Trump ran for the White House in 2016 deploying incendiary rhetoric about the need to build a wall between the U.S. and Mexico and warning that other countries were sending rapists and drug dealers into the country. He called for a ban on Muslims entering the country in the wake of a mass shooting in Florida in 2016. As a senior adviser to the president, Miller sought to enact numerous policies to cut the flow of immigrants into the U.S. He helped formulate the January 2017 executive order barring travelers from seven countries from entering the U.S.; he pushed for the administrations zero tolerance policy that led to the separation of migrant families; and he advocated for executive moves during the coronavirus pandemic to drastically limit immigration into the U.S. I think the legacy of enforcement of immigration, setting the tone on the debate of immigration, setting the tone of the idea that we should not continually allow the free migration and import of people into this country, that is certainly the legacy of Trump, said one former Trump campaign adviser. But I dont think this is related. Experts say that figures such as Miller, who leaned into nativist immigration policy and rhetoric, have fundamentally reshaped how the majority of Republicans approach immigration. It used to be true that Republicans supported legal immigration, at least rhetorically, but that has changed, said Douglas Rivlin, director of communications for Americas Voice, a progressive immigration group. Legal immigration and legal status for immigrants is what they are trying to prevent, and they even label those in the U.S. legally as illegals, like the people admitted to seek asylum DeSantis sent to Massachusetts, Rivlin added. He argued Republicans also see the decision to send migrants to blue states as part of a political strategy that has echoes of the 2018 midterms. In 2018, Republicans made the election all about migrant caravans, and in 2022 they are chartering their own buses and airplanes to recreate the caravans of scary dark immigrants narrative to divide and distract, Rivlin said. It didnt work well for Republicans in 2018 or 2020, but they do not have anything else, so they keep coming back to it. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. By Lola Sasturain via El Planteo. I am the queen of hash and I am going to explain why. Because I invented the first machine to mechanically separate the trichomes from the rest of the marijuana, said Mila Jansen from her home in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. Hashing has been done manually for thousands of years in countries like Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. That's why I'm the queen. Because it was the first time that people were able to make their own hash without having to spend hours doing it. The product is emblematic and is called Pollinator. Its invention turned her into a female icon of cannabis when legalization was not even on the horizon, there were no cannabis icons and much less female ones. For this reason, High Times Magazine honored her with the Lifetime Achievement Award. However, her life story is even more interesting than her product. For example, it can be mentioned that Jansen was born in England but grew up in Amsterdam, where she currently lives. In between, she traveled the world and with 24 years and a daughter settled in India for 14 years. mila_jansen.png Image by El Planteo She also wrote an autobiography, which from its title explores the premise with which this article opens: "How I became the queen of hash." With life as intense as it is interesting, it is to be expected that the process of writing an autobiography has not been easy. "I'm not the most disciplined writer," she laughed. It took me 11 years. To write I did not have a method: I wrote when the location and the mood felt indicated. The Life Of A Pioneer Mila Jansen started smoking hash in Amsterdam in the winter of 1964 or 1965. She was 20 years old with a young daughter. At that time, there were no flowers in the whole city, but in the port area you could find some waiters in contact with sellers and that is how the dark and sticky resin entered, which generally came from the Middle East by sea. "That's how it was before coffee shops," said Jansen. Story continues In the Dutch capital, Mila was part of the avant-garde fashion circuit with her Kink 22 studio. Later, she turned to Cleo de Merode, a drug-friendly tea house that was a meeting point for artists and various figures from the dutch Bohemian life. jansen.png Image by El Planteo Some people refer to her as "the owner of the first coffee shop in Amsterdam" but that is not entirely accurate. What is real is that people used to gather there to smoke and share hash. It was not a coffee shop because in coffee shops people pay for marijuana. We used to have a tea house where travelers who had just arrived from the east, or some American dropouts from the Vietnam War, used to come. It was shared or exchanged, it was never sold and that is a big difference, she remembered. But that life bordering on illegality was complicated, and more so with a baby. That, along with her eternally adventurous spirit, led her to undertake her long journey through Asia where she made her base in India. In her travels through that region, both in countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan, she saw how hash was made: what the process was like, who did it, and -very important for what would come later- how long it took. From Dryer To Pollinator In 1988, Mila Jansen returned to Amsterdam and the coffee shop boom was a reality. They had no hash, they were full of flowers. I tried a couple of times but at that time I was already smoking hash for 20 years ago. Flowers were never my thing, I don't like the taste or the effect, said Jansen, who is famous for being a lover of resin but rejecting buds. At that time, Mila already had 4 children to raise and support, and she began to cultivate and, therefore, prepare her own hash. It took her approximately 20 minutes to make enough hash for a single joint. Her inspiration came from watching the dryer spin. She could use the same mechanism but, instead of separating the clothes from the dirt (or from the water), she separated the crystals from the flowers and leaves. She thus made her first test: with the heat off, she put a part of her already dry crop inside the clothes dryer and let the centrifugal force do her work. milaii.png Image by El Planteo Today, the Pollinator is still sold alongside other more portable extraction methods such as ice packs and dry ice. Jansen said that she used her own sewing machine to sew the first bags. "The washing machine was invented to keep your socks clean and in the Pollinator the crystals would be the dirt," she laughed. Pollinator, the brand, was launched in 1994 to great acclaim. "Yes, it was a man's world, but my product was so different that I never had to compete with any of them," she said. "And I never felt treated badly for being a woman." Asking Mila for her favorite female cannabis icons, she mentioned Dank Duchess, Jen Doe, and the Bat Lady, all of whom are American. The Bat Lady traveled the world in the '80s and '90s carrying a wooden mallet, with which she was ready to knead some hash wherever she went. She knew a lot about the different qualities of hash. She would travel wherever marijuana grows, separate the resin glands and start kneading. What a woman! Mila Jansen continues to smoke her hash cigarette mixed with tobacco on a daily basis. The first and last of the day are her favorites, the most special ones, she said mila3.png Image by El Planteo Although lately, she decided to radically reduce her tobacco consumption, which makes her have to manage more reasonably: I only consume 1.8 grams of tobacco per day, the equivalent of two cigarettes, but I take 6 to 7 joints that keep me happy throughout the day. I don't skimp on the hash, just the tobacco, she laughed. However, she is a militant of the present and that carries over to her relationship with cannabis. The best hash I ever smoked is the one I have in my hand right now. All the others are in the past or in the future: this is the best because it is from the here and now, she reflected. And yes, she says it with a cigarette in her hand. But if she has to bring up the most spectacular set and setting of her life, she recalls a time when some Indian monks invited her to smoke hash in the Himalayan mountains. cleo.png Image by El Planteo They wanted to show us their favorite marijuana plants. In the valley, there were plants six and eight feet tall but they did not like those [...] the plants on the mountain had survived the winter and the snow had very short branches. They took buds from those plants and right there, from the fresh and recently plucked material, they prepared the hash and smoked it. It was the most fantastic smoke. Going down that mountain was magical: all the colors were brilliant, the sounds... it was an amazing experience. About traveling the world smoking hash, the queen of cannabis states: Smoking hash together creates bonds, you become part of the same team, the same side. You make friends." When asked if she is afraid that today, being a million-dollar industry, cannabis will become too conventional and lose its spiritual and rebellious potential, she answered "Of course, I care (...) I think it's in your own mind that you create what happens. Nowadays it's not just smokers: the whole society is turning to take inspiration from nature. Yes, marijuana is a business, and we are hopeful that the true spirit lives on. I think that this will be thanks to the cultivating women, they are the ones who have the most capacity to maintain that spirit. The Queen Arrives In Argentina Mila Jansen will arrive in Argentina on October 4. She will be one of the stops on her Latin American tour and she will arrive with books to sell and some cannabis events to attend. jansenarg.png Image by El Planteo The businesswoman and writer had already visited Argentina in the past. At that time, a man named William took her to a cannabis event on the outskirts of Buenos Aires. The venue was great and the event was wonderful but it was still very illegal, she remembered. On this visit, she is also excited to attend the Dab a Doo party that is planned to be held in the country, although the date is not yet confirmed. It is a competition in which only hash and different forms of hash compete, although possibly in Argentina there is also a category for weed because it seems to be much more popular. We will see what happens when the date approaches, Jansen concluded. Image by El Planteo See more from Benzinga Don't miss real-time alerts on your stocks - join Benzinga Pro for free! Try the tool that will help you invest smarter, faster, and better. 2022 Benzinga.com. Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Justice Scales and books and wooden gavel - stock photo Witthaya Prasongsin / Getty Images A Mississippi man was charged for burning a cross to intimidate a Black family, per the DOJ. Axel C. Cox, 23, is facing multiple charges stemming from the 2020 incident. The DOJ alleged that he threatened and used "derogatory remarks toward his Black neighbors." A 23-year-old Mississippi man is being charged with federal hate crime charges after officials say he burned a cross in his front yard to intimidate his Black neighbors, according to the Department of Justice. Axel C. Cox of Gulfport was also charged with one count of using fire to commit a felony and one count of criminal interference with the right to fair housing in connection to the alleged cross burning, which federal prosecutors say Cox committed to menace his neighbors because of their race, the DOJ said. In addition, Cox "used threatening and racially derogatory remarks toward his Black neighbors," per the department. Cross-burning is considered a hate symbol made popular by the Ku Klux Klan. Cox is facing years in prison for his alleged actions, and a $250,000 fine "with respect to each charge," the DOJ said. DOJ Civil Rights (@CivilRights) September 23, 2022 "This is another stark reminder of how bigotry, racism, and hate-fueled violence are alive and well in our country. Mississippi is no exception," Vangela M. Wade of the Mississippi Center for Justice told the Associated Press. "The fight to dismantle Mississippi's deeply entrenched culture of injustice and a better tomorrow continues. We are thankful for the courage of the members of the federal grand jury to indict this hate crime." According to the AP, Cox, who is in custody without bond, is set for a jury trial on November 7. Read the original article on Insider By Alexander Tanas CHISINAU (Reuters) -Several thousand people protested in Moldova's capital on Sunday for the second straight weekend to demand the resignation of the country's pro-Western government amid mounting anger over spiralling natural gas prices and inflation. The small east European nation, sandwiched between Ukraine and Romania, has seen political tensions rise in recent months as gas prices soar following Russia's invasion of Ukraine. A Reuters reporter estimated the crowd at about 5,000 outside the official residence of President Maia Sandu -- slightly smaller than last Sunday's gathering. Protesters chanted "Down with Maia Sandu", and "Down with the government". The rallies are the largest since Sandu won a landslide election victory in 2020 on an anti-corruption platform, but pose no immediate threat to the president and her administration. Sandu has repeatedly condemned Moscow's actions in Ukraine and is pushing for membership of the European Union, which has provided the ex-Soviet state with considerable assistance. Her critics charge she should have negotiated a better gas deal with Russia, Moldova's main supplier. On Friday, Moldova's gas regulator raised prices by 27% for households. The protests have been organised by the opposition party of Ilan Shor, an exiled businessman convicted of fraud in connection with a $1 billion bank scandal. The chief suspect in that fraud, business magnate Vlad Plahotniuc, is also outside Moldova, his whereabouts unknown. Prime Minister Natalia Gavrilita said she was focused on helping those with low incomes. "The problems of the country and its people will not be solved on the streets," she wrote on the point.md news site. "We are trying to solve the problems of people most in need." Protesters have vowed to hold weekly rallies until Sandu and her government leave office. An encampment of about 100 tents remains around Moldova's parliament an protesters on Sunday set up a further dozen tents outside the president's residence. (Reporting by Alexander TanasWriting by Max Hunder and Ron PopeskiEditing by Frances Kerry and Alistair Bell) Nearly 36% of students said they felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more, an increase from 32% in 2019. Nearly 43% of Maine high school students reported their mental health was not good most of the time or always during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to the results of a 2021 survey released Wednesday. Female high school students reported worse mental health than male students. Nearly 57% of female students said their mental health was not good most of the time or always, compared to nearly 29% of male students. The question stated that poor mental health includes stress, anxiety, and depression. Many of the survey results were weighted to account for missing data. Nearly 36% of students said they felt sad or hopeless almost every day for two weeks or more an increase from 32% in 2019, the last year the survey was conducted. About 19% of students seriously considered attempting suicide in the last 12 months an increase from 16% in 2019. More than 40% of gay, lesbian, or bi-sexual students said they had considered suicide. The results of the 2021 Maine Integrated Youth Health Survey were posted Wednesday afternoon by the state Department of Education and the state Department of Health and Human Services. The biennial survey of students in grades 5 through 12 was conducted among students last fall. It monitors health behavior and attitudes regarding alcohol, tobacco, nutrition, substance use, mental health, and physical activity. The survey also found that about 66% of high school students agreed or strongly agreed that schoolwork was more difficult during the pandemic. Smoking rates declined from 7% of students in 2019 saying they smoked at least one cigarette a day to 5.5% of students last year. Vaping rates dropped sharply from 45% to nearly 32%. The percentage of students who had tried alcohol dropped from 51% to 43% last year. And the frequency declined: 19% of students had one drink in the past 30 days, compared to nearly 23% in 2019. Marijuana use also declined. The percentage of students who said they had used marijuana at least one time declined from 36% to 30.5%. Story continues Students who have had sexual intercourse declined from 38.4% to 30.6%. Students also were more physically active last year. The percentage of students who were active for at least an hour five days a week increased from 44% to 50%. This story was originally published by The Maine Monitor. The Maine Monitor is a local journalism product published by The Maine Center for Public Interest Reporting, a nonpartisan and nonprofit civic news organization. Rose Lundy covers healthcare for The Maine Monitor. Reach her with other story ideas: rose@themainemonitor.org. This article originally appeared on Portsmouth Herald: 43% of Maine high schoolers report mental health problems, survey says Vietnam's first test for the local version of the Certificate for Teachers of Chinese to Speakers of Other Languages (CTCSOL) was held Saturday in the capital Hanoi. A total of 23 Chinese teachers from across Vietnam took part in the written exam, which was hosted by the Confucius Institute at Hanoi University, the only site for the test in Vietnam. Those who pass the written exam will undergo the interview part scheduled for the end of the year, which will ultimately decide who can receive the certificate. Luo Jun, a principal of the Confucius Institute at Hanoi University, told Xinhua that the growing economic, trade and cultural exchanges between China and Vietnam, as well as Vietnamese people's growing interest in the Chinese language, have led to further demand for local Chinese teachers of higher quality. The CTCSOL test could help improve the quality of local Chinese teachers, and would encourage Vietnamese people interested in Chinese to take part in teaching Chinese, so as to nurture more qualified teachers and meet the urgent demands of local Chinese learners, said Luo. Do Thanh Van, the other head of the Confucius Institute, said the teachers and students at the institute have well prepared for the test, adding that the test would help boost the development of Vietnam-China friendship in the long term. The CTCSOL test is sponsored by the Center for Language Education and Cooperation under China's Ministry of Education. STORY: Saadoun was greeted by his father, Taher Saadoun, and the media after landing in Casablanca. Saadoun had been sentenced to death by Russia and found guilty of "mercenary activities and committing actions aimed at seizing power and overthrowing the constitutional order of the DPR" -- a sentence condemned by Ukraine and Britain. Ten foreigners were freed on Wednesday (September 21) following mediation by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, who has maintained close ties with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The timing and size of the swap came as a surprise. Earlier in the day Putin had announced a partial troop mobilization in Russia in an apparent escalation of the conflict that began in February. Pro-Russian separatists had said last month that the Mariupol commanders would go on trial. Photo Illustration by Erin O'Flynn/The Daily Beast/NASA On Monday, astronomers and scientists the world over will be waiting with bated breath to see if NASA can smash a very expensive computer into a space rock. The Double Asteroid Redirection Test (DART) is the agencys attempt to see if it can ever-so-slightly change the velocity of an asteroid in orbitsomething that sounds small (and perhaps a little pointless), but could have life-altering consequences someday in the future. The idea is that if some giant rock out there were to, say, pose a species-annihilating, extinction-level threat to Earth, we could use a device like DARTdubbed a kinetic impactorto nudge it out of the way of our planet. Thered be no need to sacrifice a secret U.S.-Russian spacecraft to blow it up with nuclear bombs. And no sending a team of oil drillers instead of astronauts to the asteroid to also blow it up with nuclear bombs. In fact, the concept behind DART just seems like a glorified game of bumper cars in the cosmos at first blush. But really, its the start of a working planetary defense systemone that could someday save our entire species from extinction. DART is set on a collision course with Dimorphos on Sept. 26 at 7:14 p.m. EDT. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL/Steve Gribben The DART mission is a significant milestone in our development of planetary defense capabilities, Lindley Johnson, NASAs planetary defense officer, told The Daily Beast. Its one step in the process. Johnson heads the agencys Planetary Defense Coordination Office (PDCO), a team of astronomers and scientists tasked with the stated goal of warning and response to any potential impact of Earth by an asteroid or comet. So far, much of the groups work has been dedicated to finding and cataloging the tens of thousands of near-Earth asteroidsor an asteroid that comes within 93 million miles of the sun. However, the DART mission marks their first official foray into the defense part of planetary defense. Its the Sputnik of guarding Earth against asteroids and comets that would otherwise do us harm. If and when it completes its cosmic suicide mission, itll lay the groundwork for future planetary defense measures including ion beam cannons and, yes, nuking asteroids to kingdom come. Story continues DART is currently en route to Dimorphos, a 170-meter wide moonlet roughly 6.8 million miles away from Earth, orbiting a larger asteroid dubbed Didymos. Traveling at a whopping 14,760 mph, DART will impact the moonlet on Monday, Sept. 26, at 7:14 p.m. EDT. Watching the collision from afar will be LICIACube, a cube satellite that was yeeted from DART earlier this month to observe and collect data about the collision. First, well have an understanding of the effectiveness of a kinetic impactor to deflect an asteroid in space, Johnson explained. Also, well learn more about the composition of the asteroid. Although we think we have a good understanding of whats going to happen, we always get a little bit of surprises when we do a mission like this. Its not as dramatic as a nuclear bombbut it doesnt need to be. While Johnson said nukes are an option, using them would be a very unlikely course of action for planetary defense. For one, were not looking to blow up asteroidsjust push them out of the way. In an actual scenario where a killer asteroid is bearing down on us, all we need to do is push it off course a little bit to change its trajectory and miss Earth entirely. DART-infographic_v5 DART is NASAs attempt to see if it can ever-so-slightly change the trajectory of an asteroid in orbit. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL Johnson added that we have the capabilities of spotting asteroids years, decades, and even centuries in advance before it comes knocking on our door. Thatll give us plenty of time to employ measures like kinetic impactors. Using a nuke would be like using a jackhammer when all you need is a hammer. Plus, it is incredibly difficult to blow up an asteroid without putting the bomb inside of it. At best, youd be doing surface level damage. Jason Isaacs from Armageddon explained it best: The European Space Agency is also planning the Hera mission, which is a sister mission to DART. That probe is slated to launch in 2024 to fly to Dimorphos by 2026. Itll collect even more data about both Didymos and the moonlet, analyzing the crater made by DART and measuring how much its velocity changed due to the impact. Thats valuable information thatll be used in the next thing we try to do, Johnson said. Hera will also be able to create a 3D map of the Dimorphos surface and obtain infrared footage of its temperatures, giving researchers unprecedented levels of detail of a freshly impacted asteroid. This will help inform both how future kinetic impactors will be built, while also giving scientists even more scientific information about asteroids. In fact, Johnson said that the PDCO has several apocalypse-preventing projects that are in the concept development phase. The first is called the gravity tractor. It works by relying on a fairly straightforward law of physics: all bodies with mass exert a gravitational pull. So the idea then is that if you got a spacecraft close enough to an asteroid, you could slowly tug the asteroid off of its current orbit and into one thats more benign, Johnson said. Experts have compared crashing DART into Dimorphos to a school bus crashing into the Great Pyramid. NASA/Johns Hopkins APL The nice thing about that is you could control what the new orbit is going to be much better, he explained, comparing it to the DART. You tug the asteroid for a while, examine how much youve changed it, and if its not quite where you want it to be, you continue to pull it with the gravity tractor a little bit more. Then theres the delightfully sci-fi sounding ion beam deflector. This spacecraft would be armed with an ion engine and then launched to a deadly asteroid where it would fire ion beams at the space rock until its orbit changed. So the laser cannon a la Star Wars isnt far off from becoming a reality. The only difference is instead of blowing up the asteroid or Death Star, it just sort of pushes it out of the way. Thats a constant beam of ions, which are small particles that by themselves dont do much. But when millions of them are hitting the surface of the asteroid, it does have an effect and will gradually change its trajectory, Johnson said. Why One Harvard Astronomer Believes This Asteroid Is an Alien Ship Since we can expect to spot killer asteroids so many years in advance, Johnson said that we can actually rely on future humans to have the technological capabilities to deal with any planetary dangers when they do arise. Thats why the PCDO is planning to launch a probe called the Near-Earth Object (NEO) Surveyor in 2026. Once operational, itll be able to identify and catalog the entire population of near-Earth asteroids within about 10 years, according to Johnson. Whereas if we kept going at the rate were going right now with ground based observations, it would take us another 30 to 40 years to be able to find the rest of those, he added. So, ironically enough, the best thing we can do to protect ourselves from a world-ending apocalypse at the hands of an asteroid is simply waiting and watching. All the kinetic impactors, ion deflectors, gravity tractors, and Bruce Willis-led nuking missions in the world wont help us if we dont know whats coming. Even if we dont find an immediate impact hazard in the next centuries, itll still provide a catalog of everything thats out there, Johnson said. Itll also find that subset that future humans need to keep an eye on and track in the future. Its kind of a legacy project for future generations. Read more at The Daily Beast. Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here Get the Daily Beast's biggest scoops and scandals delivered right to your inbox. Sign up now. Stay informed and gain unlimited access to the Daily Beast's unmatched reporting. Subscribe now. Natwest paternity leave NatWest has told its male bankers that they can take a full year off when they become a father, as it races to reinvent itself as more family friendly. The bank will next year introduce a policy that allows all new parents to take up to a year off regardless of their gender, of which half will be fully paid. Equal paid parental leave is increasingly common, but NatWest is unusual in offering fathers a full year off. It previously offered men two weeks of statutory paternity leave on full pay. By offering all new parents the same pay and leave entitlements, chief executive Alison Rose said NatWest hopes to support "wider cultural change by promoting a shared approach to childcare responsibilities early on". Ms Rose, who in 2019 became the first-ever woman to lead one of the UKs big banks, added that the bank wants "to do more to help families thrive". It is the latest example of the lender racing to overhaul its image, after it last month said it would pay for transgender staff to get privately-funded hormone treatment and earlier this year introduced pronouns and phonetic name spellings on new bamboo branch badges. It has also reviewed the wording of its employment policies to "ensure language and scenarios are LGBT+ inclusive" and changed its absence and sick leave rules to include time off for people who are transitioning. The changes come as the banking sector tries to shake-off its "pale, male and stale" image in an effort to attract a younger and more diverse workforce. British banks are following in the footsteps of American rivals such as Goldman Sachs, which told London staff years ago that they can have free sex-change surgery and fertility treatments. It was also the first UK company to ship working mothers breast milk home if they work overseas. Formerly known as the Royal Bank of Scotland, NatWest almost brought down Britain's financial system in 2008 when it was bailed out by the government for 45bn after then-chancellor Alistair Darling was told it was within hours of running out of money. The taxpayer held a majority stake in the bank until March this year, when a share buyback brought public ownership down to 48pc. The Crown will return to our screens this autumn as a new cast step into the shoes of Queen Elizabeth II and the royal family. Netflixs historical drama has seen a resurgence in interest around the world following the death of the monarch earlier this month. During the streamers fan event Tudum on Saturday (24 September), Netflix announced that season five of The Crown would be arriving on Wednesday 9 November. Imelda Staunton will be taking over from Olivia Colman as the Queen, with Jonathan Pryce playing her late husband Prince Philip. Australian actor Elizabeth Debicki is playing Princess Diana, while Dominic West will portray a young King Charles III. Seasons five and six will be set in the Nineties and will feature a young Prince William and Harry for the first time. Production is currently ongoing on the sixth season of the show, but was temporarily halted following the Queens death. Matt Smith, who was the first actor to play Prince Philip, recently said that Prince Harry referred to him as grandad due to his role in the Netflix show. The Crown season five comes to Netflix on Wednesday 9 November. Community members in North Dakota are reeling over the death of 18-year-old Cayler Ellingson, and say that he was an "exceptional child" with a bright future ahead of him. Shannon Brandt, 41, admitted to mowing down Ellingson in the early morning hours on Sept. 18 in a 911 call made after the incident, according to an affidavit. The two were at a local bar's street dance in McHenry, North Dakota, before the incident happened, and Brandt alleged that he got into a "political argument" with Ellingson, who he alleged was part of a "Republican extremist group." North Dakota officials have said that neither of Brandt's allegations are true. Ellingson was taken to a local hospital with severe injuries, but he later died. Brandt also alleged that Ellingson was threatening him, according to the affidavit. The 18-year-old called his mother before Brandt used an SUV to hit him, according to an affidavit, and told her that "'he" or they were chasing him." The mother told her son that she was "on her way to get him" prior to that call. NORTH DAKOTA HIGH SCHOOL HOLDS MOMENT OF SILENCE FOR SLAIN CAYLER ELLINGSON DURING HOMECOMING FOOTBALL GAME A person who was close with Ellingson and his family, who chose to remain anonymous when speaking with Fox News Digital, says that the 18-year-old was an "exceptional child" with a bright future ahead of him that was tragically cut short. Ellingson graduated from Carrington High School in the spring of 2022 and recently began studying to be an ultrasound technician. The high school held a moment of silence for Ellingson on Friday night during its homecoming football game. One person who was close with the Ellingson family said that the 18-year-old was "absolutely not" a Republican "extremist," as Brandt alleged, and said he was an "all-around great kid." Another person also said Ellingson was a "good kid" and said that the incident has shaken the community. Story continues SHANNON BRANDT KNOWN BY NEIGHBORS FOR BOOZE-FUELED 'RAMPAGES,' BEING 'NUTS HIS WHOLE LIFE' "It's that's all anybody can talk about right now," the person said of the incident. "I still can't wrap my head around it. I really can't." A prayer service for Elllingson is taking place on Sunday night, and his funeral is set to take place on Monday. Brandt was taken to jail and charged with criminal vehicular homicide, as well as leaving the scene of a crash involving a death after the incident. He was released on Tuesday after posting bond, which was set at $50,000. During a court hearing on Monday, Brandt told a judge that he wasn't a flight risk and disagreed with the bail amount. "I have a job, a life and a house and things that I don't exactly want to see go by the wayside family that are very important to me," Brandt said. Many college alumni in the U.S. have lives thoroughly controlled by educational debt. Last month, President Biden announced a student loan relief of $10,000 to $20,000 for some borrowers who earn less than $125,000, along with a small package of reforms to the college loan borrowing and repayment system. This is the same system that over the last few decades has collectively led to more than $1 trillion in debt mainly for my generation. Make no mistake, for those under age 50 who received higher education, student loans are top of mind. Under the mirage of the American dream and a product of cruel Reaganomics, the higher education industry has relied on false marketing. Millions of citizens and citizens-to-be have been forcibly tied to a vision that does not align with their own wishes but with the wishes of business and industry. Student loans, along with its debt relief, is how the rich control the rest. (Look up Roger A. Freemans remarks in 1970 about the dangers of "an educated proletariat", which appeared in the San Francisco Chronicle under the title "Professor Sees Peril in Education." https://twitter.com/lianafaye/status/1562680259668893698) The relationship that the (government-backed) higher education industry has forged with the U.S. public is abusive and based on coercive control. Coercive control is a pattern of threats, humiliation, and intimidation used to harm, punish, or frighten and to make a person dependent by taking advantage of them, regulating daily behavior, and restricting long-term dreams. This definition describes very well the experiences that Gen X, Gen Y (millennials), and Gen Z have had with student loan repayment: If you do not take out a loan and get a degree and a job, society will see you as If you do not pay back your loan, the debt collectors will take In the classroom: These new Cape teachers bucking trend of those leaving education Your priority is to pay back your loan, not taking care of yourself or family Story continues You could not pay back your loan because you are lazy Abusive relationships involve financial dependency (you must take out a loan), psychological dependency (no one will hire you), and emotional dependency (you are useless without a degree). Even using debt forgiveness instead of debt relief is itself a form of public gaslighting (lying despite evidence pointing otherwise). Why are we being forgiven for doing what we were told to do? This is why we in the younger generations roll our eyes when we hear the back in my day argument for how we should behave today. We live under an American society that does not come with the same advantages and disadvantages as back in the day. Taking another look: Does Brewster need a boardwalk from Quivett Marsh to Cape Cod Bay? Citizens react to plan Just like when abusive partners stop their attacks for a few days, the relief that Bidens policy has brought is real for some, but it is insincere and temporary. Ending all student loan debt goes beyond the financial freedom needed from a process that costs more than the first decade of salary; it is freedom from the social humiliation and intimidation that comes with not completing a degree that is really meant to provide cultural pedigree. Those who paid back their loans have not made it any more than those that did not because the coercive control was always there. And for many borrowers, the financial freedom from debt crosses with freedoms needed from sexism, racism, nativism, ableism, etc. If student loan debt relief does not bring about the freedom my generation seeks, what does? Do not just relieve the loans, cancel them entirely. Alongside, we need to establish that the standard of success is not being able to pay back loans, but not having loans at all. An original 'mighty girl': Provincetown woman recalls battling polio as a child We need breathing space from the marketing-heavy higher education industry, we need solidarity between the classes who cannot store wealth and the classes who can. This also means that we need to believe in the worth of community colleges and trade schools welcoming those who know that affordable higher education is their human right. Underlying these goals is the radical self-affirmation: I am worthy without a degree and just as worthy as those with a degree. Higher education has not made humans more humane when it has been based on exclusion. Student loans, along with the limited debt relief, are the basis of that exclusion knowing that women, people of color, low-income, migrant, and disabled groups are less likely to have the capacity to resist debt servitude. I welcome responses as Your Turn letters to the editor from Cape and Islands residents who have been directly affected by the recent policy for student loan debt relief: have your financial worries been truly relieved or just delayed? Murylo Batista is a resident of Mashpee, a Sturgis alumnus, and a public health researcher in violence prevention. Gain access to premium Cape Cod Times content by subscribing. Check out our latest offer. This article originally appeared on Cape Cod Times: Student loans are a result of societal pressure to go to college August was the 452nd consecutive month that the global average temperature exceeded the 20th-century average for the same month. To climatologists, 452 adds up to climate change. To farmers around the world, that translates to a lot of really bad weather. To those in Somalia, that very well could mean a famine this year. In any case, it contributes to a global food crisis and one which all the worlds countries must address. On behalf of the president, Secretary of State Antony Blinken did just that when he joined world leaders at the Global Food Security Summit in New York on Sept. 20 at the United Nations General Assembly. At this gathering, he challenged global partners to take the needed actions to combat the negative impacts of conflict and climate change on food security. Climate change has arrived. During the 1980s, there were fewer than three natural disasters per year in the United States that cost roughly $1 billion each in damage (inflation adjusted). In contrast, there were 20 such natural disasters in the last year. Credible projections indicate that by mid-century in many countries, the best growing seasons temperature-wise will closely resemble the worst of the past. Globally, 193 million people face acute food insecurity. This years projected budget shortfall for the World Food Program exceeds last years entire budget. The World Food Program executive director recently remarked that the organization is being forced to make an agonizing decision to take food from hungry children to give it to starving children. And were only beginning to feel the full effects of climate change. The United States is providing an unprecedented amount of food aid and humanitarian assistance and is the World Food Programs largest donor. But make no mistake, these efforts are neither enough to resolve the current crisis nor prevent another. Food aid, regardless of the amount, is not and cannot be the only means to address food insecurity. There is no formula for determining the best balance of using available resources for immediate humanitarian aid and boosting food production (reducing the need for aid), but we know improving food systems is the answer. Most countries 131 of 196 are net food importers. Story continues Reliable local production, well-functioning markets, strong, responsive democracies, and open international trade are essential to strengthening food systems, especially in countries that are currently food insecure. Vladimir Putin bears responsibility for exacerbating a global food crisis that was already well underway thanks to his decision to launch an all-out invasion of Ukraine, a top five supplier of wheat, corn, and vegetable oil to world markets. What happens in Ukraine doesnt stay in Ukraine. Rising prices downstream of Russias full-scale war have pushed millions more around the globe into food insecurity. This food security crisis is unlike any of the past, as it is the result of multiple major causes, notably climate change, COVID-19, and global conflict. More than half of those experiencing hunger today live in conflict zones. Historically low grain stockpiles, high fertilizer prices, limited fertilizer availability, and food export restrictions imposed by about 20 countries also add to the list of causes. Moreover, 21 of the worlds 37 major aquifers are in decline. The Ganges and the Arabian aquifer systems, both sources of water for irrigation, are among those suffering serious depletion. This is a multi-year crisis. Due to the many factors at play and the need for multiple growing seasons to restore supplies and markets, there are no quick or easy solutions. The fight against hunger must be conducted with a long-term perspective and on multiple fronts. The U.S. government is engaged with a multi-year strategy that seeks to create food systems that are inclusive, resilient, and sustainable. We have expanded Feed the Future, the U.S. governments flagship global hunger and food security initiative, to eight new countries, all in Africa. The United States is providing support to institutions such as the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center, which are contributing significantly to global food security. The Centers drought-tolerant corn is now planted on 17 million acres in Africa. People wait in a line with groceries at the supermarket on Feb. 28, 2022 in Kyiv, Ukraine. We must ensure that all crops important to food security receive adequate research funding and are climate ready to increase production, provide more farmer income, better nutrition, and heightened resilience both to weather extremes and geopolitical shocks. This makes humanitarian and economic sense and is in everyones self-interest. Ask any farmer anywhere. This investment in research also makes sense from a national security perspective, as conflict is both a cause and effect of food insecurity. Intensifying climate change and hunger increase the risk of conflict. Strengthening global food systems not only advances peace abroad but also helps our own farmers here at home. For wheat alone, every two cents invested by U.S. taxpayers generates one hundred dollars of benefit to our economy. And how does it impact the hungry? USAID programs, to cite but one example, have prevented 3.4 million children in target countries from being stunted. When we choose to invest in global food security, we all benefit. In joining world leaders at the United Nations to address food insecurity, we will leverage our investment and put America in the lead where it must be. February 2008 - Cary Fowler, a 1967 White Station High School graduate, not far from the arctic seed vault near Svalbard, Norway. Cary Fowler is U.S. special envoy for global food security. This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Opinion: The world cannot ignore the global food crisis BERKELEY, Calif. (AP) Jaydn Ott ran for 274 yards and three touchdowns and California opened Pac-12 play with a 49-31 victory over Arizona on Saturday. Ott scored on a 73-yard run on the second play from scrimmage, an improbable 18-yarder in the third quarter after he had appeared to be stopped for a short gain, and then another 72-yarder to ice it late in the fourth. Every time I touch the ball, I feel like I'm going to score, Ott said. That's my mentality. Ott had the third most rushing yards in school history, trailing only Jahvid Best's 311 against Washington in 2008 and Jerry Drew's 283 against Oregon State in 1954. That's explosive," coach Justin Wilcox said. Weve been talking about it for a long time. Youve seen it in flashes. We saw it a bunch today. He's a dynamic guy and has the ability to take it to the house from a lot of spots. Jack Plummer added three TD passes for the Golden Bears (3-1, 1-0), who won their sixth straight home game. It's their longest winning streak at Memorial Stadium since a nine-gamer in 2008-09. Cal also ended a six-game skid against Arizona (2-2, 0-1) by beating the Wildcats for the first time since 2009. Jayden de Laura threw for 401 yards and two touchdowns for the Wildcats (2-2, 0-1), who had no answers defensively and lost their 12th straight conference road game. But de Laura also turned the ball over three times. We couldnt stop the run and when you cant stop the run, you run into the issues of you have to try to press, coach Jedd Fisch said. "I think we started to press there at the end and started turning the ball over in the fourth quarter. Thats what cost us. A year after Arizona beat COVID-depleted Cal 10-3 at home for its only win in 2021, the teams exceeded that point total after both teams scored touchdowns on the opening drive. It was a back-and-forth, high-scoring affair in the first half with Ott scoring on a 73-yard run on the second play from scrimmage to set the tone. Story continues The Wildcats scored on four of their first five drives of the game, getting two short TD runs by Jonah Coleman and Michael Wiley and a 24-yard TD pass from de Laura to Tetairoa McMillan. Plummer threw a 16-yard TD pass to J. Michael Sturdivant in the second quarter and gave Cal the lead early in the third when he found Keleki Latu from 3 yards out on fourth-and-1. Ott added his second TD midway through the third quarter. He ran into a group of defenders at the 13 yet managed to keep his feet and snuck out of the scrum to run it into the end zone to make it 35-24. Ott added his second breakaway run late in the fourth quarter. TAKEAWAYS Arizona: The Wildcats were gashed defensively all game as they struggled to tackle Ott or cover receivers downfield. Despite some promising signs on offense, that led to Arizona's 21st loss in its last 24 Pac-12 games. California: The Bears have been a defensive team ever since coach Justin Wilcox arrived in 2017, but it was the offense that led the way in this game. The 213 yards allowed by Cal in the first quarter were the most ever under Wilcox. But the defense stepped up in the second half, forcing back-to-back punts and then recovering a fumble by de Laura to help Cal take control. In the first half, we didnt tackle well, we didn't rush, we didn't cover anybody. It was bad," Wilcox said. Got some big stops in the third. UP NEXT Arizona: Hosts Colorado on Saturday. California: Visits Washington State on Saturday. ___ More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/AP_Top25. Sign up for the APs college football newsletter: https://apnews.com/cfbtop25 Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada Darren Calabrese /The Canadian Press via AP Many Canadians are without power after Fiona wrecked several Atlantic provinces, per NBC. Local news reported that 20 homes were damaged and nearly 200 people were displaced from Port Aux Basque. PM Justine Trudeau said the country's armed forces will be deployed to assist in aftermath of the storm. Homes are severely damaged and residents are without power in several of Canada's provinces after Fiona slammed into the country's Atlantic coast, NBC reported on Saturday. Canadian officials said that they received reports of devastating infrastructure damage after Fiona landed in Nova Scotia around 3 am, per NBC. Canada sends troops to help clear Fiona's devastation Vaughan Merchant /The Canadian Press via AP Canada sends troops to help clear Fiona's devastation Rene Roy/Wreckhouse Press via AP Officials told the outlet Fiona's post-tropical cyclone winds blew 90 mph near Whitehead. "It's shocking the damage that we're seeing," Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston told NBC. Premier Dennis King told NBC that a storm reaching over 6 feet hit Prince Edward Island, causing damage that may take weeks or longer to recover. Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada Rosalyn Roy/Wreckhouse Press via The Canadian Press via AP According to NBC, 4710,000 customers across Nova Scotia, Prince Edward Island, New Brunswick, and Newfoundland are without power. Prime Minister Justine Trudeau said the country's armed forces will be deployed to assist in aftermath of the storm, adding that it had a "terrible impact" on the communities. "We're seeing devastating images come out of Port aux Basques," Trudeau said, according to NBC. "PEI (Prince Edward Island) has experienced storm damage like they've never seen. Cape Breton is being hit hard, too, as is Quebec." The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation reported on Saturday that everything east of town hall in Port au Basques is under an emergency evacuation order after the storm struck the community. Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada Nigel Quinn /The Canadian Press via AP "What's actually happening here is total devastation," Mayor Brian Button told the CBC. " We are going to force people out of their homes if we need to. They need to go." According to the CBC, 20 homes were damaged, and nearly 200 people were displaced from Port Aux Basque. Defense Minister Anita Anand said that troops would assist in the aftermath by removing debris and restoring transportation, according to NBC. Story continues Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada Darren Calabrese /The Canadian Press via AP Read the original article on Insider ISLAMABAD (AP) Pakistani police arrested a veteran journalist for his alleged involvement in his son's beating death of his new wife at their suburban home, police said Sunday. Police officer Mohammad Faizan said Ayaz Amir, a well-known columnist and TV political analyst in Pakistan, appeared in court in the capital of Islamabad on Sunday accused of aiding his son. Police were to interrogate him for his role in the death of Sara Inam, 37, who married Amir's son Shahnawaz four months ago. Inam was allegedly killed Friday by Shahnawaz at the couple's home after a row over a family issue. Shahnawaz was arrested and police say he confessed to hitting his wife repeatedly with a dumbbell and then later tried to hide her body in a bathtub. Pakistan has a bad track record regarding freedom of expression and several journalists have been assaulted and detained by police in recent months. Activists to Hold Protest in Front of the Home of Washington, D.C.'s Mayor Calling for an End to Abortion Violence in Our Nation's Capital NEWS PROVIDED BY Christian Defense Coalition Sept. 25, 2022 WASHINGTON, Sept. 25, 2022 /Christian Newswire/ -- Activists to hold a protest in front of the home of Washington, D.C.'s Mayor calling for an end to abortion violence in our nation's capital. Leaders will be showing on a large LED screen, graphic videos and images of 5 late-term aborted children who were killed in Washington, D.C. earlier this year. The pro-life and anti-violence advocates will also be demanding Mayor Muriel Bowser order autopsies to be conducted on the 5 late-term aborted children who still remain in the Washington, D.C. morgue. The coalition said they would pay for the full expenses incurred by the DC Medical Examiner's office for any autopsies performed. The protest will take place on Monday, September 26 at 7:00 PM. Mayor Bowser's address is 7927 Orchid St. NW Washington, D.C. 20012. The Christian Defense Coalition has secured a permit from the Washington, D.C. Metropolitan Police Department to hold this peaceful protest. Mark Harrington, President of Created Equal, states; "In third world countries, they throw abandoned babies in mass graves and landfills. In America, we are much more sophisticated but just as barbaric. We kill babies by 'doctors' in 'surgical centers,' and keep them locked in freezers for months. "Mayor Bowser needs to take immediate action and complete a thorough autopsy and investigate these potential violations of federal law. This violence against innocent children has no place in our nation. These children deserve justice." Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments; "As a human rights and anti-violence advocate for over 45 years, America must reject violence within our society. We must especially stand against violence when it is directed toward innocent children and marginalized communities. Today in Washington, D.C., abortion is allowed for the full 9 months of pregnancy. "This would include viable preborn children. "We are coming to Mayor Bowser's house to show her, visually and graphically, what abortion violence really looks like, especially against 8-month-old babies in their mother's womb. We are calling upon the Mayor to end this senseless violence against innocent human life, and start implementing programs in our nation's capital to help reduce human suffering and injustice apart from the violence of abortion. "We will also be demanding that Mayor Bowser direct the D.C. Medical Examiner to conduct autopsies on 5 late-term abortion children who still remain in the city morgue. It appears federal law may have been broken in performing these abortions." Rev. Patrick Mahoney, Director of the Christian Defense Coalition, comments; For more information or interviews call Rev. Patrick Mahoney at 540.538.4741 SOURCE Christian Defense Coalition CONTACT: Rev. Patrick Mahoney, 540-538-4741 Share Tweet You are here: Business The Export-Import Bank of China (China EximBank) offered 1.25 trillion yuan (about 178.78 billion U.S. dollars) in loans to the foreign trade industry in the first eight months of 2022, up 26.03 percent year on year. By the end of August, the bank's outstanding loans to the foreign trade sector rose 18.23 percent compared with last year to reach 2.73 trillion yuan. The bank said this year it had stepped up credit issuance to key foreign trade links such as ports, docks and airports. China EximBank is a state-funded and state-owned policy bank supporting China's foreign trade, investment, and international economic cooperation. By Neil Jerome Morales MANILA (Reuters) -Philippines President Ferdinand Marcos declared suspension of government work and classes for Monday as a category 3 tropical storm barrelled through the main island Luzon after making landfall northeast of the capital Manila. Nearly 8,400 people were pre-emptively evacuated from the path of Typhoon Noru, which further weakened with sustained winds of 175 kilometres (108 miles) per hour and gusts of up to 290 kph (180 mph) after making landfall, the state weather agency said in its latest advisory. Flights were cancelled, ferries halted and bus routes shut as heavy rains and strong winds toppled trees and power lines. Marcos suspended classes and work in Luzon, which accounts for more than two-thirds of the economy and roughly half of the country's 110 million population. The energy ministry placed on high alert all energy-related facilities in typhoon-affected areas, Marcos said on Facebook. The Philippine Stock Exchange said trading would be suspended on Monday as heavy to torrential rains drench the capital region and nearby provinces. "Utility posts fell and homes made of light materials near coastlines were damaged," Nelson Egargue, disaster chief of Aurora province where Noru made landfall, told DZRH radio station. Waves whipped up by the category 3 typhoon were battering ports, photos and videos on social media showed, and low-lying areas were flooded. "The wind is calmer now but it's dark because we have no power supply," Eliseo Ruzol, mayor of coastal General Nakar town adjacent to Noru's landfall location, told DZRH. The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, sees an annual average of 20 tropical storms that cause floods and landslides. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded, killed 6,300 people. Noru, which is moving westward over rice-producing provinces in Luzon, is likely to emerge over the South China Sea by early Monday. (Reporting by Neil Jerome Morales; Editing by William Mallard, Robert Birsel, Peter Graff, Toby Chopra) Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has canceled upcoming concerts in Poland over backlash prompted by his beliefs about Russia's war against Ukraine, which he attributes to "extreme nationalists" in Ukraine. Waters was initially planning to perform two concerts at the Tauron Arena in Krakowin in April, but an arena official confirmed the events have been scrapped. "Roger Waters manager decided to withdraw ... without giving any reason," Tauron Arena Krakow's Lukasz Pytko said Saturday, according to Polish media. US VETERANS CAPTURED BY RUSSIAN FORCES RETURN TO ALABAMA The website for Waters' concert tour, "This Is Not a Drill," does not include the concerts in Krakow previously scheduled for April 21 and 22. City council members in Krakow were expected to vote on a proposal next week to label Waters as a persona non grata. They planned to express "indignation" over his controversial views on Russia's war on Ukraine. (file photo) Waters was initially planning to perform two concerts at the Tauron Arena in Krakowin in April, but an arena official confirmed the events have been scrapped. In an open letter to Ukrainian first lady Olena Zelenska early this month, Waters blamed "extreme nationalists" in Ukraine for setting the country "on the path to this disastrous war." The musician, who is British, also criticized the West, the U.S. in particular, for supplying Ukraine with weapons. POLAND HANDS OUT IODINE PILLS AS FIGHTING RAGES NEAR UKRAINIAN POWER PLANT (file photo) City council members in Krakow were expected to vote on a proposal next week to label Waters as a persona non grata. Additionally, Waters has criticized NATO and accused the alliance of provoking Russia. The Associated Press contributed to this report. Kettering Police Department is asking the public for help identifying three theft suspects. In a social media post KPD shows pictures of two women and a man at an area store. >> Greene County Sheriffs office asking for publics help in finding missing person Police said the two women are suspected of stealing a credit card that the man then later used. Those who know the suspects or have any information are asked to contact Detective Jung at 937-296-2640. Police have released images of a man they want to speak to in connection with an armed robbery at an Asda store in Manchester. (Greater Manchester Police) Police have released pictures of a man they are looking for after nearly 30,000 was stolen in an armed robbery at a supermarket. Armed police were called to an Asda store on Princess Road, Manchester, on Saturday morning after reports of an armed robbery where a man pointed what was thought to be a black pistol at a security guard, making off with a bag of cash containing around 28,500. The security guard wasn't physically injured, Greater Manchester Police said, but was left shaken by the ordeal. Police have launched an investigation into the armed robbery, which saw around 28,500 in cash taken from a security guard. (Greater Manchester Police) Nobody has been arrested so far, but investigators are trawling CCTV and speaking to potential witnesses, the force said. It has released CCTV images of a man they want to speak to in connection with the incident. Read more: Man dies after 'climbing out of tower block window trying to escape fire' He is described as white, aged between 30 and 40, of medium build and who was wearing a green parka jacket, dark Adidas hat, black gloves, dark tracksuit bottoms and grey trainers. He is understood to have been in the area around the time of the incident and left in the direction of Princess Parkway heading away from City Centre riding a silver-framed mountain bike with black writing on it. The man is believed to have been in the area at the time then left on a bike. (Greater Manchester Police) Detective Inspector Kat McKeown, of Greater Manchester Police's Longsight CID, said: "I cant imagine the fear that the security guard felt when the offender committed this terrifying and outrageous act. "We know there were people near the supermarket who will also have felt shock and fright at the incident, and I can assure everyone concerned that we are working tirelessly to identify and capture the man responsible. "So far we have spoken to a number of people and we are keen to ensure that everyone who was in the area on Saturday morning, and who could have information, is spoken to so if you havent already then please contact us." Anyone with information should call us police on 0161 856 6049 or 101 quoting incident 1018 of 24/09/2022, or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. A man who was stabbed to death a day earlier in downtown Fresno was identified by police on Sunday. David Garza, 20, was stabbed near the ARCO gas station in the 1400 block of P Street. Police said Garza had a wound to the upper chest and was taken to Community Regional Medical Center and pronounced dead. Witnesses provided officers with a description and authorities found the suspected assailant nearby. He was identified as 26-year-old Teven Tyrone Bradley. Detectives said they learned Garza and Bradley were involved in a fight prior to the stabbing. Bradley was arrested and booked into the Fresno County Jail on suspicion of murder. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 559-621-7000. Associated Press Thousands of people in hundreds of cars took over northern Nevada parking lots and intersections Friday night and into Saturday, performing stunts in souped-up vehicles and leading to crashes and arrests, police said. Police beefed up nighttime staffing after social media posts urged people from San Francisco and Portland, Oregon, to come to the sideshow in Reno, Police Lt. Michael Browett said. The disturbances started late Friday as several hundred cars and their occupants met in the parking lot of a still-open Walmart store. CHICO, Calif. (AP) A 37-year-old man was arrested Sunday in Northern California on suspicion of threatening to kill police officers and planning a Las Vegas-style mass shooting, authorities said. The suspect was taken into custody by SWAT officers at a Super 8 motel in Chico after detectives obtained evidence of his plot, according to a police statement. The evidence included unspecified information that he had made criminal threats to kill specific individuals, specified law enforcement officers, and was preparing to commit a Las Vegas style mass shooting with a specified deadline, said the statement from the Chico Police Department. Sixty people were killed and more than 400 were wounded in Las Vegas when a gunman opened fire on a music festival from a high-rise hotel in 2017. After his arrest, the Chico suspect threatened to kill additional officers and their families, and he battered an officer with a table during the interview process, the police statement said. He could face charges including making criminal threats and battery on a peace officer. He was held without bail at Butte County Jail. Chico is a city of 98,000 people about 175 miles (280 km) north of San Francisco. By Crispian Balmer and Angelo Amante ROME (Reuters) - A right-wing alliance led by Giorgia Meloni's Brothers of Italy party was on course for a clear majority in the next parliament, giving the country its most right-wing government since World War Two. Meloni, as leader of the largest coalition party, was also likely to become Italy's first woman prime minister. Meloni, 45, plays down her party's post-fascist roots and portrays it as a mainstream conservative group. She has pledged to support Western policy on Ukraine and not take undue risks with the third largest economy in the euro zone. However, the outcome is likely to ring alarm bells in European capitals and on financial markets, given the desire to preserve unity in confronting Russia and concerns over Italy's daunting debt mountain. An exit poll for state broadcaster RAI said the bloc of conservative parties, that also includes Matteo Salvini's League and Silvio Berlusconi's Forza Italia party, won between 41% and 45%, enough to guarantee control of both houses of parliament. "Centre-right clearly ahead both in the lower house and the Senate! It'll be a long night but even now I want to say thanks," Salvini said on Twitter. Italy's electoral law favours groups that manage to create pre-ballot pacts, giving them an outsized number of seats by comparison with their vote tally. RAI said the right-wing alliance would win between 227 and 257 of the 400 seats in the lower house of parliament, and 111-131 of the 200 Senate seats. Full results are expected by early Monday. RECORD LOW TURNOUT The result caps a remarkable rise for Meloni, whose party won only 4% of the vote in the last national election in 2018, but this time around was forecast to emerge as Italy's largest group on around 22-26%. But it was not a ringing endorsement, with provisional data pointing to turnout of just 64.1% against 74% four years ago -- a record low number in a country that has historically enjoyed a high level of voter participation. Story continues Although heavy storms in the south appeared to have deterred many from voting there, participation fell across a swathe of northern and central cities, where the weather was calmer. Italy has a history of political instability and the next prime minister will lead the country's 68th government since 1946 and face a host of problems, notably soaring energy costs and growing economic headwinds. Initial market reaction is likely to be muted given that opinion polls had forecast the result accurately. "I don't expect a big impact although it's not necessarily the case that Italian assets will do particularly well tomorrow (Monday) given how the market is starting to treat Europe and countries with worrisome public finances and exposure to the crisis and Ukraine," said Giuseppe Sersale, fund manager and strategist at Anthilia in Milan. Italy's first autumn national election in over a century was triggered by party infighting that brought down Prime Minister Mario Draghi's broad national unity government in July. The new, slimmed-down parliament will not meet until Oct. 13, at which point the head of state will summon party leaders and decide on the shape of the new government. (Additional reporting by Gavin Jones, Rodolfo Fabbri and Giselda Vagnoni in Rome, and Danilo Masoni in Milan; Editing by Keith Weir) Salvators Quad at St Andrews University in Fife, Scotland. Graham Barclay/Getty Images St Andrews University pipped Oxford and Cambridge for the first time in a Guardian ranking. Prince William met Kate Middleton while both were studying there. Cambridge came in at second place and Oxford was the third in the Guardian University Guide. The university attended by the Prince and Princess of Wales has beaten Oxford and Cambridge to the top spot in the 2023 Guardian University Guide, The Guardian reported. St Andrews took the best university title for the first time in The Guardian's rankings of Britain's top undergraduate institutions, with Oxford second and Cambridge in third place. The university was attended by Prince William where he met fellow student Kate Middleton. Both graduated in 2005. Founded in 1413, it is the third-oldest university in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. Benjamin Franklin was awarded an honorary degree from St Andrews in 1759. Other notable alumni include former first minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, the website states. Nicola Sturgeon, the first minister of Scotland, congratulated the university in a tweet: "A great accolade for St Andrews - and also underlines the strength of Scotland's higher education sector." Prince William graduated from St Andrews in 2005. Getty Images St Andrews was ranked in second place in both 2020 and 2021, past guides show, and third in 2022. It overtook Oxford, which topped the list in 2021 and 2022, while Cambridge was first in 2020. St Andrews led the way in major subjects such as economics, English, history and chemistry in the 2023 guide. Collectively, the three universities dominate individual rankings for undergraduate subjects in 30 out of 66 subject areas. Matt Hiely-Rayner, who compiled the guide, told The Guardian there was the narrowest of margins separating the three universities. Among the differentiating factors was St Andrews' incoming students having higher entry grades along with high student satisfaction scores for its teaching, as well as a larger number of graduates gaining employment or going on to postgraduate studies. "For a small Scottish university to shake the established order repeatedly is a great tribute to everyone who works and studies here," St Andrews' vice-chancellor, Dame Sally Mapstone, told The Guardian. "I hope that St Andrews' terrific students and all of my hard-working colleagues will feel the recognition of this very significant achievement. They entirely deserve it," she added. Read the original article on Business Insider FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) Prosecutors in the penalty trial of Florida school shooter Nikolas Cruz will begin their rebuttal case Tuesday, challenging his attorneys' contention that he murdered 17 people because his birth mother abused alcohol during pregnancy, a condition they say went untreated. Prosecutor Mike Satz's team is expected to call experts who will testify Cruz has antisocial personality disorder in lay terms, hes a sociopath and fully responsible for his Feb. 14, 2018, attack at Parkland's Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. According to the National Institutes of Health, people with antisocial personality disorder commit exploitive, delinquent and criminal behavior with no remorse. They usually have no regard for others, dont follow the law, cant sustain consistent relationships or employment and use manipulation for personal gain, the NIH says. Prosecutors will want to reemphasize Cruz understood exactly what he was doing during the massacre and could formulate and carry out a plan, said David S. Weinstein, a Miami defense attorney and former prosecutor. Robert Jarvis, a professor at Nova Southeastern University's law school, said prosecution experts will also likely testify that even if Cruzs brain was damaged by his birth mothers drinking, thats true of thousands of other Americans and they dont commit mass murder. If they did, we would be having mass murders on an unprecedented scale, he said. Cruz, who turned 24 on Saturday, pleaded guilty last October to murdering 14 Stoneman Douglas students and three staff members. The seven-man, five-woman jury will decide whether he is sentenced to death or life without parole, weighing aggravating factors presented by prosecutors against the defense's mitigating circumstances. A juror could also vote for life out of mercy for Cruz. For the former Stoneman Douglas student to receive a death sentence, the jury must unanimously agree. Story continues Satz's team told Circuit Judge Elizabeth Scherer their presentation could take two weeks, but Jarvis and Weinstein question whether that's too much for a jury that began hearing evidence in July. Jurors may be eager to deliberate, so Satz should keep the rebuttal case focused and to the point, they said. Don't get greedy, Weinstein said. Jarvis said lawyers too often think that if they just add more witnesses and evidence, that makes their case stronger. But in a trial like Cruz's where the decision isn't whether he's guilty but what sentence he deserves, Jarvis believes that by rebuttal each juror knows his or her vote. Any reconsideration won't come until deliberations. If you do a long rebuttal, that makes jurors think, Maybe the defense really did score some points that I didnt realize,' Jarvis said. Satz kept his main case simple, focusing on Cruz's eight months of planning, the seven minutes he stalked the halls of a three-story classroom building, firing 140 shots with an AR-15-style semiautomatic rifle, and his escape. He played security videos of the shooting and showed gruesome crime scene and autopsy photos.Teachers and students testified about watching others die. He took the jury to the fenced-off building, which remains blood-stained and bullet-pocked. Parents and spouses gave tearful and angry statements about their loss. Cruz's attorneys never questioned the horror he inflicted, but focused on their belief that his birth mother's heavy drinking during pregnancy left him with fetal alcohol spectrum disorder. Their experts said his bizarre, troubling and sometimes violent behavior starting at age 2 was misdiagnosed as attention-deficit/ hyperactivity disorder, meaning he never got the proper treatment. That left his widowed adoptive mother overwhelmed, they said. The defense cut their case short, calling only about 25 of the 80 witnesses they said would testify. They never brought up Cruz's high school years or called his younger half-brother, Zachary, whom they accused of bullying. That will limit what the prosecution can raise in rebuttal any evidence or testimony must have some tie to what the defense presented. Prosecutors have said they plan to show racist slurs Cruz wrote on his backpack and online and the swastikas drawn on the gun he used and the boots he wore. Although there is no contention that the attack was racially motivated, prosecutors argue the words and Nazi symbols show his lack of regard for others. Judge Scherer rejected an attempt by Cruzs attorneys to block the swastikas' presentation, which they argued is unnecessarily provocative. His attorneys also complained that, despite pretrial motions they filed, Scherer did not rule they were admissible until after jury selection. That meant they couldn't ask prospective panelists whether seeing swastikas would prejudice their verdict. Jarvis and Weinstein said the prosecution must be careful about what rebuttal evidence they present because if they go too far they could risk an appellate court overturning a death sentence, meaning the case would have to be retried. As a prosecutor, there comes a point in every trial where the longer you're up there, you're only hurting yourself, Jarvis said. Have we reached that point in this trial? I think we have. A gala show marks the Chinese Farmers' Harvest Festival in Yanqing, Sept. 24. [photo by Yuan Yi] At the gala, Yanqing launched its initiative for green development and organic agriculture in an aim to produce healthy and safe products. In the first half of this year, the total output value of agriculture, forestry, animal husbandry and fishery in Yanqing hit 692 million yuan, an increase of 24.7 percent over the same period last year; the income of leisure tourism reached 139 million yuan, 20.9 percent up over the same period last year. The district has laid stress on the integration of agriculture and science and technology in its urban modern agricultural development. As of this year, agricultural scientists, their team and local farmers began working collaboratively to brainstorm and develop solution to issues happening in the agricultural sector. Ive never known a world without a Chinatown. In New York, my family and I lived in a Lower East Side tenement on the outskirts of the Chinatown in Manhattan. Then, Chinatown was just a stretch of half a dozen blocks lining Mott Street with tea shops, souvenir stands and restaurants. On one corner stood the Church of the Transfiguration, where I went to grade school, received Communion and attended Mass. Chinatown was my life's hub. When I lived in London during my junior year of college, there was a Chinatown near the East End. Granted, I rarely ventured there because it seemed silly for me and hardly educational to cross the Atlantic to sample Chinese food. My lesson plan consisted of fish and chips, and warm beer. Even when I took an ill-planned trip to Barcelona, I found a Chinatown. I was convinced that my high school Spanish would suffice, but that's like hoping a first aid course prepares you to be a doctor. Luckily, my Chinese was better than my Spanish. Opinion/Ng: A New York murder in the news hits close to home and heart Chinatown becomes a ghost town So, when I moved to Providence last year, one of my first questions was "Wheres Chinatown?" Turns out that Chinatown in Providence is a ghost town, its existence on Empire Street more than a century ago paved over by progress. And now an artist, Jeffrey Yoo Warren, is trying to rebuild it, one digital brick at a time. I live in that neighborhood, around the corner from where it used to be. I was kind of shocked that I lived here and did not know about it. It stood out to me as interesting and personally relevant, that there was this community ago, this place of sanctuary, Yoo Warren told me. I live in that neighborhood, around the corner from where it used to be," said artist Jeffrey Yoo Warren, standing on Empire Street, where Providence's Chinatown was once located. "I was kind of shocked that I lived here and did not know about it." A thriving Chinese community used to exist when Empire Street was just a narrow lane downtown, in the shadow of where now Roger Williams University's downtown Providence campus stands. Earlier this month, Yoo Warren opened an exhibit, Seeing Providence Chinatown, at the AS220 Aborn Gallery on Empire Street. Story continues The initative: How the Providence Preservation Society will atone for 'racist practices' The Empire remembered Using photos and maps from archives, Yoo Warren, with skills he picked up as an architectural undergrad, has built an exhibit and a digital show to give visitors an idea of life on Empire Street named for the long-gone Empire Theater before it was widened and its history altered. The plan: New Providence board weighs how to offer reparations, from housing to education Artist Jeffrey Yoo Warren, in his ongoing project "Seeing Providence Chinatown," is using archival photography and maps to build an immersive digital 3D model of the Chinatown that once thrived on Empire Street in Providence. What remains as a testament to the men, women and children who carved out a life in Chinatown? Nothing. You can walk up and down that stretch of Empire Street, and there is no marker or plaque embedded into the side of a building, which is out of character in a city so steeped in history. Yoo Warren said recent excavation work along Westminster Street near Empire turned up pieces of bottles and other artifacts, but none of it can be directly traced back to the Chinese community. He ponders what one might find if Empire were dug up today. Part of the exhibit is a pile of dirt from the neighborhood. Yoo Warren hopes one day to have it analyzed at the genetic level to see what telltale clues science can unveil about life in the area a century ago. Welcome to Rhode I: VA student visits RI after an outpouring of kindness from our readers: Here's the story Literally, no one knew that this community lived here, Yoo Warren said. But, according to the research that Yoo Warren pulled together, between 1906 and 1917, about 300 Chinese people lived on Empire. The Chin, Lee and Quong families were among those who lived at 51. The On Leong Merchants Association, sort of a community service organization that helped businesses and families, set up shop at 55. There was a Chinese grocery and pharmacy at 61. The "Seeing Providence Chinatown" project aims to give a glimpse of life on Empire Street before it was widened and its history altered. Some information from that era has been lost because of mistrust against Chinese immigrants. "It was a racist custom not to name Chinese businesses, because back then it was thought to be unreliable information," Yoo Warren said. As a Chinese American editor, I chuckled at the karma-like irony of the moment, since it's my duty to decide what information in this day and age is reliable or not. Jeffrey Yoo Warren's research shows that between 1906 and 1917, about 300 Chinese people lived on Empire Street. Literally, no one knew that this community lived here, he said. Of art and family scrapbooks On the opening night of his exhibit, the visitors were a mix of people. For non-Asians, it was history told through art. But for the Chinese visitors, whether they were from Boston or New York, it was a family scrapbook. "The kind of conversation I have with Asian Americans is profoundly different than when I have the same talk with whites," Yoo Warren told me. "It's a more personal connection." One of the archival photographs in the "Seeing Providence Chinatown" exhibit. I thought about my Chinatown back in New York, where my family forged a life, but also the ones in London and Barcelona, and how their Chinese immigrants made a home in Europe instead of the Americas. And as I left the exhibit the other day, I realized that my world now had yet another Chinatown. But this Chinatown was not defined by a street, or lined with restaurants and shops, but it was the Chinatown in my heart. David Ng is executive editor of The Providence Journal. Email him at dng@providencejournal.com. This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Providence's lost Chinatown is being reconstructed in digital exhibit TOA BAJA, Puerto Rico (AP) City worker Carmen Medina walked purposefully through the working-class community of Tranquility Village under a brutal sun, with clipboard, survey forms and pen in hand part of a small army of officials trying to gauge the scope of disaster caused by Hurricane Fiona's strike on Puerto Rico. She stopped at a white-and-seafoam green house and asked the owner to detail her losses in the storm that had flooded much of the town of Toa Baja. Oh, my dear," responded Margarita Ortiz, a 46-year-old house cleaner standing in a home that was nearly barren because so many flood-damaged belongings had already been discarded. Pockets of water still bulged from her ceiling Friday in what had been a newly painted house, and Ortiz listed what she could recall of her lost furniture and other goods. After staying in a shelter and with a friend for days, she hopes to move back into her home soon: When you lose your bed, you lose your head. Fiona hit southwestern Puerto Rico with 85 mph (140 kph) winds on Sept. 18 and the broad storm unleashed flooding across the island, which still had not recovered from 2017's Hurricane Maria, a stronger cyclone that slashed across the U.S. territory, obliterating the power grid, which had since been patched but not fully rebuilt. Puerto Ricos government has said it expects to have a preliminary estimate of the damage Fiona caused in roughly two weeks. As of Sunday, about half of Puerto Ricos 1.47 million power customers remained in the dark, and 20% of 1.3 million water customers had no service as workers struggled to reach submerged power substations and fix downed lines. Power company officials announced Sunday that 1.1 million to 1.3 million clients could have power by Friday, Sept. 30 but warned those estimates could change. They did not say when the entire island would be energized. (Fiona) affected our whole infrastructure. We are doing everything we can to fix it, said Lawrence Kazmierski, senior vice president for Luma, the company that took over the island's power transmission and distribution more than a year ago. Story continues Gas stations, grocery stores and other businesses have temporarily shut down due to lack of fuel for generators. The National Guard first dispatched fuel to hospitals and other critical infrastructure. Were starting from scratch, said Carmen Rivera as she and her wife mopped up water and threw away their damaged appliances, adding to piles of rotting furniture and soggy mattresses lining their street. Despite being on the opposite side of the island from where Fiona's eye made landfall, Toa Baja was especially hard hit because the Plata River Puerto Ricos longest overflowed its banks into the city of more than 74,000 people.. Floodwaters passed the 5-foot mark at Rivera's wood-and-concrete home. She wondered if she might get any financial help, and when. I work for the municipality, and what I earn is not, wow, she said. Toa Baja officials estimated it could take a month to complete their door-to-door survey aimed at determining damage so that people can get financial aid. For some, it was more than just about financial loss as people used the chance to describe their stress as well. I see an emotional exhaustion in people. Its a here we go again, said Gretchen Hernandez, a social worker who was overseeing the citywide survey. Many have been forced to throw out food because of the power outages and some people pitched in to help neighbors. More than two dozen cars lined up in Toa Baja, where Aida Villanueva was handing out food to fellow members of the community grapes, croissants, chicken, rice, vegetables and the like. Seventy-four-year-old Ana Butter arrived before dawn for a chance at food, complaining about a lack of official aid. No one has stopped by my house, said Butter, who lives in the neighboring town of Dorado. Someone in line wondered aloud what those without power were going to do with so much free chicken. Another yelled, Tomorrow therell be a barbecue! and the crowd laughed. Five years after Hurricane Maria devastated Puerto Rico, the island is dealing with the damage of yet another destructive storm. Hurricane Fiona struck the U.S. territory Monday, killing four, triggering mudslides and crushing bridges while displacing more than a thousand and leaving more than a million residents without power. Some wonder whether the storm will prompt the kind of exodus seen after Hurricane Maria. In the wake of that hurricane, more than 123,000 Puerto Ricans permanently relocated to U.S. states, especially New York and Florida, according to U.S. Census Bureau estimates. And according to a new USA Today analysis of 2020 Census results, every single municipioPuerto Ricos equivalent of a countylost population after Maria compared to the 2010 Census. Why do Puerto Ricans leave the island? The islands numbers actually have been in decline ever since the U.S. territory reached its peak population in 2004, according to a Pew Research Center study, falling to about 3.2 million by 2018. Economic conditions there notably a mid-2000s recession whose effects still linger have been driving people off the island long before Hurricanes Irma and Maria struck in September 2017. Some have left more recently, frustrated by what they see as the local governments ongoing failure to deal with the aftermath. Marla Perez-Lugo, born in Santurce and raised in Mayaguez, left Puerto Rico last year. Once co-director of Puerto Ricos National Institute for Energy and Island Sustainability, she now works as a sociology professor at the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley. What pushed me out was the impotence of not being able to contribute to my island recovery and reconstruction, she said. Previously reported Census data showed nearly 440,000 fewer residents in Puerto Rico over the past decade, a loss of about 12% of the population. Over that period, a majority of the islands municipios saw losses of greater than 10%, and nearly all lost more than 1,000 residents. Story continues Will Puerto Ricans leave the island again? Elizabeth Aranda, a professor of sociology at the University of South Florida, said she guessed the storm will be a catalyst for anyone already thinking about leaving Puerto Rico. It depends how quickly power and water can be restored, and how quickly children can get back to school and people to work, she said. Those who rely more on electricity such as those with chronic health conditions or disabilities may find it harder to subsist without power, she said, and will be more apt to leave. Thousands of Puerto Rican evacuees lined up for a cruise ship in the aftermath of Hurricane Maria in San Juan, Puerto Rico, in September 2017. The aftermath of the powerful storm resulted in a near-total shutdown of the U.S. territory's economy and had many worried about their financial survival on the storm-ravaged island. Fernando Rivera, a sociology professor at the University of Central Florida, agreed. As days without electricity and water are prolonged along with rising temperatures and the potential of other rain events, there is a high likelihood that those with family and friends in New York or Florida will come stateside to seek some relief, particularly those dealing with health issues, he said. Alexandra Lugaro, 41, executive director of the Foundation for Puerto Rico's Center for Strategic Innovation and a former gubernatorial candidate, said some might leave for specific reasons, such as those taking elderly relatives to the mainland for hospital care. But she doesnt think this hurricane will spark another wave of permanent migration. Its different from Maria, Lugaro said. Because of its winds, you could see everything torn down. A lot of people couldn't see how they could just rebuild. Fionas water damage doesnt seem as daunting, she said. On the contrary, I think there's a lot of motivation to say, Lets dry this off. Let's fix it. Lets help the people who lost everything, Lugaro said. I don't see that Maria mood of, I need to leave Puerto Rico, because there's no way we can rebuild. View of a damaged bridge after Hurricane Fiona hit Villa Esperanza in Salinas, Puerto Rico, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. What will happen next in Puerto Rico? For Puerto Rico, Fiona is the latest in a long series of crises. After Hurricanes Irma and Maria, a wave of earthquakes rattled the island in 2019 and 2020; then came the COVID-19 pandemic. My guess is the Puerto Rican people are weary and that there is growing dissatisfaction, even anger, toward the government for failure to make more progress since Hurricane Maria, Aranda said. Those who have the means to leave and desire to do so will in fact leave. But this is nothing new. Puerto Ricans have been exiting the island for decades. As with Hurricane Maria, some relocation may occur only temporarily as people wait out recovery efforts. But should most of out-migration endure, Rivera said, that would hamper the territorys ability to rebound from previous economic struggles and meet public debt obligations, particularly those set by Puerto Ricos financial oversight board. Time is of the essence to restore basic utilities and build confidence that the island can move forward, he said. The diaspora in Central Florida is already gearing up to help those on the island and those who decide to come here. There are already more Puerto Ricans living on the United States mainland than on the island itself. According to the Pew Center, the number of Puerto Ricans living in the states increased from 3.4 million to 5.6 million from 2000 to 2017. What does Puerto Rican migration mean for the US? In a 2020 study of Orlando, Florida, researchers at the University of California, Davis, found that the Puerto Rican influx after Hurricane Maria increased overall employment, raising construction employment in particular by 4%. We found that the inflow of Puerto Ricans in Orlando after Maria had helped the economy grow, especially sectors like retail and hospitality, as those people increased demand for local services and were soon employed, said economics professor Giovanni Peri, lead author of the study. A man collects donated water bottles for drinking after Hurricane Fiona damaged water supplies in Toa Baja, Puerto Rico, Tuesday, Sept. 20, 2022. Among the factors accounting for the groups successful absorption, Peri said, were their legal working status and a welcoming community that readily connected them to employment opportunities in a growing local economy. He said those factors are in place again now if not more so, given the Florida economys current shortage of workers and unfilled jobs in the hospitality and construction sectors. If people from Puerto Rico go to some of the same places, they may have an even stronger effect in stimulating the local economy and finding jobs, Peri said. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Are Puerto Ricans leaving the island after Hurricane Fiona? Russians during mobilization near the military commissariat in Moscow In an interview with NV Radio, Conflict Intelligence Team analyst Kyrylo Mykhailov talks about how the mobilization effort is going so far, and how it will change the war in the months to come. NV: Mobilization in Russia has been underway for three days now. What can we say about how its going thus far? Mykhailov: We can already conclude that it wont follow the most threatening scenario an orderly call-up, with several training stages, equipment training, and combat cohesion drills. Read also: Videos show Russians sent to war in Ukraine under Russian mobilization From the reports were getting, these mobilized troops can expect two weeks worth of training, at best. Many of these men never served in the army and have no combat experience whatsoever. Naturally, its impossible to properly train them on such short notice. Furthermore, some sources claim that up to 1-1.2 million people are going to get mobilized, meaning that Russian army logistics wont be able to cope. We see people being dumped at training centers that are clearly not ready, with men left to sleep on the ground. Its likely there wont be enough instructors to train them, either most of these officers have already been deployed to Ukraine earlier in the war. NV: What would Russian supply lines look like if they manage to deploy these 300,000 to occupied Ukrainian territories? Mykhailov: Russias initial invasion force was below 200,000 troops, in terms of active combat units. Even 300,000 mobilized men would be double of that. If the reports about 1 million troops are true, any existing logistics chains will simply crumble. Read also: Russia disproportionally targets ethnic minorities with mobilization notices Russia was already struggling to supply its existing force in Ukraine. More than doubling it means they wont have even the bare necessities to fight effectively. Theoretically, we could assume this force would be enough to hold against Ukrainian counter-offensives a prevent another crushing Russian defeat like that Kharkiv operation was at least in the short term. Story continues Long-term, Ukraine still holds the advantage, by way of having experienced, veteran troops, soaring morale, and a high degree of social mobilization. Additionally, Kyiv has at its disposal very modern intelligence sources both domestic and provided by NATO countries, on top of cooperative, patriotic population of Russia-occupied territories. Finally, Western equipment continues to flow to Ukraine, even if were not getting everything were asking for. At any rate, this hardware is miles ahead of whatever Moscow can hope to outfit its fresh troops with. Due to all these factors, most experts agree that Ukraines advantage is trending upwards, Russian mobilization notwithstanding. NV: Russian armed forces number 900,000 people, in addition to two million-strong reserve. Why is Putin conscripting students and Buryats from the streets, instead of waging the war with what he already has? Mykhailov: Regions like Buryatia and Dagestan has disproportionately more military bases thats the formal explanation for mobilization hitting these regions particularly hard. Read also: Mobilization wont solve the many problems of the Russian army, says Pentagon Some suggest its a part of an effort expend ethnic minorities in these poor areas. Most likely, the mobilization quotas are based on how many military personnel live there. Russian military commissars have a very poor understanding of exactly how many reservists there are in any given region. Their military mobilization infrastructure was essentially decimated in the late 2000s, never to be rebuilt. Read also: Seven key takeaways from Putins partial mobilization With no preparation or organization, this hasty call-up is very chaotic. Several publicly available documents suggest these 300,000 men are supposed to begin their training on Sept. 26, even if its just the first wave. Thats a huge amount of people to muster in just several days, meaning they have no other option than to grab anyone they can get a hold of, hoping to fulfill the quotas, however misguided they may be. NV: How would comment on the reports that Putin actually ordered the mobilization of a million men? Mykhailov: Thats possible. The first training wave begins on Sept. 26. Judging by the scale of the ongoing mobilization, it will include 300,000 people. At least two sources suggested Putin ordered three of even four waves, each taking two weeks, stretching into early November. If each of them involves 300,000 troops, the one-million figure sounds plausible. NV: Could this new force be used to invade Ukraine from the north? Mykhailov: Theoretically, if they manage to get a million troops, yes. But recall how much grief the Russian had with their logistics back in March, when they were dashing for Kyiv from Belarus. Read also: Russian police detain hundreds of people at anti-mobilization protests With a force several times larger this time around, they would face much greater logistical challenges. The Russian army is notoriously slow to react and adapt, so it will take them a very long time to overcome those challenges. They would have to pull all their trucks from storage, only to realize they had either been sold off or scrapped for parts. The next step would be to try and marshal civilian trucks something no one has ever trained or planned for. All this would be exacerbated if they choose to advance from the north, as their supply routes have been switched to the south and east in recent months, at least to some degree. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Jan Bunker, a volunteer at the Harbor Animal Care Center, said there is no system to oversee the feeding and care of small mammals such as rabbits and guinea pigs. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times) When the Harbor Animal Care Center faced a food crunch in August, volunteer Jan Bunker logged on to Nextdoor to plead for donations. "Hi, animal lovers! Down at Harbor Shelter in San Pedro, we are totally out of rabbit food and hay for both rabbits and guinea pigs," Bunker wrote. Her post got a wave of responses, and strangers delivered hay a necessity for rabbits and guinea pigs, who can quickly die if they go without food. To Bunker and other critics, the food shortage was an example of how the Los Angeles Animal Services department overlooks the smallest creatures in its care. Volunteers do most of the work of feeding and cleaning the cages of the thousands of rabbits, guinea pigs and hamsters that come through L.A.s shelter system, several said. With city staffing shortages, the small mammals are struggling, according to volunteers and advocates. Bunker and seven other volunteers at the Harbor shelter asked for help in an August letter to Annette Ramirez, the interim general manager of Animal Services. It appears that volunteers are exclusively being used to clean the rabbit room and [city staff] are not assigned," the letter said. "If no volunteer comes in, the animals do not seem to be checked for water, pellets or hay. Most mornings the volunteers are the first to ask for the door to be unlocked and the lights turned on so the hungry animals can be fed. Jan Bunker looks in on rabbits and guinea pigs at the Harbor shelter in San Pedro. (Dakota Smith / Los Angeles Times) The letter also noted an "out of control" hamster situation, including "frequent escapes" and "impregnations due to the difficulty in distinguishing sexes." Volunteers at three other L.A. shelters also said that the care of small mammals falls largely to them. They described spending their own money on lettuce and cilantro for the animals and driving to Petco for last-minute supplies. Other times, they've had to rely on animal rescue groups and donors for necessities, such as cages. "I'm infuriated," said Bunker, 74, an entertainer and piano and voice teacher who has volunteered for four years at the Harbor shelter. "We're the only ones taking care of them." Story continues Animal Services spokeswoman Agnes Sibal said the department doesn't ask volunteers to purchase items for animals. Staff, she said, have the ability to order food through vendors. Asked about the staffs role with small mammals, Sibal said they are involved. L.A. Animal Services staff provides care for the animals throughout the day, during feedings, cleaning of cages and daily monitoring of animals," she said. Bunker disagreed with Sibals assertion, saying Harbor has no employees assigned to oversee small mammals. Bunker said she was told by city staff on Friday that she can't return to the shelter until she re-signs a form laying out the rules for volunteers. Department officials didn't immediately respond to questions about Bunker. With about 300 employees, the department relies heavily on volunteers to feed animals, walk dogs, oversee adoptions, do laundry and more. Staff absences are hobbling that system. On Sept. 17, Juan Rivera, director of volunteer programs, asked volunteers to come in following a COVID-19 outbreak at the Harbor and West Valley shelters. "We are down 20 staff from both locations for at least six days and up to 9 more days until [staff] begin to test negative," Rivera wrote in an email to the volunteers. City protocol allows employees to quarantine for 10 days if they are exposed at the workplace to someone who has COVID-19. The policy states that employees are not required to be tested during the quarantine period. At some animal shelters, staff may be assigned to oversee the small-mammal rooms, but volunteers said employees are rarely seen in those areas. There's a feeling that, well, if you don't do it, they aren't going to be taken care of, said one small-mammal volunteer, who like others requested anonymity to speak freely about conditions at the shelters. Without us, without volunteers there ... animals would definitely die. Sibal, the Animal Services spokesperson, said that when "volunteers let staff know of an issue, it is addressed by supervisors and staff." At the Harbor shelter, the hamsters were moved to a separate room after volunteers sent their letter to Ramirez. On a recent morning, squeals greeted Bunker when she leaned into cages with guinea pigs. She was there to clean cages. She tossed out the soiled newspaper and used water and vinegar to wipe down the floors and walls of a rabbit cage. She replaced the cardboard and straw mats, refilled the water bottle and tucked lettuce into the cage. A guinea pig at the Chesterfield Square Animal Services Center in South Los Angeles. (Melissa Gomez / Los Angeles Times) For the year to August, the department received nearly 700 rabbits at all its shelters, a 52% increase over the same period last year. Statistics about guinea pigs aren't available on the city's website, but rescue groups estimate that there are more than 80 at the shelters far more than in previous years and an indication that people are returning animals that were adopted early in the pandemic. All animals taken in under the protective cloak of the city need to have their basic needs met, said Claire Badener, a volunteer with L.A. Guinea Pig Rescue, who visits the city's shelters about once a week. Staff training in small animal care is insufficient. She said she has seen accidental breeding males and females mistakenly put in the same cage in the small-mammal room. She shared a photo, taken in August by a volunteer at the West Valley shelter, of what appeared to be maggots in a guinea pig cage. Volunteer Queenie Chen, who runs an Instagram page that highlights small animals, alleged in a post that four litters of hamsters were euthanized shortly after they were born. In one instance, according to Chen's Instagram page, volunteers found a hamster "forgotten" in a bin underneath a box in a storage room at the West Valley shelter. Chen declined to be interviewed. Sibal didn't respond to a question about the allegations. On a recent morning, a Times reporter visiting the small-mammal room at the Chesterfield Square shelter in South Los Angeles found the lime-green ceiling and walls coated in a visible layer of dust and fur. Cages of rabbits and guinea pigs lined the walls; other cages rested on the floor because of a lack of space. Notes posted on the cages by volunteers indicated the last time they had been cleaned. Dr. Gayle Roberts, a veterinarian in private practice in Irvine, said Animal Services has a reputation of being limited by their resources and understaffed. Roberts sees about 10 rabbits a week that have been transferred from Animal Services for spaying and neutering. She also sees animals from the shelters that need medical attention. Two male rabbits from Animal Services that were put in the same cage a mistake, since they will fight to the death came in recently. One had a shredded ear; the other's eye was severely gouged, she said. It takes an experienced person to handle a rabbit, she said. You really have to know what youre doing. Alison Simard, a spokeswoman for Councilmember Paul Koretz, who chairs a committee on animal issues, said Koretz's office is working on a report that will address the small mammals at the shelters. The councilman, a candidate for city controller, held two meetings this summer following a Times article on conditions for dogs at the city shelters. Harrison Wollman, a spokesman for Mayor Eric Garcetti, said the mayor's office is working with Animal Services to bring on new staff and to develop a budget request for additional staff next year. Wollman said this summer that the city's COVID-19 sick-leave policies are being reviewed. He said Friday he didn't have an update on any policy changes. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times. A radio anchor is dead, his girlfriend and their two children are seriously injured, and the man accused of attacking them was found near death in the basement of a Michigan home, according to investigators. Police in Chesterfield received a 911 call around noon on Friday, Sept. 23, after a blood-soaked woman and young girl flagged down a passing motorist for help, officials said during a news briefing streamed by TV station WXYZ. The call led police to a home on the 33000 block of Bayview. Inside, they found 57-year-old Jim Matthews dead, and his 10-year-old son wounded but clinging to life inside a closet. There was a 54-year-old man with self-inflicted wounds in the basement, police said. He had also overdosed, in an apparent suicide attempt. Matthews, who was the overnight anchor for local radio station WWJ, was killed by the man in the basement, investigators say. Matthews son tried to protect him, and the attacker tied the boy up and repeatedly hit him in the head with a hammer, WDIV reported. The man is also accused of stabbing Matthews 35-year-old girlfriend and attacking their 5-year-old daughter, who were later able to escape and get help. The son and mother are hospitalized in critical condition, police said. Officials did not comment on the daughters condition but said she is alive. Police have not shared the suspects identity but said he had been to Matthews home several times before and was invited inside that morning. Its not clear what motivated the attack. The suspect was taken to a hospital in critical condition. Matthews was an anchor with WWJ for nearly seven years, the station said, calling him a consummate professional and a loving father. He would often talk to co-workers about his children and his love for them and their adventures at school, WWJ said. There have been many tears shed in our newsroom this afternoon. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Jims family and friends. The county prosecutors office is looking into the case and will determine what charges to bring against the suspect. Story continues Man killed after asking late-night lake visitors to be more quiet, Illinois cops say Parking space dispute ends with man gunning down neighbor, Ohio police say Intruder killed in struggle with homeowner after breaking into Wisconsin home, cops say Dad uses generator to poison kids, killing son and sickening daughter, Illinois cops say KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) Cal Raleigh homered and drove in three runs as the Seattle Mariners rallied for a 6-5 win over the Kansas City Royals on Saturday night. The Mariners have won two of three after dropping five of six as they added to their lead over the Baltimore Orioles for the third and final wild-card spot, moving four games ahead with 11 to play as the Orioles fell to Houston Saturday. Seattle also closed to a half-game behind Tampa Bay, which lost to Toronto. A nice win, Seattle manager Scott Servais said. We needed it. A heck of a ballgame. We left a lot of guys on base tonight. We werent able to capitalize until late when Cal got the big hit. (The win) was very important, Raleigh said. Obviously we havent been doing the best lately. For us to gut it out and get a win tonight was huge. A lot of guys were saying thats what good teams do and thats what playoff teams do. Thats where we want to be. With one out in the ninth, Jarred Kelenic and Jesse Winker singled ahead of Raleighs tiebreaking RBI double off Brad Keller (6-14). Raleigh had tied the score 5-5 as a pinch-hitter with his 25th homer, a two-run shot to start the sixth inning. Im always looking for a fastball, Raleigh said. Something I can put a good swing on. I took advantage; he left it up a little bit. Cals in a zone, Servais said. Thats where hes at right now. When athletes get in that point, everything really slows down and thats what I see with Cal Raleighs at-bats right now. Hes really able to slow it down right now and hes really in control. Hes on a great run right now. Raleigh has homered in consecutive games for the first time in his career and has six home runs and 14 RBI in 16 September games. Paul Sewald (5-4) earned the victory with two scoreless innings and Andres Munoz worked the ninth for his fourth save. The loss ended the Royals season-best four-game win streak. Both teams had multiple baserunners in each of the first four innings, trading scores as the Royals led 5-3. Story continues The starting pitchers struggled from the outset. The Royals Kris Bubic, who has not won since July 24, a span of 11 starts, allowed 11 runners before departing with two out in the fifth. Seattles Logan Gilbert had not allowed more than three runs in his past seven starts, dating to Aug. 14, before giving up five runs and seven hits over five innings. Just leaving pitches in the middle and not getting in the counts I wanted to, Gilbert said. Credit to them; they took advantage of a lot of bad pitches, mistakes on my part and constantly had runners on. It was a tough one. Ty France had three hits and reached safely four times for the Mariners. Big hits all around tonight, Servais said. Ty France had a big night. Winker, two really good at-bats. But none bigger than what Cal Raleigh did off the bench. Salvador Perez extended his hitting streak to 10 games with a double in the first inning for Kansas City. Vinnie Pasquantino followed with his ninth homer for a 2-1 lead. J.P. Crawford had an RBI single in the second to tie for the Mariners before the Royals regained the lead in the bottom of the inning on the first of Drew Waters three hits, an RBI triple. Nate Eatons sacrifice fly in the third put Kansas City up 4-2. All night I was just trying to compete and help the team win a baseball game, Waters said. So it was a good night for me, but obviously baseballs not an individual game, its a team game, so a tough loss. Frances RBI single in the fourth pulled Seattle within one before Bobby Witt Jr.s run-scoring hit put the Royals back up by two in the bottom of the inning. UP NEXT After recently signing a five-year contract extension, Mariners RHP Luis Castillo (7-6, 2.85 ERA) faces Royals RHP Max Castillo (0-1, 2.97). Screenshot from bodycam video released by the lawyers of Christian Glass' family shows officers surrounding Glass' car, breaking his window and tasing him before he was shot and killed on June 10. RMLawyers Christian Glass, Corey Maurice McCarty Hughes, and Daniel K. McAlpin were killed this year by police called to help them. Each seemed to be having a mental health crisis and either called 911 themselves or family called to help them. Officers killed those they were called to help in at least 178 cases over 3 years, The Washington Post found. Christian Glass, Corey Maurice McCarty Hughes, and Daniel K. McAlpin, men who each appeared to be experiencing mental health crises, are among those who have been killed this year by police called to help them their deaths illustrating alarming instances of requests for police assistance turned deadly. Earlier this month in New York, mental health specialists were dispatched with state troopers as part of the Ulster County Mobile Mental Health crisis team to help McAlpin in his home. The despondent McAlpin, a resident of Wawarsing, refused to drop a knife he was holding, though reports do not indicate he had threatened anyone with the weapon. While it's unclear what prompted the escalation, officers tased McAlpin and tried to arrest him, at which point he advanced toward officers and was shot, ABC News 10 reported. The New York Attorney General is investigating his death. Meanwhile, in Mississippi, Hughes, who needed regular treatment for paranoid schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, was killed in July by officers who had been called by his parents to transport him to a psychiatric facility something they had safely done about 16 times before, Mississippi Today reported. Department officials said Hughes struck one of the responding officers with a "blunt object" before being shot. The circumstances surrounding his death are currently being reviewed by the Mississippi Bureau of Investigations. In Colorado, the June shooting death of 22-year-old Glass is similarly under investigation, with his family calling for charges to be filed against the officers who were supposed to be there to help. Story continues Lethal calls for help In at least 178 cases over three years, law enforcement killed the individuals whom they were called to assist, according to an analysis of fatal police shootings by The Washington Post. In multiple cases, like those of Glass, Hughes, and McAlpin, the individuals were likely experiencing mental health crises and either called 911 themselves or loved ones called in attempts to help them. Some were holding or brandishing weapons at officers or what appeared to police to be weapons but police policy experts told Insider such cases should not have called for lethal force, especially when officers knew they were responding to potential mental health calls. Bodycam footage recently released by lawyers representing the Glass family has prompted an investigation of the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Department by the District Attorney after video showed officers repeatedly escalating the interaction with the 22-year-old. Bodycam footage has not been released to the public in the cases of Hughes and McAlpin. "He trusted the police to come help him. Instead, they attacked and killed him," Simon Glass said during a press conference about the death of his son. "The killer shot Christian five times just to make sure." Glass made a paranoid, rambling call to 911 after he'd had a minor crash and his car became stuck on the side of a mountain road in Colorado. When officers arrived, advised by the operator that he may be experiencing a mental health crisis, Glass refused to exit his vehicle, saying he was "terrified." "He said he was scared the first thing you do when people say they're scared is not do other things to make them more scared," Dr. Joel Dvoskin, a clinical and forensic psychologist who creates and assists with law enforcement trainings, told Insider. After nearly 70 minutes of trying to coax the amateur geologist from his car despite a Colorado Patrol officer saying "no crime" had been committed and the patrol should move on officers made the decision to break the passenger side window to remove Glass. At which point, the hysterical 22-year-old grabbed one of his short rock knives, brandishing it at officers and appearing to cut himself. Officers then fired bean bag projectiles at Glass and tased him. All the while, Glass screamed and made no effort to exit the vehicle. Ultimately, after he swung at an officer trying to remove him from the car, Glass was shot five times and killed by an officer identified as Clear Creek County Sheriff Deputy Andrew Buen. Deputy Buen is currently being sued over an excessive force incident that occurred in 2019, in which the officer was accused of choking and kneeling on a man, HuffPost reported. Manuel Camacho, who survived the interaction with Buen, despite fears he might suffocate, also alleged in his suit that the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Department failed to properly train the deputies involved in the incident. Christian Glass makes a heart sign with his hands directed at the officers who would later shoot and kill him. Rathod | Mohamedbhai LLC Retired LAPD Sergeant Robert Grant III told Insider the incident commander on the scene "exhibited poor scene management," and called the shooting "questionable," but acknowledged officers had taken their time assessing the situation. In the bodycam video, officers can be heard saying they cannot remain on the scene and it is "time to move the night on," prompting their decision not to leave, but to break his window. "A person with a knife in a car would not appear to pose any danger to any people, and shooting someone to prevent suicide is illogical," Dvoskin told Insider. "So what about doing nothing?" Dvoskin was not the only expert who suggested officers should have done nothing or waited Glass out instead of trying to break the window as he posed no threat at the time. Stanley Kephart, a retired police chief and expert in police best practices, told Insider that with Glass locked in his car, the scene in Colorado was "static" and offered plenty of opportunity to find a way to call his family and have a mental health officer respond. "Officers sometimes fail to use resources they know or they should know they have available to them, but responsibility for the end outcome is assigned to the officer who fired and their supervisor," Kephart told Insider, adding that the incident "does not meet the standard of care with law enforcement officer's training." No place to escalate The cases illustrate the trend of police officers not only being more frequently relied on as first responders for mental health crises issues for which they are not usually adequately trained or equipped but the escalatory practices of standard policing. Dvoskin told Insider the "command voice" most officers are trained to begin civilian interactions with is "counterproductive" at best, especially in calls where someone might be experiencing a crisis. "In police training they tell cadets to use a command voice I don't know who made that up, but it's stupid," Dvoskin said. "Training should say 'you always start with please and thank you and if you have to escalate, then escalate,' but if you start at the top there's no place to escalate." In Glass' case, Dvoskin said, there were also missed opportunities for one of the other six officers to step in to prevent continued escalation and potentially save the man's life. "The errors were simple but important and tragic they should have considered the option of doing nothing," Dvoskin said. "But more than anything it was a failure to be an active bystander." Abigail Tucker, a psychologist who along with Dvoskin co-founded Heroes Intervene, an active bystander training program for first responders, told Insider that law enforcement culture maintains a hierarchy where officers are not empowered to interrupt when they see each other acting inappropriately or escalating civilian interactions. The key to shifting law enforcement response and encouraging officers to stand up to one another, she said, is to train an alternative mindset that sees intervention as protecting one another. "We're really trying to flip the concept of loyalty and say 'if my job as your peer officer is to have your back, I want to make sure I have your back in all situations, and that includes if I see you making mistakes,'" Tucker told Insider, adding that it individual departments must develop a "culture that says 'I'm gonna make sure that you're not going to make a mistake that could cost you your career, or could cost you your life, or could cost somebody else's life.'" 'An aggressive bully is always going to be an aggressive bully' For the Glass family, while training may be part of the equation that could have saved their son, they believe there is a larger problem with policing that contributes to aggressive interactions with civilians. "Police talk about training, but really training is not enough," Sally Glass said at a press conference about the death of her son, adding there are "too many bad apples" in the police force: "It's in the recruitment. You know an aggressive bully is always going to be an aggressive bully. And I don't know how you can train that characteristic out." Deputy Buen returned to patrol two days after shooting and killing Christian. Sally and her husband consider their son's death to be a murder and are seeking charges against him and the other officers at the scene, alleging a systemic failure by the Clear Creek County Sheriff's Department to protect him. "We have to pray for us in America to make this a less violent country," Sally Glass said. "I think a lot of people now would agree that there's a systemic problem with policing. It's too aggressive; they escalate at every opportunity... Pray for our son, pray for a structural change in policing in this country so these killings and beatings of the public stop. They should be protecting us, not attacking us." Read the original article on Insider Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) criticized the Justice Department on Sunday for the slow pace its taken to investigate the Jan. 6, 2021, insurrection at the Capitol just days before the House Jan. 6 Committee is set to hold its public hearing. The California Democrat, who chairs the House Intelligence Committee and serves on the Jan. 6 Committee, told Jake Tapper on CNNs State of the Union that hes worried Attorney General Merrick Garlands agency is not approaching the investigation with the same level of urgency that Congress is. Well, I hope its not too little, too late, but it has been very slow, in my view, in coming, Schiff said. Were now more than a year-and-a-half after the events of Jan. 6, and still there seem to be, at least from what we can gather in the public record, areas that the Justice Department hasnt fully investigated. The congressman brought up the example that the Justice Department was aware that Trump was on the phone with Georgias secretary of state demanding the official find enough votes to deem him the winner. The department had that information for a long time, and Schiff said he does not think the issue should be left solely to the Fulton County district attorney, who is also investigating the incident. Committee member Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) enters the hearing room following a brief recess, during the seventh hearing held by the Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol on July 12, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Photo: Tom Brenner/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Committee member Rep. Adam Schiff (D-Calif.) enters the hearing room following a brief recess, during the seventh hearing held by the Select Committee to Investigate the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol on July 12, 2022, on Capitol Hill in Washington. (Photo: Tom Brenner/The Washington Post via Getty Images) Now, it may be that they are pursuing that and have just been pursuing it very diligently and very quietly, the Democrat said. But it also may be that they have been very tenuous in not feeling the sense of urgency that many of us do about pursuing justice when it comes to all of the multiple lines of effort to overturn the election. The Justice Departments probe is far-reaching, with investigators looking into several angles that played a role in the attack on the Capitol. The department first began looking at the individuals who stormed the Capitol, which expanded into investigating far-right extremist groups who have been accused of planning the insurrection. Story continues Investigators have also looked into political rallies that were held prior to the insurrection, including the Stop the Steal rally Trump spoke at the morning of the attack. The department is also probing a plan by Trump and his allies to replace electors for Biden with ones supporting Trump in several states that Biden won. Lately, the Justice Department has had its hands full ever since the FBI searched Trumps private residence in Florida last month and found boxes full of classified and top secret government documents. The department is in a legal battle with Trump over the documents, which the former president baselessly alleges he declassified something he claimed one can do just by thinking about it. Rep. Adam Schiff (D-CA) on Donald Trump saying he could declassify anything just by thinking about it: "No, that's not how it works. Those comments don't demonstrate much intelligence of any kind ... If that's his view, he's even more dangerous than we thought." pic.twitter.com/iUHTlIweXT The Recount (@therecount) September 25, 2022 Thats not how it works. Those comments dont demonstrate much intelligence of any kind, Schiff told Tapper. If you could simply declassify by thinking about it, then frankly, if thats his view, hes even more dangerous than we may have thought. Because with that view, he could simply spout off on anything he read in a presidential daily brief or anything he was briefed on by the CIA director to a visiting Russian delegation or any other delegation and simply say, Well, I thought about it, and therefore, when the words came out of my mouth, they were declassified. Garland has not signaled whether the Justice Department will criminally charge Trump, but the attorney general has pledged that his office will pursue the investigation without fear or favor. Schiff said it will be his personal recommendation for the House committee to make criminal referrals, but we will get to a decision as a committee, and we will all abide by that decision, and I will join our committee members if they feel differently. The Jan. 6 Committee is expected to have its final investigative public hearing on Wednesday, before the midterm elections ramp up ahead of November. According to Schiff, the hearing will tell the story about a key element of Donald Trumps plot to overturn the election. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... Rep. Liz Cheney gives a concession speech to supporters during a primary night event in Jackson, Wyo., on August 16, 2022. Alex Wong/Getty Images Liz Cheney said she would not support Wyoming GOP House nominee Harriet Hageman in the November general election. Hageman, who was backed by Trump and a plethora of national Republicans, defeated Cheney 66%-29%. Cheney during her interview reaffirmed that her fight against election deniers was not over. Rep. Liz Cheney on Saturday said that she would not vote for Harriet Hageman, the water rights attorney who is the new Republican nominee for Wyoming's at-large congressional district. Hageman, who was endorsed by former President Donald Trump and a plethora of House Republicans, defeated Cheney in the August GOP primary 66%-29%. During a conversation at The Texas Tribune Festival, Cheney said that Hageman continued to spread debunked theories about the 2020 presidential election and in her opinion should not serve in public office. "Harriet is a member of the Wyoming State Bar and she's sworn an oath to the Constitution as a member of the Wyoming State Bar," Cheney told the media organization's chief executive Evan Smith. "And she continues to make the assertion that somehow the 2020 election was stolen and has said many of the same things that have resulted in people like Rudy Giuliani having their license suspended and I know that she knows better." "There are many people around this country who are making claims they know not to be true, and I don't think anybody should vote for any of them," she added. Cheney also pointed out Kari Lake, the Republican gubernatorial nominee in Arizona, as a candidate who has continued to question the results of the 2020 election. Lake is currently locked in a tight contest with Democratic Secretary of State Katie Hobbs. The congresswoman said that she would work to ensure sure that candidates like Lake are unsuccessful at the ballot box, even if it means campaigning with Democrats. "In this election, you have to vote for the person who actually believes in democracy," she said. "And that is just crucial, because if we elect election deniers, if we elect people who said that they're not going to certify results or who are going to try to steal elections, then we really are putting the Republic at risk." Story continues Lake during an appearance on the Fox News program "Sunday Morning Futures" responded to Cheney's remarks, stating that the Wyoming lawmaker's comments were a "gift." "That might be the biggest, best gift I have ever received," Lake told host Maria Bartiromo. "Liz Cheney probably should change her voter registration. Turns out she really is a Democrat after all," she added. Read the original article on Business Insider Roger Waters has reportedly cancelled concerts planned in Poland amid outrage over his stance on Russias war against Ukraine. Earlier this month, the Pink Floyd co-founder penned an open letter to Ukraines first lady Olena Zelenska in which he blamed extreme nationalists for having set your country on the path to this disastrous war. Waters has previously branded Joe Biden a war criminal for fuelling the fire in the Ukraine. On Saturday (24 September), Polish media reported that Waters forthcoming concerts at the Tauron Arena in Krakow in April would no longer be taking place. Venue official Lukasz Pytko said that Waters manager had decided to withdraw the shows without giving any reason. However, Waters has since issued a statement claiming that neither he or his management were responsible for the shows being pulled. The website for Waters This Is Not a Drill concert tour no longer lists the previously scheduled Krakow concerts. City councillors in Krakow were expected to vote next week on a proposal to name Waters as a persona non grata after expressing indignation over the musician's stance on the war in Ukraine. The 79-year-old recently suggested that Ukraine should stop fighting back against Russia. He has also criticized Nato, accusing it of provoking Russia. Additional reporting by Associated Press. A fire in Roswell displaced more than 20 residents, according to a news release from the Roswell Fire Department. Fire officials say they responded to the Rosemont Apartments on 400 Rosemont Parkway just before 8:30 p.m. after a resident reported smoke and fire coming from a dryer in their apartment. According to the release, firefighters rescued one dog, one cat and one bearded dragon from the building. [DOWNLOAD: Free WSB-TV News app for alerts as news breaks] No injuries were reported. Four of the units and the attic area sustained significant damage, according to fire officials. Roswell fire estimated that 22 residents were d displaced as a result of the fire. The American Red Cross is working with the property management company to assist the displaced residents, according to the release. TRENDING STORIES: The Roswell Fire Department Fire Marshals Office is investigating the cause of the fire. [SIGN UP: WSB-TV Daily Headlines Newsletter] IN OTHER NEWS: Odesa was again attacked by kamikaze drones Read also: Iran regrets diplomatic row with Ukraine According to Suspilne, a series of explosions rocked Odesa at about 6 a.m. during an air raid alert. People could see the drone and hear the sounds of their engines in the sky. A pillar of smoke rose into the sky after that, as evidenced by the photo published by the local news outlet Dumskaya. Read also: Iran says it refused to supply drones to Russia Later the South Operational Command officially confirmed that Odesa had been attacked by enemy kamikaze drones. It is noted the Russians hit an administrative building in the city center three times. One drone was shot down by Ukrainian air defenses. Read also: The growing circle of Putins friends in the West Fire and rescue teams are working at the scene to extinguish the fire. Fortunately, there were no casualties as a result of the incident. The speaker of Odesa Regional Military Administration, Serhiy Bratchuk, said the attack could have been launched by Iranian-made Shahed drones, which Russia had recently purchased from Iran. Later the speaker of the South Operational Command, Vladyslav Nazarov, posted photos of the wreckage of the Iranian drones. This is not the first attack of kamikaze drones on Odesa. The Russians attacked Odesa with kamikaze drones from the sea on Sept. 23, resulting in one civilian was killed. One enemy drone was shot down by air defense forces over the sea. Shahed drones are in service with the Russians: what is known about Russias purchase of Iranian drones The media reported in late August, citing representatives of Western intelligence, that Russia had obtained hundreds of Iranian combat drones. According to CNN, Russia has officially purchased and transferred the Mohajer-6 and Shahed-series drones the Shahed-129 and Shahed-191. Read also: What Russia and Putin's power are built on NV interview with UK writer Peter Pomerantsev On Aug. 31, the White House officially confirmed the information about Russias purchase of Iranian drones. In early September, the United States imposed sanctions on an Iranian company it accused of coordinating military flights to transport Iranian drones to Russia and three other companies it said were involved in the production of Iranian drones. Story continues Tehran has vigorously denied it was providing Moscow with any kind of military assistance. Ukrainian forces first shot down an Iranian Shahed-136 loitering munition in the town of Kupyansk, Kharkiv Oblast, on Sept. 13. Shared-136 drones were later used to attack Odesa and Dnipro, with six of them getting shot down on Sept. 23. Read also: Top Ukrainian official accuses Iran of terrorist act in downing UIA Flight PS752 Ukraine has recently withdrawn the accreditation of the Iranian ambassador and imposed a significant reduction on the staff of the Iranian embassy in Kyiv, over Iran supplying Russia with drones to use in the war in Ukraine. The first reports that Iran might supply Russia with kamikaze drones appeared over a month ago. Ukraine has since the beginning of Russias full-scale invasion over seven months ago been pleading with its allies to provide it with adequate numbers of modern air defense systems. However, only a small number of such systems have as yet been provided. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Mykhailo Podolyak According to Podolyak, the ongoing forced mobilization is a tragedy for the Crimean Tatar people. Sending citizens of occupied territories to war is nothing else but an attempt to ethnically cleanse the peninsula of people who are disloyal to Moscow, said Podolyak. Moscow-appointed governor of Crimea, Sergey Aksyonov earlier said that the partial mobilization in Crimea would conclude on Sept. 25. Human rights watchdog CrimeaSOS warned that 90% of mobilization notices on the peninsula were served to Crimean Tatars, which could effectively lead to genocide. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged citizens in occupied territories to avoid the call-up by any means and attempt to leave to Ukraine-controlled territory. The presidents Crimean representative Tamila Ravil Qizi Tasheva posted a bulletin, outlining the steps to avoid getting forcibly mobilized by the Russian occupation regime. Read also: Russia bars men of draft age from leaving Ukraines Crimea Putin declared partial mobilization in Russia on Sept. 21, ostensibly planning to call-up 300,000 men to the Russian army. Several Russian media later reported that up to 1.2 million men are going to get mobilized, with ethnic minorities across Russia bearing the brunt of the call-up. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Hundreds of people have been detained at protests against mobilization in Russia Read also: Latest intelligence intercept reveals dissatisfaction with Putins actions in Russia At the same time, some of the detainees were served mobilization summonses at police stations. Protests took place in 32 cities across Russia, including Moscow, St. Petersburg, Irkutsk, Khabarovsk, Novosibirsk, Tomsk, and Ulan-Ude. Read also: Seven key takeaways from Putins partial mobilization A total of 745 people had been detained in Russia as of 9.48 p.m. Most of them, some 378 people, were detained in the capital city of Moscow. Meanwhile, police officers detained 127 people in St. Petersburg and 70 people in Novosibirsk. Russian human rights centers and opposition media published videos of the arrests on Sept. 24. According to the footage, some people were detained with particular cruelty. Russian security forces were indiscriminate in their arrests, detaining minors, journalists, passers-by, couriers, and even Russia Today propagandists. Read also: Kremlin to struggle to mobilize 300,000 reservists, says UK intel OVD-Info also published information from eyewitnesses that police officers were overheard discussing a certain planned number of detainees implying that they probably had a quota of arrests to fulfil. In addition, OVD-Info repeatedly received reports from men detained at the protests that they had been served mobilization summonses at police stations. Such cases were recorded in Moscow, Irkutsk, Samara, and Ryazan. Read also: Putin announces partial mobilization, Russians start googling for way to leave Russia, and Big Mac index suggests hryvnia undervaluation The protests against mobilization in Russia were the second ones since Sept. 21, when Russian dictator Vladimir Putin declared a partial mobilization in Russia. Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced that 300,000 reservists would be called up during the partial mobilization. However, according to Russian opposition media, classified mobilization plans envisage sending one million Russians or more to war against Ukraine. The Kremlin is disproportionately mobilizes people from national minorities in the east of the country, while fewer ethnic Russians from the big cities in the European west of the country are drafted. This could be because the Putin regime does not want to encourage mass protests in its main power centers Moscow and St. Petersburg. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Nicola Sturgeon was warned that 'the politics of cutting top-rate taxes looks awful in Scotland, but if they dont do it, they will lose taxes' - Max Mumby/Indigo Scotland faces a mass exodus of high earners to England unless Nicola Sturgeon follows suit on Downing Streets planned cuts to income tax, economists and business leaders have warned. Economists have predicted a fifth of the estimated 18,000 top-rate taxpayers in Scotland will move south of the border if the SNP administration does not also cut the top rate of income tax to 40 per cent. The Scottish Tories warned on Sunday that Scotland risks being left behind if SNP ministers at Holyrood fail to match the tax-cutting proposals being introduced in the rest of the UK. Changes to income tax announced in the mini-Budget include a cut in the basic rate to 19p in the pound, as well as the scrapping of the top rate for those earning 150,000 a year or more. Those measures do not apply in Scotland, where control over income tax rates and bands is devolved. The rate of income tax for Scotlands highest earners currently stands at 46 per cent for the highest earners, while in England it is to be cut from 45 per cent to 40 per cent. While Ian Blackford, the SNP Westminster leader, condemned Chancellor Kwasi Kwartengs package of measures as nonsense, John Lamont, the Scottish Conservative MP, urged the Scottish Government to adopt similar radical proposals. Douglas McWilliams, an economist and deputy chairman of the Centre for Economics and Business Research, told The Sunday Times that it would be realistic to assume about 20 per cent of top-rate taxpayers could move south. Mr Lamont told BBC Scotlands The Sunday Show: What I dont want to see is Scotland being left behind while the rest of the UK powers ahead with this new, ambitious, radical plan set out by the Chancellor on Friday. Richard Lochhead, the Scottish Government minister, has already vowed that the SNP will continue with a fairer and more progressive approach to taxation. However, Mr Blackford said millions and millions of ordinary workers across the UK would have less cash because of the changes warning also that these could see the country endure a longer and deeper recession. Story continues The Institute for Fiscal Studies, an economic think tank, has calculated that only those people earning 155,000 a year or more will be net beneficiaries from the new Chancellors package. Meanwhile, three former Scottish government economic advisers Sir George Mathewson, the former head of the Royal Bank of Scotland, Professor Sir John Kay, from the London School of Economics, and former billionaire tycoon Jim McColl have called on the First Minister to bring taxation in line with the rest of the UK. Sir George stressed the dangers of creating a taxation difference between England and Scotland, telling the Sunday Times: We cannot afford to give people a tax incentive not to be in Scotland. Whatever they do in Westminster must influence what you have to do in Scotland because its an open market. Following Covid and now the war in Ukraine, the economy needs a massive boost and Westminster has reacted. Sir George, a vocal supporter of independence, added: The Scottish Government has not been as business-friendly as it was in Alex Salmonds time. Now it has some big decisions to make. No-win situation for Scottish Government Sir John, a fellow of the British Academy and the Royal Society of Edinburgh, said while only 0.6 per cent of the Scottish population payed 46 per cent income tax, they made up 16 per cent of Scottish income tax in total. He said: Its a no-win situation for the Scottish Government. The politics of cutting top-rate taxes looks awful in Scotland, but if they dont do it, they will lose taxes. So probably the sensible thing to do is match it, even though perhaps the politically astute thing to do is not match it. Benny Higgins, a Scottish banker and former business adviser to Nicola Sturgeon, told The Telegraph a potential six per cent gap between the two nations would spell jeopardy for Scotlands business community. He said: A one per cent gap may be seen by me and my peers as tolerable and understandable, but a six per cent gap would be different. The effect on high earners means jeopardy for the Scottish business community. The Scottish Government doesnt have to close the gap completely but should do something to reduce it. Mr McColl added: Theres always a risk that if its more business-friendly down south, people will recognise that, so it does create a danger for the Scottish economy. John Swinney, the Deputy First Minister, said: The Chancellors announcement has provided tax cuts for the rich and little for those who need support during this cost of living crisis. We have committed to carry out our emergency budget review and we will set out our tax policies during the normal Scottish Budget process. A search is under way to find a missing 73-year-old woman who is feared to have been washed out to sea by Hurricane Fiona. The elderly woman was last seen inside her home in Port aux Basques, Newfoundland, on Saturday morning, as the storm pummelled the east coast of Canada, according to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP). Moments later, a huge wave struck her home, ripping away part of the basement, police said. The 73-year-old has not been seen or heard from since. Authorities had received a report at around 10am on Saturday of the woman being possibly washed out to sea from her home but due to the ongoing treacherous conditions they were unable to confirm the incident or send assistance into the area at the time. On Sunday, officials began combing the area from the air, land and water in hopes of finding the elderly woman. Multiple agencies are involved in the search, including the Canadian Coast Guard, Government Air Services, Barachois Search and Rescue, Stephenville Search and Rescue and the RCMP Tactical Support Group, while local residents have been urged not to conduct their own searches because of the potential dangers. In the hard-hit area on the edge of the extreme southwestern tip of Newfoundland, another woman had a narrow escape on Saturday when her home collapsed and she was tossed into the roaring waters. The woman was swiftly rescued from the waters and taken to hospital, where her injuries remained unknown. Up to a dozen homes are believed to have been washed out to sea from Port aux Basques, after Fiona barrelled into the area on Saturday. As locals are now left to survey the destruction to their homes and communities, the Canadian military has been drafted in to assist with the recovery efforts. Homes have been destroyed near the sea during the tropical storm (via REUTERS) Defence Minister Anita Anand said that the troops would help remove fallen trees and other debris, restore transportation links and whatever other support was needed. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau who cancelled a trip to Japan to attend the funeral of assassinated former president Shinzo Abe because of the storm said in a press conference on Saturday night that he had also approved a federal assistance request from Nova Scotia where Fiona first made landfall. Story continues Mr Trudeau vowed that the Canadian government was there to support every step of the way with recovery efforts and pledged that it will match all Red Cross donations for hard-hit communities over the next 30 days. The government is standing ready to support provinces with any necessary resources, he said. Fiona, which was downgraded from a hurricane to a powerful post-tropical cyclone on Friday, made landfall in Nova Scotia early on Saturday morning before charting a destructive path up the east coast of Canada. Prince Edward Island, Newfoundland and Quebec were hammered by hurricane-strength winds, heavy rains and huge waves, which swept dwellings out to sea, tore roofs off homes and downed power lines and trees. More than 500,000 people were plunged into darkness when Fiona wiped out power on Saturday morning. In Nova Scotia, power outages affected more than 415,000 residences equal to around 80 per cent of people in the province, according to the regions power outage centre. As of 1pm local time on Sunday, around 245,000 were still without power with officials warning they could last several days. While no fatalities or serious injuries have yet been confirmed in Canada, Fiona has claimed the lives of at least 16 people in Puerto Rico. One of the victims was a four-month-old baby who died as its mother was unable to reach a hospital because of roads being blocked. Fiona was a hurricane when it ploughed into Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic and Guadeloupe earlier in the week. Now, almost a week on, more than half of Puerto Ricos almost 1.5 million customers are still without power. The situation echoes the crisis residents faced five years ago when some areas were waiting up to a year to regain power after Hurricane Maria. Flash Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres in New York Friday on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Secretary-General Guterres has called for strengthening international cooperation as the world today is full of changes and chaos, which the Chinese side deeply appreciates, said Wang. China has always been advocating that major countries, especially permanent members of the UN Security Council, should take the lead in complying with the international law, in maintaining the authority of the UN, in practicing true multilateralism and in helping developing countries, he said, adding it is regrettable that certain major country, for its self-interest, practices unilateralism in the name of multilateralism, and creates small circles or cliques everywhere under the pretext of maintaining so-called rules. China will stand firmly with the UN, unswervingly support the UN's central role in international affairs, and support the UN in playing a bigger role in addressing challenges confronting peace and security, Wang said. Guterres expressed appreciation for the key role China has been playing for a long time in upholding multilateralism, promoting international cooperation and sustainable development, saying the partnership with China is an important pillar for the UN and multilateralism. He said that the two sides have been carrying out close and effective cooperation, and that the UN supports the Global Development Initiative (GDI). He congratulated China for successfully organizing the Ministerial Meeting of the Group of Friends of the GDI recently, which he believed would help accelerate the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Guterres briefed Wang about the recent efforts to promote Ukrainian grain shipments and Russia's fertilizer exports, and expressed deep concern about the difficulties facing developing countries due to spillover from the Ukrainian crisis. Guterres said that the UN takes development as a priority and hopes to strengthen cooperation with China on issues bearing the interest of developing countries, such as financing, climate change responses, biodiversity, and anti-pandemic measures. Wang said that China appreciates the Secretary-General's active mediation and tangible results, adding that China's core position on the Ukrainian issue is to promote peace talks and stand on the side of peace. He stressed that China will continue to play a constructive role in its own way. Wang emphasized that Chinese President Xi Jinping has proposed the GDI and Global Security Initiative, which has contributed a China plan to boosting international development cooperation and helping implement the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, and has provided public goods to mitigate peace and security deficit and jointly cope with the current severe challenges. Wang said that China is willing to work closely with the UN to form greater consensus, gather more forces and facilitate more actions, adding that China will continue to support the various causes of the UN and assume its due responsibilities. On the same day, Wang also met with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai and Sri Lankan Minister of Foreign Affairs Mohamed Ali Sabry respectively. Its been 11 years since Michelle Parker went missing, and about eight years since a search of this magnitude was conducted. Investigators are following up on one of the 20 tips that have been called in since Wednesday when a new reward was posted for information leading to her disappearance. Without revealing exactly what the tipster said, police believe one tip was credible enough to issue a search of the woods near Port St. John. The Parker family spent Saturday morning alongside investigators, and said they are hopeful and anxious for closure. Read: Michelle Parker: $200K reward offered for tips in case of Orlando woman missing since 2011 I didnt even know this area existed, but now that I look at a map, its possible, said Yvonne Stewart, Parkers mother. $200,000 is a lot of money and someone volunteering to do that is huge, so were really grateful for that, said Lauren Erickson, Parkers sister, referring to the tip and reward. Central Florida search-and-rescue volunteers teamed up with police to scan the area with ATVs and seven K-9 dogs, while the Winter Park JROTC scanned overhead with drones. WATCH: The Search: Tracy Ocasio & Michelle Parker It gives me anxiety because youre hopeful that they find something, Steward said. (Were) grateful that theyre doing it and sad because we miss her so much. Parkers sister said that while they are extremely appreciative, experiencing this is not easy. Its been 11 years, so it almost feels like it didnt happen but it did, she said. And we have to relive that. Erickson said they are grateful that even 11 years later, people care about Parker. Video: Orlando police give update on Michelle Parkers disappearance The Parker family is determined to find her because they hope that someone will finally come forward with the right information to help them fulfill the promise they made to Michelle. Story continues You dont know how strong you are until you have to be, Erickson said. We told her we will never give up, so we wont. Anyone with information that could help investigators should call Crimeline at 800-423-8477 or the Orlando Police Department at 321-235-5300. 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. In this image made from video released by the Russian Presidential Press Service, Russian President Vladimir Putin gestures as he addresses the nation in Moscow, Russia, Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2022. Russian Presidential Press Service via AP Ukrainian troops have made meaningful advances against Russia's invasion this month. Seeking to save lives and equipment, Russian military commanders asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to retreat from Kherson. Putin has denied the request and become more involved in the war, reports say. As he loses his grasp in his unprovoked war against Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has moved to further embed himself into the war's strategic planning efforts but his decision-making seems to contrast with those in the action. Dismissing on-the-ground commanders' pleas for soldiers to retreat, Putin has decided to remain in Kherson, a major Southern city in Ukraine, the last in Russian control, The New York Times reported Saturday. The Times report said that withdrawing from Kherson would save lives and equipment, but would also be another blow to Putin's waning plan to conquer the country. As such, the Russian president has immersed himself further into the strategic planning of the war, countering some of the wishes of Russian forces on the ground. "In this war, there has been a consistent mismatch between Putin's political objectives and the military means to attain them," Michael Kofman, director of Russia studies at CNA, a defense research institute, told The Times. "At important decision points, Putin has procrastinated, refusing to recognize the reality, until the options turned from bad to worse." The US and UK have said that Putin's latest actions including threatening nuclear warfare and implementing a partial military mobilization indicate his war efforts are failing. Earlier this month, Ukrainian forces retook most of Kharkiv, forcing Russian troops to flee or attempt to disguise themselves as locals. The move marked a major victory for Ukraine as the numbers of Russian troops are dwindling as their morale fades. Likewise, a portion of Russia's public appears to disapprove of the war as protests erupted in the country this week. Story continues "The situation in Ukraine is clearly dynamic," Gen. Mark A. Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, told The Times. "It's too early for a full assessment, but it is clear to me that the strategic initiative has shifted to the Ukrainians." Despite the changing situation, Milley claimed that there is still a "long road ahead." Read the original article on Business Insider Reports from the Jacksonville Sheriffs Office state that at 5:40 a.m. on Sunday, officers were dispatched to a burglary in progress in the 9600 block of Price Parker Drive. While officers were on the way, neighbors reportedly also called 911 stating that they had heard gunfire. >>> STREAM ACTION NEWS JAX LIVE <<< Moments after, a shooting incident was reported in the 7200 block of Powers Avenue. Reports state that when officers arrived they located a male, whose age and identity is unconfirmed at this time, with a gunshot wound to his upper body. The male was transported by JFRD to a local hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and is currently in surgery. [DOWNLOAD: Free Action News Jax app for alerts as news breaks] A witness stated that two males fled from the vehicle into an apartment complex in the 7200 block of Powers Avenue. Patrol officers established a perimeter and were able to apprehend the two males, who are in their late teens. The Violent Crime Unit and the Crime Scene Unit are currently on the scene conducting the investigation. What they have learned at this time is that when the victim had his vehicle burglarized, he followed the suspects vehicle. The suspects shot at the victim who then returned fire, which struck the driver of the suspect vehicle and caused the vehicle to stop. [SIGN UP: Action News Jax Daily Headlines Newsletter] At this time, JOS is still talking to witnesses and will be talking with all parties involved in this incident. If anyone has any information, please contact JSO through the non-emergency number (904) 630-0500 or if you would like to remain anonymous, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-866-845-TIPS Click here to download the free Action News Jax news and weather apps, click here to download the Action News Jax Now app for your smart TV and click here to stream Action News Jax live. This fall, as high school students prepare for the fun of a Homecoming dance, one thing they shouldnt be worrying about is whether their dress or attire will arrive. But the Better Business Bureau Akron is reporting several local families and others nationwide who are getting scammed by online retailers who dont deliver on their goods. In an alert on Friday, the BBB cautioned consumers to be aware of scams when ordering attire for Homecoming or other events. Many fake sites are attracting customers with a discounted price, but the orders are never received after the items have been purchased and personal data may have been compromised. The scam "is disappointing and saddens me to hear people losing out, said Shannon Siegferth, president and CEO of the Better Business Bureau Akron, which serves Ashland, Medina, Portage, Richland, Summit and Wayne Counties. The online scams we hear about all year round continue to advance their technology and approach. If it sounds too good to be true, it likely is, said Siegferth. Looking through a company's website, checking reviews and verifying if they are an Accredited Business with BBB all are best practices when purchasing online. We advise consumers to ensure the company they are looking to purchase from clearly and prominently provides a direct and effect means to contact the company. This includes a phone number, physical address and email address. More:https://www.beaconjournal.com/story/news/2022/07/24/widowers-car-insurance-increases-wifes-death-practice-unfair-betty-l Local customers scammed by fake Homecoming sites The BBB said an area parent lost over $150 when trying to buy her daughter a pair of shoes she could wear to Homecoming. She ordered from Bowmanra.com, a new website just created on Aug. 5. The only contact method for the business is by email, the BBB said. Another consumer ordered a dress from PickInLove.com. The business sent a confirmation code, fake tracking information and status updates. Her daughters Homecoming came and went, but the dress never arrived. This website was less than a year old and has been taken down, the BBB said. The business Facebook page has been active only since last July and does not have proper contact information. Story continues BBB did not hear back from the businesses when requesting a physical address and phone number to provide consumers. I also attempted to reach both businesses and did not hear from either. (9-27-2022 update: I did receive an email response from a Gmail address listed on the Bowmanra.com website on 9-24-2022, a day after deadline for this story, asking for relevant evidence, saying all orders are received by customers in a timely manner and there is no fraudulent behavior. I have put the BBB Akron in touch with the company to share information about the complaint received and the BBB is continuing its investigation.) Heres some advice The BBB suggests taking time to research a new website. Look closely at the URL to see if it is mimicking well-known brand names. Research the age of the domain, using caution with new websites. You can do that by going to https://www.godaddy.com/whois and search the domain registry to locate the date, Siegferth said. This database also supplies information on who owns the domain and the last update to the site, she said. Look for the https in the URL (the extra s is for secure) and a small lock icon on the address bar. Read the website content carefully looking for typos or anything else indicating the website was put together quickly. Also, search for multiple ways (phone, email, physical address, online chat) to contact the business, not just an email address or online form. Siegferth also recommends using a form of payment that can be reversed (i.e. credit card) when purchasing online. Using a credit card enables a level of protection to the consumer by encrypting the information sent over the web, she said. Paying online with a debit card leaves the possibility of fraud at a greater risk. Additionally, putting a hold on your account that is believed to have experienced fraud using a debit card could leave you without funds for a length of time and disable payment to recurring bills such as utility, mortgage and insurance, she said. Finally, if you are aware of a scam, or have been a victim of a scam, Siegferth asks readers please report it to BBB scam tracker (https://www.bbb.org/scamtracker) and the Federal Trade Commission (online https://reportfraud.ftc.gov/#/ or by phone at 877-382-4357) Betty Lin-Fisher More on widows penalty Last week, I shared an update about a column topic I wrote about in the summer about whats called the widows or widowers penalty. I had written about a Suffield widower who was upset that his rate went up after his wifes death. The practice occurs when some insurers hike the auto insurance rates of a person after a spouse dies. The state of Delaware bans the practice. More:National consumer group calls on Ohio to stop widow's penalty The Consumer Federation of America, a national consumers advocacy group, reached out to me and did a mini follow-up to a 2015 nationwide study that found at the time that several auto insurers increased rates for widows by an average of 20%. The group did a mini study of major Ohio insurers last month and called on the Ohio Department of Insurance and insurers to stop utilizing the widows penalty. Using the same driver profile and address of a 35 year old man or woman living in Akron with a perfect driving record, the group found that Progressive was charging the widows penalty. In the first test, the group found the Progressive six-month premium for a 35 year old married woman was $187, but if she was widowed, her premium jumped to $204. And in the second test, the married woman's premium was $202, and the widowed woman's premium was $218. I had reached out to Progressive on Monday of the week I was working on the column for comment. I did not hear from them by my Friday deadline. However, I did hear back from Progressive spokesman Jeff Sibel a week later. He apologized for the delay and asked if he could provide some clarification: Our loss experience shows the single rating is actuarially more appropriate for Widow(er)s than would be a married rating, Sibel wrote. For Progressive customers whos spouse has died while actively insured with us, we continue to rate the driver in the same married classification they had before their loss. This applies for the balance of that term and all subsequent policy terms. While we continue to rate the widowed driver as married there may be factors (such as the number of drivers, vehicles, and complexion of the household) that impact rate when a policy is up for renewal. In a follow-up email, Sibel confirmed that a new customer who is a widow or widower would be rated as a single and not married. Michael DeLong, research and advocacy associate for the Consumer Federation of America, said the group still considers the new customer who is a widow or widow being rated as a single to be the widows penalty. The insurance company treats widows differently than people whose spouse hasnt yet died. The fact that they have an exception for existing customers doesnt mean they are not mistreating widows, just that they are mistreating slightly fewer of them, said DeLong, who called on the Ohio Department of Insurance in last weeks column to stop the practice also sent a letter to the commissioner after the column ran. The company is basically saying, well keep you if you had been with us before, but otherwise widows need not apply. Even if its just a small penalty, there is no reason the Department should allow insurance companies to charge widowed drivers more than married drivers for coverage the Ohio requires under law, said DeLong. A few announcements My column will take a hiatus for a few weeks while I am one of two reporters staffing the Beacon Journal's mobile newsroom in Firestone Park. Fellow reporter Anthony Thompson and I will be writing general news stories about the Firestone Park area. If you have story ideas, contact Thompson at AJThompson@gannett.com or me at blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com You can read more about the mobile newsroom at https://tinyurl.com/25buu7ms For those of you getting ready to shop for Medicare Advantage plans, open enrollment begins on Oct. 15. I am also working on some stories with tips for shopping and area events to help you with your decision. It is scheduled to run in the Beacon Journal on Sunday, Oct. 16. Beacon Journal staff reporter Betty Lin-Fisher can be reached at 330-996-3724 or blinfisher@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow her @blinfisherABJ on Twitter or www.facebook.com/BettyLinFisherABJ. To see her most recent stories and columns, go to www.tinyurl.com/bettylinfisher. This article originally appeared on Akron Beacon Journal: Column: Don't get scammed while shopping for Homecoming attire Skeletal remains were found in Georgetown as police searched for a missing person, authorities said Sunday. Georgetown Police Department and Community United Effort were looking for Wesley Blake when they stumbled upon the remains in a dense thick area, according to a Facebook post by the police department. An operator of a utility terrain vehicle saw the bones underneath vegetation while riding through the area, the post said. Blake went missing July 29 near Ridge Street. The coroner has been alerted. COLUMBIA, S.C. (AP) Marshawn Lloyd at last looked like the dynamic playmaker he expected to be when he came to South Carolina. And he plans on more big moments ahead for himself and the Gamecocks. Lloyd had a career-high 169 yards and three touchdowns as the Gamecocks overpowered Charlotte 56-20 on Saturday night. It feels great to be able to go out there and showcase what I can do, Lloyd said. He expected that to be the case two seasons ago when he joined South Carolina. Lloyd returned last year, but was not as fast or explosive as he had been in high school when he was considered one of the country's top running backs. Lloyd looked every bit that player in this one. He had touchdown runs of 25, 14 and 7 yards, two that left fans jaws dropped and Charlotte (1-4) defenders in disbelief. On the first, Lloyd cleanly hurdled safety Wayne Jones in the open field on the way to the end zone. On his second, Lloyd was stood up for what looked like a short gain before breaking free to put South Carolina ahead 28-14. This is what I came to South Carolina for, Lloyd said. The win ended a two-game losing streak for the Gamecocks (2-2) and was a welcome performance for an offense stuck near the bottom of the Southeastern Conference this season. In this one, South Carolina scored on its first eight possessions to take control. I was proud of our team, South Carolina coach Shane Beamer said. No doubt about it, this hasn't been the easiest week around here. Beamer referred to the Gamecocks' 48-7 pounding at home by No. 1 Georgia last Saturday. He told offensive coordinator Marcus Satterfield he wanted to run the ball 40 times and that's exactly what they did to finish with a season high 295 yards on the ground. Lloyd has South Carolina's most rushing yards in a game since Kevin Harris gained 182 against North Carolina in the Duke's Mayo Bowl last New Year's Eve. Charlotte (1-4) of Conference USA entered with the country's 30th best passing attack at 289 yards a game and the one of the worst rushing defenses (129 out of 131) in the NCAA at 243 yards allowed per game. Both were evident at South Carolina. Story continues The Gamecocks picked up 161 yards on the ground to score on all four of their first-half possessions. But the 49ers were largely on target behind sixth-year quarterback Chris Reynolds, converting their first seven third downs and throwing for 132 yards to keep things close at the half, 20-14. South Carolina finished with a season-best 545 yards of offense. The Gamecocks' run of points each series ended when backup quarterback Luke Doty was intercepted by Jones yes, the one who was hurdled by Lloyd with 8:22 left in the game. THE TAKEAWAY Charlotte: The 49ers lost both Power Five games they've played this season, falling at Maryland, 56-21, before the South Carolina blowout. Charlotte has a face-paced attack behind Reynolds that had the Gamecocks defense on its heels in the first half. The school does leave with $1.4 million in guarantees for playing at Williams-Brice Stadium. South Carolina: There are still plenty of things to fix for the Gamecocks. This is certainly a start to gaining confidence and momentum once they return to SEC play in two weeks. The offense was efficient and powerful and the defense, after a sluggish first half, got three second-half interceptions that South Carolina turned into points. NO PUNTS South Carolina punter Kai Kroger, named the Ray Guy National Punter of the Week after his opening-game performance in a win over Georgia State, didn't get the chance to kick this week. Kai probably doesn't care, Gamecocks quarterback Spencer Rattler said. He's gotten enough punts in the first (three) games. GOOD HALF, BAD HALF Charlotte quarterback Chris Reynolds was 15 of 24 for 132 yards and two touchdowns in the first two quarters. Reynolds was 1-of-4 passing for 23 yards and two interceptions in the second half before coming out of the game. UP NEXT Charlotte returns home to face UTEP on Saturday night. South Carolina takes on FCS opponent South Carolina State on Saturday. ___ More AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25. Sign up for the APs college football newsletter: https://tinyurl.com/mrxhe6f2 Sep. 24CARBONDALE, Ill. A week ago, Tommy Schuster was running a crazy two-minute drill a game-winning sequence later featured on ESPN. On Saturday, the UND quarterback was running for his life. Schuster was sacked seven times and No. 24 Southern Illinois racked up 458 yards of total offense in a 34-17 win over No. 19 UND on Saturday at Saluki Stadium. "We were playing from behind and when you're two, three scores down, the defense can be more aggressive with their calls," UND coach Bubba Schweigert said. "We have to protect better but I think playing from behind played into it." UND entered the game ranked No. 2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference and No. 18 nationally in sacks allowed. Schuster was sacked three times all season coming into the game and only once by an FCS opponent. Last season, UND gave up eight sacks all season. "We struggled with handling their front seven or eight," UND tackle Donny Ventrelli said. "They sent a lot of blitzes, and it was tough to handle that." SIU quarterback Nic Baker, the reigning Missouri Valley Football Conference Offensive Player of the Week after beating Northwestern last week, finished 21-for-27 for 289 passing yards and four touchdowns. Avante Cox had seven catches for 90 yards and a touchdown, while tight end Jacob Garrett caught a pair of touchdown passes. UND trailed 24-10 at halftime as the Salukis struck at the end of the second quarter. With 7 seconds left in the half, Baker hit Cox for an 8-yard touchdown pass. Cox evaded the tackle of UND safety Kadon Kauppinen around the line of scrimmage and cruised in for the score. "They have good players but it comes down to us executing out of the gate and we didn't," UND linebacker Ted Mullin said. "We didn't pull our weight at the beginning, and it's a team game." The Fighting Hawks dropped to 2-2 with a challenging home game next weekend against Missouri State. Story continues "We have to tackle better," Schweigert said. "I don't think we played spirited defense. We have to give them credit. They made us make plays in space, but we have to play better with our eyes. We have to play with greater focus than we did today." Thanks to the seven sacks, UND finished with just 38 rushing yards. Tyler Hoosman finished with 31 rushing yards and two touchdowns to lead the UND offense. "I think we have a long season ahead of us, and we're going to learn from the corrections and watch the film," Mullin said. "We're going to move on, but we can't forget how this feels. As a team, we all have to step up. It's going to come down to us executing. We can't be comfortable. We have to keep getting better with everything we do." Power lines have been downed and houses washed into the sea after Storm Fiona battered Canada's coastline. At least one person died after being washed out to sea in Newfoundland, officials said. Fiona was downgraded from a hurricane to a tropical storm on Friday. Such weather events are rare in Canada, and police said the storm was "like nothing we've ever seen". The army has been deployed to Nova Scotia to assist the clean-up. Parts of five provinces experienced torrential rain and winds of up to 160km/h (100mph), with widespread flooding and hundreds of thousands of people left without power. Prime Minister Trudeau says the military will be deployed to Nova Scotia, adding: "If there is anything the federal government can do to help, we will be there." He has said he will no longer travel to Japan to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to deal with the storm's aftermath. Mr Trudeau convened a meeting of the Incident Response Group on Sunday - the second to discuss Fiona - and promised to "ensure that all necessary support is available" to restore services as quickly as possible. There were reports of houses being washed away A 73-year-old woman died when the storm hit Port aux Basques, a small town on the southwest tip of Newfoundland that was one of the hardest hit areas. "The woman was last seen inside [her] residence just moments before a wave struck the home, tearing away a portion of the basement," the police said. The coast guard and rescuers recovered her body from the sea on Sunday. Port aux Basques is "like a complete war zone," with more than 20 homes destroyed and 200 people displaced, said mayor Brian Button. He added that damages were in the millions of dollars. Rosalyn Roy, a local resident, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp that rebuilding would take "months". Earlier, a woman was rescued after being "tossed into the water as her home collapsed". Government officials have said the country's military will be deployed to help clear trees and roads. Story continues A police chief on Prince Edward Island urged residents to stay inside "unless absolutely necessary" as recovery efforts continued. A fallen tree Power companies have warned that it could take days to restore electricity, as wind speeds remain too high to start work on downed power lines. Severe hurricanes in Canada are rare, as storms normally lose their energy once they hit colder waters in the north and become post-tropical instead. Fiona had already wreaked havoc on Puerto Rico and the Dominican Republic earlier this week, with many still left without power or running water. Florida also faces a hurricane threat as tropical storm Ian strengthened as it moved over the Caribbean on Saturday. It could approach Florida early next week as a major hurricane. By Allison Lampert (Reuters) -The union for Sunwing Airlines pilots said it is urging Canada's government to stop a plan by the Ontario-based leisure carrier to hire foreign pilots this winter to help cope with an expected holiday travel surge. Airline industry use of foreign pilots as aviation rebounds from the COVID-19 pandemic is sensitive for unions in Canada and the United States. Those unions want greater efforts to hire pilots from the airlines' home countries despite complaints of shortages. "It's a punch in the face," Barret Armann, president of the union local that represents Sunwing pilots, said of the plan to hire non-Canadian pilots, adding that Labor Minister Seamus O'Regan "needs to step in and stop this." Sunwing will apply with the government to bring in 65 pilots this winter as temporary foreign workers due partly to a "staffing issue" in the summer, according to a Unifor union local memo to pilots citing a meeting last week with airline management. Sunwing is in the midst of being acquired by Canada's second-largest carrier WestJet Airlines, owned by private equity firm Onex Corp. It was not clear whether Sunwing has started a formal process to hire foreign pilots. Sunwing did not reply to requests for comment. The memo described a job ad from Czech carrier SmartWings that said "foreign pilots will indeed work (in Canada) under our contract but be paid more than 75% of our pilots." The memo said Sunwing has available pilots in Canada. SmartWings did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Holiday air travel is forecast to boom after a pandemic-induced slump the past two years. Canadian airlines are bracing for a busy Christmas season, with Canada expected to further ease COVID-19 travel restrictions. Carriers in the United States and Canada cut thousands of flights this summer as a rebound in travel demand ran into labor shortages. The use of pilots as temporary foreign workers is rare compared with other sectors. In the first half of 2022, Canadian employers were granted permission to fill 32 pilot positions with temporary foreign workers, according to government data. By comparison, 48,485 temporary farm worker permits were issued over the same period. Story continues O'Regan met this month with Unifor and the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAMAW), which has a separate complaint about Sunwing giving work to foreigners. A spokeswoman for O'Regan said it was up to an employer to meet requirements to bring in temporary foreign workers. Air Canada's CEO has said pilots are not an issue for the country's biggest airline. (Reporting By Allison Lampert in MontrealEditing by Will Dunham) Eddie, Hayley and Yowin moved to the UK to escape tensions in Hong Kong Thousands of people from Hong Kong have moved to the UK in the past year. Many have fled tensions with Chinese authorities there - others say they are attracted by a slower pace of life. The BBC has been speaking to some new arrivals about life in the UK. Yowin Mo, Eddie Wong and their nine-year-old daughter Hayley swapped their high-rise flat in Hong Kong for a two-bed semi in Crewe, in the north-west of England. They didn't know anyone here and had never visited the UK before they moved, but so far they've had a good impression. "Most British people are polite and laid-back," says Yowin. It wasn't an easy decision for the trio to leave their friends, family and jobs behind. "My dad cried, he didn't want to leave," remembers Hayley. She wasn't sure about the move either, but getting a puppy helped her settle in. In Hong Kong, Yowin's marketing job was very demanding and she worked long hours. Eddie was a photojournalist. Now they've given up their hectic lives in a bustling world city to move to a small town with lower house prices and good schools. "We don't expect to be rich," Yowin says. "We are just hoping to have a simple life here, and hopefully Hayley can grow up happy." Yowin, Hayley and Eddie with their dog, Toffee Yowin and Eddie felt leaving Hong Kong was in Hayley's best interests. She has happily settled into the local primary school, where 11 other Hong Kong children have since joined. Yowin says going to school in Hong Kong was far more stressful - there was no playground to run around in and Hayley had homework to do until 19:00 every night. But her main concern was that if her daughter had stayed in Hong Kong she would be "brainwashed". Yowin says Hong Kong's education system has changed drastically because children are now being taught the Chinese state-approved curriculum. She also fears the phasing-out of the speaking of Cantonese in schools, and that Hayley would be taught in Mandarin Chinese. "That's one of the reasons I don't want to stay in Hong Kong." Story continues The Hong Kong government denies claims of brainwashing and says its education system has consistently developed generations of talents. It also says students are taught Cantonese, Chinese Mandarin, and English. Another of Yowin's concerns is censorship. She believes Hayley wouldn't get the "true news" on TV. "Maybe only fake news, you know? In Hong Kong, she might not be able to say whatever she wants." On a high shelf, out of Hayley's reach, Yowin keeps a book of photographs of the 2019 protests called Defiance, including several showing violent clashes between protesters and police. When Hayley is a bit older, Yowin hopes the photos will help explain why they felt they had to leave. "When two million people are marching on the street and the government still ignores these voices, you will find the city is hopeless," says Yowin. "Every time I talk about it, I cry." Pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong in 2019 They're far from alone in wanting to make the life-changing move. Government statistics suggest 140,000 Hongkongers have applied to live in the UK under a new visa route. It was brought in last year in response to China imposing a controversial new security law in Hong Kong, which the UK said was an erosion of freedoms and rights. The route allows millions of people from Hong Kong - who applied for a type of nationality called the British National Overseas (BNO) citizenship before 1997, when the UK handed the former colony back to China - to apply to live, work and study in the UK. Family members can travel with them. After five years they can apply to stay permanently. The North of England is a popular destination, with many families settling in places like Crewe, Stoke, and Warrington. And businesses are springing up to service this flurry of migrants. One recruitment company has taken on two Cantonese speakers to tap into the new labour force. "We realised there was quite a big opportunity in terms of people coming over from Hong Kong," says Charlotte Shaw from KPI Recruiting in Stoke. The agency hopes Hongkongers might offer a solution to the labour shortages, driven both by Covid and Brexit, says Charlotte. "We found that a lot of Eastern Europeans decided to leave the UK and have gone back home." They've already had thousands of messages from Hongkongers looking for work. iPlayer Britain's new Hongkongers Since last year, thousands of people from Hong Kong have left everything they knew behind to start new lives in the UK. Watch now on BBC iPlayer (UK Only) Watch on YouTube (International) iPlayer bottom About 70% of those moving to the UK have a university degree or higher and more than half worked as professionals or senior managers in Hong Kong. So far, the recruiters have helped Hongkongers take up roles in call centres, food processing and office administration. Eddie and Yowin know that they won't necessarily be able to earn the salaries they did back home, but they have a cushion of cash from the sale of their flat. Yowin wants to work as a cashier or receptionist, whereas Eddie, who is taking English lessons, hopes to be a delivery driver. The recruiter offers them a 10-hour shift in a meat factory. "It's going to be like working like a robot," says Yowin. Yowin was offered a trial shift in a newsagent's Meanwhile, in Warrington, Matthew Tse has set up a property company to help Hongkongers buy homes. He says his team of Cantonese speakers is getting 20 to 30 new clients a day, and that on average each client is bringing 700,000 to the UK. Bidding wars have broken out, he says, with properties sometimes going 30,000-40,000 above the asking price. One potential buyer, Charlie, is selling her apartment in Hong Kong for about 650,000 and has been on remote viewings of properties in Warrington, Cheshire, worth about 220,000. "I've never been to Warrington before," she admits. "But I've got a few friends there. I believe most of the houses in England will be big enough for my kids to run around." Hongkongers have been buying up homes in estates like this one in Warrington The growing interest in moving to the UK has fuelled an explosion of Hong Kong YouTubers documenting their new lives in Britain. Videos rack up thousands of hits and range from reviews of new housing developments to a guide to eating a full English breakfast. Hongkonger Heidi Simpson, who lives in Nottingham, has become a full-time YouTuber since moving to the UK last year with her fiance, Chris. "People in Hong Kong want to see videos of real life in the UK," Heidi says. "Like how to rent a house or how to use the self-service checkout." One of Heidi Simpson's YouTube videos focused on Leeds University Her videos are not political, but still they have become a target of those supportive of China's government. Heidi made a video about how difficult it was to make a GP appointment, but a pro-Beijing YouTube channel lifted parts of it as evidence that Hongkongers can't get medical treatment even if they have money. She feels her content has been used as propaganda to warn Hongkongers against moving to the UK. "I was so shocked. I'm not happy with it. But I don't know what to do," says Heidi. She will continue posting, but has concerns about her videos being monitored, and doesn't talk about her family back in Hong Kong. The channel has not responded to the BBC's request for comment. Many of those who took part in protests in Hong Kong have taken refuge in the UK. Nathan Law is one of Hong Kong's most high-profile pro-democracy campaigners. He's now in political exile in Britain as he says he would face imprisonment if he returned home. But even here, he is still a target of Chinese propaganda and online attacks. "You're facing the largest authoritarian regime in the world, their reach could be stretching in every corner of the society," he says. "And they can mobilise the necessary resources to hurt you in many ways." Since arriving, one of the most serious threats Nathan has had was on a Chinese messaging service where users were offering a bounty of 10,000 for details of where he lives in the UK. As a consequence, he is wary of being seen in public. "I rarely talk to my neighbours. I rarely go to the pub, because you never know whether this information will fall into the wrong hands." But he refuses to let that stop him. "I need to be brave enough to continue my work. If I stopped working, as someone who campaigned for Hong Kong's democracy, then that's a victory for the Chinese Communist Party." But the BBC has found evidence that, occasionally, tensions from Hong Kong have surfaced in the UK. Some Hongkongers have told us how they have received abuse online, and in person, from those who support the government's policies in Hong Kong. Alan, not his real name, says he was attacked on a night out last autumn by a group of Chinese men after he shouted a pro-Hong Kong slogan at them. Alan, not his real name, says he was attacked by a group of Chinese men "Around 10 guys chased me and one of them pushed me onto the ground," he says. He was kicked in his head and ribs. He showed us a picture of his face, covered in blood. The police arrested two people in connection with the incident, but the case has now been dropped. "I'm angry and scared because it is in the United Kingdom, not in China. How can I suffer this?" he says. "This is a country known for democracy and rule of law." In Liverpool, Christie has started teaching martial arts self-defence classes after hearing about similar incidents of violence involving Hongkongers and those who support the Chinese Communist Party. She shows the class how to block someone if they are attacked. "We need to have some basic skills for Hongkongers to protect themselves when they encounter this kind of situation," she says. In a park in Liverpool, Christie teaches Hongkongers to defend themselves But for others, life in the UK is peaceful. Yowin has been offered a trial shift at her local newsagent in Crewe, stacking shelves and learning how to use the cash register. "As long as it can support my basic living, that's enough for me," she says. Chris and Heidi had their wedding photo shoot near Big Ben, in London And Heidi and Chris are preparing for their wedding. For their photo shoot they chose the most British of backgrounds, the Houses of Parliament. Heidi is sad that their families won't be able to attend, but she plans to stay in the UK. "We don't see a future in Hong Kong," she says. Flash Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Nasser Kanani on Saturday expressed regret for the decision of the Ukrainian government to downgrade diplomatic relations with the Islamic republic. The decision of the Ukrainian government is based on "unconfirmed reports and caused by the creation of media hype by foreign parties," Kanani was quoted by the Iranian Foreign Ministry's website as saying. On Friday, the Ukrainian Foreign Ministry announced to downgrade ties with Iran and remove the Iranian ambassador's accreditation over what it called Tehran's "unfriendly act" to "supply Russia with weapons to wage war against Ukraine." Kanani said in response that over the Russia-Ukraine conflict, Iran has adopted the "clear policy of neutrality" and has declared its opposition to war and the need for a political settlement of disputes away from violence. He also emphasized that Iran will take proportionate action in response to the Ukrainian government's decision, advising Ukraine not to be influenced by third parties who seek to destroy the relations between the two countries. Ukraine and the United States have accused Iran of supplying drones to Russia, which Tehran has denied. Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir-Abdollahian said in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica in July that Iran will avoid any action that could lead to an escalation in the Russia-Ukraine conflict. "I think the current problem with the conflict is that in some Western countries, including the United States, there are armament manufacturers trying to sell their products," Amir-Abdollahian added. By Cecile Mantovani GENEVA (Reuters) -Swiss voters on Sunday rejected a proposal to ban factory farming in a referendum on whether the wealthy country's strict animal welfare laws need to be tightened yet further. The government's VoteInfo App showed a provisional result of 62.86% of votes against the proposal, put to a referendum under the Swiss system of direct democracy, to make protecting the dignity of farm animals such as cattle, chickens and pigs a constitutional requirement. VoteInfo takes voting results data collated by the Federal Statistics Office. "I've voted no," said Geneva resident Fabrice Drouin. "There are farmers who are doing intensive farming with their animals but they are respecting animal welfare and to feed the population, we have to do factory farming, at least a little, otherwise, we won't be able to eat meat anymore." In a second referendum, the Swiss voted narrowly in favour of a planned reform of old-age insurance, which among other things would raise the retirement age for women to 65 from 64. The farming proposal would have required the government to set stricter rules for caring for animals, including giving them access to the outdoors, and for slaughtering them. The requirements would also have covered imported animals and animal products. The government recommended against the proposal, saying such changes would breach trade accords, increase investment and operating costs, and boost food prices. "I think in general, people are regulating themselves on their own," said Geneva resident Florian Barbon who opposed the initiative. "I don't think we need a legal framework for this." In a third vote, 52.01% of voters rejected a measure that would have provided for the abolition of a withholding tax on bond interest introduced to prevent tax evasion. Although investors could reclaim the tax, provided they disclosed the interest income in their tax returns, the government had argued that abolishing the levy would reduce administrative costs and make Switzerland more attractive to business. (Reporting by Cecile MantovaniWriting by Paul CarrelEditing by David Evans and Frances Kerry) A 12-year-old girl from Texas shot her father as part of a plot with her friend to murder their families and run away from home, according to authorities. The girl and her friend had planned the murder plot for weeks, the Parker County Sheriffs Office said. They had allegedly plotted to kill their families and their pets before fleeing together to Georgia. But the girl's friend never went through with the plan, according to the sheriff's office. TEXAS VOLUNTEER FIREFIGHTER FOUND DEAD AT HOME HOURS AFTER RESPONDING TO CALL Deputies responded to a shooting at a home in Weatherford, Texas, on Tuesday at about 11:30 p.m. The girl was found lying in the street with an apparent self-inflicted gunshot wound to the head and a handgun lying beneath her. Her father was found inside the home with a gunshot wound to the abdomen. Both the girl and her father were flown to the hospital. Their current conditions are unknown. HOUSTON POLICE ARREST 2ND SUSPECT IN ARMED ROBBERY CASE, FATAL SHOOTING OF POTENTIAL WITNESS The girl appeared to have shot her father and fled the scene before shooting herself, investigators said. She was planning to drive to Lufkin, Texas, to pick up her friend and then drive to Georgia. The Parker County Sheriffs Office has charged the friend with criminal conspiracy in the planning of the murder plot, according to the sheriff's office. The girls' motives remain unclear. Lufkin Police are also investigating the incident. "Due to the injuries, the age of the juveniles and the sensitive case matter, information released regarding this case will be limited," Parker County Sheriff Russ Authier said in a statement. The sheriffs office said it does not identify juvenile suspects and will not be releasing the identity of the adult victim in order to protect the children. Justice Scales and books and wooden gavel - stock photo krisanapong detraphiphat / Getty Images Jacqueline Craig was violently arrested in 2016 after she called the police on their neighbor NBC Dallas reports. In the viral video, Craig told the officer her neighbor choked her son for littering. The officer responded, "why not?" and became physical when Craig's daughter stepped in, according to the video. City officials in Fort Worth, Texas on Friday reached a settlement with a Black resident after a lengthy legal battle stemming from a violent 2016 arrest in which a white officer wrestled her and her daughter to the ground. The woman, Jacqueline Craig, was awarded $150,000, NBC News reported. However, it must get the approval of the city council in October. The video of Craig's arrest went viral in 2016. It showed her and her daughter being wrestled down by a white police officer, William Martin, while he pointed a taser at another Black bystander, NBC Dallas reported. In the video, Craig told the officer that her neighbor grabbed her son, who was 7 years old at the time, by the neck and choked him for littering, and refused to pick up the paper after her neighbor ordered him to do so. "Why don't you teach your son not to litter?" the officer responded, according to the video. Craig told the officer that her neighbor could not prove that her son littered, and that was beside the point. "It doesn't matter if he did or didn't, it doesn't give him the right to put his hands on him," Craig said in the video. To which Martin responded, "Why not?" NBC 5 Dallas confirmed that in the video, Craig's at the time 15-year-old daughter stepped in to intervene, to which the officer grabbed her and her mother and wrestles her to the ground while pointing a taser at another bystander. According to the local outlet, the officer also arrested Brea Hymond, Craig's 19-year-old daughter, who recorded the incident. "I'm very distraught because what I felt I was doing was actually protecting my child, and it didn't happen," Craig told the outlet. "It made me feel less of a parent because I couldn't protect him when he needed it." Story continues According to NBC News, Craig was charged with resisting arrest and having outstanding traffic warrants, and her daughter was charged with resisting arrest and interfering with public duty. The charges were later dropped, according to NBC. According to the outlet, the officer served a 10-day suspension for violating departmental policies. "Reaching a settlement with Ms. Craig was the right decision in this case to provide closure for the Craig family and our community," Mayor Mattie Parker said in a statement obtained by NBC. "As a city, we will remain committed to fostering greater communication and understanding and continuing the progress we've made in addressing the needs of Fort Worth." Read the original article on Insider The cast of "The Walking Dead" looks a lot different now from when they first joined the series. AMC "The Walking Dead" is ending this fall after 11 seasons. The main cast has grown a lot from the survivors we first met over the past decade. Including Rick and Michonne, who will return in a spinoff, here's how the cast has changed. The clean-cut Rick Grimes was the original protagonist of "The Walking Dead." Andrew Lincoln is seen on the 2010 pilot of "TWD." AMC After waking from a coma in a hospital, Grimes set out to find his family and unexpectedly became the leader of a group of survivors for the show's first nine seasons. The last time we saw Rick, he had a full beard and graying hair. Rick last appeared on "TWD" on season nine, episode five. Gene Page/AMC The former sheriff's deputy ditched the good cop routine to survive in the new world. Sometimes, Rick went a little too far with his tactics, but he always went to any length to make sure his children and the extended family he created during the apocalypse was safe. On season nine, episode five, Rick was believed dead by his loved ones when he was actually carried away on a Civic Republic Military helicopter to save his life. Missing for years, Rick will return in a future spinoff series. Michonne was distrustful of nearly everyone when she first came across Rick's group on season three. Danai Gurira first appeared as Michonne on the show's season three premiere. Gene Page/AMC After losing her loved ones and traveling only with walkers for a period of time, it took the katana-wielding warrior a while to warm up to Rick and his group. Michonne became a vital member of the group and Rick's wife. Danai Gurira left "TWD" before the end of season 10 in March 2020. Gene Page/AMC During her time on the series, Michonne overcame the trauma of losing a child and eventually opened her heart to become a mother again. Not only did Michonne came to love and raise Rick's children as her own, but together they share a son who Rick doesn't know exists because of his departure on the series. Michonne went from a loner in the apocalypse to a dependable leader and defender. She left the series on season 10, episode 13 with a new 'do in search of Rick and will return in an untitled Rick and Michonne spinoff. Cailey Fleming has played an aged-up version of Rick's daughter, Judith, since he left the show. Story continues Gene Page/AMC Fleming, who has also appeared on "Loki" and in "Star Wars," joined "The Walking Dead" when she was 11. When we were introduced to Judith, she was spunky, mischievous, and ready to dive into action to help others just like her parents and brother, Carl. We've watched Fleming grow up over the past few years on the series. Cailey Fleming, as Judith Grimes, on the final eight episodes of "TWD." AMC Judith still wears her brother Carl's hat, but isn't quick to run off and put herself in unnecessary danger. With her mom away, she's grown into a protector for her brother, RJ, and teacher to her peers on how they should protect themselves against threats. Throughout the series, Judith largely served as a symbol of hope for the future. Everything the group did was for Judith and the next generation to survive. It's jarring going back to the show's first season and seeing Daryl Dixon with short hair. Daryl Dixon (Norman Reedus) on season one, episode three of "TWD." AMC It's tough to imagine Daryl without his longer hair, but when he first stormed onto season one carrying a pile of squirrels, he was loud, brash, and very much a loner who never pictured himself being part of a loving family or raising kids. A little bit of an oddball, Daryl marched to the beat of his own drum and didn't care what anyone thought about him. He was the bad boy who would get into a scrap if anyone offended him or his brother. Daryl has undergone one of the largest transformations on "The Walking Dead." Norman Reedus has played the TV only "TWD" character since season one. Jace Downs/AMC If season one Daryl could see himself now, he wouldn't recognize the man he's looking at. Yes, there's the obvious hair growth, but, over 11 seasons, Daryl went from an abused loner to a valued member of Rick's group and a nurturing uncle to Rick's kids. People actually call him Uncle Daryl. It took a while, but Daryl let down his guard long enough to show that underneath his hardened exterior was a teddy bear with a heart of gold. Just don't get on his bad side or you're probably getting a knife to the head. Carol started off as a meek abused housewife. Melissa McBride as Carol Peletier on season one, episode six of "TWD." AMC Carol didn't have much of a voice on the show's first season. Raising her little girl, Sophia, she lived in fear of her abusive husband, Ed, until he was killed by the dead. After 11 seasons, Carol has had the other largest transformation on the series. Carol was never going to let anyone make her feel the way Ed did again. Jace Downs/AMC Ed's untimely death and the loss of Sophia the following season gave Carol the strength to become a force to reckoned with in the new world. Never afraid to take action or be one step ahead of trouble, Carol helped save Rick and the group on more than one occasion and is a formidable leader in the apocalypse who you don't want as your enemy. Feeling safe and away from the abuse that terrorized her most of her life, Carol finally allowed herself to grow her hair out on the show's later seasons when she found someone, Ezekiel, who treated her like a queen. Her series' journey became one of hope over the years for abuse survivors who have found strength in Carol's story. Ezekiel entered the show playing the part of a king. Ezekiel (Khary Payton) made his entrance onto "TWD" on season seven, episode two. Gene Page/AMC Ezekiel made an over-the-top entrance on the show's seventh season. It wasn't long until we learned that the king tapped into his theatrical background and hid behind his beloved tiger, Shiva, to play the role of the ruler of a kingdom in order to keep the peace at his former community. Ezekiel dropped the king act a while ago. Zeke has gotten grayer and wiser. Jace Downs/AMC After surviving cancer, Ezekiel received a second lease on life. At the Commonwealth community, Zeke has returned to his roots and cares for animals. Additionally, he helps run an underground hospital that aids the poor in the community. Jerry quickly became a fan favorite when he was introduced alongside Ezekiel. Cooper Andrews joined "TWD" on season seven, episode two. Gene Page/AMC Ezekiel's right-hand man quickly became a fan favorite for his lightheartedness, his extreme loyalty to Zeke, and his optimistic outlook in the apocalypse. When we first met Jerry, he always had his hair tied back and only referred to Ezekiel as royalty. Jerry let his hair down and became a family man. Jace Downs/AMC When Ezekiel told Jerry to stop referring to him as his king, Jerry found love in the apocalypse. He's still the joyful ray of sunshine from season seven, but now he has a wife and three kids. Negan came swinging onto the show with jet black hair and a cocky attitude. Jeffrey Dean Morgan couldn't wait to join "TWD" on its season six finale. Gene Page/AMC Negan made a huge entrance onto the show when he brutally killed two members of Rick's group, including fan-favorite Glenn. The latter death became a controversial series' moment. Recently, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, who plays the character, told Insider it was probably a bad call to kill Glenn of the series. Years in prison aged Negan, but he still has his sharp tongue. Negan underwent a massive overhaul and redemption on the series. AMC After becoming the Negan show for two seasons, Negan sat on the sidelines for a bit in prison so the show could refocus on becoming an ensemble series before he became a prominent figure on the show again. While Daryl's group doesn't forgive Negan for killing their friends, they have acknowledged his loyalty to the group after helping to get them out of a few tight spots. Negan's currently remarried and expecting a child, a departure from the comics. Maggie first appeared on season two of the show. Lauren Cohan has played Maggie Rhee since season two, episode two. Gene Page/AMC Daryl and Glenn's first impression of Maggie came when she blazed in on a horse, shouting out instructions for the survivors to meet at her family's house. On the show's second season, she showcased her ability to always be ready for action and to help others when needed. Maggie's now a no-nonsense, tough-as-nails momma bear. Lauren Cohan is seen on season 11 of "TWD." Jace Downs/AMC Viewers watched as Maggie slowly lost her entire family her brothers and sisters, her beloved father, and her husband throughout the show and rarely faltered. With only her son, Hershel (named after her father), her many losses hardened her and have made her extra careful of who she trusts. Rosita entered the show looking identical to her comic book character. Christian Serratos has played Rosita since season four, episode 10 of "TWD." Gene Page/AMC Rosita was over-sexualized when she first entered the show, but she was someone who could more than hold her own. She was in a relationship with Abraham until Negan brutally killed him. Rosita has risen to become a warrior and a member of the Commonwealth's army. Rosita is seen on season 11 of "TWD." Jace Downs/AMC Rosita initially became a bit wreckless after Abraham's death. Her need to exact revenge on Negan led to the faint scar on her face. After Negan is jailed, Rosita found a renewed purpose in life when the show jumped forward in time to show that she gave birth to a daughter, Coco, with Siddiq who she now raises with Gabriel. Eugene Porter came onto the show as a liar and a bit of a creep with a mullet. Josh McDermitt has played Eugene since season four, episode 10. Gene Page/AMC Eugene secured his safety in the zombie apocalypse early on by telling others that he was the key to the zombie cure. When we first met him, he carried a torch for Rosita. Eugene finally found confidence in himself and grew his hair out even longer. Here's how Eugene looks now on season 11. Josh Stringer/Jace Downs, AMC One of the smartest survivors on "TWD," Eugene finally put his smarts to good use by manipulating Negan at one point and, eventually, setting up a radio system that allowed the group to find a community of almost 50,000, the Commonwealth. Though Rosita never returned Eugene's affections over the years, the two remain besties. And, that's OK. Eugene has found love at the Commonwealth with a woman named Max (Margot Bingham). The then-baby-faced Aaron eagerly offered shelter to Rick's group at a new community. Ross Marquand joined "TWD" as Aaron on season five, episode 10. Gene Page/AMC Aaron gave the group some much needed hope on season five, episode 10 when he recruited them to join the Alexandria community, a place the survivors have called home ever since. When we met him, Aaron had a boyfriend and always had a sunny disposition or a dad joke to lighten the mood. Aaron isn't smiling as much these days, toughened by many losses. Aaron looks a little more rough these days with a full beard. Jace Downs/AMC Like Maggie, Aaron has suffered numerous losses in his boyfriend, Eric, and his friends. In season nine, Aaron lost part of his left arm after it was crushed. Each loss has darkened his cheerful disposition a little more. One of the few bright spots in his life is his adopted daughter, Gracie, who he would go to almost any length to protect. On the show, Aaron's full beard and mace arm make him the spitting image of Rick from the comics at this point. Father Gabriel joined the series as an untrustworthy, cowardly figure. Seth Gilliam has played Father Gabriel on "TWD" since season five, episode two. Gene Page/AMC Shortly after the survivors stumbled upon Father Gabriel and his church on season five, they learned he harbored a dark secret: the priest locked his congregation out of the house of worship when the undead attacked. When Gabe first joined the group, he was largely self-interested, skeptical of Rick, and someone who seemed too cowardly to ever fire a gun. Gabriel went from a selfish and cowardly priest to a confident and caring leader and sniper. Norman Reedus and Seth Gilliam on "TWD." Jace Downs/AMC No one is messing with Gabriel these days. Despite losing the sight in one of his eyes after an illness, Gabriel's one of the best shots in Daryl's group. The priest eventually settled down with Rosita and the two have a child, though their relationship's a bit rocky. Magna and her group joined the series on season nine. Nadia Hilker has played Magna since season nine, episode five. Jackson Lee Davis/AMC Judith discovered Magna and her group in the woods when the show jumped forward six years after Rick departed the show. Magna was heavily skeptical of Michonne and Aaron's group when they first met. Magna's relationship with Yumiko has become a bit strained since we met them. Hilker has played Magna since season nine. Josh Stringer/AMC Viewers learned that Yumiko had previously represented Magna in a court case before the two fell for one another. Magna's stubborn and fiery, but fans never got a chance to learn a lot more about Magna's backstory, something Hilker recently told Insider she wished they got a chance to do. Yumiko was introduced as Magna's girlfriend. Eleanor Matsuura has played Yumiko since season nine, episode five. Gene Page/AMC We saw early on that Yumiko is skilled with a bow and because of her previous life as a lawyer, isn't quick to rush to judgment. Her ability to look at a situation and consider options before diving head first into action helps to balance out Magna. Yumiko now holds an envious role at the Commonwealth. Here's Yumiko on season 11 of "TWD." Jace Downs/AMC Because of her legal background, Yumiko was selected to act as a top lawyer in the Commonwealth community to its leader, Governor Milton (Laila Robins), and given a more current hairstyle and clothing to look the part. In the process, she also discovered that her brother, who she long thought dead, was actually alive. Unfortunately, her more elite status has fractured her relationship with Magna. Connie quickly became a fan favorite when joining the series. Lauren Ridloff joined "TWD" on season nine, episode five. Gene Page/AMC Connie became a breakout favorite of Magna's group when "TWD" introduced a deaf character, played by deaf actor Lauren Ridloff, and didn't shy away from showing the story from her perspective. As Connie said on the series, "TWD" showed that her disability was not a weakness, but a super power which never prevented her from jumping head first into danger. It just made her more aware of her surroundings. The series made an effort to show other main characters sign with Connie. Daryl, in particular, took an interest in wanting to learn American Sign Language, serving as a teachable moment for fans. Connie has been at the center of major storylines since joining the series. Connie wears her hair back on season 11 of "TWD." Josh Stringer/AMC "TWD" pushed past stereotypes so that Connie's story wasn't focused on her deafness. When the actor was cast in Marvel's "Eternals" film, she went missing. In her return, she has used her journalistic skills from before the apocalypse to help take down corruption inside the Commonwealth. Everything Connie has done to survive hasn't just been for herself, it's also been for her sister, Kelly. Kelly was introduced as Connie's younger sister on season nine. Angel Theory joined "TWD" on season nine, episode five. Gene Page/AMC In the comics, Kelly was Connie's lover, not a sibling. That show tweak ultimately delivered a more relatable familial bond between two sisters who would do anything to keep one another safe. During her short time on the series, the youngest member of Magna's group has offered some of the series' most emotional moments when she refused to give up searching for her sister after a cave-in. Kelly has one of the most personal "TWD" stories. Kelly has a new hairstyle on season 11. Josh Stringer/AMC Kelly's story arc became inspired by the actor's progressive hearing loss. In 2019, showrunner Angela Kang told Insider they were aware Angel Theory was losing more of her hearing. "Rather than fighting against that, we just thought we'd make it part of the story," Kang said. Now, thriving at the Commonwealth, Kelly can be seen on the show's last season wearing a hearing aid as she aids her sister as a member of the press. Luke rounded out Magna's group of survivors. Dan Fogler has played Luke since season nine, episode five. Gene Page/AMC Luke was introduced as probably the chillest member of Magna's group. The former music teacher made friends with Alden before his death. Luke hasn't been seen since the end of season 10. Dan Fogler on season 10 of "TWD." Jackson Lee Davis/AMC When we last saw Luke, he parted ways with Magna's group for love. He joined Jules at the Oceanside community where things were looking bleak when we last saw that area. We're expecting to see Luke return on the show's final eight episodes. Read the original article on Insider An armed police officer stays in guard as Hasidic Jewish pilgrims walk after praying at the grave of Rabbi Nachman in Uman, Ukraine. SERGEI SUPINSKY/AFP via Getty Images Hasidic Jews make an annual pilgrimage to Uman, a central Ukrainian city, during Rosh Hashanah. This year, thousands are traveling to Uman despite warnings not to, The New York Times reported. They will worship at the grave-side of the revered 19th century rabbi, Nachman of Breslov. Thousands of Hasidic Jews are defying travel warnings by heading to war-torn Ukraine for an annual pilgrimage, according to The New York Times. The pilgrims are traveling from Israel, the US, and other countries to Uman, a central Ukrainian city that features the burial site of the founder of the Breslov Hasidic movement, the paper reported. Since 1811, ultra-orthodox Jews have traveled to Uman around the time of Rosh Hashanah (the Jewish New Year 5783), which starts at sundown on Sunday, to pray at the grave of the revered rabbi, Nachman of Breslov. In usual years, tens of thousands go. This year, fewer are expected to make the trip, but some 4,000 Israeli pilgrims have already arrived, according to estimates by a spokesperson for Israeli's foreign ministry, per The Times. This number is likely to rise to 5,000 or more, the spokesperson said, according to the paper. Earlier this month, the Embassy of Ukraine in Israel urged those intending to travel for the pilgrimage not to. "Please avoid pilgrimage," said the warning posted on Facebook on September 11. "Continuous Russian attacks cause real danger to your lives!" In another warning, Ukraine's embassy in Israel asked prospective pilgrims to "pray that peace will return to Ukraine" instead of going to Uman for the Jewish new year. The US also warned against traveling to Ukraine for any purpose, explicitly advising US citizens not to travel to Uman for the Jewish new year. And Ukraine's culture minister Oleksandr Tkachenko told the Jewish Telegraph Agency that it's "clearly not the best time" to visit. "A better time will come after our victory," he said, per the news agency. Nevertheless, those who are already in the country told Israeli news media that they could hardly feel the effects of war. Story continues A Jewish tourist in Uman, identified only as Koller, told the Jewish Telegraphic Agency: "Anyway, do you see any Russian missiles? Everything is fine here. In the evening, we have our curfew, from 11 to 5, and that is it." Central Ukraine, The Times noted, is not currently as dangerous as cities in the east. However, Israeli and Ukrainian officials have warned that there have been missile strikes in the area in recent weeks, The Times said. Read the original article on Business Insider People hold banners during a solidarity protest on Sept. 25, 2022 in Krakow, Poland, for Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman who died under custody by Iran's morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. Her death has sparked national protests, and the death toll has reached 35. (Photo: Omar Marques/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) People hold banners during a solidarity protest on Sept. 25, 2022 in Krakow, Poland, for Mahsa Amini, a 22-year-old Iranian woman who died under custody by Iran's morality police for not wearing her hijab properly. Her death has sparked national protests, and the death toll has reached 35. (Photo: Omar Marques/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images) The TikTok is only 45 seconds long and the young woman in it, TikTok user @lunafairy.ir, doesnt say a word. The silence invigorates the decisive sound of scissors cutting into her thick hair. Please bring the voice of the Iranian people to the world, her caption reads. The hashtag is #mahsaamini. In another TikTok, a woman who wears a black hijab grips a pair of pink scissors, then cuts off a piece of the cloth that hangs over her shoulder, section by section. Today exactly two years ago, I started wearing hijab, @persianziba wrote in the caption. Today, I cut my hair for #mahsaamini. Users in Iran and around the world have been cutting their hair or hijabs on the platform in a radical act of autonomy that 22-year-old Mahsa Amini was denied. On September 13, Irans morality police a force that terrorizes citizens (mostly women) for what they determine is a refusal to comply with Irans strict dress code, particularly the mandatory hijab arrested Amini for not wearing her hijab properly. They then sent her to a re-education center where shed receive guidance on how to properly dress. Three days after her arrest, she was pronounced dead. Iranian officials say that Amini died as a result of a heart attack but her family says that she had no pre-existing heart conditions. Following her death, Iranians have taken to the streets to demand justice for Amini and call for abolition of the morality police and hijab law. So far, there have been eight casualties reported, consisting of protesters and pro-government militia members. Videos circulate of Iranian women protesting by publicly taking off, and even burning, their hijabs an act of defiance that could cost them their lives. The movement is active on TikTok as well, where women of the Iranian diaspora are chopping off their hair and headwear in solemn solidarity. Story continues @lunafairy.ir Mahsa Amini is a 22-year-old Iranian girl who was killed by the guidance patrol (police for compulsory hijab) due to a severe beating.Please bring the voice of Iranian people to the world #_#mahsa_amini#mahsaamini original sound - luna The demonstrations sweeping Iran and the rest of the world are just the latest in a powerful resistance against a history of authority politicizing and policing womens bodies. But its also a show of purposeful resilience in people fighting to reclaim their identity, whether that means cutting their hair or covering it. France, a nation plagued by rampant Islamophobia despite housing the largest Muslim population in western Europe, is part of this past and present. It has long waged a war against the hijab, banning them (along with other visible religious symbols) from French public schools in 2004, then outlawing full-face coverings from public places in 2010. And just last month, the French Senate introduced an anti-separatism amendment that would ban minors from wearing any conspicuous religious sign like headscarves. These bans were billed as a pursuit to achieve total secularism, and the most recent amendment seeks to ban any dress or clothing which would signify inferiority of women over men. Its kind of ironic that a government attempting to eradicate oppression on women as a whole cant see that prohibiting Muslim women from wearing whatever they want completely negates their attempts at liberating women. In the face of this gross contradiction, people have fought back with #PasToucheAMonHijab which translates to #HandsOffMyHijab a hashtag that accompanies selfies and photos of people wearing hijabs and headscarves. These photos are a gleeful, powerful celebration of identity and bodily choice, two things that the French government has deprived Muslim women of. @persianziba Today exactly two years ago I started wearing hijab, today I cut my hair for #mahsaamini , who was an Iranian woman that got unal!ved in Iran because of the mandatory hijab law. I cannot show the video of me cutting my hair out of religious reasons (On my story there is a censored version of the video) so as a symbol of solidarity I made a video cutting my scarf as well in order to spread the message. I am wearing one of our traditional Persian scarfs around me to represent my people as an Iranian woman. I cannot go into detail for my own safety, so please do the research and spread our message. #fy#fyp#foryou#foryoupage#freedom#help#helpus#iran original sound - em On the surface, the politicization of hair in Iran and France may appear to be two sides of a coin one nation enforces hijabs, the other bans it. But their motives are the same. To be (hijabi) or not to be (hijabi) is the business of no state or man, tweeted writer Yassmin Abdel-Magied. Yet, this concept seems to be too radical for governments across the world, who continue to befuddled by the sheer notion of bodily autonomy and choice. Hair has also served as a radical device to stand up to political or social authority. During the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s, afros were a proud display of Black identity that Americas racist structures attempted to erase. Afro styles became intrinsically linked with civil rights, as natural hair came to be viewed as an important symbol of the movement and its black is beautiful ethos, hair historian Rachael Gibsontold Vogue. And Seth Cardinal Dodginghorse, who has family ties to the Tsuutina Nation in Alberta, Canada, and was raised to wear his hair in braids as many Indigenous men do, grew up with the notion that cutting his hair is a tribute to those his family have lost. So, when he went viral for severing his braids in protest of a highway construction through his familys land that would ultimately displace them, the message was clear. With this, I leave a piece of me with the road, he said unwaveringly at the highways ceremony in the clip, as Calgary ministers and officers uneasily standing behind him, are watching. If theres anything that our past and present has shown, our relationship with hair varies by identity and circumstance. However, what any of us decide to do with our hair has sociopolitical implications. Aminis death is a gruesome stain on womens rights and the liberty of choice. But the response to her death is a lesson, albeit a painful one, in the willful perseverance of the protesters on TikTok and IRL, in Iran and beyond that the people are not a reflection of their governments. Digital creator Cyrus Veyssi said it best: I hope one day youll see the beauty of Iran and not the headlines that have made our country an enemy, they wrote. And I hope one day youll see the wind flow freely through the hair of all the resilient women who choose to let theirs down. This article originally appeared on HuffPost and has been updated. Related... A transient man who stabbed a man for cooperating with law enforcement in downtown Bellingham in February will spend a little less than seven years in prison. Christian Ryan Sacksteder, 23, pleaded guilty and was sentenced Monday, Sept. 19, in Whatcom County Superior Court to 6.75 years in prison, with 1.5 years probation, for second-degree assault. His prison time includes two years as part of a deadly weapon sentencing enhancement. Sacksteder was previously charged with first-degree assault while armed with a deadly weapon and intimidating a witness, a felony. His charges were amended down as part of a plea deal, according to court records. Shortly before 12:30 p.m. on Feb. 9, Bellingham police responded to a stabbing in the 1300 block of Railroad Avenue in downtown Bellingham. The 31-year-old victim told police he was being interviewed by Bellingham police detectives about a murder and Sacksteder saw him get out of a police car, the court records state. Sacksteder confronted the victim about being a snitch and then stabbed him near the ribs, records show. The victim was taken to St. Josephs hospital for treatment of his injuries, the court records state. A harassment no-contact order was put in place between Sacksteder and the victim as part of Sacksteders sentencing, records show. Sacksteder also pleaded guilty and was sentenced the same day in court to 4.75 years in prison, with 1.5 years of probation for second-degree robbery. The robbery case stems from a January 2022 incident in which Sacksteder stole items from a local Fred Meyer store and attempted to assault store employees who confronted him, court records state. Sacksteder will serve his prison time for both cases concurrently. Insider's reporter tried seven different menu items from a McDonald's in Canada and ranked them from worst to best. Joey Hadden/Insider I compared and ranked McDonald's menu items I tried while visiting Canada for the first time. I tried every item I could get my hands on that I haven't seen in my home country, the US. I think the best thing I tried was a Skor McFlurry, and the worst was a Quarter Pounder BLT. On a recent trip to Canada, I decided to try some McDonald's menu items that I don't have access to in the US. The author's McDonald's order in Niagara Falls, Canada. Joey Hadden/Insider While recently visiting Niagara Falls in Canada, I went to a familiar fast food joint McDonald's. I'm not a huge McDonald's fan because I prefer to make my own meals, but I give into fast-food cravings from time to time. Being in Canada was the perfect excuse to treat myself since they have menu items that aren't available in the US. One afternoon in Niagara Falls, I decided to try every menu item I could get my hands on that I haven't seen on US menus. I ranked them from worst to best based on the quality, flavors, and textures in each dish. The Quarter Pounder BLT cost me $6.41. It landed in seventh place on my list because the burger tasted burnt and seemed to mask the taste of the bacon. The author bites into a Quarter Pounder BLT. Joey Hadden/Insider Inside the Quarter Pounder BLT was a burger, cheese, bacon, lettuce, tomato, and mayonnaise. I like the Quarter Pounder at McDonald's in the US, so I thought it was worth trying. The first bite left me disappointed. I thought the burger tasted burned and the bacon didn't have enough flavor to overcome the bitterness of the overcooked patty. While the tomatoes tasted fresh, I thought the lettuce was slightly soggy. This burger's redeeming quality, however, was the sesame seed patty, which added a nice texture that I liked. Poutine cost me $3.71. The fries didn't hold the gravy as well as other poutine dishes I've had, landing it sixth on my list. The author tries poutine from McDonald's. Joey Hadden/Insider Poutine is a popular dish that's iconic to Canada that always has three standard ingredients fries, gravy, and cheese curds as well as other toppings like meat or veggies, in some instances. McDonald's serves it in its most basic form. Story continues I'm usually a fan of McDonald's fries because I like that they're thin with a crispy outer layer and a soft interior. But I thought they were too light for the heavy gravy and therefore weren't able to hold both textures of the sauce of cheese well. Instead of complimenting the fries, the gravy seemed to seep through their outer layers, making them taste a bit soggy, in my opinion. After trying poutine at La Banquise, a casual restaurant that serves it in Montreal, I really knew how disappointing McDonald's rendition was. The Ranch Grilled Chicken Snack Wrap costs $2.42. I thought it was a great value, but nothing about it blew me away, so it landed in fifth place for me. The author munches on a snack wrap. Joey Hadden/Insider At $2.42, the Ranch Chicken Snack Wrap cost me less than a typical cup of coffee. Inside the wrap was a piece of grilled chicken, lettuce, ranch, and cheese. One problem I often have with grilled chicken is that I find it tastes dry even when it's only slightly overcooked. That's exactly how I felt about this wrap. It didn't taste bad, and I thought the rest of the ingredients complimented it well, but it left me longing for a piece of grilled chicken that was juicier. For $.83, the Maple Iced and Caramel Filled Donut was fluffy and flavorful, though a tad too sweet, in my opinion. It ranked fourth on my list. A Maple Iced and Caramel Filled Donut from McDonald's. Joey Hadden/Insider I'm used to having an apple pie for dessert when I go to McDonald's in the US, but Canada is all about maple, so I went with the Maple Iced and Caramel Filled Donut. With caramel cream inside, maple frosting on the outside, and vanilla drizzle on top, this donut had one too many flavors, in my opinion. While delicious, each bite felt like a rush of sugar, and I found it overwhelming. I think if McDonald's took out the caramel cream or the maple icing, it would have ranked higher on my list. The Crispy Chicken and Bacon McWrap cost me $6.90, and it was worth every bite, ranking it third on my list. Inside the Crispy Chicken and Bacon McWrap. Joey Hadden/Insider This wrap took ingredients of both the chicken wrap and the BLT burger, but with far better execution, in my opinion. The wrap came with bacon, lettuce, tomato, and a mayo-style sauce. I thought the chicken was delicious and crispy with a moist interior, and the bacon flavor stood out from the chicken and complimented it well. The mayo-style sauce was light with a hint of vinegar, which I enjoyed, and the vegetables tasted fresh and weren't soggy. I would definitely order this wrap again. In second place, I chose the BLT with Crispy Chicken that cost $6.37 and was even more satisfying than the wrap thanks to a textured seeded bun. The author enjoys a Crispy Chicken BLT. Joey Hadden/Insider I love fried chicken sandwiches. It's usually my go-to order at restaurants that serve them. The Crispy Chicken BLT came with all the fixings of the similar wrap, but instead of being folded inside a soft tortilla, the ingredients were stacked between a delicious seeded bun, which gave it a more interesting texture, I thought. Taking a bite of this sandwich, I thought all of the ingredients meshed so well and the addition of the bun took it to the next level by making me feel like I was eating a hearty sandwich from a pub rather than a fast food joint. I was surprised to find it was cheaper than the wrap, too, since it seemed to include the same amount of chicken and was, in my opinion, even better. The best item I tried at McDonald's in Canada was the Skor McFlurry. For $3.09, the McFlurry included vanilla soft serve blended with pieces of Skor bar and I thought it was fantastic. The author enjoys her McFlurry the most. Joey Hadden/Insider I've always been a fan of McDonald's creamy, smooth, vanilla soft serve in the US, so I was excited to try the Skor McFlurry while in Canada. I'd never heard of a Skor bar prior to this experience, but I found it tastes a lot like a Heath bar with chocolate coating a chunk of toffee. I've had other McFlurries in the past, but I think none were as good as this one. In my opinion, the taste and texture of the chocolate and toffee complimented the vanilla ice cream better than any other topping I've tried, like Oreo or M&M. I also thought there was a perfect ratio of Skor bar to ice cream so I didn't have any chocolate-free bites. Finishing this dessert left me wanting more and wishing I could have a Skor McFlurry back in the US. Read the original article on Insider WASHINGTON President Joe Biden has won Senate confirmation for more than 80 of his nominees to be federal judges, a breakneck speed that outpaces former President Donald Trump at this juncture of his presidency. The Democratic-led Senate confirmed four new circuit court judges in the last two weeks, most recently U.S. District Judge Florence Pan to the powerful U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit, by a 52-42 vote, bringing Biden's total to 83. By contrast, Trump had installed 69 judges at this point in his tenure. Still, Biden is playing catch-up after Trump and Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell hit the gas in the second half of Trump's term and brought his total to 231 judges mostly young conservatives poised to shape American law for generations, including three Supreme Court justices who voted to overturn Roe v. Wade. Trump's total tops any first-term president since Jimmy Carter. The most recent two-term presidents, Barack Obama and George W. Bush, each secured 325 Senate-confirmed judges for district courts, circuit courts and the Supreme Court over eight years. (The numbers drop slightly when judges who were confirmed to a lower court and then elevated by the same president are counted as one.) Biden has chosen an unusually diverse slate, with high shares of Black, Latino and Asian American judges, and he has put a premium on nominees with a background as public defenders or civil rights lawyers, picking fewer prosecutors and corporate lawyers. But will Biden continue outpacing Trump and his predecessors? That question will be answered by voters in key swing states in the upcoming midterm election as they decide which party controls the Senate for the next two years. The current 50-50 split means Republicans need just one net gain to capture the majority. If Democrats hold on, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., would continue to prioritize votes on Biden's picks. He has about three months left in the current session to confirm more judges and has highlighted the judiciary to rally liberal activists around keeping the Senate in Democratic hands. Story continues I made clear confirming more of President Bidens judicial nominees would be a top priority for Senate Democrats, and were making good on our promise, he told reporters. Weve come a very long way but theres much work left to be done. If Republicans seize control, it would give McConnell, R-Ky., the power to allow or deny votes on any of Bidens nominees. Last year, he wouldnt commit to holding a vote on a Biden nominee for Supreme Court in 2023, should a seat open up, and said its highly unlikely hed let the Democrat fill a vacancy in 2024, a presidential election year. McConnell's allies say a GOP-run Senate would force Biden to pick judges who are acceptable to conservatives in order to get floor votes. Many of his current nominees don't fit that criterion. "Clearly, if we're in the majority, he'll have to consult with us on judges and other executive branch noms," Senate Minority Whip John Thune, R-S.D., told NBC News. "I assume it will affect and temper the kinds of nominees he sends up, knowing that he's going to have to get him through a Republican Senate." "They're going to have to be judges that you would expect a Republican Senate to be able to move on," he said. Image: Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) points at Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell as they arrive for a remembrance ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks on the steps of the U.S. Capitol, on September 13, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Drew Angerer / Getty Images) McConnell has previously used extraordinary tactics to keep liberal judges off the courts and to pave the way for the Senate to confirm more conservative judicial nominees under Trump. He has made it a careerlong priority to steer the courts to the right, blocking President Barack Obama from filling a Supreme Court vacancy in 2016, citing the nearing election, before confirming Trump-picked Amy Coney Barrett the week before the 2020 election. McConnell's tactics have delivered big wins for Republicans, with the new 6-3 conservative Supreme Court recently revoking the constitutional right to an abortion, expanding protections for gun owners and broadening religious rights. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., a senior member of the Judiciary Committee, said a GOP-run Senate would hand the judicial nominating process back to whoever the dark money backers of the Federalist Society want, referring to an influential conservative judicial organization with leaders who vetted Trumps judges. Brian Fallon, who runs the progressive courts group Demand Justice, said a Republican-led Senate would bring President Bidens reshaping of the judiciary to a grinding halt. The last two years have seen Biden set records in terms of the number of judges confirmed and also seen him dramatically shift the paradigm of who gets nominated. All that is at risk in November, he said. If Democrats fail to hold the Senate, it also probably means we can kiss goodbye to any hopes of Biden filling a vacancy that may unexpectedly arise on the Supreme Court. For now, Democrats' judicial focus is on the lame-duck session. Senate Judiciary Chair Dick Durbin, D-Ill., said in an interview he plans to advance more than 20 additional nominees this year. Im hoping we can do all those, plus more, he said. I think this is going to be a remarkable achievement if we do. If he remains chair for two more years, Durbin said, he intends to preserve the blue slip courtesy that allows senators to effectively veto picks for district courts that oversee their home states. Republicans ended the tradition for circuit judges in the Trump era and some liberals want to end it for district judges so that GOP senators in red states cannot block Bidens nominees for vacancies. But Durbin said: "Im sticking with it. Weve made it work." This article was originally published on NBCNews.com Flash The world's largest penguin species is facing extinction within 30 years, Australian researchers have warned. Barbara Wienecke, a senior research scientist at the Australian Antarctic Division (AAD), revealed that modeling suggests the iconic emperor penguin could be virtually extinct by 2050. Endemic to Antarctica, the emperor penguin is the largest of the 18 penguin species, growing up to 1.3 meters tall. Raising their young on fast-ice, the ice that is locked between islands or icebergs, has made emperor penguins particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change, with colonies already disappearing. "At the current rate, extinction is virtually a given," she was quoted by the News Corp Australia on Saturday. Even under the best possible scenario of a 1.5-degree temperature rise, the modeling scenarios are that most of the colonies will be quasi-extinct by 2050, she said. "That means that those colonies have shrunk so much, they have lost so much of their population, that they are not able to recover." The emperor penguin is currently listed as "near threatened" by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), but Wienecke said many experts have called for a 2023 review to "up-list" it to "endangered". She said mitigating the effects of climate change was the only way to save the species but changing its protection status would also raise awareness of the penguins' plight. An endangered listing could also lead the way for other measures such as protecting the emperor's food source including krill, fin fish and squid from being overfished. Donald Trump suggested that the reason he wanted to be president was because nobody knows his rich friends, according to an adapted excerpt from Maggie Habermans new book. The New York Times journalist sat down with Mr Trump three times for her upcoming book Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America, which chronicles his path from New York businessman to president. In one candid moment, detailed in an excerpt published in The Atlantic on Sunday, Mr Trump appeared to admit that it was his desire for fame that ultimately led him to enter the White House race. The question I get asked more than any other question: If you had it to do again, would you have done it? Mr Trump told her about running. The answer is, yeah, I think so. Because heres the way I look at it. I have so many rich friends and nobody knows who they are. Ms Haberman goes on to note that the former presidents first thought about his role in office was to be a vehicle for fame. Yet there it was: Reflecting on the meaning of having been president of the United States, his first impulse was not to mention public service, or what he felt hed accomplished, only that it appeared to be a vehicle for fame, and that many experiences were only worth having if someone else envied them, she wrote. The journalist adds that though the candid admission was jarring, it was ultimately unsurprising. When she later questioned Mr Trump about what he liked about being president, she said he answered: Getting things done, and listed a few accomplishments. In the wide-ranging excerpt, Mr Trump also makes derogatory comments about his fellow Republicans including Florida Governor Ron DeSantis who he branded fat and whiny and Senator Mitch McConnell who he slammed as a a piece of s**. But, in perhaps the biggest bombshell from the book excerpt, Ms Haberman reveals how Mr Trump denied taking documents from the White House when he left. Story continues He demurred when I asked if he had taken any documents of note upon departing the White Housenothing of great urgency, no, he said, she writes. Former President Donald Trump speaks at a rally in Wilmington on 23 September (Getty Images) Mr Trump then proceeded to contradict himself by mentioning letters sent by North Korean leader Kim Jong-un which he had taken from the White House to Mar-a-Lago. When Ms Haberman asked if he was able to take the letter with him, she says Mr Trump seemed to register her surprise and backpedaled, claiming the documents were in the National Archives. No, I think thats in the archives, but Most of it is in the archives, but the Kim Jong-un letters We have incredible things, he told her. This was later revealed to be false. In February, The Washington Post revealed that the so-called love letters from Kim were among multiple boxes of White House records seized from Mar-a-Lago by the National Archives. Fast forward to September and a criminal investigation is now under way into the former presidents unlawful retention of government secrets. The probe comes after federal agents executed a search warrant on his Palm Beach home in August and seized 27 boxes including 11 containing classified information. Some of the information was of the highest possible top secret classification, meaning it should never have left the custody of the government. In the book excerpt, Ms Haberman writes that Mr Trump also hinted that he had remained in contact with the North Korean leader even after leaving the White House. When asked whether he still had a relationship with other world leaders, she says he insisted that he was not in contact with Russias Vladimir Putin or Chinas Xi Jinping. But when asked about Kim, he replied: Well, I dont want to say exactly, but before trailing off. Ms Haberman said she later learned that Mr Trump had been telling people around Mar-a-Lago that the two men were still in contact Confidence Man will be released on 4 October. Former President Trump said Sen. Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.) kisses my ass in order to snag endorsements for his friends, according to a forthcoming book from New York Times correspondent Maggie Haberman. You know why Lindsey kisses my ass? So Ill endorse his friends, Trump said in the excerpt published Sunday in The Atlantic. The quip comes from one of three interviews Haberman conducted with the former president after he left the White House. Trump reportedly complained to Haberman, a White House correspondent throughout his administration, that Graham and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) had encouraged the former president not to endorse a challenger to Sen. Ben Sasse (R-Neb.), who voted to convict Trump in his second impeachment trial after being reelected with Trumps endorsement. Graham has long been a key Capitol Hill ally of the former president, but their relationship has been tested. The two have sparred over policy in the past, and Grahams ties to Trump put him under the spotlight of a Georgia special grand jury investigating efforts by the former president and his allies to overturn the 2020 election results in the state. Last year, Graham joked that that the pairs working relationship functions due to the common ground that he likes him, and Ive come to like him. Graham has backed Trump in his outrage over last months FBI search of the former presidents Mar-a-Lago residence, where agents recovered over 100 classified documents taken from the White House. The South Carolina senator warned of riots in the streets if Trump is prosecuted for mishandling the documents. Habermans book Confidence Man: The Making of Donald Trump and the Breaking of America is slated for publication next month. The Hill has reached out to Grahams office for comment. For the latest news, weather, sports, and streaming video, head to The Hill. New York Attorney General Letitia James laid out a strong legal case against Donald Trump, his three eldest children and the Trump Organization in her $250 million civil lawsuit but the former president may be able to drag the legal action out for several years, former prosecutors said. "This is going to be a very difficult case for the defendants to win," said Duncan Levin, a former assistant district attorney and asset forfeiture chief in the Manhattan district attorney's office. "One of the best defenses to this matter is to delay, delay, delay." James sued the Trumps and top executives at their company last week in connection with her yearslong probe into its business practices. The suit alleges more than 200 instances of fraud over 10 years and moves by Trump that "wildly exaggerated his net worth by billions of dollars." James is seeking to permanently bar members of the Trump family from serving as officers of New York-based companies, as well as monetary damages and other penalties, including a five-year ban on the former president and his company from entering into any commercial real estate acquisitions in the state. Here are some possible defenses Trump's lawyers may try: 'Lets stall this' John Moscow, a former deputy chief of the Manhattan district attorney's investigations division, said he could "see a projected defense strategy of saying, 'Let's stall this.'" Delay is always in the defendants favor, and it would allow Trump to enjoy the fruits of his alleged scheme for as long as possible, unless the courts try to hold his feet to the fire, said Moscow, now a white-collar defense lawyer, adding that such cases "can go on forever." Judges at this point should understand that Trump is "not seeking his day in court, Moscow said, pointing to his history of drawing out litigation with numerous motions and appeals. Defendants in New York can easily use various stalling tactics, Levin said, and good lawyering can draw these things out for many years. Story continues It's a 'witch hunt' Trump has denied any wrongdoing. He and his lawyer Alina Habba have called James' lawsuit a politically motivated "witch hunt." They used that argument in a federal lawsuit filed late last year to stop the probe, contending that it was guided solely by political animus and a desire to harass, intimidate, and retaliate against a private citizen who she views as a political opponent. To bolster the claim, they pointed to disparaging statements James had made about Trump including one to NBC News after her 2018 election that she planned to use every area of the law to investigate" transactions made by the Trump family and their business. A judge dismissed the suit in May, finding that James' probe had a legitimate factual" basis, but Trump and his lawyers and allies have continued to try to undermine the credibility of the investigation in public remarks. If Trump is re-elected in 2024, Moscow said, he could even seek to delay the lawsuit for the duration of his next potential term by re-invoking past arguments he has made in other lawsuits surrounding presidential power. Their number one defense is in the court of public opinion," Levin said. New York Attorney General Letitia James (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images) 'Never had a complaint' In posts on social media and an interview with Fox News after the suit was filed, Trump began laying out his own defenses to James' claims. He argued that there is no allegation that any of the supposedly duped banks and insurers were harmed and that the financial statements included disclosures saying they had not been audited. James, Trump wrote on Truth Social, "is spending all of her time fighting for very powerful and well represented banks and insurance companies, who were fully paid, made a lot of money, and never had a complaint about me." But the former prosecutors say those arguments are unlikely to succeed in court, because James won't need to prove harm suffered by any victims for Trump to lose. The lack of damages might be a mitigating factor for Trump when it comes time a judge to decide on financial penalties, but it wouldn't get him off the hook, Levin said. Just because the banks got paid back their money "doesnt mean a crime hasnt been committed." Moscow noted that the suit which alleges that Trump and his company violated a New York law targeting those who commit repeated fraud or illegal acts in business transactions doesnt actually seek money damages on behalf of the banks and insurance companies. It does, however, seek a remedy that would require Trump to give up the profits he pocketed from his alleged illegal or wrongful conduct conducts, including inflating his financial statements to obtain more favorable loans and lower premiums. Blame it on the banks A route Trump might take with some success, Levin said, would be to heap blame on the banks for not noticing that the valuations were too rosy. "The core of that argument is the financial statements that were relied upon by these banks were marked as non-audited financials," Levin said. "While the AG is making the statement that the valuations are far outside what they should be, the other part is the people who were on the receiving end of these financial statements were sophisticated Wall Street banks. They know how to read these financial statements." But that is unlikely to deliver Trump a win, Levin said, as James' "incredibly thorough" complaint alleges that the company had falsely claimed that its statements were prepared in conformity with generally accepted accounting principles and that many of the valuations were so outsized including saying a property valued at $200 million on Wall Street was worth over $500 million that they couldnt reasonably be considered honest mistakes or typical accounting tricks. "It's going to be very difficult to overcome some of that," Levin said of the inflated financial statements. Moscow also believes Trump and his company will struggle to explain away many of their alleged misrepresentations, such as his claim that his Trump Tower apartment was 30,000 square feet when it was really 10,000 square feet. Trump would have been well aware of the size of the apartment because he built it; he lived there," Moscow said. The civil suit is the culmination of a yearslong investigation by James' office into the Trump Organization's business practices, during which the former president and his son Eric Trump invoked their Fifth Amendment rights against self-incrimination hundreds of times to evade deposition by investigators. (Sources have said neither Ivanka Trump nor Donald Trump Jr. claimed the privilege during their depositions.) While taking the Fifth cant be used against a defendant in criminal court, asserting the privilege in New York civil cases can be used to draw an adverse inference against the person testifying. Trump has been in the crosshairs of the attorney generals office before, including for actions involving Trump University and the Trump Foundation, which were settled for $25 million and $2 million, respectively. Asked whether she hoped to settle the business fraud case, James told reporters last week that while she has already rejected settlement offers from Trump's side, her "door is always open" to reach an agreement out of court. Trump indicated that isn't likely, telling Fox News host Sean Hannity in an interview Wednesday, I didnt want to settle, because how can you? Even if I paid a very small amount, youre sort of admitting guilt." Editor's note: Duncan Levin represented former Trump Organization CFO Allen Weisselberg's ex-daughter-in-law, who turned over evidence about the familys finances to the attorney general and the district attorneys office last year. This article was originally published on NBCNews.com The Memphis Police Department is searching for two men for allegedly burglarizing multiple cars. Police responded to a burglary of cars in the 5000 Block of Scottsdale on Sept. 24. MPD said items were stolen from the victims cars. One male was armed with a dark-colored handgun and the second male was armed with an AK-47-style pistol, MPD said. Both men are in their late teens to mid-20s, police said. MPD released pictures of the suspect on Facebook. Anyone with information regarding this incident is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 901-528-2274 (CASH) Download the FOX13 Memphis app to receive alerts from breaking news in your neighborhood. CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD Trending stories: Support local journalism. Unlock unlimited digital access to floridatoday.com Click here and subscribe today. A Mississippi man faces three counts of DUI serious bodily injury after he drove the wrong way on U.S. 1 and crashed his sport-utility vehicle into a car early Sunday morning in Titusville, the Florida Highway Patrol reported. The crash which injured two Titusville residents happened just after 3:20 a.m. on U.S. 1 just south of Dairy Road, near Chain of Lakes Park. Bryan Holifield, 47, of Leakesville, Mississippi, was driving a 2004 Toyota Sequoia northbound on southbound U.S. 1 when the crash occurred, troopers said in a press release. Two occupants of this 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse were airlifted to hospitals after Sunday's DUI wrong-way crash on U.S. 1 in Titusville. Read more: Hurricane threat from Ian prompts preparations for flooding, power outages in Brevard Also: Tropical Storm Ian threatens waterlogged Space Coast with more flooding, forecasters warn Holifield's SUV struck the front left of an oncoming 2002 Mitsubishi Eclipse which overturned and came to a rest in the grassy median. The driver of the Eclipse, a 20-year-old Titusville man, was airlifted with critical injuries to Holmes Regional Medical Center in Melbourne. His passenger in the Eclipse, an 18-year-old Titusville woman, was airlifted with serious injuries to Orlando Regional Medical Center. A Leakesville, Mississippi, man drove this 2004 Toyota Sequoia the wrong way on U.S. 1 and crashed into a car early Sunday morning in Titusville, the Florida Highway Patrol reported. Holifield, who suffered minor injuries, was transported to Parrish Medical Center in Titusville. His passenger, another 47-year-old man from Leakesville, Mississippi, was transported with serious injuries to Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach. Troopers also charged Holifield with DUI property damage/personal injury, DUI alcohol and driving on the wrong side of the roadway. He was booked into the Brevard County Jail Complex. The crash remains under investigation. Rick Neale is the South Brevard Watchdog Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY (for more of his stories, click here.) Contact Neale at 321-242-3638 or rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter: @RickNeale1 Support local journalism. Subscribe today. This article originally appeared on Florida Today: DUI wrong-way crash on U.S. 1 injures two Titusville residents Five rescue workers in the Philippines have been killed in a typhoon that has left homes flooded and millions without electricity. They were washed away in flash floods while carrying out operations in the district of San Miguel, north of the capital Manila. The district was among those hit hard by Typhoon Noru, with some residents seen stranded on their roofs, while others waded through chest-high garbage strewn waters, attempting to pass on supplies. The typhoon caused gusts of up to 240km/h (149mph) on Luzon, where more than half of the country's 110 million population live. Noru, known locally as Karding, first made landfall as a super typhoon, but later weakened at 20:20 local time (12:20 GMT) on Sunday. It is expected to leave the Philippines by Monday evening. In San Vincente, a village in San Miguel, one man was seen futilely trying to brush water away from his door. Another, standing on top of the rooftop of her home, shouted that the country's leaders needed to "focus on climate change". Floods in the village peaked at around 04:00 in the morning, and waters are said to be receding. San Miguel has been hit especially hard by the floods Some residents are attempting to scoop water up, without much success More than 74,000 people had been evacuated from the typhoon's path, and officials had earlier issued warnings of "serious flooding" in areas of the capital, Manila. But so far there have been no reports of severe damage or widespread loss of life. "I think we may have gotten lucky, at least this time," said Philippines president Ferdinand Marcos during a briefing on Monday. "I think it's clear from what we did these last two days is that, very, very important, is preparation," he added. "It's not yet over. I think the point when we can stand down is when the majority of evacuees are already back in their homes," he said. Mr Marcos has ordered that supplies be airlifted and clean-up equipment provided to communities that have been most affected. Close to 75,000 people were evacuated from their homes in anticipation of the typhoon's landfall In Quezon Province, east of Manila, fishermen had earlier been prevented from heading to sea, and there were reports of some areas being without power. Story continues Flights and ferry services have been cancelled. On Luzon, President Marcos suspended all government work and school classes were also cancelled. In Dingalan municipality, northeast of Manila and on the Pacific coast, residents were forced to seek shelter. The typhoon left heavy flooding across several provinces as authorities rushed to get aid to thousands of evacuees. Trading on the country's stock exchange will also be suspended on Monday and Mr Marcos warned that the energy ministry had placed on high alert all energy-related industries in the county. Thousands of volunteers are monitoring river levels, bridges and mountains for landslides which could hamper rescue efforts, said Dick Gordon, chairman of the Philippine Red Cross. Information will be crucial in getting help to where it is needed, he said. The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,000 islands in the Pacific Ocean, is highly vulnerable to storms. It sees an annual average of 20 tropical storms. An estimated 400 people died when Typhoon Rai hit the country in December 2021, with rescue teams describing scenes of "complete carnage". And in 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful tropical storms ever recorded, killed some 6,300 people. Map Additional reporting by Elsa Maishman Ukraine released nine border guards from Russian captivity It is noted Ukraine has managed to return nine border guards from captivity who courageously defended the city of Mariupol to the last. All of them have already been examined by doctors. Their physical and psychological condition is poor, the report says. Each case confirms the conditions in which Russia keeps our prisoners of war are terrible and inhuman. Read also: ICRC did not visit captive Ukrainian POWs in Russia, ombudsman says According to the service, the fighters are currently provided with appropriate clothing and basic necessities, as well as communication means. In addition, work is underway to restore their documents and obtain living funds for them. The treatment and rehabilitation of the fighters is being done entirely at the expense of state-supported medical institutions. Earlier the patronage service of the Azov Regiment reported the soldiers released from Russian captivity were in a shocking condition, with almost all 215 of them in an extreme state of emaciation due to starvation. Read also: Ukraine preparing for new prisoner swaps, says intelligence Ukraine returned 215 people, including 108 defenders of the Azovstal Steelworks in Mariupol, from Russian captivity on Sept. 21, as part of a large prisoner swap with Russia. The 215 people released from Russian captivity included military personnel from the State Border Guard Service, the National Police, Ground and Naval Forces, National Guard of Ukraine, territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, State Customs Service, etc. The prisoner swap took place in Ukraines Chernihiv Oblast. At the same time, five Azov commanders were sent to Turkey under personal guarantees of protection provided by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the agreements, all of them will stay in Turkey until the end of the war in Ukraine. The list of those released from Russian captivity also included 10 foreigners, with some being sentenced to death by a sham court in Russian-occupied Donbas. All of them arrived in Saudi Arabia, which acted as a mediator. Story continues Read also: Serbia wont recognize results of fake referendums in Ukraine Five commanders who were present at the Azovstal Steelworks in Mariupol were exchanged for 55 Russian prisoners of war. At the same time, Ukraine exchanged 200 of its citizens for Viktor Medvedchuk, the former leader of the Opposition Platform For Life Party (banned in June 2022), who has been charged with treason. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Ukraine constantly replenishes the Read also: Who was swapped and why: Ukraines largest prisoner swap of the war The Coordination Headquarters (for the Treatment of Prisoners of War) is working on this issue, he said. Therefore, without a break, after this exchange, after this return, preparations are already underway in parallel for the next exchanges. And as General (Ukrainian intelligence chief Kyrylo) Budanov said, we will return everyone. Read also: Azov fighters who survived Olenivka among those returning home in latest prisoner swap According to Yusov, Ukraine has a sufficient exchange fund, which is constantly being replenished. Today, the Armed Forces of Ukraine both in the east and south, in the Kharkiv and Kherson areas are doing everything possible to actively replenish the exchange fund, the spokesman said. And this process continues. Ukraine returned 215 people, including 108 defenders of the Azovstal Steelworks in Mariupol, from Russian captivity on Sept. 21, as part of a large prisoner swap with Russia. The 215 people released from Russian captivity included military personnel from the State Border Guard Service, the National Police, Ground and Naval Forces, National Guard of Ukraine, territorial defense of the Armed Forces of Ukraine, State Customs Service, etc. Read also: Ukrainian defenders return from Russian captivity photo report The prisoner swap took place in Ukraines Chernihiv Oblast. At the same time, five Azov commanders were sent to Turkey under personal guarantees of protection provided by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. According to the agreements, all of them will stay in Turkey until the end of the war in Ukraine. The list of those released from Russian captivity also included 10 foreigners, with some being sentenced to death by a sham court in Russian-occupied Donbas. All of them arrived in Saudi Arabia, which acted as a mediator. Five commanders who were present at the Azovstal Steelworks in Mariupol were exchanged for 55 Russian prisoners of war. At the same time, Ukraine exchanged 200 of its citizens for Viktor Medvedchuk, the former leader of the Opposition Platform For Life Party (banned in June 2022), who has been charged with treason. Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine Just a handful of kilometres from the frontline, a shattered village school in the southern Mykolaiv region is a stark sign of the war damage inflicted by Russia on Ukrainian education. Small desks are topped with a layer of rubble and dust, while the front of the building, facing enemy lines, has been gutted from repeated shelling. At the back, a collapsed roof and wall expose the school gymnasium to the elements. Charred car wrecks squat beside the battered, abandoned playground. The Russian army has passed through the village twice since the war began and left the school intact both times, Sergiy, head of the village municipality, told AFP. But once Ukrainian troops took up position there "the Russians realised their mistake and bombed everything," the 51-year-old said by telephone from Mykolaiv city where he now lives. In the heavily-shelled village most roofs have now been blown off. Only 25 residents still live there out of a population of some 1,700, he said. By day, the streets are deserted -- the silence broken only by the nearby roar of artillery. Ukraine launched a counter-offensive three weeks ago, but its results are still difficult to assess in the region. On Thursday, the village received a missile strike that gouged a five-metre-deep crater in a vacant plot -- a "Russian gift", according to Lieutenant Andriy Grushelsky. "The bomb must have weighed at least a ton. Thank God, it fell 20 metres from our camp, otherwise I wouldn't be talking to you today," he told AFP. But the "quite beautiful" village school was less fortunate, he said. According to UNESCO, citing Ukrainian Ministry of Education figures, almost 300 schools have been destroyed since the invasion began, and over 2,550 damaged. Sergiy fondly remembers the building where 190 children studied from kindergarten to high-school. His wife ran its computer lab, while his eldest child was a graduate, and his youngest a pupil -- until Russia invaded seven months ago. Story continues "We invested so much time and effort to make the school the best it could be. The classes were magnificent. Even our canteen was better than elsewhere," he said. - 'Our children's future' - Inside what's left of the premises, letters painted beside drawings on remnants of a classroom wall look down on upturned broken furniture and books thrown across the floor. "The Russians deliberately targeted the school. I hate them," said Sergiy. UNESCO Director General Audrey Azoulay has regularly called for "the cessation of attacks against places of education, teachers and students". But on the ground, schools often cannot provide enough shelter, or are in disputed territory, or parents are too afraid to send their children there. Amid all the fighting, Ukraine authorities say that some 40 percent of Ukrainian pupils have only started back for their school year online. In a nearby village also visited by AFP on Saturday, a mortar shell exploded in front of a pretty brick schoolhouse, blowing out most of the windows. "My soul is wrenched from my body when I see this destruction," said Alla Kovalenko, parent of a former pupil. A photo on Kovalenko's phone shows her son waltzing his girlfriend at a school-leaving ceremony last year. Now the staircase where it took place is covered in scars from bomb shrapnel. "If I could, I would take the Russian soldiers and I would cut them millimetre by millimetre," she said bitterly. "They not only deprive us of our schools, but also of our children's future." jf/pmu/rox VALENTYNA ROMANENKO SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022, 16:17 A Ukrainian anti-aircraft defence unit has shot down an Iranian-made Shahed-136 kamikaze drone that Russians were using to attack Mykolaiv. Source: public relations service of Air Command Pivden (South) Quote: "On 25 September, at about 15:00, units of the air defence of Air Command Pivden (South) shot down a Shahed-136 kamikaze drone, which the Russian occupying forces were using to attack Mykolaiv." Background: On 25 September, the Russian occupiers attacked the centre of Odesa with Iranian-made kamikaze Shahed-136 drones; a fire broke out as a result. A UAV was shot down by air defence units. See also: Ukraine's Air Force explains how to shoot down Iranian-made drones deployed by Russia Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda! BIRMINGHAM, Ala. Two U.S. military veterans who disappeared three months ago while fighting with Ukrainian forces against Russia arrived home to Alabama on Saturday, greeted by hugs, cheers and tears of joy at the states main airport. Alex Drueke, 40, and Andy Huynh, 27, had disappeared June 9 in the Kharkiv region of northeastern Ukraine near the Russian border. The Alabama residents were released as part of a prisoner exchange. The pair had traveled to Ukraine on their own and bonded over their shared home state. Andy Huynh, left, and Alex Drueke, right, are seen arriving at Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. (Kim Chandler/AP) Its them! a family member shouted as the pair appeared at the top of an escalator at the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, one of Alabamas largest cities. Smiling but looking tired, the two were pulled into long emotional hugs by family members after their connecting flight home. Then they were whisked to a waiting car. Surreal. I still have chill bumps. I always imagined this day. I always held not just hope but belief in this day. But I thought it was going to be two or three years from now at best, said Druekes aunt, Dianna Shaw. There are prisoners of war who have been held for months and years. There are people who have been detained wrongfully for years and for this to come about in three months is, just, unimaginable to me, she added. Even though Im living it, it feels unimaginable, and I dont want people to forget all the Ukrainians who are still being held. Andy Huynh, far left, and Alex Drueke, right, are seen leaving Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022. (Kim Chandler/AP) The families of the two men announced their release on Wednesday. The men were among 10 prisoners released by Russian-backed separatists as part of a prisoner exchange mediated by Saudi Arabia. The Saudi embassy said five British nationals and others from Morocco, Sweden and Croatia also were freed. Darla Black, whose daughter is engaged to Huynh, said she thought, there he is. There he is as Huynh came into view. I had to get my hands on him to actually believe it. Im just overwhelmed with gratitude. We got our miracle, Black said. The men had arrived Friday at New Yorks John F. Kennedy International Airport. Were looking forward to spending time with family and well be in touch with the media soon, Drueke said shortly after arriving in New York with Huynh. Happy to be home. A 76-year-old died after wedding guests helped pull him from a sunken SUV at a Connecticut marina, police said. The man, identified by officials as Steven Mark Wahle, drove the vehicle into the water behind the Saybrook Point Inn Resort and Marina in Old Saybrook just after 10 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 24, according to a news release from the Old Saybrook Police Department. A group of people attending a wedding celebration, including an off-duty police officer from Massachusetts, and inn workers jumped into the water and pulled Wahle out of the SUV, police said. They were doing CPR when first responders arrived. Wahle was taken to a hospital, where he was pronounced dead, according to police. Police said he was the only person in the SUV. The Department extends its condolences to Mr. Wahles family and friends, Old Saybrook Police Chief Michael A. Spera said in the news release. I commend the brave efforts of the citizen responders who risked their own lives, in attempt to save the life of a complete stranger. The SUV was pulled from the water and seized by police. Police said they are investigating the incident and ask anyone with information to call 860-395-3142. Old Saybrook is about 30 miles east of New Haven. Women call 911 from sinking car after accidentally driving down boat ramp in Colorado Child trapped 10 minutes underwater in sinking pickup truck, Utah sheriff says Worst 10 minutes of my life. Woman survives car being swallowed by NJ sinkhole Woman pulled through window seconds before sinkhole swallows car in Texas, video shows Insiders at Wells Fargo & Company (NYSE:WFC) sold US$1.0m worth of stock at an average price of US$44.44 a share over the past year, making the most of their investment. After the stock price dropped 8.0% last week, the company's market value declined by US$13b, but insiders were able to mitigate their losses. While we would never suggest that investors should base their decisions solely on what the directors of a company have been doing, logic dictates you should pay some attention to whether insiders are buying or selling shares. See our latest analysis for Wells Fargo Wells Fargo Insider Transactions Over The Last Year In the last twelve months, the biggest single sale by an insider was when the insider, Kleber Santos, sold US$1.0m worth of shares at a price of US$44.44 per share. So we know that an insider sold shares at around the present share price of US$40.41. While insider selling is a negative, to us, it is more negative if the shares are sold at a lower price. In this case, the big sale took place at around the current price, so it's not too bad (but it's still not a positive). Kleber Santos was the only individual insider to sell shares in the last twelve months. You can see a visual depiction of insider transactions (by companies and individuals) over the last 12 months, below. If you click on the chart, you can see all the individual transactions, including the share price, individual, and the date! If you like to buy stocks that insiders are buying, rather than selling, then you might just love this free list of companies. (Hint: insiders have been buying them). Does Wells Fargo Boast High Insider Ownership? Looking at the total insider shareholdings in a company can help to inform your view of whether they are well aligned with common shareholders. I reckon it's a good sign if insiders own a significant number of shares in the company. Wells Fargo insiders own 0.07% of the company, currently worth about US$113m based on the recent share price. This kind of significant ownership by insiders does generally increase the chance that the company is run in the interest of all shareholders. Story continues What Might The Insider Transactions At Wells Fargo Tell Us? The fact that there have been no Wells Fargo insider transactions recently certainly doesn't bother us. While we feel good about high insider ownership of Wells Fargo, we can't say the same about the selling of shares. So these insider transactions can help us build a thesis about the stock, but it's also worthwhile knowing the risks facing this company. At Simply Wall St, we found 1 warning sign for Wells Fargo that deserve your attention before buying any shares. But note: Wells Fargo may not be the best stock to buy. So take a peek at this free list of interesting companies with high ROE and low debt. For the purposes of this article, insiders are those individuals who report their transactions to the relevant regulatory body. We currently account for open market transactions and private dispositions, but not derivative transactions. Have feedback on this article? Concerned about the content? Get in touch with us directly. Alternatively, email editorial-team (at) simplywallst.com. This article by Simply Wall St is general in nature. We provide commentary based on historical data and analyst forecasts only using an unbiased methodology and our articles are not intended to be financial advice. It does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any stock, and does not take account of your objectives, or your financial situation. We aim to bring you long-term focused analysis driven by fundamental data. Note that our analysis may not factor in the latest price-sensitive company announcements or qualitative material. Simply Wall St has no position in any stocks mentioned. Join A Paid User Research Session Youll receive a US$30 Amazon Gift card for 1 hour of your time while helping us build better investing tools for the individual investors like yourself. Sign up here Second in a series regarding Panhandle values and quality of life. Hard work is a well-understood value in many places. West Texas A&M University appreciates its import. In the Texas Panhandle, it's a fact of life. Diane Meyer claims hard work is a core of Texas' legacy. She records: Laborum Dulce Lenimen is engraved across a wooden mantle in the Hansford County, Texas, home of Joel and Joyce Lackey. Translated, "the sweet solace of my labors" reminds family of rewards earned, and embodies the spirit of grandsons Chandler, Collin and Chance Bowers. The three have an eye for quality and opportunity that sustains the family legacy and predicts success in the cattle business." Panhandle people appreciate hard work. Studs Terkel, in his groundbreaking effort to catalog various aspects of work, creatively entitled "Working," reported this conversation with Mike Lefevre, a steelworker who lived in Cicero, Illinois, on the outskirts of the Windy City, on the shores of the greatest of lakes, regarding his toils in the steel mill: We handle between forty and fifty thousand pounds of steel a day (laughs). I know this is hard to believe from four hundred pounds to three- and fourpound pieces. It's dying. You can't take pride any more. You remember when a guy could point to a house he built, how many logs he stacked. He built it and he was proud of it. I don't really think I could be proud if a contractor built a home for me. I would be tempted to get in there and kick the carpenter in the ass (laughs), and take the saw away from him. 'Cause I would have to be part of it, you know. One joy of productive work is seeing effort contribute to something larger than oneself. Mary Barra worked hard daily and became General Motor's first female CEO in 2013. Her work with GM started when she was 18. Fortune magazine records her evolution from that challenging start as a part inspector in Pontiac, Michigan, simultaneously enrolled as an engineering student at GM's University in a commitment that couldn't be described as anything but "hard work." Thirty-three years later, Barra found herself at the top of a legendary corporate ladder. She worked hard, worked smart, accepted challenges, unfairness and took advantage of the simple concept of opportunity. No guarantees. Spit and persistence, from parts proprietor to the president. Story continues Dr. Walter Wendler, President of West Texas A&M University Ralph de la Vega, an immigrant from Havana, was separated from his parents at the airport, on Monday, July 1, 1962, as a 10-year-old. He flew to freedom's shores in Miami, Florida, on his own. From that challenging start, he became President and CEO of AT&T Mobility and Consumer Markets. He reports his astonishing trek and the power of hard work in his book "Obstacles Welcome." He spoke at WT last year and his message resonated with all. Remarkably, he was trained and mentored by WT graduate Stan Sigman who embodied the Panhandle work ethic and became a wireless industry visionary. Hard work is contagious. Any organization, especially a university that does not value hard work cheats those who aspire to life experiences that support and stimulate growth. Entitlement is no kin to hard work but its enemya suffocating lie that pilfers progress. According to Joshua Becker, hard work leads to personal development, benefits society, is an example to kids, provides important life lessons, makes the most of your hours and is fulfilling in and of itself. Whether a steelworker, rancher or corporate CEOhard work is noble. The value of hard work is universal, detached from geography, birth or burden of circumstance or even the nature of the work itself. From the Texas Panhandle to Chicago to Havana, Cuba or Atlanta, Georgia, people work hard and achieve various measures of success, recognized in different ways. Even with thoughtful application of ideas and circumstances, hard work alone may not yield desired outcomes. Norm Lach, my friend from Southern Illinois, said, "He may be smarter than I am, but he won't outwork me." That is the heart of satisfaction. Or, is it the satisfaction of the heart? Forbes suggests that all entrepreneurial success requires hard work but does not guarantee success. The satisfaction of hard work should be appreciated for what it is rather than what it may or may not yield. Too often, universities proclaim by default or design that hard work will guarantee material success. Instead, the internal satisfaction of doing our best regardless of the result should guide us daily. The concepts are not new and were recorded nearly 2,500 years ago in the 13th chapter of the Book of Proverbs: "A sluggard's appetite is never filled, but the desires of the diligent are fully satisfied." Space, circumstance and time cannot separate us from the universal value many West Texans hold dear. Hard work is its reward and can never be overlooked as a foundation for a fulfilling life. A university that does not adhere to hard work in its heart and soul is not a university at all. Walter V. Wendler is President of West Texas A&M University. His weekly columns are available at https://walterwendler.com/. This article originally appeared on Amarillo Globe-News: Wendler commentary: The value of hard work Wheel of Fortunes host Pat Sajak is currently receiving a ton of backlash on social media. The longtime game show host is getting blasted on Twitter after a photo surfaced of him posing with Georgia Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene and Right Side Broadcasting Network reporter Bryan Glenn. The photo appears to have been taken earlier this month and has prompted the internet to add its own context. Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene is known for her extreme right-wing views. Pat Sajaks most recent photo has the internet talking simply because of the people he is seen posing with. Greene, is known for her extreme right-wing views. Shes even made a hobby of harassing mass-shooting victims and thinks that Sandy Hook massacre denier Alex Jones got a raw deal in court. As for Bryan Glenn, he is a reporter for the Right Side Broadcasting Network. The original tweet came from Patriot Takes, an anonymous social media account that purports to monitor and expose right-wing extremism and other threats to democracy, according to its description on the platform. Wheel of Fortune host Pat Sajak with Marjorie Taylor Greene and RSBN reporter Bryan Glenn. pic.twitter.com/3dbUygSqDy PatriotTakes (@patriottakes) September 18, 2022 Twitter users are dragging Pat Sajak for posing with Marjorie Taylor Greene and Bryan Glenn Not long after the photo of Pat Sajak posing with Green and Glenn surfaced online, many took to Twitter to call out the Wheel of Fortune host for being in such company. "First Chuck Woolery. Now Pat Sajak. Are all game show hosts trash?" Former HuffPoster Marc Lamont Hill of BET tweeted. First Chuck Woolery. Now Pat Sajak. Are all game show hosts trash? https://t.co/Nc0mThlFap Marc Lamont Hill (@marclamonthill) September 18, 2022 "It's #WheelOfFacism! STARRING....#PatSajak & #Vanna #WhiteSupremacist (aka #MarjorieTaylorGreen) Spinning truth into crazy conspiracies to steal the deal!" someone else wrote. "How nice of Pat Sajak to show his true colors. Spin that Wheel of Fortune," another user tweeted. The iconic Pittsburgh store, Wholeys Market celebrated its 110th anniversary Saturday. Robert Wholey & Co Inc. was founded in 1912. The store currently sits on Penn Avenue in the citys strip district. The store offered a wide spread of festivities for their anniversary celebration including cooking classes, a photo booth and a visit from the Pittsburgh Penguins mascot, Iceburgh. Raffles were available to visitors, who had the chance to win artwork made by Pittsburgh artist Johno Prascak, a Sarris Candy gift basket, $110 worth of crab legs or $110 worth of steak. Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts. Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW TRENDING NOW: 1 man killed, another hurt in shooting in Pittsburghs Hill District neighborhood Inmate found unresponsive at Allegheny County Jail later dies at hospital Juvenile injured after police pursuit ends in Pittsburgh neighborhood, 1 person arrested VIDEO: Braddock Carnegie Library to undergo major transformation DOWNLOAD the Channel 11 News app for breaking news alerts Today, Xenia Community Schools will hold a Curriculum Fair to help families learn about whats being taught in their schools. The Instructional Services Department will host the open house-style event at McKinley Elementary for students of all grades. >>Active shooter reports at area high schools deemed hoax; FBI investigating The event will be from 6:00 p.m. until 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 27. Families will have the opportunity to learn about the curriculum used in classes at the event. As a district, we are working hard to increase ways for our families to know what is happening in our buildings across the district, and this event is just one more way to communicate clearly with our families, said Dr. Gabriel Lofton, Superintendent. While much of this information can be found online, especially with our core curriculum, there really is no substitute for talking directly to a teacher who is implementing lessons daily in their classroom. OLHA HLUSHCHENKO SUNDAY, 25 SEPTEMBER 2022, 03:48 President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine said that Ukraine will retaliate against every Russian strike. Source: President Zelenskyys video address Quote: "We will retaliate against every strike of the aggressor, [against strikes on] Zaporizhzhia and Kharkiv, Mykolaiv, Nikopol, Donbas, [and on] all our cities and regions... We will absolutely liberate our entire country, from Kherson to Luhansk Oblast, from Crimea and I emphasise that to Donetsk Oblast. We will not let the occupier go unpunished. Every murderer and torturer will be brought to justice for what they did against us, the Ukrainian people." Journalists fight on their own frontline. Support Ukrainska Pravda or become our patron! We are witnesses to something remarkable with the death of Queen Elizabeth and the accession to the throne of her son, now titled King Charles III. It points to an ineffable spiritual dimension to the life of nations. The founders of our nation were products of the Age of Reason, and their focus was on how to set up a mechanism for controlling how power would be wielded. Their government was to be headed by an executive the president whose powers would be limited. George Washington went out of his way not to be a king, which is what the American Revolution rose up against. The Mother Country England, Great Britain, the United Kingdom had a history of monarchy but evolved to create a separation between the monarchy and power. The king (or queen) remained but played a role apart from the power to run the country. What was left, for that role, once power had been taken away and only the ceremonial role of head of state remained? The death of Queen Elizabeth after so long a reign, of 70 years reveals that a great deal still remained. Even though she did not wield actual governmental power, the huge outpouring of feeling mourning her death, celebrating the meaning of her long reign is proof beyond doubt that Queen Elizabeth II was important to the life of that nation. Emotionally important. Spiritually important. Elizabeth seems to have functioned as a personification of the soul of the nation, a human figure who embodied the identity of a collectivity made up of many tens of millions of people (as well as, to a lesser extent, many nations that had historically been part of the British Empire). While some are focusing attention on the dark side of the institution of the monarchy how the royals are connected with a history of imperialism, how the wealth of the family is kept unaccountable the huge throngs of ordinary Britons waiting many hours to pay their respects to a queen lying in state is testimony to something of great importance this monarch meant to that nations people. How did the queen earn this outpouring of appreciation and respect? It is not as though she and her family have had a smooth ride. Her familys troubles one sons shabby treatment of his celebrated wife, another sons apparent involvement in very tawdry, if not criminal, matters, etc. have been played out in public. And the U.K.s especially vicious tabloid press has made the most of every available scandal. But for 70 years, the British nation has watched a queen be an exemplary role model for putting duty and service to the nation foremost. History is full of powerful and privileged people who have used their position for purely self-serving ends. In Elizabeth II, the U.K. got a person more than usually willing to put selfish interests aside to do whatever she could see the nation required of her. (And she has been careful to steer clear of most political controversies in which the nation was embroiled, When she has spoken to the nation as in the midst of the COVID pandemic it has generally been to comfort, to reassure, to encourage. To care for the nation rather than to be a combatant.) Doubtless, that spirit of dutiful service shines especially brightly at a time when the nation is still coping with the self-inflicted wound of Brexit and when the nations prime minister has lately been drummed out of office for conduct that was self-indulgent, dishonest, and contemptuous of the notion that with great office comes great responsibility. Doubtless, this queens fulfillment of her role with dignity has been especially valuable to a nation that is still absorbing its fall, over the past century, from the status of great power to a relatively middling player in world politics. What all this shows is that we human beings are wired so that much that is meaningful to us is best grasped when it is embodied in a human being. Queen Elizabeth wasnt just one human being among almost 70 million in the United Kingdom. As a monarchic head of state, the queen had the job of being the container for the nations self-image. And these throngs paying tribute to her are expressing their gratitude for the national identity that the queen personified for that nation and the world. Now at last comes to the throne her son, as King Charles III. Everyone has witnessed his human shortcomings over the decades that he has been the king-to-be. But I expect that he will fill his role impeccably perhaps not so impeccably as his mother, but to an admirable degree. That expectation is based on several factors: Charles is in his 70s, and has had an extraordinarily long time to contemplate what kind of king he would like to be and how he would like to be seen. He seems to take his responsibility seriously, and to understand that his mother is a tough act to follow. The difficulties he has faced the challenges he could not always gracefully surmount seemed to have ingrained a humility in him. So I expect that his focus will be trying to fulfill his task as monarch as creditably as he can. Andy Schmookler is a prize-winning author. Many of his works can be found at www.ABetterHumanStory.org. TOKYO, Sep 23 ( NHK ) - Workers at Tokyo's Haneda Airport are busy closing off hundreds of luggage lockers to prevent explosives from being planted, ahead of former Prime Minister Abe Shinzo's state funeral on Tuesday. Many foreign dignitaries will visit Japan for the funeral to be held on September 27 in Tokyo. Special flights are expected to arrive at the airport. The airport has about 930 coin-operated lockers for users to store their belongings. The lockers at the international terminal have been shut, and employees are now working on those in the domestic terminal. At the departure lobby and other places, travelers were being instructed to instead use services with staff on site. More security guards will be deployed through Wednesday at the airport, and trash cans will also be sealed shut from Monday in the lead up to the funeral. ...continue reading So it was only natural for many Japan residents to start traveling back to areas like Okinawa, especially since many people had been staying home the past couple years. In fact, the hotel itself seemed to be at near full capacity so perhaps government initiatives were working well.maybe too well. This is our experience with traveling in Japan as a family including my Japanese in-laws and some of things that other travelers should be aware of. ... continue reading TOKYO, Sep 25 ( Nikkei ) - Japan's decision to loosen border controls is expected to buoy an economy facing headwinds, as inbound tourism recovers with the aid of a weak yen. Starting Oct. 11, Japan will open its doors to individual tourists and resume visa-free entry for short-term travelers, Prime Minister Fumio Kishida said Thursday in New York. Before the COVID-19 pandemic, 90% of visitors to Japan came for tourism -- and of these, independent travelers accounted for 80%. Japan welcomed 169,800 visitors this August in data released Wednesday by the Japan National Tourism Organization, down 93% from the same month in 2019. The U.S. and Europe eased entry restrictions earlier, with the recovery in tourism demand spreading globally. There were nearly 250 million international tourist arrivals worldwide in the first five months of 2022, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization -- roughly tripling from a year earlier. Arrivals recovered to nearly half of pre-pandemic 2019 levels. International tourist arrivals in Europe could reach 65% to 80% of 2019 levels in 2022, according to the UNWTO forecast. In the Americas, the figure could reach 63% to 76%. Thanks to the looser restrictions, Japan could draw approximately 15.3 million international travelers in 2023, or 48% of 2019, according to an estimate by Rino Onodera, an economist at the Mizuho Research Institute. This change is expected to lift gross domestic product by 0.74% in 2023 from annualized GDP for the April-June quarter, before the easing. ...continue reading This years Jason Awards recipients are Dr. Carl Heinrich, retired president of Iowa Western Community College; Matt Wilber and the Pottawattamie County Attorneys Office Juvenile Division; and Richard Webb, President & CEO of Boys and Girls Clubs of the Midlands, according to a press release from Childrens Square. The Jason Awards event is held annually to recognize individuals, couples, organizations and businesses that exemplify the mission of Childrens Square U.S.A. Jason Award recipients demonstrate an extraordinary degree of caring, contribution and commitment to children, families, communities and related causes. Their lives and work exemplify the vision, courage and will needed to embrace opportunities and challenges in life. The Jason Award itself is a 14-inch bronze sculpture of a little boy, full of hope and optimism, running full tilt toward the future. The award represents the value we place on our children and the awesome responsibility we have in preparing them for the future, said Dr. Viv Ewing, president and CEO in the press release. Over 90 awards have been presented to outstanding community leaders since the inception of the awards in 1986. The theme for 2022 is Heroes for Hope. It is an opportunity to celebrate and recognize not only the everyday heroes in our community (and beyond) that support children and families, but the Childrens Square staff who show up every day to make sure the children and families have what they need to succeed, the press release stated. Event sponsors to date include Lozier, Hy-Vee, PowerTech, Polina and Bob Schlott, Silverstone Group HUB, Joseph Thornton, Smith Peterson Law Firm, Iowa Western Community College, TS Bank, The Daily Nonpareil, US Bank, Scott and Susan Hartman, Friends of Childrens Square U.S.A., Dr. Tom and Jeanette Schierbrock, University of Nebraska Medical Center, Dennis and Cindi Keithley, Lund-Ross Constructors, Paul and Lisa Gilmore, Security National Bank, Dr. Alan and Cordie Fisher, Dr. John Marshall, Union Pharmacy, Frontier Wealth Management, American Western Corporation, Thermal Services, Midstates Bank, Schroer and Associates, Ed and Emma Chance, the Doll Family, Jim and Becky Burgart, Barb Schlott. More information on attending the event is available at childrenssquare.org/jason-awards. For sponsorship opportunities, contact Phil Taylor, chief administrative officer at Childrens Square at 712-828-7456 or ptaylor@childrenssquare.org. The 1st International conference for Peace & Security, held in Las Palmas (Canary Islands) Sept. 22-23, wrapped with a manifesto affirming that the Autonomy Plan offered by Morocco for a lasting resolution of the Sahara issue is the starting point for reaching a compromise solution ushering in a new era of peace and prosperity. The conference was organized by the Saharawi Movement for Peace (MSP), a movement set up by opponents to the polisario separatist front, with the support of Saharawi tribal chiefs and several other international personalities and NGOs. It has laid out a roadmap for resolving peacefully the Sahara regional conflict. In their manifesto, participants stressed the need to build up trust in the role of the UN to advance towards a compromise solution, support UN Sahara envoy Staffan de Mistura and expand dialogue to include new leaders, such as Sahrawi notables, in the search for a peace agreement. They hailed the supportive stand of the Spanish Government of the autonomy plan described as the most serious, credible and feasible solution and called for enhancing the role of Sahrawi notables. The participants warned against the negative impacts of the stalemate on the stability of the whole region and deplored the sufferings endured by families separated for decades due to intransigence of a minority. The Las Palmas conference brought together several Spanish political figures, former diplomats, international researchers, Sheikhs and notables of Sahrawi tribes. Among the attendees, former Prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who hailed the serious & credible Moroccan autonomy plan for the Sahara, while former Spanish Defense minister & ex-chief of intelligence, Jose Bono told the Algeria-backed polisario separatist group to be realistic as the referendum option has been dropped definitively by the UN Security Council because it is not doable and is unworkable. Former U.S. Ambassador to Morocco, Edward Gabriel called on the UN Security Council to move towards a lasting political solution to the Sahara issue based on the autonomy plan proposed by Rabat. Several Cheikhs and notables of Sahrawi tribes insisted that the autonomy plan is the only viable solution to the Sahara regional conflict, and affirmed that the polisario, which still clings to outdated positions, does not represent the Sahrawi population. The African Atlantic countries have decided to hold their next ministerial meeting in Rabat during the first quarter of 2023 to discuss the efforts made to build an African zone of peace, stability and shared prosperity. The decision was made in New York during a meeting chaired by Moroccan foreign minister Nasser Bourita on the sidelines of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. In a statement released following their gathering, the African ministers welcomed the setting up of a Permanent Secretariat of African Atlantic States, based in Rabat, tasked with implementing the inclusive decisions taken by member countries, stressing the importance of consultation and coordination of actions on issues of common interests. The African Atlantic countries have also been urged to contribute to the work of the thematic groups set up to foster political & security dialogue, promote the blue economy, enhance maritime connectivity and cooperation in energy, sustainable development and environment protection. The ministers agreed on deploying a progressive and collective partnership aimed at strengthening cooperation and integration through concrete actions and initiatives for shared development, stability and prosperity. In his opening address, Moroccan FM said this geostrategic alliance has been set up thanks to the vision and commitment of King Mohammed VI to make this African Atlantic grouping a model of inter-African and south-south cooperation. The 1st ministerial meeting of African Atlantic States was held on June 8 in Rabat with the participation of 21 countries. Second of three parts. Whether they took part as individuals or communities, volunteers at North Plattes World War II Canteen typically needed just one visit to be hooked for the wars duration and beyond. Passion in and pride for the 1941-46 enterprise pour out of Canteen accounts in wartime newspapers in Keith County, Lincoln Countys immediate neighbor westward on the Union Pacific. About our Canteen Honor Roll series UPDATED, Sept. 21, 2022, 10 am: Updated to correct release date to coincide with Canteen Festival. Seven of its communities appear on the 125-member Canteen Honor Roll, with one of its smallest winning contemporary statewide recognition for its outsized devotion and generosity. Partners in a miracle: the communities of the Canteen Honor Roll In the first of three parts, The North Platte Telegraph revisits the contributions of the Canteen Honor Roll communities, the hundreds of smaller towns that chipped in to help the Canteen continue on. Ogallala, Paxton led way Their experiences are preserved in Ogallalas Keith County News and the Paxton Times, an ancestor of todays Sutherland Courier-Times. Both towns, led by their American Legion Auxiliary chapters, organized to help North Plattes core volunteers within a month of the Canteens Christmas Day 1941 opening. Ogallala, which had 3,159 people in 1940, would reach a peak of 5,638 in 1980 before sliding back to 4,878 in 2020. Paxtons 1940 population was 551, similar to its 2020 total of 516. It was decided to hold Paxton Day sometime in the near future at the Canteen in North Platte, the Times wrote on Jan. 23, 1942. (We) would appreciate donations of books, magazines, games, cookies, candies and fruits by anyone who is interested. Paxtons first of many turns at the Canteen took place Jan. 31. Everyone attending the Canteen said it was a complete success, the News wrote. Ogallalas Legion Auxiliary followed suit Feb. 15. Ogallala Day at North Plattes 1918 Union Pacific Depot was a day local women will not soon forget, Mrs. F.J. Sibal and Mrs. S.O. Pitts told the News for its Feb. 19 issue. Eleven women and six men served more than 1,000 service members, including a trainload of Black soldiers. The Canteen had been serving all military visitors and spouses no matter their color, gender or rank since it opened on Christmas Day 1941. One soldier, the News wrote, told the women in charge that what makes us feel good is, not alone the gifts of food and cigarettes, but that you are thinking of us and care enough to go to all this trouble for us. When the Canteen received its first U.S. Womens Army Corps contingent on July 19, 1942, Ogallala volunteers were at the serving table, the News reported later on Jan. 13, 1944. Lincoln County towns pitched in early A look back through newspaper clippings from the time at the Canteen contributions from surrounding Lincoln County communities. Tiny towns, huge efforts Ogallala and Paxton eventually took regular monthly turns staffing the Canteen over and above the times when Keith Countys city and rural service clubs went there on their own. Brule, which had 374 people in 1940 and 331 in 2020, by 1943 was serving monthly in North Platte in tandem with Big Springs in Deuel County. Canteen caravans came from across west central Nebraska As one might expect, the bulk of the 125 communities on North Plattes World War II Canteen Lemoyne, relocated north when Lake McConaughy drowned its townsite in 1941, appears on the Canteen Honor Roll list. So does Keystone, which the News credited with getting donations from 97% of its residents for its first North Platte visit on March 30, 1942. Neither was large enough to appear in the 1940 census, though Nebraskas official state highway map that year credited Lemoyne with 300 people and Keystone with 125. They had 36 and 73 people respectively in 2020. Keith Countys other two Honor Roll communities punched above their weights in their Canteen support. Sarben, credited with 31 people in the 2020 census and 100 on the 1940 highway map, sits north and east of Paxton. Sixteen of its women first staffed the Canteen on May 8, 1942. Among donations were 500 popcorn balls, 60 dozen cookies, 45 dozen doughnuts and $12 in cash, the News noted May 14. Sarben continued to take periodic Canteen turns. So did Roscoe, six miles east of Ogallala, which first served on March 11, 1942. Credited with 44 people in 2020, Roscoe had just 10 according to the 1940 state map. But like many Honor Roll communities, Roscoe drew many volunteers from farms and ranches. The News said 15 people brought three bushels of apples on Roscoes first Canteen day, with other donations including eight dozen oranges, 640 cookies, 18 decks of cards and a large number of magazines. Roscoes enthusiasm led Omahas Knights of Ak-Sar-Ben to award the community a Good Neighbor award in February 1945. It said neighbors had nominated Roscoe Canteen members for patriotic deeds beyond the field of personal gains or welfare, thus exemplifying the good neighbor spirit in Nebraska. Crunch time Some months earlier, Ogallala had gone through a Canteen funding crisis that caused many there to realize what the North Platte effort meant to them. In a front-page editorial on June 15, 1944, the News warned that Ogallalas Canteen committee had only enough money for one more monthly visit. The word got around some weeks ago that the local Canteen committee had more money than it knew how to spend, Editor-Publisher Harold H. Smith wrote. This has never been the situation. But following the rumor, local people withheld contributions until the treasury now is practically empty. Smith urged readers to join a Dollar-A-Month Club, saying it would take 150 or 200 members to keep Ogallalas Canteen commitment going. It took two weeks to reach the goal. We are pretty poor, all right, if we cant afford to serve once a month at the Canteen, Mrs. Walter Sheffield told the News June 22. Ogallala druggist Frank Kersenbrock said he had seen traveling salesmen shed tears at the Canteen when they saw what it meant to service members. If the time ever comes when the people of this section of the state become too poor to help the cause along, he told the News, Ogallala should be the last to throw in the sponge. Keith County and its towns endured to the end. Paxton, which started its own Dollar-A-Month Club in early 1945, took its last turn during the Canteens last week on March 27, 1946. When Ogallala served for the last time March 26, its 30 volunteers threw a covered-dish luncheon in honor of Canteen founder Rae Wilson and North Plattes officers of the day. We cant think of letting that Canteen down, an Ogallala man had told News Editor-Publisher Smith for a follow-up editorial on June 22, 1944. It is the most important thing we do. As one might expect, the bulk of the 125 communities on North Plattes World War II Canteen Honor Roll came from the 22 west central Nebraska counties in The Telegraphs traditional coverage area. Several of them are represented in the following Canteen stories excerpted from the areas wartime newspapers. *** Ladies from several McPherson County organizations had charge under the direction of Miss (Rae) Wilson of the Union Pacific Canteen at North Platte one day last week, with people from all parts of the county making donations Donations were liberal, and it is planned that the ladies will again assist with the work at some future date as funds on hand are sufficient. Tryon Graphic, March 5, 1942 The Arthur Baptist Ladies Aid served at the Canteen in North Platte on Thursday, April 9. Some of the supplies given were: 122 dozen cookies, 192 popcorn balls, 40 pounds fudge, 120 candy bars, 16 dozen oranges, one bushel of apples and 120 packages of cigarettes. Keith County News, Ogallala, April 16, 1942 Two cars were needed Sunday to take the supplies to the North Platte Canteen for Arnold Day (Volunteers) spent the day in North Platte, and all reported a very interesting time and also that all servicemen were more than grateful and some were surprised that everything at the Canteen was free. Arnold Sentinel, May 28, 1942 Flats Items The benefit dance sponsored by the American Legion Auxiliary at the B.C. Huffman soddy Saturday night for the North Platte Canteen was very well attended. Supper of sandwiches, cookies, cake and ice cream was served. Proceeds were more than $30. Tryon Graphic, July 23, 1942 Serving by Eustis at the North Platte Canteen on Aug. 13th should receive the consideration of all who read these lines. Every United States soldier should be regarded as our boy, and the opportunity to extend this courtesy and this bit of hospitality to those who have left their families and their work behind to do what we who stay at home cannot do should be embraced. Eustis News, Aug. 6, 1942 Fifteen girls elected by the four classes of (Perkins County High School), with the help of the school and community, conducted a day at the North Platte Canteen Wednesday, March 10th. Grant Tribune-Sentinel, March 11, 1943 Last Thursday the various clubs of this community sent 25 representatives to North Platte, where they had charge of the North Platte Canteen for that day and it was estimated that more than 1,200 men were served. Loup Valley Queen, Callaway, April 29, 1943 Wednesday morning the Jolly Farmerettes arrived at the Canteen doors at North Platte Thank you! everyone who helped us. How we wish you could have been with us to get the thrill we did. Hayes Center Times-Republican, May 27, 1943 The Girls Club and American Legion Auxiliary of Venango helped serve at the North Platte Canteen on Wednesday of last week. Six carloads of helpers left Venango around 6 oclock and arrived at North Platte in plenty of time to help serve the first train at 10:20. Grant Tribune-Sentinel, June 8, 1944 It is quite a job to feed nearly 5,000 soldiers and sailors in a day, but just ask any of the nearly 60 Broken Bow people who went to North Platte last Sunday, and theyll tell you that operating the Canteen for a day is worth every ounce of work and energy it takes. Custer County Chief, Broken Bow, July 6, 1944 Merna and community and Anselmo sponsored the Service Canteen at North Platte Monday, July 24, with 120 representatives, who served nearly 4,000 of the service personnel, passengers on the 15 trains which stopped there during the day. Pfc. Alvin Jared, who made the trip with us, was one of over 50 to receive a lovely birthday cake. Custer County Chief, Aug. 3, 1944 Citizens of Maywood and community took over duties at the North Platte Canteen Thursday, Aug. 10, and from all reports gave servicemen passing through town a royal reception. Curtis Enterprise, Aug. 17, 1944 The Moorefield ladies and community will serve at the North Platte Canteen Tuesday, Sept. 12 Sugar will be furnished for baking (and) also a gas (ration) stamp for every five persons. Do your bit. Curtis Enterprise, Sept. 7, 1944 Douglas Grove 6 miles south of Comstock The service from this community at the North Platte Canteen last Tuesday, July 31, turned out quite nicely. There were about 20 cars and trucks containing something like 84 people starting from Comstock at 3 oclock in the morning, including the contingent from Dry Valley, Westerville and Weissert. Custer County Chief, Aug. 9, 1945 Helen Rodocker and Geraldine Rodocker went to North Platte (from Halsey) last Saturday to assist the Thedford ladies in serving at the Canteen. Custer County Chief, Aug. 23, 1945 The Lillian PTA gave a special program last Friday evening to raise money for the North Platte Canteen. In the past few weeks the Lillian community has sent gifts including cash of $85.75, 21 dozen eggs, 10 quarts of cream and 12 pounds of butter. The Lillian activity has been in response to the request of Ernest Estes, former Lillian man, who after two years Army service is now employed at North Platte. Since he returned, he has been greatly interested in the Canteen work. Custer County Chief, March 28, 1946 I presume this little cutie was carried in a young ladies hand purse many years ago. The bejeweled perfume bottle with a glass stopper or dropper inside is still in perfect condition. The gorgeous cobalt blue glass is mint and the brass bejeweled casing is mint also. One of the many items I purchased on a trip to New Mexico when I bought a small antique shop out (they were wanting to retire). We boxed for three or four days with four people working hard wrapping each item so carefully as I had another 1,100 miles to go. We prayed we didnt get anything extraordinary broken or break rare items which could never be replaced. And up till now, I am happy to say that the only thing I have found so far was a fairly normal green coffee cup and it could be replaced very easily online. I am sure I have mentioned my stories before, but when I do find something in another store and I am miles away from home, it does take a bit of refining and carefully wrapping the purchases to make it back home in one piece. I have been lucky so far. The dealers who had this were so well versed on what they had that I wish I could have taken a bit more time and really talked to them about each piece I brought home from there. But needless to say, it was impossible to converse about every single little item we wrapped as there were four of us wrapping and we had a big job to get done in less than a week. Now we have the beautiful CR Rustics Antique Mall here in North Platte at 108 E. Fifth St. Putting our inventory into our own booth is fairly simple except for the marking of the items and making sure we point out any slight defects (hopefully, not many). And if there is something really special about the item, I hope we take the time to tell the story why we think it is so very special. I know right now I have a beautiful and very old rocker with twisted arms and legs and edging on the back mahogany I am assuming and I still wish I knew more about it. But it is probably the oldest item in my booth right now. And so the story goes, each dealer tries to give the consumer as much information as we possibly can on all of our items we are selling. But sometimes, we get so busy we kind of slide a bit on the actual descriptions. But we hope the collector or interested parties will ask questions and the owners of the shop will get in touch with the dealers and find out more info if possible. Referring back to my pretty little two-inch high cobalt blue glass perfume bottle with original glass dauber still intact and bold or brass covering with emerald green jewels as well as some light blue ones on the front. The very top of the lid has one jewel clear cut (glass) but it certainly is a bedazzling piece to have. Can you imagine the comments made when a young lady would have taken this out of her evening bag to dab a bit of perfume behind each ear before she was asked for another waltz on the dance floor of some beautiful and awesome ball room? I am sure it would get lots of comments from other young ladies who might have seen it. As I have discovered through the years, many of our antiques that we find on a buying trip will require a bit more research and confirmation of what is said on each price sticker. And naturally, it is up to each owner to research and go accordingly what they think their area may warrant as far as values go in a certain market. Now, with our access to computers and further information and up-to-date pricing/values, it definitely is much easier than it used to be. However, sometimes we find too much information and then we have to question it or research even more on one particular item we have found. That is when it eats up your time in researching and trying to get it to the shop as soon as you possibly can. There are fun and exciting examples of antiques and collectibles everywhere we go any more. And for me that is an exciting game we are playing. It keeps your attention and makes you want to research more. Or when you find that one item you have never ever seen before in over 50 years of antiquing, and all you want to do is start researching it immediately. Can you imagine myself going through so many of my books a few years back? Oh my goodness, it took a long time to identify a pattern of a dish or the age of a stoneware crock or the manufacturers names, etc. I am so grateful for having my computer at my fingertips for further research and fairly quickly also. Compared to many years ago, it is a blessing for sure to have all of this info readily available all hours of the day or night! I would like to remind everyone about not having the antique classes right now. The COVID-19 side effects are still presenting problems and I am hoping that by next spring I will have those all sorted out and the headaches will decrease in time. I certainly miss seeing everyone from classes and I certainly miss the conversations as well as the awesome items you all have brought to my classes through the years. Amazing items for all to enjoy. I miss my shopping for antiques excursions so my antique classes helped me to get through my withdrawals from no antiquing experiences. Please remember that I am hoping and working on getting the classes going again in early spring. Just a reminder: We might even try to have an occasional get together over coffee or pizza and just talk about your latest finds and what you think you have found in your antiquing trips in the past/ The camaraderie is what I miss the most no matter where you go, when you see someone interested in antiques and collectibles, you have something in common with that person immediately. It is an awesome feeling, believe me. And I feel so very lucky to have so many friends who love antiques as much as I do. As I have mentioned many times through the past 40-some years or more, you just never know what you may find just around the corner or at the next antique shop or antique mall or at a yard sale or antique/collectible shows, etc. That is what makes this game of antiquing so much fun. Be safe everyone, and hope to see you all soon. Take care of you and get out there and shop when you can. You never know what may be just around the corner. Compressed gas is the most common form of hydrogen storage, however it can also be stored in a liquid or solid state. University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and Queensland University of Technology (QUT) researchers have announced a new design for solid-state hydrogen storage that could significantly reduce charging times. Hydrogen is gaining significant attention as an efficient way to store green energy from renewables such as wind and solar. Compressed gas is the most common form of hydrogen storage, however it can also be stored in a liquid or solid state. Dr Saidul Islam, from the University of Technology Sydney, explained solid hydrogen storage, and in particular metal hydride, is attracting interest because it is safer, more compact, and lower cost than compressed gas or liquid, and it can reversibly absorb and release hydrogen. Dr Islam commented, Metal hydride hydrogen storage technology is ideal for onsite hydrogen production from renewable electrolysis. It can store the hydrogen for extended periods and once needed, it can be converted as gas or a form of thermal or electric energy when converted through a fuel cell. Applications include hydrogen compressors, rechargeable batteries, heat pumps and heat storage, isotope separation and hydrogen purification. It can also be used to store hydrogen in space, to be used in satellites and other green space technology, he added. However, a problem with metal hydride for hydrogen energy storage has been its low thermal conductivity, which leads to slow charging and discharging times. To address this the researchers developed a new method to improve solid-state hydrogen charging and discharging times. The study: Design optimization of a magnesium-based metal hydride hydrogen energy storage system, was recently published in the journal Scientific Reports. Comparison of hydrogen absorption concentration with different designs. Image Credit: Puchanee Larpruenrudee, School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, University of Technology Sydney. Click the press release link above for a larger image. First author Puchanee Larpruenrudee, a PhD candidate in the UTS School of Mechanical and Mechatronic Engineering, said faster heat removal from the solid fuel cell results in faster charging times. Larpruenrudee explained, Several internal heat exchangers have been designed for use with metal hydride hydrogen storage. These include straight tubes, helical coil or spiral tubes, U-shape tubes, and fins. Using a helical coil significantly improves heat and mass transfer inside the storage. Related: Europes Energy Crisis Will Not Be A One Winter Story This is due to the secondary circulation and having more surface area for heat removal from the metal hydride powder to the cooling fluid. Our study further developed a helical coil to increase heat transfer performance, he concluded. The researchers developed a semi-cylindrical coil as an internal heat exchanger, which significantly improved heat transfer performance. The hydrogen charging time was reduced by 59% when using the new semi-cylindrical coil compared to a traditional helical coil heat exchanger. The team is now working on the numerical simulation of the hydrogen desorption process, and continuing to improve absorption times. The semi-cylindrical coil heat exchanger will be further developed for this purpose. As a goal, the researchers aim to develop a new design for hydrogen energy storage, which will combine other types of heat exchangers. They hope to also work with industry partners to investigate real tank performance based on the new heat exchanger. *** Low pressure metal hydride hydrogen storage has potential. Some of the most difficult problems are reduced to more manageable levels. Yet hydrogen is still the smallest atom and is a devil to contain, and likes to get involved with whatever materials are used in its containment, which is why the metal hydride idea works. No idea offered for storing hydrogen offers a leak proof long term (days or weeks) solution and hydrogens properties are just more than a bit scary if allowed to escape into much of a confined space. Metal hydride might get to safe practicality someday. Meanwhile, hundreds of millions of years ago nature figured out what to do. Combine that hydrogen with a bit of carbon and presto, food and fuel and a whole lot of life gets going! By Brian Westenhaus via New Energy and Fuel More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: On August 30, eight Baltic Sea littoral countries (Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Finland, Sweden and Denmark) signed the so-called Marienborg Declaration, agreeing on the necessity of phasing out Russian energy and decarbonizing the energy sector within the region (Regeringen.dk, August 30). The document itself does not contain any binding provisions nor introduce any new sectoral policies. The move should be, however, understood as a clear expression of energy solidarity within the Baltic Sea region as a whole and as an additional political commitment to collaborate (both on a regional and pan-European basis) extensively in the further development of liquefied natural gas (LNG) and offshore wind projects. Beginning with the gas sector, until recently, the only two countries (apart from Russia) having their own large-scale LNG import terminals on the Baltic Sea were Lithuaniawith a floating storage regasification unit (FSRU) in Klaipedaand Polandspecifically the ?winouj?cie LNG terminal and planned FSRU in Gda?sk. The situation in the region has, however, begun to change dramatically after Russias re-invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Since then, Germany has announced plans to secure fast-track deployment of FSRUs. Berlin had lacked regasification capacities before, but at the moment, it is eying as many as five FSRUs and two onshore LNG terminals. One FSRU will be located in Lubmin near the border with Poland by the end of 2022 (Lngprime.com, August 30). Another example is Finland, which together with Estonia, has developed its own FSRU project. The regasification unit will be moored either in Inkoo, Finland, or Paldiski, Estonia, depending on the current demand structure (Nra.lv, August 31). Moreover, the Latvians are also advancing preparations for building their LNG terminal in Skulte (Skultelng.lv, August 30), and Lithuanias Klaipedos Nafta has already ordered a feasibility study for the Klaipeda terminals capacities extension (Kn.lt, July 4). The common denominator for all these projects is, obviously, phasing out Russian natural gas, as Gazprom has traditionally been the main supplier for all the aforementioned markets in the Baltic Sea region. Related: Poland Now Has Enough Natural Gas And Coal Supply For Winter In general, a similar determination is also being observed in the case of offshore wind; however, the rush to install new capacities in the Baltic Sea was already present before the war started, driven by decarbonization goals and economic, not political, factors. Overall, the offshore wind potential for the entire Baltic Sea is estimated at 93 gigawatts (GW), while the current capacity is a mere 2.8 GW. At the moment, the operating offshore wind farms on the Baltic Sea are located in German, Danish, Swedish and Finnish waters (Denmark, Germany and Sweden are the pioneers within the sector). Yet, the Baltic states and Poland are making significant progress to join their neighbors. The very first offshore wind projects in Polish waters are already in the development phase, while Lithuania, Latvia and Estonia will hold their first auctions for prospective investors in the coming years. Some of the specific projects are also supposed to be transboundary in nature, both providing generation capacity and creating a new subsea interconnector among the countries involved (e.g., the Elwind project discussed by Latvia and Estonia) (Renewablesnow.com, September 2). Significantly, such hybrid projects will also qualify for extensive EU financial support, which can be of great help in fully utilizing the offshore wind potential of the Baltic Sea Despite the Marienborg Declaration being signed by only the Baltic Sea littoral states and being focused predominantly on regional cooperation, it should be understood that the fulfillment of the documents provisions is also possible through partnerships with allies from outside the region, such as the United States. In this context, it should be remembered that the US International Development Finance Corporation (DFC) agreed to provide up to $300 million of financing for various Three Seas Initiative projects in June 2022 (Dfc.gov, June 20). Indeed, the DFCs CEO, Scott Nathan, publicly named support for LNG projects in the Baltics as an option being seriously considered (Foreignaffairs.house.gov, June 14). Furthermore, it is also remarkable that the first agreement for LNG supplies to Germany was signed by German energy company EnBW with US-based firm Venture Global (Enbw.com, June 21). It is easy to imagine that similar deals may also happen in regards to LNG imports via the Baltic states new regasification terminals. On the one hand, the document introduced in Marienborg is certainly an important political declaration, especially as it has been signed by all EU member states bordering the Baltic Sea. Energy cooperation in the Baltics is gaining momentum, and joint Estonian-Finnish efforts to deploy an FSRU in the Gulf of Finland this winter serve as a perfect example. On the other hand, however, one should not overestimate the declarations significance. The document is a political statement only and will not automatically lead to further developments in cultivating lasting energy independence in the region. By The Jamestown Foundation More Top Reads From Oilprice.com: U.S. Rep. Don Bacon and State Sen. Tony Vargas dont agree on much when it comes to the topic of abortion rights. The two candidates for Nebraskas 2nd Congressional District, in separate interviews, even disagreed about the importance of the topic ahead of the upcoming midterm elections. Bacon, the Republican incumbent, said while the media wants to fixate on abortion, Americans, including those in the 2nd District, are focused on the economy and the cost of living as the number one issue. Vargas, the Democratic challenger, said he has heard from Republican, Democratic and independent women across the district who have expressed concerns that the government is going to mandate what they can and cannot do with their bodies. He said one woman even stopped him on an elevator to discuss the issue. The two men also disagree on the issue, with Bacon expressing clear anti-abortion views but some willingness to compromise, and Vargas committing support for a federal law that would guarantee a right to abortion. But their differing opinions on even the weight of the subject reflects the political landscape that has emerged since June when the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, the landmark 1973 case that created a constitutional right to have an abortion. The ruling has forced candidates to be more specific about what they do and do not support. And its also given Democrats a new focus. The Associated Press recently reported Democrats are pumping an unprecedented amount of money into advertising related to abortion rights, underscoring how central the message is to the party. With the most intense period of campaigning only just beginning, Democrats have already invested more than an estimated $124 million this year in television advertising referencing abortion. Thats more than twice as much money as the Democrats next top issue this year, character, and almost 20 times more than Democrats spent on abortion-related ads in the 2018 midterms. Television advertising data reveals that Republicans, too, have invested millions of dollars in abortion messaging. But most of those ads ran during the primary phase of the campaign this spring and summer as Republican candidates touted their anti-abortion credentials. The number of Republican ads aired referencing abortion has gone down each month since May. Political observers told The World-Herald that they expect abortion rights will play a big role in the race to represent Nebraskas 2nd District, which includes Saunders County, western Sarpy County and all of Douglas County, including Omaha. Its the states most competitive congressional district with the latest voter registration figures showing that Republicans outnumber Democrats by less than 9,000 voters. Registered voters who arent affiliated with a party total more than 99,000. Vargas has been endorsed by Planned Parenthood Action Fund, the political advocacy arm of Planned Parenthood Federation of America. Bacon has been endorsed by several anti-abortion groups, including the Susan B. Anthony List, which gave him a grade of A+. I think abortion is a tragedy, Bacon said. Its a child with tons of potential, it couldve been the next inventor of major cures, it couldve been a future president. However, the congressman said some exceptions are a must, including defending the life of the mother, which he would leave to doctors to determine. The mother comes first, Bacon said. Period. Vargas said elected officials like me should be playing absolutely no role in womens health care decisions. He said decisions about abortion are deeply personal and should be made by women and in consultation with their doctors. I want to make sure that we are doing everything we can to support womens health care decisions, I want to make sure that these are informed by doctors, I want to make sure we are doing everything we can to protect that decision, no matter what, Vargas said. Vargas said its important to listen to science and doctors. He noted the Nebraska Medical Association recently adopted a resolution supporting the preservation of reproductive rights, marking a shift away from the groups formerly neutral stance. If elected to Congress, Vargas said he would support codifying Roe v. Wade into federal law and investing in maternal and child health supports. Im going to listen to women, not tell them what to do, Vargas said. When asked if he supports any abortion restrictions, Vargas repeated that he supports women in their health care decisions being made between themselves and their doctors. He said its important that women have the information they need to make very difficult decisions. The candidates were both asked if women should be able to have an abortion in cases of rape or incest. Vargas said yes because he supports women making decisions for themselves. Bacon said for him theres a difference between what he would accept politically because a consensus could be reached and what he would still like to personally advocate for and try to help persuade people on. Philosophically, Bacon said an unborn child is still an unborn child but he would be willing to accept exceptions like those for rape and incest if it allowed for the passage of broader legislation. I think we have an opportunity to meet in the middle in the 15-week area and from a pro-life perspective it moves us forward and then we could continue having a debate over hearts and minds, but I would like to take two or three steps forward instead of an all-or-nothing approach, Bacon said. Bacon said many countries in Europe have restrictions after 15 weeks. He cited multiple polls, including one from the Wall Street Journal showing that more American voters favor the idea of a 15-week abortion ban than oppose it. The Washington Post reported that while some countries in Europe have earlier limits on abortion there are often broad exceptions to those limits. For example, Germany on paper has a 12-week limit for abortion on request, but the law in reality permits abortions as late as 22 weeks after conception, the Post reported. As a state senator, Vargas voted against a bill in the Nebraska Legislature that would have primed the state to ban all abortions when the Supreme Court struck down Roe v. Wade. That bill failed when it couldnt muster 33 votes to end a filibuster against it. Vargas also opposed a special session this summer to debate a 12-week abortion ban being pushed by Republicans. Citing a lack of votes, Gov. Pete Ricketts did not call for the special session and abortion remains legal in Nebraska up until 20 weeks after fertilization. Bacon said he would have supported the 12-week ban because he believes thats more in line with what Americans believe and suggested Vargas was out of touch for not supporting it. Last year Bacon, along with 165 other House Republicans, co-sponsored H.R. 1011 or the Life at Conception Act. The act sought to implement equal protection for the right to life of each born and pre-born human person. Vargas said the bill amounts to an abortion ban with no exceptions for the life of the mother, for rape or incest. Bacon said the bill is a statement of principle that a child is an unborn human being but nowhere does it say that exceptions are not allowed. He said the bill came out before the recent Supreme Court decision on abortion and it could have been written more carefully to say it doesnt limit states or the federal government from making policies. Its a statement that an unborn child is human, Bacon said of the bill. Critics of the so-called personhood laws say they could have far-reaching consequences that could hamper in vitro fertilization or subject women who have abortions to murder charges. Supporters of personhood laws say declaring that all human beings, including those in the womb, have rights lends important moral clarity and that changes stemming from the concept are desirable. What Bacon and Vargas did agree on is that decisions surrounding abortion are emotional and difficult. Its not a black or white issue, Bacon said. This report includes material from the Associated Press. A 24-year-old man was taken to an Omaha hospital in extremely critical condition early Sunday following a shooting at a bar near 114th Street and West Dodge Road. Police were called to the Omaha Lounge at 666 N. 114th St. about 1:25 a.m. for a disturbance, according to a Douglas County 911 dispatcher. Officers located Petrell Greene, 24, down inside the establishment, suffering from gunshot wounds. He was taken to the Creighton University Medical Center-Bergan Mercy with CPR in progress. Police later said Greene was being treated for life-threatening injuries. Anyone with information about this incident is urged to contact Omaha Crime Stoppers at 402-444-STOP or at www.p3tips.com or by downloading the p3tips mobile app. Callers can remain anonymous and are eligible for a cash reward of up to $10,000 for information that leads to a shooting arrest. The Dodge County Sheriff's Office has identified the man whose body was found on the side of a highway near Fremont. Yashua Martinez, 27, of La Vista, was found dead by construction crews near U.S. Highway 275 south of Morningside Road on Thursday, according to a news release from the Sheriff's Office. No additional information was provided Saturday. Highway 275 at Morningside Road was closed for about seven hours Thursday as officials investigated. The Sheriff's Office was assisted by the Fremont Police Department, the Nebraska State Patrol and the Douglas County Crime Lab. The investigation is ongoing, officials said. LINCOLN The two years since Nebraska expanded Medicaid to cover more low-income people have changed life in the state. Emerging data shows that the number of state residents without health coverage has plunged, hospitals are feeling less stress on their bottom lines and fewer people are filing for bankruptcy. State Sen. Adam Morfeld of Lincoln said those results bear out what advocates argued during six years of failed efforts to win legislative approval of expansion and, later, during the successful campaign to pass a Medicaid expansion ballot measure. The data only affirms what we promised Nebraskans: that our family members, neighbors and friends would be more healthy, financially secure and lead longer and happier lives, he said. This also reduces the burdens on rural hospitals that often struggle to stay open and increases access and reduces health care costs for all Nebraskans. Morfeld led the petition drive that put the Medicaid expansion measure on the 2018 general election ballot. Advocates took the issue to voters after two governors, Dave Heineman and Pete Ricketts, along with state lawmakers, repeatedly blocked legislation. Even after the ballot measure passed, the Ricketts administration took nearly two years to implement the program, the longest delay of any state. Coverage began on Oct. 1, 2020, although it took another year for all enrollees to get the full array of Medicaid benefits. Since the expansion began: The number of Nebraskans without health insurance has dropped 14.5%. Nebraska hospitals saw a $20 million reduction in the amount of charity or unpaid care they had to write off. Bankruptcy filings in the state fell by 23.5%. Sarah Maresh, health care access program director for Nebraska Appleseed, a key group pushing for expansion, said the Nebraska numbers are similar to those seen in previous expansion states. To date, 38 states plus the District of Columbia have expanded their Medicaid programs as allowed under the federal Affordable Care Act. Were just really excited to see this come to fruition, she said. The health of our state depends on the health of individuals. The governor did not respond to a question about whether Nebraska was better for having expanded Medicaid. His staff offered the following statement: Gov. Ricketts team at the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services has worked hard to effectively roll out Medicaid expansion to Nebraska, per the will of the people. The states battle over Medicaid expansion played out over a decade and has been highly contentious and partisan, largely driven by disagreements over former President Barack Obamas controversial 2010 health care law. That law, the Affordable Care Act, was intended to reduce the ranks of the uninsured, particularly by helping the millions of Americans who work in jobs that neither provide health insurance nor offer wages high enough for them to afford insurance on their own. For people above poverty level who lacked coverage, the ACA offered subsidies to help them buy private insurance through health care exchanges. For lower-income people, the law called for expanding Medicaid, the joint state-federal health care program for the poor. But a U.S. Supreme Court case made Medicaid expansion voluntary for states. That sparked the years of struggle in Nebraska and many other Republican-dominated states. Through the expansion program, Nebraska has extended coverage to single adults and couples without minor children neither of whom could qualify for Medicaid previously, no matter their incomes. Also included are parents and disabled people with incomes higher than the previous Medicaid cutoff for those groups. The income cutoff for Medicaid expansion is 138% of the federal poverty level, currently $18,754 annually for a single person or $38,295 for a family of four. New U.S. Census Bureau data show one key result of expansion: The percentage of Nebraskans who lacked health insurance dropped from 8.3% in 2019, before expansion, to 7.1% in 2021. That 14.5% reduction represented the most significant drop in more than a decade in the proportion of Nebraskans without health coverage. The only similar figure was the 14.2% drop between 2013 and 2014, when the ACA health insurance marketplace was launched. Combined, the insurance marketplace and Medicaid expansion account for most of the 37% drop in uninsured Nebraskans between 2013 and 2021. Nebraskas reduction following Medicaid expansion was the eighth biggest drop among all states for 2021. Maine, which approved Medicaid expansion at the ballot a year before Nebraska did, saw the biggest reduction at 29%. The latest uninsured figures, based on monthly census household surveys, likely do not capture the full impact Medicaid expansion will ultimately have on Nebraskas uninsured population. Reports from the Nebraska Department of Health and Human Services show that the number of people enrolled for expansion continues to grow each month. At the end of 2021, the total was 60,720. As of July this year, 71,060 people had signed up for expansion coverage. Care for those enrollees cost nearly $1 billion from October 2020 through July this year. The federal government covered 90% of the cost, or $868 million, with $106 million coming from state coffers. Estimates initially said that 90,000 or more Nebraskans could enroll in expanded Medicaid. Maresh said she expects the state will get closer to that level as more people learn about the program. States like Iowa that implemented expansion when the federal government first made funding available in 2014 tend to have much lower uninsured rates. Iowas 2021 uninsured rate of 4.8% was nearly one-third below Nebraskas. Nebraskas expansion also affected two economic health measures, one for hospitals and one for families and individuals. The Nebraska Hospital Association collected information showing that hospitals across the state wrote off $737 million in charity and unpaid care during 2020, the latest year available. That was down from the $757 million total in 2019 and the $749 million total in 2018. Jeremy Nordquist, the association president, said the reduction occurred even though hospitals typically lose money caring for Medicaid patients because of low payment rates. It was good to get people the ability to access care, he said. On the whole, its a small net positive right now. Nebraskans personal economic health appears to have improved as well following Medicaid expansion. Records maintained by federal bankruptcy courts show that bankruptcy filings in Nebraska dropped faster than filings nationally after expansion began. The number of Nebraska filings fell 23.5% during the year ending June 2022, compared with the previous 12 months. Nationally, there were 17.7% fewer filings in that period. The Nebraska reduction was the largest in a decade and one of only three times since 2013 that state filings declined by a greater percentage than the national ones. Now that the state has implemented Medicaid expansion, the state ranks 24th lowest, or best, for its rate of uninsured people. In 2013, the state ranked 18th best. But at the time of the Medicaid expansion vote in 2018, as other states adopted Medicaid expansion and Nebraska resisted, the state had fallen to 29th best. In the 12 states that still have not expanded Medicaid, the uninsured rate of 12.8% is almost double the 6.8% rate in expansion states. Excluding states like Nebraska that only recently adopted Medicaid expansion, the expansion state average is 6.5%. Nebraska isnt the only state where voters stepped in to expand Medicaid when lawmakers declined to act. Maine was the first to do so in 2017, followed by Nebraska, Idaho and Utah in 2018 and Oklahoma and Missouri in 2020. In November, South Dakota voters will decide whether to become the 39th state to adopt expansion. LINCOLN When Debra McKnight showed up to a Planned Parenthood rally last October wearing a pastor collar, people thought she was wearing a Halloween costume. She wasnt. McKnight is a reverend in Omaha with United Methodist Church, and she firmly supports abortion access. Her views, she said, run counter to the common assumptions people often make about her: That, as a religious leader, she is staunchly anti-abortion. Such assumptions are not uncommon, and theyre not entirely without merit. Public polling has shown a correlation between views on abortion and faith, particularly among Christian faiths. And some faiths, such as Catholicism, are explicit in their moral objections to abortion. The intersection of faith and abortion rights was on display earlier this year at the Nebraska Legislature, where multiple lawmakers invoked their faith when discussing their support for a bill that would have primed the state to ban abortions. After more recent attempts at legislative action failed, the Nebraska Catholic Conference pledged to continue working to uphold human dignity in the law. But McKnight and several other religious leaders said perceptions regarding faith and abortion fail to capture the nuance within religious groups. The presumptive picture also fails to account for non-Christian faiths and other minority groups. Contrary to public perception, its fairly common for people of faith to support abortion rights, said Katey Zeh, CEO of the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. Im not as much of an anomaly as it might seem, Zeh said. Recognizing that there are people who are both religious and support abortion rights is important as Nebraskans debate policy matters following the Supreme Courts decision reversing Roe v. Wade, according to multiple faith leaders who spoke to The World-Herald. In Nebraska, Christianity is the dominant group of faiths. A 2014 study by the Pew Research Center found that 75% of adults in the state identified as Christian, with most of those being evangelical Protestant, mainline Protestant and Catholic. Non-Christian faiths accounted for 4% and unaffiliated individuals made up the remaining 20%. The way each of these groups view abortion varies widely, even sometimes within the individual groups. McKnight said Christian Scripture contains many contradictions. She said there are parts that define life at the moment of first breath. But Laura Buddenberg, a Catholic who opposes abortion and serves as the executive director of Essential Pregnancy Services in Omaha, noted that there are pieces of Scripture that define life at the moment of conception. The differences arent only in their personal interpretations. United Methodist Church, according to its social principals, states that it is reluctant to approve abortion due to the churchs belief in the sanctity of unborn human life. However, followers are equally bound to respect the sacredness of the life and well-being of the mother and the unborn child. The Catholic Church takes a more definitive stance on the topic. Since the first century the Church has affirmed the moral evil of every procured abortion. This teaching has not changed and remains unchangeable. Direct abortion, that is to say, abortion willed either as an end or a means, is gravely contrary to the moral law, states the Catechism of the Catholic Church, a document detailing church doctrine. The 2014 study by Pew also found differences within Nebraska Christians, with 54% agreeing that abortion should be illegal in all or most cases and 41% saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases. However, the numbers shifted when factoring in all adults, not just those who identified as Christian. The numbers broke down to 50% saying abortion should be legal in all or most cases and 46% agreeing abortion should be illegal in all or most cases. In some ways, the numbers reflect the different views held by different faith groups. Rabbis Steven Abraham and Deana Berezin of Omaha pointed to multiple pieces of Jewish Scripture that clarify that a fetus isnt considered alive until birth, and that caring for the mother is a higher priority over saving a fetus. Although there is some disagreement on abortion issues within the Jewish community, Abraham said most Jewish people support abortion access an assertion borne out in the 2014 Pew study, which found 83% of Jewish Americans believe abortion should be legal in all or most cases. Despite this, Judaism and other non-Christian religions are often forgotten about in discussions on abortion and faith. Thats what it means to be a minority, Berezin said. Views shaped by life experiences McKnight said she grew up in a Republican household across the street from a Methodist church from the time she was 9 years old. She said she never really questioned the issue of abortion access until she reached college and was exposed to anti-abortion views held by fellow Christians. And Ive been running into it ever since, McKnight said. The Rev. Brandee Jasmine Mimitzraiem of the African Methodist Episcopal Church encountered anti-abortion views earlier in life. Growing up in a low-income community, she said as early as her freshman year of high school she knew of female classmates who became pregnant. Some of them came from families who allowed them to get abortions, while others did not. Mimitzraiem said several of the students who received abortions went onto have successful careers. For the others, she said she saw how their pregnancies had a lasting impact on their mental health. I saw the difference in their lives, Mimitzraiem said. McKnight said there was a 19-year-old at her college who gave birth in the dormitories because she was too ashamed to tell her Roman Catholic family about her pregnancy. McKnight said has faced her own backlash on the issue. People have called her a baby killer on several occasions and accused her of ruining the Methodist faith because of her support for abortion rights. She said shes also received condemnation from fellow Christians for her stance on other social issues, from her support of the LGBTQA community to simply being a female religious leader. But the backlash is felt on both sides. Buddenberg said she has been harshly criticized for her views, including for her opposition to abortion. But when confronted by someone who disagrees with her, she said she tries to treat them with respect. This is about loving each other better, Buddenberg said. Even more common than the hostility, Mimitzraiem said, is the culture of silence surrounding abortion rights within religious groups, particularly when its tied to crossing racial lines. She said she talks with other Black Christians about abortion, but when speaking to White clergymen, they often avoid the topic with her. The ones who disagree wont challenge me, Mimitzraiem said. Even religious leaders who also support abortion rights often wont speak up until Mimitzraiem speaks out first, she said. They also fall victim to the same misconception that other people of faith are automatically anti-abortion, making them feel outnumbered by what Mimitzraiem believes is a loud minority. We think its stronger than it is, she said. Buddenberg didnt say whether she believes a majority of people of faith are anti-abortion, but she said the issue is far more nuanced than it may seem. She also noted that many of those who disagree with her on the legality of abortion still dont want to see the number of abortions increase. FAIRBURY When Sidney Huddleston found a brown paper sack she didnt remember leaving in her Fairbury sewing room, she said a vision came to her. It was in August 2013 when she looked into that bag and remembered the vivid scenes of poverty she'd witnessed on First Baptist Church of Fairbury's mission to Nicaragua the year before. She said she had been touched by the dwellings constructed of black plastic and cardboard, pieces of corrugated metal, tree branches and whatever people could find. Huddleston said God spoke to her and told her what to do: stitch colorful cloth fabrics, 2 feet wide by 4 feet long, that the people of Nicaragua could hang from their doors. Indeed, she said, there was fabric inside the sack she found that day in her sewing room. And her mind thought of all colors, especially bright ones. I guess God said to use red, and as it began to slowly scrap together, I'm thinking: Aha! The blood of Christ binds us all together, said Huddleston. Now nine years later, she and 11 other ladies are still stitching and sending their textiles overseas to people in need as part as the Tapestry of Love ministry. And with National Sewing Month coming to a close, Huddleston said they're still working for people in Nicaragua who don't have a Walmart to buy clothes from let alone enough money to shop there, if they had one. She said at first they had six ladies who put together 125 vibrant door hangers for the next mission team to take to Nicaragua that November. Huddleston said the recipients were amazed by their handmade creations and thoughtfulness. Since they were used to getting food aid, she said being given the door hangers added a personal touch. By 2016, she said the Tapestry of Love mission outgrew its church space, and moved its setup into a Fairbury home where they can work on projects and not have to tear down after each session. They get together weekly on Wednesdays for about six hours, or more when needed, she said, with Gods will pushing and blessing them. Seams of sweetness New babies in the church congregation previously received flowers, but now, Huddleston said they're presented with quilts from the ministry. She added theyre also taking quilts to local ambulances, along with the Fairbury and Chenoa police departments. Right now, she said theyre working on quilts for veterans, mostly headed to church members who served. Huddleston said they have so many quilts, they can also furnish them for Toys for Tots every year. One of their recent projects, she said, was crocheting and knitting preemie hats for Northwestern Hospital in Chicago. The hospital wrote back and asked for bunting shrouds for stillborn babies, so Huddleston said they delivered them 30 of those, too. They've also made pediatric surgical caps for the OSF hospital in Pontiac. In the past, the ministry has made dog beds from fabric scraps and sent them to Rubys Rescue and Retreat in McLean. They've also packed 100 bags with activity items for Sadies Dream for a Cure. Huddleston said most projects are ongoing or repeating, and supplies are funded by private donations. She added that people who want to volunteer don't have to know how to sew. They also need helpers to cut fabric to size and pack bags with stuffed animals. These are just a few of the many projects Tapestry of Love takes on, Huddleston said. We're never going to be bored because it changes all the time, she continued. September is also Childhood Cancer Awareness Month. Huddleston said while researching pediatric cancer and improving survival rates, she learned there are still 12% of these little warriors that are not going to make it. Those numbers break her heart, she said. However, if their work can put a smile on a childs face and distract them from reality, Huddleston said its worth it. And that helps her and other women in the ministry build confidence. She said while she loves the spiritual part of their work, she also loves to see women grow themselves through helping others, similar to how she taught Nicaraguans to sew for her missionary work. I have seen the women that come into this thinking they couldn't do anything, to find out that God has prepared them for exactly this. BLOOMINGTON The Bloomington-Normal NAACP will host a candidates forum from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, at Mt. Pisgah Baptist Church, 801 W. Market St., Bloomington. The nonpartisan forum is free and open to the public, according to a news release. Candidates have been invited for these elected positions: U.S. Congress for Illinois District 17, Illinois State Senate District 46, McLean County clerk and McLean County treasurer, the news release stated. The forum is co-sponsored by the Central Illinois Chapter of the ACLU, Conexiones Latinas de McLean County, League of Women Voters of McLean County, LIFE Center for Independent Living, McLean County Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, Prairie Pride Coalition and WGLT. Candidates will present brief opening and closing statements. The moderators will then pose questions, and audience members may also submit questions for the candidates. Masks and/or face shields will be required for this in-person event. The local branch hosted its first Civics Project forum in March before the primary election. The forums are intended to educate constituents on the elections process. More information can be found on the Facebook event page at www.facebook.com/events/3178765049119604. How Time Flies is a daily feature looking back at Pantagraph archives to revisit what was happening in our community and region. 100 years ago Sept. 25, 1922: E.J. Leman, a well-to-do Bloomington dairyman, has disappeared under mysterious circumstances. All day long and into the night, Sheriff Morrison and Chief of Police Gierman, several officers and two hundred or more civilians searched in vain for the missing man. Leman's auto was found on White Oak Road, about two blocks north of Market Street, with the windshield having been smashed by a brick. His father has offered a reward of $500. 75 years ago Sept. 25, 1947: Two types of transport the Pioneer and Beech 34 are being considered for "feeder" service through Bloomington to be operated by the Parks Air Transport company. Plans say the Parks service will operate at least four flights daily through Bloomington. Two will be eastbound with stops at Urbana-Champaign and Danville, and in Indiana, Crawfordsville and Indianapolis. Two would be westbound with stops in Peoria, Galesburg and the tri-cities of Rock Island, Moline and Davenport. 50 years ago Sept. 25, 1972: Roughly 300 to 400 Democrats showed up to a rally at Lucca Forest, where they heard from Illinois Auditor Michael Howlett, who is running for secretary of state, and state Rep. Gerald Bradley. The rally started with a picnic lunch of Italian beef sandwiches, politicking, handshaking and music from piano and banjos. Then came the speeches: enthusiastic, barnstorming, get-out-the-vote, support-your-candidate speeches. 25 years ago Sept. 25, 1997: Members of the Bloomington City Council and District 87 board are in talks about who should pay for school crossing guards. In recent years, the city of Bloomington has assumed the entire cost, roughly $72,000 for 1997. But city council members say they only want to pay half of those costs in the future. In January 1881, as Bloomingtons wealthiest citizen Asahel Gridley lay dying in his Bloomington mansion, a local minister asked him if he feared hell. Not a bit of it, he was purported to have said. Ive lived in hell since the day I was married. Fair or unfair, stories of questionable veracity such as this color much of what we know or think we know about Asahel and Mary Gridley and their 45-year marriage. With the Gridleys its often hard to separate fact from legend, but as sometimes said by both the foolish and the wise never let the truth get in the way of a good story! And although Asahel Gridley had a mean streak that could produce hair-raising, teeth-rattling blue streaks, he was no Mr. Potter from Its a Wonderful Life. In fact, no early resident played as important a role in promoting Bloomington as the indefatigable Gridley. Being of a highly impulsive nature he fires up with a zeal often more intense than wise, noted town of Normal founder Jesse Fell of Gridley, adding that though he was known to rain invective down upon even his best friends, that did not make him a bad man. Raised in upstate New York, Gridley came to Bloomington in October 1831, enjoying initial success as the proprietor of a general store. In March 1836 he married Mary Enos of Pittsburgh, Pa., and when she first arrived in Bloomington she was taken aback at what was little more than a rustic village. Many years later she recalled that Asahel had so impressed me with Bloomingtons glories that I fondly anticipated getting into a perfect paradise. Well, I was disillusioned, I assure you. The couple would go on to have 10 children, four of which survived into adulthood. The Panic of 1837 was a gut punch to Gridleys economic prospects and left him staggering toward bankruptcy. Fortunately, state politics offered a welcome diversion and perhaps the promise of financial gain. Gridleys financial woes (bankruptcy came in 1842) gave him a familiarity with the law, and it wasnt long before he left shopkeeping for a successful legal practice on the 8th Judicial Circuit, jostling for clients with the likes of David Davis and Lincoln. As a state senator, Gridley played a paramount role ensuring the route of the Illinois Central Railroad would pass through Bloomington, and the arrival of the first train in May 1853 represented one of the most momentous events in city history. Gridley, to the surprise of no one, then became a land agent for the IC, and as a driven speculator-politician he made a personal fortune. In 1859-1860, Gridley built the citys most palatial residence on the 300 block of East Grove Street. The Oaks, an Italianate mansion of cream-colored brick, can still be seen behind a 1930s apartment building that shares the same name. At least one outlandish Asahel and Mary story is true. In a letter dated Oct. 30, 1860, Judge David Davis recounted to his wife Sarah how Mary Gridley escorted U.S. Sen. Stephen Douglas, who was a Democrat, into Bloomington on Asahels own carriage a carriage adorned with a pro-Douglas flag no less. This was happening while Asahel accompanied former Ohio Gov. Thomas Corwin, a fellow Republican, by carriage. (It appears there were competing political rallies in Bloomington.) Davis viewed Marys act as an affront to her husband, making him a laughing stock and bringing him into public ridicule. Asahel Gridley died on January 25, 1881. After the funeral at The Oaks the story goes that Mary ordered her husbands casket carried out the back door, saying the rugs had already taken enough punishment. Back in 1859, Gridley found himself accused of making slanderous accusations against his old and respected friend William Flagg, who was not amused and sued for libel. Surviving correspondence shows a desperate Gridley beseeching Lincoln to take the case. According to one version of events, Lincoln agreed and was able to settle before trial with the argument, as he told Gridley, that the people generally know you to be impulsive and say things you do not mean, and they do not consider what you say as slander. In other words, Gridleys slanderous accusations werent slanderous because he talked like that to everyone! From the outset of Russias war on Ukraine, the crucial question hasnt changed: Can Vladimir Putin be defeated at an acceptable cost? Despite all we now know about Russias military incompetence and the courage and skill of Ukraines forces, the answer is still uncertain. This leads to an uncomfortable conclusion, one that President Joe Biden showed no trace of understanding in his speech at the United Nations last week: Planning for the end of this conflict needs to weigh outcomes that are disappointing, even disgraceful, for the sake of avoiding those that are catastrophic. The idea of an off-ramp for Putin strikes many as repugnant and now, for good measure, entirely unnecessary. Ukraine is winning. Why help Russia snatch so much as a partial victory from the jaws of defeat? The Ukraine must win chorus never clearly sets out what Russias defeat really involves. Perhaps it means that Russia is pushed back behind its pre-2014 borders and then just comes to terms with it. Or maybe Putins humiliation causes domestic opposition to explode and hes removed; his successor is someone the West can do business with; Russias claims to superpower status collapse; and its demotion to second-tier status is acknowledged and accepted. All good stuff, to be sure, and nothing is impossible. But, to put it mildly, these futures arent assured. As governments gathered for the U.N. meeting, Putin announced his intention to prolong the war with a partial mobilization that in due course will field another 300,000 soldiers. And he underlined his threat to use nuclear weapons: Russia will use all the instruments at its disposal to counter a threat against its territorial integrity. This is not a bluff. Soon that notion of territorial integrity might include areas Russia currently occupies and intends to annex. I keep reading that one should be aware of Putins nuclear threats but not intimidated by them. Call me a coward, but I find it difficult to think about Armageddon without being a little intimidated and I ask the same of my political leaders. If at all possible, its better to avoid than invite mass death and destruction. Of course, simply surrendering in the face of such threats would assure defeat but one can be rationally intimidated, and respond accordingly, without surrendering. Thats what mutually assured destruction is supposed to mean. Am I exaggerating the danger? Wont Putin be deterred from using nuclear weapons if hes threatened with a proportionately drastic response? Again, maybe but whats the deterrent, exactly? Its hard to see how sanctions could be made much tougher, not least because theyre already causing great damage beyond Russia. Having gone to such lengths to support Ukraine without putting any of its own forces at risk, can the U.S. credibly threaten (as some advise) to attack Russia in response to a tactical nuclear strike let alone credibly threaten a nuclear response? Supposing the threats and counter-threats evolve in that direction, note a worrisome dissonance in much of the analysis of Putins calculations. His attack on Ukraine was judged to be not just deplorable but also reckless. Yet he is expected to parse the pros and cons of escalating to de-escalate as prudence demands. What could possibly go wrong? Ukraines remarkable battlefield successes create an opening to bring the war to a close without running these extraordinary risks. Whats needed now is a settlement that lets Putin claim a victory that everybody else understands to be a defeat. This could emerge from negotiations in a variety of different forms. But imagine, to begin with, a ceasefire that set borders according to current battle lines, with a longer-term outcome that ceded some territory to Russia while admitting most of todays Ukraine to NATO. Until recently, Putin would have deemed this unacceptable. Now it might not look so bad. The course of the war has underlined the limits of Russias power, tested the patience of its allies, and cemented the capacity of the West to challenge its actions. The total humiliation of Putin, or his removal from power, isnt necessary to drive this home. 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. The police have debunked reports that Christopher Ekow Clarke Quansah, the Tufuhen of Akwakrom, near Mankessim, who has been accused of being involved in the murder of a prospective student-nurse at Mankessim, has died. The report circulating in the media that the chief arrested in connection with the murder of a prospective student-nurse at Mankessim has died is false, the police said in a statement issued on Saturday. According to the police, chief and his accomplice, the self-styled pastor who were remanded into police custody by the court to reappear on October 4, 2022, were alive and in custody. The Police, therefore, urged the public to treat the report with the contempt it deserved. The two accused persons were on Thursday remanded by the Cape Coast District Court 2 over the murder of Georgina Asor Botchwey, a 25-year-old who was seeking admission into the Ankaful Nursing School. The incident happened at Mankessim in the Central Region. Christopher Ekow Clarke Quansah, 65 and Michael Darko, 48, a self-styled pastor, have been charged with conspiracy to commit the crime, to wit murder and murder. Upon police interrogation, Darko allegedly admitted to the crime and said they wanted to use the deceased for money rituals. The pleas of the accused persons were not taken when they appeared before the court presided over by Mrs Bernice Mensimah Ackon, and are to reappear on Tuesday, October 4, 2022. Prosecuting, DSP Daniel Gadzo said the complainant, Mr Duodu, a military officer stationed at Takoradi, was a brother of the deceased. He said Darko, who resided in Kumasi, was the boyfriend of the deceased's sister, while Quansah was a resident of Sikafoambantem at Mankessim. On Thursday, September 8, Georgina, who had come from Yeji in the Bono East Region for an interview at the Ankaful Psychiatric Nursing Training School in Cape Coast, as a student applicant, called Darko to inform him of her presence in the town. He said Darko promised to pick her up after the interview on Friday, September 9, 2022. As promised, the two accused persons went to pick Georgina up from Ankaful in a taxicab to Pedu in Cape Coast, where Quansah had parked his Benz, with registration number GT 8686 C and drove her to Akwakrom, near Mankessim. Quansah and Darko then took Georgina's iPhone, locked her in a room and left for Sikafoambantem, a suburb of Mankessim, where they dug a hole in an uncompleted storey building. They later took the lady to the uncompleted building and Quansah hit her neck with a club from behind while Darko held her neck till she died. They then shaved her hair and buried her. The Central Regional Police Command reportedly picked intelligence, which led to the arrest of Darko at Anomabo but Quansah managed to escape. On Wednesday, September 21, Quansah was also picked up from his hideout upon a tip-off. Investigations are still ongoing, DSP Gadzo told the court. Source: graphic.com.gh 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 Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) has debunked a report indicating that a Soldier (Private Asare Boateng) has been arrested for stealing GH 23,000 belonging to a civilian. In a presser, the GAF stated categorically that the suspect is an imposter. He is not a Soldier neither is he a Bandsman at the Signal Regiment or a Civilian Staff of the Ghana Armed Forces it stated. The statement also indicated that on Friday 16 September 2022, the Military Police in Takoradi arrested Asare Boateng dressed in a camouflage uniform, for posing as a Soldier and extorting monies from unsuspecting civilians at Elmina in the Central Region. During interrogation, Asare Boateng confessed to engaging in impersonation and extortion. The Military Police subsequently handed him over to the Kwasimintim Police Station at Takoradi for further action as required by law. GAF, therefore wishes to emphasise that the suspect (Asare Boateng) is not a Soldier and not affiliated to any Unit of the Ghana Armed Forces contrary to the reports in the media and therefore should not be regarded as such. In the same view, GAF also entreated the media to take advantage of its open door policy and to seek clarifications on such matters to avoid the publication of misleading reports that drags GAF into disrepute. GAF also wishes to assure the general public that it will continuously work with all stakeholders to weed out criminal elements in the society, including any uniformed personnel who engages in illegal activity so that the nation can have a secured environment for socio-economic development, the statement said. Source: dailyguidenetwork.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 " " Rabbi Moshe Wilansky of Chabad of Maine blows the shofar before a Rosh Hashanah service starts. Gregory Rec/Portland Press Herald via Getty Images Rosh Hashanah is one of the most important holidays in the Jewish religion. You may know quite a bit about the holiday, or you may know that it has something to do with apples and honey, and that it is a Jewish "High Holiday." You might have heard the greeting on this holiday "Shana Tova!" Or perhaps you know nothing about it at all. In this article, you will learn about Rosh Hashanah -- where the holiday comes from, how people celebrate it, and what the "High Holiday" period is all about. Advertisement We'll start with the most basic question: What does Rosh Hashanah celebrate? Rosh Hashanah is many things, but most people know it as the Jewish New Year. In fact, the significance of Rosh Hashanah encapsulates four major and interconnected themes. The holiday is: The Jewish New Year The Day of Judgement The Day of Remembrance The Day of Shofar Blowing Rosh Hashanah is one of two High Holidays in the Jewish religion, the other being Yom Kippur, which occurs 10 days after Rosh Hashanah begins. These two holidays form the High Holiday period, arguably the most significant time in the Jewish year, as it marks the chance for repentance and forgiveness in the eyes of God. During the High Holidays, Jews cleanse their soul and get the chance to start fresh with an unburdened conscience and the intention of doing better in the coming year. According to the Talmud, God created mankind on the first day of the month Tishri. As such, Rosh Hashanah commemorates the creation of the human race. It is a time for cleansing and renewal, a chance to receive forgiveness and clear the slate. The importance of the holiday is reflected in its two-day observance; most Jewish holidays are celebrated for only one day. Rosh Hashanah, literally translated as "head of the year," is considered the Jewish New Year. But the holiday does not fall on the first day of the first month of the Jewish calendar. Rosh Hashanah begins with the first day of the seventh month, Tishri, and so is something of a symbolic New Year (at least in terms of what most people think of as "New Year's"). It is actually one of several New Year observations that occur throughout the year, and this particular New Year marks the opportunity to put the sins of the previous year in the past, and move forward having received God's forgiveness. In this way, Rosh Hashanah is the Day of Judgement. One of the most prominent themes of the holiday revolves around the symbolic "Book of Life." A Jew's life depends on whether or not he or she makes the decision to make amends during the High Holiday period through the means of repentance (teshuvah), prayer (tfiloh), and charity (tzedakah). It is a key moment, a time to reflect on past mistakes and resolve in front of God to not repeat them in the coming year. It is also a celebration of man's free will -- making the conscious decision to look inside oneself, to look truly at one's life and make amends. In exercising this choice, which was given to him by God, man makes himself worthy of God's mercy. On Rosh Hashanah, Jews often say to one another, "May you be inscribed and sealed in the Book of Life." The High Holiday period is a choice between life and death, righteousness and sin, and those who repent are on their way to being inscribed in the "Book of Life," which brings with it the promise of a good year. The belief is that on Rosh Hashanah, the names are written in the book, and on Yom Kippur (10 days later) the book is sealed. These 10 days are referred to as the Days of Awe. As the Day of Remembrance, Rosh Hashanah recalls the story of Isaac's near-sacrifice, which Jewish tradition states occurred on the first of Tishri. In this biblical account, God commanded Isaac's father, Abraham, to sacrifice his only son as an offering. Abraham accepts God's command, builds an altar, and prepares to sacrifice his son to prove his obedience and faith in God. At the very last minute, an angel conveying God's wishes stopped Abraham from killing Isaac, and pointed out a ram caught by its horns in a nearby bush. The angel told Abraham to sacrifice the ram in place of Isaac -- Abraham had passed God's test. As a result, God blessed Abraham. This story is recalled on Rosh Hashanah to remind Jews that submission before God is the way to attain God's mercy, and the truly righteous do not question God's will. They do as God commands and are rewarded for their faith. " " The shofar comes in many shapes and sizes. The last of Rosh Hashanah's main symbols is the shofar, which is a hollowed out ram's horn. The Day of Shofar Blowing has several implications, but there are at least three widely recognized meanings. One is to recall the story of Isaac -- of God sparing his life as a reward for Abraham's faith -- and to remember the ram that was sacrificed in Isaac's place. Aside from recalling the story of Isaac, the shofar also calls to mind a coronation of sorts. Inasmuch as Rosh Hashanah is a celebration of the creation of human beings, it is also a celebration of God's kingship over human beings. The blowing of the shofar announces and reaffirms God as ruler of all mankind. The "trumpet-like" sound of the shofar also serves to stir the soul of all Jews, to awaken the Jewish people to the omnipotence and omnipresence of God and the chance to receive his mercy through prayer and repentance. To hear what a shofar sounds like, visit this page from Torah Tots and scroll down to "The Shofar." The Jewish Calendar The calendar used by most of the world is the Gregorian calendar, introduced in 1582 by Pope Gregory XIII. The Jewish calendar, which is the official calendar in Israel and the religious calendar for Jews everywhere, was instituted by Hillel II around the year 359. Whereas the Gregorian calendar is based on the sun, the Jewish calendar is based on both the sun and the moon. Years coincide with the sun, and months coincide with the moon. For more information, see Judaism 101: Jewish Calendar and Calendars Through the Ages: The Jewish calendar. Read More Japan's Hayabusa-2 probe collected rocks and dust from the asteroid Ryugu and returned that sample to Earth. Specks of dust retrieved by a Japanese space probe from an asteroid some 300 million kilometres from Earth have revealed a surprising component: a drop of water, scientists said Friday. The discovery offers new support for the theory that life on Earth was seeded from outer space. The findings are in the latest research to be published from the analysis of 5.4 grams of rocks and dust gathered by the Hayabusa-2 probe from the asteroid Ryugu. "This drop of water has great meaning," lead scientist Tomoki Nakamura of Tohoku University told reporters ahead of the research's publication in the journal Science on Friday. "Many researchers believe that water was brought (from outer space) but we actually discovered water in Ryugu, an asteroid near Earth, for the first time." Hayabusa-2 was launched in 2014 on its mission to Ryugu, and returned to Earth's orbit two years ago to drop off a capsule containing the sample. The precious cargo has already yielded several insights, including organic material that showed some of the building blocks of life on Earth, amino acids, may have been formed in space. The research published Friday says the team found a drop of fluid in the Ryugu sample "which was carbonated water containing salt and organic matter", Nakamura said. Hayabusa-2 collected samples from Ryugu some 300 million kilometres from Earth. That bolsters the theory that asteroids like Ryugu, or its larger parent asteroid, could have "provided water, which contains salt and organic matter" in collisions with Earth, Nakamura said. "We have discovered evidence that this (process) may have been directly linked to, for example, the origin of the oceans or organic matter on Earth." Nakamura's team, comprising about 150 researchersincluding 30 from the United States, Britain, France, Italy, and Chinais one of the largest teams analysing the sample from Ryugu. The sample has been divided among different scientific teams to maximise the chance of new discoveries. Kensei Kobayashi, an astrobiology expert and professor emeritus at Yokohama National University who is not part of the research group, hailed the discovery. "The fact that water was discovered in the sample itself is surprising," given its fragility and the chances of it being destroyed in outer space, he told AFP. "It does suggest that the asteroid contained waterin the form of fluid and not just iceand organic matter may have been generated in that water." More information: T. Nakamura, Formation and evolution of carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu: Direct evidence from returned samples, Science (2022). www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.abn8671 Journal information: Science T. Nakamura, Formation and evolution of carbonaceous asteroid Ryugu: Direct evidence from returned samples,(2022). DOI: 10.1126/science.abn8671 2022 AFP Members of the Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office prepare rubber boats and life vests ahead of Super Typhoon Noru making landfall. A super typhoon charged towards the Philippines Sunday and was on track to slam into the heavily populated main island of Luzon, forcing the evacuations of vulnerable communities on the coast and in Manila, authorities said. Super Typhoon Noru was packing maximum sustained winds of 195 kilometers (121 miles) an hour after an unprecedented "explosive intensification", the state weather forecaster said. The storm, the strongest to hit the Philippines this year, is expected to continue strengthening as it makes landfall around 80 kilometers northeast of the sprawling capital Manila in the afternoon or evening. "We ask residents living in danger zones to adhere to calls for evacuation whenever necessary," Philippine National Police chief General Rodolfo Azurin said. The Philippines is regularly ravaged by storms, with scientists warning they are becoming more powerful as the world gets warmer because of climate change. "The winds were fierce this morning," said Ernesto Portillo, 30, who works as a cook in the coastal municipality of Infanta in Quezon province where the typhoon could make landfall. "We're a bit worried... We secured our belongings and bought a few groceries so we have food just in case." Weather forecaster Robb Gile said Noru's rapid intensification as it neared land was "unprecedented". The meteorology agency said its wind speeds had increased by 90 kilometers per hour in 24 hours. "Typhoons are like enginesyou need a fuel and an exhaust to function," said Gile. "In the case of Karding, it has a good fuel because it has plenty of warm waters along its track and then there is a good exhaust in the upper level of the atmosphereso it's a good recipe for explosive intensification," he said, using the local name for the storm. In Manila, emergency personnel braced for the possibility of strong winds and heavy rain battering the city of more than 13 million people. Forced evacuations have started in some "high risk" areas of the metropolis, officials said. "NCR is prepared. We are just waiting and hoping it will not hit us," said Romulo Cabantac, regional director for the civil defense office, referring to the National Capital Region. Calm before the storm Noru comes nine months after another super typhoon devastated swathes of the country, killing more than 400 people and leaving hundreds of thousands homeless. Ahead of the latest storm, residents in several municipalities in Quezon province were evacuated from their homes, according to the provincial disaster office. In the neighboring province of Aurora, residents of Dingalan municipality were forced to seek shelter. "People living near the coast have been told to evacuate. We live away from the coast so we're staying put so far. We're more worried about the water from the mountains," said Rhea Tan, 54, a restaurant manager in Dingalan. Tan said residents were securing the roofs of their houses and boats were being taken to higher ground while the weather was still calm. "We're even more anxious if the weather is very calm, because that's the usual indicator of a strong typhoon before it hits land," Tan added. Noru could have wind speeds of up to 205 kilometers per hour when it makes landfall, the weather bureau said. It is expected to weaken to a typhoon as it sweeps across central Luzon, before entering the South China Sea on Monday and heading towards Vietnam. The weather bureau has warned of dangerous storm surges more than three meters high along the coast of Aurora and Quezon, including the Polillo islands, along with widespread flooding and landslides as the storm dumps heavy rain. It could topple coconut and mango trees, and cause "severe losses" to rice and corn crops in the heavily agricultural region, while inundating villages. The coast guard reported more than 2,500 people had been left stranded by ferry cancellations as vessels took shelter ahead of the storm. Dozens of flights in and out of Manila were also cancelled. School classes and non-essential government services have been suspended for Monday. The Philippinesranked among the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate changeis hit by an average of 20 storms every year. 2022 AFP The epidemic of childhood obesity has had a huge impact on New Jersey, but the state is starting to make progress in its fight against it. The percentage of children 2 to 4 years old participating in Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women, Infants and Children who are obese in New Jersey has dropped from 18.6% in 2000 to 14.9% in 2018. Meanwhile, the percentage of children ages 10 to 17 considered obese has dropped from 14.8% to 13.8% since 2016, according to data from the State of Childhood Obesity, a project by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. Despite the drop in some key demographics around the state, the obesity rate among high school students, ages 14 to 18 years old, increased 10% in 2001 to 11.9% in 2019, according to the state Department of Health. Childhood obesity is defined as having a body mass index at or above the 95th percentile on the Centers for Disease Control and Preventions specific growth charts. While New Jersey has consistently been below the national average for obesity and overweight rates in adults and children over the years, there are some concerning trends related to increases in obesity rates and lack of physical activity among children, said Nancy Kearney, deputy director of the communications with the state Department of Health. While New Jersey typically ranks 40th through 49th in obesity rates among adults, the state is more in the middle of the pack when it comes to children and obesity rates. New Jersey ranks 35th nationally in the obesity rates for children 10 to 17 years old. Physical activity of 60 minutes or more five days a week among adolescents in the state dipped from 49.8% in 2011 to 44.5% in 2019, according to the department. Kelly Dougherty, an associate professor and founding program chair of exercise science at Stockton University, said the issue has reached epidemic portions nationwide. It can be lots of different factors, Dougherty said. When you look at obesity and the risk of developing it, its environmental, its cultural, its socio-economic in both children and adults. Black and brown youth in New Jersey fare even worse than white children, officials have said. Childhood obesity contributes to long-term health issues and sets them up to have further disadvantages later in life, said Dr. Alvaro Galvez, a bariatric and minimally invasive surgeon with AtlantiCare. Galvez said one of the issues is children are becoming obese at an earlier age, and that means the corresponding symptoms and health ailments of obesity are affecting them sooner and, if not addressed, for longer portions of their lives. The longer time that you are sick, the more damage that is done to your body. The outcome of these problems in children are a lot worse. Diabetes progresses a lot faster, Galvez said. Healthier options One way the state is addressing childhood obesity is through providing access to healthier foods. The correlation between high-quality foods and obesity was identified as a focus in a 2018 report by state officials on steps Atlantic City should take to return to local control. The report, co-authored by Jim Johnson, former special counsel to Gov. Phil Murphy, highlighted the citys issues. Research shows those who have access to a supermarket vs. those that dont, Dougherty said. Those that dont increase the risk of developing obesity. A recent research project by the Rutgers University Center for Public Health found that better, healthier food options are critical to avoiding obesity. This suggests that elevating the healthfulness of food offered at upgraded stores to levels similar to those of small grocery stores has the potential to improve childrens weight status, according to a research report by Rutgers University Center for public health. In March 2018, the New Jersey Healthy Kids Initiative was launched. The initiative is a partnership between New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health and the Child Health Institute of New Jersey that focuses on improving the health of New Jersey children. The primary goal of the NJHKI is to ensure that as children enter kindergarten, they meet the physical and emotional milestones recommended in the Robert Wood Johnson Foundations Healthy Children, Healthy Weight campaign. The long-term objective is to lower the percentage of children considered overweight or obese in New Jersey, thus lowering the risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease and certain types of cancers in adulthood. A recent report suggests one way to reduce obesity is to ensure every child has a consistent source of healthy meals. School meals have become significantly healthier over the past decade. Pandemic-era policy changes have meant more kids are getting meals. Galvez said more needs to be done to shine a light on the issue of childhood obesity. As a society nowadays, we are actually making a push towards viewing the problem of being overweight as not a problem, Galvez said. Its a fine line between social stigma and a medical issue. This is a problem that needs to be discussed with your doctor. Vietnam maintains efforts to fight IUU fishing Vietnam is striving to prevent, reduce and eliminate illegal, unreported and unregulated (IUU) fishing in an effort to remove the European Commission (EC)s yellow card warning as part of a scheme on IUU fishing prevention and control by 2025. The scheme, approved recently by Deputy Prime Minister Le Van Thanh, aims to monitor fishing activities, protect marine resources and ecosystems, and develop Vietnam's fisheries towards sustainability, responsibility and international integration, thus contributing to improving people's lives, ensuring national security and defence, and protecting the country's sovereignty. Tuna caught by Vietnamese fishermen (Photo: VNA) By 2025, all fishing vessels with a length of 15m or more will be inspected before leaving port to ensure all documents and equipment are completed as prescribed; 100% of fishing vessels of 15m or more must be monitored through the Fishing Vessel Journey Monitoring System when at sea and will be inspected when entering port; 100% of aquatic output from domestic fishing must be inspected and supervised when loading and unloading at fishing ports according to regulations; and 100% of seafood from foreign catches arriving at Vietnam's seaports must be inspected and monitored in accordance with the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO)s 2009 Agreement on Port State Measures (PSMA). To that end, Vietnam will focus on intensifying communications on IUU fishing prevention and control; completing a legal framework, mechanisms and policies; investing in upgrading and completing fisheries infrastructure and consolidating organisational apparatus; and enhancing the capacity of fishing ports. Attention will be paid to improving the capacity and efficiency of patrols, inspections and controls at sea, promoting law enforcement, tracing the origins of aquatic products, and realising international treaties and agreements, and enhancing international cooperation. In October 2017, the EC issued a "yellow card" warning against Vietnamese seafood exports after Vietnamese fishermen violated IUU regulations. Two years ago, Delaware River Partners got the final approval it needed to build a terminal in South Jersey to ship liquefied natural gas. The company must wish it had done so as soon as it could, given the demand and prices for LNG now. The United States has abundant natural gas reserves, which have dramatically cut heating costs for American homeowners and energy costs for businesses, while reducing U.S. carbon dioxide emissions by double digits in a decade. The U.S. produces enough this month exceeding 100 billion cubic feet per day for the first time that it is also the worlds third largest exporter of liquefied natural gas. Delaware River Partners, a unit of New Fortress Energy, plans to compress natural gas from Pennsylvanias northeast Marcellus Shale fields and ship it from a port in the community of Gibbstown, Greenwich Township, in Gloucester County. The company already had gotten the 25 state and federal approvals it needed in 2020. The federal government granted its first permit for rail shipment of LNG to the Gibbstown terminal. The final approval then came from the tristate Delaware River Basin Commission. This month, the DRBC affirmed its approval for the LNG port, giving Delaware River Partners three more years to build the port. The case for the port has gotten much stronger this year. The Biden administration committed the U.S. to increasing shipments of natural gas to Europe to end its dependence on supplies from Russia, which before the Ukraine war provided a third of Europes supply. Industry officials say the U.S. is already sending all the LNG it can to Europe, and shipping more will require new terminals, such as the one in Gibbstown. Environmental organizations have said the LNG terminal will encourage the production of natural gas, whose carbon footprint is larger than that of solar and wind energy. They have tried to stop or at least delay the creation of the port, also arguing that in their opinion transporting LNG is unsafe. The DRBC representative from New York, where the Delaware is merely a stream, suggested that the commission hold a public hearing to give opponents another chance to comment. The commissions general counsel, Ken Warren, said the developer had spent at least $1.8 million so far and shown its commitment to completing the project, according to NJ Spotlight. The commissions approval of the dock for the terminal in December 2020 still stands regardless of the overall extension, Warren said. He also argued that opponents already had an opportunity to express their views, so no further public hearing was justified. All members of the commission then reaffirmed their approved, with New Yorks representative abstaining. Natural gas is a fairly clean resource that will be a bridge to lower emission forms of energy feasible in the future. Europe now has to burn coal for its energy needs, and so the LNG shipping from Gibbstown will help avoid the far greater pollution from coal. South Jerseys little part in the burgeoning global market for liquefied natural gas will benefit state and national economies, help Europeans and others meet their energy needs while polluting less, and reduce energy market leverage aimed at weakening opposition to Russia. Too bad its not already operating, but good that its moving forward now. Autumn arrived at mid-week, after summer left with a bang: a record high of 95; leading to a 30-degree drop in temperature over two days. It was an emphatic reminder that global warming can give accustomed changes a bit of an edge. Seasonal transitions may not always be as dramatic, but it is comforting to have them on any terms. On that transitional first day of autumn this week, local citizens gathered after hours at the Rock Island Public Library to acknowledge Banned Books Week, an observation long linked to the autumnal equinox. The event was organized by the Midwest Writing Center, which is headquartered there. After a brief repast, participants read selections from banned books they brought to the meeting. Similar gatherings have been held across the country to counter the steady rise in attempts to ban specific books from school and public libraries. Climate aside, there are few topics that generate more heat than efforts to ban books. The American Library Associations Office for Intellectual Freedom documented 681 challenges to 1,651 individual books just through the first eight months of this year. Obviously, some objectors are citing more than one title. A challenge isnt the same as a ban. It simply means someone has submitted a request for a particular book to be removed from a library, most often a school library. Most of those are from parents or individuals who have found a work to be personally offensive. This is usually for sexual content, but it is striking that over 40% of books considered objectionable are about characters of color; One-third deal with LGBTQ topics. Bans are harder to come by, as library officials, by nature of their profession, are against them. I read that two directors of the Vinton, Iowa, public library resigned over attempts to ban LGBTQ titles. But bans are sometimes enforced. The Illinois State Library lists eight that they have barred. An interesting case comes from Logan, Iowa, where one of the towns inhabitants, Kailee Coleman, wrote a popular children's book entitled And Thats Their Family, an account of the wide diversity in contemporary family life. Some citizens want it banned, along with a biography of Harvey Milk. the first openly gay man elected to public office in California. Coleman, whose book grew out of her work in daycare, responded: I was surprised because the book is a book of facts. Its just family structures that exist in this world. In addition to the '50s idealized family sitcom model, she lists 18 different ways many of todays families function. She adds: There are blank pages at the end of the book to draw your own family and draw a family different from yours! The whole book can be sung to the tune of the Addam's Family! The director of the Logan Library, Kate Simmons, spoke in defense of Colemans popular book for professional and personal reasons: Diversity, inclusivity, and representation are fundamentally my philosophy. I am a member of the LGBTQ community, and I did not come to this public library for a period of about ten years because I did not feel represented. I think kindness and acceptance are gong to have to come into play here. Mark Stringer, ACLUs Iowa executive director, released a statement on actions to shut down access to certain books and ideas. He insisted that public schools and community libraries have a First Amendment obligation not to censor materials simply because some community members dont agree with the viewpoints in those materials. It should be emphasized that Iowa is not alone in having this problem. No state has banned more books than Texas (713). Pennsylvania is second with 456. (One of its county districts has banned a lengthy list of books by or about people of color.) Floridas governor wants to make using certain books a felony. In all 1,586 books have been banned or restricted by 86 districts across the country, according to PEN (Pets, Essayists, Novelists) America. School districts in Illinois are under pressure from parents to ban books such as Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe for its explicit illustrations and George M. Johnsons All Boys Arent Blue for its sexually explicit text. There is a broad range of books under threat, most of them for dealing forthrightly with sex. Its a tough subject to handle objectively. If you were an adolescent some 80 years ago, you would have been desperate to learn anything at all about sex. In my school years, all I knew for sure was that it was sinful and likely to result in venereal disease. I would have paid any price for one of the books under attack. As an adult, I am as uneasy about their availability as the most nervous parent. Still, banning books in a free country cant be the right answer. Springer gives the most reasonable response to the dilemma: A person can decide that they dont want to read a certain book. They can decide that they dont want their child to read that book. But they cant decide that the entire school or the entire town cant read that book. Sex isnt the only thing some find offensive. There are calls to censor books that deal with race, in particular the brutal facts of slavery as it was actually practiced before the Civil War and its lingering presence afterward. Stories about immigration, different forms of government and finance, evolution, religions other than Christianity all meet with opposition from Americans nervous about having to make room in their privileged lives for those who are different. Acceptance of diversity is critical to democracy. United States citizens come from all over the world. Equality is easy if everyone looks, acts and thinks the same. Thats why Americas inclusive democracy can be hard for some to accept. Books are critical in helping all of us understand lives of which we have no lived experience. Banned Books Week is a yearly reminder of that fact. Within Montanas complicated and controversial stew of disagreements over elk management and hunting access, a few areas of commonality have recently emerged from separate groups contemplating the issues. Some of the areas where there is overlap include: investing in improvements to wildlife habitat on public lands; boosting payments to landowners who provide public hunting access; and increasing education for hunters. The three groups who recently released suggested remedies include two Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks working groups the Private Land/Public Wildlife Advisory Committee and the Elk Management Citizen Advisory Group and the Montana Citizens Elk Management Coalition, which is independent of FWP. There is no single silver-bullet fix, the Coalition wrote in its 16-page report released last week. Rather, a wide-ranging toolbox of programs and options are needed to encourage solution-oriented groups and individuals to work at the local level. Many of the proposals from the groups require legislative approval. Hot topics Finding consensus on elk management and hunting issues in Montana has hit a fevered pitch since Gov. Greg Gianfortes appointment of FWP chief Hank Worsech and all but one Fish and Wildlife Commission member. The changes have left some state hunters concerned their voices are being ignored, while others are worried about a fundamental shift in the ideology guiding wildlife management in Montana that favors private landowners. Adding to the anxiety is a lawsuit filed by United Property Owners of Montana that seeks to have wildlife policy directed by the Legislature, not the commission. The group has also asked the judge in Fergus County to order FWP to reduce elk populations by 50,000 in areas where they are over state management objectives. The objectives were set by landowner tolerance. The lawsuit was followed by the formation of yet another group, the Montana Public Trust Coalition, which is seeking to have legislative candidates sign a pledge to protect and defend Montanas Constitution, particularly our right to hunt and fish and our right to a clean and healthful environment. The pledge goes on to ask candidates to reject any effort to reduce (in terms of value) public lands or turn our public waters, fish and wildlife into private property. Members of the coalition include former governors Steve Bullock and Marc Racicot, along with 11 former Fish and Wildlife Commissioners and 10 Montana Outdoor Hall of Fame members. Education Out of the strident calls for wildlife management changes, only a few areas of agreement have emerged, one of which is hunter education. PL/PW is proposing to update the Hunter-Landowner Stewardship Course to improve training for hunters wanting to access private lands. The Elk Management group suggested a master hunter program to improve hunter quality and with certification possibilities (as) a potential way for program graduates to access private land to hunt. Craig Jourdonnais, a former FWP wildlife biologist and current big game researcher for the MPG Ranch in the Bitterroot Valley, was a panelist at the Citizens Elk Coalition gathering. The ranch allows free public hunting chaperoned by ranch employees. Craig has noticed that hunters are needing a significant amount of help, the coalitions report noted, prompting him to recommended advanced courses for hunters. Habitat Jourdonnais was also one of the presenters to call for landscape scale habitat improvement on public land. FWPs elk advisory group worded its recommendation as managing elk where they are not. The group specifically called for habitat improvement projects in northwest Montana to restore elk populations where theyve declined. However, the group also goes on to advocate for increased predator hunting and trapping, including aerial shooting of wolves. Montana loosened restrictions on wolf hunting and trapping last year, igniting a public outcry from some wildlife groups and calls for relisting the animals as an endangered species to halt state wildlife management. The calls gained national attention because a large portion of the wolves killed were part-time residents of Yellowstone National Park. Payments Lastly, the citizens' coalition and PL/PW proposed increasing payments to landowners who allow public hunters access through FWPs Block Management Program. PL/PW suggested the annual payment cap for participants be raised from $25,000 per landowner each year along with the daily payment, which is currently $13 each hunter day. Since 1996 the number of Block Management participants has grown from 882 landowners enrolling more than 5.82 million private acres to 1,308 people enrolling 5.93 million acres. In that time span, the cost of the payments to landowners has risen from $2.75 million to $7.6 million. Also over that period, hunter use of the program has climbed from around 400,000 hunter days to about 600,000. The elk advisory group and PL/PW also called for more people to help landowners with the Block Management Program. The elk advisory group suggested the creation of a liaison to help improve relationships between the department, hunters and traditional and nontraditional landowners. PL/PW proposed additions to FWP access and enforcement staff to compensate for the increased number of recreationists. Interest The discord between hunters and landowners may ring hollow to some Montanans. Only about 23% of state residents purchased a hunting license four years ago. In comparison, its estimated only about 4% of state residents are involved in agriculture. Yet a 2022 Voter Survey on Public Lands, commissioned by the University of Montanas Crown of the Continent and Greater Yellowstone Initiative, is the latest to report residents high interest in Montanas wildlife and lands. Montanans have always self-identified as conservationists, but now they are experiencing a risk they haven't seen before in the form of growth and development, said Dave Metz, president of Fairbank, Maslin, Maullin, Metz & Associates (FM3), one of the pollsters. The data shows this is contributing to remarkable consensus, in both rural and urban areas, around proposals to protect the states water, wildlife and land. Emily Brewer is a small-business owner and lifelong Isle of Wight County resident. She is also a state delegate but she doesnt have an internet connection at home. So Brewer, R-Suffolk, carries a portable Wi-Fi device with her pretty much everywhere. It suffices for when she needs to check email from her home, but she recalled how the increased need for virtual meetings amid the earlier days of the COVID-19 pandemic meant she had to spend long hours in the office at her wine shop in Suffolk in order to participate. I actually had to pretty much conduct the entire General Assembly session from the office of my business because I couldn't do it at my home, she said. According to 2020 census data, somewhere between 12% and 20% of homes lack broadband access - one of those Brewers. Neighboring counties, Southampton and Isle of Wight range between 20% and 24% of households lacking access the percentages climb higher in Southside and Southwest Virginia where more up to or more than 30% of households do not have internet. The idea of expanding broadband in rural areas is something Brewer is passionate about and she cites the intersectionality of benefits, such as remote work, telehealth, economic development and education. Brewer noted how the pandemic brought the issue of lack of access more to the forefront. With children trying to learn online in areas that didn't have internet, there was a vast difference, Brewer said. I think that everybody else finally understands that this is, you know, not a luxury. It's a necessity. Brewer and Del. David Reid, D-Loudoun, are among state legislators to advocate for funding to help rural localities build out broadband fiber. Reid points to investments in the state budget in recent years towards the Virginia Telecommunication Initiative as an example of something that has helped rural areas catch up. The program, which was first created in 2017, has offered grant opportunities for localities and cooperatives seeking to expand broadband access. Its something Reid said that Virginia should continue to invest in. Federal funds The U.S. Treasury announced in June that Virginia would get $220 million in federal grants to help build out broadband networks across the state. The department said Virginia would be one of the first states to receive grants from a $10 billion capital projects fund created in the American Rescue Plan Act that President Joe Biden signed into law last year. The grants will allow Virginia to expand high-speed internet service to almost 78,000 homes and businesses, about 28% of the users still lacking broadband access in the state. Virginia officials had anticipated the grants when then-Gov. Ralph Northam proposed to use more than $700 million to expand broadband networks, including about $500 million from the $4.3 billion the state received from the American Rescue Plan. The General Assembly approved the allocation of the ARPA funds in an August 2021 special session. Separately, the $1 trillion infrastructure bill that Biden signed in November is expected to provide at least $100 million for accelerating Virginia's efforts to achieve universal broadband access. Brewer noted how earlier this summer Suffolk, Isle of Wight and Southampton counties celebrated groundbreaking on a broadband project after teaming up on a $35 million grant application. The best thing for localities to really be able to do is partner together because it makes their grant applications stronger, Brewer said. The scope of the project is larger and more worthwhile. We're able to connect more. Electric cooperatives have been part of the solution, too. With rural areas having fewer homes in need of fiber per mile than more dense, urban or suburban areas, the cost to build out infrastructure often doesnt yield a high enough return on investment for utility companies to justify. But electric cooperatives are member-owned and function like a nonprofit meaning the money earned is largely invested back into the organization. In this case, its providing electricity and internet to area residents. We're not just cherry picking the highly populated areas, we're taking it to everybody and leaving nobody unserved, said Casey Logan, CEO of RURALBAND, a cooperative that serves areas south of Petersburg. RURALBAND is part of the Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware Association of Broadband Cooperatives. In Virginia, cooperatives participating in the coalition have connected about 30,000 homes since 2017 and plan to connect an additional 200,000 within the next three to five years. However, as cooperatives focus on expanding access in the rural areas around the state, a disparity remains in urban areas. There might be fiber in the street, but the housing complex that's right there, the individuals can't actually afford it, Reid said. Suburbs of Richmond and Petersburg have more connected households than residents in the cities. Almost 30% of Petersburgs 13,231 households do not have broadband internet access while 22% of Richmonds 91,000 households lack access. The problem here, Reid said, is income levels. Thats where he points to the Affordable Connectivity Program that is offered through the Federal Communications Commission. It offers qualifying residents up to $30 per month toward their internet service bills. As for ongoing efforts to keep momentum on expanding access, Reid and Brewer noted the continued need for local governments and cooperatives to coordinate on grant applications and for the states government to continue its investments into those opportunities. Reid added that he will be mindful of future challenges such as ongoing supply chain issues and rising construction or equipment costs that have occurred in recent years. But he and his colleagues are all ears, he said. While participating in a panel this month during the Virginia, Maryland, and Delaware Association of Broadband Cooperatives second annual fiber expo, he explained how listening to constituents helps him and his colleagues draft legislation. I would encourage you to use the information that you have about us send us your ideas, send us your suggestions, Reid said. The other week, before the nation celebrated Constitution Day, a woman stepped up to the visitor centers front desk at James Madisons Montpelier to buy tickets for a guided tour, an everyday occurrence. But as she and her husband began strolling the grounds of the fourth U.S. presidents home in Orange County, a few staff members realized these were no ordinary guests. Former Vice President Mike Pence and his wife, Karen, had come to see where James and Dolley Madison lived. Zeb Dillon Gray, one of the interpreters who manages the Madisons house, quickly rose to the occasion and gave the Pences a private, room-to-room tour of the familys stately brick mansion. Upstairs, they stood in James Madisons study overlooking the Blue Ridge, where he studied scores of books his friend, Thomas Jefferson, shipped from France. There, the 36-year-old planter and Princeton graduate drew upon the Enlightenments ideas and created the Virginia Plan that formed the foundation of the U.S. Constitution during the constitutional convention of 1787 in Philadelphia. We were excited that former Vice President and Mrs. Pence took time to visit Montpelier when they were in the area on 9/11, during Constitution Month, Elizabeth Chew, The Montpelier Foundations interim president and CEO, said Saturday. We appreciate Mr. Pences recognition of the important work we are doing at Montpelier to honor Madisons gift to our nation. The Pences enjoyed their tour, then paid their respects to President Madison in the brick-walled Madison Family Cemetery, a short walk across the estates green fields from the big house, staff members said. There, they were joined by Montpelier Foundation Chairman James French and Chew, with whom they discussed a shared passion for Madisonian principles and the Constitution, Chew said in a statement Saturday. The vice president said he came to Montpelier to pay homage to James Madison because he was inspired by him to support the peaceful transfer of power, Chew said. Montpeliers leadership and staff were impressed by the vice presidents reverence for the place and the legacy of James Madison, which so many work daily to preserve. The Pences described the profound impact that Montpelier the house and the grounds had on them, Chew said. During their visit, the Pences told the staff they had long sought to visit Montpelier. They asked a guide to take a photo of them in front of the Madisons home. The next day, Pence tweeted several photos from their visit, writing, Inspiring stop last weekend at Montpelier the Home of President James Madison, the Father of the Constitution! Thanks again to the Great Staff for the Warm Welcome & all you do to Preserve the Legacy of our 4th President! In the days afterward, Pence expressed on social media, and again in a personal letter to the foundation, how inspiring he found his time with us, Chew said. We greatly appreciate his kind words. After a two-year-plus absence during the COVID-19 pandemic, Montpelier has brought back tours focusing in depth on the Constitution and Bill of Rights, Madisons two signal accomplishments. The historic site is offering those tours regularly. Montpelier was once a place where James and Dolley Madison invited people of all political perspectives to sit down at their dinner table and talk, James French said in an interview Saturday. What were hoping to do here is re-establish that national dinner table where the American people can come and have conversations. The Pences visit is a perfect example of how were doing that. Last November, addressing a Young Americans for Freedom event at the University of Iowa, Pence told the young conservatives he looked to the teachings of James Madison and the Bible to help him hold steady at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021. One thing that unites us, across the political spectrum, is our capacity for self-deception. Whether we are on the left or the right, we can find information and analysis that tells us that our side is just and true and all our setbacks and disappointments are the result of foul play by the other side. So it must have been comforting for progressives to read this headline recently in The New York Times: Majority of Latino Voters Out of G.O.P.s Reach, New Poll Shows. Republican dreams of a major realignment of Latino voters drawn to G.O.P. stances on crime and social issues, the story explains, have failed to materialize. There were, the report concedes, worrying signs for the future of the Democratic message, as subgroups of Hispanics are drifting away from the party. What it does not give readers is any numerical comparison between the current poll result and the behavior of Latino voters in the past. The poll says they favor Democrats over Republicans 56%-32%. Those look like pretty strong numbers for the Democrats. Until you look at the ones for the last midterm election, in 2018, when Latinos went 69%-29% for Democrats. The margin has shrunk from 40 to 24 percentage points. The poll suggests that Republicans are not doing better than they did in 2020, when Biden won Hispanic voters by 21 points. But the 2020 results were themselves widely heralded as a Republican breakthrough. If Republicans are holding on to those gains, its bad news for the Democrats, who for the last generation have expected the growth of the Hispanic population to cement a national majority for them. Republicans do not, of course, need a majority of Hispanics to win a comfortable majority nationally. But spinning poll numbers is pretty standard practice; sometimes the stories we tell ourselves are even more fantastic. So it was with another front-page article, in the next days New York Times, about how Russian troll farms had conducted an operation to divide organizers of the 2017 Womens March and discredit its leaders, in particular the activist Linda Sarsour. The trolls took her words out of context and outright lied, claiming she favored violent jihad and wanted to impose Islamic law on the U.S. The piece includes a number of caveats. The divisions the Russians tried to widen already existed before their efforts. The influence of their campaign cannot easily be isolated. Theres even a passing reference to the number of tweets a mere 2,642, as compared to the hundreds of millions of tweets that are sent per day that can be traced to these trolls. But there is nothing about Assata Shakur, who murdered a state trooper and fled the country for Cuba or about the march organizers public birthday greeting to her. Nor is there a mention of Sarsours statement that the state of Israel is based on Jewish supremacy. Instead there are scattered hints that perhaps Sarsour and her colleagues were responsible for some of the controversy surrounding them. One source says that on several occasions she denounced bigoted attacks on Sarsour, only to find that the activist had made new indefensible comments. Theres no way to judge how objectionable her comments were, and how much criticism she deserved, because nothing Sarsour said is mentioned. Readers might have gotten a better sense of the debate if the story had noted that the Biden campaign denounced Sarsours views in 2020. Maybe the Russians got to the Democrats too? Heres an alternative theory: The leaders of the Womens March, including Sarsour, made a decision to position themselves on the far left and to tolerate anti-Semitism. Vladimir Putin didnt make them defend Louis Farrakhan, and many Americans needed no help from Russian bots to find it sickening. And thats why the march had an epic meltdown that in the end saw even Alyssa Milano fleeing from it. There are lessons in this story for progressives and Democrats: about the moral and political dangers of the no-enemies-to-the-left stance that has historically disfigured their movements; about the need to vet leaders before gushing about them; about the internal divisions that come easily to a movement with contemporary progressive assumptions about identity. But learning these lessons would require self-reflection, as would any Democratic attempt to change their tactics or attitudes toward Hispanic voters. And for Democrats, as for most Americans, self-deception is the path of least resistance. The difference is that liberal self-deception is often enabled by liberal bias in the mainstream media which serves liberals as poorly as it does readers. Startups. Capital. Entrepreneurship. These werent always terms in Amy Whites daily lexicon. A trained scientist, White dedicated 15 years to teaching microbiology, focusing on the world that happens within the laboratory. I really never thought beyond the pipette, right, she recalled at a recent biotech event, Game Changer Week, that was organized in Roanoke. Then I met Erin [Burcham] quite a few years ago, and I started to learn about how the interaction between academics and economic development and industry partners was so valuable, she said. And in my head, the silos just came crashing down. Connecting the dots between the classroom, the research world and the business world has been a key focus of growing efforts to expand Southwest Virginias biotech and innovation ecosystem, said a slate of collaborators that included White, whos now dean of STEM for Virginia Western Community College, and Burcham, who leads both the Roanoke-Blacksburg Technology Council and Verge, a regional alliance that runs a startup incubator program. The jump from scientist to inventor to CEO doesnt always come easily, local leaders said. Hal Irvin, an associate vice president with the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute at VTC, said for a scientist a success is often measured in milestones like getting to publish a paper about your findings. Building a business to get an idea out to the marketplace and fully realize its ability to help others is often a foreign skillset, he said. Most of them dont have business degrees or business backgrounds, Irvin said. They are brilliant in their own right but this other piece of their career is not why they got into science. Its something brand-new to them. Everything that we can do in this region to help these people be successful in starting companies and stay in the region moving forward is really, really important. Thats where these teams come in. Groups like RAMP, Verges business incubator, and the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center are intensifying their efforts to help new entrepreneurs navigate the complex and expensive process of getting a new biomedical advancement to patients. RAMP is working with the city and the state to launch a one-stop-shop for new entrepreneurs that streamlines access to resources, mentors and other opportunities. The Innovation Studio, as its dubbed, is still under development but supporters estimate that in its first five years it could help accelerate the creation of 250 new jobs in the industry with salaries totaling over $21 million. We have so many resources in this region but theyre kind of scattered, Burcham said. So our vision is to have a physical location where entrepreneurs can come in for resources around capital, around talent, wraparound services. Were trying to bring in more capital to the region and more resources in a kind of structured, formalized manner to make it really easy, she said. To just kind of take that hardship off our entrepreneurs, and really let them focus on the technical side. That growing toolbox includes new partnerships with George Mason Universitys Innovation Commercialization Assistance Program an initiative that supports fledging enterprises not yet ready for the more intensive services of programs like RAMP and with Johnson & Johnson Innovations JLABS incubator, which can provide more fully fleshed out startups with resources like lab space and connections to funding opportunities. Thats a whole new network of mentors, access to capital, just a lot of opportunities there, Burcham said. Were trying to set the stage for them to succeed, and have multiple stages of education and resources. JLABS just last year opened a hub in D.C. in partnership with Childrens National Hospitals new research and innovation campus. Virginia Tech and the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute are also part of that endeavor, and are hiring research teams with a focus in pediatric cancer treatments who will be based at the facility. The proximity creates an important link between local researchers and JLABS, officials said. The Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, a launching pad for new tech companies, is set to become a virtual offshoot of JLABS with access to its mentors and other services. The first round of applications for the virtual residency program was released this year, with a total of five slots available, and more to be added in the future. That collaboration was first announced last December at the same time that VTCRC secured a state grant to build a shared laboratory space to help startups who need access to equipment but cant shoulder the cost of their own furnished lab. The 25-unit laboratory space will operate like a co-working facility with slots available for rent. Studies found a shortage of accessible lab facilities was hindering growth for early stage companies in the region. The overall project is poised to help generate 125 jobs, with an average annual salary of $80,000, over its first five years, according to grant forecasts. The shared lab space is scheduled to open in late 2022 or early 2023. And its details are expected to establish a blueprint for a similar, but larger, facility set to arrive in Roanoke in 2024. That 30,000-square-foot project will build on the work started in Blacksburg, officials said. The as-yet-unnamed facility, which will also house the Innovation Studio, secured the backing of the state earlier this year with $15.7 million earmarked in the commonwealths budget for it. Roanoke City is onboard to contribute another $1.96 million for programming costs. Carilion is another partner and owner of the building where the project hopes to open. The unifying mission behind these multi-part efforts is a drive to make the region a magnet for the high-demand field of biotechnology and life sciences, officials said. The growing sector employs over 26,500 people statewide, in well-paid jobs, and contributes $8 billion to Virginias economy. Since its founding in 2010, the Fralin Biomedical Research Institute alone has grown to cover over 550 personnel and annual grants totaling about $40 million. The value of the grant awards grew by 20% in just the past year. Those working out of the facility, which unveiled a major expansion in 2021, are doing leading research in areas such as brain function, cancer cells, heart disease and memory. The jobs generated pay an average full-time salary of about $90,900 about twice as much as Roanokes median household income. The research advances taking place have led to several business spin-offs with help from groups like RAMP, said Irvin, an associate vice president with the Fralin institute. Growing those numbers and cultivating an environment that allows startups to stay here in the region is the goal, he added. That often boils down to the people in the valleys, officials said from the leaders working to expand resources to the educators building up a skilled workforce. Virginia Western Community College is gearing up to launch a new two-year degree program next fall designed specifically around biotech. The curriculum will offer almost double the amount of lab experience as an existing certificate program offered as a supplement to other degrees. Students in the new courses will be able to either transfer to a four-year institution at graduation or take professional exams to go straight into the workforce. The idea is to boost the regions talent pipeline to meet both existing needs and projected needs as new labs and businesses open, educators said. VWCC also wants to help more students understand the opportunities that can be found in the field, White said. Last spring, a survey found that half of Virginians werent even aware that federally funded biotech research is already happening in the state and has been for years. White echoed something similar about what she hears from students. Many dont know about the array of jobs, research programs and career tracks that can be tapped into. Were so in this world that we forget theres a whole population out there that doesnt realize that, White said, adding VWCC is partnering with local schools and groups like RAMP to change that. ... Very few people will graduate from our regional high schools and say, I want to go into biotechnology, if they never know its an option. Events like Game Changer Week are also a chance to spread the word and build connections among researchers, organizers said. The event, held Sept. 13-15, offered a slate of free and open-door programs to learn more about local initiatives, explore lab space, network at social hours or hear specialized talks on sectors of the industry. This year marked the second annual iteration of the gathering. In the welcome remarks, Brett Malone, CEO of the Virginia Tech Corporate Research Center, said he felt the mix of partners and resources that the two valleys were bringing to bear was building toward something unique in the industry. Ive been doing this for 20-plus years, he said of his background in the field. And this feels like lightning in a bottle. This group thats come together, regionally, feels unique to me. Were getting some really cool things done. The Montgomery Museum of Art & History will celebrate a grand re-opening on Saturday, Oct. 1, from noon until 6 p.m. The 15,000 square-foot facility at 4 East Main St. in Christiansburg continues to add new art and history exhibits to its repertoire. The event will feature family-friendly activities, celebratory moments and brand new history exhibits. The human-sized bank vault will be on display and visitors can walk inside to view a new exhibit titled Art Treasures in the Vault, an exhibit of works from the museums permanent art collection. In conjunction with the grand re-opening, the Montgomery Museum will unveil a traveling exhibit, courtesy of the Virginia Museum of History & Culture. Titled Agents of Change: Female Activism in Virginia from Womens Suffrage to Today, it is a signature project of the Virginia Womens Suffrage Centennial Commemoration. This exhibition highlights the efforts and impact of a selection of female change-makers who brought about positive change in their communities, the commonwealth and the nation. They also created new models of female empowerment and new opportunities for women, ultimately fostering a more inclusive and equal society. The traveling exhibit is made possible by the E. Rhodes and Leona B. Carpenter Foundation and Mr. and Mrs. G Gilmer Minor III. This exhibit will be on display through early November. The Montgomery Museum will supplement this traveling exhibit by presenting its own new history exhibit titled Making a Difference: Women who Changed Montgomery County. Featuring a group of women from across the county, this exhibit will honor women business owners, women who broke gender boundaries in politics and education, and women who worked tirelessly to make their Montgomery County communities better places to live from the late 19th century through the late 20th century. For a complete list of the festivities and activities during the grand re-opening, please visit https://montgomerymuseum.org/grandreopening/. Admission to the museum is free and parking is available behind the building, adjacent to North Franklin Street. - Submitted by Casey Jenkins Nancy Landes of Radford is what I call a smart consumer. When Landes experiences a consumer issue with a major corporation, she picks up the phone and calls their customer service line. But first she grabs a pen and some paper. She keeps a careful chronology of every contact, and notes the name of the person to whom she spoke, the time of the call, how long it lasted and what the customer service representative tells her. Nancy listens carefully even to the recorded messages on the customer service line. And that came into play late in her six-month-long saga of dissatisfaction with wireless carrier T-Mobile. Unfortunately, few of the T-Mobile reps that Landes and her husband, Bill, have spoken to since March have been of great help. When Nancy Landes contacted yours truly, her chief issue was a $449.19 charge from the company. The Landeses believed it should have been canceled. Instead, they were getting calls from bill collectors demanding the sum. Bill, 71, and Nancy, 67, were Verizon wireless customers until earlier this year. Then on March 5 the couple switched carriers. They joined T-Mobile after it began offering a package for senior citizens. The Landeses believed it would save them money. The contract they signed included two new phones. Problem was, those barely worked in one room of their home and not in the others. The phones only barely worked in their yard, too. From the very beginning with T-Mobile, we had problems with cell coverage. We live in the middle of Radford but the only way I could talk on my phone was if I went outside. And then once outside, I had to stand completely still while talking, Nancy told me. One time I thought Id pull some weeds while I was having a long conversation on my phone while outside. Well, every time I bent over, I would lose signal and the person I was talking to would not be able to hear what I was saying! The couple first contacted T-Mobile about the problem March 12, a week after they signed up. Their contract allowed them two weeks to cancel and return the phones. The first time, customer service tried to say we were in a low signal area despite our location in a flat neighborhood in the middle of town, Landes said. The March 12 call to T-Mobile was hardly their last. The Landes lodged a second complaint that month. And another in April, and four more in July. After one of the calls, T-Mobile technical support diagnosed the problem as bad SIM cards. The company sent the couple new SIMs. Their reception was no better. It might even have been worse, Nancy said. At first, I could not use my phone (to place or receive calls) downstairs in our den and bedroom I was only able to use it upstairs. Then, I could only use the phone in one room: our dining room upstairs. Finally, I could only use my phone outside my house, she told me. In a subsequent and nighttime skirmish with technical support, they tried to say we needed to buy some kind of signal booster, Nancy recalled. That was on July 27. Instead, the Landeses demanded to be let out of their contract. They had had enough. That night, a T-Mobile supervisor named Dominic told them the company would cancel the contract and take back their phones. They tried to complete the cancellation at a T-Mobile store in Fairlawn the next day. But the store would not accept the phones. A clerk told the couple T-Mobile would send them proper packaging in which they could mail the phones back to T-Mobile. But that never happened, Nancy said, even though they made a subsequent (and fruitless) attempt to obtain that packaging. In the meantime, the Landes signed up with another wireless carrier. Then this month, Bill began getting calls from bill collectors, demanding $449.19 for the T-Mobile phones the Landeses had not returned. A series of phone calls with T-Mobile customer-service reps ensued. Those were in the daytime, which is important. To summarize what Nancy told me: The daytime customer-services reps (who are in Richmond) refused to acknowledge that T-Mobiles nighttime customer-service reps (who are in the Philippines) had promised to take the Landeses phones back. To one rep, Nancy suggested that T-Mobile check its own digital audio files. (A recording when you first call T-Mobile customer service informs callers everything is being recorded.) But the rep declined, and wouldnt budge on the $449.19 charge for the phones, either. Nor would the company take back the phones, because it was long past the 14-day contract cancellation period. That expired March 19. In frustration, Nancy wrote me. By email, we had a couple of back-and-forths I posed questions and she answered them. Eventually she sent me a lengthy and detailed chronology. Then I reached out via email to Jon Freier, president of T-Mobile Consumer Group. The message asked Freier if he could help the Landeses get the recording on which Dominic had promised to take back their phones or if there was anything else Freier could do to help resolve the issue. I included Nancys chronology. I sent that email around noon Sept. 16. Three hours later I got an email from Nancy. All I can say is Wow, wow, wow! You are a magician! she wrote. Minutes earlier, another John from T-Mobile had called Bill Landes, profusely apologized for the couples less-than-satisfactory experience and promised to call off the bill collectors. John from T-Mobile told Bill that while the Better Business Bureau complaint we filed on 9/14 got their attention, it wasnt until they heard from you that they sprang into action! Nancy wrote. She said she learned five lessons from the experience: 1. Document, document, document! 2. If the product isnt working as expected and promoted, dont accept it! 3. Be persistent and dont just accept the nos you get from countless company representatives. 4. Involve consumer protection agencies such as the BBB. 5. But most of all, when all else fails Better Call Dan! My husband and I thank you from the bottom of our hearts. You didnt have to help us but you did, she added. You rock, Dan Casey! Shucks. I also heard from someone at T-Mobile. (Unfortunately, I accidentally purged that email.) But it was unusually gracious. It thanked me for bringing the Landeses plight to the companys attention, and for giving T-Mobile a chance to make it right. Del. Marie March, R-Floyd, filed a criminal complaint Saturday against another Republican delegate who is expected to be her primary opponent next year, saying the other delegate shoved her at a GOP event in Wytheville. The misdemeanor assault and battery charge against Del. Wren Williams, R-Patrick, means that he and March will face one another in a courtroom before they compete for the partys nomination to represent a redrawn legislative district. Williams' arraignment is scheduled for Nov. 21 in Wythe County General District Court, and another hearing in the case is set for Dec. 15. Both delegates were upset Sunday as they described the incident. Another explosive, unhinged reaction, Williams said of his fellow legislators response. Hes a bully, March said. Unsurprisingly, the two General Assembly members had very different descriptions of what occurred the night before at the Ninth Congressional District Republican Celebration. Both said that the gala held at the Wytheville Meeting Center with dinner, live music and speeches from Ninth District U.S. Rep. Morgan Griffith and others was winding down when their paths came together. March said she was standing near an exit with some staff members, talking to people as they left. Williams said that he and his team watched for about 20 minutes, waiting for March to leave. But Williams said that eventually, he and his wife, who he said is six months pregnant and had had enough of the noise, decided it was time to go home. The two delegates collided. Williams said that as he made his way through the people at the exit, he accidentally bumped into Marchs shoulder and elbow. Williams said that he apologized and kept going. I did not intentionally do anything to Ms. March, Williams said. March said that Williams kind of came barreling out of the room and that one of my witnesses saw Williams change course to slam into me. The fact that were in an election, it obviously was intentional, March said. March said Sunday that though the impact had been forceful, she was fine. March said that earlier in the evening, before the physical contact, Williams picked a verbal fight with one of her staff members and grabbed one of her interns by the arm. I definitely think hes unfit for office since he cant control his emotions, March said. Williams said that after the contact, March just lost her mind. She was racing around the room trying to convince everybody that Id bumped into her. But, Williams continued, the only person who thinks this is a crime is Marie March. However, Carroll County Supervisor Jody Early said Sunday that he was at the GOP dinner and saw what he thought was Williams purposefully shoving or elbowing March. Early said that he had his own unpleasant encounter with Williams just before Marchs that he was near the exit talking with the partys state chairman when Williams approached, pointed at Early and told the chairman to watch out, that Early was trying to screw me over, apparently a reference to the upcoming nomination contest. Williams walked away, then came past with his wife a few moments later, Early said. At that point most everybody had left, it wasnt that crowded. If they wanted to leave they could have said excuse us, Early said. ... It appeared to me that he intentionally veered over toward Del. March. The conflict between the two first-term delegates began when Virginias every-decade re-drawing of legislative lines erased their existing seats and left March and Williams both in the new 47th District, which includes Floyd, Patrick and Carroll counties, western Henry County and Galax. It is seen as a district likely to favor Republicans in the November 2023 election. The date and other details of the GOP nominating contest for the new district have not been set but Williams and March began positioning themselves months ago. Williams called Marchs actions Saturday a complete political hit job. Williams said that he was wary of March before Saturday and that he and an aide had once declined to ride an elevator alone with March and one of her aides because he was worried that she would claim something inappropriate was said or done. You cant be alone with her, you cant be on the phone with her, you cant trust her, Williams said. March said that it was Williams whose behavior was inappropriate. Hes a spoiled rich kid and hes never been told no and he runs around bullying people, March said. The scathing comments and criminal warrant were a stark contrast to what Williams said was the message that Griffith and other speakers tried to deliver earlier Saturday, before the delegates confrontation: a call for party unity. Enrollment at Radford University dropped again this fall, similar to other colleges in Virginia and nationwide with declining student population trends, according to preliminary data. A total of 7,199 degree-seeking students are enrolled at Radford University this fall as of Sept. 5, down from 7,714 students last year, said a press release from the college this week. Thats a 6.7% year-over-year decline in enrollment, and a more than 21% decrease from fall 2019, when Radford University had 9,190 degree-seeking students, according to past data. Having transitioned into the presidency at Radford University this summer, Bret Danilowicz said stabilizing enrollment is a top priority. Radford has many strengths to build on, he said in the press release this week. One of those is that within six months of graduation 79% of our students are employed, in graduate school, or in the military, Danilowicz said. As well, we continue to receive accolades that recognize our academic programs and our contribution to social mobility, meaning graduates are elevated to higher economic levels upon graduation. A total of 1,224 new freshmen attending Radford this semester is about 50 fewer first-years than last fall, and that number is down from a peak of more than 2,000 new students enrolled in both falls of 2011 and 2012, according to university data. Craig Cornell is vice president for enrollment management at Radford University. In the press release, he said students are the heart of the schools story. We are focusing on student support from enrollment to commencement to careers, Cornell said in the press release. We also continue to pursue on-trend academic programs that support high demand careers, such as cybersecurity. Declining enrollment and increasing business expenses caused Radford University to up its tuition and student fees earlier this summer. University officials at the time said lingering effects of the coronavirus have caused some students to delay their returns to campus. Elsewhere in the state, both Virginia Commonwealth University and Virginia Military Institute again enrolled fewer students this fall, continuing multi-year downward student population trends. Virginia Tech conducted its student census on Monday, and is likely to release its data sometime next week, said a school spokesperson. Virginia Tech officials said the university expects to meet its goal of 30,000 undergraduate students in Blacksburg this fall. At New River Community College, the total headcount was 3,863 students as of Sept. 12, including 1,466 dual-enrolled high schoolers. Some 7- and 10-week classes at the community college had yet to begin, and officials said they expect final fall 2022 enrollment to meet or more likely exceed last years numbers, which presently remain down by about 500 students from pre-pandemic 2019 figures. Nationwide, downward college enrollment trends perpetuated by the coronavirus appeared to be worsening as of spring 2022, according to estimates from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center. As of spring, nationwide enrollment at public four-year colleges was down by 3.5%, the data said. Shirley Contreras lives in Orcutt and writes for the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society. She can be contacted at 934-3514 or at shirleycontreras2@yahoo.com. Her book, The Good Years, a selection of stories shes written for the Santa Maria Times since 1991, is on sale at the Santa Maria Valley Historical Society, 616 S. Broadway. Two northern Santa Barbara County teachers are among six chosen to be honored Nov. 5 at A Salute to Teachers, where the county teacher of the year and performing arts teacher of the year will also be recognized. Crystal Guzman, a teacher at El Camino Junior High School in the Santa Maria-Bonita School District, is one of three teachers named distinguished new educators by the Santa Barbara County Education Office. Alyssa Spanier, who teaches at Solvang School in the Solvang School District, is one of three chosen as distinguished mentors, the County Education Office said. Dalondo Moultrie is the assistant managing editor of the Seguin Gazette. You can e-mail him at dalondo.moultrie@seguingazette.com . If you are currently a print subscriber but don't have an online account, select this option. You will need to use your 7 digit subscriber account number (with leading zeros) and your last name (in UPPERCASE). Balancing your work, education and social life can take a lot of dedication to perform successfully. Its easy to get distracted and find yourself rushing to complete assignments or finding it difficult to concentrate on your lessons. To keep yourself motivated, find a mentor who can provide you with compassionate guidance to lessen your stress levels. Finding someone you can trust to be a mentor doesnt have to be difficult. In fact, a potential mentor may already be a large part of your life. Try to network with upperclassmen or even professors for their advice. Their friendship will not only boost your college experience, but it can have a beneficial impact when you begin applying for jobs after graduation. Asking for Help The initial conversation with a potential mentor may seem intimidating. It can be difficult to ask someone for friendship and guidance without becoming comfortable with them first. Instead of being blunt about your desire for their advice, you should be proactive in identifying a person who took a career path like yours and casually explain how you admire their achievements and ask if they would be willing to engage in a short meeting. Ideally, they will accept, and you can propose more frequent get-togethers if the meeting is a success. Maintaining a Relationship Once you have found a willing mentor, nurturing the relationship is important to maintain it. Be adamant about staying in touch where you share achievements and concerns. Over time, you will both become excited to express success stories and push each other to tackle more challenging tasks. Its important to reciprocate the friendship if your mentor reaches out to you for ideas or problem-solving. Together, you can share a wholesome relationship that lasts a lifetime. Mentorship Programs If finding a mentor proves to be difficult, your university may offer a program where current students are eager to provide their assistance. Check with your career counselors to find out if they have an alumni-mentoring program you can become a part of. Working with these caring individuals may inspire you to take a similar approach to offer your friendship to incoming students as you progress through college. If there is no available program, your schools website will likely offer a database for alumni contact information. You can usually reach out to these graduates through email or a phone call to ask for a minute of their time for a casual conversation. Meetings and events The monthly Carmelite Board Meeting will be held Monday, Oct. 3, at the Carmelite Monastery, 2901 S. Cecelia Street with Mass at 7 a.m. Refreshments will be served at 8:30 a.m., rosary at 9 a.m., and prayers with the Sisters at 9:15 a.m. The business meeting will begin at 9:30 a.m. Honorary members are always welcome. Lions Club meetings are first and third Mondays of each month, excluding holidays, at 12 p.m. at Active Generations located at 313 Cook St Sioux City. If interested in a strong service club helping sight and hearing impaired individuals we are the people to join with. Bruguier's Cabin Tours, the second Sunday of the month from June to October, from 2 to 4 p.m. Special group tours can be arranged by calling 712-490-6506. Dakota County Historical Society meets at 7:30 p.m. on third Thursday of the month, Dakota City Library. Contact Dennis Reinert at 712-253-1609 for more information. Top O' Morning Toastmasters Club, Mondays, noon to 1 p.m. Contact LeAnn Blankenburg, 712-870-1120, for meeting information. The Siouxland Ostomy Support Group, find us on Facebook. For more information and meeting times contact Dick Lindblom at 712-251-2453. Southside "South Bottoms" former residents, 6 p.m. potluck, second Wednesday of the month at Goodwill Industries cafeteria, 3100 Fourth St. Gert, 258-2227. Siouxland Metal Detecting and Archeology Club, 6:30 p.m., first Tuesday of the month in the Gleeson Room at 4510 Buckwalter Drive. Visitors welcome. Ray Turner, 712-899-2114. American Legion Post 64, 7 p.m. last Thursday of the month at 4021 Floyd Blvd. 712-258-3986. Marine Corps League, 6 p.m. second Tuesday of the month at Elks Club on TriView Ave. All marines welcome. For more information, call Cathy Moreno, 712-899-8441. Sioux City Chapter of National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP), 7 p.m. fourth Tuesday of the month at Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church, 1421 Geneva St. 712-203-2052. Sioux City Duplicate Bridge Club, 12:30 p.m. Mondays (open); at the Senior Center. Mary 605-670-9613. Siouxland Fly-Fishing Club, 10 a.m. last Saturday of the month at the Dorothy Pecaut Nature Center on Hwy 12. All interested in fly fishing; beginners welcome. Monthly programs provided. For more information, call Bob Gillespie, 712-251-9463, or Diana, 402-987-3945. Siouxland Coin Club, 7 p.m. first Tuesday of each month at First United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall, 1915 Nebraska St. Bob, 255-4829. The Siouxland Pride Alliance, peer support group, 5:30 p.m. Fridays; Youth Pride group, 1:30 p.m. second Sunday of the month; potluck, 5:30 p.m. third Sunday of the month. First Unitarian Church, 2508 Jackson. Call 712-223-0931 Siouxland Samplers Quilt Guild, 7 p.m. second Monday of the month at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St, door #2. Visitors and new members welcome. Siouxland Sewing Guild, 6:30-8 p.m. first Thursday of the month at South Sioux Public Library, 2121 Dakota Ave., South Sioux City. For anyone interested in sewing. Denise, 402-922-1822. Sooland RC Modelers, 7 p.m. second Thursday of the month at Morningside Lutheran Church. Non-profit club that flies remote control aircraft. Anyone interested in RC is welcome. Retired Educators, 10:30 a.m. third Tuesday of the month, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St., door #6. Mid-Step Services for Handicapped, meal at 5 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesday of the month, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St., door #6. Confirmation Instruction and Midweek Lessons, 5 p.m. on Wednesdays, at the Redeemer Lutheran Church, 3204 S. Lakeport St., door #6. Open to all kids 5 years old through 8th grade. Primetime (Potluck), 12 p.m., second Thursday of each month, at Whitfield United Methodist Church, 1319 W 5th. For more information call 252-3261 Tuesday-Thursdays, 9 a.m.-12 p.m. Abundant Life Fellowship, 809 S. Alice St., in Sioux City will distribute food boxes after their 11 a.m. Sunday services. For additional information contact Pastor Bob at 605-205-0718 or Donna at 605-205-0719. PHILADELPHIA Her gloved fingers working quickly yet carefully, Garima Dwivedi filled row after row of little wells on a plastic laboratory plate, pushing a button to squirt drops of clear fluid she had extracted from the blood of mice. The mice had been vaccinated against a coronavirus infection. Like so many other scientists throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, Dwivedi wanted to see if the animals had responded by making antibodies. But not just for this coronavirus. This new vaccine, in the University of Pennsylvania lab of Drew Weissman, is designed to protect the world against multiple coronaviruses including those we don't know about yet. Weissman's research on messenger RNA helped pave the way for the original COVID-19 vaccines, as well as the new boosters tailored to the omicron variant. Yet even before the FDA cleared the initial shots from Pfizer and Moderna, in late 2020, the Penn scientist was worrying about the next pandemic. In less than 20 years, at least three dangerous coronaviruses have jumped from animals to humans. Before the COVID-19 virus emerged in late 2019, there were SARS and MERS, each of which sickened thousands of people worldwide. A fourth new coronavirus, little known outside China, has so far been found only in pigs. But it's a grim one, having killed thousands of animals since 2016. More than a dozen teams of scientists worldwide are now racing to stay ahead of the next one by developing what's known as pan-coronavirus vaccines. Weissman, 63, is involved with four of them. Some are designed to guard against all future variants of the COVID-19 virus, as well as the older SARS and MERS. Others might also protect against less closely related coronaviruses that so far have been found only in bats. Some might even work against ones that cause the common cold. For years, other scientists have tried to make a similarly broad, one-and-done vaccine against the flu, with limited success. But early evidence from Weissman's lab and others suggests that with coronaviruses, the challenge may be more surmountable. He says we can't afford not to try. "Coronaviruses have caused three epidemics in the past 20 years," he said. "We have to assume there will be more." The first COVID-19 vaccines taught the immune system to recognize, and make antibodies against, the coronavirus spikes the dozens of little proteins that stick out from the surface of each virus particle. That made sense. The virus uses these spikes like a lock pick, breaking through the membranes of cells in humans and other animals. But in someone who's been vaccinated, antibodies latch onto this lock pick so that it no longer fits a certain receptor on the cell's exterior the equivalent of a keyhole. In the early rush to develop a vaccine, scientists reasoned that was enough. No need to teach the immune system about the rest of the virus if the spike can't get through the front door. Then came the delta variant, followed by omicron. The spike picked up a series of shape-shifting mutations that somehow allowed it pull off a double stunt: avoiding recognition by the antibodies, yet still fitting the lock well enough to open the door. That's where the next-generation vaccines come in. In Weissman's lab at Penn, Dwivedi was testing mice for their response to one of them: a viruslike particle that contains both the spike and other structural proteins. The idea is that while the spike can change its shape and retain the ability to penetrate a cell, the other proteins appear to be similar across multiple COVID-19 variants and even across multiple types of coronaviruses. Teach the immune system to recognize these shared proteins, or so the theory goes, and it will be prepared to ward off a variety of threats. But first, it has to work in mice. "It's important to see the response in the animals before you even think about injecting the vaccine in humans," Dwivedi said. Nearby, colleague Benjamin Davis was analyzing the viruslike particles to make sure they contained the correct proteins. Magnified many thousands of times on an electron microscope, each particle looked like a child's drawing of the sun a blank circle with little rays all around the edge. Basically, it's a coronavirus with nothing inside festooned with enough different proteins to give the immune system a chance to develop an array of defenses, yet lacking the internal machinery it would need to cause a real infection. "It's like an empty shell," Davis said. Predicting the next pandemic But how real is the threat? Using a combination of demographic and antibody data, one recent study suggests that coronaviruses are jumping from bats to humans far more often than is commonly appreciated likely thousands of times a year. In most cases, these spillovers appear to fizzle out, says Ken Field, a Bucknell University biologist who studies the immune system of bats. The virus may have picked up the ability to jump from animal to human, but not the ability to make copies of itself inside the person nor the ability to be transmitted from that person to the next. Still, if viruses jump from animals to humans thousands of times a year, every so often it's going to be a bad one. Weissman, the Penn scientist, likens it to rolling the dice. "In most cases, they just burn out," he said. "But every so often, you get a bad roll." Not that bats have a lock on transmitting viruses to humans. The flu originally came from birds. Other viruses come from rodents, foxes or raccoons. The key is to exercise caution when interacting with wild animals of all kinds, Field said. But with continued clearing of forests, industrial farming, and air and rail service connecting formerly isolated areas, risky exposures may be on the rise. "We're making further and further incursions into what used to be wild areas," he said. "The animals leave those areas and come out." If you're a fan of the PBS documentary series "Frontline," you may already be familiar with the work of Jordan Dykstra. But the Sioux City native isn't a reporter or a filmmaker. Instead, Dykstra has written musical scores for such films as "Blow the Man Down," "Hail Satan?" and 2019's "Documenting Hate," which was an Emmy Award winner for Outstanding Investigative Documentary. A 2003 Bishop Heelan Catholic High School graduate, Dykstra will be one of the speakers at the 17th Sioux City International Film Festival. Showcasing short films from around the world, the film festival is being held Thursday through Oct. 2 at the Promenade Cinema 14, 924 Fourth St. Dykstra, whose scores can be heard in films which appeared at the Cannes, Sundance and TriBeCa film festivals, will present a "Collaborative Creation or Singular Sound" workshop at 6 p.m. Friday at Design West, 1014 1/2 Fourth St. "Some filmmakers take a hands-on approach to music while others prefer to leave to the musicians," Dysktra, who earned a master of fine arts degree from the Feirstein Graduate School of Cinema, of Brooklyn, explained. "It varies greatly from project to project." The intent of a musical score may also vary, either adding a dramatic pop to the action or becoming an unobtrusive element of the filmmaker's vision. Such distinctions didn't matter much to the 37-year-old Dykstra, who began writing movie scores about five years ago. "I grew up in a family where music was very important," he recalled. "My siblings all played musical instruments and I began playing the violin at age 4." Indeed, Dykstra spent much of his 20s on the West Coast as a professional musician. "I was totally into chamber music," he explained. "I always liked movies but it wasn't my focus." That changed after Dykstra moved to the East Coast and began studying under the tutelage of composer Alvin Lucier and astrophysicist Seth Redfield. "I explored the connections between the microtonality of music and its relationship with the cosmic distance ladder," he said. "There was a lot of art in science and a lot of science in art." This understanding of composition helped Dykstra when he was asked to score 2022's "Plot to Overturn the Election," a critically acclaimed "Frontline" documentary which showed how a handful of people threw doubt in democracy following the 2020 presidential election. "Scoring a documentary is writing music in real time," he said. "Often time, you're working off of an outline instead of a script. In the case of 'Plot to Overturn the Election,' I was literally scoring the film the weekend before it was slated to air." Which was a major undertaking for Dykstra. His score can be heard for 49 minutes in the 53-minute film. "I like writing music for documentaries because the timeline is more intense," he said. "I have one to three months to complete a score instead of three to 12 months that I'd have in scoring a narrative film." Plus documentaries lend themselves to dramatic scoring. "If I was asked to write 49 minutes of music for a 53-minute drama, that would be a sign that the movie will be bad," Dykstra said with a chuckle. "If a narrative movie needs that much help from a musical score, something is seriously wrong." Nothing seems to be wrong with the now Brooklyn-based Dykstra. "It's been a very busy summer," he admitted. "I'm happy that things will be calming down since nothing is more beautiful than New York in autumn." Even though he was back in his native Sioux City for Saturday in the Park, Dykstra is excited about attending the Sioux City International Film Festival. "Music and movies go together," he said. "I'm looking forward to discussing my process in scoring a film." Only glimpses of videos that make it online show the protests convulsing Iran over the death of a 22-year-old woman who had been detained by the nation's morality police. But those flashes show that public anger across the country, once only simmering, is now boiling. The demonstrations surrounding the death of Mahsa Amini and the government crackdown emerging to stifle them represent just the latest cycle of unrest to grip Iran since its 1979 Islamic Revolution. It likely won't be the last as the Islamic Republic lurches between crises at home and abroad. The window through which the wider world can view them only will become more dim as authorities restrict internet access, detain journalists and tightly control all levers of the government's power. Protests over Amini's death have spread across at least 46 Iranian cities, towns and villages. State TV has suggested that at least 41 protesters and police have been killed since the protests began Sept. 17. An Associated Press count of official statements by authorities puts the death toll at at least 13, with more than 1,200 demonstrators arrested. But the tightening crackdown doesn't come as a surprise given Iran's modern history. Iran's theocracy has viewed itself as under threat from the moment the late Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini returned to Tehran in 1979. Bombings in 1981 blamed on dissidents killed dozens of top officials. One even paralyzed the right arm of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein launched a bloody eight-year war on Iran in which 1 million people were killed. And the mutual distrust continues today. After the collapse of a deal in 2015 intended to curtail Tehran's nuclear ambitions, Iran amassed enough highly enriched uranium to produce an atomic bomb if it chose. The Iranian government has dismissed the latest protests as a foreign plot, rather than an expression of public outrage over the death of a woman detained only because her mandatory headscarf, or hijab, wasn't to the morality police's liking. Pro-government marches in Tehran and other cities echoed the official line, with some marchers chanting American mercenaries are fighting the religion. The government's decision to restrict Instagram, LinkedIn and WhatsApp three of the last Western social media apps working in the country has limited the ability for protesters to organize and share their videos with the outside world. Instead, only short clips find their way out, including those of security forces firing at protesters and women defiantly cutting off their hair and burning their hijabs. Security forces, including motorcycle-riding volunteers with Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, have attacked peaceful demonstrators. There's also been footage of apparent demonstrators setting fires, flipping over police cars and fighting back against riot police. These scenes are similar to those that occurred in 2019 after the government dropped fuel subsidies, prompting demonstrators to set gas stations ablaze and ransack banks. Rights groups say that the unrest across more than 100 cities and towns and the government crackdown that followed killed over 300 people and led to thousands of arrests. Because of the internet restrictions, it remains unclear if the latest protests have eclipsed those of 2019. Exiled opposition groups and Iranian hard-liners have both used the short clips online to paint their own pictures of the unrest as the government largely remains silent. Independent observers such as human rights activists face threats, intimidation and arrest in Iran. Text messages from the government to the public warn of criminal charges for joining demonstrations. At least 17 reporters are known to have been arrested so far in the crackdown, according to the Committee to Protect Journalists. Like other rounds of unrest since 2009, when millions took to the streets as part of the so-called Green Movement to protest a disputed presidential election, the latest demonstrations appear spontaneous and leaderless. Even if a government crackdown eventually quells the protests, it likely won't eradicate the deep-seated rage. Iran's economy has cratered, and Western sanctions have destroyed the savings of a generation. The value of the currency has plummeted, from 32,000 rials for a dollar in 2015 to 315,000 rials for a dollar in 2022. Iranian youth increasingly try to find new livelihoods abroad at whatever cost. Those left behind struggle to make ends meet. Iranian politics have grown insular and uncompromising. In the 2021 presidential election, all serious contenders were disqualified to allow Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Khamenei, to take the presidency in the lowest turnout vote in the Islamic Republic's history. The economic challenges and hardline political positions are only likely to solidify. Even if Iran agreed to a road map to restore the nuclear deal, it likely will face new U.S. sanctions over selling so-called suicide drones to Russia to use in its ongoing war in Ukraine. A battle over leadership could turn Iran's focus further inward. There is no designated successor for the 83-year-old Khamenei, though some analysts suggest his son, Mojtaba Khamenei, might be considered by clerics to become the next supreme leader. Meanwhile, the Revolutionary Guard, which answers only to the supreme leader, has grown increasingly powerful both militarily and economically during the recent tensions with the West. The U.S. Treasury said the Guard has smuggled hundreds of millions of dollars worth of sanctioned oil into the international market. Both the theocracy and the Guard have financial and political incentive to continue the status quo. And with no other outlets, mass protests by the Iranian public seem likely to continue. EDITORS NOTE Jon Gambrell, the news director for the Gulf and Iran for The Associated Press, has reported from each of the Gulf Cooperation Council countries, Iran and other locations across the world since joining the AP in 2006. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/jongambrellAP. Italy voters shift sharply, reward Meloni's far-right party ROME (AP) Italian voters have shifted sharply, rewarding a party with neo-fascist roots and bolstering prospects the country could have its first far-right-led government since World War II. Partial results Monday from the election for Parliament suggested far-right leader Giorgia Meloni and her Brothers of Italy party were winning Sunday's vote. In a victory speech, Meloni struck a moderate tone, saying: "If we are called to govern this nation, we will do it for everyone, we will do it for all Italians and we will do it with the aim of uniting the people (of this country). Russia's call-up splits EU; Ukraine says it shows weakness KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Ukraine's president says Russias rush to mobilize hundreds of thousands of recruits to staunch stinging losses is a tacit acknowledgement that its army is not able to fight." Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy also told CBS hes bracing for more Russian strikes on Ukraines electrical infrastructure as the weather gets colder. He says this winter will be very difficult. Although the European Union is now largely off limits to most Russians, with direct flights stopped, an exodus of Russians fleeing military service is dividing European opinion over whether they should be granted safe haven. Officials in the Baltics say the Russians have had plenty of time to protest the war but did not. The partial mobilization is also triggering more protests in Russia. Canada struggles to restore power after storm; body found TORONTO (AP) Hundreds of thousands of people in Atlantic Canada remain without power and officials are trying to assess the scope of devastation from former Hurricane Fiona. It swept away houses, stripped off roofs and blocked roads across the countrys Atlantic provinces. Officials said they found the body of a woman swept into the sea. After surging north from the Caribbean, Fiona came ashore before dawn Saturday as a post-tropical cyclone, still at hurricane strength. Defense Minister Anita Anand says troops will help remove fallen trees, restore transportation links and do whatever else is required for as long as it takes. Fiona caused at least five deaths in the Caribbean. Texas vow to 'eliminate all rapists' rings hollow at clinics AUSTIN, Texas (AP) Rape crisis centers in Texas say their caseloads remain high a year after a new abortion law that made no exceptions for rape victims went into effect. Republican Gov. Greg Abbott defended the law in September 2021 by saying that Texas would get to work eliminating rapes. But the constant caseloads in Texas are one example illustrating how Republicans have struggled to defend zero-exception abortion bans that are unpopular in public polling and caused uproar in high-profile cases. The absence of exceptions has caused divisions among Republicans, including in West Virginia, where a new law signed this month allows rape and incest victims to obtain abortions at up to eight weeks of pregnancy but only if they report to law enforcement first. US carrier, S. Korea ships launch drills amid North's threat SEOUL, South Korea (AP) A U.S. aircraft carrier and its battle group have launched drills with South Korean warships off the Korean Peninsulas east coast in their first such training in five years. The four-day training that began Monday came a day after North Korea test-fired a short-range ballistic missile in a possible response to the exercise. South Korea's navy says the drills are aimed at demonstrating the allies powerful resolve to respond to North Korean provocations and improving their ability to perform joint naval operations. It says more than 20 U.S. and South Korean navy ships, including the nuclear-powered USS Ronald Reagan are mobilized for the drills, Powerful typhoon leaves 5 rescuers dead in north Philippines MANILA, Philippines (AP) Typhoon Noru has blown out of the northern Philippines and left at least five rescuers dead, caused floods and power outages and forced officials to suspend classes and government work in the capital and outlying provinces. The most powerful typhoon to hit the country this year slammed into Quezon province before nightfall on Sunday then weakened as it barreled overnight across the main Luzon region. Thousands of people were moved to emergency shelters, some forcibly, ahead of the storm. The governor of Bulacan province said five rescuers were struck by a collapsed wall while using a boat and apparently drowned in floodwaters. After rocky start, hopes up in Oregon drug decriminalization SALEM, Ore. (AP) Since Oregon residents voted in 2020 to decriminalize hard drugs and dedicate hundreds of millions of dollars to treatment, few people have requested the services and the state has been slow to channel the funds. Oregon still has among the highest addiction rates in the country. Fatal overdoses have increased almost 20% over the previous year, with over a thousand dead. Steve Allen, behavioral health director of the Oregon Health Authority, acknowledges that Oregons experiment has had a rocky start. But he says a milestone has been reached, with more than $302 million being sent to facilities across the state to help people get off drugs. Texts: Favre also sought welfare money for football facility JACKSON, Miss. (AP) New court documents show retired NFL quarterback Brett Favre texted the Mississippi governor in 2019 to ask about getting money from the state's welfare agency to build an indoor practice facility for the University of Southern Mississippis football team. The governor at the time, Republican Phil Bryant, texted back to tell Favre that federal money for children and low-income adults is tightly controlled and improper use could result in violation of Federal Law. This happened two years after the director of the state Department of Human Services committed welfare money to a volleyball arena that was Favre's pet project. Court documents were filed Friday by attorneys for the former governor. Broncos, Wilson edge Niners, Garoppolo 11-10 in prime time DENVER (AP) Melvin Gordon scored from a yard out and Kareem Jackson recovered a fumble in the closing minutes Sunday night to secure Denver's 11-10 win over Jimmy Garoppolo and the San Francisco 49ers. Russell Wilson again struggled to get the Broncos offense humming. The Broncos went three-and-out nine times and Denver's only susteained drive was an 80-yarder over 12 plays that Gordon capped with his 1-yard TD. Garoppolo threw a touchdown pass and was intercepted in his first start in place of injured starter Trey Lance, who broke an ankle in Week 2. Rihanna to headline the next Super Bowl halftime show NEW YORK (AP) Rihanna is set to star in Februarys Super Bowl halftime show. The singer, who declined to perform in the 2019 Super Bowl halftime show out of solidarity with Colin Kaepernick, on Sunday posted an image on Instagram of an arm holding up an NFL football. The NFL and Jay-Zs Roc Nation have a multiyear pact with the league to pick halftime show performers. They confirmed that Rihanna will headline this season's Super Bowl. The game will take place at State Farm Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 12. After years of Pepsi sponsoring the event, the upcoming halftime show will be sponsored by Apple Music. Kremlin stages votes in Ukraine, sees protests in Russia KYIV, Ukraine (AP) Russian forces launched new strikes on Ukrainian cities as Kremlin-orchestrated votes took place in occupied regions of Ukraine to create a pretext for their annexation by Moscow. In Russia, hundreds were arrested on Saturday while trying to protest President Vladimir Putin's order to mobilize more troops to fight in Ukraine. Kyiv and its Western allies say the votes underway in four regions of Ukraine are a sham with no legal force. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy urged residents to undermine this farce. He also encouraged people called up to fight to desert or sabotage the Russian military. Ukraines presidential office said the latest Russian shelling killed at least three people and wounded 19. Fiona sweeps away houses, knocks out power in eastern Canada TORONTO (AP) Fiona washed houses into the sea, tore the roofs off others and knocked out power to the vast majority of two Canadian provinces as it made landfall as a big, powerful post-tropical cyclone Saturday. Fiona transformed from a hurricane into a post-tropical storm late Friday, but it still had hurricane-strength winds and brought drenching rains and huge waves as it hit Nova Scotia. There was no confirmation of fatalities or injuries. Ocean waves pounded the town of Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland, where entire structures were washed into the sea. Fiona has weakened to tropical storm strength as it moves across the Gulf of St. Lawrence Florida emergency declared as Tropical Storm Ian strengthens TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis has declared a state of emergency across his entire state as Tropical Storm Ian gains strength over the Caribbean and is forecast to become a major hurricane in coming days. An emergency order DeSantis initially issued for two dozen counties was expanded to a statewide warning on Saturday. The governor is encouraging residents and localities to prepare for the storm, which could lash large swaths of Florida. The National Hurricane Center said Ian is forecast to rapidly power up to a hurricane by Sunday and a major hurricane as soon as late Monday. It's expected to move over western Cuba before approaching Florida in the middle of next week. 'Fighting fit': Trial to show Oath Keepers' road to Jan. 6 It's been a long road to the upcoming Capitol riot trial of the the leader of the extremist group Oath Keepers. But the prosecution's case against Stewart Rhodes covers a lot more than just the insurrection of Jan. 6, 2021. Rhodes and four co-defendants are facing the difficult-to-prove charge of seditious conspiracy. Prosecutors will try to show that for the Oath Keepers, the siege wasn't a spur-of-the-moment protest but that it was part of a weekslong plot to stop the peaceful transfer of presidential power from election-denier Donald Trump to Joe Biden. Jury selection begins Tuesday in federal court in the nation's capital. The trial is expected to last several weeks. West works to deepen sanctions after Putin heightens threats WASHINGTON (AP) How will American leaders and their allies respond if President Vladimir Putin seeks to escalate his way out of his bad situation on Ukraines battlefields? Putin this week renewed threats of claiming more Ukrainian territory, and even using nuclear weapons. U.S. and European leaders have made clear they will try to double down on the same tactics that have helped put Russia in a corner in Ukraine. That means more financial penalties and international isolation for Russia, more arms and other backing for Ukraine. Theres no sign of the United States and NATO matching Putins intensified nuclear threats with the same bluster, which could raise the risks of escalating the conflict. Dissident: 'Iranian women are furious' over headscarf death NEW YORK (AP) Iranian activist Masih Alinejad says the videos and messages shes been receiving in recent days from women in Iran are showing how angry they are following a young womans death in police custody over a violation of the countrys strict religious dress code. The spur for this latest explosion of outrage was the death earlier this month of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini. The young woman was detained for allegedly wearing her hijab too loosely in violation of strictures demanding women wear the Islamic headscarves in public. She died in custody. Protests have been going on around the country for days. Alinejad would love to see more support from those in the West, as well. GOP quiet as Arizona Democrats condemn abortion ruling PHOENIX (AP) Arizona Democrats are vowing to fight for womens rights after a court reinstated a law first enacted during the Civil War that bans abortion in nearly all circumstances. Democrats on Saturday looked to capitalize on an issue they hope will have a major impact on the midterm elections. Top Democrats implored women not to sit on the sidelines this year, saying the ruling sets women back to an era when only men had the right to vote. Republican candidates have been silent since the ruling, which said the state can prosecute doctors and others who assist with an abortion unless its necessary to save the mothers life. Saudi Arabia's triumphant week reclaims the West's embrace NEW YORK (AP) Saudi Arabia appears to be leaving behind the stream of negative coverage the killing of Jamal Khashoggi elicited since 2018. Once again enthusiastically welcomed back into polite and powerful society, it is no longer as frowned upon to seek their investments and accept their favor. Saudi Arabias busy week of triumphs included brokering a prisoner swap between Ukraine and Russia, holding a highbrow summit on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, marking the countrys national day, hosting the German chancellor and discussing energy supply with top White House officials. The pivot is drawing focus back to the crown princes ambitious re-branding of Saudi Arabia and its place in the world. CIA unveils model of al-Qaida leader al-Zawahri's hideout McLEAN, Virginia (AP) The CIA has revealed the scale model of the safe house where it found and killed al-Qaida leader Ayman al-Zawahri in Afghanistan. The model is now on display at the CIA Museum, newly refurbished for the agency's 75th anniversary. Intelligence officials used the model to brief President Joe Biden in the White House Situation Room in July. The house shows several balconies, which officials used to show Biden where and how al-Zawahri liked to sit. The museum is not open to the public and generally restricted to agency employees and guests, but it allowed journalists in on Saturday to see its newest exhibits. Kim Kardashian culls Dolce&Gabbana archives for Milan show MILAN (AP) Kim Kardashian took Milan by storm with a a new collection she curated for Dolce & Gabbana that took inspiration from 20 years of archival looks. The designers had refused to open their archives until Kardashian proved she had the right stuff. They were convinced after she and her sisters all wore vintage Dolce & Gabbana when Kourtney Kardashian got married in Italy. Saturday was a day of debuts at Milan Fashion Week. Maximilian Davis, a 27-year-old British designer with Afro-Caribbean roots, was at the creative helm of Salvatore Ferragamo. Filipino American designer Rhuigi Villasenor led Bally as the brand returns to the runway for the first time in 20 years. DOVER, Del. (AP) A federal judge has refused to dismiss a lawsuit against Democratic Gov. John Carney over Delaware's requirement for political balance on its courts. Fridays ruling is the latest in a long-running legal battle over a major-party provision in Delawares constitution under which judicial appointments to the states three highest courts are split between Republicans and Democrats. The Supreme Court, Court of Chancery and Superior Court are subject to a separate bare majority provision that also applies to Family Court and the Court of Common Pleas. That provision says no more than a bare majority of judges on those courts can be affiliated with a single political party. The result of the major-party provision is that any person not affiliated with either the Republican or Democratic Party is unable serve on the Supreme Court, Superior Court or Court of Chancery. Wilmington lawyer James Adams, a former Democrat who is now an unaffiliated voter, claims that the provision violates his First and Fourteenth Amendment rights by barring him from being considered for a judgeship on the Superior Court, a position for which he has twice applied and been rejected. Judge Maryellen Noreika ruled Friday that Adams had legal standing to challenge the major-party provision and denied the governor's motion to dismiss the lawsuit. The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Adams in 2020 on the same day the U.S. Supreme Court said he did not have standing to bring a prior challenge because he had never applied for a judgeship or demonstrated that he was able and ready to apply for one. The Supreme Court instead suggested that a lawsuit Adams filed in 2017 involved an abstract, generalized grievance instead of an actual desire to become a judge. The justices also noted that before filing that lawsuit, Adams had switched his party affiliation to unaffiliated and his bar membership status from emeritus to active. The Supreme Court ruling came after a federal appeals court upheld a 2018 district judges determination that the major-party provision violates the First Amendment by restricting government employment based on political affiliation. Unlike his first lawsuit, the current complaint includes details of Adams preparation and readiness to apply for a judgeship. It also notes that he has applied unsuccessfully several times since 2017 for spots on the Superior Court or the Court of Common Pleas. Lawyers for Carney nevertheless maintained that Adams still lacked standing, has not been injured and is not sincerely interested in becoming a judge. They also argued that he is prohibited from establishing standing in the present case because the Supreme Court determined that he did not have standing in the earlier case. Noreika rejected that argument, noting Friday that the current lawsuit includes new facts that were not present in 2017. Ultimately, the record before the court suggests that plaintiffs interest in becoming a judge has developed into something tangible and sincere, Noreika wrote. As a politically unaffiliated voter interested in becoming a judge, plaintiff is barred from certain judgeships by virtue of the major political party provision and he is, therefore, injured by that provision. SAN DIEGO (AP) San Diego County and other defendants have agreed to pay $1.35 million to settle a lawsuit filed by the mother of a Mexican citizen who died after sheriffs deputies arrested him in 2018, officials said. The lawsuit filed by Dolores Rosales, of Tijuana, alleged deputies used excessive force when they took her son, Marco Antonio Napoles-Rosales, into custody in August 2018, the San Diego Union-Tribune reported. The court filing claimed the deputies used a stun gun, their body weight and a wrap-around restraint device to subdue Napoles-Rosales, who was suspected of trespassing at a gas station in Fallbrook. He lost consciousness during the arrest and was taken to a hospital, where he died the next day. Carlos Gonzalez Gutierrez, Mexican consul general in San Diego, said Friday that Napoles-Rosales mother and the consulate felt satisfied with the settlement and pleased that the lawsuit brought the circumstances of his death to the publics attention. May this case remind us all that the excessive use of force is not acceptable under any circumstances, Gonzalez Gutierrez said. San Diego County spokesperson Michael Workman referred a request for comment to the chair of the Board of Supervisors, Nathan Fletcher. His office did not immediately respond to the Union-Tribune. An autopsy determined Napoles-Rosales died of sudden cardiopulmonary arrest caused by methamphetamine intoxication and exertion during the struggle with deputies. The manner of death was undetermined. A toxicology screen found methamphetamine and amphetamines in his blood when he died. After reviewing Napoles-Rosales death, prosecutors decided no criminal charges would be filed against the deputies who used force against him. The COVID-19 pandemic lead to an enrollment decline at colleges, the Chronicle of Higher Education says, but it can still be tough to get into your school of choice. Here are some tips for getting into the school of your choice. Get the Best Possible Grades Theres an old axiom that no one hires you based on your high school algebra grade. And that may be true, but colleges do look at those things when theyre deciding to admit you. Get the best possible grades you can all four years of high school. Challenge yourself by taking tough courses, such as honors classes, Advanced Placement courses and International Baccalaureate classes. Practice Taking Tests You want the highest score you can get on the ACT and SAT, so take the test as many times as you can. Take the PSAT during your sophomore year and take advantage of free SAT and ACT study materials, study guides, practice tests and prep courses before taking the tests your junior and senior year. Take both the SAT and the ACT, and leave yourself time to take them more than once. You should also take SAT Subject Tests and AP tests. Take Time With Your Essays Dont leave your admissions essay until the last minute. Think carefully about the topic and reflect on it before you write. Edit, rewrite, edit again. Convey who you are in your writing and make yourself stand out from the crowd. Ask for feedback from your teachers, counselors and other trusted adults. Community Involvement Colleges like to see active, engaged students. One way you can show that is through community involvement. Show that you were active in extracurricular and co-curricular activities during all four years of high school and during summer vacations. Volunteer, participate in sports, take on leadership roles. You should demonstrate growth in your journey and develop talent in more than one area. Start Early You should start your college search early, no later than the start of your junior year. Research the schools you are interested in, complete applications, write essays and make sure you have time to take all the necessary exams. Ask for help from your school counselor and teachers. Dont be afraid to ask questions, even if they seem simple. DES MOINES When working with obese children, nutrition is the first place to start, according to Stacey Milani, a pediatric physician at a MercyOne pediatric clinic in Pleasant Hill. Milani is working on her certification as an obesity medicine physician. She is experienced with patients dealing with negative health outcomes related to obesity. For younger children, getting the parents on board to work on health behaviors is sometimes difficult. It's always a bit of an issue on whether or not the parent is even going to accept that there's a problem, she said. Obviously, with children, it's got to be the parent that decides something needs to be done and to make the changes. Working with parents to manage a childs nutrition can be difficult because pediatricians see patients in a small window of time that doesnt allow for detailed discussions. Insurance companies often won't pay for nutritionist consultations, Milani said. Obesity in children can lead to a host of health problems, including high blood pressure, early heart problems, and Type 2 diabetes, she said. As of 2019, Iowas childhood obesity rate is slightly above the national average. Among high school students, the states obesity rate is 17% compared with a nationwide rate of 15.5%, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Among children aged 10-17, 16.9% are obese, according to the State of Childhood Obesity. Iowa ranks 18th among the 50 states for that age group. The rate in Iowa as measured by the CDC has increased in the past decade. The obesity rate was 13.2% in 2011 and 15.3% in 2017. State initiatives Iowa has several initiatives addressing nutrition, fitness and food insecurity aimed at reducing obesity among children. One of the most prominent is 5-2-1-0: Healthy Choices Count. The program, with origins in Maine, came to Iowa in 2016 as the Central Iowa Healthy Kids Coalition sought to create simple messaging. Now, the program is promoted by the Iowa Department of Public Health, the Healthiest State Initiative, and dozens of nonprofits and schools throughout the state. The campaign encourages kids to follow four easy guidelines: Eat five servings of fruits or vegetables a day; use screens for no more than two hours a day; engage in physical activity for one hour a day; and consume zero sugar-sweetened beverages. It is based on proven ways to improve health and reduce obesity, Healthiest State Executive Director Jami Haberl said. The Healthiest State Initiative is a nonprofit with the goal of making Iowa the healthiest state in the nation. 5-2-1-0, its evidence-based, she said. We know that Iowans arent eating enough fruits and vegetables, and this is for kids as well as adults. The program has sites in schools, workplaces and child-care centers in 83 Iowa counties. For the past three years, the state has given grants to 16 communities for childhood obesity prevention to create sustainable and equitable environmental and policy changes that support active living and healthy eating, according to a 2021 report. Five more Iowa cities will begin receiving funding in 2022. Working together, Iowa [Department of Health and Human Services] and the Healthiest State Initiative provide strategic leadership, stakeholder engagement, community funding, and evaluation to the initiative, Iowa HHS spokesperson Sarah Ekstrand said. When it comes to making healthy choices, how Iowa stacks up with the rest of the nation depends on the metrics. In 2019, according to the CDCs High School Youth Risk Behavior Survey, Iowa students scored lower than their national peers on most nutrition metrics. They were more likely to have not eaten fruit or vegetables in the last seven days and to have drank soda or multiple servings of soda in a day. On physical activity metrics, Iowa students mostly fared better than the national averages. They were more likely to have participated in physical activity for at least 60 minutes on a single or multiple days in the last week. They were also less likely to have played video games or used a computer three or more hours a day, and less likely to have not attended physical education classes on one or multiple days. Federal assistance Like other states, Iowa participates in federal programs providing nutrition assistance to low-income families and children. Iowas obesity rate for 2- to 4-year-olds participating in WIC, a federal nutrition assistance program for women, infants and children, was 15.8% in 2020, according to the CDC. In 2019, 58,064 Iowa residents were enrolled in WIC, according to a report from the State of Childhood Obesity. The report found 46.8% of residents eligible for the assistance participated in 2016. The state also administers the federal Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, with 144,000 children participating in 2018, or 43.4% of those eligible. The Healthiest State initiative also offers a Double Up Food Bucks program that allows SNAP recipients to increase the buying power of their assistance on fresh produce at participating stores. SNAP recipients can get up to an extra $10 a day to put toward produce. They can go to a participating location, whether it be a farmers market or a grocery store and they can use their SNAP EBT card to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables, and for every fresh fruit and vegetable they purchase they can receive a dollar of Double Up Food Bucks, Haberl said. Social, environmental factors When looking at the causes of childhood obesity, Jessica Nelson, United Way community impact coordinator for health, said it helps to understand the social determinants of childrens health, including environmental factors. Nelson said obesity rates are about more than just eating healthy foods and being active. The prevalence of childhood obesity also depends on the environment children live in. The prevalence of sidewalks, green space, and food availability in a neighborhood are all correlated to health and obesity. Such things can be changed through policy changes, not necessarily individual actions. How can we make sure that folks understand the importance of that, that it's not just about making those healthy choices and choosing an apple over chips, but really, do they have the option of the apple in their community? she said. Do they have walkable, safe communities where they can be active? Nelson said the 5-2-1-0 campaign has moved toward viewing childhood obesity through this lens, looking to influence systems for better health. Grants through the program in recent years have gone toward setting up water-filling stations at schools and parks and setting up storywalks to encourage physical activity. It really started with looking at that messaging that impacts individual behavior, but its moved to more of looking at environments and systems that can help create healthy communities, Nelson said. These issues pop up in clinical settings as well. Milani, the pediatrician from Pleasant Hill, often has parents express concern about their child getting enough exercise because they dont have a backyard or there's no convenient way to get activity outside the home. Some families live in food deserts and dont have easy access to fresh produce. Milani said her office asks questions about food insecurity on intake forms, asking whether a family needs help obtaining food or other essentials. We have some health workers that will look at those and then try to help people that are struggling and might need some extra food or might need help with certain social situations, she said. Choosing where to go to college can be as significant of a decision as deciding what to major in. If youre weighing multiple options, taking a campus tour can help make up your mind. Before visiting, make a checklist of the most important factors to your decision. To discover when a university is scheduling visits, check with the colleges administration office through their website or by reaching out to an admin via phone or email. You can typically take these tours with a group and gauge how others react or take a more intimate tour on your own to absorb the campus on a personal level. Clear Your Afternoon Since deciding on a school can be a decision that will impact your future, its crucial to take your time during a tour. Clear your schedule so you arent in a rush to finish and make sure your guide is available to answer questions during and after the visit. Take notes throughout your walkthrough, especially when deciding between a few options. You can compare advantages and disadvantages before you make a final decision. What to Expect While each college may have their own procedure for tours, you should know what you may expect before your visit. The College Board suggests preparing yourself for these common experiences. Information session: An admission representative will present you with a brief explanation of the campus. Tour: Typically led by current students, they will show you the main parts of the campus and be available for questions. Attend a class: Some colleges will invite you to sit in on a class, giving you a perspective on size, learning style and peers. Meet a financial aid officer: These experts can explain the expectations for qualifying for financial assistance if required. Prepare Yourself Before a tour, you should research the university to help you develop questions you may not think of on the spot. You should prepare with inquiries for both fellow students and staff members. Check out a map of the campus too, so youre familiar with its layout before your scheduled appointment. In A Room of Ones Own (1929), Virginia Woolf argued that, historically, successful women writers have not been mothers. Of Jane Austen, Charlotte and Emily Bronte, and George Eliot, she noted, not one of them had a child. This idea that having children stifles womens creativity has had enormous cultural staying power for the past 100 years. Grappling with this narrative in 2018, for example, the narrator of Sheila Hetis novel Motherhood wonders whether a baby would destroy her career as a novelist, asking whether the universe lets women who make art but dont make babies, off the hook? Advertisement Given the cultural prominence of this idea that you cant be a mother and a writer, it is surprising to learn that, across history, at least in Woolfs Britain, roughly half of women writers have in fact had children. This is indeed lower than the percentage of women in the general population who had childrenbut the picture is not as dire as Woolf perceived. In a sample from the Orlando textbase of 1,115 British women who lived between medieval times and the present and who wrote at least one book, half (49 percent) were mothers. And the women writers who didnt have children, like the canonical authors Woolf names, mostly lived in the 19th century. Even then, 41 percent of 19th-century women writers had children. Before the 17th century, women writers had children at similar rates to the general population. In the 20th century, with the rise of family planning and reproductive health care, women writers began to have more children again. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement The Orlando Project is a textbase of entries on the lives and writing of more than 1,400 authors from medieval times to the present. Orlando began at the University of Alberta in 1995 and continues to grow in the present day. As specialists in 19th-century womens writing and data and visualization, we have been collaborators on the project for the past four years. As parents of young children ourselves, we were repeatedly told that our writing and research would suffer after having kids. With unprecedented data to hand, we wondered if this had in fact been the case across history, or if the idea is a relic of the 19th century. Advertisement Advertisement This interesting historical trajectory, with its pronounced dip in maternal authorship in the 19th century, initially confounded us. Why did women writing before the 19th century have more children? One explanation for the diminished fertility of women writers in the 19th century is that the shape of the career changed. The rise of the professional woman writer who was paid for her work in the commercial marketplace in the late 17th and early 18th centuries made it more important to restrict childbirth. Many earlier women writers are known for letters, life writing, and poetry written within a familial context, mostly for readers they knew, and often only published in book form centuries later. Margery Kempe (13731438), a mother of 14, became known as the author of the first autobiography written in English, a chronicle of her spiritual development. Early in their marriage, she and her husband were (as she described it) consumed by sexual desire, resulting in 14 children, a record she repented when she began dictating her lifes spiritual story around age 40. Lady Hester Pulter (16051678), a mother of 15 living and writing during the English Civil War, also circulated her royalist emblem poems and her prose romance within her family circle. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Production expectations for writers rose as authorship became a viable profession in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. For the first time in history, women (and men) could earn a living by writing journalism and fiction. Before writing became a career, women writers were almost as likely as other women to have children: 86 percent of women writers in the Orlando textbase born before 1600 did have children, a percentage roughly in line with the general populations fertility in England and Wales. Afterward, the proportion of women writers who had children declined steeply, from 55 percent in the 1600s to 48 percent in the 1700s and 41 percent in the 1800s. In the 20th century, when limiting the size of ones family became more possible, women writers became mothers in greater numbers, with 63 percent having at least one child. Advertisement The choice for most women who had sex with men and who were born before the 20th century would have been to have about seven children, or none. A lack of reliable birth control meant that in the 19th century, the average married woman in England or Wales had six or seven children, and a further 10 to 15 percent had 10 or more children. As better birth control became available, the number of births began to fall dramatically, from an average of just below six after 1875 to settling at just over two by 1940. In an era of unrestricted childbirth, as writer Rebecca Traister argues, spinsterhood could be a powerful position for women who wanted to safeguard their time for an increasingly demanding literary career. But despite the challenges, it was far from impossible, even for women in the 19th century, to have children and write. Nineteenth-century women writers who had children had around 3.33; roughly half the number of the average 19th-century mother, but plenty from a contemporary standpoint. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Does the number of children a woman writer has matter? Pointing to Joan Didion, Margaret Atwood, and Alice Walker, Lauren Sandler has argued that the secret to being both a successful writer and a mother is to limit yourself to one child. Single children have been common for women writers: 24 percent in our sample had one child. But across the centuries, having two or three children (39 percent), or even five or more children (34 percent), has been more common. In the 20th century, large families are less common for both writers and women in general: 87 percent of women writers who had children had one, two, or three. There is a popular idea that youll lose a book, or maybe two, for every child you have. Men almost never seem to consider the issue of writing and its conflicts with having children, but in a rare exception, novelist and father of four Michael Chabon wrote that he was advised that You lose a book for every child. Journalist Hadley Freeman reports that a writer friend told her its two books for every child. This turns out not to be true, at least not for the writers in our database. In our sample, women writers without children published fewer books, on average (about 12), than those with one (14 books), two (13 books), or three children (16 books). The number of books does start to drop with four kids (11 books), or five or more children (10 books). (In our data set, we removed books that are exact duplicates, but some books that have different titles but similar content, for example A Room of Ones Own and A Room of Ones Own and Three Guineas, are counted separately, because we believe this type of republication does give a measure of a woman writers influence.) Unless three is the magic number of children to have to spur ones productivity, a moderately sized family seems to have had little impact on the number of books women published. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement While you may not lose a book for every child, with more children your book may come out a little later. One way to try to measure this effect is to calculate the average publication date for an authors books and see what age she was. For those with no children, the average age at which they published a book was 46; for those with one or two children, it was 48; for three, it was 50. The age dropped down again for those with four to nine children, to 49, and to 48 for 10 or more children. Rather than every child causing a woman writer to lose a book, it might be more accurate to say that every child delayed a book by a year. Advertisement Advertisement There are some amazing examples throughout history of women writers who had large families and large literary outputs. Charlotte Smith (17491806) and Sarah Trimmer (17411810) are two successful writers, a poet and a childrens author, respectively, who had 12 children apiece. The woman writer in the Orlando textbase with the largest number of children is Susanna Wesley (16691742), who wrote religious works addressed to her children. She had 18 or 19 children; her son was the founder of Methodism, John Wesley. Elizabeth Clinton, Countess of Lincoln (15741630), was a mother of 18 children who wrote The Countesse of Lincolnes Nurserie (1622), an advice manual on a womans religious and maternal duty to breastfeed her children. Emma Caroline Wood (18021879) produced 13 children and 14 novels. She took up writing to support herself at the age of 60, after her husbands death. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Even in the 19th century, some women wrote big novels and had big families. Mary Elizabeth Braddon (18351915) had six children between 1862 and 1870. The 1860s were also the decade when Braddon, a bestselling novelist of sensational works, wrote her most important works, including Lady Audleys Secret (1862). Elizabeth Gaskell (18101865) had seven children and wrote some of the most important fiction of the period, including Cranford and North and South. Margaret Oliphant (18281897), who had six children, three of whom survived childhood, and who also supported extended family members, wrote more multivolume fiction (232 titles) than any other Victorian novelist. And Woolfs definition of motherhood is narrow: George Eliot (included as a mother in our sample) was a devoted stepmother to three stepsons, and Charlotte Bronte was pregnant when she died. Advertisement Advertisement Advertisement Social class and race may be more important factors in determining which writers have become mothers, historically. Class and race are more slippery concepts than the number of children one has, and the data is fuzzier on these points. But the 8 percent of women identified as lower-class or working-class writers in our database were actually more likely to be mothers than the rest of our sample set. At the beginning of the 19th century, around 60 percent of women were illiterate, which was far more of a bar to becoming a writer than whether or not you had children. New Yorker writer Jia Tolentino recently noted that the idea that motherhood is a threat to an individuals intellectual and creative possibility has usually been voiced by white women, and that books by authors of color, like Angela Garbes Essential Labor, may offer us an alternate model of caregiving and creativity. The women in the Orlando textbase are indeed predominantly white, which might suggest that race, alongside class, is more of a structural barrier to writing than maternity, at least in Britain. Historically, limiting births has been a heterosexual womens issue, giving rise to the possibility that women who were not inclined to have sex with men were at an advantage as writers. The Orlando data is also slippery on the topic of sexuality. But from the information we have, writers tagged as lesbian represent only 8 percent of the sample set, and they, too, have an average of 0.63 children. Advertisement Advertisement Virginia Woolf has had an outsize influence on the feminist literary canon, shaping our idea of what counts as good womens writingand what kind of life a woman writer should leadwell into the 21st century. Like her fellow writers of the early 20th century, she was keen to establish literary standards that favored the slim experimental modernist novel, defining it as the opposite of what Henry James called the large loose baggy monster of the Victorian period, with its emphasis on feminine themes like courtship and domestic life. Woolf excluded the lady novelists of her parents generation from the canon in the process. In Woolfs canon and James comments, we can see a fear of fecund, prolific women writers. Gaskells North and South may conform to different literary standards than Mrs. Dalloway, but it is still an excellent novel. Advertisement If the narrative that women writers cant be mothers is, at best, only half true, why do we continue to give this 100-year-old critical chestnut so much weight? Cliches about both writers and mothers are to blame. Writers are supposed to be independent, working in long stretches of unbroken solitude and living a life of the mind. Mothers, meanwhile, are supposed to epitomize selfless care and interdependence. They are also not generally held to be competent at anything other than caregiving: witness the phrase, so simple, even my mother could do it, and the well-documented bias against mothers in the workforce. It is too early to say if and how 21st-century women writers will combine writing and motherhood, especially since parenthood is on the decline for everyone, not just writers. But the idea that its nigh impossible to have a child and write a book belongs in the 19th century. The Discovery Shop at Smith Mountain Lake is inching toward $4 million in money raised for the American Cancer Society. The major milestone is expected to be hit sometime next month, just a few weeks after the popular store celebrated its 18th anniversary serving the community. A celebration was held at the Discovery Shop on Sept. 22 to mark the anniversary with the stores volunteers, several eager customers and even Glenn Callihan, American Cancer Societys vice president of community development in the southwest region. Callihan praised the efforts of the all-volunteer staff in reaching the $4 million mark. The store is ranked in the top three in the country in money raised for the American Cancer Society. It is the success of the volunteers that really makes it happen, Callihan said. The Discovery Shop at Smith Mountain Lake is one of more than 60 located across the countrymostly found on the West Coast. The lake location is one of only two in Virginia with the other being in Roanoke. While the shop has some similarities to others across the country, it may be one of the more unique. The lake location is the only store to have an all-volunteer staff which assures that even more money goes to cancer research. Nearly all the volunteers at the Discovery Shop have been impacted in some way by cancer. Some on the staff are even cancer survivors themselves. Cindy Saunders, a cancer survivor, said the store has become more than just a place where people find deals, it is a place where people facing the hardships of cancer can come to talk and find out how to get help when needed. Its a really good community outreach, she said. A corner of the store, located at The Plaza on Scruggs Road in Westlake, is dedicated to information on how to get assistance as well as area support groups. Saunders said visitors are directed there when they are in need of information. Pende Ford, one of the stores managers, said they often have visitors who just want to talk. Part of the job is just listening to people, she said. In addition to being a place for support, the store has also become a major source of revenue for the American Cancer Society. In its first year open in 2004, the store brought in $37,000 in sales. In 2019, just a year before the pandemic, the store recorded $328,000 in revenue. Those amounts have decreased slightly in the past two years as the store, like many others, faced COVID-19. In recent years the store has reduced hours but was still able to bring in $220,000 last year. A major source of revenue for the store is the high-quality furniture they have available for sell. The Discover Shop at SML is the only location to sell furniture in addition to a a moderate selection of jewelry and other items such as books and some other household items. In addition to furniture donated from the community, a large amount of the furniture at the store in recent years comes from the High Point Furniture Market trade show held twice a year. The store has formed a partnership with several of the exhibitors which regularly donate several pieces of furniture for the store. Its really expensive stuff, said store manager Michele Moonan of the donated items. They are so good to us. We are so blessed. The donated items from the furniture market has grown substantially since the Discovery Shops first year visiting in 2017. Ford said the shop was able to get enough donated items to fit in the trunk of a vehicle that first year. During the most recent visit earlier this year, she said they were able to get seven truckloads of donated items. The amount of items has become so substantial in recent years that the Discovery Shop opened a second location on the other side of The Plaza on Scruggs road referred to as the Annex. Ford said customers will often come from outside the lake area to shop in both of the stores in search of deals. Items are rotated from one of five storage units filled with furniture. Whenever an item is sold, another item is taken out of a storage unit. Several volunteers work together to collect furniture from the market, or from local donations, and later clean and price the items for sell. The store even places several items on Ebay. Ford said the Discovery Shop has several dedicated volunteers to help in making sure the store continues running. Whenever someone has to cancel a shift due to an illness or other reason, she said another volunteer is quick to pick up the shift. Even with the dedicated volunteers, Ford said they are always in need of additional volunteers. She said a job could be found for anyone who wanted to volunteer from running a register to cleaning, pricing and keeping track of the large number of items they have available. Ford said their greatest need is anyone willing to help in moving furniture. She said that can sometime be difficult with some of the older volunteers that frequently work at the store. Anyone interested in becoming a volunteer is encouraged to visit the store anytime it is open. The Discovery Shop at SML is opened from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. The Annex is open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Wednesday to Saturday. https://sputniknews.com/20220924/unga-77-lavrov-exposes-the-wests-role-in-inciting-ukrainian-conflict-defends-moscows-actions-1101191646.html UNGA 77: Lavrov Exposes the Wests Role in Inciting Ukrainian Conflict, Defends Moscows Actions UNGA 77: Lavrov Exposes the Wests Role in Inciting Ukrainian Conflict, Defends Moscows Actions Russian Foreign Minister, who spent five days in New York City taking part in the UN General Assembly, delivered a speech on Saturday and shared results of his... 24.09.2022, Sputnik International 2022-09-24T23:43+0000 2022-09-24T23:43+0000 2022-09-24T23:43+0000 russia un security council sergei lavrov brics china /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/16/1101096989_0:213:2881:1834_1920x0_80_0_0_34c61f53d8348d59bc779405a76d8185.jpg While some leaders most of them Western politicians, who took the stage at the UN General Assembly during the last week focused on criticizing Russia for its special military operation in Ukraine, the situation on Saturday looked different: Chinese, Indian, Vietnamese, Thai and other leaders whose who took the stage on Saturday did not use the same damning rhetoric in regards to Moscows actions in Ukraine as Dutch, Belgian or the US leadership.Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi focused on his countrys achievements in the areas of the economy, human rights protection and multilateralism.Unlike the US leader Joe Biden, the President of the European Council Charles Michel or Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte who have all mentioned in their speeches the so-called rules-based international order, Chinas top diplomat Wang Yi said that his nation would rather adhere to international law:Beijings position on the issue looks similar to what Russian leadership has been talking about for years. Moscows top diplomat Sergey Lavrov, who also delivered a speech at the UN General Assembly on Saturday, has once again underlined Russias position in a multipolar world order, calling for a democratic and just world, without hegemony, Neo-Nazism and Neo-colonialism, and slamming the rules-based world order concept.Sergey Lavrov has also focused on the root causes of the conflict in Ukraine, putting the blame for inciting the violence on the US and its western allies, whom he holds responsible for igniting a coup detat against President Yanukovich in Kiev in 2014:The topic of Ukraine dominated Sergey Lavrovs news conference which was also held at the UN Headquarters on Saturday. When asked by an American journalist about the possibility of settling the conflict, the Russian diplomat said that Moscow has already tried taking part in direct talks with Kiev in the Spring of 2022, but the outcome was sabotaged by the US and the EU:While talking about his bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, Sergey Lavrov said that while Moscow has been prepared for all sorts of contacts at the event, many leaders were seemingly afraid of establishing such contacts, or worse - were prohibited by the EU officials to talk to the head of the Russian diplomacy:Russian, Indian, South African, Chinese, and Brazilian diplomats have had numerous meetings with Sergey Lavrov on the sidelines of the main UN event, including BRICS talks, which seemed like a powerful club of like-minded politicians with BRICS nations representing about 40% of the worlds population. Their position on the Ukrainian issue was reflected in a declaration, which calls for peaceful talks between Russia and Ukraine. Among others who chose to openly communicate with Russias top diplomat were the representatives of Cuba, Venezuela, Serbia, Hungary, Bahrain, Mexico, the UAE and other nations.On Saturday, Sergey Lavrov concluded his visit to the 77th session of the UN General Assembly. https://sputniknews.com/20220921/us-is-prime-criminal--violator-of-un-charter-analyst-says-on-bidens-astonishing-lies-at-unga-1101059548.html china Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Denis Bolotsky https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/0b/1083128270_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_8cd81dafcbaac1c176c25141f8af1d2a.jpg Denis Bolotsky https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/0b/1083128270_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_8cd81dafcbaac1c176c25141f8af1d2a.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Denis Bolotsky https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e5/06/0b/1083128270_0:0:961:960_100x100_80_0_0_8cd81dafcbaac1c176c25141f8af1d2a.jpg un security council, sergei lavrov, brics, china https://sputniknews.com/20220925/attack-on-russia-is-attack-on-africa-ugandan-commander-of-land-forces-says-1101209454.html Attack on Russia is Attack on Africa, Ugandan Commander of Land Forces Says Attack on Russia is Attack on Africa, Ugandan Commander of Land Forces Says During Sergei Lavrov's tour of Africa in July, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni assured the Russian foreign minister that if Russia makes mistakes then we... 25.09.2022, Sputnik International 2022-09-25T15:20+0000 2022-09-25T15:20+0000 2022-09-25T15:20+0000 africa africa uganda russia /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/19/1101211043_0:462:2048:1614_1920x0_80_0_0_5c9b18758c4751a2d93574c1950565f2.jpg Uganda's military would treat aggression against Russia as aggression against the African continent, Land Forces commander Muhoozi Kainerugaba has indicated."President Putin does not have to threaten nuclear war. We hear him. An attack on Russia is an attack on Africa!" Kainerugaba wrote in a tweet Saturday.Kainerugaba joined the military in 1999, and was appointed commander of the Uganda People's Defense Force's Land Forces in 2021. He is the son of President Museveni.The statement came in the midst of increasing tensions between Russia and the West, most recently due to referendums in the Donetsk and Lugansk Peoples Republics (DPR and LPR), as well as Russian-controlled parts of the regions of Kherson and Zaporozhye, on the territories' possible accession to the Russian Federation.On 21 September, Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed support for the referenda, and emphasized that Moscow would use "all means" to defend the country's territorial integrity. Russia launched its operation in Ukraine in February in response to a request for assistance from the DPR and LPR amid fears of a looming Ukrainian invasion.After the start of Russia's special military operation, Western countries slapped Russia with sanctions, sparking a global energy and food crisis which has hit neediest countries the hardest.Uganda was one of the 17 African countries which abstained in a March vote on a United Nations resolution to condemn Russias military operation in Ukraine.During the July visit of Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs Sergei Lavrov to the African country, Ugandas president Yoweri Museveni praised Moscow for its assistance in the fight against colonialism in the 20th century. https://sputniknews.com/20220925/malis-prime-minister-praises-russia-denounces-france-at-unga-1101194363.html https://sputniknews.com/20220922/russia-offers-uganda-help-to-fight-ebola-outbreak-1101080665.html africa uganda russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Olga Borodkina Olga Borodkina News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Olga Borodkina africa, uganda, russia https://sputniknews.com/20220925/didnt-spend-a-dime-or-day-in-texas-orourke-slams-biden-for-hispanic-voters-swing-to-gop-1101196040.html 'Didn't Spend a Dime or Day' in Texas: O'Rourke Slams Biden for Hispanic Voters Swing to GOP 'Didn't Spend a Dime or Day' in Texas: O'Rourke Slams Biden for Hispanic Voters Swing to GOP According to Beto ORourke, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor in the November mid-terms, his party got a "wake-up call" in the 2020 presidential... 25.09.2022, Sputnik International 2022-09-25T07:32+0000 2022-09-25T07:32+0000 2022-09-25T09:10+0000 americas us joe biden us-mexico border donald trump hispanics 2020 united states presidential election texas governor greg abbott /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/08/1f/1100200144_0:0:3073:1728_1920x0_80_0_0_5a62647479f3ad28f84d7e56503bea76.jpg With less than two months until the 8 November 2022 mid-term elections, Beto ORourke, the Democratic nominee for Texas governor, blamed Joe Biden for the fact that an increasing number of Latinos in the state are voting Republican.O'Rourke, who is trailing his Republican rival, incumbent Texas Governor Greg Abbott, in the gubernatorial race, warned the Democrats of the fall-out from disregarding this particular swing."You got to be locking eyeballs with the people that you want to fight for and serve and whose votes you want to win," he stated.ORourke said Republicans showed up with a very strong, compelling economic message at the time, with former President Donald Trump offering a false choice during the COVID-19 pandemic.What did we have on our side? Nothing, said O'Rourke, who on 14 March 2019, announced his candidacy in the 2020 United States presidential election but later suspended his campaign and endorsed Joe Biden.Governor Abbott, who is running for reelection, leads his Democratic challenger ORourke by 5 percentage points, according to a poll from the Texas Politics Project at the University of Texas at Austin.Abbott received 45 percent support among registered voters, whereas 40 percent supported ORourke and 4 percent supported third-party candidates, the survey revealed.Abbott is seeking a third term against former El Paso congressman, ORourke.The poll showed voters considered the border crisis the priority, with 26 percent of respondents choosing Immigration/border security, putting the topic at the top of the list. It was followed by the state economy (13 percent), abortion (12 percent) and gun violence (11 percent).Republicans have lambasted the Democratic 46th POTUS for his administrations open border policies which has caused an unprecedented crisis at the US-Mexico border. Abbott has been one of the most outspoken and, together with fellow Republican, Governor Doug Ducey of Arizona, has been sending busloads of migrants to such Democrat hotspots as New York, Chicago, and Washington, DC to urge the Biden administration to do its job and secure the border.Winning RacesBiden, who won in 2020 against Trump, had struggled to gain traction with Hispanic and Latino voters in the Rio Grande Valley and rural areas of Texas. Donald Trump carried 38 percent of the Latino vote, which, according to Pew research data, is a 13 percentage point increase over the level of support the GOP received from that demographic in the 2018 mid-term elections.Since the 2020 elections, there appears to have emerged a trend, with Mayra Flores, the first Mexican-born congresswoman to serve in the House, flipping a historically Democratic House seat to the GOP during a special election in June for Texas' 34th Congressional District.Republican Latina women, Cassy Garcia for the 28th Congressional District and Monica De La Cruz for the 15th Congressional District, are also running in the forthcoming mid-term elections.All 435 seats in the House of Representatives and 35 Senate seats are up for grabs. Democrats at present have a narrow majority in both chambers of Congress. Thirty-nine state and territorial gubernatorial and numerous other state and local elections will also be contested. Weighing in on the perceived trend among Hispanic voters, Tony Gonzales, a Republican representative from Texas' 23rd congressional district, told Fox News Digital: https://sputniknews.com/20220923/staggering-death-toll-expected-at-us-mexico-border-as-biden-immigration-policies-blamed-for-crisis-1101134760.html https://sputniknews.com/20220923/mccarthy-lays-out-gops-commitment-to-america-platform-six-weeks-before-midterm-election-1101151119.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Svetlana Ekimenko Svetlana Ekimenko News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Svetlana Ekimenko us, joe biden, us-mexico border, donald trump, hispanics, 2020 united states presidential election, texas governor greg abbott https://sputniknews.com/20220925/germans-slam-scholzs-energy-address-say-nation-on-path-to-poverty-amid-price-hikes-sanctions-1101207945.html Germans Slam Scholzs Energy Address, Say Nation on Path to Poverty Amid Price Hikes, Sanctions Germans Slam Scholzs Energy Address, Say Nation on Path to Poverty Amid Price Hikes, Sanctions The German Finance Ministry reported in August that energy prices had spiked by 105 percent year-on-year in 2022 thanks to shock hikes in natural gas and... 25.09.2022, Sputnik International 2022-09-25T12:57+0000 2022-09-25T12:57+0000 2022-09-25T12:57+0000 energy crisis in europe germany energy /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/06/1d/1096790244_0:324:3065:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_edb30fd0a2bb2af2bd55ad82cadc4fb3.jpg Germans arent buying Chancellor Olaf Scholzs promises on energy relief for low-income families and energy-intensive industries.The legislative machine has begun churning and will organize the necessary support very, very quickly, Scholz said in a video address to the nation posted to his official Twitter account on Saturday. Prices [for electricity, heat and gas] are too high and must go down, he added.Blaming Germanys economic woes on Putins war, Scholz assured that Berlin has already taken steps to ensure the adequate supply of coal, oil, and gas, as well as electricity, in winter. Well get through, he promised, urging the country to solve these tasks together.The issues you are listing are political decisions you have made. Not having the guts to stand up for these decisions, but presenting everything as a kind of natural event or something that has no alternative because Putin is evil is hypocrisy, one user argued. If you dont get gas and electricity price caps in place in the next few days, both businesses and individuals will be bankrupt by this time next year, another warned. The weak chancellor never dared to say no to the United States and Ukraine in the face of the huge bills for the public! another person complained. With all due respect, Herr ChancellorThe shop is on fire now, not thanks to Putin, but your own politics, someone quipped.The thread degenerated into a debate about Ukraine, with some users urging Berlin to immediately deliver heavy tanks and armored personnel carriers to Kiev, while others asked fellow commenters to stop spreading propaganda that will lead to the end of the whole of Europe.Readers of Germanys Welt newspaper also gave Scholz a piece of their minds.Berlin has been searching for alternative sources of energy after Western sanctions and restrictions on Russian oil, gas, coal and electricity left Germany and most of Europe facing severe shortages. The chancellor traveled to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates over the weekend in hopes of securing new oil and gas contracts. However, London-based pan-Arab newspaper Al-Arab reported Sunday that the absence of the topic of energy in the official summary of Scholzs Saturday talks with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman may signify that there are no tangible results to report.Germany, ordinarily the economic and industrial powerhouse of Europe, has been hit particularly hard by the blowback from the Wests economic hybrid war with Russia, with the countrys aluminum, steel and zinc smelters forced to cut production or shut down, and other energy-intensive industries such as fertilizer makers and fresh and frozen food producers warning of food shortages unless urgent support measures were implemented immediately.Welt reported Sunday that three of Germanys 16 federal states want the country to be divided into energy pricing zones amid allegations by officials in northern states that the state government of Bavaria has been sabotaging the expansion of electricity grids and wind power and passing heightened energy costs onto other regions.In an interview with Funke Mediengruppe on Friday, Saxony Prime Minister Michael Kretschmer urged the federal government to do everything it could to bring the security crisis in Ukraine to an end through negotiations and to restart economic cooperation with Russia as soon as possible. https://sputniknews.com/20220924/hungary-will-never-agree-to-sanction-russias-rosatom-gazprom-foreign-minister-says-1101159855.html https://sputniknews.com/20220923/poland-baltics-pushing-for-ban-on-russian-lng-sanctions-on-bank-used-for-gas-payments-reports-1101148777.html https://sputniknews.com/20220924/sanctions-sparked-gas-crunch-berlin-must-do-all-it-can-to-get-russian-supplies-flowing-saxony-pm-1101170898.html germany Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ilya Tsukanov Ilya Tsukanov News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ilya Tsukanov germany, energy Blinken Says World Will Never Recognize LPR, DPR, Kherson Zaporozhye Regions as Part of Russia, and Ukraine Has Right to 'Return' Them MOSCOW (Sputnik) - US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that the world would never recognize the breakaway republics of Donetsk and Luhansk (DPR, LPR), as well as the Russian-controlled parts of Ukraine as part of Russia, and Ukraine has the right to return them. "It [territories] will never be recognized as such [Russian] and the Ukrainians have every right to take it back," he said in an interview with CBS News. People in the DPR and LPR. as well as in Zaporozhye and Kherson regions are voting in referenda that will determine their future within Russia. The polling began on Friday and will last through Tuesday. The US, together with its allies, refuses to recognize the legitimacy of referenda and threatens Russia with sanctions if these territories become part of Russia. https://sputniknews.com/20220925/malis-prime-minister-praises-russia-denounces-france-at-unga-1101194363.html Malis Prime Minister Praises Russia, Denounces France at UNGA Malis Prime Minister Praises Russia, Denounces France at UNGA Mali's Prime Minister Abdoulaye Maiga's speech at the UN General Assembly comes amid growing dissatisfaction with France's activities in a number of African... 25.09.2022, Sputnik International 2022-09-25T11:31+0000 2022-09-25T11:31+0000 2022-09-25T12:10+0000 africa africa mali prime minister france /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/19/1101203781_0:161:3071:1888_1920x0_80_0_0_ade4e63f7b1bf030fbd459785a4f3c86.jpg At the 77th session of the UN General Assembly on Saturday, Malis prime minister Lieutenant Colonel Abdoulaye Maiga criticized France and the UN secretary-general, saying that his country has been stabbed in the back by the French authorities, who unilaterally decided to withdraw the Barkhane force from Mali". At the same time the prime minister praised "the exemplary and fruitful cooperative relations between Mali and Russia".The prime minister denounced the French junta for its "neocolonial, condescending, paternalistic and revanchist practice", blaming France for sponsoring "unprecedented, illegal, illegitimate and inhuman sanctions of ECOWAS [Economic Community of West African States] and UEMOA [West African Economic and Monetary Union] against Mali". Maiga also accused the French junta of obscurantism because the French were "exploiting ethnic disputes, forgetting its responsibility in the genocide against the Tutsis in Rwanda... violating Malian airspace by flying aerial vectors such as drones, military helicopters and fighter planes more than 50 times [and] ... providing information, arms and ammunition to terrorist groups".The Mali leader also recalled that France intervened in "Libya despite the condemnation of all Africa", made "thousands of Africans" participate "in the First and Second World Wars", was involved in "the slave trade which is behind the economic success of many developed countries". Speaking about the UNs peace-keeping forces in the African country, Maiga stated that "nearly 10 years after its establishment, the objectives for which MINUSMA [the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali] was deployed in Mali have not been achieved.Withdrawal of French Troops from MaliFrench troops have been located in Mali for nine years with the purpose of "fighting terrorism in Sahel" as part of Operation Barkhane.Last month France withdrew its last troops from the African country, after falling out with Mali's military government, wrapping up the withdrawal process that was started in December 2021."This day at 1:00pm (13:00 GMT), the last detachment of the Barkhane force present on Malian soil crossed the border between Mali and Niger," the press release from the French Ministry of the Armed Forces read.After leaving Mali, the French sent its troops to neighboring Niger, where a series of anti-French demonstrations broke out recently.The end of the operation in Mali went along with Mali's accusation of France assisting terrorists inside the African country.Growing DissatisfactionIn recent months, several anti-French and anti-UN demonstrations have taken place in Mali, as well as in other countries of the Sahel - a semi-arid region and a hotbed of Islamism, where French troops are located.On 22 September, protests against UN peace-keepers broke out in Mali's capital city Bamako. A huge crowd of protestors with Malian flags marched on the streets chanting anti-UN slogans. Many of the protestors were also carrying Russian flags.On 14 May, Malians demonstrated in Bamako with similar demands. They called for France to withdraw and help from Russia.A wave of protests has also swept through other African countries.On 18 September, many inhabitants of Niger took to the streets of the capital, Niamey, demonstrating against French troops deployed to Niger after leaving Mali.In May, students in Chad protested against the presence of French troops in the country, blaming France for stealing its natural resources. The protesters chanted Chad is Free and France is out.In November 2021 people in Burkina Faso and Niger blocked and stoned a large French military supply convoy travelling from Ivory Coast to Mali, shouting anti-French slogans. https://sputniknews.com/20220823/colonel-abdoulaye-maiga-appointed-interim-prime-minister-of-mali-1099885996.html https://sputniknews.com/20220218/european-troops-to-be-relocated-from-mali-to-nigers-border-region-president-says-1093135280.html https://sputniknews.com/20220924/protests-against-un-peacekeepers-unfold-in-middle-of-mali-national-holiday-1101171099.html https://sputniknews.com/20220818/petition-against-french-troops-presence-in-niger-launched-after-protest-rally-banned-in-capital-1099731629.html africa mali Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Olga Borodkina Olga Borodkina News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Olga Borodkina africa, mali, prime minister, france https://sputniknews.com/20220925/michigan-man-pleads-guilty-to-murdering-and-eating-man-named-kevin-bacon-1101192104.html Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering and Eating Man Named Kevin Bacon Michigan Man Pleads Guilty to Murdering and Eating Man Named Kevin Bacon On Thursday, Mark Latunski, 53, admitted to stabbing and eating part of a man he met on a dating app three years ago in December of 2019. The 25-year-old... 25.09.2022, Sputnik International 2022-09-25T00:46+0000 2022-09-25T00:46+0000 2022-09-25T00:46+0000 americas murder cannibalism michigan /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/19/1101191959_91:0:1120:579_1920x0_80_0_0_19053ea89859451f3607a6d0e6a1955e.png Latunski now faces life in prison after he pleaded guilty to open murder and mutilation of a man who was his Grindr datea dating app for the gay, bi, trans, and queer communities, according to their website.Police spoke to Bacons roommate when his family reported him missing. This led them to Latunskis home.Bacon, 25, a hairstylist and psychology major according to his father, met Latunski on Grindr before unsuspectingly arriving at the 53-year-olds home on West Tyrrell Road in Bennington Township. Police found Bacons body on December 28, 2019, hanging from his ankles.Latunski had reportedly stabbed Bacon, cut his throat and eaten parts of him. Police report that the Michigan man cut off the University of Michigan-Flint students testicles and ate them after he was murdered. Authorities believe Bacon was killed sometime on the evening of December 24, or early December 25.Bacons father, Karl Bacon, says their family has not been able to celebrate a Christmas day since the murder of their son three years ago.Im just glad were seeing the end of it, Bacon said, adding that he is relieved that he and his family wont have to sit through a trial. Maybe itll close this chapter in our lives. I dont know yet, were still trying to figure that out.Latunski will remain at the Center for Forensic Psychiatry in Saline until his next court appearance which is scheduled for October 18. The trial will determine if Latunskis crimes are first-degree murder, second-degree murder, or manslaughter.Latunskis attorneys had hoped to use an insanity defense for their client, which would have meant Latunski would have been in a state of mind in which he did not know what he was doing. Latunski chose to plead guilty, going against the advice of his attorneys.If Latunski had approved of an insanity defense then he would have to go to a forensics center for a minimum of 60 days for evaluation. When asked why he did not want his mental diagnoses discussed in court, Latunski said it was not relevant.Its what I wanted. I wanted him to serve life, said the victim's father. Im still trying to figure things out. Its been long and hard.Police also spoke to two other men who were also Grindr dates of Latunski and reportedly fled his home in fall of 2019, including a 28-year-old from Lansing and a middle-aged man from New York. https://sputniknews.com/20220923/riverdale-actor-sentenced-to-life-for-murdering-his-mother-planned-to-kill-justin-trudeau-1101134036.html americas michigan Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Mary Manley https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg Mary Manley https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Mary Manley https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/01/0b/1092187887_0:0:2048:2049_100x100_80_0_0_0c2cc4c84f89aff034cc55bb01fb6697.jpg murder, cannibalism, michigan https://sputniknews.com/20220925/nepalese-ambassador-proposes-to-create-national-currency-exchange-mechanism-with-russia-1101199896.html Nepalese Ambassador Proposes to Create National Currency Exchange Mechanism With Russia Nepalese Ambassador Proposes to Create National Currency Exchange Mechanism With Russia MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Moscow and Kathmandu could create a mechanism for mutual exchanges in national currencies, similar to the one being created by Russia and... 25.09.2022, Sputnik International 2022-09-25T09:18+0000 2022-09-25T09:18+0000 2022-09-25T09:52+0000 russia nepal russia currency /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/16103/50/161035030_0:269:1315:1009_1920x0_80_0_0_a7345b6740a4a268bac4e7c8b1531b7c.jpg The ambassador stated that the mechanism could be in a form of barter based in national currencies. However this would presuppose cooperation between the central banks of Nepal and Russia, Tuladhar said.The diplomat noted that there are currently some issues with banking operations with Russia, which he hopes will soon be solved with proper banking services.Kathmandu hopes to become a full member of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) and expects progress will be made at 2023 summit, Milan Raj Tuladhar said.Nepal has been a dialogue partner country of the SCO since 2016, the diplomat said, adding that the authorities hope that progress on the membership will be made at the summit in India.Kathmandu is already preparing its membership application, Tuladhar said, without going into further details.The SCO is an international organization founded by China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Russia and Uzbekistan in 2001. In 2017, India and Pakistan were also admitted to the organization. The SCO observer countries include Afghanistan, Belarus, Iran and Mongolia, while the partner countries are Armenia, Azerbaijan, Cambodia, Nepal, Sri Lanka and Turkey. The SCO also launched the procedure for granting a dialogue partner status to Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia in September 2021. In 2022, Iran signed a memorandum of obligations with the SCO, paving the way for the country to join the organization, and Belarus began the procedure of becoming a full member of the alliance. nepal russia Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International nepal, russia, currency https://sputniknews.com/20220925/these-etfs-will-allow-you-to-copy-trades-made-by-lawmakers-like-pelosi-and-cruz-1101192304.html These ETFs Will Allow You to Copy Trades Made By Lawmakers Like Pelosi and Cruz These ETFs Will Allow You to Copy Trades Made By Lawmakers Like Pelosi and Cruz Hundreds of millions of dollars are invested in the stock market by Congress each year. In December 2021, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi opposed a ban on the... 25.09.2022, Sputnik International 2022-09-25T00:55+0000 2022-09-25T00:55+0000 2022-09-25T00:55+0000 americas us congress stock market nancy pelosi ted cruz /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e6/09/11/1100910723_0:39:3071:1766_1920x0_80_0_0_721cc1b963adb6f2283755dd8e6f35c6.jpg Members of Congress and their spouses trading stocks has come under scrutiny lately, with 70% of likely voters now supporting a ban on the practice. It is not hard to understand why, members of Congress have a plethora of insider information the rest of the market is not privy to, giving them an unfair advantage. In addition, it could affect their performance as an elected leader if they decide their stock portfolio is a higher priority for them than their constituents.Since lawmakers have an unfair advantage in the market, could traders benefit from those advantages by emulating the trades lawmakers make? That is exactly what Unusual Whales is trying to do in partnership with Subversive Capital, by proposing two new exchange-traded funds (ETF) under the tickers NANC and CRUZ, named after Democratic House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Texas Senator Ted Cruz, respectively.If approved by the Security Exchange Commission, the ETFs could be available in November, after the midterm elections. The full names for the ETFs will be the Unusual Whales Subversive Democratic Trading ETF and the Unusual Whales Subversive Republican ETF. They would invest in stocks based on public disclosures of trades made by Republican or Democratic members of Congress and their spouses.Subversive Capital will collect a 1% management fee, Unusual Whales will not be collecting any fees on the ETFs.According to Unusual Whale, which compiled public information, trading by Congress exploded in 2021, exceeding 2020s trades by over five times. Most of them beat the market. The ETFs will base their trades on public disclosures by members of Congress.While the idea of profiting off of the same advantages members of Congress enjoy, the true goal of the NANC and CRUZ ETFs is to bring awareness of the issue of Congress stock trading.The House may vote on a stock trading ban next week, though only a framework of a potential bill has been released. Currently, the bill would ban members of Congress, their spouses, and their dependent children from trading on the stock market. Congress has only three voting days next week, putting the bills status in question. Democratic Rep. Pramila Jayapal, who supports a stock ban, has complained about not being informed about what is happening with the bill. I cant say Im confident, she said about the bills chances.There is also a similar bill in the Senate, though it is not likely to reach the floor until after November, if at all.Seventy-two Congressional lawmakers have been found in violation of the toothless Stop Trading on Congressional Knowledge Act of 2012, which was ostensibly created to prevent Congress from trading on their insider knowledge by disclosing their investments in a timely manner. Violations typically result in a $200 fine. https://sputniknews.com/20220924/trump-is-reportedly-in-legal-battle-to-block-testimony-on-bid-to-overturn-election-defeat-1101180836.html americas Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Ian DeMartino Ian DeMartino News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Ian DeMartino us, congress, stock market, nancy pelosi, ted cruz https://sputniknews.com/20220925/turkeys-drones-reportedly-capture-images-of-greek-military-equipment-on-aegean-islands-1101209931.html Turkey's Drones Reportedly Capture Images of Greek Military Equipment on Aegean Islands Turkey's Drones Reportedly Capture Images of Greek Military Equipment on Aegean Islands MOSCOW (Sputnik) - Turkish military drones captured images of the illegal deployment of Greek armored vehicles on the Aegean islands, Turkish news agency... 25.09.2022, Sputnik International 2022-09-25T14:18+0000 2022-09-25T14:18+0000 2022-09-25T16:33+0000 world turkey greece /html/head/meta[@name='og:title']/@content /html/head/meta[@name='og:description']/@content https://cdnn1.img.sputniknews.com/img/07e4/08/0b/1080136121_0:270:3161:2048_1920x0_80_0_0_ed51caf386cb7b1c48e03eaac110c238.jpg Turkish drones filmed two Greek landing ships that were en route to Midilli and Sisam in the Aegean Sea, according to the report. The ships were carrying 23 tactical wheeled armored vehicles to Midilli and 18 to Sisam, which is illegal since the islands have a non-military status, the news agency said.Athens actions are unacceptable and go against international law, Turkish security services told the news agency.Turkey has been at odds with Greece for decades. The countries were on the verge of an armed conflict several times. A new round of tensions flared up on August 23, when Greece allegedly used S-300 air defense systems to escort F-16 fighters of the Turkish air force performing a reconnaissance mission west of Rhodes at the altitude of 10,000 feet. Sources in the Greek Defense Ministry have denied Turkey's claims they used S-300 to target the aircraft.Tensions between Athens and Ankara further escalated on September 3, when Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned that Greece would pay a "heavy price" if incidents with Turkish planes continue. Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar said that Ankara expected objectivity from NATO in connection with the use of S-300 systems by Greece against Turkish aircraft. According to Akar, Athens ignores international law, good neighborly relations and friendship with Ankara. https://sputniknews.com/20220914/greece-reportedly-intercepts-turkish-f-16-jets-flying-over-greek-islands-1100780066.html turkey greece Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 2022 Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 News en_EN Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 1920 1080 true 1920 1440 true 1920 1920 true Sputnik International feedback@sputniknews.com +74956456601 MIA Rosiya Segodnya 252 60 Sputnik International turkey, greece Heading into Saturday night's (Sept. 24) $525,000 Shes A Great Lady final at Woodbine Mohawk Park, the talk of the event were the two elimination winners Sylvia Hanover and Charleston, who both came into the race riding winning streaks. The former extended hers while the latter saw her streak snapped. The final, for two-year-old pacing fillies, kicked off Woodbine Mohawk Parks richest night of racing tonight anchored by the Mohawk Million. The field was reduced to nine with the late sick scratch of Bellisima Hanover. As the race got underway, it was quickly evident that Dexter Dunn, aboard Charleston, and Bob McClure, behind the favourite Sylvia Hanover, both were after the front. Charleston was able to take over that position as they exited the first turn and hit the quarter in :27.2. Sylvia Hanover, on the outside of her since the start, was able to take control before the :56.3 half and headed the youngsters by the three-quarters in 1:25.2. Charleston popped out from second and paced hard down the stretch, but could not haul down the leader who hit the wire in 1:51.4. Next to cross the wire were Treacherous Penny, Caviart Davia and Proud Mary. She was stretching herself out, I think she could have cleared a little easier, noted McClure of Sylvias move to the top before the half. In races like this youre not going to get anything handed to you no matter how much of a favourite you are. Once she got the front it was business as usual, she holds them at bay. We kept going really fast, we were pacing hard down the lane, they were pacing with her, theres a lot of really fast fillies. She wasnt letting them get too close. Its a fun race just to be a part of, to win it is even better, he said. Every start she shows more and more, her first start off a qualifier when she jumped up to a 1:51 mile, that was impressive, said trainer Shawn Steacy, who noted some "R&R" is on the fillys agenda before preparing for the Breeders Crown, which will be held late next month back at the Campbellville oval. A daughter of Always B Miki, Sylvia Hanover is owned by Hudson Standardbred of Quebec. The Hanover Shoe Farms bred lass now has six wins in seven lifetime starts (the other was a second). Her earnings now sit at just over $480,000. Her dam, Shyaway, competed in the 2010 version of this race, finishing seventh in the final after being second in her elimination. To view Saturday's harness racing results, click the following link: Saturday Results - Woodbine Mohawk Park. (Woodbine) Sailors Shadow fetched the highest price at the 2022 Ontario Select Yearling Sale, held on Sunday (Sept. 25) at Winbak Farm of Canada in Inglewood, Ont. A son of Shadow Play and the first foal of Pink Ideal, Sailors Shadow sold for $40,000 to Mark Burns of Mississauga, Ont. Pink Ideal is a half-sister to near quarter-million dollar earner Kays Shadow, and hails from the family of world champion Big Jim. Winbak Farm is the breeder. Bettors Rush sold from the Winbak consignment for $25,000 to Blake MacIntosh of St. George, Ont. A son of Bettors Delight - Sister Pippa, Bettors Rush is the first Bettors Delight foal from the dam sub-1:55 performers Riskapippa and Sister Said. The highest priced trotter in the sale was Eiffel Power, a son of My MVP out of French Doll. A brother to two sub-1:56 performers including $220,000 earner Frenchmen, Eiffel Power was purchased from the Winbak consignment by an online bidder. A total of 50 yearlings sold during the Ontario Select Yearling Sale, with a gross total of $604,500 to average $12,090 per yearling. "Although the weather didn't cooperate, it was nice to be selling yearlings today," Winbak's Pat Woods told Trot Insider. "We really appreciate everyone who inspected, bid and bought yearlings from our third annual sale. We are very thankful that owners are supporting our stallions and the Ontario breeding program. We wish everyone good luck with their future stars." IMPORTANT LINKS: Working behind the scenes and in public daily to improve the quality of life for area residents, Rappahannock-Rapidan Community Services formed half a century ago, in 1972. The state-local agency provides a wide range of real-time help and programs to people in Culpeper, Fauquier, Madison, Orange and Rappahannock counties. Multi-faceted RRCS will celebrate 50 years of serving the community with a free celebration open to the public from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 29, at Rock Hill Farm, 14461 Norman Road in Culpeper. The event will provide information on the many offerings of RRCS, formerly known as the Community Services Board, along with food from around the globe, mock-tails, a magic show, rock painting and heart-warming testimonials. RRCS operates under the umbrella of Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services, based in Richmond. Based in Culpeper, RRCS oversees some 81 different programs in the five counties and has more than 400 employees. Its the largest agency serving the community that many have never heard of, Executive Director Jim LaGraffe said in a recent phone interview. We want to as best we can get the word out about us as an organization, LaGraffe said. LaGraffe has been in the agencys lead position for nearly five years. In recent strategic planning exercises with its board, community surveys and interviews were conducted. Whats come back to us is a couple thingsthe biggest one being that there is a lack of a community awareness of who we are and everything that we do, he said. Among the most well-known programs RRCS runs is the Boxwood Recovery Center, a 30-day in-patient treatment center in Culpeper for people with substance-use disorder. RRCS also runs a senior center in each of the five counties as the Area Agency on Aging. The senior centers are slowly rebuilding after the COVID-19 pandemic, with attendance back to about 75 percent of its pre-COVID numbers, LaGraffe said. Gets a little better all the time, he said. Last year, RRCS opened the Support, Encourage & Empoweror S.E.E. Recovery Centerin Culpeper, a place where anyone can walk in to get on-the-spot resources for mental health. In its first year, more than 2,000 unique individuals came through the centers doors. S.E.E. Center, on U.S. Avenue next to Culpeper Senior Center, is open to anybody who thinks they might need a little help and support, LaGraffe said. Someone who is depressed or anxious or worried about a family member or struggling with substance use. The goal is stigma-free and barrier-free, he said. All you need to do is show up and walk in the front door, LaGraffe said. You are asked two questions: Have you been here before? And do you live in one of our five counties? That is it. There is no cost, and it is open to anybody in our community. RRCS, in addition, runs a cool-air program for seniors in the summer and delivers meals to seniors in their homes year-round. The agency offers an infant-toddler connection program to help the littlest people reach developmental milestones. It also runs group homes for adult individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities. The agency provides housing for low-income seniors and other affordable-housing options. RRCS can assist with Medicare and Medicaid enrollment, and offers outpatient rapid access services for mental health and substance use at clinics in Fauquier and Culpeper. The agency also mans a 24/7 Crisis Services line at 540/825-5656 for anyone who needs a listening ear. For the past 1.5 years, RRCS has also had mental health professionals embedded with the Culpeper Police Department, responding to calls with officers about substance use or other issues where a trained counselor could help. In the coming year, another big goal for the agency is to ease access, LaGraffe said. We heard over and over again from the community side it can be difficult to initiate services with us, he said. The idea is developing a single point of entry into everything that this organization does. Because we are such a big, diverse organization ... it can be kind of overwhelming on where do you go? Being able to speak with one person to get the answer is the goal, LaGraffe said. He noted the agencys budget has grown by about 30 percent in the past two years. Sometimes, it can be hard to keep up with all that is offered. People are not aware of the full impact and breadth of services that are out there. It can be confusing and difficult to access programs at certain points in time, LaGraffe said. People attending Thursdays 50th anniversary celebration will be able to learn about that breadth of services. Really important work has been accomplished the last 50 years, and the need continues, the director said. We are more relevant today than ever as an organization to support our community, LaGraffe said. With effects of the pandemic on depression and isolation, weve seen the last couple years a very large rise in substance use and overdoses ... what this organization needs to provide ... is more important today than it ever was in our last 50 years. Preventing and decreasing drug overdoses is high on the priority list, he said. To that end, harm reduction kits are widely available for free around the region, including Narcan to help revive people overdosed on opioids. We cant help someone who is not alive, LaGraffe said. Our goal is to keep people alive long enough so we can make connections with them and they can accept treatment. The biggest barrier to people getting treatment is stigma, he added. The agencys peer-support programs in this arena have been very successful. In fact, in the last two years, RRCS has added 26 peer-support positions. This means people working in these positions have shared experiences. We know if we get people engaged in peer support, the likelihood of them getting treatment goes up dramatically, LaGraffe said. Looking ahead to the next 50 years, the RRCS executive director said he hopes more resources will be brought home to area communities to help their people. In Virginia, he said, about 75 percent of publicly-funded behavioral-health dollars are spent on institutional, state-level hospital care. The other 25 percent is for community-based care. That should be flipped, he added. Hopefully, it doesnt take us 50 years to get there, but for the foreseeable future I think what you will see is we dont need to spend more on behavioral health, we just need to spend it differently, LaGraffe said. We need to make that transition from state hospitals to community level of care. If someone in our five counties needs help, they should be able to get that locally. JOURNALISTS can be so good at reporting others, but are seldom good at reporting themselves. That is what my friend Kevin dArcy, a distinguished British journalist, wrote in an article titled Living in Interesting Times, published recently on the website of the United Kingdom Chapter of the Association of European Journalists. DArcy, who has worked for major publications in the U.K. and Canada, including The Economist and the Financial Times, argues, The biggest change is that the job of journalism no longer belongs to journalists alone. To some extent, this has always been true but largely because of social media, the scale is touching the sky. This matters for the simple reason that the public lacks the traditional protection of legal and social rules. There is nobody in control. The common realm is sinking fast. So true. But his argument raises the question: Is journalism itself doing its job these days? I usually eschew any discussion about journalismits present state, imagined biases and its future. Dan Raviv, a former correspondent for CBS News on radio and television, told me in a TV interview, My job is simple: I try to find out what is going on, then I tell people. I have never heard the job of a journalist better explained. Of course, the journalist knows other things: the tricks of the trade, like news judgment; how to get the reader reading, the viewer watching, and the listener listening and, it is hoped, keep their attention. Professionals know how to guesstimate how much readers, viewers and listeners might want to know about a particular issue. They know how to avoid libel and keep clear of dubious, manipulative sources. But journalisms skills are fading, along with the newspapers and the broadcast outlets that fostered and treasured them. Publications are dying or surviving on an uncertain drip from a life-support system. Newspapers that once boasted global coverage are now little more than pamphlets. The Baltimore Sun, for example, in its day a great newspaper, once had 12 overseas bureaus. No more. Three newspapers dominate: The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post and The New York Times. They got out in front and owed their position to successfully pushing their brands on the internet early. Now they have advertising revenue and even more revenue from the introduction of paywalls. Local news coverage may come back as it once was, but this time through local digital sites. I prefer traditional newspapers, but the future of local news appears to be online. A major and critical threat to journalism comes from within: It is a dearth of talent. You get what you pay for; publishers arent paying for talent, and that is corrosive. Newspaper and regional TV and radio salaries have always been abysmally low, and now they are the worst they have been in 50 years. This is discouraging needed talent. For more than 30 years, I owned a newsletter publishing company in Washington, and I hired summer internsand paid them. Some of the early recruits went on to success in journalism, and some to remarkable success. Later, I got the same bright journalism studentsyoung men and women so able that you could send them to a hearing on Capitol Hill or assign them a complex story with confidence. The most gifted, alas, werent headed for newsrooms but for law school. They told me as much as they were interested in reporting, they werent interested in low-wage lives. Most reporters across America earn less than $40,000. Even at the mighty Washington Post, a unionized newspaper, beat reporters make just $62,000 yearly. To tell the story of a turbulent world, you need gifted, creative, well-read people committed to the job. The bold and the bright will not commit to a life of penury. To my friend Kevin, I must say, if we cant offer a viable alternative to the social media cacophony, if we have a second-rate workforce, if the news product is inadequate and untouched by knowledgeable human editors, then the slide will continue. Editing by computer is not editing. I appreciate editing, and I know how much better my work is for it. The journalism that Kevin and I have reveled in over these many decades will perish without new talent. Talent will out and, I hope, provide the answers that our trade needs. Women have historically played a critical role on the farm and ranch. They are powerful by impacting the agriculture industry as farmers, ranchers, researchers, educators and much more. Within the vast field of agriculture, there are many roles to play that hold an impact on Nebraskas stake in U.S. agricultural products, including that of Bayards Maggie Dickey. She is an agronomy field rep, farmer, advocate for agriculture, wife, mother and more. I got a job with (West Nebraska Seed and Chemical) scouting corn when I was 16, Dickey said. Thats what introduced me to the agronomy field, and after I started scouting fields, I fell in love with agronomy. Dickeys family moved to a small farm in the Bayard community when she was 11 years old. She became active in 4-H and later FFA, with an interest in cattle and a dream to become a veterinarian. I always knew I was going to be in agriculture, she said. Every little girl wants to be a veterinarian. She eventually realized the path to becoming a veterinarian was long and arduous, but maintained an active ag interest. Justin Rafferty, former Bayard FFA adviser, shared a summer job opportunity scouting corn fields with her at just the right time. I think I was the only person that called about the job and Im not sure how they felt about hiring a 16 year old, Dickey said. I had no scouting experience, no corn experience because I was mostly around livestock and alfalfa when I was growing up, but they taught me. After two years of the inspirational summer job, Dickey sold her sheep flock and went on to blaze a path at Nebraska College of Technical Agriculture (NCTA) in Curtis. I had a sheep flock in high school that was my project I bought sheep and lambed them out. I sold them before I went to college and used the money to pay for college, Dickey said. While at college, she accomplished many things including the highlight of being the only woman on the NCTA crops judging team. The team carried a winning streak on to win the national crops competition. We won NACTO, which is the national competition and actually we were first place in all three competitions that year. It was a lot of fun, Dickey said. She earned an associates degree in agronomy and ag business and then later completed a bachelors degree in agriscience. I was the only girl with an agronomy major while I was at Curtis and the only girl on my crop judging team, Dickey said. Theres always a couple of girls each class but for my class, I was the only girl. During her college years, she was involved in many things including the Farm Bureau Foundation pen pal program. The Ag Pen Pal program was designed to connect farmers and ranchers with classrooms to spread an understanding of where food, fiber and fuel come from. Dickey had her first pen pal class while at NCTA and is now in her sixth year participating in the program. She meets a fourth grade class via Zoom call at the beginning of the school year and exchanges letters with the students about agriculture in the Panhandle. Dickeys pen pal class for the last few years has been from Lakeview, a small town in eastern Nebraska. A lot of it is they didnt know that we raise sugar beets or that we raise dry beans that make the beans for chili, and things like that, she said. I start in September by sending them an introductory letter about myself and what we raise. Then I have a PowerPoint put together with all the different crops we raise in western Nebraska with pictures of crops, harvest and then food products that come from those crops. So they have a basis on where to start, then they write me a letter back and I write them. We just have a lot of fun with it. Educating people on agriculture facts and experiences is a passion of Dickeys that she extends beyond the pen pal project. She is the current president for West Nebraska AgriWomen, a member of the Legacy of the Plains Museum board and more. During the pandemic, Maggie shared a statewide, online program to 4-H youth about STEM careers in agriculture. She explained her profession and western Nebraska crop production very well, Mary Crawford, an external communication coordinator for the University of Nebraska at NCTA, said. I really have a passion for educating people about agriculture, Dickey said. Like about what I do here but I also find it fun to talk to just all kinds of people, even locally, about agriculture basics. Educate people that have no idea where their food comes from. After NCTA, Dickey settled in Bayard and she married a local farmer. In addition to starting a young family, she contributes to the Dickey family farm, helps keep the farms record books and works as a field rep back at the business that inspired her career path. I like the diversity and what we can do as far as soil health and the ecosystem tying them back together because weve gotten into the mono-crop type of culture, she said. So I like bringing that diversity back into the soil, how it can help the whole farm. To me, Mother Nature is designed to have diverse crops and plants on the ground. Her tasks at West Nebraska Seed and Chemical have expanded beyond field scouting corn to include just about everything like making seed and soil recommendations and book keeper. Dickey particularly enjoys the seed side of the business as well as cover crops and forages. Maggie is extremely knowledgeable about all crops, forages, livestock, agriculture policy and issues. I would describe her as an ag advocate, agronomist, mother, wife, and industrious individual who is a joy to work with and around, Crawford said. Dickey likes to stay busy working and educating in agriculture and encourages women to pursue the industry. It is absolutely open to women, I dont feel like theres the stigma or the pressure there used to be as being a woman in agriculture, she said. People I work with are very receptive, kind and respectful. I would say, find what you love and go for it because theres opportunity in agriculture for anyone, especially women. You can wash your vehicle in the rain, but should you? Thats the dilemma I faced on a soggy Sunday afternoon. It had been a while since I took hose, soap and sponge to my old pickup truck. In that time, it collected road dust, tree sap and a few splotches I could not identify. My significant other mentioned a few times the increasingly grungy nature of my ride. These were subtle hints like, Maybe you should wash your truck or I dont think I have ever seen a dirtier vehicle or You could not pay me to be seen in that thing. Now you wait a goldurn minute, I finally said, letting her know who wears the pants in this relationship. This is an 18-year-old truck made for hard work and rambunctious play, not some shiny toy for a drugstore cowboy who gets his Calvin Kleins in a knot when something scratches the bed. Why, in the last year Ive hauled a load of mulch, a propane tank, a uh, well, thats about it. That said, I will wash my truck when I get good and darn well ready. That night, as I tossed and turned on the couch, I figured I was good and darn well ready. But then it rained. And it rained the next day and the next and I kept putting it off until the truck needed to go into the shop, not because it was dirty but because of engine problems. Im not mechanically inclined, but even I knew when a vehicle idles like an off-balance washing machine on spin cycle and the engine light flashes like a slot machine jackpot, the vehicle needs a trip to the shop. To be honest, I didnt want the fellows at the shop seeing how dirty my truck was at that point. I imagined they would shake their heads, and one would tip back his cap and say, When do you think hell get good and darn well ready to wash this thing? Because it was apparently the monsoon season, it continued to rain right through the day before the trip to the shop. Since I had already proven I wear the pants, I pulled on a pair I didnt mind getting wet and told my significant other, Im going out to wash the truck. Its raining, she said. The neighbors are going to think youre on drugs. I am on drugs, I said. I chased down my statin with a beta blocker and half a bottle of Maalox. Im bouncing off the freakin walls. First, though, I needed to consult the all-knowing, all-seeing internet to find out if washing a vehicle in the rain is a good idea. The answer? YES! In my own personal (and a bit crazy) opinion is that one of the best times to wash your car is actually WHEN it is raining, writes the author of an article on DriveDetailed. As far as Im concerned there are no REAL negatives of washing your car in the rain. He notes the positives as saving time and water on pre-rinse and helping to wash off shampoo. Wait a minute NO! The website CarwashCountry says, In general, its not a good idea to actually wash your car in the rain if you are concerned with water spots. Then there is pollution in some parts of the country. Substances left behind by acid rain can etch into the clear coat of your car over time and make it harder to restore later on, says the author. Plus, the neighbors will think youre on drugs. After much conflicting information on the internet, I hitched up the pants I wear in the relationship, went outside in the rain and washed that truck. You know why? Because I was good and darn well ready. And the couch is uncomfortable. The U.S. Air Force believes it finally has a replacement for the B-52 bomber; the B-21. There are currently 76 B-52H aircraft still in service and they are expected to serve into the 2050s because the BUFF (Big, Ugly Fat Fellow) just works. The B-21 is described as cheaper and more capable than the similar B-2. As a stealth aircraft it still has the expensive and time-consuming maintenance issues associated with its stealth B-21 development began in 2014 and it cost over $200 billion to develop. By 2022 one B-21 prototype was built and is being prepared for its first flight in 2023. Seven more B-21s are under construction and it is expected to enter service in 2027. The air force wants to buy at least a hundred B-21s but that will depend on how well the first B-21s perform. That particularly includes maintenance of its stealth coating costing much less than the B-2s. Excessive costs and poor performance are what caused the B-2 to have its production reduced from a hundred to only 21 aircraft. One of these was lost in an accident, leaving only 20 operational. The B-2 entered service in 1997 and production ceased three years later. The aircraft that crashed was valued at $1.4 billion. The 170-ton B-2 has four engines and a crew of two. It can carry up to 23 tons of bombs although the usual bomb load is 18 tons or less. TheB-2 usually carries guided bombs or missiles. Max speed is subsonic (about 1,000 kilometers an hour) while cruising speed is 900 kilometers an h0ur, Max range is 11,000 kilometers, or 19,000 kilometers if there is one in-air refueling. Because of crew fatigue, the 22 hours needed for a 19,000-kilometer mission is the longest the aircraft flies in one sortie. Crews found there was room behind their seats for a foldable cot that allowed them to get some sleep during a long flight. The B-21 is smaller than the B-2 but has superior stealth capabilities and a similar bomb-load. The primary justification for the B-21 is that it is hopefully more affordable than the B-2 with much superior defensive and offensive electronics. These are required for the B-21 to operate inside the air defenses of near-peer opponents. The only one of these high-tech foes is China. Russia was, until recently (Ukraine) believed to be another formidable target for American air power. That may still be true on paper but the Ukrainians demonstrated the many flaws of Russian air power. Chinese capabilities can also be overestimated but so far, the Chinese have learned from Russian mistakes and developed better solutions. Despite that, Chinese leaders remind their air force and air defense personnel that better may not be enough against Western tech. That attitude makes the Chinese potentially more formidable than foreign nations believe. The U.S. Air Force has maintained air superiority, or air domination since World War II with superior tech and more capable personnel. That has been useful when efforts to develop new tech aircraft or weapons fail because of development problems or cost-overruns. Often it is a combination of both and Congress pulls the plug. Its been that way since World War II and the air force has always had an older, proven system to substitute for the failed tech. When it comes to bombers, the B-52 has been the successful substitute for over half a century. This is a reality that is understood in the air force but not publicized. What the air force does give some publicity to is new tech regularly being added to B-52s. This keeps these ancient bombers effective and relevant, especially a substitute for newer but less effective bomber designs. Sometimes these announcements simply confirm the obvious. For example, in 2020 the air force made it official that the B-52H bomber will no longer be considered capable of using nuclear bombs. Or, as it is officially described, gravity bombs which must be dropped from an aircraft that is right over the target. The announcement made official what had been a fifty-year-old reality. This reality was apparent back in 1969, with the cancellation of the B-70. This was a proposed replacement for the B-52 that was a lot more expensive but flew higher and faster to deliver nuclear gravity bombs. The B-70 was also much more expensive to operate and by 1969 it was obvious that ICBMs were the future, not manned aircraft. The long-range ballistic missiles were very difficult to intercept. Because they were based in underground silos or aboard nuclear subs, they made it much more difficult for an enemy to carry out a successful first strike or counterattack. This did not make the B-52 obsolete because a few years later the air force found the B-52 was surprisingly effective carrying conventional bombs. Lots of them. B-52s could carry over a hundred non-nuclear 227 kg (500 pound) bombs that, when dropped in a pattern that creates a carpet of bombed-out terrain, had an impact similar to a nuclear weapons. Since there is no radiation created, friendly troops could immediately move in and occupy the torn-up terrain, often littered with the bodies of enemy troops and the wreckage of their equipment. This effect was not a surprise to those air force officers who had seen the result of using a lot more B-17s (each carrying two dozen 500-pound bombs) carpet-bombing a German panzer (armored) division in a similar fashion. American troops rapidly moved in and encountered no opposition. Even Germans in bunkers were dead or dazed and not able to fight. The few who had survived the bombing completely had wisely fled the area to regroup elsewhere. After World War II the air force never seriously considered adopting that successful July 1944 carpet-bombing tactic because the 1950s were all about nukes and the many ways to deliver them. Non-nuclear bombs dropped by a strategic bomber was an obsolete idea. But 21 years later in Vietnam, someone remembered and it was discovered that dozen or so B-52s could recreate the panzer division killer tactic and with the same impact on lots of irregular troops. From 1965 on the enemy was reluctant to concentrate a lot of forces for attack or defense lest they became a target of what came to be called Arc Light missions. Seven years later, when the last Arc Light of the Vietnam War was used, the B-52 was unofficially no longer a nuclear bomber but was kept in service in large part because of Arc Light. The nuclear mission was only possible because the B-52 could also carry cruise missiles. These one-ton weapons could be launched before encountering enemy air defenses and fly thousands of kilometers to deliver a conventional or nuclear warhead. The ultimate tribute to the B-52 came in 2019 when the air force decided to retire its B-1B bombers, which were built in the 1980s, before the B-52Hs, which were built in the 1960s. Its all about cost and effectiveness. One of the two older heavy bombers had to go because the new B-2 stealth bomber would enter service by the end of the decade. As part of that process, the B-1Bs will start to retire in 2025 and the last will be gone by 2035. The B-52s are to serve until the 2040s or even 2052, which will be a century after the first flight of the B-52. The B-21 is supposed to be a more effective and cheaper version of the B-2 stealth bomber. The B-2 was so expensive that only 21 were built. Congress would not pay for more. The B-21 has to avoid the budget curse or be canceled or end up as an updated and way over budget B-2 replacement. The air force has established a tradition of over-promising and under-delivering that has created much less tolerance for projects that go way over budget and arrive very late as well. B-21 is being built to quickly get to targets anywhere on the planet, avoid air defenses, and deliver conventional or nuclear weapons. The main job would be delivering conventional weapons, including standoff weapons against defended air space. Moreover, current stealth technology, which mainly renders radar much less effective, is vulnerable to growing improvements in heat detection systems which are already being primary sensors on some fighters (especially stealth ones that do not want to use a radar which tells everyone where it is). The B-21 wont be cheap, at least not the way the B-52 was. The B-52 survives because it entered service in the 1950s at a time when budgets and delivery schedules were met. Moreover, the B-52 is an example of how an aircraft that has been declared obsolete several times survived because new technology or tactics kept the B-52 competitive. The B-52 was originally designed as a high-flying long-range bomber that could deliver a lot of unguided bombs, including nuclear ones. Better Soviet (Russian) air defenses (radars and missiles) appeared to make the B-52 obsolete as a strategic nuclear bomber, but then cruise missiles were invented that allowed a B-52 to launch these before entering defended Russian air space. Even before that the B-52 demonstrated (in the 1960s over Vietnam) that it was very effective at delivering conventional bombs and airdropped naval mines, even over defended air space thanks to new electronic warfare defenses. The B-1A was developed in the 1970s as a low flying, high-speed replacement of the B-52 as a nuclear weapon bomber. It was canceled because of cost overruns and the belief that Russian air defenses were adapting to handle a fast, low flying B-1. In the 1980s the cruise missile used as a standoff nuclear-armed missile made possible the revival of the B-1 as a slower, higher-flying B-1B. After all, those B-52s were getting older. Age did not damage the slow-moving B-52 as much as it did faster-moving aircraft like the B-1B. But the B-1B did manage to use its greater speed to replace the B-52 in situations where only one or two heavy bombers were covering a large area (in Afghanistan or Syria/Iraq). One B-1B carrying only smart bombs and missiles could get to where it was needed faster than a B-52 even though the B-1B still cost more per hour to operate. The B-52 is, however, aging more economically and reliably than the B-1B and that means the B-1Bs will retire first. Another factor is that the B-52, lacking the movable wings of the B-1, is easier to adapt to new technology. It was a lot easier to use a targeting pod on the B-52 (just hang it from a wing) compared to the B-1 (where the installation was more expensive and time consuming). The one tech that made the most difference for the B-52 was the smart bomb. The appearance in the 1990s of GPS and other inexpensive guided missiles and bombs revolutionized the role of bomber aircraft. Far fewer bombs were needed to destroy a specific target. That meant even the F-15E fighter-bomber, which could carry six tons of bombs and missiles, became more effective than a heavy bomber carrying five or six times as many unguided bombs. To remain competitive the B-52 and B-1B had to rely on new technology to keep up. One example of this occurred in 2017 when B-52Hs used their latest upgrade, the CRU (Conventional Rotary Launcher) in combat for the first time. CRU enables a B-52 to carry eight large (or 34 small) JDAM smart bombs internally. The CRU itself is an accessory and not all B-52Hs will carry them. But all B-52s are being modified so the CRU can quickly be removed or installed and work with the fire control system. The CRU allows more smart bombs and missiles to be carried. These bombs are reprogrammable by the crew while in the air. This was essential for most B-52 missions, which simply provided smart bomb support for a large area (most of Afghanistan, all of Iraq and so on). With the CRU dozens of smart bombs can be launched quickly and that was recently done in an attack on multiple heroin production sites in southern Afghanistan. Similar tactics can be used against North Korean artillery and missiles units. The CRU is one of several new features associated with the 1760 IWBU (Internal Weapons Bay Upgrade). The B-52H has long had a CSRL (Common Strategic Rotary Launcher) for the internal weapons bay but that was only for nuclear weapons. Without a rotary launcher installed the internal bomb bay carries unguided bombs. Since the 1990s the B-52H has been carrying smart bombs externally, attached to hardpoints under the wings. Carrying anything on those hardpoints creates aerodynamic drag during flight which increases fuel consumption and requires more inflight refueling to obtain the same time in the air. The first CRUs were delivered for installation and flight testing in 2016. Testing and delivery of more CRU continued until it was used in combat over Afghanistan in November. CRU and the IWBU continue to be upgraded so CRUs can handle JASSM cruise missiles and MALD (Miniature Air Launched Decoy), a small missile which not only acts as a decoy but also carries electronics for jamming and or deceiving enemy sensors. Since 2013 there has been a major upgrade in B-52 electronics and fire-control systems. These changes included CONECT (Combat Network Communications Technology) and 1760 IWBU (Internal Weapons Bay Upgrade). The IWBU was necessary to use CRU but both upgrade programs are being applied throughout the air force to provide standardization of communications and use of smart bombs. Earlier upgrades enabled B-52 crew to program (enter GPS coordinates for a target) smart bombs carried. Initially, this was done so smart bombs carried under the wings could be programmed by the crew and later that was expanded to include those carried internally. This upgrade simply means wiring the bomb bay so that smart bombs can be plugged into the upgraded aircraft fire control system. This was important because that made it possible to carry other programmable weapons like the MALD and the JASSM (long-range smart bombs used for taking out enemy air defenses). By 2017 about half the B-52s had their bomb bay wiring upgraded. Back in 2006, the B-52 was modified so it could carry over a hundred of the 130 kg (285 pound) Small Diameter Bombs (SDB, also known as the GBU-39/B). The bomb rack inside the B-52 was modified to carry 32 SDBs instead of 15 larger bombs. The B-52 could already carry more SDBs under its wings using special racks that held 4 SBDs where one larger bomb would normally be. Initially, all these SDBs had to be programmed (with target location) on the ground. This was all for mass precision strikes from one bomber, something that has not been required yet. The large bomb capacity of the B-52 was a 1960s innovation which enabled one B-52 to carry 108 500-pound unguided bombs for carpet bombing missions. Until the programming upgrades, the SBDs carried internally had to receive their target coordinates on the ground, not in the air. The ability to enter or change GPS coordinates in smart bombs is necessary now because heavy bombers typically stay in the air over the combat zone for 8 hours or more at a time, delivering smart bombs as needed by troops on the ground. The B-52 also has its own targeting pod now that enables the crew to spot targets, program one of its smart bombs, and take them out without needing GPS coordinates from someone on the ground. Despite being the oldest American combat aircraft in service, the B-52s have been regularly upgraded with new electronics and minor tweaks for new bombs. For example, in 017 the B-52H was certified as able to use PDU-5 leaflet bomb. This is a variant of the cluster bomb long carried by B-52s. But instead of dispersing 247 bomblets from a larger canister the PDU-5 disperses 60,000 leaflets over several square kilometers. The PDU-5 has been used regularly since 2001 to warn people (usually in target areas) that a bombing or artillery attack is coming. Normally PDU-5s are delivered by jet fighters but helicopters have been used and the test drops from the B-52H is to ensure that there are no problems with the bomb colliding with the aircraft once dropped. The B-52H PDU-5 test wasnt an upgrade as much as a standard safety check. As with the CRU, the B-52H isnt able to use a newly installed feature until after several tests followed by use, if possible, in a combat zone. Another reason for the longevity of the B-52 has been its reliability and relatively low maintenance cost. The B-52H has a better reliability record than much more recent aircraft and much smaller aircraft. For example, the U.S. Air Force mission capable or readiness rate (percentage of available aircraft able to do their job) varies by type and technology. Age has less to do with it than you might think. Since 2015, when the B-52H rate was 72 percent compared to 47 percent for the B-1B heavy bomber and 71 percent for the F-15E fighter bomber, the B-52 has maintained its edge in reliability. With all these upgrades since the 1990s there was little mention of nuclear weapons, expect an occasional mention that the B-52 fire control system was still capable of handling nuclear gravity bombs. Which are basically dumb bombs with some capability to have the altitude of detonation adjusted but not much else. The B61 300 kg and B83 1.1-ton nuclear bombs look just like another dumb bomb filled with high explosives. The B-52 bomb racks must be able to accept and release these two bombs and that is a simple bit of engineering. As a practical matter, the air force appears to have abandoned the B-52 as a nuclear gravity bomb delivery system after the Cold War ended in 1991. At the same time, the greater bomb carrying capability makes the B-52 even more effective, as it is cheaper to have one "bomb truck" over the combat zone rather than several fighter-bombers. With a max takeoff weight of 240-250 tons the BUFF (Big Ugly Fat Fellow) is basically a large aircraft designed to carry bombs cheaply and efficiently. The readiness rate of these bombers remains high because it was not designed to operate at supersonic speed or carry out stressful maneuvers. Although the remaining B-52s are all at least 50 years old, most of the internal gear has been replaced with modern electronics and furnishings. Its all flat screens and modern gear. Look closer and you see a lot of 50-year-old metal. Meanwhile, the BUFF abides. If the B-21 does not turn out as capable or affordable as expected the BUFF is still there to fill in, as it has done for nearly a century. Cowlitz County officials say the coroners office will soon have the ability to perform in-house toxicology reports to ease long waits at the states only accredited testing lab and quickly shed light on final moments for grieving loved ones. Toxicology results from the driver who died in a rollover car accident Monday on Industrial Way in Longview are expected to be returned from the Washington State Patrol Toxicology Laboratory in up to a year, said Cowlitz County Coroner Tim Davidson. The toxicology results from the body discovered Sept. 3 near Longviews WestRock Paper Mill could take months as well, he added. As of Tuesday, Davidson said the office was waiting for results of 24 cases, starting as far back as May 20. Six of those could produce criminal charges, like driving under the influence of drugs or alcohol. With the new equipment, Davidson said results can turn around in about 30 minutes. The $50,000 machine purchased with federal COVID relief funds is expected to arrive within weeks. The equipment wont be used for possible criminal cases because court cases require the WSPs accredited lab results, Davison said. But for all other deaths, which still require answers to close the loop on final moments and kick start insurance benefits, results can be provided the same day autopsies are performed. Eliminating some of WSPs backlog should also help the potential criminal results be returned sooner, Davidson said. Overall the big thing is providing answers for their loved ones, rather than having them relive it 10 months down the road, he said. All 39 counties in Washington state use WSP for toxicology results. The lab has locations in Vancouver, Seattle, Tacoma, Marysville and Spokane, and two smaller, specialized labs in Tumwater and Seattle. WSP spokesperson Chris Loftis said the current wait for DUI casework is 10 to 12 months. DUI cases account for the majority of the labs work. In 2021, the lab received 9,917 DUI cases compared to 5,592 death investigations. In total, the lab received about 15,700 samples in both 2020 and 2021, the agency reports. Davidson said the states legalization of marijuana increased the need to test impaired drivers. Loftis also credited issues like population increases, rising crime and COVID-related staffing shortages for creating more work for the lab, resulting in longer waits. Wait times before 2017 were under 30 days, he added, while at the beginning of the year, durations peaked at 355 days. In short, the demand for toxicology resources has steadily been growing at a rate that exceeds both the capacity and rate of capacity growth, he said in an email. A new lab in Federal Way is expected to open in 2023 and eventually reduce wait times back to 30 days, Loftis said. The lab will include seven new forensic scientists, he added. You might have missed it among the breathless commentary about the stunt, but Western Washington got dragged into Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis cruel immigration ploy last week. After migrants were flown from Texas to the tony enclave of Marthas Vineyard in Massachusetts, immigration attorney Rachel Self laid out the callousness of the act: They were told there was a surprise present for them, and that there would be jobs and housing awaiting for them when they arrived. This was obviously a sadistic lie, Self told a throng of reporters. The migrants were given falsified U.S. addresses by immigration officials, a tactic that could jeopardize their chances of winning immigration cases and staying in the country. Self said at least one person was given a mailing address of a Tacoma homeless shelter before being flown to the East Coast. Migrants seeking asylum are instructed to quickly check in with the Immigration and Customs Enforcement office nearest their address. There is no other reason to list as someones mailing address a homeless shelter in Tacoma, Washington, when they ship him to Massachusetts, Self said. It is sickeningly cruel throwing obstacles in the way of people fleeing violence and oppression, some of whom walked through 10 countries in the hopes of finding safety. A DeSantis spokesperson said, States like Massachusetts, New York and California will better facilitate the care of these individuals who they have invited into our country by incentivizing illegal immigration through their designation as sanctuary states and support for the Biden administrations open border policies. If that truly were the goal, why give the migrants an address more than 3,000 miles away? It is, indeed, sickeningly cruel. But cruelty seems to be the point. As the St. Louis Post-Dispatch noted editorially, the stunt echoes the strategy of segregationists in the 1960s. The paper points out: Whats particularly strange about his ploy is that he had to import migrants from Texas for the flight since Florida doesnt border Mexico and, therefore, doesnt have a border problem. Also, it should be noted, residents of Marthas Vineyard and state officials quickly rallied to provide support for the migrants, finding food and shelter and working on long-term logistics. DeSantis stunt is performative politics at its most banal, infantile and callous, an attempt to give him cachet with MAGA voters. And for many Americans, the ploy is a feature and not a bug in his presidential aspirations. But in addition to sparking debate and raising DeSantis profile, the rounding up of migrants in Texas by a Florida governor to fly them to Massachusetts could have long-term benefits. Members of Congress both Republicans and Democrats have ignored immigration policy and border security for far too long. The overriding sentiment: Instead of solving a problem, it is better to let it fester and use it as a campaign wedge. That has poorly served the country. Securing the border, streamlining the processing of migrants, establishing national E-Verify standards (Florida does not require the system, which tells employers whether a person can legally work in this country), protecting immigrants brought here as children and providing a pathway to citizenship are the duties of Congress, not the president or a presidential aspirant. Thoughtful actions not sophomoric stunts are necessary to redefine U.S. immigration policy from Western Washington to Marthas Vineyard. NASA has again halted the launch of the 32-story Artemis 1 rocket due to the extreme weather conditions. NASA was all set to launch its Artemis-1 moon mission in its third attempt on September 27. But here again, ahead of the launch, NASA has been forced to scrap this opportunity and remove the rocket from the launch pad, and rolled it back into the Vehicle Assembly Building (VAB) due to the weather issues following the arrival of Tropical Storm Ian in the region. Earlier, there was a leak of liquid hydrogen propellant at an interface between the SLS core stage and the rocket's mobile launch tower on September 3 which postponed the launch to another date. However, scientists have fixed the issue. NASA is foregoing a launch opportunity Tuesday, Sept. 27, and preparing for rollback, while continuing to watch the weather forecast associated with Tropical Storm Ian. During a meeting Saturday morning, teams decided to stand down on preparing for the Tuesday launch date to allow them to configure systems for rolling back the Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft to the Vehicle Assembly Building, NASA said in a statement. NASA continues to rely on the most up-to-date information provided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, US Space Force, and the National Hurricane Center. The next expected launch opportunity is on October 2, whereas, so far, NASA has had two launch attempts for the Moon rocket. What is NASA Artemis 1 mission NASA explained about the mission that the primary goals for NASA's Artemis 1 are to demonstrate Orion's systems in a spaceflight environment and ensure a safe re-entry, descent, splashdown, and recovery prior to the first flight with crew on Artemis 2. With the birth of this first exploration mission, NASA is aiming to take revolutionary steps of human exploration into deep space and to other destinations farther from Earth, including Mars. After the successful completion of this first flight, NASA will aim at the second flight that will take the crew on a different course and it will test critical systems of Orion with humans aboard. iPhone 14 Plus, iOS 16.1, and more- Know what more is on the Apple platter in 2022. The month of September has seen several new launches from Apple. From iPhone 14 series, Apple Watch series, 8, AirPods Pro 2, to more, the company announced the launch of these products on September 7 at its Far out event. However, these products were made available to the consumers later in the month. Three of the iPhone 14 Series models that is iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, iPhone 14 Pro Max along with Apple Watch Series 8, and a new Apple Watch SE were made available last week on September 16. While the Apple Watch Ultra and the AirPods Pro 2 were made available this Friday, September 22. While on the software front, Apple released iOS 16, and WatchOS 9 on September 12. After the launch of iOS 16, the company has even released two updates of the same, addressing the bugs and other issues. Now with so much already on offer, Apple fans are expecting a few more things to be made available in 2022. Will the month of October too come with a surprise for Apple fans? Here is what the rumours suggest. iPhone 14 Plus to be available from October 7 As already stated, iPhone 14, iPhone 14 Pro, and iPhone 14 Pro Max were made available to everyone on September 16, but iPhone 14 Plus was kept waiting. Apple at its Far Out event informed that the iPhone 14 Plus will be put on sale starting October 7 without stating the reason behind the delay. Priced at Rs. 89,900, iPhone 14 Plus will come with a 6.7-inch display, A15 Bionic chip, improved cameras and more. The phone will also support car crash detection, emergency texting via satellite in the U.S. and Canada, among others. iOS 16.1 coming soon Apple has already released iOS 16.1 for the developers for the testing purposes. According to the leaks and reports, iOS 16.1 is said to bring several changes to the iPhone like adding battery percentage to iPhone 13 Mini Status Bar, Clean Energy Charging option, Live Activities will come to the Lock Screen and Dynamic Island, and more. Though the release date of iOS 16 is not yet known, it is expected to come later this year. Emergency SOS via satellite to be available in November Apple at its Far Out event informed that the Emergency SOS via satellite will be available starting in the US and Canada in November, and the service will be included for free for two years with the activation of iPhone 14 and iPhone 14 Plus. The Emergency SOS via satellite can be used by the users of the iPhone 14 models to text emergency services when you are out of cellular and Wi-Fi coverage. One more Apple event in October According to reports and leaks, Apple is expected to organise another event in the month of October to announce new iPad and Mac models. Apple is expected to announce new iPad Pro models with the M2 chip, a redesigned 10th-generation entry-level iPad, and more. However, there is no official information about the date and the event itself. iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura iPadOS 16 and macOS Ventura can also be released in October. However, the release date of the same is not yet known. At the Detroit Auto Show earlier this month, General Motors showcased its new electric vehicles, including the Chevrolet Silverado RST EV. The emerging fleet of electric vehicles (EV) provoked fascination at the Detroit Auto Show, but many consumers were not yet ready to take the plunge to own one themselves. Some, like Justin Tata, wanted a first-hand look at new EV offerings, saying "it's embracing the change that's coming because I think the internal combustion engine (ICE) is on the way out." But Tata, who works in the packaging industry, still has questions about EV battery disposal. He came to the Detroit show, which concludes Sunday, to survey the state of play, but doesn't foresee buying an EV for another five to 10 years. Among other attendees, the less-EV enthused included Tim Stokes. "I think eventually that's going to be the only option," said Stokes as he admired a new gasoline-powered Ford Mustang, adding that he wants to "prolong (driving ICE vehicles) as long as possible." Friends in the auto industry have advised waiting three or four years for the industry to "work out the kinks" with EVs, said Stokes, who works in telecommunications. Mainstream options Long considered a niche sideshow in the auto world, the prominence of EVs at this year's Detroit gathering underscored their new mainstream status as big automakers respond to rising concerns about climate change and government policies promoting EVs. Chevrolet's showcase highlighted EV versions of three of the GM brand's top-selling products: the Silverado pickup, and the Blazer and Equinox, both SUVs. Chevy expects to begin deliveries on the vehicles in 2023. US President Joe Biden cheered on electric vehicles during a speech September 14 at the Detroit Auto Show. Ford too has targeted its EV campaign towards its most popular vehicles, unveiling a battery-powered version of its best-selling F-150 pickup truck and launching the Mustang Mach-E, a new SUV that has also attracted strong interest from consumers. A 2022 Consumer Reports survey showed 14 percent of Americans saying they would "definitely" buy or lease an EV if they were searching for a vehicle, up from four percent in 2020. While the vehicle launches have brought unprecedented attention to EVs, auto experts say that a meaningful transformation of the ICE-dominated US fleet is still years away. Price remains a big problem, with the average price of an EV nearly $67,000, according to Cox Automotive. Experts also cite the lack of EV charging stations as a concern. President Biden signed into law a bill to provide $7.5 billion to build more stations, as his administration announced the first tranche of funding in parallel with a presidential address at the Detroit show. Can the industry deliver? Auto insiders also point to doubts about the availability of critical materials such as lithium and cobalt needed for batteries. These issues have come to the fore during the COVID-19 pandemic, when shortages of semiconductors and other supply chain woes forced automakers to restrict vehicle production and store tens of thousands of partially-built autos. Ford said on Monday that it expects to have some 40,000-45,000 mostly built vehicles in inventory at the end of the third quarter due to needed parts. On Friday, the Wall Street Journal reported that the company had delayed some vehicle deliveries due to a shortage of badges with the company's blue oval logo. Ford's electric vehicle offerings at the Detroit show included the Mustang Mach E. Don Lamos, who works for auto supplier, had placed an order on a Ford Lightning, but is backing off after Ford raised the price on that version to above the $80,000 cap that would allow car buyers to qualify for a $7,500 tax credit under new US legislation. Lamos and his wife, Janice, were drawn to the Chevy offerings, including the Equinox, which starts at $30,000. "If they can hold that at $30,000, then awesome," he said. "I don't know if they'll really be able to meet production next year, so we'll see." Don Lamos cited cost savings as the main impetus, while Janice Lamos described climate change as a priority. The couple are sold on EVs, but pondering how much to spend now when battery technologies will likely improve in the future. Many of the vehicles being released are touted for being able to travel 300 miles without being recharged, but the capacity is much lower if the vehicle is towing cargo. "You know when you need gas you can go to the corner and there's a station. I don't think there's enough (charging) stations for one of these," Carlos Rubante said when asked about the Lightning. Consumers at the show described climate change as a worry, but were not necessarily convinced that EVs were the solution. Besides battery disposal, another concern is the unwanted consequences of the mining boom in critical materials, such as the use of child labor in the Democratic Republic of Congo to produce cobalt, said Cristian Damboiu, who works for an auto supplier. "When you're considering all these things, maybe they aren't as clean as they seem," said Damboiu. "I understand (EVs) have some advantages, so we'll see how it plays out." Explore further Cheaper electric vehicles coming despite high battery costs 2022 AFP A cab is lowered on the frame of a battery-powered F-150 Lightning truck at Ford's Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. Construction crews are back at Dearborn, remaking Ford's century-old industrial complex once again, this time for a post-petroleum era that is finally beginning to feel possible. The manufacturing operation's prime mission in recent times has been to assemble the best-selling F-150, a gasoline-powered vehicle. The truck plant churns out a new pickup truck every 53 seconds in a well-oiled process that will continue for the foreseeable future. But in September 2020, Ford broke ground on a smaller facility on neighboring land, tasking the new operation with building a battery electric cousin to the internal combustion engine (ICE) F-150. The F-150 Lightning is part of a growing fleet of battery electric vehicles (BEVs) hitting the roadways from established automakers and upstarts. At the Detroit Auto Show last week, President Joe Biden proclaimed that "the great American Road Trip is going to be fully electrified." After racking up some 200,000 reservations for the Lightning, Ford has announced expansions to quadruple output over the next year. Will there be a tipping point where the Lightning could overtake the ICE model? That is a question on the minds of officials at Ford and rival Detroit automakers that are investing billions of dollars in BEVs while still producing millions of ICE vehicles. Chris Skaggs, BEV Planning & Implementation Manager at Ford Motor Co. at their Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. "The industry is changing so quickly, I don't think anybody has a good prediction of where it's going to be," Ford's Chris Skaggs told AFP. "But we are reacting and getting the right resources to build batteries and scaling so that we can meet demand whatever that is," said Skaggs, a veteran Ford operations manager who is leading the BEV plant expansion. "I've been doing this for 29 years, and I thought I would be retired before we even got to this point." Storied history The Lightning marks the latest reinvention of the Dearborn Rouge industrial complex south of Detroit near the Rouge River. The Rouge factory was built between 1917 and 1928 and originally planned to comprise all the components in car production, including tire-making, vehicle assembly, steelmaking and engine building. Peak employment topped 100,000 in the 1930s, a decade that also saw visits by artist Diego Rivera for his famed murals of auto workers. The complex was enlisted to build fighter jet engines for the Allies' World War II before assembling such iconic Ford vehicles as the Thunderbird and the Mustang, which was launched in the 1960s and is now assembled at a different Michigan factory. A battery waits to be installed on the frame of an electric-powered F-150 Lightning truck. The Rouge sitelong emblematic of the moving assembly line that changed manufacturing historybegan to look like a white elephant as Ford streamlined later in the twentieth century and pollution rendered it a brownfield site. But William Clay Ford Jr., the great-grandson of Henry Ford, refused to shutter it, authorizing a $2 billion upgrade soon after becoming chairman in 1999. Dearborn Truck plant opened in 2004 following extensive environmental cleanup and the installation of a "living roof" to make heating and cooling more efficient. 'Flex' capacity The younger Ford, who identified Rouge as "our heritage," faced pushback internally on the Dearborn investment, which coincided with a trying period financially. But it would be difficult to find fault with the staying power of the F-150, which has been the best-selling vehicle in the United States for four decades. Three shifts populate the 4,500-employee Dearborn truck assembly plant, working around the clock. The vehicle assembly process starts when the aluminum coils are stamped into panels on-site. The panels are assembled at the body shop and then painted before making their way to the assembly line. Fuel powered F-150 trucks under production. The truck then proceeds through hundreds of work stations where the engine and other components are installed, and is then put through testing including wheels and headlamp alignment, camera-based inspections and electronic computer once-overs before shipping to the customer. Ford does not release daily output figures, but each vehicle is assembled in hours once it arrives at the factory, Skaggs said. In contrast to the ICE truck factory, which clanks with activity, the BEV plant operates at a modest hum, a quality partly due to the company's focus on ergonomics. The BEV assembly process is also organized around production lines, but there are fewer work stations in an operation that is still gearing up for bigger things. The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center currently employs about 500. The expansion will double the size of the BEV factory and add more workers and work stations, taking output to 150,000 annually by next fall, Skaggs said. But the added productivity will be "flex," Skaggs said, meaning it could be used for either ICE or BEV depending on demand. "If we don't call it right, we can build more ICE units... or if BEV really takes off like we all expect it to, we can scale this up." Explore further Ford adding 450 jobs to meet demand for new electric truck 2022 AFP In a first-of-its kind statewide program, Texas 4-H members are matched with abandoned and neglected horses to give these rescued animals a chance at a second life. The Homes for Horses program pairs at-risk horses with youth throughout the state. The 4-H members work with the horses during the year, which helps develop their horsemanship skills, and also improves their horses behavior and well-being through training. After about 11 months of work, the students brought the horses to the Texas 4-H State Horse Show in Bryan in July to showcase their progress, and to find, as the programs name suggests, homes for them. With grant funding from the Texas Thoroughbred Association, Homes for Horses had its inaugural year in 2021 with 17 youth participants and horses and can take up to 20 in its second year of the grant. You really get the opportunity to show, like, Look what my horse can do; look at the training Ive done with this animal, the trust that I have with them and this relationship. Its a lot of fun to watch, said Chelsie Huseman, program co-founder and Texas A&M AgriLife Extension horse specialist. Each person involved had to apply and be selected for the program. The mission is to ensure both the students and horses are successful, Huseman said. At the end of the year, Huseman said, the students have the option to keep the horse or turn their project over for adoption. She said about half of the horses were kept and half were helped toward adoption in the programs first year. Brenda McCormick of College Station adopted Logan who she calls Baby after seeing the horses temperament during the horse show. [Logan] was just an eye-catcher to me, she said. When I saw the video of what she had done that morning before the sale, I really was sold because nothing seemed to really bother her. That was not the case when Kendall Higgins, a first-year Texas A&M student studying animal science, first began working with the 10-year-old horse. Logan had not been trained to wear a saddle and was barely comfortable wearing a halter. It took 30 minutes to catch her, Higgins said. Then, once she was in a stall, Logan stayed on the far side of the stall. I walked in there, and she was so skittish, Higgins said. I mean, the littlest movement, and she was running away from you. And shes not food-driven, no matter how much they tried. Id bring a bucket in there with food; she didnt care, so that didnt really help very much at all. I was in that stall for probably 30, 45 minutes just trying to touch her. Higgins said once she got the halter on Logan and began walking her around, she felt a connection. I saw how much potential she had, she said. She wasnt saddle-broke or even halter-broke, so I was like: Thats a blank canvas; thats a clean slate, so I can start from the beginning. I was nervous, obviously, but I was also very excited. Higgins, who began riding horses at 9 years old, was more emotional than she expected when she saw Logan go to her new home, but said she cried happy tears when she met McCormick. I know she will be loved, just how much I loved her, probably even more, she said. I just wish the best for her because she deserves it. Shes a really sweet mare. Higgins said she had never worked with rescue horses, but loved the idea and enjoyed being in the program. The Homes for Horses program works with the Humane Society of North Texas and the SPCA of Texas both members of the My Right Horse Initiative to match rescue horses with the participants, Huseman said. Compared to other animals, it is more difficult for unwanted horses to find care because of their size, she said. Texas has a horse population of about 767,000, she said, and a growing portion of that is considered at-risk or unwanted. We were constantly having these conversations with Texas 4-H, but it always felt like we were telling them the problem, but we never had an answer, she said. Charlee Proctor, one of the participants who is now a first-year student at Texas A&M studying animal science, said the unwanted horse issue facing the equine industry is something she learned about and tried to address as a Texas 4-H equine ambassador in high school. This has been a huge issue, trying to find places for these animals to go, and so I feel like this program did an amazing job helping to be a solution for this issue, she said. I felt like within this program, I was able to help solve the bigger issue at hand. This program definitely meant a lot to me because it had been an issue I had been talking about for years, and I was able to finally get a hand in being the solution for it. Proctors horse, Yukon, had one eye and little experience with a rider. Proctor, who grew up around horses in North Texas, said she wanted to help Yukon the same way as she did with other horses. She let him experience different loud noises and sensory triggers so he would not spook at those occurrences. By the end of the year, she said, he was no different than other horses who had both eyes. Both Proctor and Higgins called it a rewarding experience to work with the rescue horses and help them find loving homes. My main goal for the end of the program was to get this horse a good home, Proctor said. He had amazing personality, was very quick to learn and very eager. And so I was just extremely happy to get him to a place where he was adoptable at the end of the program, and people were able to have a horse that they could use for their own riding. With more 4-H participants coming from urban and suburban areas, rather than rural backgrounds, Huseman said, the grant funding includes a $1,000 stipend to allow horse enthusiasts in the organization to participate without as much of a financial risk. Huseman called it a win-win situation for Texas 4-H members to work with rescue horses and improve the lives of the animals. Being able to involve youth as a part of that process really makes me proud, because I think those youth are going to grow up with the same level of understanding and compassion that hopefully turns them into adults who will continue to help horses that are in need, she said. Members of the Brazos County Commissioners Court were previously under the impression that the deadline to adopt a property tax rate for the county was Sept. 29. However, after searching through additional paperwork, Brazos County Tax Assessor Kristeen Roe found the deadline was much later than believed. Roe said Wednesday she was reviewing paperwork when she realized she had a packet with certified estimates and a packet with the actual certified values from the appraisal district. After confirming with the appraisal district about the deadline, she notified commissioners Thursday about the correct deadline. I have been doing this for 36 years and this is literally the first time in 36 years that I am aware of, that this delay in the tax rate adoption is there, she said Friday. This is the first time Brazos County has had to take this action. The standard deadline is Sept. 30 and that is what we were thinking. That is another reason I go back through and I check everything and make sure it is accurate and correct it was me I didnt think about it. It is a unique situation this year. For the first time in memory, Brazos County will fall under an exception to the tax code whereas the governing body must adopt a tax rate before the later date of Sept. 30 or on the 60th day after the date the certified appraisal roll is received, according to Section 26.05 of the tax code. This means that the original Sept. 29 deadline is being extended to Oct. 21 because the Brazos Central Appraisal District provided the certified appraisal roll much later than expected, Roe said. It wasnt until Aug. 22 that the county received their certified values, she said. The commissioners have yet to approve a tax rate, and despite this extension Roe said she has concerns if an agreement cant be reached in a reasonable amount of time. It will delay getting the tax bills out and that is always a concern for us because the taxing jurisdictions need the revenue coming in. In Brazos County, we offer split payment and the deadline to make your first half-payment is written in stone; there is no extension for that, she said. So, if we cant get the calculations done and the bills out in time, then those people that really depend on that split payment it is going to be difficult for them to get that in in time. Commissioners Steve Aldrich and Russ Ford have purposely avoided meetings where the commissioners can vote on an official tax rate. With news of a deadline extension, Aldrich said he was pleased because it gives them more time for discussion. It gives us more time to work on a reasonable compromise that treats Brazos County taxpayers appropriately and fairly, he said Friday. A workshop is scheduled for 1 p.m. Monday on the tax code and tax rate, and does not call to take action and vote on a tax rate until the 10 a.m. Tuesday regular meeting. Aldrich said he plans to attend the workshop meeting. I guess depending on what happens in that meeting Monday will determine whether or not we can set a tax rate, he said. If we cant, then we still have time. Brazos County Judge Duane Peters said Friday his hope is that they will vote on a tax rate Tuesday. There is no reason for [Aldrich and Ford] to not be there. I would expect them to be here for that [workshop]. My concern is for the next day. We are trying to get a tax rate passed on that agenda for Tuesday, he said. They keep saying we arent willing to do anything to negotiate, so I am trying to put it out there that I am. In an effort to bring everyone to a consensus, Peters said he specifically placed an action item on Tuesdays agenda to discuss and consider the approval of a tax rate up to $0.4735 per $100 valuation. During an Aug. 23 meeting, in a 3-2 vote, the commissioners voted on a proposed 1-cent decrease tax rate of $0.4835 per $100 valuation, with Aldrich and Ford against. The current tax rate for the 2021 tax year is $0.4935 per $100 valuation. If they cannot vote on a rate by Oct. 21, it will automatically fall back to the no-new-revenue tax rate of $0.4294 per $100 valuation. Due to traveling, Commissioner Nancy Berry said she will unable to attend Mondays workshop. However, she said she will be at the Tuesday meeting and hopes they can vote on a tax rate. We need to pass a tax rate, we need to pass one now, she said. Nobody likes paying taxes, but the county has to do its business to provide essential services to our citizens. Commissioner Irma Cauley said the new deadline gives them flexibility because they thought they were running out of time. The thing that everybody seems to overlook is we have never been this late in setting the tax rate. The two commissioners who have not shown up, simply have seemingly taken the route to force us to go to the no-new-revenue rate, which is not what we voted on and what they wanted initially, she said Friday. It just seems to be a lot of miscommunication and some bad-spirited individuals that dont accept the voice of the court. Because two commissioners did not care to join us, several times, we havent been able to take the official vote. I see it as being poor taste and bad spirited. Ford said Friday that he wasnt surprised about the tax rate deadline, because it has been changed now three times. It is my belief that certain members of our leadership already knew that, and that Kristeen Roe, being the honest person that she is, could not stand by any longer and hear those untruths being said and she bravely came out and set the record straight, he said. I have people telling me that I have lost; all I have ever wanted is to take care of the citizens of the county. Ford said he will attend the workshop, and said he believed one member of the court was now OK with a reduced $0.4735 tax rate. It is still a tax increase for the citizens, but at least my point is Commissioner Cauley is looking for a middle ground for a compromise, he said. I have had to seek independent counsel and what I am trying to determine is if I attend the Tuesday commissioners court remotely I dont think that we would fulfill the four-fifths majority in-person where we could vote on [the tax rate]. Bruce Erratt, general counselor for Brazos County, said Friday the statute for having four commissioners for a tax levy does not use the words in-person, but that there needs to be three commissioners in-person to make the regular quorum and a fourth participating to make a tax quorum. Brazos County Budget Analyst Nina Payne said Friday the official fiscal year 2022-23 budget of $377 million will take effect Oct. 1 and they will be able to spend the funds that have been approved; and will make adjustments as they go along. The Bryan school district is moving forward with the process to build a new maintenance and transportation facility at the corner of Leonard Road and FM 2818, despite two denials from the Bryan Planning and Zoning Commission. The Bryan City Council has the final say in rezoning issues, so the district is taking its plans to the council to seek approval. We simply make a recommendation to Council, and thats all. We have no say. Even if we approve it, it still goes to Council for final approval, Leo Gonzalez, chair of the Bryan Planning and Zoning Commission, said while the board was in executive session. Gonzalez, who is running for a seat on the Bryan school board, and Planning and Zoning Commissioner Joseph Rodriguez were at the Sept. 19 Bryan school board meeting to hear the boards decision after discussing the situation during executive session. Board member Deidra Davis made the motion to move forward, saying, I move that the board of trustees take action, so the city of Bryan can avoid any doubt that we are continuing to pursue action by the City Council to approve rezoning. Board member David Stasny, who is running for reelection as the Single Member District 5 representative, said he was disappointed in the situation. Paul Buckner, energy and construction project manager for the Bryan school district, said during a Sept. 6 workshop that the land, which was purchased from Blinn College in June, is the third location the district has explored for the facility that will house the districts maintenance, transportation, custodial, warehouse and school nutrition departments. I know firsthand that our staff worked very hard to find this tract of land and had absolutely no reason to think that we would have any problems using it for what we want to use it for, Stasny said following Davis motion at the Sept. 19 meeting. The fact that Blinn had already been given permission to use it for educational purposes and, obviously, taken off the tax rolls, we were confident. We have a good relationship with the city. This was one of those things that we just absolutely could not see it coming. Gonzalez said the difference between the two educational uses is the school districts use is what would be termed industrial use compared to Blinn Colleges use that would encourage residential and commercial development. If it had been students, youd have had neighborhoods for teachers, for students, for everything else, which brings in bigger stores, which brings in all kinds of business, so its a catalyst for the area, he said. The bus barn isnt going to do that. Youre going to have people come to work and leave. Were not going to have people wanting to live by the bus barn; its having the opposite effect. Rodriguez said the request from the Planning and Zoning Commission was to place the maintenance and transportation facility on the back side of the property and sell the front portion back to the city to allow for commercial property that would generate tax money. Its high-value land, he said. Its the last hard corner, and if you drive from F&B to 21, youre going to see that its the last hard corner, and its the main arterial that links [downtown Bryan] to RELLIS. Gonzalez said he believes it is a reasonable request. It would be a win-win, he said. Theyd still get their bus barn. And we can sell the front to pay for the improvements, bring in more business, bring in more money. Rodriguez said the role of the Planning and Zoning Commission is to use the citys comprehensive plan and look ahead and do their best to zone and lay out the city in the best way for the future. Gonzalez said it is not a pipe dream to think a big box store would want to build on the property if given the opportunity, saying Walmart considered it before building on Villa Maria and North Harvey Mitchell Parkway. Gonzalez and Rodriguez, as well as Superintendent Ginger Carrabine and school board members, said they hope the councils decision, which could come as early as Oct. 11, is seen as favorable for everyone. Were trying to stay positive, and we feel confident in the decisions that weve made, Carrabine said after the Sept. 19 meeting. We worked for months with the city planning and development department to come up with a plan. We felt that we satisfied all the requirements necessary to achieve the rezoning approval, so Im just very cautiously optimistic going forward that we will have a favorable outcome. The current transportation and maintenance facility on Bonham Drive is next to the site of Sadberry Intermediate School that will open with its first group of fifth graders in August 2023. Sixth graders will join the campus in August 2024. In order for that sixth grade to happen, we have to be tearing down our current transportation center at Tabor Road, Julie Harlin, vice president of the Bryan school board, said following the meeting. That has to happen by [February 2024] for us to finish projects on time. She said that timeline is now in jeopardy if the districts construction timeline is delayed. A second motion following the Sept. 19 closed session discussion involved allowing district administrators to explore temporary locations to move maintenance and transportation operations if necessary. The project is part of the 2020 bond, but finding a temporary location will add to the cost of the project, Buckner said. What we are committed to is moving forward with the property that we purchased with bond money for this purpose of this facility, Harlin said. Thats what were committed to, and were just praying, it doesnt move us off timeline with our other project. Carrabine said she will follow the boards directive if the district must find a temporary location, saying it is critically important that the district follow through on its promise to parents and students to open Sadberry in August 2023. To stay on timeline for that and to open it the subsequent year for grade six students, were going to do everything possible, so that means getting a plan together, identifying funding sources and a timeline and just some options for our board to consider, she said. The Bryan school board will meet for a monthly workshop Oct. 3 and the Bryan City Council will meet Oct. 11. PLAINFIELD, Illinois (WBBM) -- In Plainfield, a Halloween decoration goes beyond spooky. We've watched it over and over again on TikTok like millions of people online, and yet, we can't figure out how any of it is possible. It looks like a real girl dressed as Sadie Sink's Max Mayfield character from "Stranger Things" is hovering in midair. It's not a real person it's a mannequin but the family behind it is keeping how it works a mystery. CBS 2's Jermont Terry went to see it all for himself Friday evening. Dave Appel and his wife, Aubrey, go big every year for Halloween decorations. This year, they started Aug. 1. "And then every from the moment we get home from work," Dave Appel said. Every year, the final product has proved to be dramatic and ghoulish giant spiders on the garage, fog enveloping the driveway, the "Stranger Things" monster the Demogorgon standing front and center on the lawn. But this time, there's one specific prop also referencing "Stranger Things," a hit Netflix series the family loves and it's is grabbing everyone's attention. "There's so many people out there who are fanatics like we are, so we wanted to make something that was the most iconic scene from the show; something maybe no one else could try and do," said Dave Appel. When the family decided to replicate Max from "Stranger Things" levitating in the air, it left folks perplexed. "The wonderment of how or like, you know - 'Where? Where is it coming from? How are they doing that?'" Dave Appel said. Dave and Aubrey created a quick TikTok of the Max display and now it has more than 14 million views. Everyone wants to know what's keeping Max afloat. Dave will tell you what's not. "It's not drones. It's not helium or balloons," he said, "and we just felt like it was more fun to keep it under wraps." The sense of mystery is what it's all about. "We didn't think that would be the thing," said Dave Appel. If you were hoping to find out the secret to the hovering Max in this story, unfortunately, your wish will not be granted. The Appels are not ready to reveal the secret just yet. But the display is gaining attention. CBS 2's Terry ran into some neighbors who happened to see the floating Max on TikTok and wanted to drive by and who reported they had a lot of "Stranger Things" fans in line behind them. Even Netflix joined into the fun calling the Appels their "#001 fan for sure." Dave Appel seemed to be in a bit of disbelief, but he was willing to claim the title given the work he and his family put in. "It makes me feel amazing," he said. "It's amazing." But what's more amazing is the Appels are doing something as a family and bringing smiles and screams to so many other families. "That's what makes us want to continue doing that, is making the kids happy," said Aubrey Appel. Please note: This content carries a strict local market embargo. If you share the same market as the contributor of this article, you may not use it on any platform. The City of London Police on Friday revealed that it has arrested a 17-year-old teenager from Oxfordshire on suspicion of hacking. "On the evening of Thursday 22 September 2022, the City of London Police arrested a 17-year-old in Oxfordshire on suspicion of hacking," the agency said, adding "he remains in police custody." The department said the arrest was made as part of an investigation in partnership with the U.K. National Crime Agency's cyber crime unit. No further details about the nature of the investigation were disclosed, although it's suspected that the law enforcement action may have something to do with the recent string of high-profile hacks aimed at Uber and Rockstar Games. Both the intrusions are alleged to have been committed by the same threat actor, who goes by the name Tea Pot (aka teapotuberhacker). Uber, for its part, has pinned the breach on an attacker (or attackers) that it believes is associated with the LAPSUS$ extortion gang, two of whom are facing fraud charges. According to cybersecurity company Flashpoint, the real world identity of the hacker behind the two incidents is said to have been outed on an online illicit forum. "The administrator for that forum claimed that teapotuberhacker was the same individual who had allegedly hacked Microsoft and 'owned' Doxbin," the company disclosed Friday. This also means that the teapotuberhacker actor is likely the same party who is also known by the aliases White, Breachbase, and WhiteDoxbin and is believed to be "LAPSUS$'s apparent ringleader." It's not immediately clear if these allegations hold water, but if true, could explain the latest arrest by law enforcement officials. HASTINGS Eight Hastings College students have been selected for the Irish Fellowship program, a competitive study abroad program offered annually to students. Area students among the group are: Caroline Anderson, an accounting and business administration major from Hastings, studying Farm Production and Marketing Operations in County Clare, Ireland. Myah Brown, a biology major from Grand Island, studying Comparative Analysis of Type 1 Diabetes Care in Nebraska and Ireland. Nicole Halsey, an education major from Grand Island, studying The Effects of Small Class Sizes in Rural Schools on Students Behavior and Academic Performance. Hailey Moore, a history and theatre major from Juniata, studying Second Wave Feminism in Rural Ireland. The group left this past week for Lahinch, in County Clare, Ireland, and will return in mid-October. While in Ireland, students work to complete an independent research project aligning with their academic interest. Upon the completion of their research, students will present their findings in a public forum. All students had to submit their research proposals as part of the application process. Irish Fellows is an extraordinary undergraduate program that gives students the opportunity to learn a number of academic and life skills, said Rob Babcock, a Hastings College history professor and advisor of the program. It begins with producing a project proposal, which includes a research component, and then traveling to a foreign country where theyll live and complete their research work on their own. It is the kind of opportunity that students usually dont get to participate in until graduate school. The program is sponsored by Hastings College, funded partially by donations from alumni and friends of the college, and exists in partnership with Davy Spillane, the Grammy Award-winning Irish musician. The goal of the program is to blend on-campus coursework with independent study while in County Clare, a region in west Ireland that offers remarkable educational opportunities. LINCOLN With combines and grain carts heading to the fields, the Nebraska Corn Board and the Nebraska Corn Growers Association are urging farmers, residents, and drivers to take a second for safety this harvest season to protect what matters everyone getting home safe. Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries to work in, with farmers at very high risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. Farming is also one of the few industries in which family members (who often share the work and live on the premises) have the same risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2020, there were a reported 368 farmers and farm worker fatalities from agricultural workers. Transportation incidents, which include tractor overturns were the leading cause of death for these farmers and farm workers. As farmers, were excited to harvest as soon as the conditions are good, said Jay Reiners, chairman of NCB and farmer from Juniata. We want to get as much done as possible when the weather is right which makes it easy to get in a hurry. However, we encourage farmers to take that extra second for safety because extra time and caution can really save lives. With factors like fluctuating weather, field conditions, and machinery availability, farmers typically have a narrow window to complete their harvest work. Therefore, its important farmers take care of themselves to ensure a safe and productive season. The harvest season is a busy time and there are a lot of moving parts, said Andy Jobman, president of the Nebraska Corn Growers Association and farmer from Gothenburg. While farmers are ready to get in the fields and harvest their crops, we need to remember that agriculture is one of the most dangerous occupations. By being prepared and taking a few extra seconds for safety, we can ensure a safe and successful harvest. Farmers are not the only people who should be cautious during the harvest season. Anyone who may be visiting or traveling through rural areas should be mindful of increased farm traffic on roads and highways. Harvest equipment should be visible with front and rear warning lights, as well as slow moving vehicle emblems to notify motorists of approaching machinery. In rural areas, parents of small children should also develop safety rules to prevent youth from playing on or near harvest equipment. Additional tips for farmers, farm workers and rural residents to consider while on the farm this fall (adapted from the National Corn Growers Association): Equipment safety Be careful when approaching harvest equipment. Approach from the front and gain eye contact with the operator before approaching. Ensure the harvesting equipment is fully stopped and disengaged before climbing onto a vehicle. Do not place yourself near any unguarded or otherwise running machinery. Avoid pinch points between equipment such as tractors with grain wagons. Visibility can be limited and serious injury can occur. Entanglement hazards Entanglement hazards can happen very quickly. Do not ever try to unplug any equipment without disengaging power and removing energy from the equipment. Never pull or try to remove plugged plants from an operating machine. Always keep shields in place to avoid snags and entanglement when working around equipment. Fall hazards Be careful climbing on and off equipment. Be alert and extremely careful when working in wet or slippery conditions. Keep all walkways and platforms open and free of tools, dust, debris or other obstacles. Clean all walkways and platforms before use. Wear clothing that is well fitting and not baggy or loose. Also wear proper non-slip, closed toe shoes. Use grab bars when mounting or dismounting machinery. Face machinery when dismounting and never jump from equipment. Never dismount from a moving vehicle. Fire prevention Carry a fire extinguisher with you in your vehicle (A-B-C, 5 or 10 pound). Remove dust and buildup from equipment. Check bearings regularly to prevent overheating and chance of fire. Grain wagon safety Be careful to monitor grain wagon weight to never exceed maximum weight limits. As weight increases, grain wagons can be more difficult to control. Load grain wagons evenly to distribute weight to prevent weaving or instability across the grain wagon. Inspect grain wagon tires and replace any worn or cracked tires. Grain bin safety If entering a bin, wear a harness attached to a secure rope. Never work alone. Never allow children to get too close or inside the bin. Wear a dust filter or respirator when working in bins. Stay out of bins when equipment is running. The Nebraska Corn Board is funded through a producer checkoff investment of 1/2-cent-per-bushelcheckoff on all corn marketed in the state and is managed by nine farmer directors. The mission of the Nebraska Corn Board is to promote the value of corn by creating opportunities. The Nebraska Corn Growers Association is a grassroots commodity organization that works to enhance the profitability of corn producers. NeCGA has more than 2,500 dues-paying members in Nebraska. NeCGA is affiliated with the National Corn Growers Association, which has more than 40,000 dues-paying members nationwide. Icelandic director Baltasar Kormakurs film Beast is a very efficient thriller. That it is about a father trying to bond with his daughters on a trip that should be an introduction to the beauty of Africa, its land and its wildlife, and its called Beast, it should come as no surprise when their first day out they are terrorized by a rogue lion. President Joe Biden has decided to ban Russian oil imports, toughening the toll on Russia's economy in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The United States generally imports about 100,000 barrels a day from Russia, only about 5% of Russia's crude oil exports, according to Rystad Energy. Last year, roughly 8% of U.S. imports of oil and petroleum products came from Russia. Gas prices have been rising for weeks due to the conflict and in anticipation of potential sanctions on the Russian energy sector. The U.S. national average for a gallon of gasoline soared 45 cents a gallon in the past week and topped $4.06 on Monday, according to auto club AAA. Should the US ban Russian oil imports over Ukraine war? You voted: CARBONDALE A Shakespeare-inspired masked performance and ball took place in SIU Student Center Ballroom B on Friday night. Doors opened at 7 p.m. as students emptied out of the hall into the ballroom, waiting for the first masked performance to begin. Tickets were $3 with a mask and $5 without a mask, the registration table had masks for attendees to wear, and finger food and refreshments to eat. Students taking Theater 101, came in early to help stayed up and stayed at the event to serve and cater drinks. Jasmine Howard, a senior at SIU said she heard of the event through social media. Since I came here, I have never been to a masquerade ball, Howard said. I [saw] the flyer on Snapchat and wanted to go. Howard said it was her first time at an Africana Theatre Lab event. She enjoyed her night, especially the performers and was glad she could participate. Everyone was supportive of the performers, and the organization did a great job at closing out the show with the monologues, Howard said. I had a good night. There were four main performers from around the area. They were hidden behind masks and went out periodically. Heartfelt Jemini is a native of Cairo and a student at Shawnee College. He sang "Liability" by Lorde and "Like Wine" by Lute. William Box is a senior at SIU and news editor at the Daily Egyptian. He sang a song from Edwin McCain and "You Found Me" by The Fray. Ashley Hilton is a sophomore at SIU and President of the Black Womens Club. She sang "Before I Let Go" by Beyonce. KJ Fitz is a senior at SIU. She recited a spoken word poem called "Black Girls Learn" and a monologue from the dramatic play "Fences" by August Wilson. The Vice President of ATL, Dwayne Freeman, also recited a monologue and then called the performers on stage to reveal their faces. Protecting Americas Future was the theme for the 2022 National Farm Safety and Health Week, and Clemson University is helping South Carolina high school students learn about agricultural safety. National Farm Safety and Health Week was Sept. 18-24. The Clemson Agricultural Safety Program recently held an Ag Safety Day at the Piedmont Research and Education Centers Simpson Research Farm in Pendleton for more than 250 students, teachers and volunteers. Hunter Massey, principal lecturer for the Clemson College of Agriculture, Forestry and Life Sciences Agricultural Sciences Department, coordinated the event. For many students, I expect that this was the first time they have been exposed to some of this information, Massey said. Many people took time to participate in this event and share their knowledge and experiences about agricultural safety. Without question, students who participated learned a great deal about this important topic. Stations related to agricultural safety were set up around the farm. Students learned about safety topics related to working on a farm, or other tasks such as mowing a lawn. Topics included hazard identification, equipment operation, ATV/UTV safety, power tool safety, tractor safety, grain bin safety, safe load, pesticide safety and electrical safety. Complements class work Agriculture ranks among the most hazardous industries. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports farmers are at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. In addition, farming is one of the few industries in which family members also are at risk for fatal and nonfatal injuries. Teacher Deion Latimer brought a group of Belton-Honea Path High School agricultural sciences students to the event. He believes information from the Ag Safety Day will be valuable when students learn about tractor and equipment safety operations in his class. Agricultural safety is very important, Latimer said. We live in a very rural area. Some of our students live on farms and activities such as this helps broaden their horizons and better understand how to safely perform farming operations such as driving tractors, working around grain bins and so on. Belton-Honea Path High School sophomore Ty Parnell enjoyed the experiential learning format of the activities. My favorite event was driving the tractors, Parnell said. I enjoyed it because it was more of a hands-on exercise. I learned how to maneuver the tractor and I also learned how to properly turn it on and turn it off, as well as use the brakes and other accessories. I like tractors. I think theyre pretty cool. Emily Rodman from the S.C. Governors School for Agriculture was especially interested in learning about hauling materials on trailers. I learned about how to properly and legally secure items being hauled on trailers, Rodman said. Knowing this and other safety procedures is important because agriculture is a very dangerous industry, especially when youre dealing with heavy machinery every day. Anything can happen. Everyone benefits Shelley Lovern is a Clemson masters student in agricultural systems management with an emphasis in ag safety from Fort Lawn. Lovern helped plan and coordinate the Safety Day events. We reached out to several companies, organizations and people so that we could provide a variety of information for this event, Lovern said. Ag safety affects everyone. When people wake up in the morning, put on clothes and eat breakfast, they have been touched by agriculture. We have farmers who are involved in agricultural incidents every single day trying to keep us clothed and fed. Losing just one farmer is a big issue. Everyone benefits from knowing about ag safety. Lovern said they had the largest number of students participate, making the 2022 Ag Safety Day at Clemsons Simpson Research Farm a success. Representatives from the following organizations presented information during the field day included: South Greenville Fire Department Task Force 6, grain bin safety. Blue Ridge Electric Coop, electrical safety. Clemson Cooperative Extension Service. Clemson Piedmont REC, Simpson Research Farm, safe tractor operations. Clemson Agricultural Mechanization and Business program, agricultural mechanization (cutaway tractor). Cayden Gates, 2021 South Carolina Future Farmers of America president, safe mower operations. Ag Pro Companies donated equipment used during the day. A second 2022 Ag Safety Day will be held Sept. 30 at the Sandhill REC near Columbia, South Carolina. The Ag Safety Program is part of Clemsons Department of Agricultural Sciences. This program uses experiential learning to teach about agricultural safety to youth ages 14-18. Topics covered by the program include tractor and equipment maintenance and operation, roll-overprotective structures, power hand-tools, pesticides, electrical systems, lawn mower maintenance and operation, grain handling equipment and structures, safe loading procedures, hazard identification, and all-terrain/utility task vehicles. For information, read the Agricultural Safety blog. Charlestons tourism machine Lack of scrutiny and accountability keeps public in dark about millions of taxpayer dollars spent every year Promoting Charleston as one of the worlds top tourist attractions has cost taxpayers nearly $150 million during the last two decades, and they have no way to know exactly where the money went. Thats because the state and local governments that gave away that cash have failed to seek an exact accounting from the Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau. The nonprofit, more commonly known as Explore Charleston, uses taxpayers money to advertise the Lowcountrys virtues to attract vacationers. Explore Charleston and similar destination marketing organizations around the state run almost entirely on the publics dime without the financial transparency normally required by the government. The money generated from tourism is significant. Cities, towns and counties across South Carolina have collected more than $942 million in accommodations tax money since 2004. That would be enough to pay the tuition of 18,812 in-state students to the College of Charleston for four years. By law, the accommodation tax money is directed to about two dozen designated marketing organizations around the state, and can only be used to promote tourism. The tax funneled $7.8 million to Explore Charleston this fiscal year alone. So what exactly does that money buy? Its almost impossible to say. A 2018 S.C. Supreme Court ruling exempted organizations, such as Explore Charleston, from having to share their financial records with the public. But to hold them accountable, the ruling placed the burden on local governments to obtain financial documents from these organizations and monitor their spending. Unlike designated marketing organizations, the local governments that provide them money are subject to the Freedom of Information Act. The Supreme Courts ruling has effectively cloaked in secrecy the spending of millions of dollars in tax money around the state. This has increasingly become a problem for some of the local governments Explore Charleston represents. In Isle of Palms, officials have publicly called for more transparency, and complained they arent getting their fair share. A Port Royal resident is suing the organization, demanding receipts. And outside Charleston, similar debates have erupted in places like Berkeley County and Blythewood. Glenda Nemes recently resigned from the Isle of Palms advisory board because she felt Explore Charleston was not addressing the needs of the beachfront barrier island that lies about 18 miles northeast of Charleston. We have absolutely no say in whats given to Explore Charleston, she contends. We have taxation without representation. Lynn S. Teague, vice president of the nonpartisan League of Women Voters of South Carolina, said the League also sees it as a problem. Any time public money is involved, there should be real transparency. The public should know exactly where that money went, and they should know ahead of time. Jay Bender, a media lawyer and expert on the states Freedom of Information Act agreed: When public money can be spent without public oversight it is more than likely to be misused, he said. Tourism marketing organizations similar to Explore Charleston have steadily spread across South Carolina and the nation in recent decades. They are credited with helping expand some local and state economies by bringing in tourist money and investment. A recent study by Oxford Economics found that designated marketing organizations that coordinate their efforts with economic development initiatives, are better positioned to compete for new investments, corporate relocations, and a talented workforce. But some critics remain uneasy about the veiled nature of these promotional practices as the amount of accommodation tax money has grown with few details about how it's being spent. Local leaders in the Isle of Palms arent alone in their concern. Berkeley County pulled accommodation tax money from its Chamber of Commerce earlier this year over spending transparency issues. In the capital city of Columbia, some leaders are pushing to redirect a portion of tourism marketing funds to fix-up parks. And in the Midlands community of Blythewood, suspicions linger after an accountant in 2018 found the local Chamber of Commerce was misusing accommodation tax funds and providing financial documents that were confusing. Over the past two years, The Post and Courier has teamed with 18 community news organizations to investigate questionable conduct by government officials throughout South Carolina. The resulting Uncovered stories have repeatedly shown how lax government oversight and diminished transparency with public funds can lead to inefficiencies, overspending, and misuse of taxpayer dollars. Concerns about Explore Charleston grew after its 2019 federal financial filings revealed that the organization had about $2 million socked away in an offshore bank account in the Cayman Islands. Readers sent in tips asking Uncovered reporters to investigate. Explore Charleston CEO Helen Hill readily admitted in an interview with The Post and Courier that it sounds shady to have an account in the Caymans. But, she said, the purpose was entirely above-board. Her agency used the account to help complete a financial arrangement for British Airways to launch regular nonstop passenger service between Charleston and London. That service began in 2019 but was suspended the next year because of the Covid-19 pandemic. It has not resumed. Hill said the offshore account was set-up to hold British pounds sterling so that the money wouldn't lose value due to currency exchange rate fluctuations. She said the nonprofit isnt trying to be overly secretive. She said shes willing to hand over anything shes required to. We will provide whatever documents are required by law, Hill said. She said the reason she tries to keep spending details as confidential as possible is to protect the secret sauce of tourism promotion that has helped make Charleston an international tourism hot spot. But by keeping this hidden, taxpayers are left in the dark about exactly how Explore Charleston uses their money to pay for international trips, advertisements in the countrys top travel publications, hotel stays or what they eat and drink while there. Attempts to change funding arrangements for designated marketing organizations across the country have resulted in long and costly legal battles in places such as San Diego and Tulsa. And in Floridas Palm Beach county, two top leaders of Discover Palm Beach County resigned after an audit revealed gross mismanagement that allowed its comptroller to embezzle $1.5 million. No one has accused Explore Charleston of such nefarious conduct. But an Uncovered investigation into the nonprofit revealed: The Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau has never provided a forensic audit or receipts to show exactly where the tax money it receives is spent, what its spent on or who spent it. The state board in charge of overseeing tourism organizations failed for years to ask for and review spending documents from the Charleston nonprofit until last fall. This failure occurred even after the state oversight board was advised to do so by a state Supreme Court decision and two advisory opinions from South Carolinas attorney general. Two members of the state oversight committee also sit on Explore Charleston's board of governors, where they review and approve many of the nonprofits actions. This places the two in the unusual position of then overseeing for the state whether Explore Charleston acted properly on decisions they already may have approved. Only Isle of Palms, of the 10 local governments that direct accommodation tax money to Explore Charleston, was able to provide The Post and Courier with an itemized breakdown of how their accommodation tax money was spent. Nine others only received broad spending statements, often lumping together millions of dollars in expenditures. Two municipalities, Sullivans and Seabrook islands, said they hadnt received any financial or budgetary documentation from Explore Charleston until after The Post and Courier filed Freedom of Information Act requests for the materials. Charleston Countys contract with Explore Charleston gives the county the right to send an independent auditor to examine the nonprofits financial records. But the county never sent anyone to do so. Selling charm, history and beaches Tourism is in many ways the lifeblood of South Carolinas economy, responsible for an estimated $24 billion in annual economic impact that supports about one of every 10 jobs, according to state studies. And few places reap the benefit of that flood of visitors more than Charleston and the surrounding Lowcountry. Stroll the streets of downtown Charleston and you can be sure to bump shoulders with tourists from all over the country. They can be found gazing at the grand houses on The Battery. Or posing for impromptu photo-ops against the pastel colors of Rainbow Row. Or riding on horse-drawn carriages with the clicking of hooves on the cobblestone streets. Charlestons charm, historic sights and vibrant dining scene are part of the reason it's been voted the number one city in the U.S. by Travel + Leisure readers for 10 years in a row. Explore Charleston has made it its mission to promote that carefully cultivated image in glossy venues such as Travel + Leisure magazine and Southern Living to draw even more visitors. Charleston now boasts of bringing in 7 million tourists a year, up by 2 million since 2015, according to statistics from the College of Charleston Office of Tourism analysis. Thats nine tourists for every resident in the metro area. Leading the charge of Lowcountry tourism promotion is Helen Hill and Explore Charleston. Its almost impossible to talk about the organization without Hill. She began selling ads for its visitors guide in 1986, a year after its founding, and she made a quick ascent, rising to the top job as executive director in 1989. She still holds that title 33 years later. Last year, she collected a salary of $229,135. Hill also serves on numerous boards across the Lowcountry, including Beacon Community Bank and Counselors of Real Estate. In addition, she is chairwoman of the Charleston County Aviation Authority, which manages the states largest airport. Hill can often be found in a solid-colored statement suit jacket, a variation of pearls draped around her neck and gold and silver charms dangling from her wrists. Her passion for Charleston is evident in presentations and conversations with local leaders. When she walked into a July Isle of Palms City Council meeting, everyone seemed to know her. Their eyes lit up as they greeted her with hugs and smiles before catching up on old times. Generally, Hills attentive in conversation, never breaking eye contact. She possesses an ability to speak with complete strangers like shes known them for years. In many ways, Hill is the personification of Southern hospitality. With so much success, Hill said she finds herself frustrated by recent questioning of her organization's transparency. But the truth is, she doesnt want people to know how she makes the magic happen. In her eyes, shes not required to provide forensic audits of her organization or spending receipts. If its supposed to be public, we will make it public. Hill said of providing receipts to local governments. But we dont have to break it down Do I want my competition in another state to know it? Probably not. Her sentiment was affirmed four years ago in the South Carolina Supreme Court case DomainsNewMedia vs. The Hilton Head Chamber of Commerce. The high court ruled that nonprofit convention bureaus, such as Explore Charleston, were not subject to the states Freedom of Information Act. Normally, organizations that receive public tax money must follow requirements of the open records law. Instead, the Supreme Court placed the responsibility on the local governments that fund these designated marketing organizations to hold them accountable for their spending and emphasized that those governments are subject to the states Freedom of Information Act. But in Explore Charlestons case, none of the local governments have asked for detailed accounting, such as spending receipts, Hill acknowledged. Some clues have emerged from the records obtained through Explore Charlestons 990s required IRS financial filings for nonprofits. Since 2015, for example, the nonprofit has paid the companies that have owned Travel + Leisure Magazine more than $8 million. Explore Charleston has paid Conde Nast, which owns Conde Nast Traveler magazine, $6.7 million over the same stretch of time. It remains unclear how many ads or promotions that money supported. But both publications have named Charleston the top city and small city in the U.S. for visitors. Explore Charlestons spokesperson said the titles came from a vote by the publication's readers. The title of best U.S. City cannot be bought, he said in an email to the Post and Courier. So, no, (Explore Charleston) has never purchased the title, Representatives of the two publications could not immediately be reached for comment on its dealings with Explore Charleston. Whether such efforts result in more visitors traveling to Charleston than would have come anyway is impossible to measure, according to Daniel Guttentag, who runs a tourism analysis unit at the College of Charleston. Still, Guttentag maintains that such efforts are needed and that tourism promotion should be viewed as a long-range investment. His unit provides many of the statistics Explore Charleston uses to tout its success. Guttentag points out that when Colorado became the only state to get rid of its tourism marketing function in 1993, the state saw a loss of $1.4 billion annually in tourism revenue. It reinstated the marketing in 2000. Charlestons tourism fortunes have gone nowhere but up in recent decades. Over the last 10 years, Explore Charleston's overall budget has more than doubled to about $24 million this year. With this growth, some local government leaders, such as those on the Isle of Palms, want to see more of their accommodation tax funds used specifically toward advertising or promotions that highlight their communities. Hill said this places Explore Charleston in a difficult position. The nonprofits goal is to sell the highest number of room nights at the highest price throughout the greater Charleston area, she said. Are we going to be together or are we not? she asked. The idea is to promote the whole area, not just parts of it, to lift it all. Explore Charleston and its money The Charleston Area Convention & Visitors Bureau was founded in 1985 and operated under the umbrella of the Charleston Metro Chamber of Commerce until they split in 2002. At its start, Explore Charleston represented the city and county of Charleston. Now, it's in charge of maximizing tourism for two counties and eight municipalities. Explore Charleston has three main sources for its revenue: accommodation tax and state grants, which generally account for about two-thirds of its revenue, and private memberships and publications, such as a wedding and visitors guide, make up much of the rest. Accommodation tax is its key source of cash. Money flows from a 2% state tax tacked onto most Charleston area hotels and short-term lodgings bills. The state collects the tax, and returns it to the local governments where it was added to guests bills. Those governments keep most of it - part in their general funds and part in a special fund for tourism-related expenditures. The rest, about 30 percent, goes directly to Explore Charleston to be used strictly for tourism promotion and advertising. State records and nonprofit filings make it fairly easy to track the streams of taxpayer money pouring into Explore Charleston. But divining where those millions go from there remains a much greater challenge given the opaque nature of the organizations records. Lacking accountability In an effort to solve that mystery, The Post and Courier turned to the local governments tasked with holding Explore Charleston accountable for its use of public tax dollars. Explore Charleston is required by law to provide these governments with a budget for approval before the beginning of each fiscal year and a year-end accounting of how that money was spent. In June, The Post and Courier filed Freedom of Information Act requests with each of the 10 local governments that fund Explore Charleston asking to see the last six years of the nonprofits budgets and year-end audits. Some local governments were able to provide the documents for all the years requested while others only had a few. Two of the local governments said they had never received any financial documents until Explore Charleston hand-delivered them shortly after the newspaper filed its Freedom of Information Act requests. Most also receive a brochure detailing Explore Charlestons successes. The financial documents provided to local leaders contained few specifics on spending, relying more on general categories such as destination marketing and media relations. The year-end audit also lists expenses by general category, such as destination advertising and promotions. Sullivans Island comptroller Jason Blanton was among those who received a stack of financial documents from Explore Charleston after The Post and Courier began asking questions. It was the first time in his 17 years working for the island that he could recall receiving such records, he said. Blanton scanned several of the documents, and then studied one of the year-end audits. Thats very vague, he said of the records. This is pretty much boilerplate. What did they spend it on? Id want a whole lot more back-up. Most of the other local officials contacted by The Post and Courier didnt seem to share his apprehension. They expressed no, or very little, concern about the lack of specificity in the records as to how their tax money was spent. What financial documents? For much of its existence, Explore Charleston has operated with little scrutiny from the local governments that help underwrite its operations. Many officials said they are happy with the organization's success, noting the throngs of tourists that swarm the region each year. In 2021 alone, Explore Charleston credited its work with having a more than $10 billion economic impact on the Greater Charleston area, based on statistics from the Office of Tourism Analysis. Some officials also said they don't have the time or resources to deeply examine the organizations spending. Charleston City Councilman Peter Shahid Jr. serves on Explore Charlestons board of governors. He said that he receives financial reports from the nonprofit, but relies on Explore Charleston to handle the funds properly. As a councilman who serves on multiple boards, Shahid said he doesn't have the time to review detailed expense reports from every organization to which the City of Charleston provides public money. We do rely on them being fiscally responsible and fiscally honest with the city, he said of these organizations. But I don't know of any council member who has the opportunity to spend the time to go through a daily, monthly, weekly, annual transaction report of these agencies. I've never heard of that. Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg and Folly Beach Mayor Tim Goodwin said their cities have great relationships with Explore Charleston. Although the budgets they receive arent detailed down to the item, they said they trust the nonprofits decision-making. They more than meet the requirements, Tecklenburg said of Explore Charlestons financial reporting. In Charleston County setting-up contracts requiring independent audits with those who receive its funding is standard practice, according to Clerk of Council Kristen Salisbury. Although the countys contract with Explore Charleston allows it to send an internal auditor to look at the organizations books, the county has never seen any reason to do so, she said. A better way? South Carolina law does not specify how detailed the budgets and audits provided by destination marketing organizations must be. Nor does it require that such organizations submit receipts, invoices or credit card transactions for review by local governments. Other states require more scrutiny of these organizations and their spending. Consider the North Carolina mountain city of Asheville. With a comparable tourism promotion budget of more than $27 million, the Explore Asheville Convention and Visitors Bureau works as a quasi-governmental arm of the Buncombe County Tourism Development Authority. Explore Asheville is subject to an intense auditing process, a spokesperson for the nonprofit said. The nonprofit must upload receipts for every transaction to the county. The county reviews these receipts while also examining invoices and submissions of credit card transactions. In addition, Explore Asheville undergoes an external audit every year. In the nation's casino capital, The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority also operates as an arm of local government, according to a spokesman for the organization. Its board of governors is composed of political and hospitality leaders in the area. The board reviews the organizations expenditures and they receive detailed audits annually that are approved. These audits are uploaded online for the publics viewing. Though the law doesnt require it, some South Carolina designated marketing organizations also go a step further in providing transparency. The Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce and Convention and Visitors Bureau posts spreadsheets on its website, providing a detailed accounting on how accommodation tax money from Myrtle Beach, Horry County and its tourism development fee funds were used. These records include details such as the name of the company, a short memo about the purchase and the amount of money spent. These reports are uploaded on a quarterly and yearly basis. Still, some feel that true accountability comes from receipts detailing exactly how the money was spent. Thats what Skip Hoagland, founder of DomainsNewMedia, was after when he filed a lawsuit against the Hilton Head Chamber of Commerce in 2013. He alleged that public funding to promote tourism enabled the organization to unfairly compete with local media businesses such as his for advertising dollars. When he filed a Freedom of Information Act request for access to the Chambers financial documents, he was denied. This case went all the way to the state Supreme Court, which ultimately ruled in the favor of designated marketing organizations allowing them to keep their expenses private. Mare Baracco also challenged these opaque practices when she filed a lawsuit against Explore Charleston last June, demanding access to their receipts. She contends that Explore Charleston opened itself to South Carolinas Freedom of Information law when it entered into an annual contract with Charleston County, allowing an external auditor to review all of the nonprofits financial records at any time. Her case is still pending. The Port Royal resident said shes not doing this for herself, but because the public has a right to know how its tax money is spent. Im more upset for my community that we have to go through this process," she said. "Im looking to create transparency. Oversight delayed Kiawah Island Treasurer Dorota Szubert wasnt troubled by the lack of spending specificity when she received Explore Charlestons proposed budget last fall. That was because an email from the tourism groups leaders indicated that the plan had already been approved by the state oversight board that reviews tourism spending. I wouldnt question them, Szubert said. It's unclear if local government leaders knew that two members of that oversight panel, including its chairman, also serve on the 32-member governing board of Explore Charleston - essentially, reviewing their own organizations handiwork. Ed Riggs and Dan Blumenstock, local hospitality leaders, have both served on the state Tourism Expenditure Review Committee and Explore Charlestons governing board simultaneously since 2002 and 2013, respectively. Both said they dont consider their serving on both boards as a problem. Thats because they dont usually vote on documents submitted from the local governments that fund Explore Charleston, they said. But both said they gave advice to Hill on whether Explore Charlestons newly created budget plan would meet the state oversight boards reporting requirements. According to Hill, the two told her that the plan not only met, but exceeded the boards expectations. Not everyone agreed. After presenting the plan to local accommodation tax leaders on Isle of Palms last October, some officials were unsatisfied and claimed it lacked specificity. Ethics experts contacted by The Post and Courier were divided over whether the pairs service on the two panels poses concerns because they do not stand to financially benefit from the arrangement. Still, Greg Adams, the founding director of the Program on Judicial Ethics, Selection, Accountability, and Independence and former University of South Carolina professor, feels the two members have put themselves in a tough spot. I think that these two members that gave advice to the CEO have created a conflict of interest for themselves, Adams said. What position are they going to take when the state-wide body is deciding whether or not the Charleston Area Convention and Visitors Bureaus budget is sufficiently detailed to be able to be used at the end of the fiscal year? And if they have adhered to that budget? The Post and Couriers investigation also found that until last year, the Tourism Expenditure Review Committee, the board set-up by state law to oversee the spending of accommodation tax money, had never reviewed spending by the states designated marketing organizations. Thats because the committee had interpreted state law to mean it did not have to review those organizations finances, only the accommodation tax spending by the local governments, according to review committee member Riggs. The review committee made that interpretation even though the Accommodation Tax statute, enacted in July 1984, mandates that the committee examine all questionable tourism-related expenditures. They stuck with this interpretation even after two Attorney General opinions one in 2002 and the other in 2015 said that the state oversight board has the obligation to review tourism funds spent by designated marketing organizations across the state. Attorney General opinions are not binding, but are used to guide government bodies. The 2018 state Supreme Court case DomainsNewMedia.com vs. Hilton Head-Bluffton Chamber of Commerce emphasized that the state oversight committee is the final of three review levels to ensure the money is spent properly. When asked why the state oversight board waited until last fall to start reviewing these records, its leadership provided conflicting responses. Riggs said that the Supreme Court case prompted the change, but that ruling came down three years earlier. A spokesperson for the state oversight board said that the Tourism Expenditure Review Committee was not a party in the court case, so it saw no need to act at the time. How was our money spent? At its July meeting, The Isle of Palms Accommodation Tax Advisory Committee found itself at odds as they watched their guest speaker arrive at the podium. Laurie Smith, Explore Charlestons chief operating officer, presented the nonprofits largest budget to date - a $24 million plan to promote area tourism. Smiths presentation sparked a heated back and forth between committee members. Half were satisfied with the details in the presentation. Others wanted to see more specifics. Advisory board Chairman Ray Burns and fellow member Doug Truslow had, for months, demanded a more detailed accounting about how the islands money was being spent by Explore Charleston. Their central concern: Isle of Palms provides Explore Charleston with more accommodation tax money than any other beach municipality but the pair could not see what benefit the Island was getting. Of the $826,528 in island money set aside for Explore Charleston, less than half - $319,105 - was earmarked for promoting the island alone through social media campaigns, website development and a 30-second commercial. The rest is to be spent promoting tourism to the greater Charleston area. We have said for quite a while that we want to see our money spent to the benefit of the Isle of Palms, Burns said during the meeting. And we want to see accountability and traceability of where our money is being spent, Members Gloria Clarke and Barb Bergwerf disagreed. They didnt see the need for a constant back and forth with Explore Charleston, given that state law required that the money be spent on promoting tourism. We have no choice, Bergwerf said. We have to spend it. The panel deadlocked on whether to approve Explore Charlestons budget, which meant it went to City Council without a recommendation. In the end, it didnt matter. Two weeks later, Isle of Palms City Council approved the budget. The Council didnt really have a choice. The money must go to a designated marketing organization, and Explore Charleston is the only game in town. Contributing to this story was Tony Bartelme, Watchdog and Public Service Reporter. The reporters relied on Propublicas Nonprofit Explorer to review years on 990s. Not many institutions of higher learning can boast of having both the president and vice president of the United States speak on campus in less than a years time. Such is the case for South Carolinas only state-supported historically Black university, South Carolina State. In December, SC State was host for President Joe Biden for a commencement speech. Then on Tuesday, Vice President Kamala Harris came to Orangeburg to speak at SC States convocation ceremony. Of note, SC State has also had other high-level visitors from the Biden administration, including the secretary of energy and secretary of education. The focus on SC State and neighboring private HBCU Claflin University comes as the Biden administration is emphasizing its support for HBCUs. Biden and Harris say they delivered in their first year alone a historic $5.8 billion cumulative investment in and support for HBCUs: American Rescue Plan. Bidens ARP and other pandemic relief provided nearly $3.7 billion in relief funding to HBCUs. The emergency grants were funded directly to HBCUs from the Department of Education and helped HBCUs and their students mitigate the negative impact of the pandemic on students educational attainment. Debt relief. The Department of Education discharged approximately $1.6 billion of debt from loans provided to HBCUs for capital improvements through the Departments HBCU Capital Financing Program. The action resulted in debt relief to 45 HBCUs. Grant funding. In July and August 2021, the Department of Education awarded more than $500 million in grant funding to HBCUs for academic capacity-building and fiscal stability. Now comes the administrations plan to forgive $10,000 in student loan debt for college students with the amount doubling to $20,000 for financially needy students receiving Pell Grants, which are a mainstay of funding for students at HBCUs. The Biden administration is hoping the support for HBCUs will not only translate into stronger institutions of higher learning but political support. Black voters are integral to Democratic hopes of keeping control of Congress in the 2022 midterms. And while South Carolina is not being watched among states likely to contribute to Democratic gains in November, the continuing presence of House Majority Whip James Clyburn is undoubtedly a major priority for the Biden team. As one Democrat who should face little difficulty in winning in the Palmetto State, Clyburn has a lot at stake in Democrats maintaining control in the House. And so does his alma mater SC State, which is enjoying the support and unprecedented recognition it is getting in no small way because of the congressman. BEIRUT The total death toll in the shipwreck of a migrant boat that left Lebanon and sank off Syria on Thursday has risen to over 100, according to a statement made Sunday afternoon by the director of Banias port Nawfaq Ibrahim. This new toll was announced after the recovery of six more bodies, all transferred to Al-Basel Hospital in Tartus, according to L'Orient Today's correspondent in North Lebanon. According to Red Cross sources, 17 people who were aboard the boat remain missing. However, the secretary-general of the Lebanese Higher Relief Committee, Mohammed Khair, said that the owner of the boat does not know the number of people who boarded the vessel, making it very difficult to estimate the number of missing persons. In this difficult situation, Khair hailed the efforts of the Syrian rescue teams who "have to do this very difficult and continuous task" of recovering bodies. Some estimates place the number of people were on board the boat that sank off Tartus, some 50 kilometers (30 miles) north of Tripoli in Lebanon, from where the migrants set sail, at 150. The rising death toll makes the shipwreck one of the eastern Mediterranean's deadliest such episodes. At least 14 survivors are recovering in hospitals in Syria, while six others were discharged. Two remain in intensive care in Al-Basel Hospital, Syria's official SANA news agency reported Sunday. Those on board were mostly Lebanese, Syrians and Palestinians, and included both children and elderly people, the UN said. Anger and grief The bodies of some of the victims originating from Lebanon are being transferred to the country. The Lebanese Red Cross said Saturday evening that it had received at the Arida crossing on the Lebanon-Syria border three more bodies that had been recovered by the Syrian Red Crescent, L'Orient Today's correspondent in North Lebanon reported, while three more bodies arrived Sunday after being identified by their relatives, according to Khair. In Tripoli, anger mixed with grief as relatives received news of the deaths of their loved ones. Hundreds of people attended the funerals of the victims, in Nahr al-Bared Palestinian refugee camp, in Tripoli and in Akkar. In Qarqaf, in Akkar, the funeral of a Lebanese woman was held Saturday evening. She was the mother of four children, three of whom also died in the shipwreck. The fourth has not yet been found. The woman's husband survived the tragedy. Arrest On Saturday, the Lebanese Army said that it had arrested a Lebanese national who "admitted to organizing the recent [people] smuggling operation from Lebanon to Italy by sea." Lebanon, a country which hosts more than a million refugees from Syria's civil war, has been mired in a financial crisis branded by the World Bank as one of the worst in modern times. Nearly three years of economic collapse have turned the country into a launchpad for migrants, with its own citizens joining Syrian and Palestinian refugees clamoring to leave by dangerous sea routes. Hezbollah and opposition MPs offer condolences On Saturday evening, MP Ibrahim Mneimneh (Forces of Change/Beirut II) said on his Twitter account that he visited relatives of victims in Tripoli, Akkar and Nahr al-Bared camp to offer his condolences. According to our correspondent, he was accompanied by his colleague MP Halime Kaakour. "We discussed the circumstances of this case with their relatives, to be able to follow up on this case at the parliamentary and legislative level, in all its aspects," said Mneimneh, denouncing at the same time "the absence of the most basic rights in these marginalized regions." For its part, Hezbollah expressed on Saturday "its deep sorrow and grief at this tragedy," the state-run National News Agency reported. In a statement, Hezbollah expressed its condolences to the families of the victims, before praising "the immediate initiative and the remarkable efforts made by the Syrian authorities" in their rescue operations. The party "also thanks the Lebanese health and security parties for their prompt action in the rescue operations and humanitarian and medical aid," the statement continued. "The Lebanese state must fulfill its duty towards the citizens who suffered this immense tragedy and accompany their families in the difficult circumstances our country is going through," Hezbollah also said, calling on officials to track down the smugglers and punish them severely, as well as to "take all measures to put an end to the dangerous crossing operations." 'Death boats' Since 2020, Lebanon has seen a spike in the number of migrants using its shores to attempt the perilous crossing in jam-packed boats to reach Europe. Reacting to the shipwreck, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, Filippo Grandi, described it as a "heart-wrenching tragedy." The UN children's agency, UNICEF, said on its hand that 10 children appeared to be "among those who lost their lives" in Thursday's sinking. "Years of political instability and economic crisis in Lebanon have pushed many children and families into poverty, affecting their health, welfare and education," UNICEF added. Philippe Lazzarini, head of the UN agency for Palestinian refugees said: "No one gets on these death boats lightly. People are taking these perilous decisions, risking their lives in search of dignity." Lazzarini said more must be done "to offer a better future and address a sense of hopelessness in Lebanon and across the region, including among Palestine refugees." Antonio Vitorino, head of the International Organization for Migration, said: "People looking for safety should not be compelled to take such perilous and often deadly migration journeys." Most of the boats setting off from Lebanon head for European Union member Cyprus, an island about 175 kilometers (110 miles) to the west. Additional reporting by Michel Hallak. Luxembourg's farmers are up in arms about planned changes to the agricultural sector. On Saturday, our colleagues from RTL Radio hosted a roundtable discussion about the issues faced by the agricultural sector and how they might be overcome. Many farmers feel that their backs are against the wall. According to Luc Emering of the Young Farmers Association, most of the proposals made by industry representatives and environmental organisations during the consultation phase of the new agricultural law were ignored. Farmers attempted to engage in a "constructive collaboration" and are aware that "efforts need to be made" but now feel taken aback by the ministry's approach, Emering explained. Read also: What do the red boots on Luxembourg's road sides represent? Guy Feyder, the president of the Chamber of Agriculture, said that industry representatives were only granted access to the draft bill containing very late in the consultation process. Farmers are particularly apprehensive regarding the planned livestock cap, which has been on the table since summer. The director of the Federation of Organic Farming in Luxembourg, Daniela Noesen, also said that the sector was not involved enough and criticised that there is still no mission statement regarding the future of agriculture in Luxembourg. For years, farmers were told that they needed to keep growing and expanding their livestock but now "all of a sudden" they are supposed to do the exact opposite, Noesen stated, wondering "how are farmers supposed to do that?" Livestock cap continues to elicit strong opposition from the sector In response to the criticism, Minister of Agriculture Claude Haagen, from the Luxembourg Socialist Workers' Party (LSAP), argued that "completely opposing perspectives collide" during a public consultation. Haagen suggested that perhaps "more weight should be given to the experts in this process". In any case, the minister went on to say, he notes that no one is questioning the climate targets and if that is the case, there is "simply no way around the fact that Luxembourg has a lot of work to do when it comes to the ammonia targets." For this reason, the new agricultural law notably limits the number of cows per farm. Emering warned that this will negatively affect family-owned businesses and incentivise farmers "to get even more out of every single animal," which would go against the principles of animal welfare. According to Haagen, limiting livestock does not mean that a business is not allowed to grow. The minister stressed that intervention is necessary now to avoid the state having to "pull the emergency brake" in ten years because the targets have not been met. In his opinion, the measure will protect businesses. On the other hand, Feyder stated that the new law will stifle the agricultural sector. According to Feyder, adjusting the draft bill is paramount to prevent the sector from crashing into a wall. Meanwhile, Noesen argued that the state had "squandered an opportunity" regarding the subsidies that are tied to ecological requirements. While the subsidies are offering farmers compensation for lost revenues, there is not really any incentive to change one's business model, she explained. Agricultural summit is being prepared Haagen said that the agricultural law will not be passed without an agricultural summit first. He was, however, unable to say when such a summit would take place. Haagen explained that the government still needs to determine the topics of discussion and who else should attend the summit. There have previously been calls for Minister for the Environment Joelle Welfring, Minister of Finance Yuriko Backes, and Prime Minister Xavier Bettel to participate. The availability of the respective ministers will be checked during the next government council meeting, Haagen stated. Since there is no official date for the agricultural summit yet, it also still remains to be determined when the new law will be voted on in the Chamber of Deputies. The draft bill has been forwarded to Luxembourg's parliament and was discussed in the responsible parliamentary committee for the first time earlier this week. Organic farming sector under significant pressure Emering and Noesen confirmed that the current crisis is leading people to purchase fewer organic products to save money. Both also criticised the lack of progress in the implementation of organic farming targets, stating that a lot of time has been wasted in recent years. Luxembourg originally pledged to reach 20% organic farming by 2025. However, at the moment, organic farming only accounts for just over 5% of all agricultural land in the Grand Duchy. A priest stood up and asked Ed Gavagan how he found hope after all that hes endured. As a room full of Catholic clergy looked on, Ed told the priest that he had none. None at all. Gavagan had been shaken when he walked into the community room attached to Sheridans Holy Name Catholic Church on Monday. The seats were filled by 50-some priests, plus a half-dozen nuns, all gathered to watch a documentary that follows Gavagan and five other men as they work to heal from the trauma they say they suffered at the hands of priests decades ago. Hed done this before, mostly: He and two of the other men from the film had attended two screenings in the preceding days, and theyd held Q&As after both. Hes talked about the film to reporters and audiences and critics for a year. This was different. He hadnt been in a room full of priests in a long time, and he and the other men struggled with the sights and emotions and triggers. Gavagan had been trying to get his alleged abuser, retired Wyoming Bishop Joseph Hart, to be held accountable for 20 years. Two police investigations had ended without charges, despite investigators and prosecutors in 2020 writing that they thought Hart had abused Gavagan. The Vatican had exonerated Hart and told Gavagan they couldnt find, to a moral certainty, that he was telling the truth. So no, he told the priest. He did not have hope. I have none, he described telling the priest. The civil side, law enforcement, has completely let me down. Ive been trying for 20 years. The only reason I keep going is because I dont know how to quit. I justI will not quit. But I can tell you that I have no hope. The response from the room, Gavagan said, was just total silence. Hed traveled back to his native state of Wyoming from his home in New York to attend three screenings of the Netflix documentary Procession, held in Cheyenne, Laramie and, finally, Sheridan. Hed come with two of the other men in the film, Michael Sandridge and Dan Laurine, both from Kansas City, Missouri. The film depicts them engaging in drama therapy to attempt to process their trauma, and it includes Gavagan directing a scene based on the first time he was abused in Cheyenne as a teenager. The events were hosted by the Diocese of Cheyenne, attended by the Catholic faithful and the men and women who preached to them, and the question-and-answer sessions after each screening featured Wyomings highest-ranking Catholic cleric, Steven Biegler, the man who holds the office Hart once held. It was surreal, Gavagan said: Nearly 50 years have passed since Hart allegedly abused Gavagan at the bishops residence in Cheyenne, and two decades have come and gone since Hart retired. In the years since, more than a dozen men in Missouri and Wyoming have accused him of sexual abuse, and the church has spent millions fighting and then settling with those victims. Hart has consistently denied the allegations against him. A priest and bishop for 46 years, Hart will turn 91 this week. After all of that, here Gavagan was, telling crowds of Catholics about the abuse with the encouragement and support of a new bishop. Gavagan and the filmmakers had been trying to host a screening in Wyoming for months, ever since Procession premiered at the Telluride Film Festival in September 2021. It was shortlisted for an Oscar and nominated for a Peabody Award. He said he wanted people to know what Hart, well-known and recognizable to many Wyoming Catholics, had done to him. Many had their own personal stories about the old bishop, and Gavagan wanted them to know his. My first goal would be to make people realize that whatever you think about Hart, you have to know this other stuff about him as well, Gavagan said. Hes a monster in sheeps clothing. Biegler, who since he became bishop has worked to have Hart removed from the priesthood, agreed to host the films and privately advertise them to parishioners. The screenings were closed to the press, and a spokeswoman for the diocese said Biegler was too busy to speak to a reporter last week. She said in a statement that the screenings were meant to give Catholics an opportunity to process concerns and questions around the historic sexual abuse scandals in the church. The focus of these gatherings was to help victims/survivors to heal, protect the children, and continue transparency in the church, the spokeswoman wrote, as well as to discuss sexual abuse within the context of the whole society, as a human problem. One of the other priests at the Sheridan screening stood up and made a similar point: This isnt isolated to the church. Gavagan, Sandridge and Laurine tensed up, Gavagan said. As they told the priest that his point didnt change the churchs history, a nun spoke up, too. She had been at a parish in South Dakota where a priest had been accused of abuse, she said, and the trauma had ruined the lives of the children and their families. She said, We dont need any excuses from you, Gavagan recounted. She rebuked him in full voice, right there. By and large, Gavagan and the other two men said, the screenings went well. There were tears shed in every audience. He was asked repeatedly if he had lost his faith. (Gavagan said he has no faith but is searching. That seemed to crush the women asking, he said.) Older men in cowboy boots and trucker hats would approach the men afterward, offering crushing handshakes before taking them by the elbow and telling them they were sorry for what happened. Then theyd choke up and turn away, Gavagan said. They dont want to talk about your emotions, dont want to hear about your sex life ... they dont want to know about any of that. For them to absorb what we put out there, and then to come up to me afterwards, it meant a lot. It really meant a lot. There was another intention behind the screenings, beyond raising awareness of Gavagans allegations against Hart, the men said. Cheyenne Police conducted a 16-month investigation into Hart in 2018 and 2019, and investigators recommended he be charged. They interviewed several men, including Gavagan, who said Hart abused them in the 1970s and 1980s. Because Wyoming has no statute of limitations, Hart could still be prosecuted, even though the allegations were decades old. But 10 months after Cheyenne Police announced they were recommending charges, prosecutors in Natrona County declined to charge Hart. They told Gavagan in a letter that they thought he had been victimized by Hart but that they did not think a prosecution would be successful. Documents indicate prosecutors and police investigators were repeatedly at odds over the case and that communication repeatedly broke down; Natrona County prosecutors had not fully read the case reports, which span more than 100 pages, before deciding not to charge Hart, police said. Gavagan is still furious about how the investigation ended. But hes hoping the screenings will galvanize new leadership in Cheyenne the police department has a new chief, and a new district attorney will take office in January to give the case another look. He met with the new police chief before he left town Wednesday, he said. (A Cheyenne Police spokeswoman did not return an email seeking comment.) He wont quit, Gavagan repeated. Sandridge later said that Harts prosecution would mean that justice will catch up to anybody, even a bishop, even decades later. But whatever happens with the case, Gavagan said, he felt the screenings had an impact on the people who watched them. Several people asked them what they could do to help. One woman was practically pounding on the table as she asked what she could do. He said he told them to encourage others to watch the film, too. He told them to thank Biegler for hosting the screening, to support those in the church who are working toward solutions and healing, and he told them to call out those who arent. Im in a pretty good place in my life now, Gavagan said. Between the film and the guys and BieglerI still have residual suffering from everything, but compared to other people, Im in a pretty good place. And I need to take that energy and that wherewithal. Thats what Im doing. PAVILLION The Wyoming Republican Party State Central Committee on Saturday nominated three candidates for interim secretary of state: Karl Allred, Marti Halverson and Bryan Miller. All three received a majority vote. Halverson received 55 votes, Miller received 52 and Allred received 43. The nominees are all members of the central committee. Gov. Mark Gordon has the final say over which of those three gets the job; he has five days to announce his pick. His choice will temporarily take over for former Secretary of State Ed Buchanan, who left the office earlier this month to become a judge in Goshen County. The interim secretary of state will have to shepherd Wyoming through the general election in just a few weeks. Its bound to be a heavy lift for a brand-new official. GOP leadership had hoped Buchanan would stick around through the end of the year to avoid this. Most incoming Secretaries of State have almost two years to prepare for their first general election, State GOP Chairman Frank Eathorne wrote in a letter a few weeks ago. However, if you resign in mid-September when there is an election 6 weeks later, it may be setting your appointed successor up to fail. Whoever Gordon taps wont be in the job long the person elected secretary of state in November takes office in January. The position is almost certain to go to Casper lawmaker Rep. Chuck Gray, who in August won the Republican nomination over Cheyenne Sen. Tara Nethercott by about 13,000 votes. Gray has no challengers for the general election. (He couldnt put his name in for interim secretary of state since hes still a legislator.) Allred currently serves as Uinta County state committeeman for the GOP and is an operations foreman for a gas plant. He unsuccessfully sued former Gov. Matt Mead over the capitol reconstruction and other state contracts in 2017. This year, he ran for House District 19 in the Republican primary, losing to Jon Conrad. In his application, Allred said he has fought tirelessly for conservative values and strict adherence to the Constitution both Wyoming and US. Halverson, a far-right former lawmaker, is the president of anti-abortion organization Wyoming Right to Life and chair of the Lincoln County GOP. As interim secretary of state, she would try to inject some uniformity in the conduct of our statewide election, according to her application. Earlier this year, Halverson also applied to replace Jillian Balow as interim superintendent of public instruction. She joined Brian Schroeder and Thomas Kelly as one of three GOP nominees for the role. Bryan Miller is chairman of the Sheridan County GOP. He challenged incumbent Cyrus Western for House District 51 in the August primary and lost. Members of the Wyoming GOP had until Wednesday evening to apply for the position. A total of 11 people put their names in. One candidate, Jennifer James, withdrew from the race. Four of the candidates are voting members of the Wyoming Republican Party. Another, Bob Ferguson, is the partys treasurer. The central committee which includes three Republican Party officials from Wyomings 23 counties put the candidates to a vote Saturday at a public meeting in Pavillion. State GOP gets 11 applicants for interim secretary of state Some of the applicants are candidates who lost their races in last month's primary elections, and several of them expressed concerns about election integrity. Other Republicans in the running included: Mary Lankford; Mark Armstrong; Bob Ferguson; John Holtz; Pete Illoway; Janet Marschner; and Patrick Miller. Candidates were asked the following questions: How long have you been a registered Republican?; Do you support the candidacy of Chuck Gray for secretary of state, and what is your plan to support him in a successful transition?; Two greatest needs to ensure election integrity in November?; and During the interim you will serve on the State Loan and Investment Board. How would you prioritize funding? The State Loan and Investment Board oversees Wyomings permanent and operating funds. Each of the 10 candidates backed Gray for secretary of state. Many said they, like Gray, wanted to outlaw ballot drop boxes. Several advocated for restricting access to absentee voting. If chosen for interim secretary of state, Halverson said her next call would be to Chuck, and that shed do anything Gray asks of her. Halverson showed support for a proposed bill draft thatd require IDs for absentee ballots. The two candidates with the most experience working with the secretary of states office and county clerks Lankford and Patrick Miller were also the only candidates to say they believed the states elections were already secure. Wyoming elections have integrity, Lankford said. Lankford received 13 votes, and Patrick Miller received 8. Secretary of state is Wyomings second-highest elected position. In addition to overseeing elections, the official is also in charge of things like registering and regulating businesses. That part of the job didnt get as much attention as elections during Saturdays meeting. Most of the candidates said that, if chosen for the job, they would reign in spending by the State Loan and Investment Board and, when possible, be more prudent with federal money. Bryan Miller said he would make sure nothing significant changes on the business side over the next three months. Personally I think we do way too much through the SLIB board, he said. Allred took a similar position. The government isnt supposed to get involved in a lot of funding, he told GOP leaders. Earlier this year, Schroeder was appointed superintendent of public instruction through the same process after Balow vacated the position in January. (Schroeder lost the Republican nomination for superintendent to Megan Degenfelder, the former chief policy officer for the Wyoming Department of Education, last month.) The process is not without controversy. In January, former Speaker of the Wyoming House Tom Lubnau and 15 others filed suit against Gordon and the state GOP over the race for interim superintendent. The suit, which was unsuccessful, argued that the nomination system violates the state and U.S. constitutions one man-one vote principle because lightly populated counties have the same voting power as larger ones. Lubnau has said he doesnt plan to challenge the secretary of state nomination. Editor's note: this story previously misstated the vote totals for the three nominees. The Star-Tribune regrets this error. The story has also been updated for clarity. Gov. Mark Gordon appoints Brian Schroeder as state schools superintendent Gov. Mark Gordon selected Brian Schroeder, who heads a private Christian school in Cody, as the new state schools superintendent Thursday. As a young boy living in what was then Zaire, Bertine Bahige remembers watching refugees flee from the Rwandan genocide in 1994 by crossing a river that forms the two Central African nations border. Little did I know that would be me a few years later, said Bahige. Bahiges harrowing refugee journey began when he was kidnapped and forced to become a child soldier when war broke out in his country, which became the Democratic Republic of Congo in 1997. He escaped at age 15 to a Mozambique refugee camp, where he lived for five years until he arrived in Baltimore in 2004 through a refugee resettlement program. Bahige, now 42, said the way he grew up was to just buckle up and tough it out, and he carried that philosophy into adjusting to life in the U.S. He worked multiple jobs and took community college classes until he went to the University of Wyoming on a scholarship. He is now an elementary school principal in Gillette and said his coping strategy, then and now, is to keep himself busy. In retrospect, I dont think I ever even dealt with my own trauma, he said. Refugees are arriving in the U.S. in greater numbers this year after resettlement counts reached a 40-year low under President Donald Trump. These new arrivals, like those refugees before them, are 10 times as likely as the general population to have post-traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. Many of them, like Bahige, fled their homelands because of violence or persecution. They then must deal with the mental toll of integrating into new environments that are as different as, well, Wyoming is from Central Africa. This has Bahige concerned about the welfare of the new generation of refugees. The type of system that a person lived in might be completely different than the new life and system of the world they live in now, Bahige said. While their need for mental health services is greater than that of the general population, refugees are much less likely to receive such care. Part of the shortfall stems from societal differences. But a big factor is the overall shortage of mental health providers in the U.S., and the myriad obstacles and barriers to receiving mental health care that refugees encounter. Whether they end up in a rural area like the Northern Rocky Mountains or in an urban setting such as Atlanta, refugees can face months-long waits for care, plus a lack of clinicians who understand the culture of the people they are serving. Since 1975, about 3.5 million refugees have been admitted to the United States. The annual admissions dropped during the Trump administration from about 85,000 in 2016 to 11,814 in 2020, according to the State Department. President Joe Biden raised the cap on refugee admissions to 125,000 for the 2022 federal fiscal year, which ends Sept. 30. With fewer than 18,000 arrivals by the beginning of August, that ceiling is unlikely to be reached, but the number of people admitted is increasing monthly. Refugees receive mental health screening, along with a general medical assessment, within 90 days of their arrival. But the effectiveness of that testing largely depends on a screeners ability to navigate complex cultural and linguistic issues, said Dr. Ranit Mishori, a professor of family medicine at Georgetown University and the senior medical adviser for Physicians for Human Rights. Although rates of trauma are higher in the refugee population, not all displaced people need mental health services, Mishori said. For refugees dealing with the effects of stress and adversity, resettlement agencies like the International Rescue Committee provide support. Some folks will come in and immediately request services, and some wont need it for a few years until they feel fully safe, and their body has adjusted, and the trauma response has started to dissipate a little bit, said Mackinley Gwinner, the mental health navigator for the IRC in Missoula, Montana. Unlike Bahiges adopted state of Wyoming, which has no refugee resettlement services, IRC Missoula has placed refugees from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Syria, Myanmar, Iraq, Afghanistan, Eritrea, and Ukraine in Montana in recent years. A major challenge in accessing mental health services in rural areas is that very few providers speak the languages of those countries. In the Atlanta suburb of Clarkston, which has a large population of refugees from Myanmar, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Syria, translation services are more available. Five mental health clinicians will work alongside IRC caseworkers under a new program by the IRC in Atlanta and Georgia State Universitys Prevention Research Center. The clinicians will assess refugees mental health needs as the caseworkers help with their housing, employment, education and other issues. Seeking mental health care from a professional, though, can be an unfamiliar idea for many refugees, said Farduus Ahmed, a Somali-born former refugee mental health clinician at the University of Colorado School of Medicine. For refugees needing mental health care, stigma can be a barrier to treatment. Some refugees fear that if U.S. authorities find out theyre struggling with mental health, they could face deportation, and some single mothers worry they will lose their children for the same reason, Ahmed said. Some people think seeking services means theyre crazy, she said. Its very important to understand the perspective of different cultures and how they perceive mental health services. Long wait times, lack of cultural and language resources and societal differences have led some health professionals to suggest alternative ways to address the mental health needs of refugees. Widening the scope beyond individual therapy to include peer interventions can rebuild dignity and hope, said Dr. Suzan Song, a professor of psychiatry at George Washington University. Spending time with someone who shares the same language or figuring out how to use the bus to go to the grocery store are incredibly healing and allow someone to feel a sense of belonging, Song said. In Clarkston, the Prevention Research Center will soon launch an alternative allowing refugees to play a more direct role in caring for the mental health needs of community members. The center plans to train six to eight refugee women as lay therapists, who will counsel and train other women and mothers using a technique called narrative exposure therapy to address complex and multiple traumas. The treatment, in which patients create a chronological narrative of their lives with the help of a therapist, focuses on traumatic experiences over a persons lifetime. The therapy can be culturally adapted and implemented in underserved communities, said Jonathan Orr, coordinator of the clinical mental health counseling program at Georgia State Universitys Counseling and Psychological Services. The American Psychological Association, though, only conditionally recommends narrative exposure therapy for adult patients with PTSD, advising that more research is needed. But the method worked for Mohamad Alo, a 25-year-old Kurdish refugee living in Snellville, Georgia, after arriving in the U.S. from Syria in 2016. Alo was attending Georgia State while working full time to support himself when the coronavirus pandemic started. While downtime during the pandemic gave him time to reflect, he didnt have the tools to process his past, which included fleeing Syria and the threat of violence. When his busy schedule picked back up, he felt unable to deal with his newfound anxiety and loss of focus. The narrative exposure therapy, he said, helped him deal with that stress. Regardless of treatment options, mental health is not necessarily the top priority when a refugee arrives in the United States. When someone has lived a life of survival, vulnerability is the last thing youre going to portray, Bahige said. But Bahige also sees resettlement as an opportunity for refugees to address their mental health needs. He said its important to help refugees understand that if they take care of their mental health, they can be successful and thrive in all facets of the life theyre trying to create. Changing that mindset can be empowering, and its something I am still learning. Little v. Barreme, decided by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1804, may be among the least familiar landmark rulings ever rendered, but it settled momentous constitutional and legal questions that plumb the depths of American history. In an opinion written by the great Chief Justice John Marshall, the Court held that it is for Congress, not the president, to decide when to initiate war and author lesser military hostilities. It held that the president, in his capacity as commander in chief, is bound by the statutory instructions, directions and limitations imposed by Congress, and has no authority to exceed those limitations. And, in the first American case to raise the question, the Court rejected a military officers defense of superior orders to justify execution of an unlawful order, even if issued by the president. In short, Little v. Barreme was a blockbuster. The Quasi War between the United States and France, waged between 1798 and 1800, raised important issues about the authority of Congress over matters of war and peace and the deployment of military force. Legislation enacted by Congress during this period authorized President John Adams to seize vessels sailing to French ports. But President Adams exceeded his statutory authority by issuing an order that directed American ships to capture vessels sailing to or from French ports. Captain George Little carried out the presidential order and seized a Danish vessel that was sailing from a French port. He was sued for damages by the owner of the ship and the case came to the Supreme Court. Chief Justice Marshall acknowledged that the case was a difficult one for him. He observed that his first bias was to hold that, although President Adamss instructions could not give a right, they might yet excuse a military officer such as Captain Little from liability for damages. In other words, Marshall assumed an implicit obedience, which military men usually pay to the orders of their superiors, which indeed is indispensably necessary to every military system. Marshalls sympathy for Little, grounded on the laws of the nation that require obedience to superior orders, however, gave way to the influential views of his fellow Justices, and he changed his mind. I have been mistaken, Marshall noted, and I have receded from this first opinion. He concluded: The instructions cannot change the nature of the transaction, or legalize an act which, without those instructions, would have been a plain trespass. In words that resonate throughout American history, in times tranquil and chaotic, the Court held that a president may neither violate the law nor authorize its violation. President Richard Nixons claim during the Watergate crisis, it may be recalled, that he possessed as chief executive the power to order unlawful acts, never gained legal traction, violated the rule of law and found no foundation in our constitutional architecture. The Courts opinion in Barreme reaffirmed its previous precedents that only Congress could initiate military hostilities on behalf of the American people. Importantly, Congress, in the exercise of that authority the war power, derived from the War Clause in Article I, section 8 might also determine what presidents may and may not do in the conduct of war. As important as the Commander in Chief Clause of Article II is, it does not authorize the president to ignore or flaunt congressional directions or instructions. Indeed, the president is bound by statutory commands. The difficulty that Chief Justice Marshall felt in writing the Courts opinion holding Captain Little liable for damages, may have been shared by Congress which, in 1807, passed a private bill to reimburse Little for damages assigned to him. There was no legislative history to shed light on that congressional act. The nettlesome problem of superior orders had long plagued lawmakers and legal commentators. In 1625, Hugo Grotius, deemed Father of the Law of Nations, had written in his magisterial treatise on The Law of War and Peace, which proved influential in American pre-conceptions of what became known as international law, found no basis in law to justify superior orders. Yet British and early American law took a different tack. In 1789, Congress enacted a statute that directed military officers to observe and obey the orders of the President of the United States. In sync with that sentiment, Congress passed in 1799, a law which stated that any officer who shall disobey the orders of his superior on any pretense whatsoever, shall be subject to death or other punishment. Not much wiggle room for soldiers. In 1800, after Captain Little had seized the Danish vessel, Congress enacted legislation that clarified American law about an officers duty to obey orders. This statute provided that officers were not expected to obey all commands. Rather, they were specifically prohibited from obeying unlawful orders that were issued by their superiors. In the controversies about superior orders that have ensued in America and elsewhere, many have wondered whether this legal interpretation is too burdensome for soldiers untutored in the law. For others, as it was for Chief Justice Marshall, a superior officer or official might not order a subordinate officer to do what a superior officer is forbidden from doing. A teenager was one of two people arrested for a shotgun and seven rounds of ammunition in Pe Summary: SLAIN security officer, Jerry Winston Stuart also known as Bat and Shawn was celebrated as a father, mentor, shop steward and someone with a beautiful soul during his funeral yesterday. Fridays nationally-watched ruling by a Pima County judge allowing Arizona to enforce a ban on virtually all abortions is unlikely to end the legal fight. And what Superior Court Judge Kellie Johnson didnt say in her ruling could be as important as what she did say. The judge made it clear the June decision by the U.S. Supreme Court overturning its historic 1973 Roe v. Wade ruling means states are now free to have their own abortion laws. And in Arizona, Johnson said that means a territorial-era law outlawing most abortions, never repealed after the 1973 ruling but enjoined since then, is once again enforceable. But Johnson emphasized she was not ruling on the constitutionality of the old law, as she was dealing only with the 1973 injunction. Moreover, Johnson didnt rule on the legality of an Arizona law approved earlier this year by the Republican-controlled Legislature that allows women to terminate a pregnancy through the 15th week of gestation. All she said, in essence, is that the newer law does not supersede or replace provisions in the older one. In fact, legislators spelled out in the new law that they were not repealing the old law. But as far as Republican Gov. Doug Ducey is concerned, the 15-week law he signed earlier this year took effect as scheduled on Saturday, Sept. 24, meaning there will be two abortion laws on the books and no clear answer as to which is enforceable. He isnt the only one saying clarification is needed, if not from Johnson, then from an appellate-level court. This decision to lift the injunction on the previously enjoined abortion ban, without clarifying how Arizonas other existing laws interact with it, has created chaos and confusion, said a statement from Planned Parenthood of Arizona. That isnt the only legal issue left unsettled by Johnsons ruling, said Brittany Fonteno, the organizations president. Let me be clear, this is not the end of the fight, she said. This harmful ban has no place in Arizona and we will persist until that is achieved. The ruling means the states abortion clinics must shut down and anyone seeking an abortion will have to go out of state. The ruling took effect immediately but might be appealed. Planned Parenthood and two other large providers said they were halting abortions. Violations carry prison time The law that Johnson has now allowed Republican Attorney General Mark Brnovich to enforce traces its roots back to 1864. It makes it a crime to perform an abortion except to save the life of the mother. The law, which carries a penalty of at least two and as many as five years in state prison, has no exceptions for rape or incest. About the only change made to it in the last 158 years was a 2021 vote by lawmakers to exempt the pregnant woman from any penalty. Anyone else who performs an abortion, including doctors, remains subject to criminal charges. Lawmakers never repealed the measure even after the Supreme Court voided abortion restrictions in 1973 and even after the state Court of Appeals, citing that ruling, enjoined its enforcement. After 1973, Arizona law allowed abortions up until fetal viability, something that generally is thought to occur between weeks 22 and 24, a restriction that Roe and subsequent high court rulings allowed the state to enforce. All that changed in June when the justices overturned Roe, which had established a constitutional right to abortion, and returned the power to regulate or ban abortions outright. And Johnson, ruling on a request by Brnovich, decided that decision required her to dissolve the injunction. She rejected arguments by attorneys from Planned Parenthood that abortion restrictions passed since 1973 effectively legalized the procedure and repealed the 1864 law. Johnson specifically said that includes SB 1164, the 15-week ban approved by Arizona lawmakers earlier this year on the belief the justices would uphold a similar Mississippi law but leave Roe untouched. Nor was she willing to accept a legal theory offered by Planned Parenthood that the ban on performing abortions applies only to non-medical personnel, with doctors subject to the laxer 15-week limit. Nothing in her ruling addresses whether that 15-week law also is legal, as Ducey contends it is. While there may be legal questions the parties seek to resolve regarding Arizona statutes on abortion, those questions are not for this court to decide here, the judge wrote. Pima County Attorney Laura Conover, a Democrat who sided with Planned Parenthood in the case, said her office now will be looking at available legal remedies, though she did not spell out what those are. Aside from the 15-week law, theres also the issue of the constitutionality of the near total ban. Political reactions There have been arguments advanced that the statute runs afoul of the privacy provision of the Arizona Constitution. Kris Mayes, the Democrat candidate for attorney general, has advanced that theory and promised not to enforce the law if elected. She faces Republican Abe Hamadeh in the November election. Johnsons ruling drew criticism from a variety of sources. Much came from Democrats running for office, including gubernatorial hopeful Katie Hobbs. Hobbs and Mayes have sought to use the issue and their foes support for outlawing abortion to generate votes in what could be close general election contests. Hobbs said at a news conference Saturday that if elected governor, she will call on her first day in office for a special legislative session to repeal the abortion ban. Her rival in the November election, Republican Kari Lake, previously called abortion the execution of the baby in the mothers womb, but Lake neither issued a statement on Fridays ruling nor responded to a request for comment. Politics also figured into the condemnation of the ruling by the Committee to Protect Health Care, an association of doctors. Physicians are outraged by this court decision and the fact that Kari Lake has indicated she would work to enforce this cruel law as governor, said Dr. Cadey Harrel, a Tucson family physician and the committees Arizona state lead. This dangerous and archaic ban will take away Arizonans autonomy over their own bodies and livelihood, and put them at risk of severe health issues and even death, she said in her statement. When complications arise during pregnancy, doctors need to be able to provide the full range of treatment options, including abortion, to ensure the best outcomes for our patients. But Cathi Herrod, president of the anti-abortion Center for Arizona Policy, said there are dozens of pregnancy resource centers throughout Arizona that can provide help to women, from prenatal care and adoption support to car seats and strollers. Arizona can and will care for both mother and her unborn child, Herrod said. Brnovich also lauded the ruling. We applaud the court for upholding the will of the legislature and providing clarity and uniformity on this important issue, he said in a written statement. I have and will continue to protect the most vulnerable Arizonans. Two months after Tucson Unified School District leaders said they would make security changes throughout the district to ensure safer campuses, administrators are refusing to release details. Superintendent Gabriel Trujillo, during a back-to-school briefing with local media in late July, said the districts Safety Team was prioritizing making improvements to school campuses that dont have exterior fencing, surveillance cameras and keyless entry systems. But when the Arizona Daily Star filed a request under the states public records law for a list of schools that were missing one or more of those safety features, the district did not fulfill it. We must decline public disclosure as releasing such detailed facility security information would place schools, students, staff and visitors at risk, Robert Ross, the districts general counsel, said in an email. We take our responsibility to make public records accessible very seriously. However, we have to balance that with the responsibility for safety of our students, he wrote, citing a case law in the decision to keep the information private. He acknowledged but did not fulfill an amended public records request asking for the number of school campuses in the district that were missing one or more of the top-priority security systems. Dan Barr, a Phoenix attorney with Perkins Coie law firm whose practices include a focus on media law, said the case law cited by TUSD is about withholding information in the best interest of the state. But in this case, he said, the best interests of the state favor disclosure of the information since the request asks for broad information about school safety features, rather than a detailed roadmap of those systems on each campus. They dont have to provide schematics about where the systems are and how to get around them or how to turn them off, Barr said. But they should be able to answer whether or not theyve been installed at the schools. He added: And given the horrific events that have been going around in the country like school shootings and other things, I think parents and everybody else has a right to know whether these updated security systems have been, in fact, installed in the schools. Unfulfilled requests Following the Robb Elementary School shooting in Uvalde, Texas, the TUSD governing board voted to hire an additional six armed officers for a total of 21 armed safety employees throughout the district. Board member Adelita Grijalva, at the time, said making physical improvements to campuses was just as crucial to ensuring students and employees safety while at school. Superintendent Trujillo and Safety Team Director Joseph Hallums assured her that campus safety assessments were already in the works to determine the specific security flaws and areas of improvement needed at each campus. During the July briefing with the media, Trujillo said the district would also enact changes to schools visitation policies in time for the 2022-23 school year. Those changes, he said, were an effort to prevent incidents like a brawl at Tucson High Magnet School in May, which resulted in the arrests of a father and a teenager. Trujillo said those changes would be disclosed to the public and the media as soon as they were discussed with school principals. The Star submitted repeated requests throughout August asking for information on the districts security improvement efforts, as well as information on the changes made to the visitation policies. TUSD did not fulfill the requests. Instead, district spokeswoman Karla Escamilla provided the following statement in an email: The TUSD Governing Board has not yet discussed any changes to the districts Visitors to Campus board policies. Our schools have adjusted their procedures to ensure more oversight of who comes on their campus and where visitors can go. The TUSD School Safety Emergency Managers are visiting each campus to conduct assessments and meeting with administrators. The governing board, during its Sept. 13 meeting, discussed updating the districts visitation policy, though the changes were only about bringing procedures to par with state statute. The board did not discuss any changes spurred by the districts efforts to increase safety on campus. A pedestrian was struck and killed by in a hit-and-run collision Friday night on Tucson's north side, police said, and they are seeking information on the vehicle and its driver. Police said the man died at the scene of the 9 p.m. collision in the 2500 block of North Stone Avenue, between East Glenn Street and East Grant Road. His identity has not been released, pending notification of family members. Traffic detectives believe the man was crossing Stone Avenue, not in a crosswalk, and that a black 2015-2018 Mercedes C Class, heading south on Stone in the median lane, struck him, police said in a news release Saturday. Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 88-CRIME, and may remain anonymous, police said. Collaboration is essential among Tucsons public safety agencies and programs to ensure the right work falls into the right hands. That was the overall message from a recent two-hour long discussion between city leaders and public safety teams that covered a swath of community safety topics. The conversation came more than two years after a high profile death of a Carlos Ingram-Lopez, who died in police custody, and nine months since the Tucson City Council appointed Chad Kasmar the Police Departments chief. Hopefully well get to a point where we have a co-response or an alternative response model. If ever a Carlos Ingram-Lopez situation were to happen again, hopefully, we would have the appropriate people there to help navigate that situation, Mayor Regina Romero said. Kasmars first task from City Council after taking on the job in December was to engage with the community to find out what Tucson needs from its police department. He held more than 90 public listening sessions across a nine-month span. Community members said they want to know more about what the police department does, transparency in its operations and more resources for mental health, addiction and homelessness, Kasmar told the council. The new chief acknowledged that mistrust in the department remains an issue. Kasmar took over in the wake of several high-profile use-of-force incidents by TPD, including a former Tucson police officer who shot and killed a man in a mobilized wheelchair last year and was recently indicted on one count of manslaughter. When the community is upset, or were getting feedback both good and bad, that helps drive organizational resource deployment, Kasmar said. As were getting all this information, whether its direct, or its through council, or its our own observations out in the community, it requires us to have a plan, it requires us to deploy strategy. After approving the budget for this fiscal year, Tucson is identifying some strategies by making investments in programs to further its goal of creating a holistic community safety plan that delivers appropriate responses. This year, the city has allocated more than $17.6 million of its federal American Rescue Plan dollars to address community safety needs. The city received $136.2 million total as part of the COVID-19 relief package passed by Congress in March 2021, and plans to spend about $36.1 million in ARPA funding this fiscal year. Tucson also has nearly $150 million in excess funding it plans to invest throughout the next five years. This year, the citys putting an extra $22.6 million into its three main community safety departments: the Public Safety Communications Department, Tucson Police Department and Tucson Fire Department which totals about 46% of this years planned spending for the surplus funds. I think the situation that were in today is weve got great leadership in the public safety realm. How do we partner to utilize and take advantage of this moment in time where we have investment money and we have ARPA, said city Manager Michael Ortega. How do we take advantage of all of those pieces by working together to make the biggest impact in the community? The right hands Tucson has several public safety programs and departments, but the entryway starts at the citys Public Safety Communications Department, which houses the citys 911 call center and dispatches calls for service to Tucsons police and fire departments. But some calls for service the 911 center receives arent best suited for an armed officer or fire crew to respond to such as calls dealing with mental or behavioral health crisis. Dispatchers at the 911 center can direct such calls to crisis call takers, which are trained behavioral health specialists from Arizona Complete Health that can provide assistance to people experiencing an emergency that doesnt involve criminal activity. There are multiple pieces of that are really great, said Sharon McDonough, the public safety communications director. One is that we didnt send a cop to a call that could be escalated into something with a negative outcome. We didnt send a fire apparatus who, really, their option is to take them to a hospital but instead, we put them with a trained professional. At best, only two crisis call takers are physically present in the call center from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. every day. When crisis call takers arent present, dispatchers can direct calls to a crisis phone center. And not all calls the center receives are for genuine emergencies. McDonough said many calls the center receives start with the phrase: Its not an emergency, but. The centers received calls reporting thefts that occurred weeks ago, requesting apartment maintenance for a backed-up toilet and inquiring about electricity outages, the department said. To further address calls best suited for response from a mental health professional, as well as calls that arent emergencies, the city plans to spend $1.1 million this fiscal year to launch a new 311 program in March that will free up resources for constrained dispatchers to focus on calls for life-threatening incidents. Tucsons putting $600,000 of its ARPA dollars toward the program. The city plans to hire more staff to take 311 calls at the call center, and care coordinators currently embedded in the citys Community Safety, Health and Wellness Program will follow up with callers to identify potential solutions through city resources and nonprofit agencies. The Community Safety, Health and Wellness Program is an overarching approach to addressing the root causes of violence and crime such as poverty and lack of economic opportunity. In January, the city hired Sarah Launius, the former chief of staff for the Ward 3 Council office, to run the program. (Care coordinators) have really been designed to be able to provide a person-centered approach to help individuals in the community access the resources that they need, Launius said. Part of (the 311 system) is saying we dont necessarily need a highly trained police officer to respond to this call, but actually, maybe having someone who is able to help connect someone with a behavioral health provider. The program currently has five care coordinators who already follow up with high-volume 911 callers to identify service gaps in the city. Eventually, the 311 system will establish infrastructure to track the reasons for non-emergency calls to identify solutions to recurring issues, Launius said. Addressing root issues In his community listening sessions, Kasmar said he didnt hear much about defunding the police, a narrative thats circled amid calls for more police accountability in recent years. When it came up on rare occasion, the concerns expressed centered on proportion rather than abolition, on how the TPD budget compared to other City funding needs, Kasmar wrote in a report to City Council. The police departments budget is $204.7 million this fiscal year, which covers costs such as firearms, ballistic vests and body-worn cameras, but also other initiatives such as post-traumatic growth training for officers and violence reduction programs. I think you can apply right work with the right hands to a lot of different things, including our budgetary process, Kasmar said. Ultimately, Kasmars approach to policing centers on collaboration. Community safety is like a watch, he said, theres a lot of gears in that mechanism that all have to rotate and move together to make the arms on a watch move. I am absolutely impacted by a lot of other systems that I dont have control over. So what that requires me to do as the chief is to develop relationships, Kasmar said. I can attempt to build connections and build influence so those other systems better understand how their decisions are impacting us or contributing to a less safe community. The chief emphasizes that community safety is a collaborative process the holistic approach Tucsons mayor and council is calling for involves programs and buy-in outside of law enforcements control. While the community remains concerned about key issues such as homelessness and gun violence, it will take an all-hands-on-deck effort to come up with long-term, meaningful solutions. The general public is frustrated, understandably so, with a lot of different things. Its like treating a sick patient, you know, how do we have some quick wins and make you feel a little bit better? he said. Were making some progress by addressing the immediate symptom. But the root cause issue is a much more complex thing that takes other stakeholders to be involved in having meaningful change. Dave Foreman put words like biodiversity and extinction on the map. The former Tucsonan launched two groundbreaking environmental movements: the radicalism, civil disobedience and monkeywrenching of Earth First in the 1980s, and the rewilding movement to protect massive blocks of nature for wildlife in the decades since then. Both movements proved influential, serving as a springboard for tree-sitting protests and land planning efforts that persist today, not least the Tucson areas Sonoran Desert Conservation Plan. Foreman, who died Monday, Sept. 19, at age 75, was among the first if not the first environmental leader to conclude species and landscapes were disappearing and more sweeping actions than previously contemplated were needed to reverse those trends. For outdoors people who saw animals and plants disappearing before their eyes and were frustrated by the environmental movements increasing reliance on lawyers rather than visionaries, Earth Firsts message was a resounding one. By 1990, the anarchist group had attracted thousands of followers, from hippied-out misfits to college professors, wrote Susan Zakin, a former Tucson writer and author of a history of that movement, in an essay posted the day after his death on her web magazine, Journal of the Plague Years. Dave Foreman changed the way we thought about our country and about nature. Its not turning back the frontier and restoring Eden, but its still the best we have, Zakin wrote. Foreman died in his Albuquerque home after a several-months battle with a lung illness. He had remained involved in conservation issues until the end, advising groups such as the Rewildng Institute, which he founded as a think tank to develop longterm land conservation plans, said John Davis, the institutes director and an associate of Foremans for 37 years. Foremans conservationist career spanned half a century. But as a visionary, a redneck wilderness advocate and hell raiser, Foreman was regularly a target of sharp criticism. In the 1980s, he faced repeated charges of eco-terrorism including from some mainstream environmentalists for his advocacy of environmental direct action, going beyond civil disobedience and tree-sitting protests to tree-spiking, cutting down billboards and pouring sand into gas tanks of bulldozers, among other activities. In the late 1980s, while living in Tucson, he faced federal felony charges and a high-profile prosecution that he led a plot to destroy power lines and damage nuclear power plants charges leading to a plea deal that ultimately left only a misdemeanor conviction on his record. In the 1990s and beyond, he faced accusations of racism due to his unstinting advocacy of immigration limits in the name of population control charges he and his allies strongly denied. Back in Foremans Earth First days, Outside magazine called him arguably the most dangerous environmentalist in America. Longtime Tucson activist and former Earth Firster Kieran Suckling said last week that after spending a few years in other causes, It was when I encountered Dave Foreman and Earth First that I really found a vision that made my heart sing. Suckling and other founders of the Tucson-based Center for Biological Diversity all met as Earth Firsters. He was a great speaker, he was charismatic, he was bombastic, he was funny and he was deadly serious about the essential importance of wilderness and wildlife to the planet, and to human society, and calling people to defend them as the highest calling in life, said Suckling, director of the Center for Biological Diversity. The center came out of that vision, because we came from there. This was our origin story. This is where we learned our values, where we learned to commit, to be uncompromising, he said, although the center uses different tactics, such as litigation and lobbying. Confessions of an Eco-Warrior Born in Albuquerque, Foreman was a fourth-generation New Mexican whose family had come west in Conestoga wagons, Zakin wrote. First exposed to the wild as a Boy Scout, Foreman earned a bachelors degree from the University of New Mexico as a history major. In college in 1964, he supported arch-conservative Barry Goldwater for president and formed a UNM chapter of the conservative Young Americans Freedom. He joined the Marines after graduating during the Vietnam War, but was dishonorably discharged after a couple of months for going AWOL. Dave did not like to take orders, his associate Davis said. He stayed a registered Republican until 1980, when the election of anti-environmentalist Ronald Reagan as president convinced him Republicans were no longer interested in conservation, and he switched to the Democrats, Davis said. Starting in 1973, he worked for the Wilderness Society, as a Southwest representative and later a Washington, D.C. lobbyist, working in an office three blocks from the White House. That job triggered his alienation from the mainstream environmental movements ethos of moderation and compromise. His turning point was RARE II, a U.S. Forest Service exercise to determine which forest lands deserved wilderness protection. The service decided in 1979 to recommend protecting only 15 million of 80 million still-undeveloped forest lands. As I loosened my tie, propped my cowboy boots up on my desk and popped the top on another Strohs, I thought about RARE II and why it had gone so wrong, Foreman wrote in his his 1991 book, Confessions of an Eco-Warrior. Then-President Jimmy Carter was supposedly a great friend of wilderness and a former top Wilderness Society official was an assistant Agriculture secretary overseeing the Forest Service, he noted. But we had lost to the timber, mining and cattle interests on every point. Moreover, damn it, we the conservationists had been moderate. The anti-environmental side had been extreme, radical, emotional, their arguments full of holes. We had provided more and better serious public comment. That and internal dissatisfactions with environmental groups led Foreman and four activist friends to pour out their frustrations on a trip to northern Sonoras Pinacate Desert, later a national park. Then they drove to Foremans home in Glenwood, New Mexico, and, over a campfire, birthed the idea of forming Earth First. Linda Lewis of Tucson, then conservation chair for the Sierra Clubs Grand Canyon chapter, accompanied them, and recalled Foremans gentleness and rage as he laid out his vision. We all revered Ed Abbey, said Lewis, now Linda McNulty and board chair for the Tucson Audubon Society, speaking of the essayist-polemicist who authored The Monkey Wrench Gang about a group of eco-raiders plotting to blow up Glen Canyon Dam. He had this romantic, fierce love of the West, and we revered that. Earth First was going to be the Ed Abbey Monkey Wrench Gang in real life. Dave called himself a radical but I cant think of a word that really describes the compassion, the consideration, the feeling he had for the earth. It tore him apart when a bulldozer ripped through untouched wilderness, or a chainsaw tore down virgin forest. He felt the fight was worth having and he wasnt afraid to have it. The group called itself Earth First to sum up organizers view that in any decision, consideration for the health of the earth must come first, Foreman wrote. No compromise Earth Firsts first public activity came in 1981, when activists used three 100-by-20-foot rolls of black plastic, 1,000 feet of duct tape, and 1,000 feet of nylon rope to create a simulated crack that they poured over the face of Glen Canyon Dam, a project they viewed as an unforgivable offense against the wild for having drowned pristine wildlife habitat to create a reservoir. That drew them a lot of publicity, and the number of adherents grew quickly. One was Paul Hirt while he was a University of Arizona student from 1981 to 1992. He found refreshing Earth Firsts motto of no compromise in defense of Mother Earth, recalled Hirt, now an Arizona State University professor emeritus of history. If you are fighting environmental battles on a daily basis, you are usually losing. About all you can do is try to get some minor mitigations or compromises. It is demoralizing; youre just slowing the destruction, Hirt said. When an environmental organization comes along and says we are going to stop talking about compromise, about half a loaf, we are going to say in a moral sense, a scientific sense, what do we need to do to save nature, it was freeing, it was energizing. Through the 80s, Earth Firsts popularity mushroomed. It promoted a philosophy called deep ecology, also known as ecocentrism, said a 2018 book of that title. Ecocentric thought assumed that trees, bears, fish and grasshoppers should receive as much consideration as humans in decisions large and small about the shape of modern society, wrote author Keith Woodhouse, a Northwestern University history professor. High-profile prosecution By blockading roads, sitting in old-growth trees, filing appeals of timber sales and other steps, they stopped some timber sales in the Pacific Northwest, a gas-drilling project in Wyoming, and, temporarily, an oil drilling project in New Mexico. In one day in 1988, they held rallies, road blockades and other forms of protests at close to 100 sites across the country. Woodhouses book argued that between Earth First and more conventional environmental protests, the Forest Service slowly reined in its emphasis on industrial production or timber-cutting. The group won hundreds if not thousands of individual victories through various tactics, but the most important thing is that Earth First did what it was designed to do: shake up the environmental movement and give it some backbone, said Todd Schulke, a Center for Biological Diversity co-founder who was previously an Earth Firster. A key victory was when Earth First and others efforts saved thousands of Northern California redwoods that would have been logged, Schulke said. Tree spiking, however, proved controversial enough that eventually, Foreman himself wrote that it was time to at least reconsider it. One injury to a logger was documented from tree spiking a 1987 Northern California incident in which a loggers blade struck an 11-inch nail that had been driven into a log, causing a huge section of blade to fly off its track and hit 23-year-old George Alexander in the face. The blade tore his left cheek, cut through his jawbone, knocked out teeth and nearly severed his jugular vein, the Los Angeles Times reported. But the incident was never linked to Earth First, which took pains to always notify logging companies when it had spiked a tree, to discourage efforts to cut it, the group said. The group eventually fractured on two fronts, however. First, in 1989, the FBI arrested Foreman and four Earth First colleagues, accusing them of attempting to use a cutting torch to destroy a power line tower feeding energy for a pump station for the Central Arizona Project. They were also prosecuted for earlier damage to power poles supporting power lines that fed two uranium mines and for cutting ski-lift poles at a ski resort near Flagstaff on land the Navajo and Hopi tribes consider sacred. Foreman and others were charged with various crimes. Prosecutors alleged the action against the CAP pump station was a prelude to future efforts to topple power lines to the Palo Verde nuclear plant near Phoenix and the Diablo Canyon nuclear plant in central California, along with the Rocky Flats nuclear weapons facility near Denver. It turned out as well that one of the alleged plotters was an undercover federal agent who had infiltrated the group for more than a year, Woodhouse wrote. Most of those arrested other than Foreman had formed a separate but related group from Earth First. While the others charged received prison sentences of one month to six years, Foreman was able to plead guilty to a misdemeanor after serving five years of probation and wasnt imprisoned. Woodhouse said his detailed research into the group turned up no evidence that Foreman was actually involved in any plot to destroy power lines or nuclear plants. Nevertheless, the FBI sting helped prompt Foreman to leave Earth First by 1991, Davis said. The other factor driving Foreman from Earth First was a growing internal split between him and others who stuck to the groups founding principle of deep ecology and those who favored infusing the groups mission with more social justice activities including feminism and crusades for economic justice for nonwhites and the poor in general. Foremans view was those things are laudable goals, but theyre not what were focused on. While those issues need support, those are distinct issues needing their own groups, Davis said. The big wild Foreman co-founded the Wildlands Network in 1991, which aims to establish a network of protected wilderness areas across North America. He served on the Sierra Club board of directors for a time in the 1990s, but left after a dispute over immigration issues. In the early 2000s, he co-founded the Rewilding Institute. Its website says it seeks to promote the integration of traditional wildlife and wildlands conservation with conservation biology to advance landscape-scale conservation. It was a whole new powerful movement like Earth First, this idea its essential we protect big wildland spaces and that we need to go into every bioregion in the country and map out a connective network of the big wild, Suckling said. What Dave created was not an organization. Dave was creating ideas and movements. Foremans biggest conservation legacy was helping other conservationists realize its not enough to save small, isolated parcels of wildland, Davis said. We need to connect big wild areas, thinking big in terms of large cores, wildlife corridors, top predators, Davis said. Some specific areas in the Southwest and in the Northern Rockies have been protected due to Foremans recent efforts.The broader vision of a continuous corridor will be the work of decades and even centuries, Davis said. Divided by immigration views Foremans stance opposing immigration drew harsh criticism even from some environmental allies. Although he spoke out on this issue for many years, his views crystallized in the book Man Swarm, published in 2012, that called for immigration limits to curb U.S. population growth that he wrote could double the number of this countrys inhabitants in a century. Overpopulation is the main driver of the extinction of many kinds of wildlife, the wrecking and taming of wildlands and wild waters, and the creation of pollution, including carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, he wrote. Foreman advocated limiting immigration to the number of U.S. residents who leave the country each year, a policy that the Sierra Club had adopted in 1989 but rescinded in the 1990s after drawing huge protests. Foreman's view was that immigrants from less developed countries would improve their living standards to at least approach those of existing U.S. residents, thereby ratcheting up this country's pressure on land, water, wildlife and the climate. Foreman wrote, Were being an overflow pond for reckless overbreeding in Central America and Mexico (and for the Philippines and Africa and . . .). So long as we offer that overflow pond, there is less need to lower birth rates in those countries. He noted the World Bank reported Guatemalas fertility rate for women in 2012 was 3.8 children, far above U.S. levels. "If we quit being the relief valve for the baby swarm in Guatemala, births would have to come down," Foreman wrote. Suckling, Davis and Myles Traphagen of the Wildlands Project all disagreed strongly with Foremans immigration stance, but said they never thought he was racist. But he refused to deal with the racist implications of his plans for stopping immigration, Suckling said. Of Foremans Guatemala statements, Davis said, Dave should have realized that those words would have been construed as racist, and he should have tempered his language there. Those words come across as callous, but he would have been at least as callous in talking about white people who have big families. Overall, Foremans major emphasis was on the problem of overpopulation, not immigration, and he was far more critical of the environmental impacts of affluent U.S. residents than of Latin Americans, Davis said. Foreman also believed the U.S. needed to deal with economic and political pressures in Latin countries that were driving immigration. He also was outspokenly opposed to building a border wall, and once chided Traphagen and other younger environmentalists for not being willing to lay their bodies down to stop its construction, Traphagen said. Thats racism But Sergio Avila, a Sierra Club activist, particularly took issue with Sucklings view, saying, Its very likely that Kieran doesnt feel racism the way Indigenous people at the border feel racism. Its very likely that these people live in a bubble that doesnt allow them to see it. Its in the writings, he said of Foreman. Thats racism. Its not an opinion. Its a fact. Depriving Latino people south of the border from coming here and improving themselves is racist, Avila said. What if people coming here, bringing a different perspective on how to address climate, water management, production of food improve things, he asked. Avila himself came here in 2003 as a legal immigrant from Mexico to contribute, and I have contributed to these organizations binationally for 20 years. Besides the Sierra Club, Avila also has worked for Sky Island Alliance and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum as a biologist. Avila also took issue with some of Foremans other environmental stances. While the Rewilding Institute say it wont remove people to restore damaged landscapes, Avila contends such activities often ignore the social and cultural histories of people, particularly Indigenous people, who had lived there before. Looking at both sides, author Keith Woodhouse first praised Earth Firsts early emphasis on imperiled species and landscape protection, and noted the questions the group wrestled with about direct action and the limits of conventional environmental politics are the same questions the climate movement confronts today. Also, many ideas Foreman and his allies pushed for that were considered fringe, such as curtailing logging and dam removal, are now in place or being actively discussed today, he said. As for tree spiking, I think it hurt Earth First. It was one of the things that led to the schism in Earth First. It was not a productive strategy, Woodhouse said. He also thought it a mistake for Foreman to sideline social issues and act as if they were completely separate from environmental issues when they werent, he said. I consider Earth First to be an important part in the history of conservation in the U.S. and an important influence, warts and all, on modern environmentalism, he said. Katie Hobbs, Democratic candidate for Arizona Governor, made the right call for a Clean Elections Commission town-hall event rather than a TV debate with her MAGA Republican opponent. When a debate is a regulated discussion," it plays an important role in the democratic process by helping voters make informed choices. But the June GOP primary debate was an uncontrolled debacle that became a national embarrassment for Arizona. Hobbs MAGA Republican opponent sees a debate as a platform for spreading MAGA mayhem. Like a bad SNL skit, she continues to spout election conspiracy lies and claims that the 2020 election was stolen despite countless court decisions and a GOP audit of Maricopa County ballots that proved her wrong. If Hobbs agreed to a traditional debate, her opponent would have sowed seeds of chaos in our democracy. Take it from life-long Republican Rusty Bowers who recently stated that if Arizonans elect MAGA Republicans, they will make it easier to overturn elections and lead the country towards fascism. The sights, smells and spanakopita associated with the annual Tucson Greek Festival will not be present along East Fort Lowell Road this year. The property owned by St. Demetrios Greek Orthodox Church, home to the Greek Festival for more than 45 years, was auctioned off in August. A new church and event center are being built at 3939 N. Alvernon Way, but church leaders are holding off on hosting the festival again until construction is complete. The last few years have been hard on Greek cuisine with the closure of The Greek House and Fronimos Greek Cafe on East Speedway, and Pelio Grill on East University Boulevard. But there are still a few spots in town where one can feast on tasty Greek-style dolmades, gyros, lamb and chicken dishes. Here are some spots where you can still eat like a Greek. Santorini Greek Cafe 2545 E. Speedway, greektucson.com Authenticity is key at Santorini Greek Cafe, named for the Greek island known for its cliff-side homes and stunning views in every direction. The view from the cafe is a little less stunning an Eegees and the Old Peking Chinese Restaurant across a very busy East Speedway but our guess is that youll probably be too busy feasting on owner Fatos Foti Alushajs culinary creations to even notice. Alushaj learned the ins-and-outs of traditional Greek cooking in Athens and Crete before moving to Tucson six years ago. He also worked at several Tucson restaurants, including the now-closed Athens on Fourth, before opening Santorini in March 2021. One of his signature dishes is an authentic Greek gyro, which is made with chicken or pork. When you are in Greece, that is what you are going to find, Alushaj said. Gyros made with chicken or pork. I also make my own tzatziki. Santorini has a beef and lamb meat gyro, too, as well as all of the staples: lamb chops, eggplant-based moussaka, soutzoukakia (meatballs in tomato sauce). All food is ordered at the register and brought to your table. Santorinis is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Monday-Saturday. Opas Best Greek American Cuisine 4950 E. Broadway, facebook.com/opasbesttucson It can be a challenge finding a time in the day when Opas Best is not busy. This spacious Greek restaurant, located in what was once Zivaz Mexican Bistro on East Broadway, is a hive of activity during its lunch and dinner hours. Guests are served free pita, hummus and tzatziki (Opas version of chips and salsa) when they sit down. Portion sizes are generous, with meat and vegetarian options, including chicken souvlaki, gyro platters, lamb chops and hummus wraps, available. The lunch menu is expansive and the dinner menu is even bigger. Regular orders of flaming saganaki, Greek kasseri cheese with brandy and lemon, set ablaze at your table, keep faces warm when the temperature drops outside. Opas Best, which has been in business since 2018, also has a selection of Greek beers and wines to enjoy, in addition to some Greek-inspired cocktails. For some truly Greek flavor, try Opas Best Fix cocktail, with ouzo, fresh-squeezed lemon juice, triple sec and Angostura bitters. Opas Best is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Opas Grill 500 N. Fourth Ave., opasgrill.com If you like the food Opas Best provides, but find yourself closer to downtown, you can visit their second location, Opas Grill, which opened a year ago in the old Athens on Fourth space on North Fourth Avenue. Owner Qais Papoutsis told the Star in 2020 that Opas Grill filled a void that Athens left when it closed. Register for more free articles. Log in Sign up Every town you go to, downtown has a good Greek restaurant for many years, he said. The second location shares Opas Best menu with perhaps a little more ambience; a place where the nearby University of Arizona kids can take their parents when mom and dad come for a visit. Opas Grill is open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday-Saturday. Its Greek To Me 15920 N. Oracle Road, itsgreektomecatalina.com Geographically, Its Greek To Me is the Thessaloniki (Greeces second largest city) of Tucson-area Greek restaurants, located on the far north end of Pima County in Catalina. Thats good for the folks in Oro Valley, Saddlebrooke and northern unincorporated Pima County, who dont have to travel far to get their Greek cuisine fix. The restaurant has had several owners over the last 20 years, but is currently helmed by the husband-and-wife team David and Kaitlyn dAuteuil, former employees who met while working there. The dAuteuils were dismayed when they heard the restaurant had been shuttered. We had a lot of memories there, said David dAuteuil. We both loved the restaurant and couldnt believe it was closed. We thought there was no way this place shouldnt be here. The community always loved it. The couple signed the lease and reopened using some of the Greek recipes that they had learned during their time as employees. Five years later, and the dAuteuils are seeing steady business, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. We always recommend reservations, David dAuteuil said. People really responded well and have been supporting us ever since. Its Greek To Me describes itself on its website as a scratch kitchen, with seafood (salmon, diver scallops, fishermans stew) and gluten-free options, as well as Greek pastries. Have a plate of pastitsio braised ground beef baked with pasta then topped with bechamel and braised lamb shank sauce then share a dessert, perhaps a baklava or sokolatopita chocolate cake soaked in a butter brandy sauce, and served with berries and cream with your loved one. David dAuteuil said the grilled octopus has been a fan favorite at the restaurant. The seafood medley, with fresh fish, prawns, clams and mussels simmered in a butter-wine broth, with sun dried tomatoes, artichoke hearts, black olives and spinach over pasta, is another, Kaitlyn dAuteuil said. It was a special we started doing on the weekends, she added. It became so popular, we made it a regular menu item. Its Greek to Me is open from noon to 7 p.m. Tuesday-Saturday. Pappoule's 7475 N. La Cholla Blvd., pappoules.com Pappoule's has roots as far back as 1982, thanks to John and Angeline Cotsones, according to the eatery's website. The first location was in Tucson Mall's food court, but it's now located at Foothills Mall. The avgolemono, an egg lemon soup with rice and chicken, is #ThisIsTucson food writer Ellice Lueders' favorite soup in all of Tucson. Its the most popular dish in Greece and its popular here, owner Chris Cotsones said last year. Its warm, rich and it makes you feel good when you eat it. You really taste that Greek love. Pappoule's is open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday-Thursday; 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday-Saturday; temporarily closed Sundays. Vietnam among 10 best destinations for Germans to escape winter: news site The German travel news site reisereporter.de has listed Vietnam among the ten most charming destinations for German holiday-makers to explore and escape the upcoming winter in Europe. According to a recent article posted on the site, Vietnam is one of the 10 most beautiful destinations that tourists should consider when planning a faraway trip for themselves and their families. Ha Long Bay The author considered Vietnam a country of cultural treasures and spectacular scenery, adding that it has over 3,000 km of coastline with diverse and rich nature. Coming to Vietnam, visitors can immerse themselves in the vibrant life of the capital of Hanoi or the southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City. In addition, Hoi An, the capital of lanterns in Vietnam, is also definitely worth a visit. The article advised visitors to begin their journey with trips through endless green paddy fields or national rainforest parks. Those who want to go to the beach were recommended to come to Nha Trang city, which houses vibrant beaches, modern resorts, and luxury shops, or relax with unspoiled nature on Phu Quoc island. The author also mentioned the mysterious Ha Long Bay in the north, which is endowed with countless limestone mountains and small islands, and the Hai Van pass, which divides Vietnam's climate into two regions of the tropical South and the subtropical North. Other destinations on the list were Chile, Florida (the US), Cuba, Morocco, Mexico, Panama, Sri Lanka, Tasmania (Australia) and Abu Dhabi (the UAE). Two of the most acclaimed and prolific composers of the Classical Era will be featured when the Tulsa Symphony Orchestra presents the first in its series of Chamber Orchestra concerts at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 2, at the Lorton Performance Center on the University of Tulsa campus, 550 S. Gary Ave. The concert will focus on the music of Franz Joseph Haydn, whose work was foundational in establishing such now-familiar forms as the symphony, the string quartet and the piano trio; and Joseph Bologne, the Chevalier de Saint-Georges, a French-Creole violin virtuoso and composer who is considered the first major composer of African ancestry and who was known as the Black Mozart. Haydn and Bolognes paths crossed around 1784, when Bologne was the music director of a large orchestra in Paris and commissioned Haydn to compose a set of symphonies for the ensemble. The resulting works, the Symphonies No. 82-87, were logically dubbed Haydns Paris Symphonies. One of those works, the Symphony No. 83 in G Minor, subtitled La Poule, or The Hen, will be performed at Sundays concert, along with Haydns Cello Concerto No. 1 in C Major. Brinton Smith will be the cello soloist with Matthew Hallis serving as guest conductor. The concert will also feature two works by Bologne, his Chevalier Symphonies No. 1 and No. 3. Tickets are $15-$65. 918-584-3645, tulsasymphony.org. Characters at Spotlight Theater Life seems a little weird to Jessica. Its not just the usual feelings of disassociation that assail just about every 17-year-old. Everything seems a little over the top, such as her siblings fascination with fencing the thrust-and-parry kind, not the white picket kind. Its only when Jessica realizes that what she believes to be her real life is actually a play in which she has the leading role that she begins to understand whats going on and fuels her determination to find her place in a real world and take control of her own destiny. The Spotlight Childrens Theater will present Characters with performances 7:30 p.m. Friday, Sept. 30 and Oct. 7, and 2 p.m. Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 1-2 and 8-9, at the theater, 1381 Riverside Drive. Tickets are $10-$12. tulsaspotlighttheater.com. Art in the Square Utica Square will hosts its annual Art in the Square, 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 1, with local artists displaying and selling their works throughout the shopping center at 21st Street and Utica Avenue. Artists working in such media as watercolor and oil painting, stained glass, pottery, sculpture, woodturning and other disciplines will be on hand to talk about their work. The younger set can take part in the Kids Art Alley for face painting, character photo ops and hands-on activities. Tulsa Artist Fellowship expands program The Tulsa Artist Fellowship is expanding its open-call award program, beginning with artists chosen for 2024. Ten artists will be chosen for a three-year term, using that time to complete a proposed art project. Awardees must relocate to Tulsa, where they will be provided with living and studio space, as well as an annual stipend. Applications will open Jan. 18, 2023. For more information: tulsaartistfellowship.org. Featured video: Every day, it seems, a different news story focuses on the economic fallout and COVID-19-related crises affecting another segment of American society. Small-business entrepreneur and Cherokee artist Brandi Lee knows the trials and tribulations all too well. The owner of Agitsi Stained Glass at 3417 S. 113th West Ave. in Sand Springs, Lee signed the lease on her shop in February 2020 and opened soon after just as the pandemic was reaching a fever pitch in Oklahoma. A third-generation stained-glass artist, she quickly got creative about how to make enough money to pay the rent at Agitsi, which is pronounced ah-GEE'-chee and means my mother in Cherokee. Lee sells supplies for making stained glass. She offers adult and youth classes in making stained glass. She does custom stained-glass work as well as repairs. And she has a retail space for her own works of art and those by other Native artisans. A hot seller continues to be the agitsi feather, a beaded, stained-glass feather that has become her signature item. Everything in the gift shop, whether made by Lee or by another of the Native artists whose work she sells on consignment, is made by hand and TERO-certified, which means a tribe or tribal entity guarantees the authenticity of the artist and craftsmanship. When its labeled Native American art (with TERO certification), you can assume youre buying from a Native artist, she said. It might seem like Lee has a lot of irons in the fire, with the classes, the retail side of the operation and the custom orders, but its the very diversity of Agitsi Stained Glass that has helped keep the store afloat during tough economic times. I still dont have a paycheck, Lee said, adding that people really arent buying a whole lot of art right now. But the studio has carried itself. And when the classes slowed down, (interest in) the supplies increased. Lee, however, has never slowed down. She got active in the Stained Glass Guild of Oklahoma, becoming its president We went from about six members to 65 because Im a good cheerleader and she got involved with Our Native American Business Network. The national organization works with Native American, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian communities to support and empower aspiring entrepreneurs through curriculum and training. Lee has attended four ONABEN seminars around the country, and ONABEN named her store its 2021 Woman Owned Business of The Year. Its her budding business acumen, in fact, that will be leading Lee next year to a new location the Art Emporium 66 at 2615 W. 40th Place, right off Southwest Boulevard in Tulsas Red Fork District. I love Sand Springs and really wanted to stay here, she said, but (being on) Route 66 will give us the opportunity to be in a tourism area, especially during the run-up to the 2026 centennial celebration of the Mother Road. Weve outgrown this space, and we really dont get any foot traffic here, she said. But its been a great place to grow. Sand Springs is Tulsas best-kept secret. Lee said the plan is to finish out here and have a good Christmas sale and then move in January. She said shes also looking forward to a new burst of creativity. Stained glass has been used throughout our culture to tell stories, she said. Specifically, Lee has in mind works that will feature Selu, the corn goddess, and Uktena, a horned serpent. Theres all kinds of Cherokee folklore that I want to tell through my pieces, she said. I cant wait to get started. Our local farmers markets may slow down a bit during the months of October and November, but pecan season is just starting. The pecans storied past predates our countrys founding, yet pecans have become embedded into American traditions, culture and cuisine. What would Thanksgiving dinner be without pecan pie? Dont worry one local grower says it is going to be a good year for the coveted nut. American growers produce over 80% of the worlds pecan supply, an annual crop yielding about 300 million pounds, according to the American Pecan Council. Bob Knight, owner of Knight Creek Farms and a former president of the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association, estimates that Oklahomas harvest alone averages 20 million pounds of pecans each year. Pecans, both native and cultivated, are grown commercially in 15 states in the southern U.S., with the majority coming from Georgia, Texas, Louisiana and Oklahoma. All varieties derive from the native pecan, which grew wild in North America for millions of years. It takes seven to 10 years before a pecan tree begins producing a supply of nuts, but once the process starts, the tree can produce for a very long time, sometimes more than 100 years. There are over 500 varieties of pecans, but several fare particularly well in our Oklahoma weather. All modern pecan cultivars are grown at a USDA research station in Sommerville, Texas, with many varieties named after Indian tribes. Pawnee and Kanza are two favorites and grow well here, Knight said. Knight Creek Farms consists of 15 farms, groves and patches in Creek County. We harvest native pecans as well as cultivated varieties Knight said. We harvest more off the farm than on it. But the Pawnee and Kanza varieties that are grown on the farm are the award-winners that customers covet. In a good native year, we harvest more native than cultivated, Knight said. All the trees are loaded right now, so it looks like a good year. Native pecans continue to grow wild in Oklahoma, and over 140,000 acres are harvested throughout the state. The pecans are smaller, but some of our customers think they are the greatest in the world, Knight said. One preconception about native pecans is that they are hard to shell and the nutmeat is smaller. There are two shelling operations in Oklahoma with mechanized crackers, air separators and optical sorters. This makes the process fast and accurate, and the machines can shell 50,000 pounds of pecans in a day. In a wild population, each tree is its own variety, Knight said. When pecans are harvested from native trees, the nuts are combined. This means that no bag of native pecans will ever be the same. The paper shell varieties are bred to be more uniform and are more productive per acre but require more management irrigation and pest control to keep them alive. In addition to growing and harvesting award-winning pecans (the Knight Creek Farms Pawnee pecans have won Best in Show at the Oklahoma Pecan Growers Association State Pecan Show), Knight Creek Farms is working closely with researchers at Oklahoma State University to ensure the best practices are utilized in pecan horticulture and environmental management. Knight Creek Farms also received a grant this year from the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry to help educate the public about native pecans. Knight sponsored a dinner benefiting the Tulsa Farmers Market, where six local chefs showcased dishes that included native pecans and other Oklahoma-grown ingredients. The pecan harvest in Oklahoma kicks in during October and continues through the weeks leading up to Thanksgiving, undoubtedly one of the most popular pecan-cooking days of the year. During pecan season, Knight Creek Farms bring the freshly harvested pecans from the orchard daily to its shop at 8408 S. Elwood Ave. The pecans are also available at the Cherry Street Farmers Market during market season. But there is no reason to limit this Oklahoma legacy to pecan pie try an Oklahoma version of baklava, the Greek pastry typically made with walnuts, by switching to pecans and using locally made honey. Or blend up a hearty and rich soup with pecans in a dish inspired by the classic cream of chestnut soup. Oklava Makes several dozen individual squares 1 cups sugar cup honey 2 teaspoons lemon juice 1 3-inch cinnamon stick 1 pounds (24 ounces) finely chopped pecans 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon teaspoon ground cloves 1 16-ounce package frozen phyllo, thawed 2 sticks unsalted butter, melted 1. Combine 1 cup of the sugar, the honey, lemon juice and cinnamon stick with 1 cup water in a saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer until the sugar has dissolved. Cool the syrup completely. This step can be done up to a day ahead. 2. Heat oven to 350 degrees with a rack in the center. In a large bowl, toss the pecans with remaining 1/2 cup sugar and ground cinnamon. 3. Brush a 9-by-13-inch baking pan with melted butter. 4. Place 8 phyllo sheets in the pan, brushing each sheet with melted butter before laying the next. Top with 2 cups pecan mixture. 5. Place 3 phyllo sheets over the pecan mixture, brushing each with melted butter. Top with 2 cups pecan mixture. 6. Repeat with 3 more phyllo sheets and the remaining 2 cups pecan mixture. 7. Top with 6 phyllo sheets, brushing all but the top layer with melted butter. 8. Using a very sharp knife, cut the layers either diagonally into 1-inch diamonds or into squares. 9. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the pan from the oven and pour the honey syrup evenly over the layers. Set aside to cool completely in the pan. When cool, cut through the layers again. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 4 days. Cream of Pecan Soup Makes 1 quart 2 tablespoons roasted pecan oil, plus more for drizzling cup finely chopped shallots 1 medium carrot, finely chopped 1 stalk celery, finely chopped cup brandy 8 ounces local pecans, toasted 4 cups whole milk, warmed cup heavy cream teaspoon nutmeg teaspoon cayenne pepper Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste 1. Heat oil over medium low heat in a large saucepan until shimmering. Add the shallots, carrot and celery and cook until the shallots are translucent, about five minutes. 2. Add the brandy and cook until the alcohol has cooked out, two to three minutes. 3. Add the toasted pecans and cook, stirring so they dont burn, for two to three minutes. Stir in the milk and cream and bring the mixture just to a simmer. Add nutmeg, cayenne pepper, salt and black pepper. Continue to simmer gently for 10 minutes. 4. Remove the pan from the heat and puree the mixture with an immersion blender or conventional blender until completely smooth. Return to low heat, stirring until heated through. Adjust the consistency with a bit more milk if desired and add additional salt and pepper if needed. Serve drizzled with a bit of pecan oil. 50 things we're loving about Tulsa in 2022 The fashion merchandising program at Oklahoma State University is shaking up the fashion world by providing its students unique learning opportunities both in and outside of the classroom. Whether theyre planning music-inspired photo shoots at OSUs satellite campus in New Mexico, designing content for the programs student-run magazine or working behind the scenes to plan all the intricacies that go into a fashion show, students working in the fashion merchandising program are gaining important knowledge that translates into real-world skills in the fashion industry. Our students are always pushing us to look at things in new and different ways, said Cosette Joyner Martinez, associate professor of visual communication in the Department of Design Housing and Merchandising at OSU. Were connected to an industry where were always reinventing something, so to work with young people who do that kind of work is so exciting. The students learn the many ins and outs of the fashion industry, including much of the work that goes into creating and presenting a product to consumers, Martinez said. OSU's fashion merchandising students are taught the science of textiles, the complexities of product distribution, the process of creating a story for a brand to facilitate customer connection, the planning needed to achieve a fashion companys financial goals and much more, Martinez said. Our fashion merchandising program is shaped around helping students understand the product itself and everything it takes to get that product to the customer from start to finish, Martinez said. Fashion merchandising students have diverse interests, Martinez said. Many graduates of the program pursue careers as fashion buyers, product developers or brand managers in the e-commerce space, while others choose to specialize in digital marketing, web content creation or personal styling. Whats exciting about our degree is how fundamentally versatile it is, Martinez said. Having a broad skill set makes our students very marketable because they can bend and flex and do a lot of different things in their careers. With the skills taught in the classroom and the hands-on learning experiences facilitated by OSU, the fashion merchandising program seeks to provide students with an unparalleled educational experience that will allow them to make a positive impact on the fashion industry. We try to impart to students that every decision we make in fashion affects the environment and other human beings theres a real responsibility in the choices we make, Martinez said. In our curriculum, were on a journey with students to figure out how to keep this $3 trillion dollar industry moving in a direction that connects people and helps them find their own personal expression in a healthy, positive way. Workshop in Taos, New Mexico This past May, several fashion merchandising students traveled to the Doel Reed Center in Taos, New Mexico, for a two-week learning experience in editorial styling, led by Martinez. The center is located in the former home and studio of Doel Reed, a noted printmaker and founding chair of OSU's art department. Donated to OSU by Martha Reed, Doel's daughter, the center is fulfilling her vision of an educational community that is befitting of her father's work and legacy. During the two weeks they were there, students were preparing for a photo shoot, and they learned everything from developing a visual narrative to learning to see through a photographers lens, Martinez said. In order to find inspiration for their projects, students were asked to select a rock n roll album and redesign its cover. They sourced their own models, garments and props and scouted locations to reimagine iconic album covers such as Princes Purple Rain, Led Zeppelins Houses of the Holy and newer releases like WILLOWs self-titled 2019 album. Throughout the two weeks, students played multiple roles in the creative process, assisting and modeling for each others shoots while learning to communicate with a professional photographer, Kelly Kerr. They learned post-production techniques that allowed them to create their final product: a vinyl album or CD package. The cultural landscape of northern New Mexico allowed students to gain a new perspective and find inspiration from the natural environment of the desert and the history of the land itself, Martinez said. It was an ideal location to help students learn about narrative it's a place where theres a collision of cultures from those that are Indigenous to a variety of colonizers, Martinez said. It brought students attention to how stories are shaped based on ones cultural perspective. They took in the incredible landscape of mountains and deserts and were able to draw upon the aesthetics of the environment, and also the themes that underpin that place, from artistic expression to lack of representation. modmuze Magazine modmuze is the fashion merchandising programs student-run fashion and lifestyle magazine, which serves as an opportunity to give students creative freedom while teaching them different facets of fashion journalism, photography, editorial styling and more, Martinez said. Students do everything to bring the magazine to life, from the images, the layout and advertising to the writing, Martinez said. We love to connect students to real-world experiences, so the magazine is a place where we really see the rubber hit the road. The magazine is published three times each school year and involves students from a host of majors and disciplines, in addition to fashion merchandising. Each magazine has a theme and consists of articles and photo spreads dedicated to trends within the fashion industry, as well as style and beauty tips and personal essays from student writers. This Aprils issue touched on the changing landscape of the fashion industry, said modmuze editor-in-chief Faith Bollom, a senior at OSU. Were talking about the cultural reset in fashion: Things are changing, and our generation is becoming the leaders of the fashion industry and deciding whats in and whats out, Bollom said. The magazine talks about being less afraid of what you want to wear and wearing whatever you want to, which hasnt always been the norm. Through the hands-on process of creating a magazine from start to finish, students are able to take their skills learned in the classroom and apply them in a realistic setting, Bollom said. Its given me a creative outlet and an opportunity to fine-tune my leadership skills, Bollom said. Its completely shown me that the things Ive learned being editor-in-chief are going to be useful in the future as a career. Euphoria Fash ion Show Each year, OSUs Department of Design, Housing and Merchandising hosts the Euphoria Fashion Show, an event featuring collections created by students specializing in fashion design. This years show featured designs covering a wide range of themes and subject matter, from Chinese streetwear-inspired garments to clothing created using recycled metals and plastics meant to shed light on marine pollution. Students help plan the event in a fashion show production class, where they select a venue for the show, choose music for models to walk to, create marketing and promotional materials for advertising and design the event program, ensuring the show flows smoothly from beginning to end. The class allows students to get hands-on experience producing an event that they may draw on in their future careers in the fashion industry, Martinez said. 50 things we're loving about Tulsa in 2022 When Oklahoma actor Wes Studi was presented an Academy Award for career achievement in 2019, it was important and meaningful to include historical context. Studi, who is Cherokee, became the second Indigenous person from North America to be honored with an Oscar. The first was was Cree musician Buffy Sainte-Marie, a Canadian who, in 1983, won an Oscar for co-writing the song Up Where We Belong. Confirmed: Studi is up where he belongs on theater screens and on television screens. Studi was asked during a phone interview if there was anything he watched as a youth that made him yearn to be on the screen. There was never any exact moment like that, but I did ask about Jay Silverheels. I used to watch The Lone Ranger on television as a young man. I once asked my dad if we could do something like that, be on TV. He said, No, I dont think so. Most of the people on TV are like 6-foot tall and blond-haired and blue-eyed. And I pretty much took that as probably not. But I did enjoy seeing Jay Silverheels (as Tonto). He was the anomaly. He was not the regular thing. At that time, I guess maybe he and Chief Dan George were about the only real Natives that were working in show business well, not the only ones who were working, but (they were) identifiably so as actors. Now Studi is part of the critically acclaimed and groundbreaking series Reservation Dogs, which features Indigenous creatives in front of and behind the camera. Studi debuted as the character Bucky in the fifth episode of season one, and he returned to help launch season two. Reservation Dogs is shot primarily in Okmulgee and is centered on four Indigenous youths Elora Danan (Devery Jacobs), Bear Smallhill (DPharaoh Woon-A-Tai), Willie Jack (Paulina Alexis) and Cheese (Lane Factor) who hatch a plan to leave rural Oklahoma and head to California. If you grew up in small-town Oklahoma, you might feel like you grew up with some of these characters. Absolutely, Studi said. In a way, it was what I decided to do, which was to leave Oklahoma and go to L.A. back when I was younger. Studi made his trip west in pursuit of an acting dream realized. He has appeared in more than 40 films, including Dances With Wolves, The Last of the Mohicans, Geronimo: An American Legend, Heat, Avatar, Hostiles and A Love Song, a July release that gave him an opportunity to play a romantic lead. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, when announcing Studi had been selected for an honorary Oscar, credited him for portraying strong Native American characters with poignancy and authenticity. Studi is Nofire Hollow authentic. Nofire Hollow is between Tahlequah and Stilwell. His family had allotments there. Thats where I spent the first five years of my life, he said. It was in the 1940s, so it was a matter of no electricity, no running water. We lived off the land, more or less. I think the only things we bought from the stores at that time were the staples like flour, sugar, salt and that kind of thing. It was definitely a different lifestyle, depending on how old you are. Cherokee was his first language. A 2021 GQ profile said Studi was sent to school in Muskogee when he was 5 and, after he returned for the summer, he had to ditch English and re-embrace his Native language. Said Studi in the profile: There I am in my grandmothers house and my grandmother looked at me after I said something in English and said, Oh, no, we dont speak that. Not in my house. Studi said his family didnt have electricity and running water until after his father got back from Korea. The family relocated from Nofire Hollow to little towns north of Tulsa. His father was a ranch worker. Korea was his dads war. Vietnam awaited Wes. After attending Chilocco Indian School (his vocational major was dry cleaning, according to U.S. Veterans Magazine), Studi enlisted at age 17 in the Oklahoma National Guard. He volunteered for active service and spent 12 months in Vietnam. It was suggested to Studi during the phone interview that volunteering seems brave or gutsy. Hes not sure about that, but on one hand, I wanted to see what it was like to actually live out the stories that I heard returning veterans tell while I was stationed in Fort Benning, Georgia. I was in a company of mostly returning people from Vietnam, and they just had so many stories that they were able to tell, both tragic and lighthearted, as well. It was just something that I wound up kind of testing myself. 'What would I do in that kind of a situation' is what I kept asking myself, so the only way to find out was to go over there and see. And so I did. So he put his life at risk to satisfy curiosity? Well, luckily I came back OK fairly OK, he said. In 2018, one year before Studis honorary Oscar, the Academy Awards needed someone to go on stage during the awards ceremony and pay tribute to veterans. That someone was Studi. A montage of scenes from military movies was shown. He spoke about his Vietnam service and said this: As a veteran, I am always appreciative when filmmakers bring to the screen stories of those who have served. Over 90 years of the Academy Awards, a number of movies with military themes have been honored at the Oscars. Lets take a moment to pay tribute to these powerful films that shine a great spotlight on those who have fought for freedom around the world. Veterans werent the only folks who appreciated Studis words. So did Cherokees. Heres why: He concluded by speaking in Cherokee. The Cherokee Nation (Studi once worked for the Cherokee Nation) followed with a tweet that provided a translation: Hello. Appreciation to all veterans & Cherokees whove served. Thank you! Studi was amazed at how much positive feedback was generated by what he said at the Oscars. Cherokees were thrilled to hear their language spoken on Hollywoods biggest night. Studi, a proponent of Native rights, gravitated to activism after returning from Vietnam. The GQ profile said he joined hundreds of other activists at the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota. Wounded Knee was occupied for 71 days as a protest against rez conditions. The GQ story said Studi was intercepted by federal agents while on a decoy mission and was jailed. Studis post-war activism also included joining a 1972 Trail of Broken Treaties march on Washington, D.C., and standing up against a proposed Black Fox nuclear power plant in Oklahoma. Those things got me on the FBIs list for a while, Studi told the Tulsa World in 2019. I came back to Oklahoma, and I had a house in Tulsa after Wounded Knee, and I could walk outside in the morning and see this car parked outside. After a while Id wave at the guys. They were keeping an eye on me, and on others who were arrested at Wounded Knee. Acting didnt become part of Studi's story until the 1980s. If you can believe everything you read on the Internet, he got involved in theater (A) because a friend suggested it would be a good place to meet girls or (B) he needed a school credit. Both are true, Studi said. I was at a point where I wanted to meet different people. I was kind of changing my life from living over in Tahlequah to living in Tulsa. My friend Jay WhiteCrow was part of the American Indian Theater Company at the time, which was growing. Within a year, or maybe two, was when they were able to actually mount an equity show (Black Elk Speaks) with David Carradine and Will Sampson. Studi was in the cast of the show, which he said ran for a number of weeks at the Performing Arts Center, which means his first paid gig was in downtown Tulsa. Studis appetite was whetted for something bigger than community theater. He did the Rez Dogs thing and trekked to California. Probably the worst critic of that move would have been my own self, simply because of the fear of failure, he said. I think one of the first things that ever popped in my mind when I was even thinking about going out there was that I could go out there, find no work and then have to come back home with my tail between my legs. The opposite occurred. Studi beat the odds and became a working, successful actor. Luck and opportunity is what I think happened, he said. It turned out to be a good time in terms of there being productions and the fact that I had prepared myself to a certain extent. I had only done two things in front of a camera before going to L.A. ... In a way that sort of prompted me to go out there and see if there was anything I could do out there. Take a chance. See if I could do it rather than the rest of my life saying what if I had? Thats essentially it. When did he know he could do this? He laughed and said, Im not sure I know it yet. After each and every job, its still the same old thing, I think, in terms of 'will I ever work again?' But its just a part of being an actor is that uncertainty that many times brings itself on. And I am happy for that. Studi credits The Last of the Mohicans as being a game-changer in his career. His performance as Magua was buzzworthy. He earned a most promising actor nomination from the Chicago Film Critics Association That year, I was even on the Academy Awards betting list, Studi said. Tulsa World film writer Michael Smith wrote in 2011 that Studi should have secured a best supporting actor nomination for his work in The Last of the Mohicans. Wrote Smith: Michael Manns take on the James Fenimore Cooper novel set during the French and Indian War was overlooked at Oscar time in multiple categories, and perhaps none more so than Studis frightening, tragic character of Magua, the duplicitous Huron Indian guide. Continuing, Smith said the role required an Indigenous actor, but it fits the test of any deserving Academy Award-nominated performance: Its impossible to imagine anyone else in this role, and the film wouldnt be of the same caliber without Studi, the Cherokee County native who began acting in community theater in Tulsa. Studi finally got his Oscar when the Academy saluted his body of work in 2019. His career came full circle when he was asked to be part of Reservation Dogs, co-created by Taika Waititi and Tulsa filmmaker Sterlin Harjo. Studi lives in the Santa Fe area and got to return to home turf to play Bucky. Studi said Reservation Dogs is a giant step forward for Indigenous representation on television, especially the kind of show that it is. Its a dramedy. Its a coming-of-age kind of story about some young people that are surrounded by familiars." Remember: When Studi was young, he looked for Natives on TV and saw Tonto. The world of "Reservation Dogs" is populated with an all-Indigenous cast. "Those of us that are Native, we have never seen this on screen before," Studi said. "And here we are in 2022. It took awhile. Tulsa World Scene podcast: What 'Reservation Dogs' means to Native Americans and Oklahoma Having been born and raised in McAlester, I would sometimes take trips with my family to Robbers Cave State Park in Wilburton. I have vivid memories as a child of seeing the hilly woodlands of the San Bois Mountains of southeast Oklahoma. I remember seeing the lake for the first time and hearing the splash of the water and families having fun on a weekend. The area is full of pine trees and monolithic rocks, but, of course, I remember being told the stories of why Robbers Cave was famous. Since my dad and I loved watching westerns on television, you can imagine the eyes of a little boy hearing Robbers Cave was famous for being a former hideout for outlaws such as the Daltons, Jesse James and Belle Starr! While the massive rocks of Robbers Cave truly stand as a testament to time and never change, through the years, change does occur. Renovations can bring about those changes, and here are a few of those important changes at Robbers Cave State Park. The park office has moved and will be located in the lodge for the foreseeable future. The lodge has been undergoing substantial renovations and will be opening in the near future. Once open, lodge and cabin guests will be able to check in at the new park office, which will be at 2084 NW 146th Road, Wilburton. But because of limited access from the entrance gateway and parking lot size, the park has requested RV guests now proceed directly to their site rather than risk damage to their camping rig by driving through the lodge parking lot for check-in. Having the park office in the lodge allows us to more centrally serve all our guests, whether they are camping, in an RV, cabin or tent, said park manager Bobby Braly. Were very excited to have everyone out to see the new lodge after it opens this fall and enjoy this magical season in the park. Firewood will be available at the park office and at the camp store down by Lake Carlton, where guests can also pick up basic groceries, camping essentials and souvenirs. Robbers Cave also offers a few other unique stays, such as a covered wagon and yurts. And remember, fishing in general is offered year-round at Robbers Cave, but during the winter months through mid-March, there is trout fishing on the lower stream. Want to see this countryside the way the outlaws did? Then take a trail ride! It is one thing to enjoy Robbers Cave or any state park in the summer. But if you have never taken the time to visit as temperatures cool, leaves change and fall gently takes hold, you are really missing out on what can be an incredibly relaxing getaway or vacation! For a list of all the state parks, their accomodation options, and activities, go to travelok.com. It wasnt long after the COVID-19 pandemics initial surge that doctors who help youths manage their weight began to notice a definite difference. We had to do virtual visits for a while, but when they came back in, many of our kids had doubled their gains, said Dr. Ashley Weedn, an OU Health pediatrician who directs the Healthy Futures Weight Management Clinic at Oklahoma Childrens Hospital. Kids that were gaining 20 pounds per year were suddenly gaining 40 to 50 pounds. It didnt take an expert, Weedn added, to understand what was happening. Without school and that structure, they were on their screens at home, not moving, eating not healthy food, she said. And then there was just the increased stress, which also contributes. The eventual return to normal school days and routines has helped, she said. But with the issue back in the spotlight for National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month in September, concerns about the longer-term impact of the pandemic remain high. Before the pandemic, Oklahoma already ranked among the nations worst states for childhood obesity. As of 2019, about 1 in 6 state high school students were obese, a rate that has steadily increased over the past two decades. At the same time, though, September finds Weedn and other health advocates feeling renewed hope that Oklahoma can turn it around. State health officials recently released the new State of Oklahoma Obesity Prevention Plan, an unprecedented and ambitious initiative focused on reducing obesity statewide. Given the evidence that obese children are more likely to become obese adults, childhood obesity is a big part of the plans focus. And the planners werent shy in setting high goals: The hope is to decrease Oklahomas childhood obesity rate by 3% by 2026. It takes all of us Oklahomas childhood obesity numbers, the most recent of which pre-date the pandemic, tell a troubling if familiar story. According to 2019 data, about 17.6% of Oklahoma students grades 9-12 were considered obese, a rate that ranks eighth-highest among states. An additional 18.1% were classified as overweight and at risk for future obesity. Another widely cited source, the National Childrens Health Survey, puts the obesity rate for Oklahoma children age 10-17 at 18.7%, 13th highest among states. Obesity defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher is also a contributing factor to Oklahomas bottom-10 ranking in child health in the recently released 2022 Kids Count Data Book. The state came in at 42nd among states in that category of the annual report, which compares all 50 states using the most recent household data. Dr. Colony Fugate, pediatrician and pediatrics professor with OSU Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa, said: There was a period of time where we saw some plateauing, but overall, obesity rates have been increasing for quite a while and really since about the mid-80s. We do have a lot of work to do as a state. Along with Weedn and other experts who helped craft it, though, Fugate believes the new state initiative can go a long way toward changing that picture. The planning that went into it, led by the Oklahoma Department of Health, began in 2019. With Oklahoma projected to become the most obese state in the U.S. by 2030 and obesity having already cost the state $1.72 billion in medical expenditures state officials say they knew that serious action was called for. The result of that effort, a new five-year initiative to combat obesity, looks at every age group, including early childhood and school age. There have been previous state-level attempts to combat obesity, and groups and coalitions have been collaborating for years. But this effort, officials say, represents a new level of teamwork and bigger scope. Over 200 partners and stakeholders from across the state are involved, trying to make a difference. To do that, they have set 30 goals and 114 measurable objectives. OSDH spokesperson Erica Rankin-Riley said the stakeholders, divided into subcommittees, helped craft the plan and now meet regularly to report on their progress. Those stakeholders now have a designated time and place to share about their programs, seek assistance and no longer work in silos, she said. By working together, this group can have a collective impact that has not been realized in the recent past in Oklahoma. Objectives aimed at school-age children include increasing the number of schools implementing social-emotional learning strategies and the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child model; and increasing health education in schools, along with more messaging tailored to adolescents, especially among vulnerable adolescent populations, promoting healthy weight and behaviors. Objectives for fighting obesity in preschool-age kids include increasing breastfeeding rates and more nutrition education for parents during the prenatal period and ages 0-5. Obesity becomes a medical problem, Fugate said. But its not something that the medical community alone can solve. It takes all of us working collaboratively together in our various areas of expertise to really tackle each facet of the causes. Its much harder when were working individually to really obtain our vision, which is for a healthier state and healthier children, healthier adults, healthier families. Another plan stakeholder, the Oklahoma Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust (TSET) brings two decades of experience in promoting a healthier state and is already working toward the plans call for more tailored messages. That includes a new series of obesity prevention ads encouraging teens to drink water instead of sugary drinks. Oklahomans, including the states youngest residents, have some of the highest rates of sugar-sweetened beverage consumption in the U.S. The ads, part of TSETs Healthy Youth Initiative, are a response in part to an online survey of more than 230 teens across Oklahoma showing they are increasingly interested in the benefits of water. Established by voters in 2000 following a multistate lawsuit settlement with the tobacco industry, TSET is best known for its tobacco prevention efforts. But a portion of its annual budget goes to obesity prevention, some of which affects children, and TSET is glad to be collaborating on the new initiative, TSET Executive Director Julie Bisbee said. The state plan is an all-hands-on-deck approach to tackle the greatest threat to health in Oklahoma, Bisbee said. Our hope is that, working together, we can support Oklahomans in living healthy lives and improve health outcomes across the state. Complex disease, complex solutions Weedn said her young patients are faring better now that normal routines have been restored. But the longer-term impact of the pandemic on child obesity remains hard to predict. I think the story is yet to be told, Weedn said. With weight increase comes metabolic changes in the body. I dont know if will we get back down to where we were prior. Weedn said obesity is a chronic metabolic disease with multiple factors affecting it: Its not just at the individual level or family level. Theres a community level and a societal level as well. Is the new plan the answer? Weedn believes its a big step. Theres a lot of investment, she said. And with community organizations being involved, people arent siloed. They are coming together to try to put something in place. Fugate said: Those of us whove been working in this area for a while understand this need to really take an aggressive, comprehensive approach. Its a very complex disease, so it requires a complex, comprehensive set of solutions. The plan is important, and its important that we see the vision with it. We may not meet all of these goals because they are quite ambitious. But the vision is there, the collaboration is there, the drive is there, and so we will move towards them. Child obesity in Oklahoma Students grades 9-12 classified as obese, 2019: 17.6% (national average: 15.5%) Regionally, Oklahoma is faring better than neighboring states Arkansas (22.1%) and Missouri (18.4%) but ranks behind Texas (16.9%) and Kansas (15.1%). Students grades 9-12 classified as overweight, 2019: 18.1% (national average 16.1%) WIC children ages 2-4 classified as obese, 2020: 12.9% WIC children ages 2-4 classified as overweight, 2020: 15.1% WIC children ages 3-23 months who have a high weight-for-length, 2020: 10.6% Note: Obesity is defined as having a body mass index of 30 or higher, overweight as 25-29 BMI. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Featured video: Backers of an initiative petition to legalize recreational marijuana in Oklahoma became unwitting guinea pigs in a new process that was meant to speed up and automate the states antiquated signature verification system, but a series of delays compounded to keep it off the November general election ballot. State Question 820 will now appear on a special statewide election in 2023 or go before voters in 2024, depending on what Gov. Kevin Stitt or his successor decides. Without any action by the governor, it would appear on the November 2024 ballot. Oklahomas voter-led initiative petition process is among the hardest in the nation, with multiple chances to challenge the wording of the petition, voter signatures and the summary that appears on the ballot. SQ 820 faced all of those challenges, but couldnt surmount a longer-than-expected delay by a first-time vendor for the secretary of states office. Western Petition Systems LLC, an affiliated company of longtime political pollster Bill Shapard, was hired to verify signatures and check voter registration under a law passed in 2020 at the outset of the coronavirus pandemic. Missing the November 2022 ballot will deprive voters for the first time in nearly a century the opportunity to vote on a state question in a general election year. The Oklahoma Supreme Court made it official last week as it denied a request by the Yes on 820 campaign to put SQ 820 on the ballot. The court said there wasnt enough time to be able to make an upcoming deadline for mailing overseas and absentee ballots. SQ 820 would legalize recreational marijuana for adults 21 and over and decriminalize marijuana possession and use. It would make no changes to Oklahomas existing medical marijuana program, which voters approved under SQ 788 in 2018. Path to election Backers of SQ 820 thought they were well positioned to make the November ballot. They filed the initiative petition in January. The effort survived a challenge in the spring to the summary of the proposition used on signature-gathering sheets. The campaign then had 90 days to collect signatures. Organizers managed to collect more than 164,000 signatures in just 60 days, well above the threshold of 94,911 required for a statewide initiative petition. On July 5, the campaign delivered 118 boxes to the secretary of states office. Campaign organizers were surprised to hear the boxes of signatures would be sent to Western Petition Systems. The 2020 law changing that part of the initiative petition process was among just a few policy-related bills to make it through the Legislature in a coronavirus-shortened legislative session. Few people knew an outside vendor would be hired to do the job. The secretary of states office told the Yes on 820 campaign it would take two or three weeks to verify the signatures, a timeline close to several recent initiative petitions submitted for signature verification. The new process also included cross-referencing several data points, like name, address and ZIP code, with voter registration rolls. Under its $300,000 per year contract, Western Petition Systems is supposed to conduct a timed test run of its equipment and signature verification process under the supervision of the secretary of states office. According to the contract, The (test run) will be used to test the entire process and (Western Petition Systems) shall continually look for ways to improve the scanning, data point collection, recording and transcribing of the initiative petitions. But in response to an open-records request by Oklahoma Watch, the secretary of states office said it had no documentation of the test run. We were pleased with the mock test run and with how the software performed, the secretary of states office said in a written statement. There was nothing noticed during the test run that raised any flags. Michelle Tilley, campaign director with Yes on 820, said in a legal filing the campaign had observers at the Oklahoma City offices of Western Petition Systems throughout the seven-week verification. Tilley said she noted several problems with the vendors verification system. The text generated by the Western Petition Systems computer program, based on its scans of the signature pages, was nearly always wildly inaccurate, Tilley said in an Aug. 22 declaration filed with the Oklahoma Supreme Court. This inaccuracy required individuals to laboriously look at physical signature sheets and enter nearly all names, addresses, birth dates, collection dates and other data by hand into the computer program. Aside from the $300,000 per year contract with Western Petition Systems, the secretary of states office spent more than $58,000 on temporary workers who were hired to verify signatures at Shapards offices for SQ 820, according to invoices obtained under state open records act requests. Among the temporary workers were several members of Shapards family. Tilley said it became clear after a couple of days that workers were only able to get through about 1,000 signature sheets per day out of more than 20,000 signature sheets. Although they expressed hope that this pace would increase, neither the vendor nor the secretary attempted to speed up the process by adding additional workers, additional computers or additional hours, Tilley said in the court declaration. In an interview, Tilley said other delays arose before signature sheets were circulated because the secretary of state required a particular weight of paper. That was in short supply, and the campaign spent an extra $44,000 to get the special paper. By the time for verification, some of the sheets wouldnt load into the scanner at the vendors offices. There were all kinds of little things like that, Tilley said. For the expertise they were selling on the contract, it obviously didnt match up with reality. We internally verified our signatures four or five times before we turned them in. It literally took them almost as long to count as we took to gather. Challenge period ends A final challenge period for the recreational marijuana state question ended Sept. 15, with four groups challenging either the signature verification or updated ballot language for SQ 820. The Supreme Court rejected all four challenges, although two filed late in the 10-business-day window for challenges could still file for rehearings before the court next week. In denying the SQ 820 campaigns bid to get on the November ballot, the court said there wasnt enough time to get ballots to overseas voters. The state Election Board said it had a functional deadline of Aug. 29 to get ballots printed, proofed and election return databases set up for all 77 counties in Oklahoma. Ballots have to be sent to overseas voters by Sept. 24. The statutory process cannot guarantee the availability of a particular election, as there are many factors to be considered not the least of which is the verification and count of signatures and the opportunity for protest, Chief Justice Richard Darby wrote in the majority opinion. Petitioners diligently prepared SQ 820 for submission on the November 2022 general election ballot. Any delays to the process were caused by the Secretary of States learning curve associated with the use of the new software and by the filing of four statutorily allowed protests. Political games? The delay at the signature-verification stage led to speculation that politics played a role in keeping SQ 820 off the November ballot. The politics of marijuana legalization dont fit neatly into partisan boxes. SQ 788, the medical marijuana initiative, passed with 57% of the vote in 2018 and had support from Democrats, Republicans, independents and Libertarians. Rural voters in the western part of state werent as supportive, leading to several attempts by some rural lawmakers to change the initiative petition process. In his state of the state speech this year, Stitt said he didnt think voters were fully aware of the consequences of the medical marijuana state question. Unlike some other states that have legalized medical marijuana, Oklahoma does not require any medical conditions to get a patient card. Doctors do not prescribe any uses for cannabis and can only recommend that the patient qualifies. Almost 10% of the states population has a medical marijuana patient card, according to the Oklahoma Medical Marijuana Authority. When Oklahomans voted for medical marijuana, they were sold a bill of goods, Stitt said in the February speech. The state question was misleading, and it has tied our hands as we regulate the industry. The rapid pace of the medical marijuana industry has come with growing pains. Thousands of dispensaries popped up across the state and grow operations in rural areas are competing with existing agricultural interests for water, land and electricity. Earlier this year, state lawmakers approved a moratorium on new business licenses. Stitt spokeswoman Kate Vesper countered rumors on social media that the governor had interfered with the process for getting SQ 820 on the ballot. The secretary of state is a gubernatorial appointee. The suggestion that the governor attempted to interfere with the statutorily required duties of the secretary of states office is not only inaccurate but just absolutely absurd, Vesper said. Stitt told The Associated Press hed prefer a federal solution to the patchwork efforts of states on marijuana policy. Do I wish that the feds would pass legalized marijuana? Yes. I think that would solve a lot of issues from all these different states, Stitt said during a recent interview with the AP. But in our state, just trying to protect our state right now, I dont think it would be good for Oklahoma. Vesper said she had nothing to add on Stitts comments to the AP. There are ongoing conversations between the governors office and the Legislature as to when SQ 820 will be put on the ballot, she said. The Tulsa County Election Board has one employee who handles open records requests. Until recently, it had been just one small part of her job. Thats because the information requested was typically simple in nature: an ethics report filing one day, a candidate filing the next. Ho-hum stuff. Thats changed, according to Election Board Secretary Gwen Freeman. After the 2020 presidential election, her office began receiving one or two large requests a month. The requests were so big and so complex that the Election Board began forwarding them to the Tulsa County District Attorneys Office to review. Sometimes, Election Board officials werent even sure what theyd been asked to provide. Now its gotten worse, and Election Board officials think they know why: the Moment of Truth Summit held in Springfield, Missouri, on Aug. 21-22. A production of MyPillow CEO Mike Lindell, an election denier and Donald Trump ally, the two-day conference was peppered with conspiracy theories involving algorithms, voting machine manipulation and misplaced election ballots. I said, Mr. President, I said, this is evidence. It was with machines, it was with machines, Lindell said he told Trump before he left office in January 2021. Lindell ended the summit with a call to action, urging his audience to get his app: It says, save your county, get your cast vote records now for the 2020 presidential election. The next day, the county Election Board began receiving identical requests for cast vote and other election-related records. As of Thursday, it had received more than 60. Voting machines across the country differ from state to state, but a cast vote record is described generally as an electronic depiction, or representation, of how voters voted. It can be provided in several formats, including a spreadsheet. Freeman acknowledged that shed never heard of a cast vote record or many of the other documents sought in the large open records requests. But the spike in requests was hard to miss. We are keenly aware of the increase in open records requests not only in Tulsa County, but in the entire state of Oklahoma and around the country, Freeman said. I do think its important for taxpayers to know that a great deal of manpower is being diverted to this effort. Equally important to know is that despite the increase in workload, our office remains steadfast to our duty to conduct and certify elections. Nothing will deter us from that end. Beyond that, however, Freeman is reluctant to say too much about the spike in requests. She declined to comment when asked what she thinks is motivating people to request the records. The Oklahoma State Election Board also declined to comment on the flood of open records requests but did say it is not making public cast vote records due to concerns over election security. The decision to keep the records confidential was made after the state Election Board consulted with the states chief information officer and chief information security officer. Some election officials across the country have had more to say on the subject. The onslaught of requests, they contend, is intended to chip away at the publics trust in the election system by sowing disarray in the offices of those charged with counting the votes. The Washington Post recently reported that election officials in nearly two dozen states are dealing with the problem, and that in some instances it has affected their preparations for the November elections. Tulsa County Commissioner Karen Keith described the requests as abusive. Election boards like ours are working overtime to do their jobs and respond to these requests that are, by design, an effort to create distraction and harm the voting process that most of us hold sacred, Keith said. Taxpayers should be crying foul for wasted dollars spent fulfilling these political stunts. Its important that we address this issue as a nation, recognizing this for what it is, (and) creating limits on what are obviously nuisance requests for information. Lindell and those who share his conspiracy theories about the 2020 election arent the only ones creating headaches for the county Election Board. In March, Voter Reference Foundation asked county election officials for all precinct registries, in-person absentee affidavits, and mail-in or any other type of absentee ballot affidavits for the 2020 election. Thats a massive ask: Nearly 62,000 Tulsa County residents voted absentee in 2020. In its response to the request, the Election Board indicated its commitment to adhering to the Oklahoma Open Records Act requirement that the public have prompt, reasonable access to records. The response also states that the cost to photocopy the records would be an estimated $15,000. The Election Board has yet to hear back from the nonprofit, which is creating a national online database it claims will allow the public to compare voting records to voter registration rolls to flag for potential discrepancies. Earlier this month, a woman told county Election Board officials that she wanted to view essentially every record related to the 2020 presidential election, including ballots. State election law prohibits ballot transfer boxes from being opened after an election except under certain limited circumstances. The county Election Board has only 21 full-time employees. To fulfill that request, one of those employees would have to be pulled away from his or her regular duties to be present for the review, election officials said. Nonetheless, the Election Board has provided the woman with dates and times the records could be made available for viewing. She has yet to respond. Filling open records requests is standard for our election board and an important information-sharing part of our system, Freeman said. So anytime we are asked to respond to one, we do so in accordance with the law as quickly as possible. Oklahoma elected officials and candidates who continue to spout the false narrative that the 2020 presidential election was stolen or addled by widespread irregularities arent making life any easier on election boards. Newly elected District 3 Tulsa County Commissioner Kelly Dunkerley declined during his campaign to say whether he believed the election was stolen, yet he continued to make election integrity an issue. In one of his final campaign mailers sent out before the August Republican runoff, Dunkerley listed the key distinctions between himself and his opponent, Bob Jack. Under the category titled Trump, he turned Jacks own words regarding the 2020 election against him: Believes Biden was duly elected and that its over; Lets move on, folks. Citing public statements he had made, Dunkerley summarized his views as follows: Believes voter integrity should be a top priority. Proudly endorsed by Oklahomans for Trump. Dunkerley coasted to victory with more than 60% of the vote. Video: Its time to move on from 2020 election, says Trump die-hard Roger Stone The shiny gold building inspired by Eldon Shamblins Stratocaster has been finished for nine months, but when or even if the Oklahoma Museum of Popular Culture at 422 N. Main St. might open is anyones guess. Across the street from Cains Ballroom, within blocks of the Tulsa Theater and the Woody Guthrie and Bob Dylan centers, OKPOP is thought to be a guaranteed success. Ever since it was first proposed in 2008 and made public in 2009, backers have insisted OKPOP will be self-sustaining if it can just get built. And thats the problem. About $30 million has already been spent, including $25 million from a state bond issue. That also includes the donation of the land on which it sits and revenue from a tax increment financing that paid for upgraded utilities that helped several other properties in the area. Officials, though, say another $35-$40 million is needed to finish out the interior, including installation of exhibits. A request for $20 million from the states $1.8 billion American Rescue Plan allocation was turned down, and legislative leadership seems cool to further funding the project. Last session, the Legislature agreed to a $46 million bond issue for the Oklahoma Historical Society on the condition none of the money be used for OKPOP. Nevertheless, OHS Executive Director Trait Thompson said OKPOP is going to open when asked last week during a conversation on the new buildings third-floor outdoor terrace overlooking downtown Tulsa. But, he acknowledged, Were on a burn rate. Were pretty good through the end of the (fiscal) year. That means Thompson and OKPOP Executive Director Jeff Moore have about nine months to find a way to bring to life what they say would be a museum in the same league as Seattles MoPOP, Clevelands Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Nashvilles Country Music Hall of Fame. Were not going to stand still, Thompson said. We need to start raising money in earnest. They also havent given up hope of getting some state assistance. State Senate President Pro Tem Greg Treat has in the past been unenthusiastic about museum projects, but his spokesman, Alex Gerszewski, said in a text that Pro Tem Treat isnt opposed to finding a path forward for the museum, whether its through additional funding, or a partnership between the museum and the City of Tulsa. He first wants to analyze all of their needs and make a decision that is most beneficial for the museum and the state of Oklahoma. Thompson said the city has committed $1 million on ARPA funds to the project and has already kicked in several million dollars besides. Tulsa County has pledged $2 million in ARPA money. But that still leaves OKPOP far short of whats needed, and the city is also looking at a Gilcrease Museum rebuild that is $30 million over budget. According to Moore, the idea of a popular culture museum first came up during a conversation between him and fellow OHS staffer Larry ODell in 2008. Bob Blackburn, Thompson predecessor as OHS executive director, liked the concept and a year later was pitching it in Tulsa. Blackburns original cost estimate was $33 million, but soon that had been upped to $42.5 million. He tried for several years to sell the Legislature on a bond issue for that amount, and appeared close to closing the deal in 2013 but a tornado outbreak at Moore caused supporters to withdraw the proposal. With the assistance of then-Pro Tem Brian Bingman, R-Sapulpa, Blackburn was able to get a $25 million in bond issue in 2015. That was part of a package that included an identical amount for what became the First Americans Museum in Oklahoma City. Bingman said recently it was clearly understood at the time that the $25 million was all the state would put into the project. Facing tight budgets, lawmakers were not in the mood to spend money on museums. The state had already poured more than $100 million into the Oklahoma City project over two decades and in 2015 had been idle for three years. Oklahoma now has a $2.8 billion surplus, though. Last session the Legislature hardly blinked in approving $45 million for a new National Guard museum in Oklahoma City. And then there is all the money it put into the First Americans Museum, which for all of its trials and tribulations has been a huge success in its first two years. A lot has happened since Blackburns 2009 press conference announcing the museum. The site changed several times, state revenue cratered three years in a row and COVID-19 arrived. Construction costs skyrocketed. A grumbling among legislators that billionaire philanthropist George Kaiser should pay for anything Tulsa wants continued. Today, a three-dimension piece of art called Pop Explosion hangs from the ceiling of the shiny gold building at 422 N. Main St. It is the only exhibit in place, and seems likely to be so for the near future. Locked away in the back is a treasure trove of Oklahoma popular culture, from a young Chester Goulds cartoon in his college newspaper to the piano Leon Russell played on his last tour with Elton John. And there they remain. Featured video: Special session: The Oklahoma Legislature will resume its special session from earlier this session on Wednesday. Originally convened in May, concurrent with the regular session, the special or, more properly, extraordinary session is to address the distribution of $1.8 billion in American Rescue Plan Act funds. Last week, a joint special committee completed its job of recommending how the money is to be spent, and indications are that the House and Senate would come back on Wednesday, hustle the legislation through and adjourn on Friday. The special session will also take up the dispensing of $250 million set aside during the spring for rural economic development. Highly rated: Oklahoma Corporation Commissioner Bob Anthony kept up his barrage against his two fellow commissioners and the agreement that has caused utility rates to rise to pay off the huge fuel bills of electricity suppliers during the 2021 deep freeze. In a written statement, Anthony bemoaned an appalling failure to protect ratepayers at every level of state government. He said the principal and interest for the ratepayer-backed bonds issued to cover the utilities costs will total at least $4.7 billion, or $1 billion more than the original estimate. Anthony issued a 74-page report card on which he gives the Oklahoma Legislature a D and everyone else an F for their states handling of the matter. Campaigns and elections: Democratic U.S. Senate nominee Kendra Horn said shes been endorsed by Enid attorney Stephen Jones, a longtime Republican stalwart and state party chairman who challenged the legality of the special election in which Horn is a candidate. Horn is up against Republican 2nd District Congressman Markwayne Mullin and two others in the Nov. 8 general election. Jones argued unsuccessfully that Oklahoma could not hold a special election to replace U.S. Sen. Jim Inhofe, who is retiring midterm at the end of the year, until Inhofe actually leaves office. In a short video, Jones said Horn is a moderate and a workhorse, not a show horse. Horn also announced an endorsement from Steven Agee, another Republican and dean emeritus of the Meidners School of Business at Oklahoma City University and former chairman of the Oklahoma City Branch of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City. Gov. Kevin Stitts reelection campaign released an advertisement touting his handling of COVID-19. Gov. Stitts COVID policies helped 100,000 Oklahomans get back to work and resulted in the third-lowest unemployment rate in the nation. Today, Oklahoma continues to experience its lowest unemployment rate in state history and its greatest workforce participation rate in state history, said the spots narrator. The Commonwealth Fund, which measured states responses to COVID-19 by such things as adult vaccination rates, intensive care unit use, hospital admissions and COVID-related deaths, ranked Oklahomas 50th, ahead of only Mississippi. Online: The Osage Nation has received a $13.9 million U.S. Department of Agriculture grant to provide 831 people, including 18 businesses and 128 farms, with high speed internet. Also receiving federal broadband funds were Southern Plains Cable, an $8.1 million loan to provide service in south central Oklahoma, and Valliant Telephone Co., an $883,904 grant for service in Choctaw and McCurtain Counties. LEO grants: Oklahoma Attorney General John OConnor announced $2 million in state grants to 50 law enforcement agencies. Recipients include: Bixby Police Department, $15,000; Broken Arrow PD, $30,000; Tulsa County District Attorney, $24,805; Mannford PD, $20,000; Osage County Sheriffs Office, $15,863; Owasso PD, $20,000; Rogers County Sheriffs Office, $20,000; Sapulpa PD, $20,000; Skiatook PD, $20,000; and Tulsa PD, $400,000. Medicare: The Oklahoma Insurance Departments annual Medicare webinars will be held at 10 a.m. every Tuesday in October, beginning Oct. 4. Each webinar will cover a different Medicare topic. See oid.ok.gov/2023-moep/ for information and registration. Meetings and events: The Oklahoma Attorney Generals office and Oklahoma Press Association are holding a series of Open Records Act and Open Meetings Act seminars across the state, including one at 1 p.m. Oct. 4 at OSU-Tulsa. The seminars are geared for local public officials. Speakers will be Julie Pittman and Thomas Schneider of the attorney generals office. See okpress.com/seminars for more information. Bottom lines: The Biden administration made federal disaster funds available for the Muscogee Nation for expenses occurred during the storms of May 2-8. OConnor joined 23 other attorneys general warning major credit card companies not to track firearm sales with distinct category codes. Randy Krehbiel, Tulsa World Featured video: WASHINGTON, D.C. Its a question often asked by people outside Oklahoma: How did one of the most red states approve universal pre-K? Oklahoma parents often dont realize that most other states dont offer 4-year-old programs in public schools. Our state is one of only eight offering this voluntary program to families through local districts, and about 70% of 4-year-olds are enrolled. Another surprise may be the unique research projects that have focused on Tulsas pre-k and Head Start programs for two decades. In the world of academia, having such a prolonged, in-depth and inter-disciplinary deep dive into a single program is ground-breaking. Last week, the lead researchers at Georgetown University hosted a one-day conference examining the past, present and future of Tulsas early childhood programs. Seven of the panelists, including myself, were from Tulsa, along with a former Tulsa nonprofit leader. Five new studies were released as part of this celebration. Over the years, many papers have been published on Tulsas programs in various professional publications, but these latest are the first to examine adult behavior. Through the years, the studies no matter the question being examined have shown at least a portion of students making gains. Some kids may have more pronounced benefits while others were neutral. In no case did a student ever lose skills. As time marched on, there have been some sleeper effects, particularly in self-regulation, which refers to behavior like following direction, communication and work persistence. Those may not show in the short-term but emerge in later years. Oklahomas universal pre-K was implemented in 1998. It was a stealth legislative maneuver led by Rep. Joe Eddins and the late Sen. Penny Williams. It was passed 99-1 in the House, split along party lines in the Senate and signed by Gov. Frank Keating. There was little or no significant debate or media attention. That was about the time Tulsa transformed its early education, targeted to low-income families by enhancing its Head Start program and building Educare centers. The city almost lost its federal grant due to mismanagement in 1997 before the city briefly took over. Steven Dow, as executive director of the Community Action Project of Tulsa County, was given administration of the grant, reshaping it into an international model. He enhanced the grant with other funding sources for parent resources as a poverty intervention. Georgetown professor of public policy and government Bill Gormley was approached by the late state assistant superintendent Ramona Paul, who helped shape the universal pre-K standards and suggested Tulsa as a possible research subject. Gormley brought along Georgetown psychology professor Deborah Phillips to develop a cross-discipline approach. The two in 2001 founded the Center for Research on Children in the United States. Though broad in name, much of the work has focused on Tulsa. Phillips said Tulsa was unique in how it welcomed outsiders to examine their work, specifically pointing to Dow and former TPS Superintendent David Sawyer. Each had the courage, and I do mean courage, to let the two of us, unknown researchers from Georgetown University, waltz into their pre-K classrooms and ask if they were producing the benefit that had encouraged the state Legislature to fund them, Phillips said. Since then, TPS has had three superintendents and Dow left Tulsa a few years ago. However, Phillips said their predecessors kept the doors open and complimented State Superintendent Joy Hofmeister for making state-level information available. I cant say enough about how extraordinary this level of sustained support is and how it shaped the questions we asked and how we have been able to share our answers not only with those in Tulsa and Oklahoma but across the nation, Phillips said. In Tulsa, for whatever reason, we walked into this incredible atmosphere of trust. The people we were delivering findings to took the bad news with the good. All along the way, the attitude was that weve got to learn from what youve found what didnt work as much as what did work. Other researchers have been drawn to Tulsa for the opportunity to study this emerging system, said Daphna Bassok, associate professor of education and public policy at the University of Virginia, who called the two-decade progression of analysis cutting edge. Bassok is leading a multi-year evaluation of Virginias federal preschool development grant for birth to 5-year-olds. The model is influenced by the work in Tulsa. It was not research for the sake of research, but to find the long-term return on investment working together over time, Bassok said. The idea is that research can answer questions of national relevancy and, at the same time, answer questions about day-to-day operations. The conference included a memorial tribute to Ramona Paul. There was a video clip of the late TPS Superintendent Keith Ballard on the steps of the Oklahoma Capitol giving a rousing speech supporting public education. Parts of an audio interview with Eddins and former Tulsa Regional Chamber President Bob Harbison were played. Harbison was an early advocate for expanding preschool as a workforce issue and made it a chamber legislative priority. Dow, who led CAP Tulsa from 1992 to 2019, spoke about the next frontier. While much emphasis has been placed on 4-year-old programs, communities cannot leave behind babies to 3-year-olds. With child care as a workforce issue, creating quality, affordable service is critical. The Oklahoma Department of Human Services launched a reimbursement program as part of the early 1990s welfare reforms. Low-income parents can apply for a subsidy to defray costs. But providers are not obligated to accept the subsidy, and many will decline if it doesnt cover their operational costs. Implementing pre-K without paying attention to the social and developmental growth of children in earlier ages is a mistake, Dow said. In Oklahoma, a consequence of universal pre-K was that it decimated the birth-to-three child care (private) programs. It ruined their economic model. We did not increase the state reimbursement rate. Dow once worried the state would defund pre-K during the economic bust times. Instead, pre-K became a parental expectation of schools and liked by district leaders and legislators. One of the leading congressional voices for early childhood has been U.S. Rep. Tom Cole of Oklahomas 4th Congressional District, who serves as the ranking member on the Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies. We found the genie is out of the bottle, Dow said. Gormley and Phillips are retiring at the end of the year, but they say this work will not end. Many research partnerships have been established locally, such as with the University of Oklahoma-Tulsa on a School Experiences and Early Development (SEED) study. When you work on the same project with the same people for so long, its striking the intergenerational aspect of this, with younger colleagues joining the project, Phillips said. I know this work will carry on. Gormley has the same optimism. He gives detailed overviews of how Tulsas early education programs on traditional indicators such as enrollment and short-term outcomes are very impressive. The long-term outcomes being determined now, such as rates of college enrollment and voting, are showing similar results. He points out the successes come from a group effort. The programs set high standards such as requiring college-educated teachers; community nonprofits push enrollment; Head Start partners with districts; and philanthropists bolster the programs and research. If you ask the simple question, Has Tulsas universal pre-K program succeeded?, my simple answer would be Yes, Gormley said. A typhoon gained strength as it approached the Philippines on Sunday, forcing thousands of people from their homes in coastal communities on the main island of Luzon and the cancellation of dozens of flights. Typhoon Noru strengthened with maximum sustained winds of 195 kph (121 mph) and gusts of up to 240 kph (149 mph), the state weather bureau said in an advisory hours before the storm was expected to make landfall. "Coconut trees are swaying while banana plants have been brought down," Angelique Bosque, the mayor of the Polillo Islands, told DZRH radio station. The storm was likely to make a direct hit on the small islands just east of Luzon. Residents are seen inside an evacuation centre in Aurora Province, Philippines, September 25, 2022 in this picture obtained from social media. Photo: Ricardo Balala Jr./via REUTERS Waves whipped up by the category 3 typhoon were battering the islands' main port and low-lying areas were flooded, Bosque said. The Philippines, an archipelago of more than 7,600 islands, sees an average of 20 tropical storms a year. In 2013, Typhoon Haiyan, one of the most powerful tropical cyclones ever recorded, killed 6,300 people. On Sunday, authorities began evacuating thousands of people from coastal areas on Luzon, where the capital, Manila, is located. Waves crashes into road on coastline during heavy storm in Polillo, Quezon Province, Philippines September 25, 2022 in this still image obtained from a video. Photo: Lgu Polillo Handout/via REUTERS The mayor of Dingalan town, also on Luzon, told DZMM radio station communication lines were severed and the power was out in some communities. President Ferdinand Marcos was in communication with cabinet members involved in preparations for the storm, the presidential palace said. Noru will bring heavy to torrential rains over the capital region and nearby provinces as it moves westward over rice-producing provinces. It is likely to emerge over the East Vietnam Sea by late Sunday or early Monday. Numerous ferry services were suspended and airlines cancelled 30 domestic and international flights to and from Manila, authorities said. Powerful storm Fiona ripped into eastern Canada on Saturday with hurricane-force winds, forcing evacuations, knocking down trees and powerlines, and reducing many homes on the coast to "just a pile of rubble in the ocean." The U.S. National Hurricane Center (NHC) said the center of the storm, downgraded to Post-Tropical Cyclone Fiona, was now in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and losing some steam. The NHC canceled hurricane and tropical storm warnings for the region. Port aux Basques, on the southwest tip of Newfoundland with a population of 4,067, bore the brunt of the storm's rage. The mayor was forced to declare a state of emergency and evacuated parts of the town that suffered flooding and road washouts. A sailboat lies washed up next to a small craft following the passing of Hurricane Fiona, later downgraded to a post-tropical storm, in Shearwater, Nova Scotia, Canada September 24, 2022. Photo: Reuters Several homes and an apartment building were dragged out to sea, Rene Roy, editor-in-chief of Wreckhouse Weekly in Port aux Basques, told the Canadian Broadcasting Corp. "This is hands down the most terrifying thing I've ever seen in my life," Roy said, describing many homes as "just a pile of rubble in the ocean right now." "There is an apartment building that's literally gone. There are entire streets that are gone," he added. Police are investigating whether a woman had been swept to sea, CBC reported. "We've gone through a very difficult morning," Button said in a Facebook video, adding that the evacuations had been completed. "We'll get through this. I promise you we will get through it." Milo Reichert helps his neigbour clear some branches on MacDonald Street following the passing of Hurricane Fiona, later downgraded to a post-tropical storm, in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada September 24, 2022. Photo: Reuters Prime Minister Justin Trudeau met on Saturday morning with members of a government emergency response team, and later told reporters that the armed forces would be deployed to help with the clean up. "We're seeing reports of significant damage in the region, and recovery is going to be a big effort," Trudeau said. "We will be there to support every step of the way." Trudeau had delayed his planned Saturday departure for Japan to attend the funeral of former Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, but said he now would no longer make the trip. Instead he said he would visit the storm-damaged region as soon as possible. Federal assistance has already been approved for Nova Scotia, Trudeau said, and more requests are expected. Residents walk on the damaged shoreline following the passing of Hurricane Fiona, later downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, in Shediac, New Brunswick, Canada September 24, 2022. Photo: Reuters Fiona, which nearly a week ago battered Puerto Rico and other parts of the Caribbean, killed at least eight and knocked out power for virtually all of Puerto Rico's 3.3 million people during a sweltering heat wave. Fiona made landfall between Canso and Guysborough, Nova Scotia, where the Canadian Hurricane Centre said it recorded what may have been the lowest barometric pressure of any storm to hit land in the country's history. Ian Hubbard, meteorologist for the Canadian Hurricane Centre, told Reuters it appears Fiona lived up to expectations that it would be a "historical" storm. Cathy Simpkins of Moncton walks through flood waters to check her recreational vehicle trailer following the passing of Hurricane Fiona, later downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, in Shediac, New Brunswick, Canada September 24, 2022. Photo: Reuters "It did look like it had the potential to break the all-time record in Canada, and it looks like it did," he said. "We're still not out of this yet." Storms are not uncommon in the region and typically cross over rapidly, but Fiona is expected to impact a very large area. While scientists have not yet determined whether climate change influenced Fiona's strength or behavior, there is strong evidence that these devastating storms are getting worse. Hurricane Fiona makes landfall between Canso and Guysborough, Nova Scotia, Canada in a composite image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) GOES-East weather satellite September 24, 2022. Photo: NOAA/Handout via Reuters Hundreds of thousands without power Some 69% of customers, or 360,720 were without power in Nova Scotia, and 95%, or more than 82,000, had lost power on Prince Edward Island, utility companies said. Police across the region reported multiple road closures. The region was also experiencing spotty mobile phone service. Mobile and Wifi provider Rogers Communications Inc said it was aware of outages caused by Fiona, and that crews would work to restore service "as quickly as possible." PEI produces more than a fifth of Canada's potatoes and the island's potato farms, which are in harvest season, were likely to be impacted by the storm, Hubbard said. Residents stand in flood waters following the passing of Hurricane Fiona, later downgraded to a post-tropical cyclone, in Shediac, New Brunswick, Canada September 24, 2022. Photo: Reuters "This morning we all woke up to some very scary scenes, roads washed down, uprooted trees, mail boxes where they are not supposed to be," Darlene Compton, deputy premier of PEI, told reporters, saying it had been a "nerve wracking" night. In Halifax, 11 boats sank at the Shearwater Yacht Club and four were grounded, said Elaine Keene, who has a boat at the club that escaped damage. Quebec Premier Francois Legault said no injuries or fatalities had been reported so far, and officials from both PEI and Nova Scotia said the same. The storm weakened somewhat as it traveled north. By 5 pm in Halifax (2100 GMT), it was over the Gulf of St. Lawrence about 80 miles (130 km) northwest of Port aux Basques, carrying maximum sustained winds of 70 miles per hour (110 kph), the NHC said. Vietnamese Standing Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh emphasized the need for respecting international law as well as independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of countries during his speech at the United Nations (UN) this weekend. Deputy PM Minh delivered a speech at the high-level joint discussion session during the 77th UN General Assembly (UNGA 77) in New York on Saturday (local time), the Vietnam News Agency reported. The world is at a turning point in history when confrontations, conflicts, and violations of international law continue to increase, reflecting the great power competition and unilateralism, the deputy premier stated. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change, and many other non-traditional security challenges are threatening the very existence of humanity, delaying efforts to implement the Sustainable Development Goals. In that context, the deputy prime minister emphasized that the international community needs to make fundamental changes and reshape its approach to global issues. It is necessary to put people at the center of all development efforts, he added. Vietnam's experiences over the past decades show that international solidarity and cooperation constitute an important key in this process. Confrontational and zero-sum game approach must be eliminated, Minh proposed, calling for the promotion of multilateralism and international cooperation in an open, inclusive, fair and mutually beneficial manner. He emphasized the need for respecting international law, the United Nations Charter, and especially the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of countries, All disputes should be settled by peaceful means, the deputy premier continued, highlighting the need for strong and effective multilateral institutions, with the UN at the heart, to best address global challenges. Regarding the regional situation, Southeast Asian countries are making efforts to build a strong and united ASEAN Community that plays a central role in the regional security architecture and in promoting cooperation with partners. Minh praised ASEAN's efforts to find comprehensive solutions to problems in the region, including the situation in Myanmar. He underlined the need for maintaining peace, stability, maritime safety, and security in the East Vietnam Sea, and called on all parties to resolve disputes by peaceful means, with full respect for legal and diplomatic processes and in accordance with international law including the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS). He quoted the President of the 32nd Session of the General Assembly while welcoming Vietnam to the UN 45 years ago as saying that the admission of Vietnam marked a further step toward consolidating peace and security in the world. "We have consistently supported and pursued a balanced and constructive approach in seeking lasting solutions to global issues," Minh stated. Vietnam has consistently worked to advance mutual understanding and respect as well as foster dialogue and cooperation. The deputy premier called for support from UN members as Vietnam is striving for a seat on the Human Rights Council for the 2023-25 term. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Vietnamese State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and his entourage left Hanoi for Tokyo on a commercial flight on Sunday morning to attend the state funeral of former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe. Accompanying the president are his assistant Bui Huy Hung, chairman of the Presidential Office Le Khanh Hai, chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the lawmaking National Assembly Vu Hai Ha, and Minister of Planning and Investment Nguyen Chi Dung, among other high officials. During his three-day trip to Japan, President Phuc will attend the main events of the state funeral and meet with former PM Abes family members, Japanese leaders, and leading officials from certain countries, according to the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs. In addition to the Vietnamese head of state, the funeral will also be attended by about 50 leaders and former leaders of other countries, including U.S. Vice President Kamala Harris, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Indian PM Narendra Modi, former British PM Theresa May, and ex-French President Nicolas Sarkozy, among others. Emperor of Japan Hironomiya Naruhito will host receptions for heads of the delegations attending the event, while Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and the spouse of ex-PM Abe will extend thanks to them. The state funeral ceremony will commence at 2:00 pm on Tuesday at Nippon Budokan in Tokyo, with about 6,000 guests in attendance. President Phucs presence at the funeral shows Vietnams affection and recognition for former PM Abes great contributions to promoting the two countries relations, and at the same time affirming the importance of the strategic partnership between Vietnam and Japan, according to the foreign ministry. During his time in office, PM Abe visited Vietnam four times and made significant devotion to boosting the comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, the ministry added. Abe was assassinated on July 8 morning while giving a speech in Nara City as part of his campaigning support for a parliamentary candidate of the Liberal Democratic Party in Nara Prefecture. He was shot twice in the back with a homemade gun by the Japanese suspect, 41-year-old Tetsuya Yamagami, and died at the hospital later the same day due to blood loss. Abe, passing away at 67, was Japans longest-serving prime minister, holding the post in 2006-07 and later from 2012 to 2020. Vietnam and Japan have seen the bilateral relationship develop fruitfully since their establishment of diplomatic relations on September 21, 1973, and are looking forward to celebrating their 50th year of the diplomatic ties next year. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Here are todays leading news stories: COVID-19 Updates -- The Ministry of Health documented 1,176 COVID-19 cases on Saturday, raising the countrys tally to 11,471,340, with 10,586,196 recoveries and 43,146 deaths. Society -- Typhoon Noru is expected to enter the East Vietnam Sea on Sunday, with the average wind speed recorded at 150-166km per hour, the National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting reported. -- The person who was reported missing following serious flooding in southern Dong Nai Province on Friday night told local authorities on Saturday that he had made it home safely. -- Police in south-central Binh Dinh Province are investigating the death of a 33-year-old middle school teacher after her body, along with her motorbike and books, was found at an empty land plot on Saturday, four days after she had gone missing. -- The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development collaborated with the World Bank to organize a conference on climate resilience and sustainable development in Vietnams Mekong Delta in Can Tho City on Saturday. -- More than 400 firefighters and about 116 specialized vehicles participated in a fire drill on a 25,000-metric-ton ship at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday. -- A total of 33 men and women were caught using drugs inside four flats at The Tresor apartment complex in District 4, Ho Chi Minh City early on Saturday morning. -- Police in southern Kien Giang Province confirmed on Saturday they had broken up an illegal ring that produced and traded weapons and arrested 10 suspects. Business -- National flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has been ranked 48th in the World's Top 100 Airlines in 2022, as announced at the World Airline Awards by Skytrax, the Vietnam News Agency reported. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! ADEN, Yemen, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- At least two people were killed and 11 others injured when an explosion struck a civilian bus in Yemen's southwestern province of Taiz on Sunday, a security official told Xinhua. "An explosion caused by an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) targeted a civilian bus while it was passing through a main entrance leading to the besieged city of Taiz," the local security source said on condition of anonymity. The source confirmed that the explosion partially destroyed the bus and left at least two civilian passengers killed at the scene and 11 others wounded. "The incident occurred just a few minutes after a military motorcade passed through the same area, and it was apparently aimed at targeting a pro-government army official," he said. Since 2015, the Houthi militia has been stationed at the main eastern, northern and western entrances to the city of Taiz, besieging the key residential neighborhoods in the strategic city, according to the Yemeni government forces. The ongoing truce, which has been largely held, went into force for the first time on April 2 and was renewed for two months on June 2, and then extended for an additional two months on August 2 and scheduled to expire in a couple of days. Although the truce has largely been upheld, the internationally recognized government and the Houthi group frequently swap claims of violations. Yemen has been mired in a civil war since late 2014 when the Iran-backed Houthi militia seized control of several northern provinces and forced the Saudi-backed Yemeni government 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. More than 400 firefighters participated in a fire drill taking place on a 25,000-metric-ton cargo ship at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City on Saturday. The event saw the attendance of vice-chairman of the municipal Peoples Committee Duong Anh Duc, officials of the citys department of fire fighting and prevention and rescue police, port authority and port border guard officials, and police and military officers based in Thu Duc City, District 1, District 7, Nha Be District. In the hypothetical situation, the TC30 cargo vessel weighing 25,000 metric tons and carrying 1,500 shipping containers of flammable and explosive goods encountered a storm as it was traveling from overseas to Vietnam. Firefighters participate in a fire drill at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City, September 24, 2022. Photo: Le An / Tuoi Tre This caused the products to be moved during the transport, resulting in smoldering fires inside some containers. A conflagration eventually broke out on the ship as it was docking at Cat Lai Port, forcing the port manager to request assistance from the citys fire fighting and prevention police unit. Vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City Peoples Committee Duong Anh Duc speaks prior to a fire drill at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City, September 24, 2022. Photo: Le An / Tuoi Tre More than 400 officers and 33 specialized vehicles and ships were mobilized to the scene and were able to put out the blaze after 40 minutes, as well as rescuing 22 crew members. During the drill, the firefighting and rescue forces were trained with the skills and tactics needed in real-life situations, according to Colonel Nguyen Thanh Huong, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Public Security. Firefighters participate in a fire drill at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City, September 24, 2022. Photo: Le An / Tuoi Tre Crew members are rescued from the fire on a cargo ship during a drill at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City, September 24, 2022. Photo: Le An / Tuoi Tre Firefighters put out a fire inside a shipping container during a drill at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City, September 24, 2022. Photo: Le An / Tuoi Tre Firefighters put out a fire inside a shipping container during a drill at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City, September 24, 2022. Photo: Le An / Tuoi Tre A specialized ship is used during a fire drill at Cat Lai Port in Ho Chi Minh City, September 24, 2022. Photo: Le An / Tuoi Tre Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! Typhoon Noru, which is moving from the east of the Philippines, is forecast to sweep through Luzon Island of the country before entering the East Vietnam Sea and heading toward central Vietnam on Monday, the central weather agency has warned. At 7:00 am on Sunday, the typhoon was recorded around 300km east of Luzon, packing winds of 167-183 km per hour, with gusts of over 220km per hour, according to Vietnams National Center for Hydro-meteorological Forecasting. Within the next 24 hours, the powerful storm is expected to make landfall on the island and slightly weaken before entering the East Vietnam Sea and moving toward the central Vietnamese region. At 7:00 am on Monday, the typhoon will be located about 800km east of Vietnams Hoang Sa (Paracel) archipelago, with wind force reaching 149km per hour and squalls hitting 201km per hour. Over the following 24 hours, the storm will move mainly to the west at a speed of 20-25km per hour and tend to get stronger. At 7:00 am on Tuesday, the typhoon will be about 190km east of Hoang Sa, with gusts of over 201km per hour. The storm will later move rapidly west-southwest at 25-30km per hour, heading for the central Vietnamese region. At 7:00 am on Wednesday, the typhoons center is likely to be located in the area from Thua Thien Hue to Quang Ngai Provinces, with winds reduced to 89-102km per hour. The storm will then move deeper into the mainland and gradually weaken. Due to the influence of the typhoon, the north and middle areas of the East Vietnam Sea will have strong winds, with squalls increasing to 166km per hour, from Monday afternoon, together with rough seas with waves reaching seven meters high. The National Steering Committee for Natural Disaster Prevention and Control chaired a meeting with relevant ministries and authorities of the coastal localities from Thanh Hoa to Quang Ngai Provinces Sunday afternoon to discuss measures to cope with Typhoon Noru. Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam! By Andreas Rinke ABU DHABI (Reuters) -German utility RWE has signed a deal with Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) to deliver liquefied natural gas to Europe's largest economy by the end of December, RWE announced on Sunday. Though the initial amount to be delivered is relatively small, it's a politically significant deal to shore up supplies of gas from outside of Russia as Chancellor Olaf Scholz seeks to deepen ties with the Gulf and find alternative energy sources. The deal, which includes a memorandum of understanding for multi-year supplies of LNG, came on the second day of a two-day trip to the Gulf region by Scholz. "We need to make sure that the production of LNG in the world is advanced to the point where the high demand that exists can be met without having to resort to the production capacity that exists in Russia," Scholz told journalists before the deal was announced. The cargo to be delivered this year by ADNOC will be for 137,000 cubic metres of LNG and will be the first LNG to be supplied to the German gas market via the floating LNG import terminal at Brunsbuttel near Hamburg, RWE said. ADNOC further reserved an unspecified number of LNG cargoes for Germany in 2023. Germany's two new planned floating LNG terminals will eventually be able to receive up to 12.5 billion cubic meters of LNG a year, equivalent to about 13% of the country's gas consumption in 2021, according to data from research firm Enerdata. "This marks an important milestone in building up an LNG supply infrastructure in Germany and setting up a more diversified gas supply," RWE said in a statement. German officials hope an array of deals, like the one struck with Abu Dhabi for LNG, will help take the edge off skyrocketing energy prices. Meanwhile, frustrated Germans protested on Sunday, calling to put into service the halted Nord Stream 2 pipeline project that was designed to transport fuel from Russia to Germany but was put on ice after the war in Ukraine broke out. Story continues "Immediately open Nord Stream 2," read one placard. "Opening Nord Stream 2 = Prevention", read another. Organizers expected some 5,000 protestors in the city of Lubmin, where the pipeline lands in Germany. In addition to supplying RWE, ADNOC has also agreed to sell ammonia to German companies, including Steag and Aurubis. It will also provide 250,000 tonnes of diesel a month to German firm Hoyer. Earlier on Sunday, the president of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, signed an agreement with Scholz that covers accelerating energy security and industrial growth. Separately, the UAE renewable energy company Masdar will explore wind energy development off the German coast. Scholz travelled to Qatar after his meetings in Abu Dhabi. On Saturday, he held talks in Jeddah with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. (Reporting by Andreas Rinke and Moataz Mohamed; Writing by Tom Sims; Editing by David Evans, Emelia Sithole-Matarise and Toby Chopra) RMT general secretary Mick Lynch has described his first meeting with new Transport Secretary Anne-Marie Trevelyan as a good meeting with a positive attitude. Rail strikes are planned for October 1, 5, and 8, threatening travel chaos for passengers. Just days after stepping into her new role, Ms Trevelyan met Mr Lynch. Speaking to Sophy Ridge on Sky News on Sunday, Mr Lynch said that it was a good meeting. What we need to see from the new secretary of state is the ability to unblock the problems in the dispute, he said. Her predecessor seemed to be putting obstacles in the way of everyone, including the employers, by shackling them to a mandate that was impossible to deliver. They were putting down issues that we could never accept, and the other trade unions could never accept. So Ive asked the new secretary of state, and it was a good meeting with a positive attitude and a bit of goodwill, to try and unthaw this situation. We need to get the thing out of deep freeze and get it on the table so we can work through the problem. He added that Ms Trevelyans willingness to meet and shake hands was the better way to conduct business. If somebody wants to meet you and shakes your hand, thats a positive start, he said. Its the better way to conduct business than than just slagging each other off, and thats not what Im into, and I hope that shes not either. However, Mr Lynch was critical of the Government, describing the tightening of strike laws as an attack on civil liberties and human rights. It comes after Chancellor Kwasi Kwarteng put himself on a collision course with trade unions by announcing plans to legislate to require them to put pay offers from employers to a vote of members. Amid a wave of industrial action by hundreds of thousands of workers, he told the Commons on Friday that it is unacceptable that strike action is causing so much disruption. Story continues He added that other European countries had minimum service levels to stop militant trade unions closing down transport systems. Mr Lynch said the reforms would make it impossible for trade unions to exist in the UK. Well theyre not just strike laws, theyre an attack on civil liberties and human rights, he said. So theyve tried to make it impossible for trade unions to exist in this country and theyre trying to make it impossible, in fact, for the people of this country to campaign against poverty, which is what many of them were changing. If there is no trade union freedom, and its impossible to conduct rules and industrial action, people will have to go in other ways, they will have to think of other means of doing it. He added that the Government say they want to cut red tape, but are subjecting the trade unions to more stringent regulation. Theyre trying to regulate unions, and theyve said theyre going to cut red tape, he said. The only people that are going to be subject to stringent regulation are the trade unions, and they want to regulate the relationship between the union and its members. Thats not acceptable. People will always regret further oppression of trade union rights because we wont be able to protest, weve got a new Police Bill thats going to stop us protesting on streets. And were going to have a new set a trade union laws that attempt to stop us having a balanced equation in the workplace, and thats not acceptable. Chris Kaba (Family Handout ) Relatives of 24-year-old Chris Kaba have backed calls for the UN to examine the fatal police shooting which occurred earlier this month. Mr Kaba was killed earlier following a pursuit in Streatham, South London, while he was driving a blue Audi. Inquest, a charity that provides expertise on state-related deaths, has reportedly submitted detailed concerns over the shooting to the UN human rights office according to The Observer. In the same correspondence, the charity also voiced its displeasure at the recent death of Oladeji Omishore. Mr Omishore, 41, died after plunging from Chelsea Bridge after being Tasered by officers in June. Both cases sparked a huge public outcry and allegations of potential police mishandling. The Kaba and Omishore families want the cases to be considered by the UNs Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, which has examined police brutality and human rights violations by law enforcement against Africans and people of African descent. Deborah Coles, director of Inquest, said: There are legitimate concerns about the immediate resort by police to use of lethal force and racial stereotyping that equates black men with dangerousness and criminality. A statement from the Omishore family read: We are extremely frustrated with the decision by the Independent Office for Police Conduct to treat the officers involved as witnesses and not declare a conduct or criminal investigation for what we saw as a disproportionate and excessive use of force. We strongly believe this force led to the untimely and avoidable death of Deji. There was no apparent risk assessment or efforts to de-escalate the situation in accordance with police guidelines. Deji was clearly in distress and experiencing a mental health crisis. We strongly believe the officers actions were unlawful, and a very sad reminder of how black people are treated in police contact. It comes after Mr Kabas relatives were this week shown footage of the incident. Story continues Mr Kabas mother Helen Nkama said it had been "very hard" to watch the footage and wants "justice". A homicide probe by the Independent Office for Police Conduct is under way and the officer involved has been suspended. The IOPC said: We will examine whether Mr Kabas race influenced any actions taken by police. Jarrad Branthwaite in action for (left to right) Everton, PSV Eindhoven and Carlisle United (photos: PA) Cumbrian star Jarrad Branthwaite has given a series of insights into life in the Dutch top-flight with PSV Eindhoven. The former Carlisle United defender, who is on loan from Everton in the Eredivisie, has reflected on scoring his first goal for the club. And the 20-year-old from Wigton has also spoken about some of the challenges and pitfalls of playing in another country. Branthwaite gave an interview to PSVs YouTube channel which followed his recent strike in a 4-3 win over Feyenoord. It was a good moment for me, he said. Over the two days before the game we did routines to make sure we could get into those scenarios. I got there on the first corner and the right foot put it in the back of the net! Branthwaite is settling in to the club, which is managed by Ruud Van Nistelrooy, having made a season-long loan move in the summer. Interviewed by presenter Maddy Hansen, the former Blues academy star said: Im really liking it. Its a good club, a family club, everyones close together. It took a bit of time settling in, moving to a different country, but Im getting used to my surroundings now. Branthwaite revealed that his relationship with PSV sporting director Marcel Brands, who was previously at Everton, was key to his move to the Dutch club. READ MORE: Branthwaite must stay in PSV side says top Dutch boss Marcel signed me from Carlisle for Everton and weve had a really good connection since then, not just with me but my agent and family as well, he said. Once he phoned me and said PSV wanted me to come, it was a no-brainer. I have trust in him and its a great club. Branthwaite spoke about life in Eindhoven, and said: It was hard at first. I was living on my own in England for two years [when I was with Everton], but I could nip up the road to see my family. Now its completely different. Its a different mentality sometimes, a bit lonely, but something you get used to and you find things to put your time in, and a couple of the players have been helping me out as well. Story continues Branthwaite said team-mate Xavi Simons is one of the players he is now close to, with the two attending Jong PSV games involving the clubs reserve side. The defender said he has not yet been able to master the Dutch language, saying he struggles with the pronunciation of words. He said, though, he is enjoying adapting to the style of play in the Eredivisie, saying: In the Netherlands the footballs a lot prettier, playing out from the back. Its similar to the Premier League in that way. I went on loan to the Championship [with Blackburn Rovers] and it was long balls and physical and in League Two it was long balls too. Playing out from the back is a big thing here and that will help me when I go back. Branthwaite said he hopes his spell will equip him to forge a career as a first-team regular at parent club Everton in the Premier League. He also spoke about one of his favourite pastimes when back home in Cumbria playing golf with his friends at Silloth-on-Solway Golf Club. The young defender was also asked about his background as a youngster in Cumbria, the players he admired when growing up, his strangest internet purchase and his favourite film. PSV are back in action against Cambuur next Saturday. Italy Election Explainer (Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved) Sundays parliamentary election will determine who governs next in Italy. But it might take weeks before a coalition government is actually in place to run the major industrial economy and key NATO member. Opinion polls indicate that voters might elect the first far-right premier of the post-World War II era and the first woman to lead an Italian government in the person of Giorgia Meloni. Given Italys fractured political spectrum, no single party stands much chance of winning enough seats to govern alone. Right-wing and right-leaning centrists forged a campaign pact that could propel Meloni into power. The center-left did not agree on teaming up with left-leaning populists or centrists, which is a big disadvantage in Italian elections. WHY HAVE ELECTIONS NOW? Elections were due in spring 2023, when Parliament's five-year term was supposed to end. But populist leaders saw their parties' support steadily slipping both in opinion polls and in various mayoral and gubernatorial races since the last national election in 2018. In July, 5-Star Movement head Giuseppe Conte, right-wing League leader Matteo Salvini and former Premier Silvio Berlusconi yanked their support for Premier Mario Draghi during a confidence vote. That triggered the premature demise of the wide-ranging coalition government and paved the way for early elections. Meloni's meteoric rise in opinion polls made the trio of populist leaders nervous about waiting until spring to face voters. Her far-right Brothers of Italy, a party with neo-fascist roots, won just over 4% in the 2018 election. Polls tab the party as possibly taking as much as 25% on Sunday. Salvini and Berlusconi are now in an electoral alliance with Meloni. FEWER LAWMAKERS Many lawmakers wont be reelected regardless of their legislative record simply due to math. Since the last election, a reform has been passed aimed at streamlining Parliament and make its operation less costly to taxpayers. In the upper chamber, the number of senators drops from 315 to 200, while the lower Chamber of Deputies will number 400 instead of 630. Story continues PINBALL POLITICS Just about everyone agrees Italy's electoral law is complicated, including lawmakers who created it. Of the total seats, 36% are determined by a first-past-the post system whoever gets the most votes for a particular district wins. The remaining 64% of the seats get divvied up proportionally, based on candidate lists determined by parties and their alliances. Lawmakers have likened the proportional part of the electoral system to a game of pinball, particularly in the Chamber of Deputies. Under the pinball effect, a candidate who, say, came in first in a specific district could see another candidate who finished second elsewhere suddenly shifted to her or his district, knocking the first-place candidate out of a seat. Confused? So are many voters. Except for in the first-past-the-post contests, many Italians are essentially voting for alliances and parties, not candidates, and don't have a direct say in determining their specific representative in the legislature. WHEN DOES ITALY GET A NEW GOVERNMENT? All over Europe, governments are grappling with an energy and cost-of-living crisis mostly triggered by Russias invasion of Ukraine that looks set to spiral this winter. But for the next few weeks Mario Draghis caretaker government will likely be doing the grappling for Italy. President Sergio Mattarella, as head of state, will hold consultations of party leaders to figure out which political forces are willing to team up in a coalition. Then Mattarella will ask someone if opinion polls prove right, likely Meloni to try to assemble a government with a solid majority in Parliament. Whoever gets tapped reports back to the president with a proposed Cabinet list, if a coalition is cobbled together. In 2018, Mattarella nixed the selection for economy minister because the proposed appointee had questioned Italy's continued participation in the group of countries that use Europes common currency, the euro. Sentiment got so tense that the leader of the 5-Star Movement, who was trying to form the coalition, demanded Mattarella's impeachment. Bickering between the 5-Stars and the right-wing League, the proposed coalition's junior partner, dragged on, and it took three months before that government was sworn in. A MATTER OF CONFIDENCE All new governments must win a mandatory confidence vote in Parliament. The new legislature must hold its first session within 21 days of the election. Thus the incoming Parliament should be in place by mid-October. After it decides its chambers' presidents, the confidence vote can take place. HOW LONG DO ITALIAN GOVERMENTS LAST? In theory, for the full term of Parliament. But post-war governments have generally run out of staying power long before that. To cite the latest example: since the 2018 election, Italians have had three governments. Two were headed by 5-Star leader Giuseppe Conte, who first teamed up with League leader Matteo Salvini, In Conte II, the Democratic Party of Enrico Letta replaced the League as junior partner. When Conte's second government fell in early 2021, Mattarella tapped Draghi to lead a pandemic unity government. That coalition's unity unraveled, victim to rival agendas among its major partners: the 5-Stars, the Democrats, the League, and Berlusconi's Forza Italia. The only main leader who refused to join any coalition government in the outgoing legislature was Giorgia Meloni. Pollsters say voters could reward her for consistency, in staying stalwartly in the opposition. BERLIN (AP) German Chancellor Olaf Scholz planted a tree at a mangrove park in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, a token nod to environmentalism during a two-day visit to the Gulf region focused mainly on securing new fossil fuel supplies and forging fresh alliances against Russia. Germany is trying to wean itself off energy imports from Russia in response to the invasion of Ukraine, while avoiding an energy shortage in the coming winter months. To do so, the German government has sought out new natural gas suppliers while also installing terminals to bring the fuel into the country by ship. After visiting the Jubail Mangrove Park in Abu Dhabi, Scholz met with UAE President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to sign an accord on energy cooperation and discuss the country's hosting of next year's U.N. climate talks. German utility company RWE announced Sunday that it will receive a first shipment of liquefied natural gas from the Abu Dhabi National Oil Company this year. In a separate deal, RWE will partner with UAE-based Masdar to explore further offshore wind energy projects, the company said. From Abu Dhabi Scholz flew to Qatar to meet the emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and discuss bilateral relations, regional issues such as tensions with Iran and the Gulf nations upcoming hosting of soccer's World Cup. Speaking to reporters in Doha, Scholz acknowledged that there had been progress on improving conditions for foreign workers involved in the construction of the venues for the tournament, but left open whether he would attend any of the games himself. The German leader's first stop Saturday was Saudi Arabia, where he met with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Human rights groups criticized the meeting because of Prince Mohammed's alleged involvement in the killing of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi. Scholz told reporters after the meeting that he had discussed all the questions around civil and human rights with the prince, but declined to elaborate. Story continues German officials noted ahead of the trip that Scholz is one of several Western leaders to meet with the Saudi crown prince in recent months, including U.S. President Joe Biden, former U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson and French President Emmanuel Macron. German officials said all energy agreements will take into account the country's plans to become carbon neutral by 2045, requiring a shift from natural gas to hydrogen produced with renewable energy in the coming decades. Saudi Arabia, which has vast regions suitable for cheap solar power generation, is seen as a particularly suitable supplier of hydrogen, they said. __ Follow all AP stories about the impact of the war in Ukraine at https://apnews.com/hub/russia-ukraine. ___ Follow all AP stories about climate change issues at https://apnews.com/hub/climate-and-environmental. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui) NEW YORK, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra on Saturday on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly. China and Algeria enjoy a special and deep friendship which has stood tests of turbulent international situation and got further advanced during the combat against COVID-19, making the two countries true friends in need and friends of faith, Wang said. He said China is ready to stand together with Algeria to pass on the traditional friendship and move along the path of development and revitalization to open up new prospects in bilateral relations. For his part, Lamamra said Algeria and China are good friends with a high-level and strong comprehensive strategic partnership, adding that both countries uphold common principles in international affairs and have common goals in national revitalization. He expressed appreciation for China's strong support for Algeria in promoting its national strategy as well as willingness to expand and deepen communication and cooperation in various fields with China. Algeria highly appreciates the Global Development Initiative (GDI) put forward by Chinese President Xi Jinping, actively supports it and has joined the Group of Friends of the GDI, he said, adding that his country looks forward to enhancing bilateral cooperation and consensus to achieve common development and prosperity. Algeria appreciates China's insistence on its objective and fair stance on the issue of Ukraine and is in favor of finding solutions through negotiations to resume peace and stability, he said. Wang said under the guidance of Xi and Algerian President Abdelmadjid Tebboune, China and Algeria have maintained solid mutual trust and frequent and close contacts with bilateral cooperation being continuously deepened, fully demonstrating the high level of bilateral comprehensive strategic partnership. Noting that Algeria is a major developing country and a representative of emerging economies, Wang said China appreciates Algeria for joining the Group of Friends of the GDI as one of the first members and actively implementing the initiative, and is willing to work with Algeria to play constructive role in global peace and development. During the meeting, the two sides agreed to speed up negotiations to sign the five-year plan for China-Algeria comprehensive strategic cooperation, the plan for the Belt and Road cooperation, and the three-year plan for cooperation in major fields, among others, so as to inject new dynamic into bilateral practical cooperation. Both sides agreed to deepen cooperation between China and Arab states. China supports Algeria in playing its role as the rotating chair of Arab League and holding the Arab League summit well, and welcomes Algeria to join the BRICS family. Both sides also agreed to strengthen unity, jointly uphold the purposes and principles of the UN Charter, jointly safeguard the principle of non-interference in internal affairs in order to jointly promote international equity and justice. Storyful Around 35 people had been confirmed dead in Lee County by Saturday, October 1, officials said, after Hurricane Ian caused major devastation in Florida.In a video posted to Facebook, Lee County Sheriff Carmine Marceno provided an updated death toll and said emergency efforts were continuing.Today, weve had over 600 to 700 rescues of people that are in need during this difficult time, Marceno said, With about 35 deaths, unfortunately.Marceno said he was working to release information about those killed and but said the sheriffs office was following a lengthy process of notifying next of kin. Credit: Lee County Sheriffs Office via Storyful A police investigation into an online threat to JK Rowling over her support for stabbing victim Salman Rushdie has been dropped. The Harry Potter author, 57, shared screenshots of a message from a user who wrote: Dont worry you are next in response to her tweet about Rushdie last month. The Indian-born British author, whose writing led to death threats from Iran in the 1980s, was stabbed in August ahead of a lecture at the Chautauqua Institution, 65 miles from Buffalo in New York. Rushdie has faced years of threats over his book The Satanic Verses, which has been banned in Iran since 1988 as many Muslims view it as blasphemous. Rowling had said she felt very sick after hearing the news and hoped the novelist would be OK. The same Twitter account to have messaged Rowling also posted messages praising the man who carried out the attack. The tweet, which came from an account in Pakistan, was later removed. (PA Wire) A Police Scotland spokeswoman said: Following a report made to police on Saturday August 13 2022 regarding an online threat, enquiries have been carried out into this matter and it has been established that it was made outwith the UK. Enquiries are now complete and there is no further police action at this time. Additional reporting by Press Association. Always and forever the most beautiful human being, may he rest in peace, reads a statement released by his label Luaka Bop. Legendary jazz saxophonist Pharoah Sanders has died, a representative from his music label Luaka Bop confirmed on Saturday. He was 81. We are devastated to share that Pharoah Sanders has passed away, reads a statement released by the label, per Variety. He died peacefully surrounded by loving family and friends in Los Angeles earlier this morning. Always and forever the most beautiful human being, may he rest in peace. Pharoah Sanders. (Credit: YouTube National Endowment for the Arts) The Little Rock, Arkansas native, born Farrell Sanders on October 13, 1940, became revered over six decades for his tenor saxophone compositions. His music had spiritual, avant-garde melodies and drew upon a wide range of feelings from peaceful to frantic. Sanders picked up the tenor saxophone in high school after first learning to play drums and clarinet in church, he said in an exclusive 2020 interview with The New Yorker. I would rent the school saxophone. You could rent it every day if you wanted to. It wasnt a great horn. It was sort of beat-up and out of condition. I never owned a saxophone until I finished high school and went to Oakland, California. I had a clarinet, and so I traded that for a new silver tenor saxophone, and that got me started playing the tenor, Sanders said. The young musician enrolled at Oakland Junior College in 1959 and developed a friendship with John Coltrane while performing in segregated local clubs, according to Pitchfork. In 1962, he moved to New York with little money and no place to stay, yet quickly established himself in the citys thriving jazz scene. In 1964, he began performing with Sun Ra, who gave Sanders the name Pharoah, per the outlet. Sanders began his discography with the solo debut Pharoahs First in 1964. Throughout the reminder of the decade, he performed and collaborated with influential artists of the genre including John Coltrane, Alice Coltrane, Don Cherry, Ornette Coleman, Kenny Garrett and more, according to Pitchfork. Story continues Among Sanders most famous works are Karma, his 1969 free jazz record featuring singles The Creator Has a Master Plan part one and two, as well as Colors, according to the New York Times. The prolific artist in total released over 30 solo albums and several dozen collaborative works, including his most recent release, the acclaimed 2021 album Promises, which featured Floating Points and the London Symphony Orchestra, per Variety. A lot of time I dont know what I want to play, Sanders told the New Yorker in 2020. So I just start playing, and try to make it right, and make it join to some other kind of feeling in the music. Like, I play one note, maybe that one note might mean love. And then another note might mean something else. Keep on going like that until it develops intomaybe something beautiful. TheGrio is FREE on your TV via Apple TV, Amazon Fire, Roku, and Android TV. Please download theGrio mobile apps today! The post Pharoah Sanders, jazz icon, dies at 81 in Los Angeles appeared first on TheGrio. Post-tropical storm Fiona battered eastern Canada with hurricane-strength winds, torrential rains and huge waves which swept away houses and left hundreds of thousands without power. Canadian troops have been mobilised to assist recovery efforts after Prime Minister Justin Trudeau vowed to provide help to those affected. "I know this is an extremely difficult time for many people who have seen their house, their property destroyed. But I also know that these people know they are not alone and that we will be here for them", he said. Mike Savage, mayor of Halifax, said the roof of an apartment building collapsed in Nova Scotia's biggest city, and officials had moved 100 people to an evacuation centre. He said no one was seriously hurt. Provincial officials said other apartment buildings sustained significant damage. 'It's quite terrifying' Fiona was blamed for at least five deaths in the Caribbean, but there was no confirmation of any fatalities or serious injuries in Canada. Police said a woman who might have been swept away was listed as missing in the town of Channel-Port Aux Basques on the southern coast of Newfoundland. Raging surf pounded Port Aux Basques, and entire structures were washed into the sea. Im seeing homes in the ocean. Im seeing rubble floating all over the place. Its complete and utter destruction. Theres an apartment that is gone, Rene J. Roy, chief editor at Wreckhouse Press and a resident of the town, said. Roy estimated between eight to 12 houses and buildings had washed into the sea. Its quite terrifying, he said. More than 415,000 Nova Scotia Power customers about 80% of the province of almost 1 million people were affected by outages Saturday. Over 82,000 customers in the province of Prince Edward Island, about 95%, also lost power, while NB Power in New Brunswick reported 44,329 were without electricity. Story continues Peter Gregg, president and CEO of Nova Scotia Power, said unprecedented peak winds inflicted severe damage and the bad weather kept repair crews from going out at first. He said about 380,000 customers remained without power Saturday afternoon as a weakening Fiona moved away over the Gulf of St. Lawrence. The Canadian Hurricane Centre tweeted that Fiona had the lowest pressure ever recorded for a storm making landfall in Canada. Forecasters had warned it could be one of the most powerful storms to hit the country. Canada's provinces of Newfoundland and Labrador, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, and Prince Edward Island were particularly hard-hit, with gusts uprooting trees and bringing down power lines. Rainfall of up to 125 millimetres was recorded in Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island, authorities said. Buckingham Palace has released the first image of the new ledger stone marking the Queen's final resting place. The late monarch was laid to rest on Monday evening in the King George VI Memorial Chapel in St George's Chapel, Windsor Castle. Her parents and husband are also buried there. Elizabeth II's name is inscribed on the black slab with those of her father George VI, mother Elizabeth, and husband Philip. The picture shows the stone set into the chapel floor and surrounded by tributes of flowers and wreaths. It is made of hand-carved Belgian marble with brass letter inlays, to match the previous one that had the names of George VI and Elizabeth in gold lettering. Visitors will be able to see the new stone in person from next week as Windsor Castle reopens to the public. The Queen, 96, was laid to rest together with the Duke of Edinburgh in a service attended by King Charles and other members of the Royal Family. The private ceremony followed her state funeral at Westminster Abbey and committal service in Windsor. The fresh stone now contains, in list form, George VI 1895-1952 and Elizabeth 1900-2002, followed by a metal Garter Star, and then Elizabeth II 1926-2022 and Philip 1921-2021. All four royals were members of the Order of the Garter, which has St George's Chapel as its spiritual home. Read more: Queen's name etched on Windsor chapel ledger stone Visitors can view Queen's final resting place from next week The Queen through the years - a life of service in pictures People can pay their respects at the burial site from Thursday 29 September, just over a week after the funeral. When Philip died 17 months ago, his coffin was interred in the Royal Vault of St George's, ready to be moved to the memorial chapel when the Queen died. Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts The Queen's sister Princess Margaret, who died in 2002, was cremated and her ashes were initially placed in the Royal Vault, before being moved to the memorial chapel with her parents' coffins when the Queen Mother died weeks later. The memorial chapel was commissioned by the Queen in 1962 as a burial place for her father. It was designed by George Pace and finished in 1969. Photograph: Francois Mori/AP The defence minister, Richard Marles, has condemned the latest nuclear threat from Russia as appalling, and says Australia is preparing to support Ukraine for a protracted military conflict. Speaking on Sunday, the deputy prime minister said the threat from the Russian president Vladimir Putin last week to use the countrys nuclear arsenal as part of its ongoing war with Ukraine could not be allowed to stand. Certainly the comments cause anxiety, you cant hide from that, Marles told Sky News. Related: Ukraines ambassador to Australia calls for removal of offensive mural of Russian and Ukrainian soldiers Weve heard the president make those threats before [and] they are appalling comments to make. It is clearly an appalling thing to do, to place that potential on the table. In a televised address to the nation last week, Putin said that Russia was positioning itself in response to the threat from the west, which wants to destroy our country, as he threatened to use the various means of destruction it had at its disposal. When the territorial integrity of our country is threatened, to protect Russia and our people, we will certainly use all the means at our disposal, Putin said. Its not a bluff. The comments sparked widespread condemnation and the threat of more sanctions from G7 countries, while the foreign minister, Penny Wong, suggested the government would consider the expulsion of the Russian ambassador in response. Amid the escalation, Marles was also critical of Putins decision to mobilise 300,000 reservists, describing the move as a step in completely the wrong direction. Russia needs to stop and Russia needs to leave Ukraine, he said. I think the scenes that weve seen from Russia over the last few days, of people seeking to leave the country, of obvious distress for those being called up and being asked to serve in the Russian forces in respect of this says everything about where public opinion is actually at within Russia. Story continues Marles, who has recently met with officials from Nato countries in Europe, also said Australia would provide further and ongoing military assistance to Ukraine. It follows requests from the countrys ambassador for 30 more Bushmaster armoured vehicles, 30 Hawkei protected mobility vehicles and Howitzer missiles. He said he would not yet reveal the details of Australias military commitment, but confirmed there would be additional support. What we understand is that Ukraine is going to need support over a long period of time, Marles said. Thats very much the sense when I was in Europe and speaking to Nato countries Germany, UK, France all of those countries are really steeling themselves for this being an effort which needs to be undertaken over a long period of time, and that the importance of standing with Ukraine and enabling Ukraine to be empowered to resolve this on their own terms is fundamentally important. Related: Russia-Ukraine war latest: what we know on day 214 of the invasion Rest assured that were talking with the Ukrainian ambassador, talking with Ukrainian government, about the way in which Australia can be there and be there over the long term, because we get that this has all the potential to be a protracted conflict. Marles also rejected suggestions from the federal opposition that the delivery of Bushmaster vehicles to Ukraine had been delayed by red tape, saying the project schedule was on time. The Ukrainians are very appreciative with the speed with which Bushmasters have been delivered to Ukraine, he said. Its not in Ukraines interest for us to make public what that delivery schedule is. But the delivery schedule is there. Its on time and theyre getting those Bushmasters. And theyre having a really big impact. Russian allies China and India have called for a negotiated end to the Ukraine war during an international meeting. Chinas foreign minister, Wang Yi, called on Russia and Ukraine to keep the crisis from spilling over and from affecting developing countries. China supports all efforts conducive to the peaceful resolution of the Ukraine crisis. The pressing priority is to facilitate talks for peace, Mr Wang said on Saturday. The fundamental solution is to address the legitimate security concerns of all parties and build a balanced, effective and sustainable security architecture. During his visit to the United Nations, Mr Wang met Ukraines foreign minister, Dmytro Kuleba, in their first talks since the war began. Earlier this month Valdimir Putin acknowledged Chinese concerns about Ukraine during a meeting with his counterpart, Xi Jinping. US officials have been heartened by what they see as Chinas lack of concrete backing for the war and said that Beijing has declined requests to send military equipment, forcing Russia to rely on North Korea and Iran as its own supplies dwindle. Chinas reaction to Russia is being closely watched for clues on its approach to Taiwan, a self-governing democracy that Beijing claims as its territory. Wang held firm that China would take forceful steps against any interference, insisting that efforts to prevent reunification with Taiwan would be crushed by the wheels of history. As the Ukraine conflict continues to rage, we are often asked whose side we are on, said Indias foreign minister, Subrahmanyam Jaishankar. Our answer, each time, is straight and honest India is on the side of peace and will remain firmly there, he said. We are on the side that calls for dialogue and diplomacy as the only way out. It came as Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov delivered a furious rant and accused the West of Russophobia. The official Russophobia in the west is unprecedented. Now the scope is grotesque, Lavrov told the general assembly. They are not shying away from declaring the intent to inflict not only military defeat on our country but also to destroy and fracture Russia. The United States, he said, since the end of the cold war has acted as if it is an envoy of God on Earth, with the sacred right to act with impunity wherever and whenever they want, Mr Lavrov said. Rights activists in Crimea say Russias mobilisation drive in the occupied peninsula is disproportionately targeting Crimean Tatars, an ethnic group that has largely opposed Russian rule since the area was annexed in 2014. Everywhere, in every town, I am hearing that the majority of those mobilised are Crimean Tatars, and we know they are particularly targeting settlements with predominantly Crimean Tatar populations, an activist from the group still living on the peninsula said in a telephone interview. This will be a catastrophe for us that will take years to heal. Vladimir Putin announced partial mobilisation on Wednesday in an attempt to bolster Russias flagging invasion of Ukraine with new troops. Across the country, families have said goodbye to men who have been called up to fight. There have been reports of disproportionately high numbers mobilised in poor regions populated by ethnic minority groups, such as Buryatia and the republics of the North Caucasus. The largely Muslim Crimean Tatars make up about 13% of Crimeas population. There is no official breakdown of who has been mobilised but extensive anecdotal evidence suggests Crimean Tatars have been targeted disproportionately. Crimea SOS, a Ukrainian rights organisation, estimates that 90% of mobilisation notices have been given to Crimean Tatars. This is a conscious effort to destroy the Crimean Tatar nation, Ukraines president, Volodymyr Zelenskiy, said during his nightly video address on Saturday. Tamila Tasheva, Zelenskiys top representative for Crimea, also said she believed Russia was targeting the group deliberately. Crimean Tatars are the least loyal segment of the population to Russia, and it was clear they were very buoyed by recent Ukrainian military successes. Now they are being punished, she said. Tasheva, who is Crimean Tatar, said she had received dozens of reports from members of her ethnic group of police arriving in their towns or villages and handing out summons. Story continues People are panicking, they dont know what to do, she said. She is advising those mobilised to try to surrender to Ukrainian forces at the first possible opportunity. But of course, were worried theyll just be shot in the back by the Russians. Asked if arming thousands of opponents was a strategy that could backfire for Moscow, she said: Unfortunately, the Russians are not stupid enough to put all the Crimean Tatars together in the same regiment. Others also reported a sense of helplessness and panic in the community, with people attempting to flee Crimea. With the nearest operating international airport hundreds of miles from Crimea, persistent rumours that Russia could close the bridge over the Kerch strait that links the peninsula to Russia and huge queues at Russias remaining open land borders with other countries, fleeing is not easy. Right now, its the only topic of discussion. How to flee, how to hide, how to get out of Russia. Yesterday I was at a birthday party and nobody was talking about anything else. There are no smiles, no happiness. Everyone is depressed, the women are in tears, said the activist. Tatars have called Crimea home for centuries, but became a minority after Russia took over the region in the 18th century under Catherine the Great. Joseph Stalin had the entire population deported to Central Asia during the second world war, wrongly smearing the group as Nazi collaborators. Most were only allowed to return to the peninsula in the 1980s. This long experience of persecution led many Crimean Tatars to be extremely hostile to the Russian annexation in 2014. Russian authorities subsequently tried to co-opt Crimean Tatar leaders, but most refused to collaborate. A campaign of harassment and persecution against active community leaders began, and Russia outlawed the mejlis, the Crimean Tatar representative body. Many of its members were banned from entering the peninsula and are now based in Kyiv or elsewhere. Dozens of Crimean Tatars are recognised as political prisoners, and there has been an increase in arrests and pressure since the war began in February, with Russian authorities on the lookout for sabotage and plots among a population it considers disloyal. Crimean police detained six wedding guests and the venue owner earlier this month after the DJ played a pro-Ukraine song at a wedding, and Russian authorities have said anyone displaying pro-Ukraine sentiment is liable to arrest. Tasheva said: First they tried to buy us, then they tried to repress us and now they see mobilisation as a way to try to simply get rid of us. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Saturday called on the international community to make every effort for peace and development, and shoulder the responsibility for solidarity and progress. While delivering a speech at the general debate of the 77th session of the United Nations (UN) General Assembly, Wang said the world is at a time fraught with challenges. The world has entered a new phase of turbulence and transformation, and changes unseen in a century are accelerating, Wang said, adding that this era, however, is also full of hope. Peace and development remain the underlying trend of the times, and around the world, the people's call for progress and cooperation is getting louder than ever before, Wang said. China's answer, Wang said, is firm and clear on how to respond to the call of the times and ride on the trend of history to build a community with a shared future for mankind advocated by Chinese President Xi Jinping. First, countries must uphold peace and oppose war and turbulence, Wang said, calling on all countries to remain committed to addressing differences through peaceful means and resolving disputes through dialogue and consultation. Second, countries must pursue development and eliminate poverty, Wang said. Noting the world should place development at the center of the international agenda and build international consensus on promoting development, Wang said that the world should see that everyone in every country benefits more from the fruits of development in a more equitable way. Third, countries must remain open and oppose exclusion, Wang said, adding that countries should stay true to openness and inclusiveness, uphold the multilateral trading system with the World Trade Organization at its core and endeavor to build an open world economy. Fourth, countries must stay engaged in cooperation and oppose confrontation, Wang said. Urging countries to engage in dialogue, consultation and win-win cooperation, and reject conflict, coercion and zero-sum game, Wang stressed that countries should jointly oppose group politics and bloc confrontation. Fifth, countries must strengthen solidarity and oppose division, Wang said, calling on the international community to stand against drawing lines on ideological grounds, and work together to expand common ground and convergence of interests to promote world peace and development. Sixth, countries must uphold equity and oppose bullying, Wang said, adding that countries should promote and practice true multilateralism, promote equality of all countries in terms of rights, rules and opportunities, and build a new type of international relations featuring mutual respect, equity and justice, and win-win cooperation. China, he said, is a builder of world peace. In the face of various challenges nowadays, Xi has put forward the Global Security Initiative, contributing China's vision to reducing the peace deficit facing humanity and providing China's input to meeting global security challenges, Wang added. China is a contributor to global development, Wang said, adding that China has endeavored to build a system of high-standard opening-up and safeguard the security and stability of global industrial and supply chains. Noting that China is a major trading partner of over 130 countries and regions, Wang pointed out that China contributes about 30 percent of annual global growth and is the biggest engine driving the global economy. China is also an active participant in global governance and South-South cooperation, Wang said, noting that China has set up the China-UN Peace and Development Trust Fund and the Global Development and South-South Cooperation Fund. It has provided development aid to more than 160 countries in need, and extended more debt-service payments owed by developing countries than any other G20 member state. China, Wang added, is a defender of the international order as the country always firmly safeguard the purposes and principles of the UN Charter and United Nations' central role in the international system, as well as the international order based on international law. China has been involved in multilateral affairs in all fields and is a member of almost all universal inter-governmental organizations and a party to over 600 international conventions, Wang said, adding that China has concluded more than 27,000 bilateral treaties and fulfilled in good faith its international obligations. China will continue to speak up for other developing countries, help them overcome difficulties and fully support efforts in raising the representation and say of developing countries in international affairs, Wang added. China is a provider of public goods, Wang added. In the face of COVID-19, China has made all-out efforts to advance and engage in global cooperation against the pandemic, and has done its best to provide anti-pandemic supplies and shared its practices on combating the virus, he said. China is among the first to promise making COVID-19 vaccines a global public good and to support waiving intellectual property rights on the vaccines, Wang noted, adding that China has provided over 2.2 billion doses of vaccines to more than 120 countries and international organizations. In response to tough challenges confronting global development, President Xi proposed to advance high-quality Belt and Road cooperation, an initiative that has been widely endorsed by the international community, Wang said, adding that China has signed cooperation documents with 149 countries and 32 international organizations, and has also set up the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the Silk Road Fund. China also serves as a mediator of hotspot issues, Wang said. As a responsible major country, China strives to explore and practice a way with Chinese characteristic to resolve hotspot issues. While adhering to the principle of non-interference in others' domestic affairs and respecting the will and needs of the countries concerned, China has endeavored to help settle hotspot issues in a constructive way, he said. On the Taiwan question, Wang stressed that since ancient times, Taiwan has been an inalienable part of China's territory. China's sovereignty and territorial integrity has never been severed, and the fact that the mainland and Taiwan belong to one and same China has never changed, he said. All of the Chinese have never ceased their efforts to realize China's reunification, he added. The one-China principle, Wang said, has become a basic norm in international relations and a general consensus of the international community. Fifty-one years ago, right in this august hall, the UN General Assembly adopted Resolution 2758 with an overwhelming majority, which decided to restore the lawful seat of the People's Republic of China in the UN and to expel the "representatives" of the Taiwan authorities from the place which they had unlawfully occupied, Wang recalled. Once and for all, Resolution 2758 resolved politically, legally and procedurally the issue of the representation of the whole of China, including Taiwan, in the UN and international institutions, and it completely blocked any attempt by anyone or any country to create "two Chinas" or "one China, one Taiwan," Wang said. China will continue to endeavor to achieve peaceful reunification with the greatest sincerity and greatest efforts, he said, adding that to realize this goal, China must combat "Taiwan independence" separatist activities with the firmest resolve and take the most forceful steps to repulse interference by external groups. Any scheme to interfere in China's internal affairs is bound to meet the strong opposition of all the Chinese, and any move to obstruct China's cause of reunification is bound to be crushed by the wheels of history, he added. Meanwhile, Wang said China is fully implementing a new development philosophy featuring innovative, coordinated, green and open development for all, and that it is pursuing high-quality development and fostering a new development paradigm. China will enjoy sustained and sound development, usher in even brighter prospects, and make more splendid miracles come true, he said. As China has one-fifth of the global population, its march toward modernization has important and far-reaching significance for the world, Wang said. The path that China pursues is one of peace and development, not one of plunder and colonialism; it is a path of win-win cooperation, not one of zero-sum game; and it is one of harmony between man and nature, not one of destructive exploitation of resources, Wang said. He added China will continue to contribute its input to meeting the challenges facing human development, and make its contribution to creating a new form of human advancement. The Communist Party of China will convene its 20th National Congress in Beijing next month, Wang said, adding that this Congress will, in response to the expectation of all the Chinese people, set well-conceived goals and tasks for China's development in the next five years and beyond, and that it will draw an overarching plan for China's future development. Having reached a new historical starting point, China will follow the Chinese path to modernization to achieve the rejuvenation of the Chinese nation, Wang said. China, Wang said, will work with other countries to make every effort for peace and development, shoulder the responsibility for solidarity and progress, build a community with a shared future for mankind, and embrace an even better world. Wang, on the occasion, also announced that China has decided to launch its domestic procedure to ratify the United Nations' Firearms Protocol, a step that will contribute to strengthening global cooperation on gun control and closing the security deficit. On the same day, Wang also met respectively with the president of the 77th session of the UN General Assembly and the foreign ministers of the Maldives, Egypt, Algeria, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea and Costa Rica. YEN BAI A ceremony to receive the UNESCO certificate of recognition of Xoe Thai art as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity was held on September 24 in Nghia Lo Town, Yen Bai Province. Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, speaking on behalf of leaders of the Party and State, congratulated the authorities and people of ethnic groups in Yen Bai, Son La, Lai Chau, and ien Bien on the recognition of Xoe Thai art as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity during his remarks at the celebrations. The Prime Minister has expressed his belief that the recognition of Xoe Thai as Viet Nam's 14th heritage inscribed by UNESCO is a moment of great pride for the Thai people and the community of the country's 54 ethnic groups. PM Chinh praised generations of folk artists and the Thai ethnic community for their tremendous efforts to conserve this priceless cultural heritage. He also thanked and praised the efforts of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, the National Council for Cultural Legacy, other relevant ministries, agencies, and localities, collectors, and researchers to preserve and promote Xoe Thai art and Viet Nam's cultural heritage. The Prime Minister expressed his hope that UNESCO's Representative Office and Christian Manhart, UNESCO's Chief Representative, would continue to provide Viet Nam with close cooperation and effective help to ensure that the country's cultural values are widely disseminated and in tune with the cultural quintessence of humanity. To continue to create new vitality, spread, and strongly inspire the value of Xoe Thai art, the Prime Minister suggested that the authority, people, and Thai community in the Northwest provinces, as well as the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, work cooperatively to effectively implement the "National Action Programme to protect and promote the value of the intangible cultural heritage of Xoe Thai art" in accordance with the commitment to UNESCO. "Let us do it with enthusiasm, with heart, with pride, with inner strength, so that the lyrics and music of Xoe khan, Xoe non, Xoe quat, Xoe sap, Xoe gay, Xoe hoa,[ Xoe dancing using various props such as scarves, hats]... continue to be nurtured, developed, and spread throughout the community of ethnic groups," he said. According to PM Chinh, the noble and beautiful value of Xoe Thai art should be protected and promoted internationally as well as domestically. Therefore, it is vital to recognise that this is the representative intangible cultural legacy of humanity and take appropriate action. "Xoe Thai represents the convergence of cultural beauty, therefore, promoting Xoe Thai is our shared responsibility," he added. The Prime Minister suggested expanding studies and coming up with concrete plans to protect and enhance ethnic groups' and Xoe Thai's identity and customs in socio-economic growth and tourism development. He urged everyone to take steps to improve the lives of skilled artisans who are committed to preserving the heritage while also making it easier for people to experience and perform Xoe Thai in light of the country's new development conditions. At the ceremony, Pauline Tamesis, United Nations Resident Coordinator in Viet Nam, presented the UNESCO certificate recognising Xoe Thai art as an Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity to the representative of the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, as well as leaders of the People's Committees of the provinces of Yen Bai, Son La, Lai Chau, and ien Bien. Tamesis offered congratulations for this significant event and wished that the Thai community and Vietnamese people would continue to maintain, promote, and disseminate the significance of Xoe Thai art, while also contributing more to UNESCO's activities and human culture. Following the UNESCO certification ceremony, attendees were able to enter the art space and experience the local distinctive culture through an art programme centred on the theme "Xoe Thai - Essence of the heritage region." Artists from Yen Bai, Son La, and Lai Chau all participated in the beautifully staged art programme, which featured dancing, singing, and performing arts acts of Xoe Thai. The programme ended with the performance "The quintessence of Xoe art," which brought together traditional folklore values that have become the heritage of the Thai people in the Northwest, with the involvement of more than 2,000 artisans and performers. VNS RAMALLAH, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- A Palestinian was killed and three others injured on Sunday by Israeli soldiers in the northern West Bank city of Nablus, Palestinian and Israeli sources said. Palestinian security sources and local eyewitnesses said a 25-year-old man was shot dead by Israeli soldiers when they opened fire at a motorcycle and a car in Nablus. Another three Palestinians, who were in the attacked vehicle, were injured, including one in serious condition. Local medical sources said the three were taken to the city hospital. An Israeli army spokesman said that an Israeli army force was carrying out regular military activity near the city of Nablus, adding that Israeli soldiers noticed Palestinian gunmen riding a motorcycle and a car. The spokesman said that the soldiers opened fire and directly neutralized the militants. Israeli media outlets reported that the Palestinian militants were on their way to attack the soldiers who opened fire at the motorcycle and killed one militant. The report also said that the soldiers opened fire at the car, injuring three militants who were then taken to a hospital for treatment. No injuries were reported among the Israeli soldiers. Over the past few months, the West Bank has witnessed growing tension between the Israeli army and the Palestinians. More than 90 Palestinians have been killed since early January by Israeli soldiers, including children and women, according to official Palestinian statistics. Meanwhile, 18 Israelis have been killed since March in a series of attacks carried out by Palestinians in Israel. In response, Israel carried out a campaign of arrests focused on the cities of Nablus and Jenin in the northern West Bank. Israel said the campaign had affected wanted Palestinians involved in carrying out attacks against Israel. NEW YORK Vietnamese Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh stresses multilateralisation and the need for international solidarity in his speech at the General Debate of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York on September 24 (US time). The Deputy PM said that "the world is at a turning point in history" when confrontations, conflicts and violations of international law continued to escalate, reflecting increasing great power rivalry and the trend of unilateralism. Deputy PM Minh pointed out that global military spending surged to US$2.1 trillion while the international community failed to raise $100 billion tackling climate actions, threats to global security and poverty exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite this dire context, he reaffirmed his support for multilateralism and emphasised the need for international solidarity and partnerships at all levels. On a national level, he affirmed that cooperation was indispensable during the oi moi (renewal), resulting in Viet Nam being on track to become a developed, high-income country by 2045. Emphasising that his country is not an exception, he encouraged the international community to choose partnership over mistrust to bring about positive change. "The world needs to move on from the win-lose and confrontational mindset, and pushes for open, inclusive, equal, win-win international cooperation." "We express our consistent stance of solidarity with the Cuban people and call for the immediate lifting of unilateral embargoes against Cuba that are contrary to international law," he noted. Deputy PM Minh emphasised that it was necessary to respect international law and respect the UN Charter, especially respect for the independence, sovereignty, and territorial integrity of countries, and underlined the need to settle disputes by peaceful means. On this note, he called for a cessation of hostilities in Ukraine, and offered his countrys support towards diplomatic efforts and the countrys reconstruction. At the same time, it was necessary to build strong and effective multilateral institutions, with the UN playing the central role, to promote global partnerships, taking into account the important role of regional organisations in the response to common challenges. Regarding the regional situation, the Vietnamese leader highlighted that Southeast Asian countries were making efforts to build a strong and united ASEAN Community, which would play a central role in the regional security architecture and promote cooperation with partners. The Deputy PM also highly appreciated ASEAN's efforts to find comprehensive solutions to problems in the region, including the situation in Myanmar. He noted that it is imperative to maintain peace, stability, security and maritime safety in the South China Sea (known as the East Sea in Viet Nam) and called on all parties to exercise self-restraint, refrain from unilateral activities and attempts to change the status quo, not to threaten or use force, and settle disputes by peaceful means, respecting legal and diplomatic processes, in accordance with international law, the UN Charter, and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Recalling the statement of the President of the 32nd UN General Assembly that Viet Nams accession to the UN was an important step in strengthening peace and security in the world, Deputy PM Minh said that assessment was still valid to this day, reflected in Viet Nams efforts in maintaining international peace and security, increasing participation in UN peacekeeping activities, and promoting a balanced and constructive approach to jointly seek long-term solutions to international problems, for the common interest of all member states. He noted that "Viet Nam always promotes mutual understanding and respect, cooperation and dialogue" at the UN Human Rights Council and looks forward to receiving support from other countries for Viet Nams candidacy as a member of the council for the 2023-2025 term, adding that In unity there is strength, with solidarity and partnerships there is power. VNS Friends, family and colleagues from as far away as Washington, D.C., and as close at Baylor University gathered at Antioch Community Church for Ken Starrs celebration of life ceremony Saturday afternoon. The former federal attorney is perhaps best known for heading the Whitewater investigation that led to former President Bill Clintons impeachment. He then served as solicitor general under President George H.W. Bush before switching to an academic career, serving as Pepperdine Universitys law school dean. Starr was president of Baylor University from 2010 to 2016 before regents dismissed him in the aftermath of a campuswide sexual assault scandal. For the most part the more than a dozen speakers set that resume aside, focusing instead on the father, partner and friend Starr was in his personal life, one who was never too busy to drop what he was doing for their sake. Starr died Sept. 13 after a long recovery from surgery at a hospital in Houston. A slideshow of family photos rotated on Antiochs screens before the ceremony began, recalling family get-togethers with Starrs sisters, and Ken and Alice Starr as newlyweds in the 1970s. Antioch Pastor Jimmy Seibert paid tribute to Starrs tendency to burst into patriotic songs, and encouraged singing along. Welcome to Texas, you made it to the Holy Land. Ken finally got you here, Seibert said at the start of the ceremony, prompting quiet laughter. Sen. John Cornyn said Starr was courageous and a friend of freedom, something Starr said frequently, and referenced Starrs 2021 book Religious Liberty in Crisis: Exercising Your Faith in an Age of Uncertainty. He wrote the book, literally, on the threat of creeping secularism and its threat to religious liberty, Cornyn said. Paul wrote in Second Timothy, I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. So did our friend Ken Starr. Starrs son, Randall, described his fathers energy and laughter as infectious, and said his sense of justice and fairness extended even to his little sisters softball games. He also recounted Starrs habit of putting anyone, including research assistants, coworkers and 7-year-olds, on the spot for impromptu recitations of the Gettysburg Address, Bible verses or every U.S. president in order. As my sisters will attest to, that was just considered normal behavior in our home, he said. Starrs daughter, Carolyn Doolittle, thanked Antioch and Baylor University for their help in holding the event, and coordinating security, media and other logistics in the week leading up to the ceremony. She when she was a child in the 1980s, her dad brought home the aerobics moves he learned in classes at the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit. Imagine Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg and him in full 80s aerobics gear, she said. It apparently happened. None of them are here to tell us about it, unfortunately, but dad would perform them for us and get us involved, much to our amusement. She, and several other speakers, referenced Starrs love for the C.S. Lewis book Mere Christianity, and his habit of sending copies of it to anyone who hadnt read it, and a few people who had. Her husband, Cameron Doolittle, one of the many people who called Starr grandpa or Uncle Ken, said Starr had a supernatural ability to see potential in others and encourage it. Its like grandpa had a magic slingshot, and hed reach down and pick up someone like a stone and launch them into the night sky, turning stones into stars, Doolittle said. And he leaves behind constellations of people whom his encouragement launched. The service concluded with a group performance all four verses of America the Beautiful and God Bless America. Starr is to be buried at Texas State Cemetery in Austin. There are those who see history as a pendulum swinging one way, then another, as if to describe the move to and from certain social values and norms. The astonishing division in the United States in the early 21st century might be a time when the pendulum has not only swung but has also demonstrated a remarkable comparison to the United States in the early 20th century. Now Americas prize-winning history documentarian, Ken Burns, has produced a new documentary, The U.S. and the Holocaust, which aired on PBS television for three nights last week. It tells a story of the United States in World War II, a story that may sound eerily like the America of today. As a Jewish American aware that part of my mothers family died in the ovens of Nazi-run concentration camps during World War II, I never really knew or understood the United States politics during the Nazi era. Information on Nazi Germany has been available in detail for years, but detailed information on the U.S. position for the same period has not been so well known. Burns documentary, produced in partnership with the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum and the USC Shoah Foundation and in cooperation with writers Sarah Botstein and Lynn Novick, includes photographs, newsreel footage and letters, some read by celebrities such as Meryl Streep and Liam Neeson. The production begins well before Adolf Hitler and Nazi Germany were brutally relevant, giving background into Americas right-wing extremist political climate framed by Jim Crow laws. Jim Crow laws in early 20th-century America were designed to enforce racial segregation after the end of Reconstruction in 1877. Jim Crow was the name of a minstrel routine, more exactly Jump Jim Crow as designated by originator Thomas Dartmouth Daddy Rice. Today the term Jim Crow refers to the efforts designed to limit or deny rights to Blacks, including the right to vote in free elections. In the America of the 2020s, some would say there is again, in many states, an effort to restrict or control the votes of Black Americans as an aftermath of the 2020 election that some say was fraudulent or stolen. The parallel movement of voter rights restrictions seen in the early 20th century as compared to the early 21st century conjures for some a frightening vision of democracy, or lack thereof, in the modern day. Following Jim Crow came the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882, prohibiting Chinese immigration for a 10-year period; the Johnson-Reed Act of 1924, which limited immigration by nationality to 2% of the United States population of each nationality; and the formation of the America First Committee, founded in 1940, an antisemitic organization of upward of 800,000 American isolationists. Its membership included Henry Ford and Charles Lindbergh, who espoused pro-fascist and anti-Jewish views. This was the setting for Americas long delay in recognizing the atrocities of Nazi Germany, a delay lasting long enough for the world to witness the slaughter of 1.25 million Jews, well before the building and operation of the concentration camps where another 4.75 million Jewish men, women and children lost their lives. America, the land of immigrants and the American dream, was also the land which in 1939 turned away from its shore the MS St. Louis, which carried 900 Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi held lands. Fully one-quarter of those 900 souls later perished at the hands of the Nazis after being forced to return to Europe. Interestingly, America in the time of World War II, rife with a majority of Americans believing in isolationist and nationalist America first positions, is not unlike America in todays world. The recent increase in anti-Asian rhetoric and attacks, to some extent a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the startling increase in antisemitic attacks as a result of increasing membership in extreme right-wing organizations, somewhat mimics Germany prior to and during the WWII years. Further, in the 1940s Americans concerns about immigrants replacing the white majority mirrors to some extent the current views of some Americans with respect to the many minorities in the U.S. who up to now have been speaking up and speaking out about their rights under the United States Constitution. The fact is that in 1940s America, just as today, there were certainly some who spoke out against the rhetoric and actions to limit individual rights. Then, as now, many hesitated to speak out in fear of making it worse for those minorities already in the crosshairs, or for fear of ruffling the feathers of friends and family with opposing views. More certainly they hesitate out of concern for personal or family harm from the retribution of those whose vehemence is so pervasive. The unquestionable dilemma of fighting what one perceives as wrong versus remaining quiet to quell the debate is a human dilemma defying time. Does silence in the face of perceived wrong make one complicit in that wrong? Perhaps this new documentary will be a lesson about righting wrong and learning from history. Though there can be germane arguments on both sides of a question, history can provide illuminating perspectives. A few months ago I picked up the phone and a breathless caller exclaimed, The Hilton is on fire, you can see the smoke from miles away. Luckily, my office at River Square Center has a pretty good view of the Hilton, and there wasnt any smoke visible from my window. Photographer Rod Aydelotte reported there had been a brief fire in the laundry room, and it had been put out hours before. News tips are valuable, even though most are false alarms. Weve grown accustomed to sifting through tips and claims to verify if breaking news is actually happening or not. On the afternoon of Sept. 13, for more than an hour, we did not know if a reported shooting at Waco High School was real, or a hoax. That was feeling I wont soon forget. It was, of course, a hoax. Some idiot called in a fake shooting report to local officials, prompting a swift and overwhelming response from local law enforcement to Waco High School. But from 2:15 to 3:40 p.m. 85 minutes to be exact this community did not knowing if a shooting had occurred, or whether an active shooter situation existed or not. From the start, it didnt feel like a normal hoax, no doubt fueled by the increasing frequency of shootings. As I recall, Managing Editor J.B. Smith was busy preparing a story to break the news of former Baylor University president Ken Starrs death. As the minutes ticked after the initial response to the high school, law enforcement and Waco ISD officials delayed in sounding the all-clear. For over an hour, Waco Highs destiny hung in the balance. Would Waco join the long and growing list of school shooting sites, or was this just an elaborate prank? With each passing minute, the former became more possible. That afternoon we monitored social media from Waco Police Department, Waco ISD and the sheriffs office. We sent reporters and photographers to the high school not knowing if this was going to become an international news story or if it would be just another hoax. Information was streaming in from multiple sources. Baylor Scott & White Hillcrest Medical Center was preparing for mass casualties. There were three ambulances on site at the high school. Panicked parents heard from kids at the school, reportedly seeing a gunman. Some information turned out to be true; much of it was not. We also dispatched a reporter to the Base, where Waco ISD had told parents to pick up their kids. Local law enforcement, headed by the Waco ISD Police Department, conducted a systematic room-by-room search of the evacuated high school. At 3:40 p.m., officials signaled all-clear. They later confirmed the entire episode to be the result of a hoax caller. For most of those 85 minutes, parents did not know for sure what was happening at their kids school. Waco PD did report there was no active shooter situation several minutes before signaling all-clear. Waco ISD and Waco PD were measured and cautious in what they reported during that time period. In the age of misinformation, slow and correct is the only way to go. In the days following the evacuation, multiple reviews found that the law enforcement response worked as planned, including Waco ISD Police taking charge of the scene. Contingency plans were executed as rehearsed, with some deficiencies cited in the area of clear and concise communication with parents, many of whom spoke in frustration to Trib reporter Kourtney David in the Base parking lot before the all-clear signal. Law enforcement and school districts prepare and train regularly for the eventuality of a mass shooting. Sadly, its part of everyday life in 21st-century America. Im not sure the rest of us give it enough thought. Its difficult to think about how necessary such plans have become. The New York Times reports there have been 16 mass shootings so far in 2022 involving four or more fatalities. There were 18 last year. Some locations we know, others are far-off places we had not heard about before. Its easy to rationalize our supposed safety by how far away the locations are from Waco. Highland Park is in Chicago. Uvalde is 80 miles west of San Antonio. Santa Fe is near Houston. Sandy Hook is in Connecticut. Waco High School is on 42nd Street, and while we didnt see any smoke from gunfire on the afternoon of Sept. 13, if there had been any we could have seen it from our own windows. Dont be a victim As a native Wacoan, and someone who was politically active most of my life, I felt the ever-growing political divide each year. I transferred from Baylor University to George Washington and witnessed everything from Black Lives Matter protests to the Jan. 6 insurrection. Constantly stressed by the security of my environment and the heated political climate, I made the decision to apply for the U.S. State Departments Gilman Scholarship and move to Australia. I have since graduated and been living here for nearly five months. Upon my first week here, a new prime minister was elected. Not only did everyone have an accessible opportunity to vote, but there were no protests or even a two-party system. The Uvalde shooting happened, and everyone at my workplace brought me flowers, crying that they couldnt imagine a country in which students had active shooter drills. I then watched from abroad Roe get overturned from a country where I have free universal health care and virtually zero prescription drug costs. Many people reading this Im sure would dismiss these things as a result of living in a socialist country or a country with an incredibly high tax rate. However, if you really get into it, its a result of a country where people value the good of the community more than political gain. Its what our country could look like if we stopped saying Trump this or Biden that at every news article. This election season, I urge you to not vote for the candidate, but vote for the community. Who is providing a world in which you dont have to choose between paying for insulin or dinner? Who is providing a world in which you dont have to send your kid to school with a bulletproof backpack? Who is providing a world in which you dont have to think about how much money you have in your bank account before calling an ambulance? If you read these questions and immediately assigned them to a political party before even thinking about the answer, youre not an educated voter, youre a victim of political propaganda. Emily Mosley, Robinson Voting by mail Calls to seniors 65 and older indicate very few citizens know the requirements to secure a ballot by mail (BBM). Efforts by the Texas secretary of state and lieutenant governor to inform seniors have been confusing and piecemeal. These efforts include envelopes that look like junk mail, use of campaign contractors to send BBM announcement letters to citizens, and limiting election officials from sending ballots to senior voters without their request to do so. Unless you know to apply for BBM, know that the forms require two IDs on the form and return envelope, and know it takes 10 days to two weeks turnaround by mail. It is much safer to register in person. We deserve to have confidence in BBM. Unfortunately, this is not the case for Texas elections. Thomas Schenck, Clifton RIP, judge In addition to being a brilliant legal mind, Ken Starr was a genuinely selfless individual. In 2019, Judge Starr got ordained so that he could marry my wife Robin and me. He and his wonderful wife, Alice, were involved in many aspects of planning our wedding, and Judge Starr conducted a ceremony that we will never forget. Rest in peace, judge. Thomas Leath, Waco LOS ANGELES (AP) Pharoah Sanders, the influential tenor saxophonist revered in the jazz world for the spirituality of his work, has died, his record label announced. He was 81. Sanders, who launched his career playing alongside John Coltrane in the 1960s, died in Los Angeles early Saturday, said the tweet from Luaka Bop, the label that released his 2021 album, "Promises." It did not specify a cause. A phone message to Luaka Bop in New York was not immediately returned. Keep scrolling for a look back at those we've lost in 2022 "We are devastated to share that Pharoah Sanders has passed away. He died peacefully surrounded by loving family and friends in Los Angeles earlier this morning. Always and forever the most beautiful human being, may he rest in peace," said the label's message on Twitter, accompanied by a heart emoji. Among the saxophonist's best-known works was his two-part "The Creator Has a Master Plan," from the "Karma" album released in 1969. The combined track is nearly 33 minutes long. Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, in 1940, Sanders began his early musical life by playing drums, then the clarinet in church. In high school, he began renting out the school saxophone. After high school he moved to Oakland, California, where he intended to attend art school. But he soon moved to New York to join the city's avant-garde jazz scene. He hitchhiked his way across country, he told The New Yorker magazine in 2020. Arriving in 1962, he could hardly afford the New York life. "I was trying to survive some kind of way," he told the magazine. "I used to work a few jobs here and there, earn five dollars, buy some food, buy some pizza. I had no money at all." In 1965, he joined Coltrane's band. "I couldn't figure out why he wanted me to play with him, because I didn't feel like, at the time, that I was ready to play with John Coltrane," Sanders said. "He always told me, 'Play.' That's what I did." When Coltrane died, Sanders continued playing for a time with his wife, Alice Coltrane. He also started leading his own bands. His most commercially successful work came for Impulse Records, including the renowned "Karma" album. After more than a decade of performing but not recording albums, Sanders released the much-admired "Promises" in 2021, with producer Floating Points and the London Symphony Orchestra. Rolling Stone called it "both startlingly minimal and arrestingly gorgeous." Known for his style of so-called spiritual jazz, Sanders, still actively playing, confessed in the 2020 New Yorker interview that "a lot of (the) time I don't know what I want to play. "So I just start playing, and try to make it right, and make it join to some other kind of feeling in the music," he said. "Like, I play one note, maybe that one note might mean love. And then another note might mean something else. Keep on going like that until it develops into maybe something beautiful." WATERLOO A former corrections worker is taking the First Judicial District Department of Correctional Services to court, alleging she was fired for merely sharing publicly available information when co-workers were allowed to keep their jobs despite criminal convictions. According to court records, Kristen Johnson was terminated from the Womens Center for Change in Waterloo in August 2020 after disclosing information to a client at the center about charges the father of the clients child was facing. Her supervisors said the incident was a breach of the agencys confidentiality policy. In the suit, Johnsons attorney said her firing was discriminatory and inconsistent with the treatment of other employees. Kristen was subjected to different terms and conditions of employment than her male counterparts, including but not limited to the suspension and eventual termination of her employment, her attorney, Lynn Smith, said in a lawsuit filed in Black Hawk County District Court. The suit was later moved to federal court at the request of the Department of Correctional Services lawyers. In appealing her termination, Johnson argued that some male employees were allowed to remain on the job despite domestic abuse and operating while intoxicated convictions. Allowing male staff to remain employed despite their engagement in criminal offenses creates a situation within DCS where you have offenders supervising other offenders, Johnson wrote in a letter challenging her firing to the Iowa Civil Rights Commission. The incident that led to Johnsons termination involved her communicating to a female client at the center information about the father of the clients child in July 2020. Supervisors said Johnson had accessed confidential offender information that wasnt needed for her normal job duties and disclosed it to another person, which violated the departments informational technology, confidentiality and ethics policies. They allege she allowed the client to view information on her computer screen. Johnson disputed allegation that she showed her screen and responded that she pulled up the information to better understand her clients situation, to discuss her parenting and help her with Iowa Department of Human Services paperwork. She said she was about to talk to her client about how her relationship with the father would affect her well-being and that of her child when she was interrupted by a co-worker because of what she was doing. Johnson also argued co-workers routinely undertake personal web surfing on their agency computers streaming music, watching videos and checking the stock market. She said a supervisor who fired her had earlier encouraged her to visit the supervisors online store during work hours using a work computer, standing over her until she felt pressured to make a purchase and leave a positive review. Another employee also made purchases and submitted a review. To add insult to injury, I continue to receive marketing emails from (the supervisors) business, Johnson wrote in her appeal to the offices director. The suit alleges sex discrimination and alleges the termination amounted to disability-based discrimination because Johnson underwent treatment for alcoholism in 2019, according to the lawsuit. The suit said treatment resulted in time away from work, and upon return she became the target of retaliation because she sought accommodations for her disability, the suit alleges. Attorneys for the department are denying the allegations in the lawsuit and said in court records she was terminated for legitimate, nondiscriminatory and non-retaliatory business reasons. Photos: Charles City students learn how to river surf WATERLOO Waterloos fire chief will step down at the end of the year. Pat Treloar announced he plans to retire after 25 years with Waterloo Fire Rescue. He has been the departments chief for more than decade. I think the department is in a good spot because of the command staff and all of our members that are working together for the citizens, Treloar, the fourth longest-serving chief in the fire departments history, said Friday. Id like to thank (former fire chief) Frank Magsamen for taking a shot and hiring a guy from Canada and (former mayor) Buck Clark for taking a chance and promoting a young captain to the position of chief, he said. Among his accomplishments, Treloar lists updating the departments ambulance service. I think we are one of the better services as far as equipment and personnel. Weve added ventilators, weve added scopes for intubation. Those are fairly advanced at the paramedic level, Treloar said. The department also added the position of Emergency Medical Services training officer, which will provide one-on-one specialized training for the departments paramedic staff and related medical training for firefighters. Treloar also re-established a training captain position to oversee operations at the Regional Training Center which offers education to surrounding departments and coordinates ongoing training for Waterloo firefighters. The training captain position had been phased out during a restructuring that took place before he was chief. Both the EMS training officer and the training captain positions started in July. An effort to address the risk of cancer for fire department staff is another area that has seen growth under Treloar. There have been a few members recently with job-related cancer that have heightened our awareness that we need to do a better job of cancer prevention, Treloar said. The profession runs the risk from carcinogenic debris picked up from fighting fires that coats protective clothing and other gear. Waterloo Fire Rescue added extractors, machines to wash protective coats and pants. And the department will be issuing a second set of bunker gear to each firefighter, allowing them to change into clean gear after a fire. Also under Treloars watch, the citys ISO rating went from a 3 to a 2. The rating is on a scale of 1 through 10 with 1 being the best. The score can be used to calculate the price of property insurance. Treloar said he credits the accomplishments to cooperation and support from the mayor, City Council and community. The outgoing fire chief said he had hoped to add a fourth front-line ambulance for the city. Waterloo currently has three ambulances staffed around the clock, and the department has two others that can be put into service as needed by pulling firefighters from fire stations. In the future, he would like to see the fire department receive accreditation through the Center for Public Safety Excellence. Born in Texas to Canadian parents, Treloar moved to Canada with his family when he was 5 years old. He held a position with the Fire Commissioners Office for Manitoba province before being hired by Waterloo Fire Rescue in 1997. He served as a firefighter, medic, engineer and community services director and worked his way to captain before Mayor Buck Clark appointed him to lead the department in 2011. In his retirement, Treloar plans to spend more time with his family. CEDAR FALLS After 16 years, a Cedar Falls High School tradition came to a close Friday. First Christian Church, right next to the high school, has been hosting a cookout on the day of homecoming since 2006. Gary Chambers has led the evnt since the start, and said this is the final year. The congregation is getting older and smaller, he noted. Prices have also doubled. Before COVID-19, Chambers said, he paid about $1,100 for hamburgers, hot dogs, buns, condiments, chips and pop. This year, he paid more than $2,000. He said the decision was made when Cedar Falls new high school was supposed to open next year. Now, that date has been pushed back. Unfortunately, there was pouring rain during the cookout Friday, but that didnt stop the churchs 20 volunteers. Ten volunteers from the University of Northern Iowas ThreeHouse Collaborative Campus Ministries were also present. Volunteers arrived around 8 a.m. to set up the tables, organize the snacks and begin cooking. The storm of high schoolers arrived around 11:15 a.m. Chambers said he started preparing for the cookout three weeks ago, ordering everything from chips to condiments. Kids go through lots of ketchup, he said. Twenty other volunteers baked homemade cookies and bars. To accommodate all the students, four serving lines were opened under tents. Students received their hot dogs and hamburgers in the rain and headed inside the church for baked goods. Two seniors, Lakin Straw and Taylor Long, sat on a bench as they enjoyed their lunch. Its so kind, Long commented, on the effort put into the cookout. They said it was their third cookout. The event was not put on in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. I think I speak for everyone at the school that everyone is very grateful for this, Straw said. The church does other events like a Trunk-or-Treat and a chili cook off, and Chambers said he hopes to keep providing events like this to the community. Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) meets with Equatorial Guinean Foreign Minister Simeon Oyono Esono Angue on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, the United States, Sept. 24, 2022. (Xinhua/Li Rui) NEW YORK, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Chinese State Councilor and Foreign Minister Wang Yi met here with Equatorial Guinean Foreign Minister Simeon Oyono Esono Angue on Saturday on the sidelines of the ongoing 77th session of the UN General Assembly. Wang said that under the joint guidance of the two heads of state, China-Equatorial Guinea relations have developed healthily and smoothly, and have become a model for large and small countries to treat each other as equals, unite and help each other, and be sincere and friendly. China is ready to work with Equatorial Guinea to carry forward traditional friendship, strengthen the synergy of development strategies and bring benefits to the people of the two countries, he added. Wang noted that China and Equatorial Guinea maintain close communication and good cooperation in multilateral institutions such as the United Nations. China will continue to firmly support Equatorial Guinea in safeguarding its sovereignty, security and development interests on the international stage, support the country to play a greater role in regional and multilateral affairs, safeguard the common interests of developing countries, and uphold unity and cooperation on the African continent, he said, adding two countries will jointly defend non-interference in other countries' internal affairs, a "golden rule" of international relations and the "talisman" of developing countries. For his part, the Equatorial Guinean foreign minister said that China is a reliable friend and strong partner of Equatorial Guinea, adding that under the care and guidance of the two heads of state, China-Equatorial Guinea relations have progressed smoothly. He thanked China for its valuable support for Equatorial Guinea's economic and social development, which has brought benefits to the people of Equatorial Guinea. He said that Equatorial Guinea firmly adheres to the one-China policy, supports the "one country, two systems," highly appreciates and supports the important concepts proposed by Chinese President Xi Jinping, such as the Global Development Initiative, and looks forward to strengthening the synergy of development strategies with China and deepening bilateral cooperation in various fields. WATERLOO The Black Hawk County Farm Bureau, Black Hawk County Pork Producers and Waterloo Fareway are giving away packages of meat this year to celebrate National Pork Month. Starting this Wednesday, people can sign up for the Windsor Wednesday drawing at the Waterloo Fareway meat counter, located at 40 West San Marnan Dr. Each Wednesday Oct. 5 through Oct. 26, a winner will be drawn to receive a six-pack of Windsor Chops and a pound of thick cut bacon. Winners will be notified by phone and asked to have their picture taken when they pick up their winnings. The other day in the business ethics class that I teach, I mentioned two very different people with whom I crossed paths Crooked Ole and Mr. Bowlby. Crooked Ole owned a small boat factory in the neck of the woods in Montana where I grew up. I am not proud of the fact that I worked for him, but it was the only job I could find when I graduated from high school and needed a job in order to earn money for college. Crooked Ole cared only about one thing making money. He came up with a way to save money on his electric bill. He asked (told) one of his employees, who had worked as an electrician, to wire a shunt around the electric meter so that only part of the electricity he used ran through the meter. On another occasion (which happened before I worked for him), he sold an outboard motor that a customer had brought in for repair to another customer. When the customer who owned the outboard motor that was sold came in to pick up his motor, Ole explained that a terrible mistake had been made and offered to give him another outboard motor in its place. The customer would have none of it and demanded that his own outboard motor be returned. Crooked Oles solution to the problem was to order two of his employees (one of whom told me the story) to go down the lake to where the customer to whom Ole sold the motor had his boat and steal the motor back, which they did. I should add that Ole never asked me to do anything illegal. I like to think that if he had, I would have refused to comply with his orders. But when you live on the brink of poverty, you dont really know what you would do. Mr. Bowlby was cut from entirely different cloth. He owned a music store, at 1623 2nd Avenue in downtown Rock Island. I never knew his first name. In fact I dont even know if Bowlby was his actual last name. I knew him, however, as Mr. Bowlby. I had a classical guitar that needed some work done on it, a guitar that had been made by the Estruch family in Barcelona, Spain. The bridge on it had lifted a bit and needed to be re-glued. Mr. Bowlby didnt do repair work himself but had a part-time employee who did. I left my guitar with Mr. Bowlby. He said to stop by in a couple of weeks to pick it up after it had been repaired. When I stopped by two weeks later, Mr. Bowlby said that I needed to stop by again when his repair person was there, which I did. All did not go well with the repair effort. The first attempt to glue down the bridge didnt hold, so the repair person tried it again, tightening up the clamps to put more pressure in the bridge. That enabled the glue to hold, but unfortunately it collapsed the sides of the guitar, which was not good. Mr. Bowlby felt terrible about that but said that he wanted to replace it with another guitar. I had a record of what I had paid for my Estruch guitar and said that I would settle for that amount of credit toward the purchase of another guitar. Mr. Bowlby said that wasnt good enough. He took two guitars down from the rack a Yamaha and a Takamine and told me to try them out. I did and determined that the Takamine was the superior guitar. Its yours, he said. I was so pleased by Mr. Bowlbys generosity that I subsequently purchased two more guitars from him. There is a certain cynical view of the business world that characterizes it as a dog-eat-dog world full of Crooked Oles. And indeed there are Crooked Oles in the business world. Bernie Madoff was convicted of cheating investors in an elaborate Ponzi scheme and was sentenced to a lengthy prison term. Recently New York Attorney General Letitia James charged Donald Trump and his three oldest children with fraud and other illegal activity. If found guilty, they will go down in history as Crooked Oles. However, what I want my students to know is that there are also a lot of Mr. Bowlbys in the world of business. Individuals such as Patagonia founder Yvon Chouinard, who recently donated the company to a special trust fund that will support projects that protect the environment. Companies such as Target, Canon, and Deere and Co. that demonstrate a very basic fact of life high ethical standards and success in business can and often do go hand-in-hand. There are a couple of modern tropes that Ive gotten very tired of: cancel culture and woke. Im tired of them because theyve been co-opted by the right to devalue what they mean. Theyve made them into newer tropes to illustrate how the left is ruining America. What became known as cancel culture was a movement to boycott anyone deemed unapproachable by their opinions or behavior. Being woke was about new awareness of discrimination and injustices, especially those emerging from new consciousness. The intention is positive. The Me-Too movement is an example of putting a stop to injustices to women that previously had no consequences. Black Lives Matter is another example of saying Enough! The idea is to shut down hateful voices and move society toward justice. But is also backfires. It often takes short cuts that create too many casualties and denigrate context to cast a wide net. Opposition has risen, and real systemic change falters. I saw a version of this dilemma up close and personal last week. My wife and I have a favorite restaurant near Chicago that weve been going to since 2020. The staff knows us and jokes with us. We sit at the bar, try new wines, talk, laugh, and often have dinner. Last week we were settling in, and the manager pulled me aside. You and your wife must leave. One of our employees is not comfortable around you. I was incredulous. What? A comment about Henry Ford last time you were here was the only explanation I received. With my brain reeling, I vaguely recalled saying Ford was an antisemite in a conversation with my wife about how issues we face today (antisemitism, fascism) have been part of America for generations. Did an employee think we were praising that reality? My wife and I have very complex discussions about issues, and an eavesdropper may hear words without hearing context. Anyone who knows us knows its impossible for us to be antisemitic fascists or to have sympathies for such vile ideology. Nothing I said mattered. The die was cast, and we were shown the door. Stunned, we told friends who were equally baffled. A couple of predictable acquaintances, however, said: Now you know what its like to be canceled by the left! Another called me a hypocrite, presumably because Ive defended wokeness in the past. For the record, I still support the expansion of heightened consciousness; broader awareness is not the problem. Neither is the manager who supported their employee or the employee who doesnt have to justify feelings. The problem is a social climate that gives personal interpretations sole authority and is policing an idea that everyone is accountable to them. That creates an oppression of its own: If someone is uncomfortable, social parameters are being determined according to that reaction, and truth is of less consequence. For the woke movement to counter its opposition it has to embrace that change requires being awakened by vigorous examination of truth. And without communication and a forum to solve, no real change takes place. Solutions lie in how we extend equal justice even when its uncomfortable. VID_20220925_094902_346.mp4 Estonians are being transplanted to cat toilets. Citizens of the small proud republic were warned that due to power outages, it is possible to turn off the sewage system. But there is a way out! The expert of the Rescue Department of Estonia Mikko Virkala explains: if the need calls, you need to take a large garbage bag purchased in advance, install it on the toilet. If there is a cat at home, even better. You can pour cat litter into the bag. After that, you do your business in the package, wrap it with duct tape and voila! Subscribe to @Sputnik But why? WtR Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine (September 25, 2022) Part 1 (read Part 2) The Armed Forces of the Russian Federation continue the special military operation. More than a hundred militants and 15 pieces of military equipment have been eliminated by a missile strike on a temporary deployment point of foreign mercenaries near Zaporozhye. A repair and restoration point of the 72nd Mechanised Brigade of the AFU has been hit by the high-precision weapons of the Russian Aerospace Forces near Annovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). It has destroyed up to 50 fighters and 28 pieces of military equipment. Attempt at an offensive by the 79th Airborne Assault Brigade of the AFU has been disrupted by concentrated fire strikes by Russian artillery in the direction of Maryinka (Donetsk Peoples Republic). The enemy has lost over 50 militants. High-precision strikes by the Russian Aerospace Force against permanent deployment points and communication centers of the 46th Air Mobilization Brigade and the 60th Infantry Brigade of the AFU near Bezymennoye, Mirolyubovka and Osokorovka (Kherson Region), has resulted in the elimination of more than 30 militants and five units of military equipment. In all, the Armed Forces of Ukraine lost more than 110 people, including the wounded ones, as well as 13 pieces of military equipment in the direction of Nikolayev-Krivoy Rog. Operational-tactical and army aviation, missile troopes and artillery strikes has resulted in the elimination of command post of a battalion of the 80th Airborne Assault Brigade of the AFU near Nikolayev, temporary deployment points of foreign mercenaries and the 10th Mountain Assault Brigade of the AFU near Zaporozhye and Druzhkovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), as well as 33 artillery units, manpower and military equipment in 178 areas. A HIMARS MLRS launching system has been struck in its firing position near Yavkino (Nikolaev region). 7 artillery platoons at the firing positions of the 57th Mechanised Infantry Brigade, 10th Mountain Assault Brigade, 24th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU and 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade near Lyubimovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Markovo, Maiskoe (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Shevchenkovo in (Nykolayev region), Zatishye and Rovnopolye (Zaporozhye region) have been struck during counter-battery operation. In addition, an Osa-AKM air defence missile launcher near Novosyolovka (Zaporozhye region), two munitions depots near Antonovka and Andreevka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), an air defence radar station near Krasnoarmeysk (Donetsk Peoples Republic), and the Ukrainian Navys Gyurza armoured boat near the port of Ochakov have been destroyed as well. Two MiG-29 airplanes of the Ukrainian Air Force converted to use American HARM anti-radar missiles have been shot by fighter aircraft of the Russian Air Force near Novoukrainka and Bashtanka (Nikolayev region). Russian Air Defene Forces shot down 12 unmanned aerial vehicles near Yasinovataya, Staromlinovka, Novotroitskoye, Kirillovka, Yegorovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Mayachka (Zaporozhye region), Davydov brod, Malokakhovka, Charivnoye and Mikhailovka (Kherson region). 21 shells of multiple launch rocket systems, including 18 HIMARS missiled near Novaya Kakhovka (Kherson region), and Valeryanovka (Donetsk Peoples Republic), and three Olha missiles near Guselskoye and Neskuchnoye (Donetsk Peoples Republic) have been also intercepted in the air. Three American anti-radar HARM missiles were shot down near Novaya Kakhovka (Kherson region), and Svatovo (Lugansk Peoples Republic). #MoD #Russia #Ukraine @mod_russia_en Russian Defence Ministry report on the progress of the special military operation in Ukraine (September 25, 2022) Part 2 (read Part 1) In total, 301 airplanes and 155 helicopters, 2,074 unmanned aerial vehicles, 377 air defence missile systems, 5,111 tanks and other armoured combat vehicles, 845 combat vehicles equipped with MRLS, 3,413 field artillery cannons and mortars, as well as 5,874 units of special military equipment have been destroyed during the special military operation. Kiev regime continues its provocations near Zaporozhye nuclear power plant. Once again, Ukrainian artillery shelled residential areas of Energodar and the territory adjacent to the nuclear power plant. During the day, Ukrainian artillery fired 59 shells. 4 of them exploded near Kazachaya Street in Energodar, and 1 hit a water canal near the nuclear power plant. The shelling was carried out from Marganets and Nikopol (Dnepropetrovsk region), controlled by the AFU. Enemy firepower has been neutralised by Russian artillerys counter-attack. In addition, the attempts of the AFU to strike the territory of the nuclear power plant by 8 kamikaze unmanned aerial vehicles have been prevented. All Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles were shot down outside the territory of the nuclear plant. The radiation environment at the Zaporozhye nuclear power plant remains normal. #MoD #Russia #Ukraine @mod_russia_en Top News Today Servicemen of the demining brigade of the International Mine Action Center of the Russian Armed Forces are clearing and checking for explosive objects in Lugansk Peoples Republic. Footage of Airborne troopers who have being awarded state decorations. Combat work of servicemen of the road commandant unit of the West Military District. More than a hundred militants and 15 pieces of military equipment have been eliminated by a missile strike on a temporary deployment point of foreign mercenaries near Zaporozhye. 7 artillery platoons at the firing positions of the 57th Mechanised Infantry Brigade, 10th Mountain Assault Brigade, 24th Mechanised Brigade of the AFU and 102nd Territorial Defense Brigade near Lyubimovka (Dnepropetrovsk region), Markovo, Maiskoe (Donetsk Peoples Republic), Shevchenkovo in (Nykolayev region), Zatishye and Rovnopolye (Zaporozhye region) have been struck during counter-battery operation. #MoD #TopNews #Russia #Ukraine @mod_russia_en WtR Telegrams comment on banning channels the other day was breach of terms and conditions, specifically calls for violence That is fine, no one should post violence stuff as threats and calling for death Except Ukrainian mainstream media cant go 1 hour without calls for violence, they are not being banned. Including other Ukraine channels something is not adding up here. And why is that? WtR by Marwa Yahya CAIRO, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- Marking the decoding of ancient hieroglyphs and the creation of Egyptology 200 years ago, a series of events are being organized by the Egyptian Ministry of Tourism and Antiquities. The National Museum of Egyptian Civilization (NMEC) in Cairo launched on Saturday a two-day program for teaching children about the Ancient Egyptian language via sculpture and buff paints workshops. Sama Ahmad, a ten-year-old Egyptian student, joined the interactive classes and portrayed some symbols of Egyptian hieroglyphs, the formal writing system used in Ancient Egypt. "I was happy to learn about old letters and to listen to information about the Rosetta Stone," she said while showing a paper carrying her name in the ancient language. The ministry also launched a social media campaign to explain hieroglyphs as well as to display artifacts that are key to understanding Ancient Egyptian civilization under the titles "Ancient Egyptian language," and "Learn about treasures in your province." The Rosetta Stone is one of the main keys that helped to decipher the Ancient Egyptian language and the genesis of Egyptology. With its original version exhibited in the British Museum, the granodiorite block was discovered in 1799 in the Nile delta town of Rosetta (Rashid in Arabic) by the occupying French forces, while it fell into the hands of British officials later and was sent to London. On Sept. 27, 1822, French scholar Jean-Francois Champollion was able to unravel the mystery of the stone and read the Ancient Egyptian signs correctly after centuries of attempts by scholars and researchers. The stone dated back to 196 B.C. when the syndicate of Egyptian priests gave a congratulatory speech to King Ptolemy V for assuming the throne of Egypt, thanking him for exempting all Egyptian temples from taxes due to low flood. Now the replica of the stone is fixed at the entrance lobby of the NMEC, which is inscribed in three languages: hieroglyphic, demotic and ancient Greek. "Visitors coming from the gate of the museum can spot it from a far distance till approaching it and reading the label underneath," said Sayed Fadel, supervisor of scenario display of the NMEC. The 200 anniversary of the creation of Egyptology is a good occasion for displaying the bloc, added Fadel, stressing "thanks to decoding the stone, we managed to read texts, paintings and inscriptions on Egypt's temples that narrate the old history of Egypt." He explained that the stone exhibited in London is one of six others that were placed in front of Egyptian main temples, but the other five have not been discovered yet. Emili Jones, a 32-year-old tourist from Canada, was curious about the stone. She told Xinhua that "the stone is a treasure of knowledge for exploring and digging into the mysterious history of Ancient Egypt." Hundreds of thousands of people in Atlantic Canada remain without power and officials are trying to assess the scope of devastation from former Hurricane Fiona The megadrought in the Southwest is drying up New Mexico, including the Rio Grande and Albuquerque. To protect New Mexicos water supply, Im part of a group of citizens who have filed a lawsuit to enforce the federal laws that require maximum conservation of water, known as beneficial use. The case is titled Clark v. Haaland, federal district court No. 1:21-cv-01091-KG-SCY. Besides the drought, politicians and judges have put New Mexicos water supply in jeopardy. In 2010, Gov. Bill Richardson made a compact with the Navajo tribe, giving it 635,000 acre-feet of New Mexico water every year from the San Juan River. To put that in perspective, that is six times the amount used by Albuquerque and Bernalillo County combined. It is also many times the amount of water the Navajos could put to beneficial use on their irrigation projects. If Richardsons agreement is upheld, the tribe could legally sell huge amounts of water to California, Arizona and Nevada. Meanwhile, the drought and Richardsons deal are reducing the municipal water supply that Albuquerque gets from the San Juan River via the San Juan-Chama project. When Richardsons water deal was challenged in state court, Judge James J. Wechsler ruled in favor of the Richardson/Navajo compact on all issues without a trial. The case next went to the N.M. Court of Appeals, where retired Judge Bruce Black wrote an opinion saying federal law preempts New Mexicos water laws and regulation. Black also ruled federal and state laws do not require beneficial use and water conservation. In Blacks opinion, judges can ignore climate change and water shortages for other users. State Engineer John DAntonio protested that the Court of Appeals decision robs New Mexico of its authority to control the appropriation and use of the waters of the State. The Albuquerque Bernalillo County Water Utility Authority also opposed the decision because it deprives New Mexico of ownership of the water in the states rivers. The New Mexico Supreme Court first agreed to review the lower court decisions, but then punted. The court quashed the appeal without explaining why. Meanwhile, Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham and her new state engineer are supporting the Richardson/Navajo deal without explaining why. That is why we have taken the case to the federal court. We cant control the weather that has given us a megadrought, but public officials have acted irresponsibly, giving a hugely disproportionate amount of the states vanishing water supply to the Navajo Nation. Over half a dozen state and federal laws have been violated by the Richardson/Navajo agreement, beneficial use being the gold standard. We plaintiffs just want to enforce the laws for water conservation and beneficial use throughout New Mexico. In our state, water is too precious to waste. Alarmed? Outraged? So are we. Thats why were asking the federal courts to straighten out this mess. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal SANTA FE Senate President Pro Tem Mimi Stewart said Saturday she is removing Sen. Daniel Ivey-Soto as chairman of an interim legislative committee set to meet this week, citing sexual harassment allegations against him. She also suggested the allegations arent yet fully resolved a contrast to public comments by Ivey-Soto, who said earlier this month that he was informed the investigation had ended. In the meantime, Stewart said, she has authority to remove Ivey-Soto as chairman of the New Mexico Finance Authority Oversight Committee and is appointing Sen. Nancy Rodriguez, D-Santa Fe, to replace him. Its next meeting is Monday. She also has also called on Ivey-Soto to step down from the panel he leads during formal legislative sessions the Senate Rules Committee though she isnt empowered to remove him from that post unilaterally. Given the scope and nature of the allegations levied against Senator Ivey-Soto, it would be inappropriate for him to remain in a position of authority until the allegations are fully, fairly and transparently resolved, Stewart said Saturday. Ivey-Soto has denied the harassment allegations. Apparently, weve dispensed with the concept of innocent until proven guilty, he said late Saturday. Ivey-Soto announced earlier this month that the investigation into a complaint against him had been suspended indefinitely without a determination of probable cause that would trigger public hearings. His attorney, he said, had been notified. But precisely what happened in the investigation isnt clear. Ivey-Soto did not waive the confidentiality rules that would allow for documents to be released, and the lobbyist who accused him of sexual harassment and abusive behavior has sued to overturn the secrecy provisions that prevent her from speaking about the case. Stewart made the committee announcement Saturday, the same day the Senate Democratic caucus nominated her to serve two more years as president pro tem. Her position still must be confirmed by the full Senate when the session opens Jan. 17. In Saturdays closed-door caucus meeting, Stewart defeated Linda Lopez, a fellow Albuquerque Democrat, to win the nomination. Senate Democrats on Saturday also reaffirmed Peter Wirth as their majority floor leader. They voted for change, however, in two leadership positions elevating Michael Padilla of Albuquerque to majority whip, replacing Lopez, and choosing Harold Pope Jr., also of Albuquerque, as caucus chair, succeeding Brenda McKenna. The votes came in a caucus meeting Saturday after an unusually tense month, centering on the internal investigation into sexual harassment allegations against Ivey-Soto. Stewart had called on Ivey-Soto to step down as rules committee chairman, saying some members dont want to attend meetings he presides over. He, in turn, accused Stewart of extortion and reported her to the FBI. She denies she did anything wrong. Stewart said Saturday the caucus is united and that she has more support than when she first ran two years ago. Were trying to focus on the many needs the state has, she told the Journal. Weve got a lot of work to do, and were going to buckle down and do it. Padilla, who is set to return as majority whip, once faced sexual harassment allegations, too, stemming from his tenure as supervisor of Albuquerques 911 call center. The city paid more than $150,000 to three women to resolve the claims. Padilla has denied the allegations and said he hadnt been accused of anything similar since then. He halted a campaign for lieutenant governor in 2017, in part due to criticism about the allegations from then-Congresswoman Michelle Lujan Grisham. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal Long-haul truckers could soon power up their 18-wheelers with New Mexico-made hydrogen delivered through a vast fueling network stretching from the Port of Los Angeles to West Texas. New Mexico-based Libertad Power is partnering with Hyundai Motor Co. and nationwide fueling service Diesel Direct to build a new hydrogen-fueled Southwest Clean Freight Corridor to help decarbonize thousands of heavy-duty, long-haul trucks that crisscross the region every day. The network could begin initial operations in about three years, said Joe Merlino, managing partner for Libertad Power, which plans to open the states first zero-carbon, green-hydrogen production plant near Farmington in 2025. The plant would employ electrolysis a technology that extracts hydrogen from water with no fossil fuels involved creating clean-burning hydrogen for fuel-cell trucks that Diesel Direct would deliver to customers across the region. Our goal is to be in commercial operation by 2025, Merlino told the Journal. Wed be looking at producing about 20 to 30 tons of hydrogen per day to start. But using electrolyzer technology, we have the advantage of building the plant out in modular fashion, so wed connect up more capacity as demand for product grows. Libertad expects to power its electrolyzer plant with renewable generation from wind and solar farms in New Mexico, Merlino said. And over time, it plans to establish two more hydrogen plants to serve the corridor, including a second one near Hobbs in southeast New Mexico, and then a third plant in Arizona near the California state line. Diesel Direct, meanwhile, will install hydrogen service centers along the major interstate highways in all four border states, building on the diesel-delivery infrastructure it already operates throughout the Southwest. The Massachusetts-based company, which launched in 1998, currently operates in 46 states, billing itself as the largest mobile fueling service company in the U.S. It provides 24/7 service from company-run hubs, offering on-site fueling directly at customer sites to supply diesel for everything from trucking fleets and heavy construction equipment to forklifts, storage tanks and generators, said Diesel Direct president and CEO William McNamara. We provide fuel where, when and how its needed for about 35,000 trucks everyday, McNamara told the Journal. We operate from coast to coast, including the Southwest markets from Los Angeles to Houston and all parts in between. The plan is to extend those same services for hydrogen delivery along the new clean freight corridor, servicing fuel cell-based, heavy-duty vehicles. That means installing new equipment specially designed for hydrogen storage, transport and fueling. We need a different type of tank and different fuel transfer and transport equipment for hydrogen, McNamara said. It will be a significant investment, but we see the Southwest as a great emerging market for hydrogen, with huge opportunities. Hyundai which ranked as the worlds third-largest automaker in sales volume from January-June 2022 is providing guidance on the technology, infrastructure and operational needs for hydrogen-fueled trucks. Thats based on direct experience building and operating its own fleet of long-haul fuel cell electric trucks, which to date have racked up 2.67 million fleet miles of driving in real-world conditions in Switzerland. Those trucks have demonstrated a maximum driving range of 500 miles, said Benjamin Happek, Hyundai senior manager for commercial vehicle global new business development. The South Korean company is aggressively developing both battery and fuel cell-based electric vehicles. In May, it announced plans to invest $5.4 billion in a new electric vehicle and battery plant to open in Georgia in 2025. Last year, it invested in Albuquerque-based Pajarito Powder, a startup thats developing inexpensive catalyst materials to lower the costs for fuel cells. Participation in the clean freight corridor reflects Hyundais strategy of developing hydrogen mobility ecosystems through cooperation with local partners, Happek said in a statement sent to the Journal. Los Alamos National Laboratory is also providing technical advice. The lab has pioneered fuel cell technology development for decades, starting in the 1970s, said Duncan McBranch, program director for LANLs entrepreneurship for mission innovation. Trucking is an especially good target for hydrogen, McBranch told the Journal. Its one of the hardest transport sectors to get off fossil fuels. Thats because heavy-duty trucks haul huge loads with powerful engines that are hard to fuel for long distances with electric batteries. Corridor project partners hope to eventually support more than 20,000 commercial fuel cell electric vehicles along Southwest highways. That could include some 12,000 heavy-duty trucks, which, if converted to hydrogen, would displace about 1.5 million tons of carbon annually, Merlino said. Copyright 2022 Albuquerque Journal U.S. District Judge James A. Parker drew national attention in 2000 when he apologized to a man who pleaded guilty to mishandling nuclear secrets and reproached top federal decision makers who, in Parkers words, embarrassed our entire nation by their handling of the case. Parker died Sept. 16 after serving the District of New Mexico for more than three decades. He was 85. Friends and colleagues described Parker as the consummate gentleman who treated everyone with respect and stepped down reluctantly last year after 35 years on the bench. If I had to speak to any one characteristic to define him, it would be that he was unfailingly a gentleman at all times, with everyone, said Senior U.S. District Judge Martha Vazquez, who served with Parker since she joined the court in 1993. I think everybody that knew him would also say he was a very nice man, Vazquez said. Parkers kindly manner earned him the nickname gentleman Jim, friends and colleagues said. He was a very generous and caring person, said retired Senior U.S. District Judge C. LeRoy Hansen, a longtime friend of Parkers. He enjoyed the law and was really thorough in his study and application of the law. Parker presided over some of the most complex and high-profile cases before the District of New Mexico, including litigation over the endangered silvery minnow, and a lawsuit that led to closure of two state institutions for people with severe disabilities. He also presided over what might be New Mexicos highest profile case: the federal governments prosecution of Wen Ho Lee, a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory. Lee was charged in 1999 with 59 criminal counts and accused by the government of stealing classified documents on behalf of the Peoples Republic of China. A naturalized U.S. citizen born in Taiwan, Lee pleaded guilty in September 2000 to a single count of mishandling nuclear secrets after spending nine months in solitary confinement. As part of the plea deal, the government agreed to drop the remaining 58 counts and agreed to his release from custody. Parker sentenced Lee to 278 days in jail one day less than Lee had already served allowing Lee to leave the courthouse a free man. In an extraordinary statement Parker read from the bench, he apologized to Lee for denying him bail. I feel that the 278 days of confinement for your offense is not unjust, Parker told Lee in September 2000. However, I believe you were terribly wronged by being held in custody pretrial in the Santa Fe County Detention Center under demeaning, unnecessarily punitive conditions. Parker also admonished the federal government for abusing its power in Lees prosecution. I am truly sorry that I was led by our executive branch of government to order your detention last December, Parker said. I sincerely apologize to you, Dr. Lee, for the unfair manner you were held in custody by the executive branch. Parkers statement was widely reported and reprinted in full in The New York Times. Early life A Houston native, Parker graduated from Rice University in 1959 with a degree in mechanical engineering. He graduated first in his class from the University of Texas School of Law in 1962. Parker and his wife, the late Florence Fisher Parker, then moved to Albuquerque, where they raised two children. Given his credentials, he easily could have gone to Houston, Dallas, New York or Washington, D.C., and joined the big firms, Johnson said. Instead, Parker chose to settle in New Mexico. As a child, he had vacationed out here and really liked Albuquerque. He practiced law for 25 years at the Modrall Law Firm in Albuquerque until President Ronald Reagan nominated him in 1987 to fill a vacancy on the U.S. District Court for the District of New Mexico. Parker held the post for 35 years, stepping down in September 2021, making him one of the longest-serving district judges in the history of the District of New Mexico. He served as chief judge from 2000 to 2003. He really hated to pick up his office and leave the court, Judge Vazquez said of Parker. He took his work very seriously. He loved his work. His work meant the world to him. An avid runner, skier and fly fisherman, Parker bought a ranch outside Durango, Colorado, which became a gathering place for family, friends and colleagues, his family said in a written statement. Parkers concept of service included traveling frequently across New Mexico to hear cases in the communities they affected, said Paul Baca, who served as Parkers court reporter for decades. Judge Parker would try a case in Albuquerque if it was an Albuquerque case, Baca said. We drove down many times many, many times to Las Cruces. But we also tried cases in Roswell. Baca credits Parker with keeping in service a small federal courthouse in Roswell. Parker also heard cases in Durango, he said. Judge Parker always wanted to make sure that all those courthouses were used so we can keep them open, he said. Baca routinely served as Parkers driver for out-of-town trips. The two men once drove to Cuba to try a federal case in a magistrate court, where Parker used a card table as his court bench. These plaintiffs had no money, they were so poor, Baca said. Parker explained that he wanted to spare the parties the expense of traveling to Albuquerque, Baca said. Parker once personally paid for food and lodging for an indigent Native American juror who had to remain in Albuquerque for the duration of a trial, Baca said. In one case, Parker used persuasion to get the opposing attorneys to stop bickering in his courtroom. They were not getting along, Baca said of the lawyers. Parker called them into his chambers and told them to settle their differences over lunch. He took out his credit card and said, You two go to lunch and work things out. And when we come back after lunch, there is going to be a different mood in the court.' Parker was a diligent note taker, Baca said. He took such copious notes during these proceedings that he often read back an answer or a question at an attorneys request before I had an opportunity to comb through my court reporting tape, he said. Other key cases Parker presided over yearslong litigation in the case of the endangered silvery minnow after environmental groups sued federal water managers in 1999 over protections for the tiny fish. Parker ruled in 2002 that the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation must consider using water meant for Middle Rio Grande Conservancy District farmers to help protect the minnow, which only survives in a portion of the Rio Grande. Parker issued a ruling in 1990 that changed New Mexicos treatment of people with severe disabilities. In Jackson v. Los Lunas, Parker found that the states two institutions for severely disabled people the Los Lunas and Ft. Stanton hospitals violated the constitutional rights of more than 100 people who lived in the facilities. The state shuttered both institutions in 1996. Parker is survived by his wife, Janice Butler Parker, children Roger Parker and Pamela Parker Jones, and seven grandchildren. A memorial service will be held at 11 a.m. Oct. 13 at the Cathedral of the St. John, 318 Silver SW. Services will be followed by a celebration of life reception at Hotel Albuquerque, Alvarado Room, 800 Rio Grande NW. AMALIA Biologist Bryan Bakevich unscrewed the top of a plastic bucket and removed a Rio Grande cutthroat trout that squirmed from his grasp and plopped onto the grassy bank of Middle Ponil Creek. He wants to go home, Bakevich said, easing the fish into the chilly, narrow stream the final stop on a three-month, 750-mile odyssey for this cutthroat and 107 others plucked in June from another stream in mountainous northern New Mexico. The states largest wildfire on record had roared perilously close to their previous home, torching trees and undergrowth on nearby slopes. Summer monsoon season was approaching and heavy rains could sweep ashy muck into the creek, clogging fish gills and smothering gravel bottoms where they feed and spawn. State and federal crews rushed to the rescue, using electrofishing gear to stun and net as many cutthroat as possible. They were trucked south to Las Cruces and kept in tanks at New Mexico State University until Middle Ponil Creek was readied to host them. Today, wildlife agencies in the southwestern U.S. consider missions such as this one essential as climate change brings more frequent and hotter wildfires, fueled by prolonged drought and tree-killing bug infestations. Particularly vulnerable are Rio Grande cutthroat trout and Gila trout rare species found mostly in small, high-elevation streams. With every fire, more of their populations are being affected, said Jill Wick, native fish program manager for the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish. Their habitat is often gone, washed out of the creek. Theres no place they can hide and cool off. Their food is decimated as well. The danger is rising elsewhere. Tens of thousands of salmon, trout and other fish perished in August when a flash flood swept through a burn area in Northern California, sending a sludge plume into the Klamath River. Trout numbers fell by up to 80% in sections of Colorados Cache la Poudre River after floods and mudslides in summer 2021, a survey found. The biggest wildfire in state history had burned 326 square miles in that area the previous year. Location matters Fire isnt always bad for fish. Many species evolved to benefit from the patchiness and diversity wildfire brings to landscapes and waterways, said Dan Isaak, a U.S. Forest Service fisheries scientist in Idaho. The one-two punch of fire and torrential rains is less common in northern regions. Ash tends to stay put through winter snows and seep into the ground or trickle into streams during spring thaws. It delivers nutrients for algae eaten by insects that become fish food. Burned trees topple into streams, creating pools and riffles for feeding and spawning. But farther south, ever-larger fires incinerate so much foliage holding soil in place that heavy debris flows cause oversized algae blooms that can suffocate fish. Their health also depends on such surrounding features as slope steepness, plant life and soil types, said Christopher Clare, a habitat protection biologist with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife. And, Clare said, climate change is heating streams, a problem worsened when fire robs banks of shade trees. Rebecca Flitcroft, a U.S. Forest Service fish biologist in Corvallis, Oregon, has modeled the danger that fire poses to spring Chinook salmon and bull trout in Washingtons Wenatchee River system feeding the Columbia River. While both species are imperiled, results suggest the trout are worse off because they occupy isolated, cold headwaters. Fire intensity there is higher than in lower portions of river systems preferred by Chinook for easier access to the Pacific, Flitcroft said. Man-made changes to waterways and landscapes make it harder for fish to survive during and after fires, she said. Water diversions have shrunk habitat. Low levels caused by drought, plus culverts, roads and dams, prevent fish from fleeing to cooler spots. Were at a critical place right now with very intense fires, compounded with highly disturbed systems that dont allow for connectivity and movement, Flitcroft said. Cutthroats in trouble The Rio Grande cutthroat, New Mexicos state fish, has long been going downhill. Drought and dams have disrupted its habitat. Non-native brown and brook trout, stocked for sport angling, compete for food. Introduced rainbow trout interbreed with the cutthroat, diluting its genetics. Named after the reddish slashes beneath its lower jaw, the colorful cutthroat occupies about 12% of its historical range in New Mexico and Colorado, according to a 2019 study that predicted continued decline. New Mexico had 92 Rio Grande cutthroat populations at the beginning of this year. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in 2014 rejected a petition to place the cutthroat on the federal endangered list, but was overruled by a federal judge and is reconsidering. The nonprofit Center for Biological Diversity had sued for the designation, saying the trout was barely hanging on. But a listing could bring land-use restrictions that many would find unpopular, said Toner Mitchell, New Mexico water and habitat coordinator for Trout Unlimited. Theres a risk of demonizing or villainizing the Rio Grande cutthroat, Mitchell said. That could result in anything from vandalism to outright efforts to exterminate the fish, when, by and large, longtime residents prize them. Teams have rescued cutthroat and Gila trout from New Mexico streams more than two dozen times since the late 1980s. Before these mega-fires, it might be one or two populations in trouble at one time, Wick said. Now, its two or three times as many. Nine cutthroat streams were within this summers Calf Canyon/Hermits Peak Fire, which began as two blazes set to clear undergrowth blew out of control, consuming more than 530 square miles. Ash wiped out at least one streams cutthroats. Trout were salvaged from three others. Among them was Rito Morphy, a twisting, tree-lined creek in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. Not all of the 190 fish from there survived the stress of two road trips and a monthslong stay in university tanks. But the effort kept most alive until a new habitat could be prepared in Middle Ponil Creek, about 58 miles from Rito Morphy. That required poisoning rainbow trout in the stream section where the fish would be placed. We want to make sure the cutthroat stay genetically pure, said U.S. Forest Service biologist Alyssa Radcliff. Its ecologically important to preserve a rare strain of fish, Radcliff said. Another goal is making more available for anglers. A lot of people were taken by their grandpas and their grandmas to these streams to catch these fish, she said. Free at last On a recent sunny, windswept afternoon, a pickup truck stopped alongside a dirt road in Carson National Forest. Workers scooped cutthroats 4 to 8 inches long from a large cooler into several 5-gallon buckets, strapped them onto backpacks and lugged them through a meadow to the brush-lined, boulder-strewn creek. When the buckets were tilted into the stream, the liberated fish darted about in the clear water and swished tails in the sandy bottom. Their new digs extended from the creeks headwaters to a wire-and-rock barrier 8 miles downstream to keep out rainbow trout. It was a quick ending for a mission that had lasted all summer, said Bakevich, the states native fish supervisor. After doing all the hard work and coming here, he said, this is the best part. Photo taken on Sept. 25, 2022 shows the weapons seized by Afghan security forces in Kunar province, Afghanistan. The Afghan security forces have collected hundreds of pieces of weapons as locals willingly handed over their arms and ammunition to local authorities in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province on Sunday. (Photo by Qazafi Mal/Xinhua) ASADABAD, Afghanistan, Sept. 25 (Xinhua) -- The Afghan security forces have collected hundreds of pieces of weapons as locals willingly handed over their arms and ammunition to local authorities in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province on Sunday. "The weapons handed over to local authorities today include nine anti-aircraft guns, 135 pieces of U.S.-made M16 assault rifles, 65 AK-47 rifles, 19 pieces of mortars, several RPG-7 and scores of light and heavy weapons, besides thousands of bullets," Ghaziabad district chief Qari Zia Ur-Rahman told reporters. At a ceremony attended by Defense Ministry officials, they called upon people to hand over their weapons to the Taliban-led caretaker government. "The weapons collected in Ghaziabad district will be handed over to the relevant security agencies through a transparent process," Mawlawi Sayedullah, an official from the Defense Ministry, said at the ceremony. Following the hasty withdrawal of the U.S.-led coalition forces in August last year, a large amount of military equipment, including thousands of military vehicles, light and heavy firearms, plenty of ammunition went missing in Afghansitan. The Afghan caretaker administration has been trying to collect arms and ammunitions from individuals as parts of efforts to ensure lasting peace in the war-torn country. Photo taken on Sept. 25, 2022 shows the weapons seized by Afghan security forces in Kunar province, Afghanistan. The Afghan security forces have collected hundreds of pieces of weapons as locals willingly handed over their arms and ammunition to local authorities in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province on Sunday. (Photo by Qazafi Mal/Xinhua) Photo taken on Sept. 25, 2022 shows the weapons seized by Afghan security forces in Kunar province, Afghanistan. The Afghan security forces have collected hundreds of pieces of weapons as locals willingly handed over their arms and ammunition to local authorities in Afghanistan's eastern Kunar province on Sunday. (Photo by Qazafi Mal/Xinhua) An India-Africa Defence Dialogue and a separate Indian Ocean Region-Plus conclave will be held during the Defence Expo 2022 scheduled to be held at Gandhinagar next month. It will also mark the celebration of one year of the formation of the seven new defence companies, carved out of the erstwhile Ordnance Factories. All these companies will participate in the expo for the first time. While 53 African countries are expected to participate in India-Africa Defence Dialogue, 40 countries will participate in IOR conclave. Defence secretary Dr Ajay Kumar on Saturday reviewed preparations of the forthcoming defence expo during the apex committee meeting which was attended by chief secretary Pankaj Kumar and other senior officers of the state government as well as officials of the ministry of defence MoD. The 12th edition of DefExpo is scheduled to be held between October 18 and 22, with the theme of Path to Pride. There will be a big exhibition at Mahatma Mandir, the helipad centre and live demonstrations at Sabarmati Riverfront. More than 1,000 exhibitors are expected to participate in the event. There will be ship visits for the public by Indian Coast Guard at Porbandar. A drone show by indigenous IIT Delhi start-up Botlabs (an iDEX winner) has also been organised, which will be another highlight of the mega event. The DefExpo 2022 was earlier scheduled for March 10-14, but was postponed due to logistical challenges being faced by participants at that time. The forthcoming edition is the first-ever edition exclusively for Indian companies. UNITED NATIONS, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Uzbek Foreign Minister Vladimir Norov on Saturday stressed the need to strengthen the central role of the United Nations in tackling global and regional challenges. The world today is facing a deep crisis of trust at the global level, an intensification of numerous challenges to stability and security, growth of geopolitical confrontation, and an increase of risks of bloc mentality, he told the General Debate of the UN General Assembly. Armed conflicts destabilizing international trade and economic ties, growing food and energy security challenges, global climate shocks and the spread of infectious diseases -- all contribute to the emergence of humanitarian crises and threaten the foundations of life, he said. No country can avoid or tackle global risks and challenges alone, he said. "Constructive dialogue and multilateral cooperation based on consideration and respect for the interests of all countries are the only way out of the dangerous spiral of crises. Effective international cooperation is essential if the world is to become more stable, predictable, and prosperous." "The UN should evolve for it to respond effectively to the transformation taking place," said Norov. The establishment of inter-civilizational and intercultural relations and dialogue is also extremely important in finding coherent approaches and solutions and relieving global tensions, uncertainty and unpredictability, he said. With this in mind, at last week's Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit in Samarkand, Uzbekistan, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev proposed an initiative. "Its goal is to contribute to the restoration of mutual trust and stability in international relations, as well as to strengthen solidarity through the establishment of a broad dialogue free from geopolitical rivalry, ideological contradictions, and disputes," he said. The Democrats successfully used a vast racial hoax to put Joe Biden and Kamala Harris into the White House. The problem, then, was helping them stay there. To date, theyve been relying on new additions to the same racial hoax in order to maintain their political control. For Democrats, having already weaponized race to attain the White House, January 6 was manna from heaven. Just 0.02% of J6 protesters (244 of 120,000 ) were affiliated with alt-right extremist groups, but creating the illusion of a White supremacist insurrection was childs play for Team Biden and the sycophant media. Immediately after the election, CNN concluded that White Republicans ignore or embrace racism. January 6 gave Biden the central theme for Democrats to retain control over the federal government. In Bidens inaugural address on January 20, 2021, he launched White supremacist domestic terrorism as the biggest threat to America. The Democrats partner, BLM, continued supporting the hoax. It ran ads equating J6ers to the KKK and revised its platform to destroy anyone affiliated with J6. Biden has cited White supremacist domestic terrorists as the biggest threat to the nation so often that many Americans now believe him. Few know that the alleged biggest threat of domestic terrorism accounts for only 0.2% of murders. They also dont know that Bidens references to increasing White supremacism are possible only because the government has tied domestic terrorism and hate crimes to January 6, so every granny parading through the Capitol after guards invited her in is now a domestic terrorist White supremacist. Image: Joe Biden. YouTube screen grab. Biden made the perfect pick when he appointed Merrick Garland as Attorney General. No one had a bigger ax to grind against the Republicans. On June 15, 2021, Garland gave a speech about domestic terrorism, which he summed up by saying, In the FBIs view, the top domestic violent extremist threat comes from racially or ethically motivated violent extremists, specifically those who advocate for the superiority of the white race. On October 4, 2021, Garland honed in on the growing problem of domestic terrorism at school board meetings. These parents were a problem because they were interfering with a critical component of perpetuating the Democrats racial hoax: using education to indoctrinate children about white oppressors and non-white victims. The need to fuel the hoax has heated up in the run-up to the midtermswith a modification expanding its reach. Now, everyone who opposes Biden is part of the greatest threat to the nation. During a primetime address on September 1, 2022, Biden drew a direct line between white supremacism, Republicans, and the greatest threat to the homeland. Donald Trump and MAGA Republicans represent an extremism that threatens the very republicThere is no question that the Republican Party today is dominated, driven, and intimidated by Donald Trump and the MAGA Republicans, and that is a threat to this country. The problem with this evolving hoax, though, is a lack of supporting data, although thats not for lack of trying. On September 13, 2022, the FBI issued a single report noting that it had arrested 6,000 violent criminals between May and August. The problem for the Democrats narrative was that those arrested were almost exclusively people-of-color gang members and drug traffickers. In the same period, the FBI put out 20 press releases for people involved with foreign terrorist organizations, and 51 about J6ers, of whom four were identified as white supremacists. There were 3 other domestic terrorist arrests. According to an FBI whistleblower, agents have been instructed to headline each J6er with his or her state of residence to give the illusion of ongoing domestic terrorism all over the United States. On September 15, 2022, reports surfaced that, for the past 19 months, working without a subpoena, Facebook spied on private messages and then transmitted to the FBIs domestic terrorism unit any messages indicating opposition to Biden or questioning the election. Despite this unprecedented access to Americans private communications, Biden still couldnt get enough data to support his claims about what is allegedly the biggest threat to the homeland. On September 15, 2022, it was reported that the demand for White supremacy coming from FBI Headquarters vastly outstrips the supply of White supremacy. We have more people assigned to investigate White supremacists than we can actually find. Biden and Harris were undaunted by the paucity of White supremacist terrorists. At the United We Stand Conference on September 15, 2022, Biden called for ending immunity for social media because hate groups got too much oxygen there. White supremacists will not have the final word. Harris supported Bidens assertion with data on hate crimes in 2020. She claimed they surged to the highest rate in over a decade. She was clearly implying an increase in Whites perpetrating hate crimes, but that is not what the data showed. Instead, the data showed Harris perpetuating the hoax. Hate crimes were up over 20% for Asians, Blacks, and Whites, and the known hate-crime perpetrators were disproportionately Black. In Hate Crime Hoax: How the Left is Selling a Fake Race War, African American author Wilfred Reilly said, were not experiencing an epidemic of hate crimesbut we might be experiencing an unprecedented epidemic of hate crime hoaxes. Hes right. For over two years, Americans have been victims of the worlds largest racial hoax. As with every Democrat-perpetrated race hoax, it supercharges negative race relations. America is the most anti-racist nation in the world, and it has the most educated and prosperous minority communities in the world. Team Biden and the Black Lives Matter Global Network Foundation, a 501c3 entity, have engineered a racial hoax that is the lowest blow to which any American administration has stooped to retain power. This week in history witnessed the launch of a daringly amazing campaign dedicated to defending and liberating Christian lands from Islam. The year was 1442. After having suffered countless atrocities from the invading Turks, "everyone [in the West] spoke of making war on the infidels and driving them out of Europe" and it was entirely due to the martial exploits of John Hunyadi, the Transylvanian-born hero who had singlehandedly bested the Turks in several recent engagements. After putting an army of some 25,000 Christians together mostly from Hungary, Poland, Wallachia, Moldavia, and Serbia Hunyadi took the initiative by doing the unthinkable: he led them into Turkish-held territories at the end of September 1442 when campaigning season was supposed to end, due to the usual harsh weather, not begin. Hunyadi was always in the vanguard, a day ahead of the main army and Hungarian king, Ladislaus III, its formal leader. The Christian army marched south of the Danube, scourging the Turks in every encounter and liberating Christian town after town. The deeper the Christians penetrated into subject Ottoman territory, the larger their army became, as overjoyed Christian subjects, casting off the yoke of their Muslim masters, rushed to join and augment the ranks of their saviors. After Hunyadi took Nis in early November, and in an attempt to trap and annihilate the Christians, three different Muslim armies converged on the town. With lightning speed, Hunyadi defeated all three, one by one, before they could unite. By late November, the Christians had reached Sophia in Bulgaria more than 450 miles whence the Crusaders had first started marching. Considering that Sophia had been under Islamic rule for more than half a century, since 1382, the long oppressed "Bulgarians went wild with joy." Liberator and liberated reconverted the mosques back into churches and gave thanks in them. The long cherished dream of freedom from Islamic domination was becoming palpable: The Balkan peoples became excited by the hope of their liberation which appeared close. ... [T]he local population welcomed them everywhere with gifts and food, so that the soldiers hardly used the supplies they had brought along. The camp of the king became filled with Bulgarians, Bosnians, Serbians, and Albanians. ... According to the sources from that time, the population was very much set against its [Turkish] oppressors. The victorious Crusaders next set their sights on Adrianople (Edirne) the very capital of the Ottoman Empire, and the sultan's own seat of power. Once a beautiful Greek city, Adrianople was now a major center of the Muslim slave trade. Its markets were so inundated with Christian flesh that children sold for pennies, "a very beautiful slave woman was exchanged for a pair of boots, and four Serbian slaves were traded for a horse." Outside the Ottoman capital often lay the remains of the unwanted or undesirable. As Bartolomeo de Giano had observed four years earlier, "so great a quantity of [European] bodies lay consumed, partially rotted, partially devoured by dogs, that it would seem unbelievable to anyone who had not seen it with their own eyes." Between the marching Christian army and the Thracian plain leading to Adrianople stood the vast and snow-covered mountains of the Balkan range. Although it was by now December when no one campaigned Hunyadi forced the march through the frigid cold and harsh terrain, even as panicked Turks did everything to stall him, including blocking the already narrow passes with stones and felled trees and creating walls and narrow paths of slippery ice. Still the Christians came on. Before long, the sultan was advised to retreat from his capital, so terrified were the Turks. On December 12, 1443, Hunyadi and his advance cavalry got entrapped at the Zlatitsa Pass; many perished of cold and starvation. On arriving to ambush them, the grand vizier remarked with contempt that he owned more cows than the Christian army had men. After haranguing his exhausted and frozen men with words of violence and hope, "Hunyadi again led that battle himself, and, despite being outnumbered, drove the Turks back to their fortifications in the mountains." Due to the fierce and unrelenting winter, and with their supply lines stretched thin, Hunyadi finally ordered a withdrawal and not a moment too soon. Many men had died of starvation, and many more would die on the long trek back home. Sources record the emaciated men "staggering from side to side as though about to fall; with their pallid faces and sunken eyes, they are more like skeletons than humans." To make the march easier, all worn down horses were killed and eaten, and all heavy weapons and non-essential equipment were buried or burned, lest the Turks get them. The skeleton army finally arrived in Buda, led by their king barefooted, singing Christian hymns, and brandishing more captured Islamic banners. After receiving a hero's welcome, they fell to their knees and gave thanks in the main cathedral for their victories. "This march of the crusaders," historian Patrick Balfour correctly observes, "was a military feat seldom paralleled in history." It is now known as "the Long Campaign," as the Christian army was in nonstop action for more than six months most of which was in winter and hundreds of miles deep into enemy territory at a time when campaigns usually lasted no more than two months and rarely went past fall. It consisted of seven major battles, all Christian victories. Reflecting on what had originally seemed like Hunyadi's "insane strategy" of taking the war to the much stronger enemy, Romanian historian Camil Muresanu writes, He was aware of the plans of conquest of the Ottomans and understood that limiting himself to defense meant to expose the country to constant incursions and plunders and to harassment that would eventually lead to exhaustion. That is why he preferred to take the offensive, involving deep penetration into enemy territory, to defeat the adversary decisively on his own territory, thus putting an end to the war that had been going on, with interruptions, for more than half a century. His preference for the offensive was also justified by the support that he was certain he would find in Ottoman lands from the subject [Christian] populations: Romanians, Serbians, Bulgarians, who were waiting for help to come from the north for their liberation. At any rate, "never had the Muslims suffered so much from the cunning and malice of the gavur [infidels]," wrote a Turkish chronicler of the Long Campaign. Not only was "the Ottoman world terrified" with Muslim cities everywhere hunkering down and refortifying themselves but even the Mamluk sultan in distant Egypt across the Mediterranean made preparations "to defend Cairo if they heard that John Hunyadi entered Asia Minor." This article was adapted from Raymond Ibrahim's new book, Defenders of the West: The Christian Heroes Who Stood against Islam. Image via Max Pixel. Arent we lucky that both the mainstream and social media blocked the news about Hunters laptop? Aside from all the disgusting images found on it of Hunters drug and orgy-filled days and nights, the Big Guys take from the Chinese bribery was kept from the voters when it surely would have made a difference. Big Tech teamed up to suppress one of the biggest stories of the cycle: the Hunter Biden laptop story. A post-election poll found that 17 percent of Biden voters would have reconsidered their decision had they been aware of the laptop story alone, not counting the hundreds of Breitbart News stories voters didnt have access to due to Google censorship. Bidens margin of victory in three swing states was less than a percentage point, making tech censorship a pivotal factor in the outcome. Bought Biden stays bought. Heres his payback to Xi: Energy policies that hamstring domestic energy production, fueling inflated prices, and shortages of everything including food. Policies which benefit China, which is presently spewing more carbon-dioxide emissions into the worlds atmosphere than any other country on the planet -- 30%. And this will probably rise as the U.S. and Europe stupidly abandon fossil fuels before there are any viable alternatives. Now we learn that in addition to Chinas long-known industrial espionage, the administration has made it easy for China to steal our nuclear secrets. The great Daniel Greenfield reports: At least 154 Chinese scientists who worked on government-sponsored research at the U.S.s foremost national security laboratory over the last two decades have been recruited to do scientific work in China -- some of which helped advance military technology that threatens American national security -- according to a new private intelligence report obtained by NBC News. The report, by Strider Technologies, describes what it calls a systemic effort by the government of China to place Chinese scientists at Los Alamos National Laboratory, where nuclear weapons were first developed. Many of the scientists were later lured back to China to help make advances in such technologies as deep-earth-penetrating warheads, hypersonic missiles, quiet submarines and drones, according to the report. We are literally financing our own destruction in every possible way. Its not surprising that Communist China would want to plant its own people at Los Alamos. The mindboggling thing is that they were able to plant over 150 of them. No waiting. The Trump administration tried to put a halt to this in 2018 with its China Initiative, but Biden undid this plan, claiming racism was behind it, and suggesting such efforts were hate crimes. The Department of Justice put on its virtue-signaling cloak and announced this February: We have heard concerns from the civil rights community that the China Initiative fueled a narrative of intolerance and bias. To many, that narrative suggests that the Justice Department treats people from China or of Chinese descent differently. The rise in anti-Asian hate crime and hate incidents only heightens these concerns. The Department is keenly aware of this threat and is enhancing efforts to combat acts of hate. These efforts are reflected in the Attorney Generals memorandum issued last year following the enactment of the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act. There are also increasing concerns from the academic and scientific community about the departments pursuit of certain research grant fraud cases. We have heard that these prosecutions -- and the public narrative they create -- can lead to a chilling atmosphere for scientists and scholars that damages the scientific enterprise in this country. Safeguarding the integrity and transparency of research institutions is a matter of national security. But so is ensuring that we continue to attract the best and the brightest researchers and scholars to our country from all around the world -- and that we all continue to honor our tradition of academic openness and collaboration. In light of these concerns, we began a review soon after I took office. The reviews purpose was forward-looking. The key question was whether this framework still best serves the strategic needs and priorities of the department. While I remain focused on the evolving, significant threat that the government of China poses, I have concluded that this initiative is not the right approach. Instead, the current threat landscape demands a broader approach. I want to emphasize my belief that the departments actions have been driven by genuine national security concerns. But by grouping cases under the China Initiative rubric, we helped give rise to a harmful perception that the department applies a lower standard to investigate and prosecute criminal conduct related to that country or that we in some way view people with racial, ethnic or familial ties to China differently. I began my career as a trial attorney in the Civil Rights Division. The department is committed to protecting the civil rights of everyone in our country. But this erosion of trust in the department can impair our national security by alienating us from the people we serve, including the very communities the PRC government targets as victims. Our reputation around the world for being a country dedicated to civil rights and the rule of law is one of our greatest strengths. Greenfield asks how it was possible for these 154 Chinese scientists to get the Q clearance needed to work there, reminding us that up until now it was almost impossible for scientists with family ties to foreign nations, especially enemy nations, to get such high-level access to security information. Surely, intelligent scrutiny should be able to screen and distinguish Xi opponents from China from men like these 154 scientists whom he categorizes as returnees to China, not defectors. Someone ought to ask the Big Guy these questions. Silicon Valley with its Google, Facebook and Twitter censors, along with the New York Times and Washington Post, surely share some responsibility for this major security breach with the Biden administration, and likely none of them will be held accountable.